013: Ways to Manage a Deskless Classroom

Teachers That Teach Podcast

www.TeachersThatTeach.com

39:50

The truth is out West! We’re hopping on the ET Highway and venturing to the most notorious alien hot spots, including Roswell’s infamous crash site, Area 51’s eerie perimeter, and a mysterious desert watchtower. Join us as journalist Laura Krantz, host of the podcast Wild Thing , beams up to share stories from the front lines of UFO reporting—from strange sightings and quirky festivals to a mailbox where people leave letters to extraterrestrials. Maybe you’ll even decide for yourself: Is Earth a tourist stop for spaceships? UFO hot spots you’ll encounter in this episode: - UFO Watchtower (near Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado) - Roswell, New Mexico - Area 51, Nevada - Extraterrestrial Highway (aka State Route 375), Nevada - Little A’Le’Inn, ET Highway, Nevada - E.T. Fresh Jerky, ET Highway, Nevada - Alien Research Center, ET Highway, Nevada - The Black Mailbox, ET Highway, Nevada Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group .…

8 years ago 11:14

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Key Takeaways:

[0:40] How do you manage a deskless classroom?

[0:43] Louisa has 176 students throughout the day.

[1:00] How does a deskless classroom work?

[2:30] It's been roughly four years since Louisa hasn't had desks in her classroom.

[2:45] After the fourth week, students are usually past the honeymoon phase.

[4:05] Louisa discusses how she arranges the seats.

[5:20] Everybody has students who are not quite ready for a different style of classroom.

[6:15] Louisa estimates that half of her students did not have a CI class last year. These students take a little more time to get used to how things work.

[8:05] Louisa takes about 30 seconds to welcome parents into the classroom, in Spanish.

[10:35] Tune in next week for Louisa's next tip!

Mentioned in This Episode:

27 episodes

#Podcasting Education #Language Learning #School Education

013: Ways to Manage a Deskless Classroom

Teachers That Teach Podcast

published 8 years ago

MP3•Episode home

Archived series ("Inactive feed" status)

When? This feed was archived on March 16, 2018 14:56 (7y ago). Last successful fetch was on November 01, 2017 21:56 (7+ y ago)

Why? Inactive feed status. Our servers were unable to retrieve a valid podcast feed for a sustained period.

Key Takeaways:

[0:40] How do you manage a deskless classroom?

[0:43] Louisa has 176 students throughout the day.

[1:00] How does a deskless classroom work?

[2:30] It's been roughly four years since Louisa hasn't had desks in her classroom.

[2:45] After the fourth week, students are usually past the honeymoon phase.

[4:05] Louisa discusses how she arranges the seats.

[5:20] Everybody has students who are not quite ready for a different style of classroom.

[6:15] Louisa estimates that half of her students did not have a CI class last year. These students take a little more time to get used to how things work.

[8:05] Louisa takes about 30 seconds to welcome parents into the classroom, in Spanish.

[10:35] Tune in next week for Louisa's next tip!

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.TeachersThatTeach.com

27 episodes

#Podcasting Education #Language Learning #School Education

All episodes

1
027: Rumors Spread Like Wildfire 11:40

8 years ago11:40

11:40

Welcome new listeners to the podcast! Thank you so much for joining in. This week, students were convinced that someone was planning a school shooting. Both the parents and students were very worried about this event taking place, but thankfully, it was just a rumor. There’s never a dull moment in class. Key Takeaways: [:45] Welcome new listeners. Louisa fills you in on who she is and what she does! [2:40] Louisa needs a lot of different activities to help keep the students engaged. [4:45] No matter how fantastic CI is, you will always get some trouble-makers. Louisa shares an example. [6:00] There’s going to be a shooting in the school...? [8:15] Both the parents and students were worried about going to the assembly due to this rumor. [8:45] Next week is the week before spring break. What does Louisa have planned for the students? Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Senorwooly.com…

