Practical Solution

The curriculum doesn't require this.

Students wear slip on shoes for class and most of their outdoor shoes are Velcro. Tying shoes should be taught in kindergarten or taught by their parents.

Asian countries are very big on education and teach English as a second language to elementary school students. They even teach how to ice skate and swim, but the day one student had no indoor shoes I began to see that many kids didn't learn to tie their shoes.

I thought a fifth grade student should have gotten the hang of the loops by now, but when I looked at the loose lasses hanging out of his shoes I realized he still had a lot to learn. Some teachers would make a joke or criticize or scold him for his untied shoes. Some other teachers would quickly tie his shoe for him and get on with the lesson.

Teach them to do it Themselves

I decided to take advantage of the teaching moment and add a few new words to our vocabulary list. I didn't have a pretty power point or a video to demonstrate, but I did have some chalk and markers and some acting skills. I began with the word loop and tie, lace and shoelace, bunny ears, in, out and under. I also had some ribbon from the material room I had been using for another project.

I took the ribbon and demonstrated step by step making loops and tying them together. I asked a few students to come up try the same thing. Then I asked the students to go out in the hall and get their outside shoes. About half of them had Velcro or slip on shoes but a few had tie shoes. I asked them to practice tying those shoes with a partner. No one made fun of anyone but we had a fun time.

I forgot about that class, but some years later teacher's day came around and the same boy came back to my office about a foot and a half taller. He asked me the question all students ask,

"Do you remember me?"

I looked at him in the face and laughed. I knew who he was but couldn't get his name perfect. In Korean names are two parts. I remember the first part but not the second. He laughed and told me his name. He also showed me that his shoe was tied perfectly.

I learned from Classic Northern Calloway (David on Sesame Street)
I guess was no one like him on Korean television.
Actually, there is no one like him anywhere.
Classic

Sesame Street

Teaching English as a second language is really not about achieving given learning targets. We studied the vygotsky ladder of scaffolding in graduate school and it has its place but every once and a while the whole class needs to stop. A little landing on the stair case has to be set aside for kids to rest and look at where they really are at and to see if they had forgotten anything on the way.

I think a lot of adults can still benefit from the lessons we learned from Sesame Street. I would especially appreciate if our national leaders were required to watch 100 hours of Sesame Street. Maybe they could learn a thing or two.

_{Cover picture from congerdesign on Pixabay}

The best teaching is by example. Sorry that I'm not a perfect example.

---

_{Posted from https://blurtlatam.com}