Friday, April 1, 2011

April Fools Day

This has been a great day for us to teach following directions. Your preschooler to grade two kids might not get it, but third grade and up will learn well from it.

A favorite activity of mine is to introduce the pop quiz with instructions at the top and questions at the bottom. Usually the questions are a step up in difficulty from what my students are at presently but they do have merit in reinforcing skills learned or introducing items to think about.

The top of the quiz is what really matters. Be clear and concise in directions, but include that they must be followed. Then limit that the only thing that truly needs to be answered is the student's name and date...

Those that put the name at the top as well as the date have followed instructions, and pass... the assignment is an extra credit, vs content as normally included in the grade book. Those that do not pass do not negatively impact their grade for the class, they just don't get the extra boost. No matter what, you are introducing the concept of analysis of their materials to the child, and that in of itself is a lesson that no grade can be given for – it's simply priceless.

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