March 11, 2016, 08:14:48 PM


Author Topic: Need help planning for small classes  (Read 371 times)

Offline gir0002

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Need help planning for small classes
« on: March 07, 2016, 10:41:48 AM »
So I'm working in a very small rural school. My biggest class is 7 students. I just started last week and only taught the small grade 6 class twice so far. The first class, I did a more introductory class but the teacher was not satisfied with it and wanted something more focused on the textbook so I tried to mix my style while teaching the things in the textbook. In that second class, I had made a lesson plan for at least an hour but because the class is so small, we finished pretty much everything in about 10 minutes and I had nothing left planned so I had to just think of something on the spot.
The only thing I can really think of right now is to just put more activities in the lesson plan but it may be too much.

Offline yirj17

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Re: Need help planning for small classes
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2016, 12:27:36 PM »
Have you checked if your textbooks are on here? Even if your exact book isn't, you can probably find similar lessons and see what other teachers put together.

I think extra activities are a good idea. What's your usual class structure? After a brief warmer (which for me is a good time to try and build rapport with the students), I typically have a PPT that takes up a chunk of time in the beginning, anywhere from 10 - 20 minutes (during the slides, I ask questions and try to interact with the students as much as possible). I also have super small class sizes so I take advantage of that and spend more time on speaking practice with each individual student. Like we'll practice as a group but also as individuals. Then I have 2 - 4 activities. Usually we rarely have time for more than 2!

Not sure if any of that is helpful, but feel free to ask more questions!

Offline amgoalng

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Re: Need help planning for small classes
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2016, 02:08:53 PM »
What I like to do is play a video or song at the begging of every class.  This can get them interested in the topic, wake them up, be used as a reward if they want to see it later in class, and etc.  Mickey Mouse shorts, Maple Leaf Learning, Super Simple songs, are great songs and videos to show.

I would also have a lot of the students come up and act out things, each student taking turns for each person.

I would over plan as well.  Whatever you don't use in one class can be used in the other, or you can at least take the basic concept of it and use it, if you will be changing chapters.

Finally, do what you want but adapt the textbook to that.  Waygook has a lot of great ideas and lesson plans for that.

Do you have a reward system?  I have class now but if you want what I do, I can tell you later.

Offline gir0002

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Re: Need help planning for small classes
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2016, 04:13:55 PM »
Have you checked if your textbooks are on here? Even if your exact book isn't, you can probably find similar lessons and see what other teachers put together.

I think extra activities are a good idea. What's your usual class structure? After a brief warmer (which for me is a good time to try and build rapport with the students), I typically have a PPT that takes up a chunk of time in the beginning, anywhere from 10 - 20 minutes (during the slides, I ask questions and try to interact with the students as much as possible). I also have super small class sizes so I take advantage of that and spend more time on speaking practice with each individual student. Like we'll practice as a group but also as individuals. Then I have 2 - 4 activities. Usually we rarely have time for more than 2!

Not sure if any of that is helpful, but feel free to ask more questions!

Oh thank you for the suggestion! I actually just signed up to post this question so I wasn't exactly sure how to use this website. I found some sections about my textbooks so I guess it could be helpful when I am running out of ideas.
Today was my first full on teaching day. Since it was my first time to meet each class, I tried to do a short introduction and using the vocabulary the textbook assumes they know and trying to see where everyone is at. I plan to start the next lessons with a quick review then a warmer to lead into the current lesson.
I've been trying to make PPTs for some of my classes but I haven't found a huge difference from my classes that had PPT and the ones that didn't.
I usually teach the content that's in the textbook but getting the students to practice that with each other and also drilling vocabulary as well as using the CD content and then finishing with a game.

Offline gir0002

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Re: Need help planning for small classes
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2016, 04:21:29 PM »
What I like to do is play a video or song at the begging of every class.  This can get them interested in the topic, wake them up, be used as a reward if they want to see it later in class, and etc.  Mickey Mouse shorts, Maple Leaf Learning, Super Simple songs, are great songs and videos to show.

I would also have a lot of the students come up and act out things, each student taking turns for each person.

I would over plan as well.  Whatever you don't use in one class can be used in the other, or you can at least take the basic concept of it and use it, if you will be changing chapters.

Finally, do what you want but adapt the textbook to that.  Waygook has a lot of great ideas and lesson plans for that.

Do you have a reward system?  I have class now but if you want what I do, I can tell you later.

Oh thanks so much for the video suggestion. I think that would actually help a lot.
Yeah, I've been over planning but I think I'm not over planning enough haha.

The reward system I wanted to start. Out of all my classes, I had only had trouble with my 4th grade class because the teacher left me alone with them so they tried to use the opportunity so I started doing a point system on the board for students who do well but I kinda just decided that on the spot so I didn't have rewards ready. Do you think stickers would be a good reward?

Offline amgoalng

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Re: Need help planning for small classes
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2016, 05:35:13 PM »
My experience with teams

1.  Put your class into teams.  Have at least three teams.

2.  I would do the points on a PowerPoint (what I do I include in this post to give you an idea of what I do).  You can get piggy banks (or something) and give little balls if they answer a question or something.  However, that might cost a lot of money, about 50,000.  If your school is willing to buy it, then go for it, but don't use your own money if you are new.  I used mine.  That is how I know the costs of things.   However, I was on my second contract when I started doing points.  I really loved my school.  I spent my own money out of appreciation and love for the school and students.  You may spend the money and regret it because your school doesn't like you or you don't like it for some unknown reason.  I certainly didn't regret it because we established a good relationship.  The cheapest thing would be to add point on the PowerPoint from the computer. 

I tried doing things on the board, but doing stickers on a board is time consuming.  Students may come up and either try to add or subtract as well.  At least with the PPT, on a USB, you have more control over the points.

I would write on the board points.  Students would run up and erase them before I had a chance to count because they were so competitive or jerks.

3.  I have a two point systems at my current school. 
My first one is that I keep track of points of each team.  The best team at the end of the month gets candy.  At my last school I would give nicer prizes twice a semester, before midterms and finals.  You choose what you want.  Save up and then buy nice prizes or just buy cheap stuff but give it more frequent.  Both things work well. 

The second point system is a class point system.  I will include it in this posting.  It is extremely simple, but my CTs like it.  The basic idea is that if the class is good, they get a reward such as a day of English games or they get to choose their seating arrangement.  If they are bad, they write till their hands hurt.

3.  Again, coordinate with the school on buying things.

4.  You mentioned stickers.  That isn't bad.  Unfortunately, it really is hit or miss.  One year I went to America.  I got a bunch of really cool stickers.  Scratch and sniffs even!  They weren't too impressed.  Candy is pretty much a sure bet.

I know this is a lot, but I have tried a lot with teams.  This is what I have learned.  I might have forgotten something.  I hope this helps.

Offline yirj17

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Re: Need help planning for small classes
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2016, 10:32:26 PM »
Videos are definitely great. Also, some of the PPTs people have uploaded include funny GIFs in some of the slides, which have gone well with my students. So implementing GIFs may also increase student interest. But for sure take a look at the materials on this site! It's always good to have a backup or few just in case an activity falls flat or finishes early.

And if you get a feel for what your students are into, it can help make your lessons more interesting to them. For example, pretty much all of my elementary schoolers love superheroes so I try to use images of them when possible. And a lot of my middle schoolers like Minecraft and LoL (or at least know of them even if they don't actually play). And everyone knows Pokemon! I've found that my students are generally more alert and/or excited when there's imagery of stuff they like and can encourage them to speak more.

 

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