Creating Powersheets With MSWord

I still believe (even after reading some of the negative aspects of this tried and true resource) that worksheets are important to the learning and information retention process of our students. When I think back to the early days of my academic career, I remember bland and sometimes confusing worksheets where one had to fill in the blanks or answer obscure questions which, if you were not paying the utmost attention in class, you would be hard-pressed to answer. Nowadays, with technology where it is and how we (as teachers) are approaching the teaching/learning profession with such attributes as student differentiation & career-long reflection, I think we are more able to develop compelling Worksheets that engage our student's minds and instill a passion for learning. As Tech Teacher PT03 suggests in her article "Should You Use Worksheets In Your Classroom?" worksheets can be a wonderful resource if used in a compelling way. She suggests that we must strive to take our learning objectives to the next level and go into the depths of the concepts we are relating to our students. Furthermore, as Kristen Susanne Brothers author of "Worksheets Don't Work In The Classroom," today's kids need worksheets that challenge and even move them from lower to higher-order thinking. Lastly, I do believe the number one goal of a Powersheet is to support learning effectively and as for the remaining four qualities of an effective Powersheet, I would have to say that clarity would be next on my list of importance. If the students don't understand how to complete your worksheet, they will undoubtedly become discouraged and consequently give up or shut down their learning process. What comes in third of importance for an effective Powersheet is Function. If the worksheet functions in a way that promotes engagement into the topic at hand, then that's half the battle. The remaining two qualities are pretty well neck & neck in matter of importance in regards to effective worksheets. Space & aesthetics can almost be paired together. If one creates a worksheet with insufficient use of space, then consequently, the aesthetics of the worksheet would look somewhat off as well. On the other hand, one could create an aesthetically pleasing worksheet that does not utilize space and ultimately inhibits the function aspect of the worksheet.

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