Varying Instructional Methods (PILOT Reflections)

I wonder if I’d do a better job varying my instructional techniques if every college classroom came equipped with a first-grader to act as an early-warning system, ready to flop over on the carpet and moan at the first sign of boredom.

I love writing workshop days because there’s usually little prep to do. On the rare occasion when I prepare a formal lecture, I do tend to take up the whole period (and sometimes more). After spending a week teaching first-graders in a Vacation Bible School, I learned very quickly the value of varying one’s instructional approach.

Instead of a day-long writing workshop on Monday and a day-long lecture on Wednesday, split each day in half. That would also accommodating students who can’t type or sit for extended periods.