Reviews that Rock! Great Ideas for Covering Test Content

Tired of the groaning whenever you settle in for a topic review in class? Here are some ideas to use when getting ready for a big test, and also some strategies to keep the material fresh all year long. Bonus? Many of these ideas can be used as team activities, or as sponge activities when it’s time for transition.

Chalkboard Relay.

This is particularly great for math questions. Divide the class into two teams, and have the front person from each team at the board for each question, racing to see who can get the correct answer first. Keep score with tally marks on the chalkboard to see which team finishes in first place. This could also work with spelling word reviews, or reading off definitions to see who can come up with the correct term fastest.

In the Bag.

This was covered in depth in a previous post. Basically, you can save any spelling word cards, study cards from previous class units, etc. For an impromptu review, have one student select a card with a spelling word on it and hold it so the rest of the class can’t see. Then let them call on a student to spell the word correctly and use it in a sentence. The class members swap out once a correct answer is provided.

Topic Riddles.

This is sort of a reverse “Twenty Questions” type of thing. Have several clues for each word, concept or answer. Then ask who / what / where am I based on the answer you need to receive. You could be going for a character in history, a type of biological plan, an astronomical phenomenon, etc.

Lining Up.

This is more of a time to do the review, rather than the activity itself. Each student can line up when they answer the question, or if you are already lined up as a group and they are waiting to get dismissed, let them leave the room if they answer the question and go to the back of the line if they mis it. I like to only send them back one time so it stays fun and keeps things on track time wise.

Roll the Dice.

I saw this my first year teaching at a workshop and it has served me well at multiple grade levels. Basically, you have kids divided into 3-4 teams with a few people (6 or less) in each team. You ask the question and every team confers together for the answer for an allowed amount of time. Then, whatever team’s turn it is waits for you to roll the dice. Each member of the team is assigned a number, so when the number on the dice comes up, they know which team member will need to answer the question. If that person gets it wrong, the question goes to the next team to try to answer it, with the dice getting rolled again. What I like about this is every team has to review the material for each review question, and within each team, every member HAS to be included because they never know who will get called on. Everybody has to stay focused on the activity and material if they want a chance to get points. This is another one of those ideas that can be used from early primary through high school, adult education, or even at the university level if you were so inclined.

Random Trivia.

Quotes from book characters or historical figures, math questions, spelling, riddles, all kinds of ideas would work here. You can use the strategy in a relay, with line up or dismissal transitions.

Review Puzzle as Learning Centers.

This is great for an extra time activity when students are finished with their seatwork. Use the page protector strategy to save on consumable resources.

There you have it. Seven simple ways to provide solid, attention – grabbing content reviews in the classroom. Got a slamming suggestion of your own? Sound off in the comment section and share the love.

 

Photo Credit: Editor B.

Career Hack: Teach to Travel

Sign up to save the world and left feeling like a chump after seeing your first paycheck from the local school district? Here’s an alternative way to maximize the perks of your career choice. It only requires a sense of adventure.

If you haven’t considered overseas teaching and the bargain travel opportunities it offers, perhaps it’s time you started looking into it. Here are just a few of the benefits you can generally expect from a quality international posting:

· Round trip air fare once a year

· Paid, furnished housing and utilities

· Small to moderate shipping allowance

· Affordable regional travel from your posted location

· Tax free salary

· Opportunities for highly paid on-the-side tutoring

How much can you expect to make? It varies by school and by region. Certain parts of the world are known for lower salaries it’s true, but it isn’t unheard of to snag a reasonable salary at a particular school. On the other hand, certain areas are reputed to pay much higher, with the odd school paying less than you might expect. Some strategies to start searching for an overseas post?

· Job fairs. Several take place each year in various parts of the world. A popular one here in the states is the annual event at the University of Northern Iowa.

· Classified ads. There are many places to find current opportunities with this approach as well. TIE-online,Serious Teachers,and the ESL Caféare a few places to start.

· Service organizations. The Peace Corps is likely the most well known one, but there are others out there to explore.

· Placement services. Head hunters are hardly unique to education, but a fair sized niche industry has evolved here as well, particularly for East Asia and parts of the Middle East. Posting a “position wanted” ad on serious teachers will likely net you several calls, and of course International School Services has been around forever.

