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IPPI / PPD 2

AGE CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNERS

The Three-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child

• Walks and runs, but is still uncoordinated. Likes doing things with his or her hands but
does them awkwardly.
• Has more language skills. Likes to talk and learn new words. Has a short attention
span. Is curious and inquisitive. Often misunderstands and makes comments that
seem off the subject. Enjoys pretending. Likes finger plays, stories, and musical
activities.
• Enjoys working alone. Does not engage in much cooperative play with others, but likes
to have friends around. Is self-centered. Has difficulty sharing. Prefers to be close to
adults, particularly family, because they provide security.
• Wants to please adults. Needs their approval, love, and praise. Strikes out emotionally
when afraid or anxious. Cries easily. Is sensitive to others' feelings. Is developing
some independence. Has intense, short-lived emotions.

Suggestions for Parents and Teachers

➢ Use simple activities such as pasting, molding clay, and coloring. Avoid activities that
require refined skills and coordination, such as tying or cutting. Be prepared to clean
up messes.
➢ Teach ideas in a simple, clear way. Use visual materials to reinforce ideas. Encourage
questions and responses to the discussion, but have the child take turns with other
children. Use a variety of teaching methods such as stories, songs, discussions,
dramatizations, finger plays, and simple games. Alternate between quiet and lively
activities.
➢ Show approval and confidence in the child. Avoid criticism. Help the child understand
others' feelings and solve conflicts. Encourage the child to be self-sufficient.

The Four-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child

• Is very active. Moves quickly. Likes to skip, jump, race, climb, and throw.
• Enjoys talking and learning new words. Asks many questions. Has a short attention
span. Uses artwork to express feelings. Enjoys pretending and role playing.
• Plays more cooperatively with others. Is sometimes physically aggressive, bossy,
impolite, and stubborn, but can also be friendly. Is learning to share, accept rules, and
take turns. Responds to sincere praise.
• Often tests people's limits. Is boastful, especially about self and family. May be
agreeable one moment and quarrelsome the next. Has more self-confidence. May
have tears and feelings of insecurity.

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IPPI / PPD 2
• Is becoming aware of right and wrong, and usually desires to do right. May blame
others for his or her wrongdoing.

Suggestions for Parents and Teachers

➢ Alternate between quiet and lively activities. Model appropriate ways to express
emotions.
➢ Use discussions and activities that will encourage thinking, such as simple riddles and
guessing games. Clarify misunderstandings.
➢ Use pictures, objects, and actual experiences. Introduce new words. Have the child
draw pictures that relate to lessons. Accept and encourage the child's creative efforts.
➢ Allow the child to explore his or her surroundings. Use role-playing activities.
➢ Provide opportunities for the child to play and work cooperatively with others.
➢ Teach kindness, patience, and politeness. Help the child follow simple rules such as
taking turns. Establish and firmly follow limits.

The Five-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child

• Is very active. Has a good sense of balance, and is becoming more coordinated. Can
kick a ball, walk in a straight line, hop, skip, and march.
• Enjoys drawing, coloring, and participating in activities and games. Is learning to lace
and tie shoes and button and zip clothing.
• Recognizes some letters, numbers, and words. Likes to pretend to read and write.
May be learning to read.
• Is talkative. Asks questions, makes comments, and gives answers that show
increased understanding.
• Is good at problem solving. Is curious and eager for facts.
• Has a short but increasing attention span.
• Likes definite tasks, Enjoys jokes and tricks, but cannot laugh at himself or herself.
Likes stories, singing, poetry, and dramatizations.
• Is friendly and eager to please and cooperate. Is beginning to prefer being in small
groups of children, but may prefer a best friend. Creates less conflict in group play. Is
beginning to want to conform, and is critical of those who do not. Is beginning to
understand rules, but often tries to change them for his or her benefit.
• Centers interests on home and family. Gets embarrassed easily, especially by his or
her own mistakes.
• Wants to be good. Is learning the difference between right and wrong. Sometimes tells
untruths or blames others for his or her own wrongdoings because of an intense
desire to please adults and do what is right.

