Benefits of teaching U.S. and world history backwards with examples
Explore the benefits and cons of teaching history backwards. Whether you're teaching U.S. or world history, this strategy can be effective.
How to run your class like a well-oiled machine
We all know the importance of effective teaching. We know effective teachers raise their students' test scores, boost their self-worth, and inspire them to become open-minded students and good people. But what makes an effective teacher? A potent combination of precise classroom management and content-area knowledge. So says a recent article in the New York Times Magazine. The article details the work of Doug Lemov, an educator who set out to study America's best teachers. He distilled his observations into 49 techniques that teachers can use to run effective classrooms. Here are a few, paraphrased. 1. Precise Praise The…
4 Questions for Spectac: The Rapping Principal
“First Capture Their Hearts, and Their Minds Will Follow” Does the principal of your school moonlight as a rapper? Does he or she win Principal of the Year awards during the day and then collaborate with Grammy award-winning producers at night. Meet Mervin “Spectac” Jenkins, a former middle school principal in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Flocabulary has worked with Spectac on a variety of projects including Shakespeare is Hip-Hop and The Hip-Hop History of the World. We recently put Spec through our 4 question interview. 1. You've been both a working emcee and a middle school principal. Did you ever see…
Julius Caesar Rap in a Quick Minute
Better than Flocab? Have any students who listen to one of our songs and say, "not bad, but I could do better"? Well, three such students at Lindenwold High School in New Jersey heard "Three Times," our version of Marc Antony's famous speech in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and decided to take the challenge. So Booshon, John, and Kyle spent a weekend writing and recording their version of the famous speech. The result is pretty incredible. Lyrics: Friends, lend me your ear for a quick minute! Romans, lend me your ear for a quick minute! Countrymen, lend me your ear for…
Pre-Test Jitters? Try a Pep Rally!
With the increased importance on high-stakes standardized tests in recent years, lots of teachers find themselves devoting more and more time to test preparation. You can teach students how to take the test, but what do you do for all those students who find test-taking a nerve-racking experience? One unique solution that we've seen in action: Have a pre-test pep rally. Two members of the Flocabulary crew (Blake and Vlad) had a chance to participate in an amazing pep rally this morning to kick off the ELA tests that start tomorrow in New York. At PS 40Q, an elementary school…