The Lazy Teacher’s Handbook

The Lazy Teacher’s Handbook HOW your students learn MORE When you teach LESS

Reference materials: Jim Smith/ Edited by Ian Gilbert The Lazy Teacher’s Handbook Jim Smith Edited by Ian Gilbert

Why this book? ? Have you ever had niggling worry that the more effort you put into your lessons, the worse things come? Have you ever though it wrong that you are the one crawling home on your knees and the end of the day whilst students seem to find a new lease of energy as soon as the bell goes? Does it ever cross your mind how everyone else you know seems to have a life and you don’t’?

Let us ask more….. EVER WONDERED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN YOUR CLASSROOM IF YOU STOPPED TEACHING?

This is where… The Lazy Teacher can help you get more out of your students and at the same time help you to get your life back.

Old Fashion Teaching with a Lazy Twist The big challenge for teachers taking on board the Lazy way is often dragging themselves away from the safety net that is the SOW .

PHOTOCOPIER CHALLANGE An easy and straightforward way of finding out the extent to which you are wasting your own time, let alone letting others waste it for you too.

Let us think now…. • Answer the questions • Talk to your pair-partner • Share…

Did you get the idea? This is not simply attack on worksheets- its an attack to teachers who are continuing to do what they have always done without recognizing that both education and the people we teach have changed…

As a Lazy teacher… I may well use photocopier material or movie. I will certainly use ICT or anything I can get my hands on. But I also know that success of that lesson is not down to what resources I show up with. Nor will success of the lesson be down to what I, as the teacher at the front of the class, can pull out of the hat at last minute.

Why? Because at the heart of the lesson you won’t find the PC, the projector, the interactive whiteboard, worksheets or any of other “essentials” of the modern classroom. YOU WILL FIND THE STUDENTS..

What is all about? More EVOLUION than REVOLUTION, BUT a significant change that will make your lessons outstanding in everyone’s eyes.

Four common lazy teaching styles get the lazy makeover • Whole class instruction • Whole class debates and discussions • Group work • Silent work (or more accurately, attempted silent work)

Makeovers for whole- class instructions Sometimes speaking to the whole class as one is an appropriate way to teach. You just need to be constantly reminding yourself that it is often the students’ least preferred way of learning. SO knowing that , if you are still going to do it, at least you can give it a lazy Teacher makeover so you can spend less time doing it and, when you do it, it has genuine impact.

Record your key messages Many airlines now have abandoned much of their pre-flight safety briefings in favor of pre-recorded message on a screen. THE SAME COULD HAPPEN IN YOUR CLASSROOM !

Record your key messages Do you have set routines for entry or exit that could be played via screen enabling you to concentrate during those precious last moments of the lesson on student’s learning?

Record your key messages Imagine NEVER having to settle, dismiss or instruct a class to pack away again. And…. Don’t forget, the students love to create the movies for you!

Record your key messages The students will also respond to the use of audio recording when you want to communicate with class. A sense of intrigue will waft over your classroom and the students as the students work out it is your reading poem, offering praise or giving out clues to the challenge they are undertaking-ALL WITHOUT moving your lips.

Become unpredictable Simply vary where you stand in the room, what you are standing on and even what you are wearing during your talk. Wearing a series of hats or wigs and standing on a milk crate are what you need to get their curiosity juices flowing!

Become unpredictable If the dressing up box is still in its infancy (although with a number of car boot sales, there really is no excuse) you can still be unpredictable with your accent !

Become unpredictable Simple? YES! Silly? YES! Will students really listen? YES!

Explain the importance When you have the whole class focused on what you are saying, emphasize the importance of what you are saying and that you will not be able to repeat it. On this occasion you should probably avoid the obvious cliché of putting on your best French accent and stating,” I shall say this only once”, but their innate desire not to miss out or give their peers an advantage by not listening properly is a strong factor of your favour.

Delegate to students Ask students in advance to help you deliver key bits of the lesson by arranging ” guest experts” to address the class and impress their mates. And, of course, your students may well wish to use some of the variations described above. Who said the milk crate, dressing up box and silly voices were just for you?

Makeovers for whole-class debates and discussion ??????????????” Why the vast majority of teachers feel compelled to repeat and add something to every response they receive is beyond me.  You have a whole class of students who should be asked to comment on what has just been said.

Makeovers for whole-class debates and discussion • Sweeping • Circle time feedback • Enjoying • Think- Pair-Square-Share • Thinking line -up

The Lazy Teacher’s Handbook