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VIDEOS THAT SHOW TEACHER PORTFOLIOSAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.comBlogger273125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-28768572264443933542015-03-07T14:18:00.001-08:002015-03-07T14:18:45.268-08:00Should we be spying, monitoring and following our kids online?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We all would do anything for our kids that is within our power and even perhaps what is not in our power. The question I am asking is whether we should trust our kids with their judgement to make wise choices? Its called digital citizenship and where should parents draw the line on spying or snooping on our children? From my standpoint, I understand we need to teach our children to be responsible and have values that they will eventually take ownership for but our children can make one mistake and a predator, a bully or even a spy camera can be turned toward your child's computer and who can undo that? This also can go toward having a high school child's driving monitored using an app. My insurance company offered me a discount to monitor my driving. While I am not being singled out by State Farm, they really are hedging their bets. In an article by Martine Oglethorpe in Digital Trends, she gives the pros and cons and when parents might be stepping over the line.</span></h1>
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<span class="small">By</span> <span class="author vcard"><span class="fn"><a href="http://themodernparent.net/author/mogletho/" rel="author" title="Posts by Martine Oglethorpe">Martine Oglethorpe</a></span></span> <span class="small">on</span> <abbr class="date time published updated" title="2015-03-02T06:29:23+0000">March 2, 2015</abbr> <span class="small">in</span> <span class="categories"><a href="http://themodernparent.net/category/digital-trends/" title="View all items in Digital Trends">Digital Trends</a>, </span></div>
<br />
<section class="entry">Should
I be spying on my kids online? How can I keep watch over everything my
kids are doing? How can I be sure they are doing the right things
online? How can I be sure I am monitoring the right sites? What about
privacy? And trust? Having the time to look? Knowing where to look?<br />
<h3>
From the toddler to the tween</h3>
When
kids are young, yes you need to monitor. Not spying, monitoring. Spying
implies that you are doing it behind their back. But you can’t teach if
it’s not in partnership with your child. It needs to be a proviso of
having access to devices, and games, and social networks and well, the
rest of the world. They need to know you are watching. You need to use
this time whilst you have control to teach them. You need to guide their
behaviours. To do your best to protect them from content they don’t
need to see. To help them make decisions to keep them safe. To instil in
them attitudes and values that will ensure they become <a href="http://themodernparent.net/critical-thinking-skills-online-best-filter-kids/">critical thinkers</a> later on when you no longer have that control.<br />
What do you mean ‘no control’? Aren’t we, as the parent, always in control?<br />
<h3>
The end date to monitoring</h3>
Anyone
who has a child entering the teen and even tweens years will tell you,
that when it comes to what our kids are doing online, the years when we
can monitor and friend and follow and be safe in having it all covered,
are limited to say the least. The years when we know what sites they are
visiting, who they are talking to, what they are uploading and reading
and sharing has an end date.<br />
The end date happens because kids
have devices for school that are internet enabled and they can log in to
the rest of the world at any time.<br />
The end date happens because
kids hang out with other kids and their devices on the bus or at friends
houses or on the walk home from school.<br />
The end date happens because our kids are curious, want to explore and know how to do it undetected.<br />
The
end date happens because kids still want and need privacy. They are
trying to do it in a very public space, but they still want it and seek
it out.<br />
They are now logging in to sites we don’t know exist<br />
They are opening accounts with usernames we’d never find<br />
They are opening multiple accounts on one site to keep some control<br />
They are talking to people they have never met<br />
They are having people criticise their latest photo<br />
They are being exposed to content that at the very least makes us cringe<br />
They are basing the worth of a photo and subsequently the worth of themselves on the number of likes and follows and shares.</section><section class="entry"> </section><section class="entry"></section><section class="entry"></section><section class="entry">To read the rest of the article, please click the link below. <br /><h1 class="title entry-title">
<a href="http://themodernparent.net/should-we-be-spying-monitoring-and-following-our-kids-online/" target="_blank">http://themodernparent.net/should-we-be-spying-monitoring-and-following-our-kids-online/</a></h1>
<h3>
The question we need to be asking instead</h3>
Before
we think about spying, monitoring and stalking to catch them doing the
wrong thing, we must ask ourselves, “have we spent the time really
teaching them how to do the right thing?”<br />
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<img alt="" class="avatar avatar-80 photo grav-hashed grav-hijack" src="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/1d6695ef9a2d885c3c3f33e40842c390?s=80&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D80&r=G" height="80" id="grav-1d6695ef9a2d885c3c3f33e40842c390-0" width="80" /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-63784883774301900152015-03-04T16:18:00.001-08:002015-03-04T16:18:14.788-08:00When students use creative ideas to create resources to make test prep materials<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yONFvR5CT58/VPegJt0X80I/AAAAAAAAC5E/8pRD0cQBWLI/s1600/IMG_9419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yONFvR5CT58/VPegJt0X80I/AAAAAAAAC5E/8pRD0cQBWLI/s1600/IMG_9419.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vae4_aZSPhg/VPegRVFK3eI/AAAAAAAAC5U/vxHcjopWOdI/s1600/IMG_9431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vae4_aZSPhg/VPegRVFK3eI/AAAAAAAAC5U/vxHcjopWOdI/s1600/IMG_9431.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Sure, the idea was mine. </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZQI3OMtb1w/VPegN_07KSI/AAAAAAAAC5M/ClVVqC848vg/s1600/IMG_9427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZQI3OMtb1w/VPegN_07KSI/AAAAAAAAC5M/ClVVqC848vg/s1600/IMG_9427.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Students make board games and use test questions from maps to pre-test questions. <u>But after that, it was all them. </u>They researched the questions, looked up the countries and came up with some Would You rather questions. Being this is geography class, Would You Rather (WYR) turns into would you rather be bit be a cobra or stuck in a Chinese prison? Yes, students came up with that. The real winner was the students. They took ownership of the project, made game boards that can be used for any unit and now know that they are all counting on each other to prepare for the tests. A handful of students in each class want to make their own game boards as they want to take ownership of this study technique. The best part for the students. ( Other than setting the lesson, it was all them). Here are some pictures from the great time. </span></b><br /><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.mrakersrmswildcats.org/" target="_blank">http://WWW.MRAKERSRMSWILDCATS.ORG</a></span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-45326938734546608672015-03-03T17:34:00.000-08:002015-03-03T17:34:54.740-08:0010 Tips for Increasing Student Engagement<br />
<div class="postmetadata">
By <a href="http://corwin-connect.com/author/jill-margulies/" rel="author" title="Posts by Corwin">Corwin</a> / <time datetime="2015-03-03" pubdate="">March 3, 2015 at 3:00 am</time> </div>
<a href="http://corwin-connect.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/iStock_000011537189Medium.jpg"><img alt="iStock_000011537189Medium" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-874" height="199" src="http://corwin-connect.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/iStock_000011537189Medium-300x199.jpg" width="300" /></a>One of our <a href="http://corwin-connect.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Corwin-Connect-2015-Themes.pdf">themes</a> for
March is Student Engagement. Here we’ve collected some of the best
advice on increasing student engagement from Corwin authors and other
experts!<br />
<ol>
<li>
<h3>
Study the data.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
The Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations (QISA) has done
extensive research in what motivates students through their Student
Voice Surveys. Students are asked about the 8 conditions identified by
Russ Quaglia in <a href="http://www.corwin.com/books/Book243538"><em>Student Voice</em></a>:
Belonging, Heroes, Sense of Accomplishment, Fun & Excitement,
Curiosity & Creativity, Spirit of Adventure, Leadership &
Responsibility, and Confidence to Take Action. <a href="http://www.corwin.com/asset/eb5e4dfe-3363-4dae-8ceb-5b01a71eddd2/My%20Voice%202013-2014%20National%20Report%20_Corwin.pdf">Read the 2014 Report</a>.<br />
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h3>
Collect your own data.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
If you want to take it one step farther, distribute the <a href="http://www.studentvoicesurveys.com/">Student Voice Survey</a> at your own school. You may be shocked or pleasantly surprised to find out what your students are really thinking!<br />
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h3>
Put yourself in your students’ shoes.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
Pernille Ripp writes about <a href="http://pernillesripp.com/2014/11/22/5-rules-we-impose-on-students-that-would-make-adults-revolt/">5 Rules We Impose on Students That Would Make Adults Revolt</a>.
