How to Teach Elementary Curriculum Classes??

[ironmathyu5]

I know that this question sounds dumb but, I just have no idea how to teach it. Like, the teacher's guide doesn't help at all and is often quite vague. Also, I am supposed to teach 3-4 pages for 40minutes?

My mentor teacher told me that it's required to teach based on the textbook, and to try and not incorporate outside sources. In addition, I am placed at a very rural school so the kids here have little to no English in them. How were you guys able to teach the material to the kids?

[admin]

First, the idea that you can't "incorporate outside sources" is practically the same thing as saying "Act like a robot, not a teacher." Teachers teach! They find interesting material that connects to the lives of their students, and involve the kids in HELPING with teaching as much as possible. If one of them has some special knowledge that can be shoehorned into the lesson, call on them. E.g., "We're reading about a farm. Rafael, your dad works on a farm. What does he do?" You also find different ways of presenting the same material, so a kid who doesn't "get it" one way can figure it out another way.

Homeschoolers also have the luxury of a very distinct goal. We want our kids to LEARN, not to "cover material." So if one resource doesn't work, we move to another. That's the opposite of what they want you to do.

This all might sound a bit vague, but I have no idea what exactly you are trying to teach, or to whom, or from what book . . .