Welcome! I’m Mr. Berg, a middle school science and art teacher with a passion for teaching, and this is my website. Even before I became a teacher, I recognized the enormous workload that teachers have, and how all teachers can really use added support to make their jobs easier. This allows teachers more time to help students directly. I also realized that a site that supports teachers, can also benefit students and parents as well. It can work as a site where students can find new approaches to learning the same material that they may be struggling with in class. It can also help parents who are home schooling, or who just want to take a more active role in their child’s education. There are also great ideas here for summertime learning.
A quotation that I use to guide my work in the classroom:
“Students learn what they care about, from people they care about and who, they know, care about them…”
-Barbara Harrell Carson
Thirty Years of Stories:
The Professor’s Place in Student Memories
A principle that I use when selecting lessons…
Lessons that are engaging, are also easier to learn and remember.
To learn more, read my Master’s Paper, which can be found on page 59 in the document (page 63 in the pdf). It is titled, “Too Stressed for School”, and it focuses on how teachers can use teaching strategies to reduce student stress, in the classroom, in order to improve student engagement, learning, and memory.
Based upon my findings, I do my best to develop classroom experiences that are fun and fascinating, and to provide opportunities in class for students to be creative, imaginative, and original. Students work daily in groups, which provides both advantages and disadvantages. I work diligently to create a safe place for sharing ideas, and one where all ideas are taken seriously. Moreover, I periodically use activity menus to provide multiple ways for students, with diverse strengths, to demonstrate what they have learned. To break monotony, or to share things that are not easy to bring into the classroom, I show brief, yet exciting video footage. I also connect lessons to nature whenever possible, particularly when teaching about ecosystems in 6th grade.
Admittedly, I have not been as good at folding service learning into my practice yet, but I have been infusing game-based learning into the classroom which has been successful.
As you explore this website, have fun, enjoy the activities, and feel smarter as you recognize your growth! If you find these resources helpful, spread the word, so that others can benefit too!!! Everyone loves a friend who is generous with their knowledge.
Other helpful articles:
5 Questions to ask yourself about your unmotivated students, from Cult of Pedagogy.
The Surprising Truth About Learning Styles
Learning Styles Don’t Exist – Daniel Willingham
“Multiple Intelligences” are not “Learning Styles” – Howard Gardner
Schools are comprised of diverse learners. To meet the needs of ALL students, educators need to be aware of the many unique challenges that student micro-communities face. I have provided resources for dyslexia, dysgraphia, and discalculia on the main page for “Reading” and “Math”. Below are other helpful resources.
To highlight the challenges that people with autism face in school, I am listing some information here to help people better understand autism, as well as providing some resources below:
- Amazing Things Happen – An explanation of Autism
- Ask An Autistic, “What Is Autism?” – Amythest Schaber
- What is Autism to You? – Sara Harvey (Sara provides an inside view of the behaviors of autistics, and describes the motivations behind them. She provides strategies for supporting those with autism, which combats the impulse to “cure” autism.)
- The Missing Autistic Girls (video, article) – Rise in autistic diagnoses are not capturing accurate numbers for girls. Expressed differently for each gender. – Edutopia.org
- Temple Grandin Talks To George Stroumboulopoulos – Strombo
Resources for people with autism:
- Top 10 Famous People With Autism – TopTenz
- SPECT Scans Can be the Key (to help detect the physiological indicators of autism) – Dr. Amen
Dyslexia can often be paired with ADD/ADHD. 6.1 million children in the United State, aged 2-17, have been diagnosed with ADHD. It is estimated that 1 in 5 children have a form of ADHD. To highlight the challenges that people with ADHD face in school, I am listing some information here to help people better understand ADHD, as well as providing some resources below:
- ADHD Simulator #1; ADHD Simulator #2
- ADHD As A Difference In Cognition, Not A Disorder – Stephen Tonti at TEDx Talks
- ADHD Sucks, But Not Really – Salif Mahamane
- Living With ADHD In The Age Of Information & Social Media – Theo Siggelakis
Resources for people with ADD/ADHD:
- Dr. Amen’s ADHD test – Amen Clinic
- Healing the 7 types of ADHD – Dr. Amen
- ADHD and the female brain – Dr. Amen
- Famous People With ADHD – Adult Attention Deficit Disorder
- Top 10 Inspirational People With ADHD – WatchMojo.com
- The Golden Benefits of ADHD – Thomas Idem @ TEDx Talks
To highlight the challenges that people with ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder) face in school, I am listing some information here to help people better understand, as well as providing some resources below:
Supporting Kids With ODD, in the Classroom
Resources for people with :
[To be added later]
To highlight the challenges that people with OCD, anxiety & depression face in school, I am listing some information here to help people better understand OCD, anxiety & depression, as well as providing some resources below:
- Living With #OCD – Samantha Pena at TEDxYouth@TCS
- What Causes Anxiety And Depression – Inside Out
Resources for people with anxiety & depression:
[To be added later]