All about Self-Regulation Tip # 73

This is my final post for teaching tips from Student Engagement 311. My first semester is coming to an end, and next week I will begin my teaching practicum. I am mostly excited, but also a little anxious about what is coming. Without further ado, here is my final teaching tip:

Self-Regulation is the process of activating and sustaining thoughts, behaviors, and emotions in order to reach goals. Self-regulated learners have the skill and the will to learn. Below is a list of teaching strategies to help our students increase their self-regulation skills:

Kuemper, C. (2021). [Class handout]. St. Mary's University,  EDFN 311

Find the best time to learn Tip # 72

  

  Today I visited the classroom where I will spend 3 weeks for my practicum. We had a good conversation with my Coordinating Teachers and I came away with one more teaching tip. 

    Tip # 72 - In general mornings are the best time for "heavy" learning. If there is a more difficult task to accomplish in your day do it in the morning. This may vary from class to class, and certainly from person to person, but in general, mornings are most productive. 

Thinking about thinking

    

    There are some students that seem to intuitively know how to learn. They are organized, they complete tasks on schedule, they keep their desks clean. Why are these students this way? Is there a way to teach other students to think about their thoughts in order to improve their learning? The ability to think about your thoughts in order to improve your learning is called metacognition. 

    Today's teaching tips involve a list of suggestions about how to teach students to be more metacognitive:

Tip # 67 - Begin by defining the term metacognition to your students. Younger students might benefit from a metaphor such as "driving their brains." We all love to feel in control of our destiny, why not introduce this concept to our students as a way for them to take lead in their learning.

Tip # 68 - Ask students to describe the benefits of being in control of their brain. Why would it be important for them to know when to pause or to accelerate their learning?

Tip # 69 -  Whenever possible give students the choice of what to read or what topics they want to learn about. Having input in our learning will make it much more enjoyable and engaging for our students. As you teach about metacognition it is worthwhile to not only give your students choices but to explain why having choices will benefit their learning. 

Tip # 70 - Look for opportunities to discuss and apply metacognition across core subjects and in a variety of lessons so that students can transfer it for the most benefit. You might want to ask how the lesson you are teaching might apply to a future job? How can we relate this lesson to the real world?

Tip # 71 - Model metacognition by talking through problems. When we show our students our thinking out loud they will see that we too make mistakes and that making mistakes is part of learning. This final tip will help our students move towards a growth mindset. 

Active Listening Skills

When I imagine the ideal teacher I think they would be someone that is kind, patient, full of love, and a great listener. 

I want to be a better listener. 

I have noticed that an attribute of a great educator is the ability to observe their students. A key element of observation is having great listening skills. Today's teaching tips are all about the elements of active listening. I won't go into too much detail as these tips are very self-explanatory. They are taken directly from a handout from class (Kuemper, 2021).

Tip # 61 - Make eye contact with the speaker.

Tip # 62 - Avoid changing the subject or adding unrelated comments.

Tip # 63 - Respond only to their comments and avoid turning the conversation to a different topic.

Tip # 64 - Lean forward and show an attentive posture.

Tip # 65 - Demonstrate you are listening by paraphrasing the speaker from time to time. 

Tip # 66 - Ask questions in which you ask the speaker to clarify or delve more deeply into their subject matter from time to time. 

Grandma's rule

    I wanted to go back to a concept we discussed in class a few lessons ago. Lately, I think about it every time my children ask if they can watch TV, play video games, or do just about any activity that they think is fun, and I think it is not good for them. The concept is called the Premack Principle. 

    The Premack Principle is my 59th teaching tip:

Tip # 59 - The Premack Principle is a theory of reinforcement that states that a less desired behavior can be reinforced by the chance to engage in a more desired behavior. For example, let's say our class is having a hard time finishing a particular writing assignment (less desired behavior), but they are really excited about a game we have been playing in Phys. Ed (more desired behavior). We can propose that once that assignment is completed we can play the game. 

Tip # 60 - When applying the Premack principle we need to remember to be reasonable. Let's say our class enjoys watching movies (who doesn't?). Although movie watching is obviously a more desired activity we cannot promise a movie every time we are faced with a less desired activity that has to be completed. A more reasonable activity might be 5 extra minutes of recess. 

I read that the tendency of many caregivers to use this principle is why it is sometimes called "Grandma's rule."