Hot Tips for Teachers: The Learning Line

   A few weeks ago, Dad came home and plopped this book down in front of me:

   "Hot Tips for Teachers".

   Cool. Well, it's just as well. Rather than lazing around at at home and doing... well, nothing, I might as well read a book or two that can help me become a good teacher, because that is what I am going to be. A teacher.

   Anyway, so far I have only finished the last chapter. It's a good book, I guess, just a little not-my-type in its presentation style. You have to go through this process of looking at your own teaching process in the classroom (which I am yet to do) and write down what happens after you use a particular technique.

   It's a little boring, but of course I shouldn't be saying that. Besides, the authors must know what they're talking, enough to get their book published (something I'll never achieve, huhu), so I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and keep on reading.

   There is one particular technique that I am interested in. It's in Part 1, which lists down Hot Tips for Opening the Lesson. It's called "Draw the Learning Line". In this activity, the teacher will draw a line at the door using a piece of chalk, adhesive tape or anything that works, and write "The Learning Line" on it. This is supposed to help students get into the mood of the lesson and prepare for learning.

   Students and teacher will then enter the class by stepping over the learning line, one by one. As soon as they enter the class, voila! They're in Learning Land! Well at least that's what I call it.

   Anyway, this Hot Tip gave me an idea for a nice way of injecting interest into students (ouch that sounds painful, maybe I should have chosen a better word...but anyway).

   Let's say the topic for my English Lesson for the Day is something that has to do with animals. Animals leads you to zoo. And so, instead of using the Learning Line (or using it anyway, only with a different name), I can use the "Going to the Zoo" Line. I can either draw a line using chalk, paper or adhesive tape as mentioned above, and write "Zoo" on it. Then students will step over the line from outside the classroom door and pretend they're entering the zoo! What do you think?

   If you're up for more work, you could make an arch out of cardboard or other materials and hang it on the doorway. The idea is the same- to get the students into the mood of the lesson, and to let them take a guess at the topic for the day.

   I can't wait to try this out! :)