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Mrs. Walker’s Secrets to Unforgettable Teaching

January 17, 2017 by Meredith

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Phony and fake or true and genuine—kids can spot it a mile away. That’s why Mrs. Walker puts more than the usual preparation into her Distance Learning video lessons. She knows that most elementary-aged students don’t watch her math, reading, heritage studies, and English video lessons because they just love those subjects. There has to be something more to motivate them to learn. Here are three ways she does that in her teaching.

The “Hook”

Now this idea might sound scary if you know the story of Peter Pan, but with Mrs. Walker you have nothing to fear. Her “hook” is used to help your child make a connection. As she prepares lessons for a subject, Mrs. Walker asks herself, “What can my student relate to?” Teaching the lesson this way means that sometimes Mrs. Walker seems to go off topic, but she’s really using her hook to help your child build a bridge of understanding. She provides encouragement along the way, pausing to speak directly to your child so that he can think independently and draw connections.

Dinner Nugget

No, Mrs. Walker isn’t talking about something to eat even though she would probably love to have an excuse to make chicken nuggets on camera. What Mrs. Walker means is a nugget of information your child might share at the family meal. She does this by including in her lessons personal stories, such as the time she went skydiving (yes, really!) and various interesting facts as in this Math 2 video lesson, which introduces the baobab tree. You won’t have long to wait before your child says, “Guess what Mrs. Walker told me today!”

End on a Giggle

Learning is a great big challenge for your child at times, especially when he is just beginning to learn to read. But Mrs. Walker wants to teach him that learning is also fun. She tries to end almost every lesson on a positive note—most often with an amusing comment or story that causes a giggle to escape from your child’s mouth. (Just watch him and see!) It’s Mrs. Walker’s goal to use humor as a way to encourage your child to keep coming back to learn more.

By the time your child completes a Distance Learning course with Mrs. Walker, he’ll consider her more than just a teacher. She’ll be a true friend.

See Mrs. Walker in action with Reading 3—a favorite course for her Distance Learning students!

Filed Under: Simplified Homeschool Tagged With: distance learning, distance learning teachers, Mrs. Walker, video lessons

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About Meredith

Meredith, a marketing team member at BJU Press for five years, is passionate about Christian homeschooling. Having used BJU Press materials as a homeschool student herself, she knows firsthand that excellent curriculum can spark a child’s love for learning. Meredith also enjoys exploring historical sites, volunteering for her church’s children’s ministry, and building discipleship relationships with younger women. Read more posts by Meredith. Read more posts by Meredith.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar photoJenna says

    October 25, 2017 at 10:16 am

    Hi Angela, we passed your kind comment on to Mrs. Walker, and she has a special message for you and Matthew:

    Thank you for your kind words. One of my main goals is for boys to love to read. I’m so glad that Matthew is enjoying our reading lessons. Thank you for making my day!
    –Mrs. Walker

  2. Angela C. says

    October 19, 2017 at 7:30 pm

    Mrs. Walker my son Matthew absolutely loves you. He has the best time watching your class and his reading skills are beyond what we could ask for, and we owe it all to your amazing class. You bless our homeschool every day! Thank you for sharing our wonderful gift and passion of teaching.

  3. Avatar photoJenna says

    May 25, 2017 at 8:54 am

    Hi Sarah! Thank you for your comment. I sent it along to Mrs. Walker, and she had a special message for you:

    Dear Sarah—
    So glad that Heritage 5 was a blessing to you. I learned quite a bit teaching it. In fact, I think teaching something may be the best way to learn it…or at least learn it more completely! Hope you have a wonderfully smiley summer!
    –Mrs. Walker

  4. Sarah Noe says

    May 23, 2017 at 10:42 pm

    Hey Miss Walker! My name is Sarah and I am going into 9th grade. I can not begin to express the impact you had on my love for social studies in 5th grade. I still remember the chapters and lessons that I have learned. You’re my all time favorite teacher! Thank you for impacting my education by being positive and making me smile:)

  5. Avatar photoJenna says

    May 22, 2017 at 2:43 pm

    Thank you for commenting, Rachael! Mrs. Walker had a message for you:

    Dear Rachael,
    So glad your family has enjoyed our lessons. I had fun preparing them and teaching them. I do miss the hugs tho! If you are ever in the area, please come by the studios for a tour and some HUGS! Have a great summer!
    –Mrs. Walker

  6. Avatar photoJenna says

    May 22, 2017 at 2:41 pm

    Thanks for commenting, Micah! Here’s a special note from Mrs. Walker:

    Dear Micah,
    Thank you for your kind words. I’m thrilled that you are enjoying Heritage Studies this year! Have an amazing summer! Perhaps I’ll have you in Reading 5….we have an awesome SPY theme!
    –Mrs. Walker

  7. Rachael Boswell says

    May 20, 2017 at 10:28 am

    Dear Mrs. Walker,
    Greetings from Mississippi. I just wanted to say how much my daughter Emily (and I) enjoy your lessons. We appreciate the way you make learning come alive. It has made these past two years an adventure and we thank you. Looking forward to the upcoming school term.

    Respectfully,
    Rachael Boswell

  8. micah says

    January 20, 2017 at 11:47 am

    Hi Mrs.Walker! I am in 4th grade and you are the best teacher ever!

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