Suggestions for Parents and Teachers

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IPPI / PPD 2
➢ Engage the child in physical activities. Use simple games and other activities. Allow
the child to cut and paste and to put puzzles together. Allow for independence.
Express confidence in the child. Accept and encourage the child's efforts.
➢ Allow the child to talk and ask questions. Assign simple tasks and responsibilities Use
drawing activities, true-to-life stories, and visual materials.
➢ Vary activities, using pictures, games, songs, and discussions. Use problem-solving
activities such as riddles and discussion questions.
➢ Allow the child to pretend, dramatize, and use puppets. Laugh with the child.
➢ Help the child learn the value of individual differences. Frequently teach the value and
importance of the family. Give the child an opportunity to share feelings about his or
her family. Give specific praise for positive behavior. Avoid activities or expressions
that might embarrass the child.
➢ Model appropriate behavior. Do not be shocked if the child says something that is
untrue or inappropriate.

The Six-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child.

• Is very active. Is often noisy, restless, and exuberant. Likes to participate in activities
and perform small tasks, though they still may be difficult to do. Dislikes being a
spectator.
• Needs concepts taught in concrete ways. Has improving memory. Is talkative, and
asks many questions. Is learning to make decisions, but often is indecisive.
• Has an increasing attention span.
• Likes reading, writing, singing, hearing stories, and pretending.
• Is more interested in group activities and interacting with playmates, but is still self-
centered. is sometimes bossy, aggressive, and unkind to peers. Is concerned with
how others treat him or her. Is eager for social approval.
• Is boastful. Exaggerates and criticizes. Is easily excited, silly, and giggly. Can be
generous, affectionate, and compatible, but mood can change easily.
• Is concerned with good and bad behavior, particularly as it affects family and friends.
Sometimes blames others for wrongdoings.

Suggestions for Parents and Teachers

➢ Be patient with the child's abundant energy and restlessness. Use activities such as
writing, coloring, cutting, pasting, and molding cloy. Use games that allow the child to
use his or her energy.
➢ Use problem-solving activities such as riddles, reviews, and open-ended stories. Use
pictures, flannel cutouts, and other visual materials. Introduce new words.
➢ Ask questions. Allow the child to make decisions. Discuss the importance of choosing
the right, and allow the child to practice making decisions with limited choices.
➢ Provide opportunities for reading, writing, singing, hearing stories, and role playing.
➢ Encourage sharing and participation with others. Provide opportunities for group
activities. Give specific praise and approval.
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IPPI / PPD 2
➢ Praise the child's specific efforts so he or she feels less need to boast. Praise honesty.
Do not criticize. Laugh with him or her, but do not laugh at him or her.

The Seven-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child.

Motor development

• hand-eye coordination is well developed.


• has good balance
• can execute simple gymnastic movements, such as somersaults.

Language and thinking development

• uses a vocabulary of several thousand words.


• demonstrates a longer attention span.
• uses serious, logical thinking; is thoughtful and reflective.
• able to understand reasoning and make the right decisions.
• can tell time; knows the days, months, and seasons.
• can describe points of similarity between two objects.
• begins to grasp that letters represent the sounds that form words.
• able to solve more complex problems.
• individual learning style becomes more clear-cut.

Social and emotional development

• desires to be perfect and is quite self-critical.


• worries more; may have low self-confidence.
• tends to complain; has strong emotional reactions.
• understands the difference between right and wrong.
• takes direction well; needs punishment only rarely.
• avoids and withdraws from adults.
• is a better loser and less likely to place blame.
• waits for her turn in activities.
• starts to feel guilt and shame.

Suggestions for Parents and Teachers

• This is a time of fragile self-esteem, so offer frequent encouragement and positive


feedback.
• Help ease the tendency for self-criticism by stressing what she / he’s learned
rather than how the final product looks.
• Be patient and understanding of volatile emotions and moods.

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IPPI / PPD 2
• Take advantage of his eagerness to learn by asking open-ended, thought-
provoking questions, doing puzzles, and playing thinking games.
• Initiate discussions about right vs. wrong.
• Provide opportunities for independent decision-making.

A 7-year-old child, typically in second grade, normally will be developing more complex
sentences as they grow.

• They’ll learn to speak better and be able to follow a longer series of commands than they
could at age 6.
• They have begun to see that some words have more than one meaning. That helps them
understand jokes and puns and start verbally expressing a sense of humor.
• Children in early school years can show fast growth in mental ability.
• Understand the concept of numbers
• Know day from night, and left from right
• Can tell time
• Can repeat three numbers backward

The Eight-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child.

