Teaching Tip #162

Teacherscribe’s Teaching Tip #162

What lesson could you sell tickets for?  Or what lesson do students love the most?

I posed this question to half a dozen former students in the fall.  I thought they’d all mention the one that was my choice for the one lesson that I could sell tickets for.  But I actually got four different answers.  I hope that’s a good thing.

For the record, here was my choice for the lesson that I could sell tickets for –

I have a Keynote that I use with my College Comp students to introduce the ten ways to start an essay.  To punctuate each example, I include actual student examples from past themes, and I use short, engaging videos.

The students have a blast with the examples and videos.

For the action lead, I use this short clip from The Office.

For the snapshot lead, I use this clip of the worlds’ most boring teacher.

For a misleading lead, I use this hilarious commercial.

For the dialogue lead, I use this classic bit of dialogue.  It’s short but sweet, and highly effective.

And for the shocking lead, I use this scene from Reno 911.

Best of all, I show it to them after they have written some drafts, so I have them practice the leads on their drafts so they are employing each different way to start an essay right into their writing.