1
026: Getting Creative with Señor Wooly’s El Banco video. 12:08

8 years ago12:08

12:08

It’s two weeks before spring break and the students always get a bit angsty around this time of year. Louisa loves to play a game from one of Señor Wooly’s videos, called ‘El Banco,’ to help the students get completely immersed in the material and temporarily forget about the soon-to-be break. In this episode, Louisa explains how it’s done! Key Takeaways: [:30] Feel free to send Louisa an email! She’d love your feedback and questions. [:40] Please don’t forget to review this podcast on iTunes! [1:00] Monday’s coming up and Louisa loves to turn to Señor Wooly for lessons. [2:15] Everyone is waiting for spring break, and classes can become a bit of a drag for the students. [2:25] During this time of year, Louisa likes to use the video ‘El Banco,’ from Señor Wooly. [4:00] The students begin to interrogate the two ‘robbers’ in Spanish. [5:40] There’s a good cop/bad cop in this game as well. [7:45] Louisa sometimes gets the campus assistant involved! [9:45] This game helps set the students up for Señor Wooly’s video and helps them understand the material much better. [11:05] Louisa’s tip is to use the ‘El Banco’ video from Señor Wooly to help practice past tense words. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com LWalkerPHD@Gmail.com Senorwooly.com…

1
025: Student Case Studies! 9:31

8 years ago9:31

9:31

Louisa invites three students on to the show, two of whom have been through Louisa’s class. Sonya describes the experience of working via textbook and the other two students, Dulce and Nana, describe what benefits they’ve received long after attending Louisa’s class. Key Takeaways: [:40] Louisa interviews two of her students that took her class a couple of years ago. [:45] Sonya discusses what her Spanish class was like without Louisa. [1:40] One of Louisa’s students never used a textbook. What was her experience like? [2:30] How did Dulce learn vocabulary? [3:15] Dulce found it very helpful that you could speak the words as well as read it on text. [3:30] What were Dulce/Nana’s thoughts about a deskless classroom? [4:40] The students still use their Spanish! [5:50] How did Louisa’s class prepare her students in Spanish? [7:30] Louisa does not do a lot of error corrections on her students. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
024: Assigning Students Jobs Part 2 11:15

8 years ago11:15

11:15

Louisa continues her discussion on the various jobs she assigns her students in the classroom. Giving students jobs is an excellent way to keep them engaged and interactive while you’re teaching! Key Takeaways: [:50] Every other Monday, students are assigned new jobs! [1:10] Louisa asks the students what jobs they had last week in the target language. [2:10] These job introductions should go quickly. [2:55] Louisa breaks down what a typical day looks like with these jobs assigned. [3:55] Every student can be tasked a job, from papers to pens. [5:20] None of the students are allowed to have their backpacks underneath their seats. [6:20] Louisa is incorporating more visuals in the classroom, now that she has a projector! [8:15] The Spanish vocabulary that Louisa uses in the classroom can easily be used outside of the classroom. [9:55] Add jobs into your classes, and see the different it’ll make! Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Fluencymatters.com/conference Fluencyfast.com Ntprs.info Benslavic.com…

1
023: Fantastic CI Conferences to Attend 13:58

8 years ago13:58

13:58

Today’s tip is brought you by Dave! Dave’s CI journey started 2.5 years ago. When he read the material online, he knew there were a number of ways to apply it in the classroom. Not sure where to start, Dave dived head first, and started attending CI conferences around the country. Today, he discusses what he learned with Ben Slavic. Key Takeaways: [:30] Who is Dave? [1:00] Dave learned CI about 2.5 years ago. [3:20] Dave discusses Ben Slavic’s conference that he attended. [5:25] When attending Ben’s event for the first time, he learned a lot of philosophy about CI, but still didn’t quite understand how to apply it in the classroom. [9:30] If you don’t have the funds to go to various conferences, just attend the one that’s nearest to you. [12:40] Dave is getting ready to attend a Portland conference. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Fluencymatters.com/conference Fluencyfast.com Ntprs.info Benslavic.com…

1
022: Assigning Students Jobs 12:59

8 years ago12:59

12:59

Louisa discusses why it’s important that certain students are assigned jobs while she is teaching in the classroom. There are several different positions Louisa needs filled when a class is in session and she details the process in this week’s episode! Key Takeaways: [:45] What kind of students does Louisa have in her classroom? [1:15] Louisa has 36-38 students seated in groups of 4-5 around the classroom. [1:35] Louisa has a student play doorkeeper to keep distractions down to a minimum. [2:00] One student can also get to be the ‘guest greeter’ for the classroom. [3:30] So, what does Louisa do with the other students in the room? Well, she has about 20 jobs for them to do! [5:30] These job ideas, that came from teachers all over the world, Louisa has adopted over time. [6:45] Louisa has a student that calls on the students. The person who gets called will have to stand and answer the question. [8:15] After a question has been answered, the class celebrates. This is a great way to keep the students engaged and focused. [10:40] Louisa does have a ‘word of the day’ to help cover parts of the textbook. [11:55] Stay tuned next time as Louisa continues this topic! Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
021: Maylen Loves Comprehensive Input Techniques! 11:59