Physical growth and development


• Grow about 2.5 in. (6 cm) and gain about 7 lb (3 kg) in a year.
• May have arms and legs that seem too long for their bodies.
• Lose about four baby teeth each year, which are replaced by permanent teeth.
Thinking and reasoning (cognitive development)
• Know how to count by 2s (2, 4, 6, 8, and so on) and 5s (5, 10, 15, 20, and so on).
• Know what day of the week it is. They do not usually know the full date and year.
• Can read simple sentences.
• Complete simple single-digit addition and subtraction problems (such as 1 + 8, 7
+ 5, 6 – 2, 4 – 3).
• Can tell the difference between right and left.
• Have a black-and-white perspective much of the time. Things are either great or
awful, ugly or beautiful, right or wrong. They focus on one trait or idea at a time,
which makes it hard for them to understand complex issues.
Emotional and social development
• Enjoy being around their friends. The opinions of their friends become
increasingly important. And peer pressure may become an issue.
• Gain a sense of security from being involved in regular group activities, such as 4-
H or Scouts.
• Are more likely to follow rules they help create.
• Have rapidly changing emotions. Angry outbursts are common. Many children are
critical of others, especially of their parents. They may seem dramatic and
sometimes rude.
• Are impatient. They like immediate gratification and find it hard to wait for things
they want.
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IPPI / PPD 2
• Are interested in money. Some children may become obsessed with saving and
plans about earning and spending money.
Language development
• Have well-developed speech and use correct grammar most of the time.
• Become interested in reading books. For some children, it is a favorite activity.
• Are still working on spelling and grammar in their written work. This aspect of
language development is not as advanced as oral speech.
Sensory and motor development
• Tie their shoelaces.
• Draw a diamond shape.
• Draw a person with 16 features.
• Become increasingly skilled in hobbies, sports, and active play.

The Nine-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child.

Thinking and reasoning (cognitive development)


Most children by age 9:
• Know that objects have uses and can be classified into different categories. For
example, they recognize that a carrot is something to eat and is a type of
vegetable.
• Can read and understand longer sentences up to 12 words.
• Can add and subtract 2-digit numbers, understand fractions, and are learning how
to borrow and carry values.
• Like organization and planning, such as making plans ahead of time with friends.
• Think independently. Most children are improving their decision-making skills.
• Can accomplish increasingly more complex tasks and projects in school, such as
book reports.

Emotional and social development


Most children by age 9:
• Recognize basic social norms and appropriate behavior.
• Can control their anger most of the time.
• Have caring, solid friendships.
• Have gained a strong sense of empathy, which is understanding and being
sensitive to the feelings of others.
• Have more stable emotions than in the previous year. Mood swings may still
occur, but not as frequently as before.
• Have overcome most fears that were common in earlier childhood. But they often
start having more anxiety from common stressful situations, such as school
performance.

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IPPI / PPD 2
• Are curious about relationships between boys and girls. Few will admit to this
interest.

Language development
Most children by age 9:
• Read frequently and enjoy books.
• Often read with a goal of learning about something of interest.
• Have speech patterns that are nearly at an adult level.

Sensory and motor development


Most children by age 9:
• Enjoy active play, such as bike-riding, swimming, and running games (such as
"tag").
• Become increasingly interested in team sports.
• Get dressed, brush hair, brush teeth, and get ready without any help.
• Use simple tools, such as a hammer, by themselves.
• Like to draw, paint, make jewelry, build models, or do other activities that use their
fine motor skills.

The Ten-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child.

Thinking and reasoning (cognitive development)


Most children by age 10:
• Know the complete date (day of the week, day of the month, month, and year).
• Can name the months of the year in order.
• Can read and understand a paragraph of complex sentences.
• Are reading books with chapters.
• Are skilled in addition and subtraction and are building skills in multiplication,
division, and fractions.
• Have learned to write in cursive.
• Can write simple stories.

Emotional and social development


Most children by age 10:
• Enjoy being with their friends. They often have a best friend of the same gender.
• Continue to enjoy team and group activities.
• Continue to insist they are not interested in children of the opposite sex. But they
may show off, tease, or act silly as a way of getting attention from or interacting
with them.
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IPPI / PPD 2
• Like and listen to their parents. Some children, though, will start to show irritation
with or lack of respect for adults who are in charge.

