Teaching Tips & Magic Tricks

The SHAVED DECK TRICK:
A WONDERFUL TRICK TO LIVEN UP YOUR CLASS

This pack of bicycle playing cards can brighten up your classroom for many days if you learn only one of the multitude of simple tricks it has to go with it.

Please, let me say this before I continue. Never show how your tricks are done as this will ruin it for you in the future. This means even your staff. They may not be able to keep the secret. If everyone knows the trick, it won't be fun to do.

So "NEVER SHOW HOW A TRICK IS DONE!!!" If someone wants to know send them to the Magic Shop.

This deck is called a shaved deck. You can purchase a shaved deck at any magic store. Have the sales person give you a simple demonstration. Andrew at the Irvine Spectrum in Irvine, California is great at helping with your prestadigitation efforts. You may even find something else you can use other than just the two I mention here.

I promise you will have this simple trick down perfectly in no more than 15 minutes and you will even surprise friends at parties. If you have problems with the trick email me and I will help you.

You can move a group of cards to the top or the bottom. I will not tell you the trick but you can literally pull out any card that you want or even 4 or 5 cards at the same time that are in different locations.

This is a trick deck of cards. It is so easy to learn the techniques. You will be shuffling the deck, cutting the deck and making it just unbelievable. I like to use it when I am looking for someone to answer questions. What I do is this. I buy two of the special decks, because usually I have more than 26 people in my class and yes I use the jokers also because it doesn't matter. That way I can have two cards for everyone in class. However, because you might be teaching perhaps 5 or 6 different classes with different students you might not want to spend all that much money.

There is a simple solution. Just give each student a number instead of a name and that way you can use it with a master list for each of your classes. If you teach elementary where you have several subjects you can use just names.

I will guarantee you that it will make the kids shake their heads in wonder and really brighten up your class.

Select a student who doesn't usually get his work done but you notice he has it today: Continually pull his name out of the deck. It will definitely encourage him to try harder the next day so he can get more recognition. It is important that the game can go on forever, to make deliberate mistakes. This always adds mystery to the activity.

These trick card tricks will enhance your teaching methods. Yes, these are teaching methods. Whoever wrote that learning can't be fun is just out of their noodle. Methods that, like stories, lighten the class atmosphere and aid students in their learning are so valuable and, may I say, needed.

The tricks can be used from grade one through any learning age or situation, high school, college and even post graduate work. How about trying them with bedridden senior citizens? Give it a try: It will make you and your class enjoy the togetherness you all need in order to learn and after all – isn't it fun to laugh?

THE DISAPPEARING BAG PHENOMENON

My second little trick that I have used many times when the situation presents itself is the use of the Disappearing Change Bag. Let me explain and again I will not tell how the magic works but you can have it explained at the magic shop. The sales person will be more than happy to demonstrate.

Now, this disappearing trick can be learned in about 90 seconds. Think you can keep your attention for that long? Sure you can. Really maybe even less time than that.

This trick lets you make bad grades disappear and reappear or makes the grade cards as I do it into better grades. This is a simple bag with a handle where you put items, any item large enough to get through the bags hole. Even a small noose or rabbit or fake grades. After you do your magic have the person whom you are working with reach into the bag. Have them draw out whatever is in the bag. I guarantee you that it will not be the same thing that was put in the bag. Have them look in the bag and see their original item is gone.

The illusion is not hard to explain but believe me you can have many chuckles using this trick in your class. This illusion costs about 30 dollars with a large number of tricks that you can do with it.

PALMING THE COIN TRICK.

This is my last magic trick but it can be used with great success. If the sales person won't show you how to put a coin through a student's ear and pull it out the other side, just tell them you have already spent money at their shop and you need a gimmmeee (a freebie). Naturally, the clerk will want you to come back, so he will help you.

The only aide you need in order to learn this trick is a mirror. Still if the clerk won't show the trick to you, ask for a book that includes it; or email me and I will get it to you.