Melomi Waller

Teaching Tips
1. Please Stand Up (Repeat and do action)
2. What are you going to do? (proximity)
3. Set the Bar High*
4. You will always see/learn something new every day*
5. If the student doesnt learn the way you teach, then you teach the way the student
learns.
6. Show me in your hands (voices off)
7. Talk (communicate) with hands (Sign Language)*
8. Be careful what you show students (YouTube, commercials, etc.)*
9. Protect yourself (with e-mails, etc.)
10. Start your day with the ugliest task first (be organized)
11. Its okay to laugh at yourself when you make mistakes (try not to repeat them).
12. Enlarge font!!!!
13. Try to teach a lesson in seven words or less. (At least 70% of the time).
14. Allow your students to test instruments; give them a signal that they can see or hear to
know when to stop testing the instruments; have them put instruments away carefully
and quietly
15. First year teacher DONT buy a new car.
16. Safety in the classroom hearing; use hearing protection
17. Have a tattle ear in my classroom.
18. Music should be involved in my classroom(s).*
19. Use new material every year (or so). You dont want to get burned out with songs,
activities, etc.*
20. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR SUBLIST PREPARED!*
21. Mix and match subjects!! Include all learners! (Gardners Intelligences)*
22. When a student does something awesome, great, good job, etc., and you tell them
Good Job, just dont say it in just one way, but in multiple ways. It shows that you care
in individual ways. As well as showing students expressive language.
23. Dont play music all the time (sometimes you or the students need time to focus and
need peace and quiet).
24. Change things up a bit (for the better; if something didnt go quite right, or to make it so
you arent teaching the same way or thing year after year.
25. Involve your principal, administrators, community members, parents, etc. into your
classroom.
26. Repetition
27. Piggyback from one subject/topic to another
28. Know the background of your students
29. Add your own personal touch to your lessons
30. Wonder Bag




31. Say I have noticed _______ Dont tell a parent that you THINK their child has ADHD,
is depressed, etc.
32. Be down at their level
33. Be friends with the school janitor, maintenance, parents, community, etc. They can help
you out a lot
34. Delete the R word from vocabulary
35. Know your students before you try moving them and/or picking them up. You can hurt
them and/or yourself in the process.
36. Make adaptations to lessons, teaching and instruments
37. Build up students confidence
P. 243 (varied learning ability)
38. DO; dont talk
39. Materials; visual, aural, kinesthetic,
40. Be concrete; have visual aids
41. REPEAT!!!!!!!!!!
42. Have students engaged in the activity and discussion
43. Plan for less than a normal classroom; break it down even further
44. Color code
P. 247-248 (physical)
45. Use tape or Velcro to secure instruments
46. Use nerf balls or yarn balls to throw/catch wont hurt if someone gets hit
47. Have items attached to string, yarn, etc. for easy retrieval
48. Have appropriate material and use only what is necessary; dont have too much going
on at once
P. 254 (deaf)
49. Choose songs sung by men or women with very low voices tempo is moderate
50. Sing songs in low register more chance that vibrations will be picked up
51. Speak distinctly in a moderate tempo
52. Use signing with songs (if possible)
53. Try to work in a room with wooden floors or have a platform; students can feel
vibrations through the floor
P. 260 (blind)
54. Use raised figures or figures with varied textures to give tactile clues
55. Label items with braille
56. Record lessons, etc. for students
57. Have adequate source of light
58. Dont have too many background sounds
59. Talk to them as you approach them
P.268 (learning disabilities)
60. Be calm and patient
61. Be in control of your class; be pleasant and firm
62. Plan, Plan, Plan
63. Dont have any items in your room you dont plan to use
64. Begin and end on time
65. Have a routine/schedule (keep it!)
66. Keep moving (dont stay on an activity for too long)
67. Speak in clear, short sentences
68. Dont ask students to do too many things at once
69. Dont try to do too much
P. 275 (multiple disabilities)
70. Be aware of individual need and requirements
[*italicized (what I picked up from class) my reference]