Want another tip?

Want another tip?  Yes, it’s also a bit heretical.  If I don’t know much on a subject, I start with the children’s version.  Sometimes I use the same resource to teach.  For example, I’m teaching Brit Lit.  The textbook begins with the Anglo-Saxons.  What I know about the Anglo-Saxons can fit in a tea cup.  So I refreshed my understanding with  BBC BiteSize.  Yes, it does lead me down several rabbit holes, which is part of the process; Sutton Hoo comes to mind.  My Brit Lit class will be able to put the Anglo-Saxons into context before we read Beowulf.

I do this all the time.  Let’s say you are struggling with the fundamentals of electricity.  Start with a children’s book.  I don’t mean the middle school textbook.  I mean the ones for early grades.  Try the graphic or comic versions.  (NSTA’s Stop Faking It! series has merit, too.)  The next time you are stumped, look at a resource on the topic for kiddos.  It really helps when I’m struggling!