I don't know about the circles that you run in, but in mine... many homeschool teachers have a subject that isn't so easy to teach OR simply isn't received well.
For me... teaching art is a challenge.
For my son... doing math is WAY on the bottom of his list.
What is THAT subject for you? What about for your child/student?
For me... teaching art is a challenge.
For my son... doing math is WAY on the bottom of his list.
What is THAT subject for you? What about for your child/student?
As teachers, if we have a problem area, an area that is harder to teach we have all sorts of options available to us for teaching it.
1. If not a core subject we can drop it. Let it be something that a child can pursue when they mature and are interested enough to pursue it on their own.
2. Source it out. Get someone else to teach it.
3. Research and find materials to help you teach it.
Seven different steps to take.
What we can do as teachers, teaching a difficult subject is to
1. Back off a bit. Figure out what the issue is. Wording, mental block, terminology, difficulty level,
2. Change it up a bit. If doing worksheets is causing a mental block, watch a video, do some practical work
3. SHORT sessions. Seriously. Right now my boy is trying to understand Commutative properties in basic algebra. I don't get mom. Doesn't make sense to me. I could get all stressed about it, but what I've learned to do is the following: Watch a video....twice. And then stop. Walk away from it. Two days later (so tomorrow) I'll read about it with him. AND thats it. I won't try to explain it. I will just let it set with him for a couple more days. Then next week Tuesday we'll watch the video again. By then the stress of figuring it out will have eased, and some of the wording will have sunk in and we can look at it with clearer heads again.
4. Give permission to fail. Remember this: It doesn't matter how long it takes to learn a concept as long as it's eventually learned.
5. Back up a page if you need to. If a new concept is too hard, just back up to something a bit easier or break it down into smaller parts.
6. Slow and steady wins the course. In a culture of immediacy it's hard to remember that taking time is not a bad thing. Cementing the learning in a steady way is a good thing.
7. Ask questions to help gain additional learning. Don't be afraid to ask questions or even to answer them.
What steps to you take to help yourself or your children learn THAT subject that just causes you problems? Share please. :)
This post is part of a blog hop with a group of delightful women.
Here is a partial list to get you started.
Rebecca @ Raventhreads
Karen @ Tots and Me...Growing Up Together
Rebekah @ There Will Be A $5 Charge For Whining
April @ ElCloud Homeschool
Brenda @ Counting Pinecones
Tara @This Sweet Life
Tara @ Embark on the Journey
Jennifer @ Chestnut Grove Academy
Annette @ In All You Do
Lisa @Farm Fresh Adventures
Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker
For the entire list, check out this post.
1. If not a core subject we can drop it. Let it be something that a child can pursue when they mature and are interested enough to pursue it on their own.
2. Source it out. Get someone else to teach it.
3. Research and find materials to help you teach it.
Seven different steps to take.
What we can do as teachers, teaching a difficult subject is to
1. Back off a bit. Figure out what the issue is. Wording, mental block, terminology, difficulty level,
2. Change it up a bit. If doing worksheets is causing a mental block, watch a video, do some practical work
3. SHORT sessions. Seriously. Right now my boy is trying to understand Commutative properties in basic algebra. I don't get mom. Doesn't make sense to me. I could get all stressed about it, but what I've learned to do is the following: Watch a video....twice. And then stop. Walk away from it. Two days later (so tomorrow) I'll read about it with him. AND thats it. I won't try to explain it. I will just let it set with him for a couple more days. Then next week Tuesday we'll watch the video again. By then the stress of figuring it out will have eased, and some of the wording will have sunk in and we can look at it with clearer heads again.
4. Give permission to fail. Remember this: It doesn't matter how long it takes to learn a concept as long as it's eventually learned.
5. Back up a page if you need to. If a new concept is too hard, just back up to something a bit easier or break it down into smaller parts.
6. Slow and steady wins the course. In a culture of immediacy it's hard to remember that taking time is not a bad thing. Cementing the learning in a steady way is a good thing.
7. Ask questions to help gain additional learning. Don't be afraid to ask questions or even to answer them.
What steps to you take to help yourself or your children learn THAT subject that just causes you problems? Share please. :)
This post is part of a blog hop with a group of delightful women.
Here is a partial list to get you started.
Rebecca @ Raventhreads
Karen @ Tots and Me...Growing Up Together
Rebekah @ There Will Be A $5 Charge For Whining
April @ ElCloud Homeschool
Brenda @ Counting Pinecones
Tara @This Sweet Life
Tara @ Embark on the Journey
Jennifer @ Chestnut Grove Academy
Annette @ In All You Do
Lisa @Farm Fresh Adventures
Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker
For the entire list, check out this post.
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