How do you inspire students?
Well, first we needed some inspiration and it came in the bucket load this week at our first ‘Risk Takers’ session.
The lunch? Good. The cake? Some may say it was inspiring. The meeting? Brilliant. It was a real opportunity to share ideas in an informal, friendly setting.
As ASTs we may have been a little over excited with the prospect of cake and a whole lunch break talking about our favourite subject – teaching and learning. We were not disappointed. V9 was buzzing with enthusiasm!
After a brief introduction, everyone was up and out of their seats (and cushions) to write their ideas on the tables and windows – literally. Here are just a few of the ideas we all shared.
Another suggestion to group students was to have ‘home’ (friendship) and ‘away’ (teacher differentiated) groups; write a number, a colour and a shape on the front of each exercise book to represent different groupings or even order them randomly based on height, date of birth, etc.
The Tactile Table – using objects to promote discussions and abstract thinking. This supports kinaesthetic learners and creates a tactile environment. For example:
What theme is symbolised best by the potato masher?
How would you go about splitting the whisk into quarters?
Use the stickle bricks to represent the differences between elements and compounds.
We each left with a handful of new ideas to engage, motivate and inspire our students.
Taking risks in the classroom isn’t about walking on a tightrope, juggling, whilst fireworks go off (we exaggerate but you know what we mean). Taking risks is trying something new. Trying something different. Trying something that may go wrong BUT could equally (and more likely) be the lesson that day where your students are surprised to hear the bell so soon and don’t want your lesson to end.
How do you inspire students? We start by inspiring each other.
The next ‘Risk Takers’ session will be held in S8 on Tuesday 12th March – lunch (and cake) will be provided. We look forward to seeing you all there!
In the meantime, why not get yourselves on Twitter? There is a world of great ideas out there… you could even use the Mountbatten hashtag. #MBrisktakers
@siancarter1 @wheeler_sally @NEdge9