WeAreTeachers Blog

[#1]

How do you go beyond the norm in your classroom to create thought-provoking and creative lessons that not only address the curriculum, but also teach essential problem solving and critical thinking skills?  Here are four tips—and four teacher-created ideas that demonstrate how that tip can be effectively implemented into your classroom.

1. Create High-Tech Assignments. Using technology to teach core skills like reading, writing and math not only encourages students to learn in a new and creative format, but also helps to break them away from rote memorization so that they can truly digest essential information. 

See it in action:  This teacher used Storybird to teach descriptive writing using adjectives to create a fun and effective high-tech lesson.

2.  Increase Collaboration:  Allow your students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills by creating lessons that require them to solve difficult problems together. 

See it in action: One teacher had his students create podcasts using GarageBand software and taught his students that through teamwork, they could master a high-level skill using complicated software.

3.    Allow your students to manage their own work. Don’t lay out the steps to completing an assignment for your students—instead, allow them to become their own project managers and learn not only the core concepts, but also project management skills.

See it in action: This school used Schoology.com to assist students in managing the production of an entire technology fair.

4.    Incorporate Digital Media.  Allowing students to use digital media like videos, podcasts and photos can enhance understanding and allow them to delve deeply into the content.

See it in action:  This teacher actually had his students use photos and videos to create a multi-media website explaining a major science concept. 

Question for you: How do you engage students’ creativity and critical thinking skills at the same time?  Tell us and you could win cash, an iPad 2 or an iPod Touch.  Click here to learn more. 

[#2]

Thanks a lot! Very actual theme for me. As additional, read interesting articles about problems solving