The ENERGY of the Ron Clark Academy was infectious. From the opening of the doors to the slide certification, the energy was unlike any experience in my 40 years!
The teachers showed love first and then offered honest criticism. Criticism allows students to grow and get better. Students were okay with criticism because they knew it grew out of love.
Don't allow dead space. If searching for a worksheet or you need to deal with something away from students, teach them an educational chant, direct them to a new task, or find a way to keep them focused on the task at hand so there is no dead space.
Incorporate games into class but adhere to these rules:
- No student can be invisible - every student answers questions
- Use higher level thinking - challenging skills should be incorporated into games
- Be prepared to "grab attention back" quickly after games - don't relinquish control.