Don’t forget that students are kids! Are you expecting them to act
better behaved than even adults? Make sure you’re giving them the same
respect you would give adults, and give them the freedom to just be
kids.<br />
<ol start="4">
<li>
<h3>
Use games to make learning relevant.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
“Games and simulations are rich in scenarios and have an amazing
ability to embed information into their storylines or gameplay.”
Moreover, games can help students think about how to apply information
to their lives immediately. In a recent blog post, Ryan Schaaf gives <a href="http://corwin-connect.com/2014/06/digital-gaming-and-simulations/">five strategies for using digital games in the classroom</a>.<br />
<ol start="5">
<li>
<h3>
Appeal to students’ values.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
In <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/appeal-to-what-students-value-heidi-olinger">this great post</a>
on Edutopia, Heidi A. Olinger discusses the power of listening to your
students and openly talking about things we would normally
dismiss—things that are incredibly important to students: social fads,
pop culture, crushes.<br />
<ol start="6">
<li>
<h3>
Laugh together.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
<a href="http://www.educationrethink.com/2014/07/six-reasons-to-laugh-in-class.html">As John Spencer points out</a>,
humor is a powerful strategy for engaging learners. Laughing together
creates a sense of community and makes class a more rewarding place for
students to be.<br />
<ol start="7">
<li>
<h3>
Let students pursue their passions.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
“Schools mistake passion for an emotion, as something kids like to do
in their spare time. Those are hobbies. Passion is what you must do,
even if you have to suffer to do it. Passion is the genius of all
geniuses.” – Angela Maiers<br />
Read more about how to <a href="http://www.angelamaiers.com/2015/02/lets-close-the-passion-gap.html">Close the Passion Gap</a>.<br />
<ol start="8">
<li>
<h3>
Remove distractions.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
A class where students are engaged can be noisy and chaotic—but the <em>quality</em> of the noise and chaos matters. If students are too distracted, learning is impeded, not increased. Mark Barnes shares <a href="http://www.brilliant-insane.com/2015/02/3-ways-to-de-clutter-students-brains.html">3 Ways to De-Clutter Students’ Brains</a>.<br />
<ol start="9">
<li>
<h3>
Rethink your grades.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
If students are brought into the discussion about their progress,
they are more invested in the outcome. SE2R is a feedback system
designed by Mark Barnes (<a href="http://www.corwin.com/books/Book244617"><em>Assessment 3.0</em></a>) that gives students and teachers a common vocabulary for assessment: <a href="http://corwin-connect.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/The-Argument-for-Assessment-3.0.pdf">Summarize, Explain, Redirect, and Resubmit</a>.<br />
<ol start="10">
<li>
<h3>
Take the <a href="http://classroomcribs.com/hi">Classroom Cribs Challenge</a> to redesign your classroom.</h3>
</li>
</ol>
The physical environment of a classroom has a great effect on student engagement and learning. <a href="https://twitter.com/KleinErin">Erin Klein</a> is a classroom teacher who studied interior design and writes on <a href="http://smartblogs.com/education/2013/07/16/ditching-the-desks-in-second-grade/">the importance of creative spaces that allow for deeper collaboration and creativity</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://corwin-connect.com/2015/03/10-tips-for-increasing-student-engagement/" target="_blank">http://corwin-connect.com/2015/03/10-tips-for-increasing-student-engagement/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-34091003615308264122015-03-03T15:57:00.000-08:002015-03-08T13:56:48.740-07:006 Ways Teachers Respond To Educational Technology<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Everyone has a different reaction to using technology. According to Teach Thought Magazine, the Pencil Metaphor is a basic rubric to show teachers where they are on the technology conundrum. I am willing to bet you that of the six levels, you are already at a 3-4 out of six minimum. Why? If you were less, you would not visit a blog let alone entertain technology in your classroom. </span></b><b><span style="color: red;">But where do you really stand? Look at the pencil chart below and your attitude toward technology. The article itself is fairly short at 500 words and gives you the rationale. If you want to be at a five or six, you are already working on that rubric level and if you are not but want to, take a step and I promise you it will not hurt.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">To read the article</span></b></span>:<a href="http://bit.ly/1JSvJMS" target="_blank"> <b>http://bit.ly/1JSvJMS</b></a><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WujtUx8Ir3U/VPZInXzKzdI/AAAAAAAAC4s/612aI0JG2aw/s1600/pencil-metaphor-edtech.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WujtUx8Ir3U/VPZInXzKzdI/AAAAAAAAC4s/612aI0JG2aw/s1600/pencil-metaphor-edtech.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SLAelyOOcXA/VPZIb_zvdkI/AAAAAAAAC4k/CQU6Qej5Tzs/s1600/can%2BI%2Bhelp.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SLAelyOOcXA/VPZIb_zvdkI/AAAAAAAAC4k/CQU6Qej5Tzs/s1600/can%2BI%2Bhelp.png" /></a> About the author<br />
<br />
<br />
Steve Wheeler <a href="http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2012/01/sharp-end.html" target="_blank" title="steve-wheeler.blogspot.com">shared a post</a>
about in in January of 2012 as part of a #pencilchat discussion, and
there was even an intended PD session in South Africa designed around it
in April of 2012. Here’s a <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/ghazally/pencil-metaphor" target="_blank" title="pencil metaphor slideshare">slideshare presentation</a> from a university in Malaysia on the idea. But it goes further back than that–<a href="http://www.ncs-tech.org/?p=772" target="_blank" title="ncs.tech.org">at least to 2007</a>, to ISTE 2006 Educator of the Year Linda McKeown.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-56889922635445309102015-02-26T13:00:00.002-08:002015-02-26T15:38:11.925-08:00What comes first, the technology or the curriculum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a 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" 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<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">Things have come a long way since my 3rd grade teacher had to thread a film into a movie projector. </span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">Using technology is not a cheap parlor trick where the technology is the trick and the students are amused. Almost all (good) technology measures student progress and some of it happens right in the middle of a lesson with instant feedback. In an article by Elise Ecoff, she talks about this and how technology must enhance the curriculum and not entertain your students with suggestions on how you can make technology work for students at home and in the classroom. </span></span></b></div>
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<span class="post-byline">By <a href="http://www.edudemic.com/author/elise-ecoff/" rel="author" title="Posts by Elise Ecoff">Elise Ecoff</a> on February 10, 2015</span><span class="twitter-byline"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/NBPSEagles" target="blank">@NBPSEagles</a></span>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhQFMYVLh691R72KMJ48Z9iSsHK5nVD9saezEjfVXSdaBTv-s0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for students using technology in the classroom" border="0" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhQFMYVLh691R72KMJ48Z9iSsHK5nVD9saezEjfVXSdaBTv-s0" data-sz="f" name="XPrDMDFqZbvKGM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRhQFMYVLh691R72KMJ48Z9iSsHK5nVD9saezEjfVXSdaBTv-s0" style="height: 171px; margin-top: 0px; width: 295px;" /></a>It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when handing a student
a calculator to work through algebraic equations caused many teachers
and parents great consternation. It makes you wonder what type of
pushback the creators of the abacus faced! In both cases, while the
tools students were using may have been more advanced than previous
generations’, the goal remained the same – to enhance classroom
learning. <br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>But before moving forward with technology integration, every school
must first have a great, robust and adaptable academic curriculum. Only
then can you begin to find ways in which technology can help to elevate
it. It’s important to never force fit technology – if it’s not
supplementing what’s already happening in the classroom or a teacher’s