Are there details to consider before hopping on a plane to the other side of the world? Absolutely . And you will definitely want to ask around for references and other information any school offering you a position. The important thing to remember is, if you are truly interested, you can do it. Others have managed successfully and so will you if you decide to take the plunge. Who says you can’t see the world on a teacher’s salary?

Photo Credit: Nattu

Extreme Teaching: What’s in YOUR Bomb Bag?

Those of you used to teaching under nearly constant threat of evac will be used to these. For those who are only starting to explore the overseas option of working in intense locations, this article will be a primer. Either group will likely benefit from the list of ideas. Read on for some strategies to make the unexpected classroom evacuation process as smooth as possible.

For whatever reason, I was not introduced to this concept until I went to work for an American school in Kuwait. We were required to be able to get out on the fly with our students, as well as maintain intact administrative data such as grades, attendance, parent contact information and lesson schedules. For extra fun and excitement, we never knew how long an evac might last before we were either cleared for re-entry or picked up on site. So emergency rations and student entertainment options were key. After getting several of these events under my belt, I developed the following list, and always kept my bomb bag (otherwise known as a go-bag or storm bag) stocked with these items.

Your grade book.

Obviously, you’ll need to have it out almost daily for attendance and grade recording. But instead of putting it away in your desk and always needing to remember it in an emergency, make the bomb bag your permanent stash location. You’ll be ready to rock and roll on less than a moment’s notice, and your boss will think you’re a rock star.

Pens and pencils.

You don’t need a bunch, just a couple of each for note taking, attendance at evacuation collection / check point, and marking off who gets picked up early by parents when these things drag on . . . and they do. Trust me.

Parent contact info.

Even if you think it’s just a quick drill, you never know when it’s an actual threat called in by some wacko. It can take longer than you might think to get the building cleared for re-entry. If you have to leave the building after lunch time, chances are the parents will be willing to just come pick up their kids. Check with admin first to see what they want, but we found that sitting out in the desert sun of the Arabian Gulf was way too intense to monkey around with, even with loads of extra water. If we even suspected it was going to be a long haul, we started calling parents as soon as possible.

Toilet paper.

Enough said.

Water.

Hydration is critical, and the more nervous your students are, the higher their rate of aspiration is likely to be. Make sure you have at least one two liter bottle with a squirt top to start off with. You can give each child a drink that way without having to touch mouths or carry cups. Your administration will need to coordinate additional drop offs.

Crackers or other simple snacks.

You don’t need enough to feed an army here, and they don’t need to be the fanciest variety available. Just a couple of sleeves of your standard soda crackers will suffice. Something to soak up the nervous stomach acid and take away the hunger pains if you have to beat it before lunch.

Your current read aloud book.

If you teach older grades and don’t do this, consider keeping a great collection of short stories on hand. Anything that will enable you to gather your group under a tree (hopefully there’s one available) and keep them focused. If you do have a read aloud you are currently enjoying with your class, make the bomb bag your storage location for that as well. You’ll always have it if you need it.

Your lesson plan book.

Chances are your schedule is in here as well, and if you truly are forced to migrate with your kids to the nearest refugee camp, you can all get things up and rolling in a hurry if as a staff you know how to get back to your old routine as soon as possible.

Playing cards and other simple light-weight entertainment options.

The read aloud title is only going to get you so far. Long term sitting and listening will get old after the first half hour or so. Having a deck or two of cards along with some simple review questions, or an inflatable ball to play hot potato with will add to the maintenance of calm.

Sunscreen.

Something you can spray on is what I recommend, but whatever you are able to get is better than nothing.

A clipboard and loose leaf paper.

This will assist you with management checklists on parent communication and keeping score on any class games you are able to play.

These are the main items that helped keep me sane during repeated school evacs. If you have spent time under such conditions, or just want to be prepared for the unexpected . . . feel free to share your thoughts below. Just an extra thought? My students in Kuwait were old pros at this, and the term bomb bag didn’t upset them. In fact, it was the term the administration used as well. However, if you are in suburban America and your students have never dealt with this before, you may want to refer to this as an emergency bag or the fire drill bag. The important thing is to have it on the ready.

Flickr Photo Credit: P. Body