Mini Panikar
Keeping a class of 40 or 50 (or more) eager beavers engaged can be a challenge for any teacher. Children look forward to a non-typical approach to textbooks and teachers are always on the lookout for different ideas to keep their classrooms alive. “What kind of starters to use to catch the interest of the students? Should the lesson be introduced through a – ‘You Tube ‘link? What are the activities to be used as follow up?” – These are some of the questions that a teacher is continuously asking herself when she prepares her lesson plan.
This website (www.tes.co.uk/teaching resources) is a virtual storehouse of free resources, with many free downloadable activities. The site has well-structured lesson plans, covering a range of subjects in different levels, from the Foundation Years up to the Secondary. It has a whole range of Starter Generators and Plenary Producers in the form of document as well as Power point presentations. The wide range of power points is available on various topics, well sequenced, organized and easily downloadable. The different types of literary devices used in poetry including the types of poetry are presented through a power point in a manner that can be easily understood by children. The presentation concludes with a poetry pop quiz to check the understanding of the children.
The website also includes ‘Teacher TV’ videos, a wonderful teaching resource, which can be used in all Language classes for enhancing listening skills. It pushes students to think more creatively and helps create connections with each other and the outside world. In addition to this, the site provides resources, tips, and ideas for special educators;it also has whole school management strategies. The site could be a valuable resource for teachers.
The reviewer has been in the field of education for the last 25 years. Currently, she is working as an Educator in Shishuvan, Mumbai. She can be reached at mini_panikar@hotmail.com.