goals for the school year, the addition will become more of a barrier to
learning than a catalyst.</b></span><br />
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<h2>
A Few Questions to Consider</h2>
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVKQp6whwU3skCRrttFfRNT2J8A4eppi4GtPnuvZ1mx1jqTv0O" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for students using technology in the classroom" border="0" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVKQp6whwU3skCRrttFfRNT2J8A4eppi4GtPnuvZ1mx1jqTv0O" data-sz="f" name="lFnnhedDX4fKGM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVKQp6whwU3skCRrttFfRNT2J8A4eppi4GtPnuvZ1mx1jqTv0O" style="height: 190px; margin-top: -6px; width: 253px;" /></a><br />
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<li>Regardless of the technology, what’s the most important lesson for students to learn?</li>
<li>Why do I need to use technology in my daily curriculum?</li>
<li>How are these tech tools enhancing what we’re doing?</li>
<li>What will the students do with these tools – during and after class?</li>
</ul>
<h2>
Think Curriculum Enhancements, Not Technology Implementations</h2>
Even if you feel ready to utilize tech in your classroom, you need to
be confident that the implementation will enhance your curriculum, not
hinder it. Here are five ways to ensure you’re putting the curriculum
before the technology:<br />
<h3>
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJsYhL1GUn2L_thwsfkIraI7s6QAlGVpKNru-iqAcjzN0zT0G_" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for students using technology in the classroom" border="0" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJsYhL1GUn2L_thwsfkIraI7s6QAlGVpKNru-iqAcjzN0zT0G_" data-sz="f" name="oOFt98hhXatZ3M:" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJsYhL1GUn2L_thwsfkIraI7s6QAlGVpKNru-iqAcjzN0zT0G_" style="height: 182px; margin-top: -1px; width: 273px;" /></a>1) Learn How Students Are Using Technology at Home</h3>
It’s important to understand what kind of technology students are
already familiar with outside of the classroom. Ask them what they’re
currently using, what they’re interested in learning more about, and how
much screen time they’re allowed at home. These conversations will help
you determine the opportunities and challenges you’ll face when
implementing tech into the classroom. It can also spark inspiration for
your in-school tech solutions. For example, if all your students are
familiar with tablets and how they work, you can tweak your lessons
plans to more heavily rely on tablet utilization.<br />
<i></i><br />
<a href="http://www.edudemic.com/what-comes-first-the-curriculum-or-technology/">http://www.edudemic.com/what-comes-first-the-curriculum-or-technology/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-979090166120962012015-02-25T04:34:00.000-08:002015-02-25T04:46:50.624-08:0026 Teacher Tools To Create Online Assessments<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">26 Teacher Tools To Create Online Assessments</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"> It is incredible how much educators have on their plates today. While we could all tell war stories about all of the initiatives given out by districts, they all give you less quality time to plan and help your students and your planning time is rarely your own. <u>Has anyone had you find out in the middle of the school year that your school has volunteered to be a part of a pilot program for something you did not know about and you are already overwhelmed? </u>Well you get the idea. I like using assessments that not only give me data that I can use to assess and share with students that is meaningful. In teachthought, they have listed resources that do varying degrees of this. I use Kahoot and our district has purchased Study Island (not quite operational) and Nearpod which we are getting up to speed on. I think we can all agree that sitting down with a calculator burning the midnight oil is not what anyone wants when we can basically work smart and help our students without being burned out.</span> <br />
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You teach, which means you need to know what students do and don’t understand.<br />
Which means you need to assess.<br />
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<a href="http://www.teachthought.com/technology/26-teacher-tools-to-create-online-assessments/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>http://www.teachthought.com/technology/26-teacher-tools-to-create-online-assessments/</strong></span></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-19360506209306332162015-02-22T11:22:00.001-08:002015-02-22T11:22:05.096-08:0010 Educational Games That Teach Kids About Social Issues <span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The following list is really incredible. there are so many great implications from issues in the US to international ones. This would be a great way to differentiate instruction in your classroom using a jigsaw, different levels and students can create their own enduring understandings. </b></span></span>A credit to Matt Farmer who compiled this list. He is a teacher at Valleyview Middle School, in Denville, New Jersey.<br />
<a href="http://content.easybib.com/10-educational-games-that-teach-kids-about-social-issues/">10 Educational Games That Teach Kids About Social Issues</a><br />
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<h3>
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<i>Incorporating games into the classroom is a great way to engage students and increase motivation.</i></h3>
But how can social studies and history teachers use games to help students better understand social issues? Our guest contributor and expert on gamification, Matthew Farber, shares his favorite tools:<br />
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Social impact games are a genre that seek to effect positive changes in society through play. Often, players are put in roles (known as “player agency”) and must make decisions that have impactful consequences. These games are not necessarily designed for teaching; rather, the goal is to enable players to have empathy about a social issues.<br />
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As a social studies teacher, I have found that they are effective in putting students in authentic situations in which difficult problems get engaged.<br />
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Here are some of my favorite social impact games that I use with students (listed alphabetically; not ranked). Be sure to assess learning by asking your students about the decisions they made, as well as the reasons behind it!<br />
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<a href="https://ayiti.globalkids.org/game/"><img alt="games_1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9933" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_1.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a></h3>
<b><a href="https://ayiti.globalkids.org/game/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Ayiti: The Cost of Life (free; PC/Mac)</span></a></b><br />
A human rights game in which the player is a young, poverty-stricken child in Haiti.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darfurisdying.com/"><img alt="games_2" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9934" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_2.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.darfurisdying.com&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEjHBuBFReYkinPxwXL6dVnoE9YGg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Darfur Is Dying (free; PC/Mac)</span></a></b><br />
One of the first social impact titles, its message still resonates today. Missions task players with foraging for water while outrunning the militia, as well as experiences daily life in a refugee camp.<br />
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<a href="http://www.gonehomegame.com/"><img alt="games_3" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9935" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_3.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://www.gonehomegame.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Gone Home (paid, inquire via email about educational bundles; PC/Mac)</span></a></b><br />
An award-winning first-person exploration game set in the 1990s. The narrative is pieced together as players find objects in the empty house in which family problems unfold.<br />
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<a href="http://theundocumented.com/"><img alt="games_4" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9936" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_4.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://theundocumented.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">The Migrant Trail (free; PC/Mac)</span></a></b><br />
