Effective Research skills

Doing research effectively is an art in itself that involves various skills honed with practice. It’s essential for students to be taught the art of doing research effectively. Unfortunately, however, research skills are not often taught as part of the curriculum.

There tends to be overestimation on the part of teachers when judging students' research capabilities. Being tech-savvy does not automatically translate into good research skills. Doing research is not as simple as typing in the assignment topic into Google and copying down the results from the first few links. Students should be taught on plagiarism, verification of information, effective keywords, how search engines work and so on.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help teachers teach their students the skill of asking the right questions and properly judge whether their research is valid or not.

Start simple – For students beginning to do research on their own, take baby steps. Provide students with valid websites from which they can prepare a paper. This is a good idea because it keeps them focused on the information they get from these websites and all they need to do is write an informative, precise and articulate paper based on what they are handed. At this stage, you can teach them about plagiarism and how to avoid it.

Using search engines – When they have done around 4 or 5 research papers, you can move on to the next logical step: allowing them to search for their own websites. At this stage, you can teach them how Google and other search engines work. You can do a comparison study by entering the same topic into two different search engines and compare the results.

a) Tell them about search engine optimization and how it works.

b) Talk about the various types of domains such as .com, .gov, .org, .edu and .net. They need to know that “.com” websites are commercial ones that would not have the information they are looking for.

c) Use specific Google commands to narrow the search down. If students want to focus their research on educational sites, they can suffix the 'site:edu' command in Google to their keywords. For instance, enter 'The French Revolution site:edu'. The 'site:' command is a very useful filter that researchers can use to search only in specific sites like governmental, educational, etc.

Use other similar Google research tips and tricks to drastically reduce the 'search' in your research.

The search process itself is a multi-step process. Kathleen Morris, a primary school teacher and blogger puts it in a simple, yet comprehensive manner at her site kathleenamorris.com. She gives 5 basic steps that help school students do effective research.

1) Clarify – What is it exactly that you need to do research on? The words you use in the search box are highly important. Bring in clarity as to what exactly you are searching for and then proceed to search for it. It saves a ton of time!

2) Search – Once you have figured out exactly what words you need to use, do the actual search. If the results are not satisfactory, try rephrasing or check the suggestions that Google offers.

3) Delve – Choosing which sites to use for your research is another skill that needs to be mastered over time. Most of us tend to rely on the first page of links that Google suggests. This is where you can talk about search engine optimization and how there may be more relevant sites further down the line.

4) Evaluate – Teach them the importance of verifying information. There are quotes out there that are attributed to the wrong person. Simple things like this can cost students precious marks. Therefore, taking the time to verify the information they have gathered is another important step.

5) Cite – Students need to write their paper in their own words, not copy-paste from websites. They can quote from websites but they need to cite the source of their information in their paper. Citing their sources is another important element of responsible researchers.

With these points in mind, go ahead and guide your students into the exciting world of independent research. It is a skill that will come in handy especially in higher education. Lay the foundation for their research skills strongly and they'll be set for university!

Brain Breaks- Its Importance

Restlessness in the classroom is too common, and this is could be due to the little number of breaks that students take.

Young students find it difficult to remain silent and attentive for long periods of time. It is only their natural instincts taking over when they start wiggling in their seats, talking to one another and getting up to wander around. For most teachers, this is unacceptable. It becomes a law-and-order situation. Parents get called, and children feel as if there is something wrong with them for having a lot of energy.

Keeping in mind the enthusiasm and energy that drives children, how can we make the class period of 40 to 60 minutes work for everybody? The answer lies in a fun solution: brain breaks. Brain breaks are nothing but short 3-to-5 minute activities that will get the whole class up and about and rejuvenated for the rest of the class period. Yes, the solution to the law-and-order situation is that simple. Take brain breaks every 20 or 30 minutes or whenever your class starts getting antsy.

Studies have shown that physical activity in the classroom improves learning outcomes. This stems from the fact that physical activity improves blood circulation and increased blood flow to the brain, assisting in the learning process. Brain breaks increase focus and attentiveness while also bringing in physical activity which is healthy for the body. They help students release stress, pent up energy and even anxiety.

Brain breaks don’t need to be fancy. Also, they have actually been around for some time. Remember the teacher who used to suddenly say mid-lesson, “Everyone on your feet. Hands up, hands down, hands up, hands down – are you all awake now?” Well, those were brain breaks – only they didn’t have a fancy term for it then.

What about all the noise they’d make? Well, if your noisy class will affect other classes, you have the option of choosing quiet brain breaks or just take your classes in a place that allows some noise and fun like the school auditorium, beneath a big tree on the grounds or whatever works for you. If you really make up your mind to see this through, you will come up with solutions so that your class gets its fun without disturbing the rest of the school.

Here are a few ideas for brain breaks.

