Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire

1. Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire By RafeEsquith

2. Chapter 1 • Tips on how to create a safe haven and provide children with a shelter from the storm: • Replace fear with trust • Children depend on us, so be dependable • Discipline must be logical • You are a role model

3. Chapter 2Searching for level VI • Children choose to behave all because they want to avoid trouble. This is based on fear. Eventually we want our children to behave not because they fear punishment but because they believe it is right. • Children choose to make decisions for reasons other than to avoid trouble. Teachers and parents give rewards. We need to show our children that proper behavior is beneficial in itself, not rewarded.

4. 3. Children wanting to please somebody. But they do it for all the wrong reasons. Need to do it for self instead of others. 4. Children who are involved in generating classroom rules will be more invested in following them. Rules or “lessons” should carry over into other areas of the kids’ lives.

5. 5. Children achieve a state of empathy for the people around them. Kindness really is contagious! 6. This is most difficult level to attain! Believing in a personal code of behavior and following it. The “Atticus Finch” level! Do not base your actions on fear, or a desire to please someone, or even on rules. But be principled!

6. Chapter 3 Reading for Life Powerful forces of mediocrity have combined to prevent perfectly competent children from learning to love reading. His suggested reading test consisting of only three questions: 1) Have you ever secretly read under your desk in school because the teacher was boring and you were dying to finish the book you were reading? 2) Have you ever been scolded for reading at the dinner table? 3) Have you ever read secretly under the covers after being told to go to bed?

7. Solutions • As the teacher, be a guide for your students. Go with them to the library, make suggestions and assist them in making selections. • Basal Readers should not be the only resource for teaching Reading. • Instead, also use books on CD. Stop and discuss. • Choose great literature and start book clubs.

8. Solutions for those students who cannot read: • Use a two-prong strategy – Constantly explain material. Prepare material that they can read to feel successful. • Have individual kids read books associated with their particular reading levels. Have them write reports about the books. • Assessment: www.learninglinks.com • Make reading relevant!

9. Chapter 4Four things to do to improve writing: Step I. Each morning begin with a grammar exercise. Step II & III. Once a week assign a one page “Essay of the Week”. Give them seven days to complete. Assign a “Monthly Book Report”. These reports are an effective way to help students learn time management while simultaneously improving their writing skills. Step IV. Young Authors Project: Students write and illustrate their own books.

10. Chapter 5Add It Up We want our children to understand the power of numbers, to appreciate that mathematics is both relevant to their lives and fun. Three activities to apply to the classroom: • Play math games instead of worksheets. • Begin math lessons with a mental math warm-up. • Help students develop a true love of numbers. Make it fun!

11. Chapter 6Standardized Test Preparation • To study effectively they need to “create the conditions of the test.” • Discuss the actual versus absurd consequences of doing poorly on a test. • Teach students to become “test wise.” • Students learn to recognize the incorrect answers as well as the correct answers on multiple choice test. • Students discuss “why” they choose an answer, not just give an answer.

12. Chapter 7Geography & History • Use the internet to teach the world in just 10 minutes each day. • www.worldatlas.com • Play the game “Table Tops”. They work as a team to answer questions without viewing maps. Each question is worth 1 point. Each team that makes it to 20 collects a prize. • Use film to supplement lessons. • Use license plates to learn state capitols and mottoes. • Encourage parents to use Passport to Your National Parks on vacations.

13. Chapter 8Science • To learn science, kids have to put down books and pick up their equipment. • They have to have hands-on experiences. • They need to observe, experiment, record, and analyze. Use science modules. • Failure happens only when students stop trying to solve a problem. • Use Back-to-School Night as a way to replenish modules each year. Donate money for science. • Take the time to teach science, don’t just push to the side when time gets crunched.

14. Chapter 9Art • Students involved in arts education are learning about things far beyond the art they study. Encourage them to play musical instruments & to perform in skits. • Bring the life & work of a particular artist to the students. Ex: Matisse • self portraits Ex: David Hockney • making masks & string art

15. Chapter 10Physical Education • Students should have daily exercise. • Students learn the importance of proper fundamentals. • Students exhibit outstanding sportsmanship at all times. • Students learn the value of teamwork. • Students apply lessons they learn from sports in other areas of their lives.

16. Chapter 11 Economics: Skills for a Lifetime • Students select a job first day of school. • List of jobs: janitors, bankers, office messengers, clerks, police officers, etc. • Collect a monthly salary for job. • Classroom legal tender for currency. • Students pay rent for desk. Closer the desk to front of room the more they pay for rent. • Police officers give fines for lack of work produced in class or tardiness. • Establish ownership, saving for future, value of being thrifty, delayed gratification

17. Chapter 12Think for Yourself * First day of school pass out a sheet with the steps on how to solve a problem. * Step I. Understand the Problem (Collect Relevant Data) Step II. Choose an Appropriate Strategy (act it out; choose an operation; draw a picture; guess and check; look for a pattern; make a chart or table; make an organized list; use logical reasoning; work backwards) Step III. Solve the Problem Step IV. Analyze (Does my answer make sense?). * Tape this sheet to table. Students recite religiously. * Students learn that the process of discovering the correct answer is more important than the answer itself.

18. Chapter 13Using Film • Films can help students build character, learn about the impact of good and bad decisions, and be inspired to stand up for their beliefs in difficult situations. • On Fridays’ students are allowed to check out a DVD from the class library. Students also take home a handout that includes 15-20 questions about the film. • Students must answer questions grammatically correct and with complete sentences.

19. Chapter 14Fieldtrips • Activities should be well prepared. Objectives should always be clear. Students should be well prepared. • Use trips to prepare students for college environment. • Find money through foundations, community organizations, and individuals. • Set up your class as a nonprofit status so private donors can claim the donation. • Teach students how to behave in public.

20. Chapter 15 & 16Music & Giving Back • Teach your students how to read music. (before school, recess, and after school) • Provide musical instruments for students to practice. • Allow students to put on concerts. • Allow students opportunities to complete community services. • Volunteer for local agencies and international agencies.

21. Chapter 17Performances • Students produce and perform an unabridged play by Shakespeare. • Make sure students will be able to understand the meaning of the play before choosing a play. • Use a CD to help students learn the script. • Watch the film. • Use the musicians and arts in your class to play the music and build the backdrops.