Tied to a documentary about undocumented immigrants, players assume two roles: a migrant and a patrol agent. It teaches themes of empathy through simple role-play.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mission-us.org/"><img alt="games_5" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9937" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_5.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://www.mission-us.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Mission US games (free; PC/Mac)</span></a></b><br />
There are currently four missions to play: <i>For Crown or Country, </i>set in the pre-Revolutionary Boston; <i>Flight to Freedom</i>, told from the point-of-view of an slave; the award-winning <i>A Cheyenne Odyssey, </i>about the plight of the Cheyenne people; and the newly released<i> City of Immigrants</i>, about life in the tenements of New York City.<br />
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<a href="http://neveralonegame.com/"><img alt="games_6" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9938" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_6.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fneveralonegame.com&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEQAbBbdAFgQZFR3S-GqVLDRTo1PA" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Never Alone (paid; PC, Xbox, PlayStation)</span></a></b><br />
Never Alone is from E-Line Media and Upper One Games. It is the first game adapted from an Iñupiat folk story.<br />
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<a href="http://papersplea.se/"><img alt="games_7" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9939" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_7.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://papersplea.se/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Papers, Please (paid; iPad and PC/Mac)</span></a></b><br />
Papers, Please won multiple awards in 2014. It is an ethical decision-making game set in a fictional communist country during the Cold War. The objective is to checks immigrant papers. The penalty is delayed, such as a reduction in income that can affect the health of your family. (It is recommended for older students; Preview first. suggestive content can be toggled off in “Settings”).<br />
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<a href="http://nightmare.againstmalaria.com/"><img alt="games_8" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9941" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_8.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://nightmare.againstmalaria.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Nightmare: Malaria (free; iPad/Android)</span></a></b><br />
Nightmare: Malaria is a social awareness game about malaria. The narrator is voiced by actress Susan Sarandon. The game features facts about malaria and how simple solutions, like nets, can save lives.<br />
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<a href="http://3rdworldfarmer.com/index.html"><img alt="games_9" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9942" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_9.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://www.3rdworldfarmer.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Third World Farmer (free; PC/Mac)</span></a></b><br />
Third World Farmer is a simulation game about the difficulties of farming in a developing country. Familyeconomicsare among the issues to resolve.<br />
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<a href="http://www.quandarygame.org/"><img alt="games_10" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9943" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/games_10.jpg" height="250" width="625" /></a><br />
<b><a href="http://www.quandarygame.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Quandary (free; PC/Mac)</span></a></b><br />
An award-winning game about ethical dilemmas, or quandaries. In it, players must assemble a team to colonize a new planet.<br />
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Aside from this list, I recommend reviewing the games curated on the <a href="http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Games for Change</span></a> website.<br />
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Similar to independent films, social impact gaming has a community of enthusiasts who recognize achievements with awards and recognition. The idea is that games, as “new media”—compared to “traditional media,” like books, theater, and film—can influence people in a positive direction. For example, in 2014, the <a href="http://www.gamesforchange.org/"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Games for Change Festival</span></a> joined forces with the TriBeCa Film Festival in New York City.<br />
<h4>
What are your favorite games that you use to teach specific subjects? Tell us in the comments!</h4>
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<img alt="Matt Farber" class="avatar avatar-90 wp-user-avatar wp-user-avatar-90 alignnone photo" src="http://content.easybib.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/mattfarber-head-150x150.jpg" height="90" width="90" /><br />
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<a href="http://content.easybib.com/author/mattfarber/"><span class="vcard author"><span class="fn">Matt Farber</span></span></a></h5>
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<a href="http://www.matthewfarber.com/"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Matthew Farber</span></a> teaches social studies at Valleyview Middle School, in Denville, New Jersey. Mr. Farber is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Educational Technology Leadership at New Jersey City University. His book, Gamify Your Classroom: A Field Guide to Game-Based Learning, from Peter Lang Academic, is available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gamify-Your-Classroom-Game-Based-Epistemologies/dp/1433126702/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8"><span style="color: #3b86b0;">Amazon</span></a></div>
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<br />
<a href="http://content.easybib.com/10-educational-games-that-teach-kids-about-social-issues/">http://content.easybib.com/10-educational-games-that-teach-kids-about-social-issues/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-35229817314727146652015-02-21T06:48:00.001-08:002015-02-22T11:29:46.994-08:00Reading this on a computer? Then you (probably) don't live in Africa as 1b working cell phones by 2016<div class="el__leafmedia el__leafmedia--editorial-note">
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Some people in Africa have skipped the computer and have moved right to their phones to transmit and receive data across the world. If you think having the laptop I prefer to type on (including right now) is cutting edge, you might want to go back to 2006 to find it being cutting edge. </b></span><br />
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<q class="el-editorial-note">Each week, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/specials/africa/africa-view">Africa View</a> explores the trends, figures and initiatives shaping Africa. From education and energy to technology and innovation, it showcases topics and influential sectors driving countries on the continent.</q></div>
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<cite class="el-editorial-source"> (CNN)</cite>If when you say internet, you think of a computer, then you probably don't live in an African country. </div>
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The continent has some of the lowest fixed-broadband subscription rates in the world, with most people's first encounter with the world wide web coming via their mobile phones. </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Around 70% of mobile users browse the internet on their devices, and Africa's mobile broadband growth is increasing at a rate of more than 40% -- twice the global average.</b></span></div>
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This is largely due to the weak land-line infrastructure on the continent, which makes connecting through a desktop computer difficult. Low-cost or second-hand feature phones are also much cheaper to buy, which has made them ubiquitous across the continent, and it is estimated that by <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/13/world/africa/mobile-phones-change-africa/">2016 Africa will have a billion mobile phones</a>. Feature devices also stay charged for longer -- a crucial requirement in a part of the world where the supply of power is irregular and unreliable.</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">More people in Africa have a mobile phone than access to electricity.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Toby Shapshak</span></div>