8 years ago11:59

11:59

Louisa talks with a fellow Spanish-speaking colleague who teaches at a different high school in her district — Maylen! Maylen knows three different languages, Spanish, English, and French, and at her school, she teaches French to her students. Today, we find out how Maylen discovered CI techniques, and what her educational journey has been like thus far! Key Takeaways: [1:30] When was Maylen first introduced to CI methods? [2:15] Maylen recently attended a CI workshop and it was incredibly engaging! [2:50] When it comes to the research, Maylen became convinced, when she saw the results by Niko Mason. [3:40] Maylen has had pretty limited success with teaching via textbook. [4:30] Another reason why Maylen likes CI techniques, is because of the reading factor. [6:00] Maylen recommends you buy books, and develop a unit around the story of that book. [8:15] How has the CI method changed the way Maylen teaches? [9:50] Should a teacher wait till next year, to begin incorporating these new CI techniques? [10:45] Does Maylen open her doors to other teachers so they can watch and learn from her as she teaches? Yes! [11:25] If you’d like to talk about CI methods, Louisa would be happy to hear from you! Shoot her an email. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
020: Teach Your Students the Same Words, but Just in a Different Context 10:54

8 years ago10:54

10:54

Louisa shares a quick, ten-minute audio clip of Carol Gaab, from Fluency Matters, discussing ways you can teach the same word 100-250 times without the student getting bored. The key here is to introduce the word in a different context each time so that the brain can naturally pick up the usefulness of the word! Key Takeaways: [:35] What are some of the challenges today’s teachers face? [1:35] You can’t really, and consciously, practice a language. Carol explains further. [2:40] Instead of providing more vocabulary, teachers first need to provide more exposure by mixing up the context of the same basic and simple words. [3:30] How can you repeat the same word that many times? [6:00] You can search for videos using your target word to teach the students the same word in different contexts. [8:20] Carol won’t pick a video that’s more than 30 seconds for a beginner. Commercials tend to be perfect for this example. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Fluencymatters.com…

1
019: A Breakdown of JGR 13:03

8 years ago13:03

13:03

Louisa discusses how she uses the JGR (Jenn’s Great Rubric) method in her classroom, and some of the modifications she’s added to it that differ from Ben Slavic’s way of teaching the JGR. Louisa explains how she breaks down her grading system, and what she does to help her students reach high marks in interpersonal communication for the end of the day, each day. Key Takeaways: [:35] Let’s talk about JGR, aka Jenn’s Great Rubric. [1:55] Some districts do not allow you to put behavior in academic grade. [2:00] Louisa has been teaching this way for the last ten years. [2:45] For the first year, Louisa focuses on interpersonal communication skills. [3:15] Louisa grades her students on interpersonal communication every ten hours, which comes out to about every two weeks. [3:50] Interpersonal communication is 40% of the student's’ overall grade in Louisa's classroom. Though, in other places, this can sometimes be 65% of the grade. [4:30] What does a student need to do in order to get 10/10 points in interpersonal communication? [8:00] Louisa rewards students who take an ownership role in the classroom, and when they showcase they are understanding the materials. [8:15] What happens to students who earn less than 7 points? [11:55] Remember, it is a work in progress. Overall, Louisa is happy with the results. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Benslavic.com…

1
018: Quick Tips on Making Movie Talk Successful. 10:16

8 years ago10:16

10:16

Louisa was able to catch up with Dustin Williamson, who teaches Spanish and French, and get his take on how he teaches movie talk in the classroom. He shares tips and walks us through what he does before movie talk, during, and after! Don’t forget to check out Dustin’s website for more great tips! Key Takeaways: [:40] Dustin loves hosting movie talk in his classroom. [1:20] Movie talk can be applied at all levels. [1:40] Oftentimes Dustin will do movie talk just before an upcoming vacation. [2:20] What does Dustin like to do before movie talk? [3:30] The video is not always the focus, the target language is. [5:20] Does Dustin have any examples of what a typical movie talk class looks like? [7:20] What ties a movie talk together? The post viewing sessions! Dustin explains further. [9:00] Dustin believes he could do a movie talk all year long and his class will still be successful. It is extremely powerful. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Williamsonci.com…

