Teacherman

I currently teach high school economics, but because I’m teaching at a school in China that doesn’t have any clearly defined standards I will be using the District of Columbia Social Studies Standards for Pre-K through Grade 12. The full set of standards is available to view at the following link. https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/DCPS-horiz-soc_studies.pdf I will be using standard E1 from the elective economics course. This standard can be found on page 90 of the text and reads as follows; Standard E1:  Students understand common economic terms and concepts and economic reasoning. I chose this standard because it forms the basis for the rest of the economics course. This section contains all the key vocabulary and concepts that you will be building on for the rest of the year, so it is absolutely vital that you get this section right. If you don’t do a good job here the remainder of the year will be filled w...

It seems obvious, but Marzano (2010) reminds us that for rules and procedures to be effective, there must be positive and negative consequences. In the real world, if the speed limit is set at 60 mph but there are no police present, then quite soon drivers will edge past 70 and even 80 if they think they can get away with it. The same is true of the classroom and Marzano is adamant that teachers must use both positive and negative consequences frequently. Students all of ages should be praised when they follow the rules, but violations should never be left unchallenged. Students appreciate consistency and time spent reinforcing the behaviour you want to see in the classroom will pay dividends in the long run. Positive Consequences: Marzano (2010) warns us to be careful with rewards and make sure they are appropriate and an effective motivator rather than the sole focus of the students. There are a variety of options when it comes to positive consequences and teachers may be b...