methods.yml

- type: ritual
  time: 10
  title: Find a Metaphor
  minimum_class: 7
  description: |
    Creating methaphors is a very effective teaching strategy, as it allows students to analyse and process relevant information on a deeper level.

    1. To ensure that students have a common understanding of what is expected of them, start by explaining what a metaphor is. Give some concrete examples (e.g. the human brain is like a computer: it controls all bodily functions necessary for survival and sends appropriate electrical signals to each of its specialized systems).

    2. At the end of the lesson or school day, ask each student to find a metaphor for their learning experience on that day. Give the class a few minutes to think about their answers. They can either draw or write down their answers on their individual sticky note.

    3. Let the students collect and organize the metaphors in a designated area in the classroom.

    4. At the end of each week, spend 10 minutes discussing with the class their learning experiences based on the metaphors.

  hints:
    - |
      The cognitive process of identifying similarities and differences allows learners to participate in the learning process and engages their creativity. Methapors require that learners identify a general or basic pattern in a particular subject, and then find another subject that follows the same general pattern (Marzano, 2000).

  reason: |
    By giving students the opportunity to create their own metaphors, they can make connections between what they are learning and what they already know.
- type: method
  title: The Expert
  minimum_class: 7
  time: 15
  description: |
    This method allows students to experience every subject from a unique standpoint: that of an subject-matter expert. It is a role play game which allows learners to creatively elaborate, structure, refine and evaluate relevant information. The method is adapted from an original method used in improvisation theatre.
    
    1. Briefly introduce a topic to the class, that you want your students to interact with in a creative manner. You can focus on reviewing previously taught material with the help of your students, or introducing a topic they already have some personal experience with (e.g. Measurement units). It is important to stress that this activity is a role-play and is meant as a fun and creative learning activity, so the class atmosphere needs to be open
    and supportive.
    
    2. Ask for a volunteer who will play the role of an international expert in that subject matter, presenting an exposé to the class based on their prior knowledge about that subject.
    Select a second volunteer who will play the role of a journalist, interviewing the “expert” to clarify some questions of the general public. Give the volunteers some time in advance to prepare their role-play interview (e.g. From one class to the other, if the topic has not
    been taught before).
    
    3. Set the scene for the interview, where everyone can see the expert and the journalist role-play. Let the expert start his presentation as she/he prepared it, and once this is done, give the floor to the journalist to ask some clarifying questions to the expert. Give them permission to be creative and funny, as long as they stay on point with the selected
    topic.
    
    4. After the role-play, thank the volunteers for their courage and effort.
    
    5. Then, ask each student in the audience to write down what they remember from the expert’s exposé (presentation) and describe what they enjoyed most about the role-play.
    
    7. class onwards Working in Pairs, Plenum

    6. Discuss with the class to summarize the topic, correct any misconceptions or add other relevant information they could have included in the expert talk. Take some suggestions from the class.
  hints:
    - |
      Build on students’ previous knowledge and allow them to evaluate their own level of mastery of the topic.
  reason: ""
- type: classroom-management
  time: 45
  minimum_class: 5
  description: |
    1. Ask your students what represents a challenge for them at school. Write down all ideas.
    
    2. Review the ideas with the students. Give each student three votes to divide among the ideas they have. Select the problem that is most relevant to the group. (e.g. bullying during the break).
    
    3. Next, ask the students to form groups of similar sizes.
    
    4. Give them a few guiding questions to allow them to dive deeper into the challenge:
    
      1. What makes it a challenge?
      2. When does this challenge occur?
      3. What ways are there to anticipate the problem before it happens?
      4. How can this be prevented?
      5. Let the groups present their results.
      6. Compare the existing approaches in answering question 4. Based on them, create concrete solutions that can be implemented by the class.
      7. Create a plan to test the solutions.
      8. Ask the students to put the solutions into practice.
      9. In a follow-up lesson, let the students discuss how the implementation of the solution has worked.
  hints:
    - |
      Classroom management comprises the entirety of all educational, teaching and diagnostic processes, and thus stands for good teaching in the broadest sense. It may be preventive, pro-active or reactive.