Overwhelmingly we tend to focus on content and technique/method when designing lessons. The 3rd circle Burgess says we must add to those two important pieces is PRESENTATION.
"A good teacher, like a good entertainer, first must hold his audience's attention. Then he can teach his lesson." - Hendrik John Clarke
Burgess makes this analogy in the book- it's like riding a bike with flat tires. You can keep pedaling and be going the right direction, but with flat tires you won't be going anywhere fast, and it's going to take you a lot more effort to get there.
The tires on your bike represent your teaching conten t and your technique and method. Those are very important things! You can't teach without them, cause there would be nothing to teach without them!
"If you don't have the content element of your lesson in place, you are either just entertaining or babysitting." (Burgess p.76)
The hooks that Burgess goes on to describe in this section of the book can't be used unless you know your content. But having the tires on your bike doesn't mean you're going anywhere. YOU NEED AIR IN THOSE TIRES! The air for the tires is called Presentation....(the third circle)
"It doesn't matter how much material you teach. it only matters how much is received" (Burgess p 78)
I think any experienced teacher knows the value of good transitions. These can maximize or minimize engagement with learning. We work hard to hook our students and gain attention at the beginning of a lesson but have we really evaluated if we are continuing to hold their attention during the delivery of our key content?
"Your key content- the most important information you are trying to teach- should be delivered at the moment of peak engagement," (Burgess p 81)
Discussion Question #1- What techniques do you currently use to minimize idle transition time? and/or- How do you alleviate the loss of engagement during transitions?
"Much of your success as an educator has to do with your attitude towards teaching and towards kids. The rest of your success is based on your willingness to relentlessly search for what engages students in your classroom and then having the guts to do it" (Burgess p 84)
Burgess encourages us to "Pimp" our lessons for success, giving them a certain WOW factor. He presents these to us in different categories of HOOKS- In this week's reading we were introduced to the following hooks:
THE KINESTHETIC HOOK
THE PEOPLE PROP HOOK
THE SAFARI HOOK
THE PICASSO HOOK
THE MOZART HOOK
THE DANCE AND DRAMA HOOK
THE CRAFT STORE HOOK
THE STUDENT HOBBY HOOK
THE REAL WORLD APPLICATION HOOK
THE LIFE CHANGING HOOK
THE STUDENT DIRECTED HOOK
THE OPPORTUNISTIC HOOK
Discussion Question #2- Choose ONE (or more, if you like) of the HOOKS from above that you have used. How have used this HOOK to engage students? Was it successful?
Discussion Question #3- Choose a hook that you have never used or only rarely use. How do you plan to use it in the future to engage your students?