1) Dance – The variations with this option are unlimited. And who wouldn’t like to get up and dance in the middle of an algebra lesson?

a) Planned choreography – Have your class learn the steps to songs like Macarena or YMCA (plenty of tutorials are available online for the choreography). This brain break activity will be a favourite with your students!

b) Dance and freeze – Have your class dance to music and freeze in whatever poses they are when you stop the music. They have to move around the class while dancing. You can add conditions to the dancing like, “Do the twist!” or “Dance like your hair is on fire!” Ask your kids for suggestions and trust me, your brain breaks are going to be remembered for a lifetime.

c) Dance and sing – Learn the lyrics of a fast song and go around the class singing and dancing (it could be choreographed or you could just let them go freestyle).

2) Stretches – After 20 minutes of intense focus, it helps to just get up and stretch. A simple ‘reach for the sky, reach for your toes’ activity would help release all that pent up energy. This one is a silent activity.

3) Aerobics – Jumping jacks or squats are also a good way to get the blood flowing. If you add music to this activity, you will get better results.

4) Zumba – If you are a Zumba fan, this one is right up your alley. Have the kids do a short Zumba workout – effective and fun.

Things to consider while organizing brain breaks:

a) Go for a brain break before your class starts to get fidgety.

b) Mix it up. Don’t do the same activity every time. Kids love disruption!

c) Ask your class for suggestions for brain break activities. They will come up with the wildest of ideas.

So, what are you waiting for? Breathe some life and fun into those classes!

Insights for All

What does the term 'school culture' mean? The term 'culture' for schools reflects a certain atmosphere and an ethos that characterizes a school. It is the first thing you feel when you walk into a school campus. If the students are energetic and the staff cheerful and friendly, you’ve entered a school that has a positive school culture!

So how do you develop a positive school culture? Building a positive school culture takes consistent effort on the part of everyone involved, whether it be the students, teachers, non-teaching staff and parents. When all these stakeholders are aligned with the vision of the school, you are one step closer to building a positive culture.

In the UAE, this would entail even more specific alignment, considering that there are people from over a hundred nationalities and there are numerous different curriculums being followed in different schools. Hence, school administrators are recommended to take particular care that all its staff is aware of country-specific rules and regulations. Orientation programs for expatriate teachers, parents and students would help them get accustomed to the country's culture – all the do's, don’ts and nevers!

Here are a few tips for school administrations to help build a positive school culture:

1) Start with the vision of the school. Every school has a vision that reflects what it stands for. This is why it matters to ensure that your school's vision is highly visible and at the top of everyone's mind, which can be achieved by hanging the vision up on the school walls and talking about it during assembly-time. In addition, encouraging students to live by the school’s values and holding discussions on the subject will be proven valuable.

2) Focus on the positives. Unfortunately, negativity is easier to spread than positivity, which makes it all the more essential to spread positivity on school grounds, by praising the staff and students alike. Rather than exaggerated or vague compliments, specific and meaningful ones create a more positive impact. As a decision-maker, you can appreciate a teacher for handling a volatile situation with parents in a sensitive manner. By finding the positive in everyone, you can multiply the effect, building goodwill within the school’s culture!

3) Teach social skills. Students attend schools to learn about life alongside their subject matters. Therefore, essential skills need to be taught, such as how to behave in different situations, while learning about values such as respect, honesty, consideration for others, reliability and responsibility. When students are better equipped to handle various social situations, there will be less friction amongst them.

4) Establish rules consistently. Rules are rules and must be followed by all students. It’s also more effective to establish a few clear and simple rules. Once students get a general idea of the school's expectations, they’re more likely to stay consistent and peaceful!

5) Take appropriate disciplinary action. Where there are rules, there will be rule-breakers. Ensure that you don't simply give detention for all rule-breakers. Keep it context-specific. For example, for a budding graffiti artist, give a week of after-school cleaning duty. The consequences should have some relevance to the 'crime' committed. Students will, therefore, be more aware of their actions.

6) Appreciate your teachers. If your teachers are a happy lot, your battle is half won! The recipe for happy teachers is to treat them like they deserve, as people who get out there and try to make a difference in the lives of the many, many children they teach. Treat your teachers with respect, pay them well and on time, and give credit where it is due. When teachers are valued, they will, in turn, value their school and be more invested in it.

7) Build strong relationships. Good relationships between teachers, parents and students will help bring harmony to the school atmosphere. The stronger the bonds, the easier problem-solving will become. For this, you will need to provide parents and teachers opportunities to meet and interact. Encourage parents to participate in school activities and arrange frequent one-to-one meetings between teachers and parents.

8) Communicate clearly. Communication is key to keeping the school’s atmosphere positive! The lines of communication should be open at all times between teachers, parents, students and school administrators to keep expectations clear and positivity spreading!

Once you set the ball rolling towards building positive school culture, remain focused on the goal throughout the academic year, and good luck!