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"More people in Africa have a mobile phone than access to electricity," <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/04/tech/mobile/africa-mobile-opinion/" target="_blank">according to Toby Shapshak</a>, editor and publisher of Stuff Magazine. "That means, for a phone to be functional, it needs decent battery life. These feature phones have anywhere up to a week."</div>
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This has created a unique environment where mobile technology have been adapted for a wide range of usages, from lowering information barriers and improving access to financial and health services to boosting commerce and bringing people together.</div>
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Mobile money transfer systems such as <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/20/tech/mobile/tomorrow-transformed-m-pesa-mobile-payments/">M-Pesa</a>, which launched in Nairobi in 2007, allow customers to send cash to remote areas with the touch of a button. The service has nearly 17 million active customers who make more than US$1.1 billion worth of transactions per month. </div>
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<a href="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-exlarge-169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Africa&#39;s mobile broadband boom" border="0" class="media__image media__image--responsive" data-demand-load="loaded" data-eq-pts="mini: 0, xsmall: 221, small: 301, medium: 461, large: 781" data-eq-state="medium" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-full16x9="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-full-169.jpg" data-src-large="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-super-169.jpg" data-src-medium="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-exlarge-169.jpg" data-src-mini="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-small-169.jpg" data-src-small1x1="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-small-11.jpg" data-src-small="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-large-169.jpg" data-src-xsmall="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/121004143527-africa-kenya-mobiles-medium-169.jpg" height="179" itemprop="image" width="320" /></a>And if you're worried that the medicines you bought might be counterfeit, you can check their authenticity through <a href="http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/smallbusiness/0904/gallery.sustainability__startups.smb/3.html">mPedigree</a>, a mobile application which gives you a "genuine" or "fake" answer after you text the drug's serial number.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Mobile phone technology has also moved into sectors outside the traditional tech remit. Farmers can access information about the weather, real-time market prices, and new farming tips though mobile apps like </span><a href="http://farmerline.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Farmerline</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> and </span><a href="https://esoko.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Esoko</span></a><span style="color: blue;">.</span> </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-80080203258781967412015-02-21T06:28:00.004-08:002015-02-22T11:09:36.936-08:00Social Entrepreneurship: 7 Ways to Empower Student Changemakers<br />
Social Entrepreneurship: 7 Ways to Empower Student Changemakers<br />
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<a href="http://www.edutopia.org/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_breakpoints_theme_edutopia_desktop_1x/public/cover_media/davis-social-entreprenuer-rising-460x345.jpg?itok=khkaXZfR" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.edutopia.org/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_breakpoints_theme_edutopia_desktop_1x/public/cover_media/davis-social-entreprenuer-rising-460x345.jpg?itok=khkaXZfR" height="150" title="" width="200" /></a><span style="color: red;"><strong>Vickie Davis @coolcatteacher writes for Edutopia Magazine and recently wrote about how students and schools can partner to help empower them to change their local communities through Project Service Learning. (PSL) This is a great idea to have students make a difference and bridge the gap to helping understand global problems or participate in working just around the corner. Recently, I participated in a district chat with Coweta County Schools </strong><span style="color: black;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cowetaedchat?src=hash"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><s>#</s>cowetaedchat</strong></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong> (Sunday's at 8pm EST)</strong></span> </span><strong>where students led the very discussion mentored by administrators in the district. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><strong>Its a win-win for everyone when students can carry the knowledge of a local project and use it to inform their own learning and asking questions they and their teachers would never have thought of before. When students help senior citizens, clean up flower beds or volunteer for a variety of topics, their vested interest changes lives and the perspectives of everyone in the community. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><strong>Vickie writes:</strong></span><br />
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Tired of disheartened girls thinking they didn't match up to the divas on teen beauty magazines, Grace Miner started <a class="external-link" href="https://twitter.com/realgirlsmatter" target="_blank">Real Girls Matter</a>. The group has a <a class="external-link" href="http://www.eastgreenwichnews.com/eghs-students-advocacy-of-girls-earns-national-award/" target="_blank">state-wide conference</a> in Rhode Island next year.<br />
When six-year-old Joshua Williams wanted to give ten dollars to a homeless man, his young eyes opened to the plight of the hungry. Joshua, now 13, runs <a class="external-link" href="http://joshuasheart.org/" target="_blank">Joshua's Heart</a> to feed the hungry in Miami. On his website, <a class="external-link" href="http://joshuasheart.org/mission-statement/" target="_blank">Joshua says</a>: "Whenever I work, I will give some of my money to help."<br />
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1. Encourage Each Student to Map Their Heartbreak</h3>
Each child has a strength and talent -- a "genius," if you will -- that he or she can add to make the world a better place. Empower social entrepreneurs by sharing stories of students taking action, and then encourage students to find their own passion. <a class="external-link" href="http://www.angelamaiers.com/2013/09/forget-following-your-heart-follow-your-heartbreak.html" target="_blank">Angela Maiers</a>, educator and founder of the burgeoning <a class="external-link" href="http://choose2matter.org/" target="_blank">Choose2Matter</a> movement says:<br />
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DO NOT follow your heart to find your passion and purpose. Instead follow your heartbreak . . . Finding your passion; surrendering to your heartbreak is really about finding what really moves you.</blockquote>
Ask students to share what upsets them and makes them angry. Draw it. Write it. Speak it. But by all means share it! Aaron Maurer‘s students created <a class="external-link" href="http://flickr.com/photos/coffeechug/sets/72157635407728034/show/" target="_blank">heartbreak maps</a>.<br />
<strong>Social Entrepreneurship Tip: Ask students to create a heartbreak map.</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.edutopia.org/users/vicki-davis-coolcatteacher">Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher</a></div>
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To see the entire article and the You Tube resources from a middle school project, click the link below. <br />
<a href="http://www.edutopia.org/users/vicki-davis-coolcatteacher" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://www.edutopia.org/sites/default/files/styles/user_picture_med/public/profile_pictures/smaller_photo_closer.jpg?itok=8GFi9UQQ" height="103" width="103" /></a><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/empowering-student-changemakers-vicki-davis?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blog-empowering-student-changemakers-vicki-davis-dyk-image-repost" target="_blank">http://www.edutopia.org/blog/empowering-student-changemakers-vicki-davis?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blog-empowering-student-changemakers-vicki-davis-dyk-image-repost</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-24829685567136437572015-02-20T06:26:00.001-08:002015-02-20T06:53:31.196-08:0020 Things New Teachers Really, Really Need to Know- Did you learn this in preplanning? Do you know it now<h1 class="sfpostTitle watBlogPostTitle" itemprop="headline">
