Dr. Dan Ezell, university faculty in special education, created MagicForTeachers.com to encourage teachers to use magic tricks in the classroom. He and his wife, Dr. Colleen Klein-Ezell enjoy sharing innovative ways of making learning fun. Combined, they have over 40 years of experience working in the field of special education (public school and university).
Dear Teacher Magicians,
Thank you very much for visiting our web page. Words cannot express how excited I am about the possibility of you using magic in your classroom. I started many years ago as a small child learning magic tricks and I never grew out of it. As a public classroom teacher I found myself continuing to use magic. As a university professor I still use magic to teach. As a public classroom teacher I started out using magic tricks as a behavior modification strategy but I soon found out how it was tied to many other important aspects of teaching. I encourage you to explore the many academic applications of magic, but more importantly I want you to teach magic tricks to children who may have low self-esteem. To me, this is the most important reason to use magic in the classroom. Of course it also makes you their favorite teacher. Don't you want to be their favorite teacher?
We will continue to have downloadable magic tricks that you can use free, but I encourage you to visit your local magic shop and purchase a few commercial items. Don't be tricked into buying on impulse. You may be amazed at that moment, but relax and ask yourself if it is truly worth the price. Read magic books. Visit your local bookstore or library to find many wonderful books on magic. By reading magic books you can learn many magic tricks on your own. Many magic books reveal secrets of how to make magic with household items. Don't waste your money on cheap gimmicks that can be made at home. Invest wisely. Here is a list of things I suggest you purchase from your local magic shop:
For beginners:
More advanced users of magic might want to add:
Please don't hesitate to email me with any questions. Also, please share your experiences with me. I love hearing stories of how you are using magic in the classroom. Use magic.
Thanks,
Dan Ezell
Rockledge,
Florida 32955