NBC Learn K-12 Subscriber Spotlight: Creating Lessons with Impact
Meet Melanie Beaver, a 7th grade English and Literature teacher from Vigo County School District in Indiana. Beaver’s teaching philosophy is similar to many other motivated educators—she prepares each lesson with the goal of making a lasting effect on her students. Beaver explains how NBC Learn resources are able to rise above the noise and consistently allow her to fulfill this mantra.
Technical Skill Development: Beaver uses NBC Learn to develop her students’ English language skills. “A lot of the content I teach feels abstract to my students. Concepts like parts of speech, writing rules, and proper grammar are boring and frustrating for them. The NBC Learn Grammar Collection often puts this frustration to rest. I can really see lightbulbs coming on in their heads!”
NOTE:If you are starting to teach grammar in your classroom, Beaver suggests the Dr. Grammar video as an especially great introduction.
Bringing Literature to Life: Beaver assigns Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac, a fictional story based on the true and remarkable actions of the Navajo Code Talkers during World War II. “When my students are reading a novel, I check if NBC Learn has related videos. I was amazed to see an interview with Chester Nez, the last surviving Navajo Code Talker. My students were fascinated--it brought the characters in the novel to life and they fell in love with the story.”
“It is challenging, yet critical, that we provide a real-life component that complements our textbooks and workbooks. This is what makes NBC Learn such an essential teaching resource.”