<span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><span style="background-color: black;">This is a list compiled from We are Teachers and got me thinking. Did anyone tell you this during education classes, during preplanning or by a mentor? See how many that people are missing out on that you should really know. Some may be common sense but<span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: black; color: red;">everyone is missing 2-3 for sure or do not practice them. Now is your chance to finish the year strong</span>.</span></span> </h1>
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20 Things New Teachers Really, Really Need to Know (According to The Vets)</h1>
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<a href="http://www.weareteachers.com/images/default-source/blog-images/new_teacher_tips.jpg?sfvrsn=0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="New_Teacher_Tips" border="0" src="http://www.weareteachers.com/images/default-source/blog-images/new_teacher_tips.jpg?sfvrsn=0" height="112" id="ctl00_BlogContainerLeft_C002_detailBlogPostsFrontend_ctl00_ctl00_SingleItemContainer_ctrl0_ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_imageItem" title="New_Teacher_Tips" width="200" /></a><span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/x7CiVxQwGQoPTwxzwHAmUK85LSnj5l1Z0RN4CmQtaRGvoZxKZTgI7fzJLpbW52mIo4kpdRHWBKwBvUC33GDfBkLF1XIeEokX3Je075SeziUtQQoefwlXNL6tvIQwYYguSq_nMRhMhLVJdSKMG9cIQWjo6QMwZYPJ72pA_ao9LoearSWaxAIPMVu8Gxe24gj0_yqZRlR_Eg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Blog Author" border="0" class="AuthorAvatar" src="http://www.weareteachers.com/images/user-avatars/wat_logo_2012b60e418d-5843-4a0d-b76a-4dcdc6972c52.tmb-.png?Status=Master&sfvrsn=0" id="ctl00_BlogContainerLeft_C002_detailBlogPostsFrontend_ctl00_ctl00_SingleItemContainer_ctrl0_AvatarImage" itemprop="image" /></a><strong>1. The 3 Cs:</strong>
“Be CLEAR on your expectations for behavior and performance. Be
CONSISTENT—follow through so students know what to expect from you as a
teacher. Be COMPASSIONATE—show your students that you really care about
them and want them to succeed.” —Oktobriana Idol<br />
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<strong>2. Management Matters:</strong>
“Strong classroom management is the key to teaching. No matter how well
you know the content, students can't learn in a chaotic environment.
The simplest way to achieve this is through routines and overplanning.
Also, model the respect you want to receive.” —Janet Jennings Maxwell<br />
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<strong>3. Routines Are Your Friends:</strong> “They should be the first things that you teach!” —Mollie Ann Lucot<br />
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<strong>4. Flexibility Rules:</strong> “Relax. Be in control. Be prepared to be flexible!” —Emily Fern Barron<br />
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<strong>5. Wear Comfy Shoes:</strong>
“Number 1: It's all about relationships. If you make the students feel
that you genuinely care about them, they'll do what you ask and then
some.<br />
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Number 2: The decorations on your walls don't
need to come from Teachers Supply stores, because the ones from Dollar
Tree will do the job.<br />
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Number 3: Invest in a good pair of shoes that fit you well, because you'll be on your feet all day.” —Mari Lyn Stangland<br />
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<strong>6. What Your Dad Says Is True:</strong> “Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance!” —April Brown<br />
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<strong>7. Your New Favorite Book:</strong> “Go out and purchase <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Days-School-Effective/dp/0976423316/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342038987&sr=8-1&keywords=the+first+days+of+school+by+harry+wong" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window"><em>The First Days of School</em>,</a>
by Harry Wong. You may not have the money to do it, but it'll be the
best life-saving purchase you'll ever make in your teaching profession.
Read it cover to cover and then implement!” —Amy Galloway<br />
<strong> 8. Don’t Forget to Leave:</strong> “Go home at the end of the day! Your work will still be there tomorrow.” —Kody Grisham Shepherd<br />
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<strong>9. Never Break a Promise: </strong>“Don't
promise a child something you're not 100% sure you can come through
on—they need to know you are trustworthy and that you mean what you
say.” —Vivienne Thomson<br />
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<strong>10. You’re a Student Too:</strong> “You will learn twice as much as your kids do EVERY single day until the day you retire!” —Diann Strader<br />
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<strong>11. Learn From Everyone Around You:</strong>
“Be kind and courteous to everyone who works at or visits your school.
The support staff is essential to your job—and those older teachers down
the hall might just be your closest allies in a pinch. Don't dismiss
their pearls of wisdom just because YOU haven't been taught that way.
Remember, they're the ones who have been at this all this time. Be a
sponge.” —Nadine Mendez Heifert<br />
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<strong>12. Try to Grow Every Day:</strong>
“Remember that this is one of the only professions that expects us to
be perfect with little to no on-the-job training. You can eventually
change lives, but your first year is growth. Find a few strong, positive
teachers on your campus and observe, observe, observe. Treat every kid
like your own—because someone loves him or her more than anything, no
matter how they push your buttons. There’s probably a reason why they
push buttons in the first place that has nothing to do with you. Don't
take unruly behavior personally. Like Covey says, ‘seek first to
understand...’“ —Carissa Hairrell<br />
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<strong> 13. Leader of the Pack:</strong> “You are the lead dog and your students are your team waiting to run the big race.” —Susan A. Smith<br />
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<strong> 14. It’s Okay to Have Fun:</strong>
“Don't be afraid to laugh. I was talking to a friend of mine who is a
teacher and she said (in April) that is was the first time she actually
laughed in her class. If you aren't having fun, neither are the
students. But also classroom management is key. Be tough in the
beginning because you can always get softer. It is hard to go the other
way around.” —April Nelson<br />
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<strong>15. This Isn’t Practice Anymore:</strong>
“What they taught you in college does not prepare you for the real
classroom. Be prepared for anything to happen and be flexible and
understanding when it does!”—Teresa Taylor<br />
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<strong> 16. Help Is Always Available:</strong> “Don't be afraid to ask for it.” —Beth Fitts Stone<br />
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<strong>17. School Is Just a Part:</strong> “You are only a one part of their lives and they won't know how important a part for many, many years.” —Lynda Ballam<br />
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<strong>18. Let Students Have a Voice:</strong> “Invite them to help in goal setting. Don't be afraid to let them have choices. Have thick skin.” —Dan Heding<br />
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<strong>19. Have Faith in Yourself:</strong> “You can handle this.” —Dedee Cline<br />
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<strong>20. You’re Guarding Treasure:</strong>
“Remember that parents are sending their most prized possessions. They
are not hiding any others at home. They are sending their best. Respect
that.” —Lyn Atkins<br />
<a href="http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/08/09/20-things-new-teachers-need-to-know" target="_blank">http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/08/09/20-things-new-teachers-need-to-know</a>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"I have three roles in my classroom: teacher, parent and social worker. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes the actual teaching part is the least important."</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><strong>I cannot argue with the statement made above. All teachers have felt this. Being that by state law teachers are mandated reporters, we have to report what we see and hear and many students will confide in us. When we have the empathy of a human being and the responsibilites of a social worker, the stories told below are typical and can shake you to the core. Often, we have to tell the principal/counselor/social workers what we hear but do not hear back any details, ways to help or are given peace of mind. That is a reality most teachers must share. Read on. </strong></span><br />
