Some thoughts on teaching....

Don't be afraid! Like dogs, kids smell fear. But how???
Be present/mindful/whatever you want to call it. Staying open to new ideas (rather than fearfully trying to enforce YOUR way of doing things) will help you to better connect to the students and break down the fear barrier.
Nothing's perfect...not you, not your students, not that lesson you spent a lifetime preparing. So lighten up and enjoy the process.
Document what you do. It'll brighten those gloomy days when you ask "What have I been doing with my life?" Plus it will make your job easier in the future and maybe even help you get a new job!
Kids don't learn anything anything from reading the textbook and taking a test...heck, even adults don't learn well that way. For a learning experience to be memorable (and therefore worthwhile, in my humble opinion) it must have some hands-on component.

Some thoughts on my favorite creative/experiential learning activities....

Historical Mock Trial

Students’ natural love of drama and competition are great motivators in this memorable learning experience
- I’ve seen students totally step away from their deeply held beliefs to defend those of their “character”
- Lawyers scramble to put together logical arguments to make their case and they become very involved in the outcome
Students must take on a role and see history from a new point of view
- Students must learn to identify with a point of view that is not their own, developing empathy
- After the trial, most students identify with the character they have portrayed, but they also recognize that there are many perspectives on any historical event
- The trial teaches that history is always multi-faceted, not simple like in the textbook
Students deepen and demonstrate their knowledge through research, writing, public speaking, drama, and even costume design!
Students must think critically and deeply understand the issue at hand
- My students consistently list the topic covered in the trial as the topic they best understand and most remember
- The trial format (opening statement, presenting the evidence, closing statement) is a great preparation for persuasive writing
Students also learn about the American criminal justice system first hand

Dramatic Performance - Ancient Greek Plays

As part of the Greek Festival, each class was assigned a Greek city-state. They were asked to write and perform a short play that expressed the unique character of their city-state
- The students were competing amongst themselves for the honor of "best play," like ancient Greek playwrights at the Festival of Dionysus
- The time alloted to mask making and rehearsal allowed the students to collaborate, and discuss and absorb the subject matter
- A few of my students actually performed an encore of their play for their Latin class!
- Students remember best what they are involved in creating.

Dramatic Performance - Epic of Gilgamesh

The 7th and 8th graders performed a dramatic adaptation of the Epic of Gilgamesh for the 6th graders
- We used a published script, and I added a scene of my own. While the script wasn't exactly what I wanted, it's great not to have to reinvent the wheel the first time around. Take a lesson that's already been written, then make changes to it. Lessons are always a work in progress.
- Making historical characters into dramatic characters makes them more memorable and compelling for students.
- Students can better grasp the "big ideas" of history when they have "flesh and blood" characters to think about

The Big Dig

We recreated an archaological dig, burying and then unearthing evidence of prehistoric humans. Each class studied a group of human ancestors (Homo Habilus, Neanderthals, etc.) and created objects (tools, bones, etc.) that they might have been left behind. Each class buried their artifacts, which were then dug up by another class. We tried to use the methods used by real archaologists. After completing the dig, we tried to identify which group of ancestors we had "discovered"
- During the process we learned about real archaeological techniques and experienced the difficulties and thrills of a real dig.

Medieval Tournament Activity

After writing a short research paper on a topic related to Medieval Europe or Japan, students brought their topic to life with an interactive presentation.
- Teaching something is a great way to create lasting knowledge; activities that ask students to master and present information to their peers are usually memorable and engaging.
- Presentations ranged from tea ceremonies to block printing demonstrations and "Samurai Training Camp."