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Rick Holtz - Short Essay D
In order for today's secondary public school students to find academic success
in the study of American History, dedicated teachers must remove teaching
behaviors that solely lean on using textbook resources (reviews, canned
suggested lessons, traditional assessments, etc.) Teachers have to
read these materials first and decide what specific themes, concepts,
and skills they wish their students to know. They need to write/present
their objectives in a language/format that the children they are teaching
can understand beyond the studying of highlighted unit/chapter vocabulary
terms. Teachers need to look for additional resources (websites, etc.)
that present a fresher, more creative personal look at studying American
History. Teachers need to take time to develop an ongoing list of
useful technological resources they can pool to tap student enthusiasm
and engagement. This requires teachers to become more facilitators
in the direction of offering students creative "hands-on"
lesson activities. In allowing for more student creativity and self-discovery
to a topic, the student will find greater opportunities to make personal
connections with why history (regardless of the time period being
studied) is important, valued and needed in the shaping of good American
citizens. The more creative and thought-provoking student lessons
that can be presented the more students will ultimately have in self-discovery
practices. These fresh academic opportunities will enable them to
have the experience of making key decisions about what they are learning,
why they are learning about them, as well as asking their own questions
(while elevating their critical thinking skills) about a topic rather
than having to answer them off a traditional worksheet. Balancing
curricular materials by using a variety of multi-media resources will
help teachers in their efforts to create more interesting and personal
lessons for their teaching units. The study of 2-3 dimensional artifacts
and historical documents will in themselves provide new puzzles and
challenges for the students that will heighten their interest and
wonder. Finally, allowing students with varying learning abilities
to create and construct their own projects will tie in their understanding/application
of what they are studying and will personalize/enable them to have
ownership in the subject, thus building their individual self-esteem
as they successfully use their own creative talents.
My instructional goals for the 2002-2003 school year and beyond
will be to weave new learning strategies and technological resources
as mentioned above into the units of American History that I will
be teaching and moreover to rethink/revise some of my former "more
comfortable" educational practices with the overlying goals of restating
my learning objectives clearly and simply in terms of what I want
my students to know, master and accomplish as well as being a greater
facilitator in creating more interesting lessons and discovery opportunities
that will enable all students with varying abilities to meet greater
self-satisfaction.
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