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A child entered the classroom in floods of tears. His mother had lost her baby days before she was due to give birth. Nothing can prepare a nine-year-old for such a sense of loss, and his pain was clear for the whole class to see. I put my arm around him, ushered him away from the watchful gaze of his concerned peers and tried to find some words that might bring a shred of comfort to his broken heart. Then I had to gather my thoughts; as a parent, I couldn’t help but think how I would ever get over something like that.<br />
That was tough to deal with, but another girl’s summer was just as traumatic for much darker reasons. She’d spent much of the holidays (and several years before), being sexually abused by a family member. I’d shared my concerns because I had a feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Indeed, it wasn’t. I was horrified and angry when I learned what this shy little girl had been through.<br />
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The two situations above are thankfully rare, and perhaps it was just an unhappy coincidence that I had to deal with them at the same time. Other situations are more commonplace, though. Another child’s mum and dad are separated but living together for financial reasons. The atmosphere at home is tense, and the girl in question recently burst into tears recalling an argument between her parents. All that mattered to her was falling apart and I had no words to help. So I did what a parent would do, I gave her a hug.<br />
While the teaching standards are great at telling us how to teach good lessons, make accurate assessments and differentiate effectively, when it comes to addressing the emotional needs of children, they’re no help whatsoever. I have three roles in my classroom: teacher, parent and social worker. Sometimes, the actual teaching part is the least important of all. Part two of the teacher standards states that teachers must “at all times observe boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s profession”. This is suitably vague to ensure that many teachers live in fear of overstepping these boundaries. Why would you even go close when it could finish your career?<br />
But the biggest obstacle to learning is not what’s going on in the classroom, but what’s going on outside it. Teachers across the nation face the baggage that children bring to lessons every single day and unless they feel supported to really become in loco parentis, effective teaching and learning is compromised.<br />
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We are a “good” school, but allegedly not yet outstanding because not enough pupils are making expected progress. Ofsted is not interested in the story behind her lack of progress. In the inspectorate’s eyes, that child is holding our school back and that’s a black mark against my name as their teacher.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><strong>To read the rest, please click the link below.</strong></span> <br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/jan/10/secret-teacher-social-worker-emotional-students" target="_blank">http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/jan/10/secret-teacher-social-worker-emotional-students</a><br />
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Follow us on Twitter via <a class=" u-underline" data-component="in-body-link" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://twitter.com/GuardianTeach">@GuardianTeach</a>. Join the <a class=" u-underline" data-component="in-body-link" data-link-name="in body link" href="http://teachers.theguardian.com/Registration.aspx?CMP=dis_42">Guardian Teacher Network</a> for lesson resources, comment and <a class=" u-underline" data-component="in-body-link" data-link-name="in body link" href="http://jobs.theguardian.com/jobs/schools/#browsing?INTCMP=edi_546">job opportunities</a>, direct to your inbox.</h2>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-12097141184626910342015-02-17T11:45:00.000-08:002015-02-17T12:22:23.046-08:00The Confessions of a Secret Teacher- I didn’t enter teaching to improve students’ lives<strong> No, the teacher described above is no one I know. To admit to this would never get you a teaching job. I think the teacher in the headline if this is not a spoof from the Onion Newspaper, is really someone that is collecting realizing teaching is much more than collecting a paycheck. You need to have a cause and a purpose to be an effective teacher and even though he/she might have the skill to be a writer or editor as this language arts teacher is, the teacher described would be spotted a mile away by colleagues and administration that would expect more. Saying that, the Secret Teacher does make valid points on testing, dealing with career expectations and burnout.</strong> <br />
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<strong><em>Secret Teacher: I didn’t enter teaching to improve students’ lives. </em></strong><strong><em>Not wanting to put students’ life chances before my sanity doesn’t make me a bad teacher. I never wanted to be a social activist, I just wanted to teach English. Now read the rest of the story.</em></strong><br />
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‘Two years in, and I’m throwing in the towel to become part of the growing statistic of dropouts. You see, I never wanted to be a social activist. I just wanted to teach English.’ <br />
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It may sound callous, but I did not enter the teaching profession to improve the lives of children. That’s not to say I don’t want to or think that teaching can, but my daily slog of teaching, planning, marking, monitoring and emailing, is not motivated by a burning desire for social change. This is despite the constant pressure from above to care more for the job and the lives of my students than my own sanity.<br />
I came into teaching for three reasons: to do something related to my degree (I studied literature at university, so becoming an English teacher seemed like a logical career decision); to avoid becoming another jobless graduate statistic; and to do something challenging and not office based. A couple of years into the job, I can already spot my own naiveties with regards to my decision, but nevertheless, I stand by the fact that my decision was not motivated by the desire to “improve the chances of young people” or “foster a love of learning” in the pimply, pubescent, moody creatures we call teenagers.<a class="lineitem__link" data-link-name="offer" href="http://adclick.g.doubleclick.net/aclk%253Fsa%253DL%2526ai%253DBf05YOZfjVL3sIITW0AGj_4DAAZ_boZ4GAAAAEAEg75TfITgAWNen8OnIAWDJ_raH3KPwELIBE3d3dy50aGVndWFyZGlhbi5jb226AQlnZnBfaW1hZ2XIAQnaAV1odHRwOi8vd3d3LnRoZWd1YXJkaWFuLmNvbS90ZWFjaGVyLW5ldHdvcmsvMjAxNS9mZWIvMTQvc2VjcmV0LXRlYWNoZXItdGVhY2hpbmctc3R1ZGVudHMtbGl2ZXOpAgwCwn58v7k-wAIC4AIA6gI0LzU5NjY2MDQ3L3RoZWd1YXJkaWFuLmNvbS90ZWFjaGVyLW5ldHdvcmsvYXJ0aWNsZS9uZ_gC_tEekAOkA5gD0AWoAwHQBJBO4AQBoAYf2AcA%2526num%253D0%2526sig%253DAOD64_0qf2JYZW5KD4fpTNMh3m9QJIg-4w%2526client%253Dca-pub-4830087483992392%2526adurl%253Dhttp://teachers.theguardian.com/Registration.aspx"></a><br />
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Don’t get me wrong, there are aspects of my job that I love. I love being able to discuss literature with GCSE and A-level students, especially when they bowl me over with their interpretations of texts. I enjoy being a form tutor and chatting to my students about their weekend and what they got up to, hearing them gush over the sleepover they had the other night, or listening to their woes about how much French homework they get. And I’ll always maintain that young people can teach you more about the world than a whole library of encyclopedias – when they’re not being all hormonal that is.</div>
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<strong>However, the crux of the issue is this: teachers are working more hours than ever before, dealing with more difficult students and parents than ever before, and are under more stress than ever before – all under the guise that we don’t mind because we’ll do anything to improve the life chances of our students. But that’s a fallacy for me – and I am sure others too. I’m not a superhero, I just want to make a living doing something I like, with enough time and money left over to enjoy myself at the end of it.</strong><br />
Earlier this year, I was faced with a nightmare student, the sort who makes your heart race at 100 miles per hour as they enter the room and you realise that, to your utter dismay, they aren’t absent after all. After declaring that my lesson and decision to punish his poor behaviour was a “piss take”, he proceeded to throw things across the room and disrupt the entire lesson until he was eventually removed by senior management.<br />
