Category Archives: Teaching

NEVER SAY NEVER – Teacher’s Corner

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Teacher’s Corner
The following are writing prompts and discussion topics you can use to help students think about what the words “always,” “perfect,” and “never” mean.
  1. Think about the words, “perfect,” “always,” and “never.” When do students your age usually use these words? Why do you think they use them?
  2. Can anything really be “perfect”?  Is there anything that “always” happens? Can you promise “never” to do something? Explain your yes or no answers.
  3. Below are three sets of statements. One that uses the words “perfect,” “always,” and “never” and one that does not use those words. For each set of statements, tell whether you think “A” or “B” is better and why.
    • A. “You’re a “perfect” friend.”  B.  “You are an excellent friend.”
    • A.  “You are “always” late.”  B.  “You are late today.”
    • A.  “I will “never” miss one of your games.” B.  “I will do everything I can to make it to your games.

 

Teachers, you can use this blog in classrooms. Here are two ideas about how.
  1. For middle or high school parenting or child development courses:
    • Use the blog for discussion topics
    • Require students to research the topics and agree or disagree with what the blog is suggesting.
  2. For all courses, especially English Language Arts:
  • Use the blog for writing prompts for paragraphs, theme papers, journal entries, class starters, etc. Have students read the blog and respond to:
  • Do you agree with what is being said about kids? Do kids really act, think or feel that way?
  • Do you agree with what is being said about parents, grandparents, teachers and child caregivers? Do or should they act, think or feel that way?
  • What would be your advice on this topic?
  • What was left out of this article?
  • If you were a parent, would you use any of this information? How?
Why can this blog be a useful teaching tool?
  • Students that see connections between their coursework and their lives do better in school.
  • Most students will either be parents one day or have children in their lives that they care about, so the topical information can help them build their knowledge about children and parenting and develop a positive image of the type of parenting they want to do.
  • The new core literacy standards adopted by most states call for frequent writing in all courses.
  • Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can think critically. These prompts help students practice critical thinking.
  • Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can analyze what they read. These prompts help students practice analysis.