Language development
Most children by age 10:
• Enjoy reading. They may seek out magazines and books on subjects of special
interest.
• Can converse easily with people of all different ages.
• Have speech patterns that are nearly at an adult level.

Sensory and motor development


Most children by age 10:
• Have developed control of their large and small muscles. They are able to enjoy
activities that use these skills, such as basketball, dancing, and soccer.
• Have developed endurance. Many can run, ride a bike, and enjoy activities that
require a degree of physical conditioning.
• Continue to advance their fine motor skills, such as those needed for clearer
handwriting and detailed artwork.

The Eleven-Year-Old
Characteristics of the Child.

Emotional/Social Changes
Children in this age group might:

• Start to form stronger, more complex friendships and peer relationships. It becomes
more emotionally important to have friends, especially of the same sex.
• Experience more peer pressure.
• Become more aware of his or her body as puberty approaches. Body image and
eating problems sometimes start around this age.
• Develop better decision-making skills.
• Begin to question authority figures.

Thinking and Learning


Children in this age group might:

• Face more academic challenges at school.


• Become more independent from the family.
• Begin to see the point of view of others more clearly.
• Show improved handwriting and an improved ability to use a variety of tools
• Understand that thoughts are private
• Experience a greater sense of responsibility
• Exhibits an increased attention span, but often rapid changing of interests.

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IPPI / PPD 2
TEACHING KIDS ENGLISH

1.Are you really up for it?


If you want to teach kids English because you think it’s easy, then this is not the job for you.
Teaching children demands a great deal of creativity and energy. Kids will always keep you
on your toes! They will amaze you and surprise you, but don't think that just because you'll
be teaching colors and animals, it'll be a breeze. You'll most likely feel exhausted after every
class, but oh, so happy!
2. A little preparation goes a long way
Never make the mistake of showing up for class with little or no ideas, and thinking that you’ll
figure it out as you go along. Preparation is essential, mostly because you’ll need to gather
lots of teaching materials. Seasoned teachers may be able to improvise an entire lesson with
only a whiteboard and some markers, but why risk having a class that turns out to be a
hellish nightmare? You can plan an entire week of lessons or a full month, but make sure you
have a lesson plan for every class.
3.Try to cater to multiple intelligences
Young ESL students have strengths and weaknesses and the best way to take advantage of
their strengths and help them learn effectively is to cater to their learning styles or multiples
intelligences, namely Visual – Spatial, Logical – Mathematical, Bodily – Kinesthetic, Musical –
Rhythmic, Intra-Personal, Inter-Personal, Naturalist, and Spiritual. How can we accomplish
this?
Let’s see some examples:
• For musical – rhythmic intelligence learners, teach an ESL element with a song, like
Rock Around the Clock for telling time.
• For bodily – kinesthetic intelligence learners, teach body parts with a game of
Simon Says, or sing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.
• For visual – spatial intelligence learners, use maps, charts, and all types of visual
aids. Teach them the different types of stores and locations they may find around town
with a big map-like board game, and have them “visit” the different locations by
throwing the dice.

4. Don’t let them get bored


If children are bored they won’t pay attention, and they won’t learn. You don’t have to clown
around all the time, either; they're in class to learn, not to be entertained by you. Your job is
to make learning engaging and fun.
Here are some ways to do this:
Once they’ve been sitting and focused on a task for a while, get them out of their seats for a
more active game. They should never remain seated for the duration of the class, unless
they’re teens.
Use realia, or real life objects in class. No matter how colorful or big, students sometimes get
tired of learning everything through flashcards.

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IPPI / PPD 2
5. Mix it up
ESL classes may include singing, dancing, and jumping, as well as writing, reading, or
listening. The best ESL lessons combine the right mix of teaching strategies. You may begin
class with a short song, then move on to a reading exercise. The best rule of thumb is to
switch between quiet, independent tasks to those that require action and movement.
6. Be prepared to deal with parents
Unlike teaching adult students, when you teach the little ones you have to interact with their
parents as well.
These must be informed about:
• Your goals, i.e., what you hope to accomplish throughout the year
• The children’s learning goals, i.e., the syllabus for the school year
• Their children’s progress, i.e., if they have achieved their learning goals satisfactorily
It is also recommended to encourage parents’ active participation in their children’s English
learning. Even if they don’t speak English themselves, they should be encouraged to ask the
kids what they’ve learned, share songs, etc

7. Gather an arsenal of materials


When you teach children English it is essential to have a box of materials that can be
adaptable to any game or activity.
Must-have items are:
• a pair of dice
• flashcards
• blank bingo sheets (that can be filled in by students with either words or pictures)
• small toys – balls in several sizes, toy vehicles, animals, etc...
• bean bags
• puppets
8. Remember it’s not all about the games
Each game or activity you propose should target a specific learning goal or ESL element. It’s
not about coming to class to play. ESL games are highly effective teaching strategies as long
as you know how to fully utilize their potential.

