INTEREST/ACTIVATE
1. Arrange for prominent individuals from the community, local celebrities or significant parents to present a talk to the students about how learning has helped them. Provide the opportunity for the students to interview them. Have a prepared list of questions.
2. Have students do research on significant people in history who have used the concept of learning to develop their potential and contributed to the flow of life. Library assistants or parent volunteers can be involved to assist in this research pursuit.
3. Provide pictures of successful people and allow discussion at specific levels with age appropriate language.
4. Allow students to interview peers that have successfully incorporated positive study skills into their programs and prepare videos of these interviews.
5. Read stories and/or biographies of individuals that have used learning and education to accomplish their aspired for goals.
6. Provide some of the following situations to your students and discuss what subject might benefit them if they found themselves in the specific situation.
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2-3 you need to write a thank-you letter to your Grandmother for your gift; you need to figure out how much of your allowance you have left to spend. |
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4-5 you need to write a letter of inquiry about a country you are studying; you want to improve your baseball game. |
7. Have students interview their mother and fathers and then list how they used some of the things that they learned in school.
8. Discuss how specific people in various occupations apply what they have previously learned to their present situations.
9. Discuss subjects that the students are currently studying and list the ways that these subjects may be helpful in the future.
10. Have the students set goals (short term goals, intermediate goals, long term goals) for themselves. Goals should be defined, achievable, clearly stated, understood and prioritized.
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K-1 I want to learn how to paint. |
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2-3 I want to get a good grade on a Math test. |
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4-5 I want to read a good book. |
11. Ask your youngsters to discuss their feelings and/or attitudes toward school and schoolwork. Every feeling (negative or positive) should be discussed freely with no fear of punishment for harboring negative feelings.
Possible discussion questions:
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Do I believe I can do the work the teacher assigns? |
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Do I honestly believe that I can succeed in school? |
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When I have a problem do I go to the teacher for help? |
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Are good grades more important to me than how much I learn? |
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Do I always do the best I can or do I just get by |
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Do I find something to interest me in each subject I study? |
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Do I expect learning to be done for me or do I put forth the effort to learn? |
12. Have the children list various careers on the board and then list the related school subject that would help them in the pursuit of that particular career.
13. Designate a "LEARNER OF THE WEEK." This person will have demonstrated either the use of appropriate study skills or provided a living example of the value of learning.
14. How does learning relate to every day life? Go through the day and list each activity (getting to the bus on time) and how it relates to something learned in school (telling time).
15. At the end of each school day review all of the activities accomplished to further reinforce the concept that learning has occurred and is valuable.
16. Have the students discuss what they like or dislike about school in appropriate grouped situations. Present their thoughts either in a video, notes on the board, or pictures on a bulletin board.
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