1
017: Louisa’s Grading System 9:07

8 years ago9:07

9:07

When using CI techniques in the classroom, there is no right or wrong way to grade students. But to give teachers who are new to the technique some background, Louisa shares what she does in her particular classroom and what works for her when it comes to grading her students. There are four categories a student can perform well on. These are: homework, speaking, quizzes & classwork, and interpersonal communication. Find out more in this quick 9-minute episode! Key Takeaways: [0:35] How does Louisa grade students? [1:00] This grading method seems to have worked the best for Louisa after making some tweaks. [2:25] Louisa has a wide range of academically-prepared students. [2:30] All students are welcomed to take Louisa's class. [3:10] So, how does Louisa grade students? She has four categories. [3:40] What does the ‘‘interpersonal communication’ category consist of? [4:50] Louisa believes this category is essential! [5:45] Louisa admits that her speaking category is a bit controversial, especially because it only counts for 25% of the grade. [7:55] Homework is really easy to do, which is why it’s only 5% of the grade. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com Benslavic.com Grantboulanger.com…

1
016: Carrie and Kristy on Reading Engaging Novels 10:54

8 years ago10:54

10:54

Carrie Toth and Kristy Placido discuss why they felt the need to write their own novels in order to create engaging content for their students. Both teachers were having a hard time finding novels that their students ‘simply couldn’t put down’. Carrie and Kirsty felt as though if the students developed stronger connections with the target cultures, then they’d have more reasons to use their new language outside of the classroom. Key Takeaways: [:30] Why did Carrie and Kristy decide to write a novel? [2:00] The goal is to make your students forget that they’re reading in another language. [2:35] Trying to connect your students in new and engaging ways, makes them want to use their new language outside of the classroom. [3:20] When writing a novel for the classroom, it’s also important to ask the students for feedback. [4:30] What’s Kristy’s new novel about? [6:30] Why did Carrie write Vector ? [8:05] How does Carrie use novels in her classroom? [8:55] Kristy writes four novels a year. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach SomewhereToShare Hasta La Sepultura by Kristy Placido Vector by Carrie Toth…

1
015: Unit Plans for CI Teachers 10:54

8 years ago10:54

10:54

How does Louisa plan for a unit or topic for her classroom? The good thing about Louisa's school is that it is flexible, so Louisa is able to play with some very interesting topics to help get her students engaged. Find out how her students learn about the Camino in Spain, in this quick 10-minute episode! Key Takeaways: [:30] How does Louisa plan a unit? [1:10] Louisa’s classroom topics are pretty flexible. [2:20] But! There’s a method to Louisa’s madness! [2:30] Louisa breaks down what this year’s semester looks like. [3:45] Louisa has walked the Camino in Spain every year for the last five years. [6:00] There are 35 stages in the Camino; each of Louisa’s students are in charge of one of those stages. [7:50] Louisa tries to keep this topic fresh for the students. [9:50] After taking Louisa’s class, some students even find themselves going to Spain and walking the Camino! [10:00] This is an excellent way to introduce the students to the target language culture. Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
014: What the Layout of a 90-Minute Class Looks Like 11:41

8 years ago11:41

11:41

Louisa is currently at a Portland teacher conference and sits down with Craig to get an inside view of how he designs his classes during the week. In this quick interview, Craig discusses how he starts and ends his classes, and how he incorporates CI techniques into his teachings. Key Takeaways: [:40] What does a regular week look like in Craig’s classroom? [1:25] Craig’s classroom lasts around 90 minutes. [1:30] The class begins by establishing meaning for a select number of words. [2:15] Craig then asks for hand gestures. [4:15] Craig tries not to embarrass the students when they don’t know how to respond in the target language. [5:15] Craig tries to use gestures for each new word. [6:00] Every time you teach a new word, it sends the student back to the basics where they don’t feel confident in their abilities. [7:15] Craig tries to keep going until the students look bored. [9:10] You want to get the student to re-read the new words in new and engaging ways. [10:25] Craig has been a teacher for the last 11 years and he still hasn’t gotten tired of teaching these techniques! Mentioned in This Episode: TeachersThatTeach.com…

1
013: Ways to Manage a Deskless Classroom 11:14

8 years ago11:14