Teach Like a Pirate Chapters 8&9- A Crash Course in Presentational Hooks and I Like to Move it Move it

Today we are focusing on two chapters. And it is all about the hook! Dave says "Much of your success as an educator has to do with your attitude towards teaching and towards kids." Well, lucky for me, if you take away all the stress that ISN'T my kids or teaching (all the OTHER stuff), I have a fantastic attitude about those two things. He then goes on to say "The rest of your success is based on your willingness to relentlessly search for what engages students in the classroom and then having the guts to do it." I would give myself a B- on this one. I am always trying to find ways to engage my kids, but sometimes if the strategies are outside of my normal box, I chicken out. Why? Because I am afraid to fail. But I have to get past that, because as we found out in an earlier chapter- failure is a form of feedback. 

In chapter 8 we find out about the three types of physical hooks: Kinesthetic, People Prop, and Safari. Here is my mini rundown.

Kinesthetic- incorporate some kind of movement. Even simple gestures. Whole Brain Teaching is great for this. In the beginning of the year last year I made up some random gesture for subject and predicate. And until the very last day of school, if I asked my students what a subject or predicate was, they would use their gestures when answering. 

People Prop- Use students as PART of the lesson- props, human graphs, etc.

Safari- How can we get OUT of the classroom for any part of this lesson.

Dave ends the chapter with something very simple, yet thought provoking- "You have freedom to do all sorts of activities outside the confines of your classroom, so get outside!"  I often to try leave our classroom, even if just to do a hallway hunt or task cards in the hall. The kids enjoy it, I enjoy it, and it really is a nice change of pace. But- it is VERY rare that I ever see any other classes outside of their classroom learning.

Stop by and Visit Daina who is hosting these chapters! (Who doesn't love some sticky notes and glitter?!)