Tell, Show, Try

Janet Zadina talks about the importance of episodic memory in order to make information stick. She encourages teachers to create positive emotions in their teaching in order for moments to be memorable. During my teaching, I use a strategy called tell, show, try. First, I tell the students what were are going to do. Next I show them how to do the task, and then I ask them to try it themselves. For example, if we are writing an essay I will first tell them how to write a three paragraph essay. I tell them things like what is needed to make a paragraph and what types of sentences make a good essay. Then I show them how to do this. This involves literally writing an essay in front of them and speaking my thoughts aloud. At first it seems silly to say your thoughts out loud, but young writers greatly benefit from this example. Finally, I tell the students to write a paragraph by themselves. It is important to understand that I wouldn't give them free reign to write the entire essay on the first try. I would probably give them to write a paragraph and then have them share that paragraph with a peer, and then have volunteers read their writing aloud to the class. By having the students share they are held accountable for their work and will try harder knowing that their peers will read their work. My method of tell, show, try is a form of Zadina's research of the episodic memory.