Today, I want to share with you a book that resonated strongly with me: "Teaching With the Instructional Cha-Chas" by Leann Nickelsen and Melissa Dickson. This book is an approach to teaching that echoes the Active Learning Process Singaporean educators are very familiar with.
Chunk, Chew, Check, Change - The Four Steps to Success
The "Instructional Cha-Chas" is a catchy term for a powerful four-step process designed to enhance learning and engagement in the classroom. Here's a brief summary of each step:
Chunk: Simplify complex information into smaller parts or chunks because it's the natural process of thinking. It's like serving a full-course meal in courses rather than all at once. Being a fan of Station Rotation, I was glad to discover that it is a good way to do chunking.
Chew: Encourage students to actively engage with the material and allows time for them to process what they just learned. Discussions, interactive activities, and reflective exercises are the teeth that grind this knowledge into understanding.
Check: Examine Evidence Everyday from Every student. Continually assess and provide feedback. It’s not just about grading but understanding where our students stand in their learning journey.
Change: Adapt and evolve our teaching methods based on the feedback. The goal is to be as dynamic and effective as the students we teach.
Why Every Educator Needs to Read This Book
While the principles might sound familiar, the way Nickelsen and Dickson present them is both refreshing and practical. The book doesn't just tell you what to do; it shows you how to do it, making it a valuable tool for educators across various curriculums and levels.
As someone who deeply values the Active Learning Process, I found the parallels with the "Cha-Chas" striking. It’s a testament to the universality of these teaching principles and their effectiveness in fostering active and engaging learning environments.
A Brief Overview, But a Long-Term Impact
This post is just a snapshot of the insightful journey that "Teaching With the Instructional Cha-Chas" offers. The book delves deeper into each step, packed with practical examples and strategies that you can immediately implement in your classrooms.
So, I encourage all my fellow educators to pick up a copy. It's a resource that has the potential not just to change the way you teach, but also to transform how your students learn.
I love to hear your thoughts.
Did you find the strategies effective? How did they resonate with your teaching style and your students' learning needs?
Feel free to share your experiences and insights. Together, let's continue to enrich our teaching practices and make learning an exciting journey for our students.
Note: This post was written with the help of ChatGPT. In my upcoming blog post, I'll share the prompts I used. Stay tuned and follow my blog if you're curious to learn more!
Comments