Educators shared teaching tips and tricks Friday at the first California Teachers Summit.
Alex Kajitani helped teachers get energized for the coming school year by sharing his rap video about adding numbers that have decimal points. In the video he dances and tell students to “Just line up the dots and give it all you got.”
Thousands of San Diego teachers listened to how Kajitani used the fun, albeit nerdy, rap video to get his students interested in math.
Kajitani said paying attention to what students are interested in and using those interests to deliver the curriculum is a great way to spark young minds.
“Really considering the students first,” Kajitani said. “Their experiences and what they’re going through, and use that in order to hook them into learning what they need in order to improve their lives or open up a new world.”
Sharing insights like Kajitani’s is what the Better Together California Teachers Summit is about, according to Judy Mantle, dean of National University’s School of Education.
“We’re hoping there will be a lot of good tips and tools and strategies shared that will help them with their methodologies in the classroom,” Mantle said.
More than 15,000 teachers in 33 cities across California took part in the summit. In San Diego County, thousands of teachers gathered at Cal State San Marcos and the Town and Country Convention Center in Mission Valley.
Mantle said it’s imperative teachers share their unique classroom experiences to help teaching techniques evolve.
“We must raise our standards. We must change. We cannot stay stagnant and complacent,” Mantle said. “That would be a huge mistake at this time.”
Teaching is serious work. But Kajitani said his beats about math means teachers can have fun while they’re doing it.
