Thoughts on Starting Class the Right Way

This chapter provided some great out-of-the-box ideas for starting classes. Children are more engaged when they have some control over their learning. Many of these activities allow for that... See More

This chapter provided some great out-of-the-box ideas for starting classes. Children are more engaged when they have some control over their learning. Many of these activities allow for that. The most helpful part of the chapter, I believe, is the "Why this works" portion of each starter activity. It's one thing to know that something works but it is another thing to know why something works. This also allowed for different interpretations of the activities. While not every activity was suitable for every age, the why this works section allowed for the teacher to realize the key concepts of a functional starter activity, allowing the teacher to alter the activity to fit the needs of his/her students.