As a 6th grade teacher in a struggling urban neighborhood, creative teaching tools have been my saving grace. Upon entering my classroom in the fall, I found twenty students who had never been in a classroom where learning can be fun. They balked at most exercises, terrified at the notion of learning. These creative teaching tools were what got me through that difficult year.
1. Hide and Seek: In this Internet age, I found that one of the few things my students responded to was the Internet. While my school lacked the resources of many of my state's other more prosperous schools, I was fortunate enough to have access to four computers in my class. Whenever I introduced a new topic, especially a 'boring' one like dividing fractions, I had students race to find as much information on the Internet as possible about the topic. They then took notes and delivered their findings to the class. Surprisingly, this small amount of control, when given to the students, invested them in learning, got them psyched about topics that even I was dreading, and provided a far more interesting introduction to new material than I would have been able to provide. Obviously, this is an activity more appropriate for upper elementary and older (and for schools with good filters on their internet), but it was one of the most amazing tricks I encountered.
2. Music to my ears: Music played an integral role in my classroom- besides the fact that my students only got half an hour of music education a week (not nearly enough in my opinion), I used it as a reward, a timer, and tool that could ensure silence. If we finished all of our subjects for the day with no major behavioral issues, students would be allowed to listen to one song while packing up for dismissal- this small motivation brought a bolt of electric excitement to the classroom in those dragging afternoon hours, as students invested their energies into earning their music prize. I also used music to ensure that mundane activities got completed in a timely fashion- when rearranging desks, students had to complete the task before a song ends- this non-threatening timer really got my students moving. Finally, during writing time and independent practice for math, I would often play un-obtrusive music IF and only IF every student was working and silent. This got many of the stragglers to put pencil to page and to keep their lips closed. Music was one of my most valuable tools in the classroom, and it is appropriate for all age groups.
3. Color it: Students will do ANYTHING if they can do it using colored pencils. In my class, I provided all of my students with colored pencils. They could complete their assignments and notes in them. Not only did this small change to the normal flow of school excite my students, but it improved the quality of their assignments and their retention of information. Students were more likely to put time and effort into something that felt like it was their own. Students also spontaneously color coded their class notes, something that for the visual learners increased their recollection of materials and that helped students who struggled organize their thoughts. This little trick also helped keep the pesky habits of writing notes and doodling in check- if you were caught doing either of these things, you lost your colored pencil privileges for a period of time. Even my toughest sixth graders, some of whom had parole officers and were several years too old for their grade, would do anything to keep colored pencil privileges.
These three tips, while seemingly simple, are some of the best teaching tips I can give- perhaps due to their simplicity and the ease with which they can be incorporated into almost any classrooms. To be a great teacher, you need experience, creativity, and a drive that no article can pretend to give you- but I promise that these three ideas will be the best things you add to your class's daily functioning.