9. Teach in context
Lessons should be planned in accordance with learning goals. And vocabulary, grammar,
and language should be taught in context. For example, when teaching children foods in
English, it should be within a meal context like breakfast, lunch or dinner, and should never
be a list of items they must study or memorize.

10. Keep them motivated


As kids get older and reach their pre-teen years, some ESL games and activities may not
interest them as much as they did in the past. Find out what does interest them. What kind
of music do they like? What do they enj oy reading? What sports do they play? Which sports

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IPPI / PPD 2
stars do they admire? Writing interview questions for their favorite NBA player will be a lot
more interesting than just a list of questions in simple present.

Young Teens (12-14 Years of Age)


Characteristics of the Child

Emotional/Social Changes
Children in this age group might:

• Show more concern about body image, looks, and clothes.


• Focus on themselves; going back and forth between high expectations and lack of
confidence.
• Experience more moodiness.
• Show more interest in and influence by peer group.
• Express less affection toward parents; sometimes might seem rude or short-tempered.
• Feel stress from more challenging school work.
• Feel a lot of sadness or depression, which can lead to poor grades at school, alcohol
or drug use, unsafe sex, and other problems.
• Testing limits; a “know-it-all” attitude
• Vulnerable; emotionally insecure; fear of rejection; mood swings
• Identification with admired adults
• Bodies going through physical changes that affect personal appearance
• Very sensitive to praise and recognition; feelings are easily hurt
• Because friends are very important, can be conflicts between adults’ rules and friends’
rules
• Caught between being a child and being an adult
• Loud behavior may hide their lack of self confidence
• Challenge authority figures; test limits of acceptable behavior
• Want to know and feel that significant adults, including parents and teachers, love and
accept them; need frequent affirmation
• Look at the world more objectively; look at adults more subjectively and are critical of
them

Thinking and Learning


Children in this age group might:

• Have more ability for complex thought.


• Be better able to express feelings through talking.
• Develop a stronger sense of right and wrong.
• Tend to be perfectionists; if they attempt too much, may feel frustrated
• Be searching to form a conscious sense of individual uniqueness “who am I”

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IPPI / PPD 2
• Want more independence but know they need guidance and support
• Consider academic goals as a secondary level of priority; personal social concerns
dominate thoughts and activities
• Confront hard moral and ethical questions for which they are unprepared to cope
• Be reflective, analytical, and introspective about their thoughts and feelings
• Have lengthy attention span

Teenagers (15-17 Years of Age)


Characteristics of the Child

Emotional/Social Changes
Children in this age group might:

• Have more interest in romantic relationships and sexuality.


• Go through less conflict with parents.
• Show more independence from parents.
• Have a deeper capacity for caring and sharing and for developing more intimate
relationships.
• Spend less time with parents and more time with friends.
• Feel a lot of sadness or depression, which can lead to poor grades at school, alcohol
or drug use, unsafe sex, and other problems.
• Need to feel part of a peer group, consisting of boys and girls, and are influenced by
peer pressure and conformity to their group
• Prefer active over passive learning activities that involve working with their peers
• Need frequent physical activity and movement
• Need adult support, guidance, and calm direction

Thinking and Learning


Children in this age group might:

• Learn more defined work habits.


• Show more concern about future school and work plans.
• Be better able to give reasons for their own choices, including about what is right or
wrong.
• Become better at everyday planning and decision making. They can understand the
consequences of their behavior and planning for their future. However, these skills are
often used inconsistently by teens, who sometimes act first and think later.
• Curious and willing to learn things they consider useful
• Enjoy solving “real-life” problems

TIPS FOR ENGAGING YOUTH:


• In general, it is best to engage teens using listening skills and activities rather than lecturing
or advice-giving.

