Should DBAs be 5, 10 or 30 minutes?
When I started at FLVS my DBAs were almost one hour. Then, of course, I realized: * Students probably would hate me by the end of the course. * I couldn’t afford to have DBAs so long with so many students. Then, I decided, “OK, let’s cut DBAs to 10 minutes.” So, if a student would call me and they seemed clueless, I would just tell them: I am going to send you some resources for you to study and we will retake it, ok? How awesome that solution was, until…. Well, I did not feel good about it. Isn’t my job to teach and help others? If they are clueless, shouldn’t I help them by guiding and reviewing some material with them? But what do to? Going back to 30 minutes DBA with everyone? 😬 Or just letting them go and be just like a modern doctor… I only have 5 minutes for you, my next client is coming… That’s when I discovered the super magical DBA reviews done by a genius who put all the basic information on one single page ( I am not a person who can summarize my ideas into a page…). Using this as a guide, I help students understand first where to find information about what and then I guide and review with them while asking questions, most personal questions. Some of my DBAs are 5 minutes, some are 10 and some are still close to 20 to 25 minutes. But I know that for us, the ones that take 20 minutes can be more rewarding than the 5-minute ones. You know you are helping a student who needs that help. So how do I do? For the most struggling ones, I ask them to come to my virtual class. They have the module overview handout, but I also have the handout right there on my page and we review the topics, so for example, if I am doing Module 3 about family, for the low-level students I do the following:
Find out what I like and don’t like, etc. Now, I feel when low-level students leave the DBA they know how to use their notes, they were able to have a conversation and practice Spanish with me, they feel more confident and they know their strengths and weaknesses to go ahead and review and study. Then, if needed, I can still reschedule DBAs after review, asking them to go ahead and study more, and sending some videos and resources I have. But most of the time, these DBAs with guided questioning and reviewing are enough for them to get their 70% and get ready to get a better grade on their exam. The goal is to help the least needed and let them get better at it as time goes.
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Ideas For Live Lesson Games - games that can be adapted for Online Live Lessons
etc. ) 3. Find someone who
4. Webquest:
Un actor gordo Una actriz alta Un cantante guapo Un político de Texas Azul Una actriz gorda Un actor alto Una cantante bonita Un político flaco Students will write answer in the box.( Here you can't see the table) 5. Assembling- Creating- Drawing
6. Quién tiene - Who has …
7. Jeopardy To prepare a Jeopardy game, just create the questions on PowerPoint - using table - then cover the questions with squares with the values 100, 200, etc.
8. Pictionary
9. Completing a task:
10. Musical Chair
11. Verdad o Mentira
12. Matching with questions
I was teaching at a brick-and-mortar school when I got an offer to work at a virtual school: FLVS. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to work from home, to be able to help students individually and to check this new way of teaching and to learn and tackle this new challenge. However...
I loved my moments with my students when I could get creative with my stories and see them having fun and learning through TPRS ( Total Proficiency through Reading and Storiy-telling), games and songs. I was teaching elementary students, so I loved getting all the hugs and the attention of a celebrity every time I would see them on the patio or anywhere. I was scared.... Also, I read that you need to work 12 hours a day when teaching virtual class. I was even more scared... I felt nervous and I did not know where my heart and head would be happier. Where would I be able to help more? Then, I decided to take this job for professional and personal reasons. How about the job? Some people ask me: Is it rewarding? Would I like it? I can tell you this, this is not for everyone. The same way, being a middle school require a certain personality to love these hyper squirmy students, working with students online also require a certain teaching DNA. I do have this DNA. I love it, because I am helping students who truly need my help. They need a push to keep working, they need your care and cheerleading to believe that they can do it, they need individual attention and some small gestures like a birthday wish or a small sticker celebration. Then, they will see that they can do it, even when they were kicked out of the house and now they need to call you to complete Voice Activities, even when they know they won't be able to go to the college of their dreams due to low GPA, but they know they can get their GPA a little higher working hard and counting with me, even when they can't complete all the weekly assignments, but they know you are there to hold their hands and celebrate each assignment completed... Even when... And that is when I felt... I was born to do this. I was born to help these kids, even if it's for just a brief moment when I make them believe: Sí, se puede. Teaching online is a very rewarding experience to me. I have 150 babies now, and I want to make sure that each one of them will know how special they are for me and for the world and that they can do it... 😀😎❤ As I tell them... Don't forget ... Sé chévere. 😎 Be Cool Sra. Siqueira [email protected] |
AuthorI love teaching and I believe that teaching and having fun is as possible as learning and having fun. I try to incorporate games and stories on my lessons to make it fun and comprehensible to students. ArchivesCategories |
Ana Siqueira
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