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FINAL BLOG POST - OUR "DAILY TRIPLE" (DUE 12/1).
This week I would like you to use your imagination. You have just won the lottery and will leave your teaching post immediately to travel around the world. As you leave your keys you meet your replacement. You are asked to give this new teacher just ONE piece of advice. What would that be, and why? Enjoy your world expedition!

Blog Post - Week 7
This past week in my own teaching I felt a little disconnected which prompts my question to you, "What was the moment (or moments) when I felt most disconnected or disengaged as a teacher - the moment(s) I said to myself, I'm just going through the motions here?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 6
For the past couple of weeks you have experienced asynchronous online learning (doing modules by yourself). Previously this semester you have experienced synchronous online learning (all together in the Collaborate room). Which do you think is more effective and why do you think that? Which do you like better, and why?

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 5
This week we have what we call "open mic." You can write a post about anything related to your teaching that you would like responses from your classmates.

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 4
Here is this week's question: "What was the event that most took me surprise this week - and event that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 3
Please write a post about the following question, "In thinking about my past week teaching what is one thing I would do differently, and why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 2
Please write a post about the following question, " In thinking about my teaching activities this past week, of what do I feel most proud? Why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 1
Describe something you used in your program in the first weeks of school that you learned in the summer NTI program. How did it work? Did it get you off to a stronger start than last year?

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Answer First Week Question

Back in the summer NTI classes I think I learned a lot that has benefited me in the first few weeks of class.  One of the things that I think benefited me the most involves one of the behavior management tools we were given during class.

When I first heard the "I know this may not seem important to you, but it is to me" method, I thought to myself that it was the dumbest thing I had ever heard of.  It just seemed so odd to me to validate the student, who was already being an issue. 

So, imagine my surprise when during the first full week of class when a student was challenging me on the importance of an assignment, all that my brain could quickly pull up was the "I know this may not seem important to you" method. 

Before I knew it, I had started the method.  "I know this may not seem important to you," I said.  "However, it's very important to me that you learn the vocabulary before we move on in the unit."

I cringed inside as I expected the room to burst into laughter from this lame attempt to control the situation. 

Instead there was silence. 

The student sat there with a silly look on his face, speechless. 

It had worked. 

I probably had the same silly look on my face when I realized what had just happened.  I ran through the rest of the class with a new found confidence. 

I used the same method later in the day on a kid that probably didn't even see it coming.

I'm now the king of "it may not seem important to you..." (At least in my own tinly little realm.)

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I constantly have this problem in my class. There is always that one studnet that says this is stupid or this does not matter! I always struggle on how to deal with the situation. I would love to learn this technique since I did not attend the Summer portion.

JC said...

Nice! I'm waiting for a student to say that so I can use "the perfect rebuttal".

toothpik said...

You go KING!! This is GREAT!! Thanks for reminding me of this valuable phrase.

Unknown said...

You simply redirect them by saying something along the lines of, "I know this may not seem important to you, but it is very important to me..." and then outline why it is important to you.

So, for example, a student complained about a crossword puzzle I gave them for a vocabulary lesson. I said, "I know this may not seem important to you, but it's important for me that you learn the definitions of these words so that as we move forward you won't be confused when we see these words again."

It's amazingly effective.

For some strange reason.

Dr. J said...

This is a great post Tuck! I hope everyone in our group reads it. Dr. J.