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IPPI / PPD 2
• Begin the meeting by simply asking about how their week has been going prior to starting
any lesson or activity with them. Not only will this allow you to gauge how receptive the teen
might be on that day, but it will also make the teen more willing to listen to you because they
feel that you showed interest and concern.

• Since adolescents are very self-concerned, try to engage them in discussion by asking how
the ideas, subject, situation, or outcome may impact their lives. Putting it in that context is a
way of making the discussion personal and of interest to them.

• Reverse roles. Instead of the adult always being the teacher or mentor in the relationship,
try learning something new from the teenager. This allows the teen to be an expert on a
subject that you may know little about, which gets the teen participating and also helps to
bridge the gap between generations.

• Try learning a hobby or participate in an activity that is new to both the adult and teen. This
creates a sense of equality in the relationship and can help establish trust because of the
shared experience.

• Provide options and choices when assigning a task; teenagers greatly value their
independence and want to do things their own way. That means giving teens several options
to choose from when working on a project or task so that they still feel a sense of control in
the situation. This makes it more likely they will participate and be committed to completing
the task.

• Use technology as a tool rather than topic of conversation. Teenagers do not view
technology as one of their interests. To teens, technology is a normal part of daily life
integrated into almost everything they do. Not only can you have them incorporate
technology to complete projects and tasks, but also try to connect through various apps (e.g.,
games, fitness, mindfulness).

• Be sincere and genuine when working with teenagers. Teens are not expecting you to be
trendy or cool, and trying too hard to be may backfire. They already know you are an adult.
What they need is for you to be yourself and honest in your interactions.

12 TIPS FOR TEACHING TEENS


1. Talk like an adult, but remember they’re still children. Teens hate to be patronized,
so use the same tone you do with adults. But still give step-by-step directions—
including putting their names on the paper.
2. Be proactive, not reactive. Don’t leave yourself to figure out how to respond to a
situation on the spot. Anticipate potential problems, and plan their solutions. Remind
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IPPI / PPD 2
students often of expectations and consequences, and apply consequences
consistently. Adjust your plans for possible logistical problems.
3. Respond to the small stuff. If they can get away with mild attempts at rebellion,
students may try getting your attention with more serious misbehavior. Make them
throw out their gum, insist on full participation, and correct them for inappropriate
language like “shut up.”
4. Encourage appropriate self-expression. Allow students to do extra-credit projects
on favorite recording artists, ask how they feel about a listening selection (after
listening), and ask open-ended questions to encourage creative thinking. Insist that all
opinions be treated with respect. Students will learn that their views are valued and
how to treat others’ opinions with respect.
5. Find the hidden reason for misbehavior. Students would rather get in trouble for
breaking the rules than for being unable to complete an assignment. Be aware of
students’ special needs and adjust plans accordingly. Reward students for effort and
make sure your directions are very clear.
6. Hold your ground today, and tomorrow will be better. Adolescents hate giving in to
the teacher in front of peers. However, stand firm, regardless of the student’s
protestations. Tomorrow, the student may be able to meet your expectations without
embarrassment or feel that rebellion just isn’t worth it.
7. Beware of free time. Students are extremely creative in thinking up what to do during
free time. Save yourself the dismay, clean up, and follow through on misbehavior, and
keep your students very, very busy.
8. Show sincere appreciation. Students want to be acknowledged when they do the
right thing. Rather than singling out a student in front of the class, direct your
compliment to a group of students, or use a hit-and-run method: speak to the student
privately at the end of the lesson, then immediately send him or her to class. This
doesn’t put the student on the spot.
9. Model the behavior you desire. If you’re sarcastic and impatient, students will be
sullen and resentful. When you use an angry voice or yell, conflict will escalate. The
more we yell, the less our students listen and the more amused they can become.
10. Graciously admit when you’re wrong. If you don’t, students can’t wait to prove you
wrong. By admitting an error, apologizing, and moving on, we show our students how
we learn from our mistakes.
11. Make it fun. With testing and pressure to excel, students welcome singing a silly song
for fun or a flash card game to review treble clef notes. Plan activities with active
participation, demonstrate that being a musician is enjoyable, relax, and smile. Your
students will appreciate it.
12. Two short activities are better than one long one. Middle schoolers have short
attention spans, so plan minilessons with careful transitions. If an activity is too long,
students won’t remember what you said.

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