Where to start? It’s not something you see every day, that’s for certain, but it was an interesting attempt to make things a little more dynamic and entertaining for the kids. It has a definite edge over the traditional method of parading the teachers out in front of the kids and simply telling them that these are the new teachers and they’re to be treated with respect and blah, blah, blah. Kids seem to respond better when they’re engaged in different ways rather than just talking AT them, and this video at least gives the impression that the teachers are trying to do something WITH them.
I’d hate to really know just how much this production cost, especially considering that things of this nature don’t usually come cheap. It’s a fun and engaging way to introduce the teachers however and it’s worth every penny if it gets the students to pay attention. Like always that seems to be a prime issue any longer as the effort to get kids to actually pay attention and do the work remains a consistent issue that refuses to go away. This effort though at least tries to relate to them in a manner that could give them something to look at and wonder about.
Getting a new teacher can be a little intimidating, especially if you know nothing about them and are still used to the old teachers. However it can also be a harrowing experience for the teachers as well because quite honestly they no little to nothing about the students and will undoubtedly struggle to get their attention for the first week or two, if not longer. With this type of introduction however it is at least possible to gain the attention of the kids and build from it so that more effective teacher-student relations can be built and later expanded upon.
Washington Middle School appears to be a fun, engaging place and there’s really no surprise that they would attempt to make the introduction of new teachers into their school something equally enjoyable. Ever since technology became the norm in schools it’s only been getting better and more elaborate as time has gone on, and a few schools have used this to great advantage. Taking a peek inside the school with one of the corresponding links has shown that the middle school, which has incorporated fifth and sixth grades for a while, is an entertaining and highly interactive place in which kids can experience true learning and still have fun with their lessons.
Maybe it dates me and shows my age but middle school where I came from used to be grades seven and eight, and in some cases nine. This was also back before we had anything other than Apple computers to work with. Graphing calculators were the big thing in math classes and we still worked with Steno pads for English. Yes, I’m getting old. But nowadays kids are working with tablets and iPads, becoming engaged in their work and actually showing innovation and a sense of pride in what they do, and it’s nice.
Whatever you need to do Washington Middle School, just keep it up.
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