Thing 5

For the four years I have had in teaching I have found it helpful to offer books from numerous reading levels in my own classroom library.  This was always helpful when a book report or review was required.  I could find books in most of the students' interest areas in all of the reading levels.

Science is the class that I found to be the great equalizer.  Science offers many hands-on activities, collaboration in smaller groups, and an opportunity to place struggling students in with stronger.  I've noticed that the stronger students encourage and pull out the best from the ones that generally struggle.  They are caught up more in the excitement of what they are doing and the discussions about it.  Science is also a great subject to bring out the questioning spirit we want to see as educators.

I loved the idea in the lesson sample where the teacher provided books at four reading stations at various reading levels, had the students visit each station and the select the one they liked best.  I know that having the different levels available to them gives them the opportunity to begin at the level they come into the classroom with and then make progress throughout the year.

I have had students who do better for testing standing up rather than sitting down, students who do better with an oral test than a pen and paper test, and students who will ask if they can give their own spin on an assignment.  (For example, instead of writing a paper, presenting the material in a rap). 

I found that whenever I can incorporate their interests and areas of strength, I have gotten better results in the work I wanted them to create.  Engaging a student means being able to find out what interests them and how they best express themselves.  Whenever school lends them the opportunity to blend those skills and interests into their schoolwork, the better a student is going to, not only do the work, but to actually retain what they learn.