The three instructional strategies we covered this week are Homework and Practice, Similarities and Differences, and Generating and Testing Hypotheses. All three of these strategies are important in teaching and help by reinforcing student learning.
Homework and Practice
Homework and practice is used to help reinforce student learning and allows students to apply what they have learned. Generally, practice is something done in the classroom. The students are taught material and the practice they are given is used to help them master that material. Practice helps students gain a better understanding of the material and gain feedback from the teacher on the material. Technology could be used as practice. If you are teaching students math facts they could sign on to the computer and play some math fact games. We use Mad Math at our school as well as Study Island. Homework is practice, but is generally done at home. When giving homework, I believe, you need to keep in mind the students lives outside of school. A lot of my students (6th graders) are involved in after school activities and don't have all night to complete homework. You also have to think about if they have access to computers at home. A few of my students don't have computer access and therefore I don't assign a lot of homework assignments that contain technology components.
Identifying Similarities and Differences
Identifying Similarities and Differences is a skill that should be used from Preschool to Seniors! It is a great way to help students understand a topic better and learn how to categorize the information they are learning. One way we identify similarities and differences in my reading class is through venn diagrams. I put a venn diagram up on my Smartboard and the students have to fill it in. Sometimes I will put up characteristics and the students will have to slide them into the correct circle for a certain character. Identifying similarities and differences is very effective in character analyzation as well as comparing and contrasting two books. Graphic organizers are wonderful tools to help you organize your similarities and differences.
Generating and Testing Hypotheses
Generating and Testing Hypotheses is something we all do without even realizing it! It is important to help students realize the process behind testing their hypotheses. By asking students to generate and test hypotheses they gain a better understanding of the material, apply what they already know, and become engaged in their own learning. Technology can be easily incorporated when testing your hypotheses. Students may want to poll other students using tools such as PollEverywhere, or in my classroom we use our Senteo system ( works with our Smartboard). Students can evaluate their date by using Excel or Google Spreadsheets. Overall, testing hypotheses is a great way to get kids to think critically and be in control of their own learning.
I agree that students must practice the skills that they learn in school in order to reinforce their learning. However, I think that it is important for them to feel that the assignments have other value too. Assignments that take the knowledge talked about in class and expand it are so much more meaningful.
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