Chapter Eight

In a classroom, especially with early years in mind, I find it challenging to come up with ideas for appropriate learning strategies and tactics. I know that I would be certain to start small / short and work at taking baby steps first and foremost. As an example, I would start by reading a book and having the students look/listen for
- The major idea
o Why is it the major idea?
o What do we already know about the major idea?
o Is it important? Why or why not?
o What are the key points? What do they have to do with the major idea?
o How does it connect to other things which we are learning about?
I would also keep a class web to show how major ideas are related in different subjects and how are they all working together. I would work at keeping a class definition book/wall/poster and use it for key terms as well. Spelling for the subject would be up on the word wall. I would make a point of talking with the students about how these are strategies for learning and studying. I would also talk with them about how in using these tools they are finding the answers out for themselves and that is empowering.

For a different idea, I would ask the students to pick a book and pick out “the most important sentence” in the:
- Book
- page
- Paragraph
And ask them to write down why they think these are the important ones.