I recently read two great books that I highly recommend for a summer read! I'm always looking for a new strategy or idea that will spark creativity in my teaching. Even though I provide my students with different ways of learning and thinking, these 2 books reminded me and showed me how even though common core has dictated the classroom, learning and teaching can still be an enjoyable experience.
These books showed me how the power of choice can bring learning to a new dimension! I recently started a unit on weather. After a couple days, I introduced them to learning contracts. This is a new concept to me and I absolutely LOVE them! I created projects for my students to choose from to show me what they have learned over the course of our weather unit. It was SO neat to see what they each chose, it complimented their personality and learning style!
The energy level and excitement that explodes when I tell them it is time for our weather unit is mind blowing! They love to work in groups and the conversations they are having makes any teacher's heart smile. My kiddos have taken the ownership of learning to a level that amazes me. So...if you are ready to expand your comfort level, this is a great place to start!
