My students struggle with the words were and where. Yesterday, while standing in the front of my classroom I wrote both of the words on the board. I then asked my students to point to the word 'where'. When only two out of my eight correctly answered I asked my class to be quiet so we could have some thinking silence. I then had a teacher moment.
I turned back to the board and made the h in where darker. As my students watched, I began asking how the two words looked different. One of them explained that where has an h and were are all small letters. I then made the connection that the w in where can't see the rest of the word because h is a tall letter and blocks its way. I then had them hold their hand up to the forehead, pretend to look around for the rest of the word and say, "hmmm, now where can it be?"
Today I gave a pop quiz during spelling and included these two words. My students correctly spelled the two. One student who struggles with spelling got really excited after spelling the word and when asked how he remembered the difference he mimicked my hand to forehead motion and said that the w can't see where the rest of the word is because the h is blocking his way.
I was so proud of him and proud of myself for finding a way for my students to remember the difference. It's an incredible feeling, watching my students learn and knowing that I have something to do with their progress.
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2 comments:
That's what GREAT teachers do!
I like this story!
It took me back to my earlier school days, and the reason it struck a chord, is that I remember a poem that we had a lot of fun learning, back when I was 8 or 9. Amazingly enough, I could remember most of its words until this day :)
It is called "The ABC" by Spike Milligan, and thanks to the internet, I could post it here. You might like it so much that it inspires your little students as it had my friends and I more than 20 years ago:
'Twas midnight in the schoolroom
And every desk was shut
When suddenly from the alphabet
Was heard a loud "Tut-Tut!"
Said A to B, "I don't like C;
His manners are a lack.
For all I ever see of C
Is a semi-circular back!"
"I disagree," said D to B,
"I've never found C so.
From where I stand he seems to be
An uncompleted O."
C was vexed, "I'm much perplexed,
You criticise my shape.
I'm made like that, to help spell Cat
And Cow and Cool and Cape."
"He's right" said E; said F, "Whoopee!"
Said G, "'Ip, 'Ip, 'ooray!"
"You're dropping me," roared H to G.
"Don't do it please I pray."
"Out of my way," LL said to K.
"I'll make poor I look ILL."
To stop this stunt J stood in front,
And presto! ILL was JILL.
"U know," said V, "that W
Is twice the age of me.
For as a Roman V is five
I'm half as young as he."
X and Y yawned sleepily,
"Look at the time!" they said.
They all jumped intoo beddy byes,
And the last one in was Z
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