To read the rest of the article, click the link below. <br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/feb/14/secret-teacher-teaching-students-lives" target="_blank">http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/feb/14/secret-teacher-teaching-students-lives</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-22933134790482805972015-02-15T14:38:00.002-08:002015-02-16T17:45:55.336-08:00Social Media in the classroom:16 best resources for 2015<span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;">Many educators are hesitant to use social media in the classroom. The thought of using Facebook, Kik or Twitter could have amazing results but also go sideways if students go off task and use the media for inappropriate or personal resources. In the article written by Joy Nelson earlier this month, she gives practical guides and resources to help teachers navigate what's best for their classrooms. Here is a sample: "</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; color: white;">Social media is a powerful tool for keeping in touch with friends, getting coupons and deals from your favorite businesses, and seeing what your favorite celebrities are up to. It is also </span></span>Social Media in the Classroom: 16 Best Resources for 2015<br />
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<span class="post-byline">By <a href="http://www.edudemic.com/author/joy-nelson/" rel="author" title="Posts by Joy Nelson"><span style="color: #37a6d6;">Joy Nelson</span></a> on February 3, 2015</span><span class="twitter-byline"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/joylizn" target="blank"><span style="color: #37a6d6;">@joylizn</span></a></span></div>
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Is<span style="color: red;"> Social Media Right for Your Classroom?</span><br />
<strong><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">Just because your fellow educators are using social media doesn’t mean you should jump blindly on the bandwagon. What do you need to consider when deciding if — and how much — you should incorporate social media into your teaching?</span></strong><br />
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<li><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/guidebook-social-media-in-classroom-vicki-davis" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><strong>A piece from Edutopia</strong></span></a><strong><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"> explains that social media is a unique form of communication that can accomplish multiple goals. It also addresses the myth that using social media in the classroom will lead to students who are always online when they ought to be focusing on other things. The links on the page can give you a feel for how other teachers are using social media.</span></strong></li>
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<li><strong><span style="background-color: white;">While the above article claims that social media is becoming a standard in education, this post from an eighth-grade teacher takes a different approach. Gail Leicht explores the debate over </span></strong><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/social-media-valuable-tool-teachers/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;"><strong>whether teachers should use social media</strong></span></a><strong><span style="background-color: white;"> to connect with students, and her conclusion is that she does not currently want to use social media for that purpose. As such, it’s a great counterpoint to consider.</span></strong></li>
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<li><strong><span style="background-color: white;">Tung Tung Chan, an experienced teacher, shares with Social Media Week why she believes that </span></strong><a href="http://socialmediaweek.org/rotterdam/2014/07/16/teachers-students-social-media/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;"><strong>social media has a place</strong></span></a><strong><span style="background-color: white;"> in formal education. In her discussion, she tackles the issue that makes some schools hold back from using social media — that is, the lack of established standards to regulate student-teacher interaction.</span></strong></li>
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<li><strong><span style="background-color: white;">SmartBlog on Education summarizes the results of a poll that asked participants about their views on the </span></strong><a href="http://smartblogs.com/education/2014/03/28/readers-views-social-media-and-todays-schools/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;"><strong>risks and rewards of social media</strong></span></a><strong><span style="background-color: white;">. The statistics can give you an idea about the general feelings that surround the continuing</span></strong> growth of social media as an educational tool.</li>
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Striking a Balance: Guidelines for Using Social Media</h2>
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Safely and Effectively</h2>
<span style="background-color: white;">How can you maintain appropriate student-teacher relationships on social media? How can you coach your students on how to use social media safely? How can you take a balanced approach to social media? The following resources dive into these questions.</span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">Back in November of 2014, Edudemic published </span><a href="http://www.edudemic.com/7-ways-deal-digital-distractions/"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;">an article about digital distractions</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> and how to deal with them. It goes into strategies you can use to make sure that technology does not take over. Tips include things like creating opportunities for curiosity outside the digital realm and helping students focus on one thing at a time.</span></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/02/04/successful-social-media-835/2/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;">This post at eschoolnews.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> explores the boundaries and rules that schools should establish when they embrace social media. For example, the article recommends that teachers not “like” personal photos of students and that in any online classroom space, teachers should make sure that students conduct themselves by the same code of conduct that they do at school.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">If your school does not block social media access on its computers, students become vulnerable to the dangers of cyberspace. </span><a href="http://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/family/teenagers/whiteboard-animations/social-network-smart/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;">This four-minute whiteboard animation video</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> gives succinct advice about how to stay safe on social media. The video’s sense of humor should appeal to kids of all ages. Although it is on a religious website, the thrust of the video is not preachy.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">Education Technology Solutions goes into how you can </span><a href="http://educationtechnologysolutions.com.au/2014/03/27/how-to-use-twitter-in-the-classroom-without-compromising-your-professional-relationship-with-your-students-2/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;">use Twitter as a teaching tool</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> without seeming unprofessional. The principles in the article can be applied to other social media networks as well.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">A post from the University of </span><span style="background-color: white;">Phoenix outlines </span><a href="http://www.phoenix.edu/forward/perspectives/2014/02/how-teachers-can-use-social-media-in-the-classroom.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;">six points for using social media in classrooms</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">. It encourages educators to set a good example, establish online guidelines, and glean ideas</span> from peers. It also delves into how a class Facebook page or Twitter account can be beneficial.</span></li>
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Make the Most of Social Media</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Image via </span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mscsclassroom/15813219939/sizes/m/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #37a6d6;">Flickr</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> by MsC’sClassroom</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Social media can serve as a fun way to establish relationships with students and help them learn. These resources give specific ideas on how you can make social media work for you.</span><br />
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</span><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/6KFVFKu2zOPQFyWnuSiAI4k_S7qJrvf77Dqxo-iaAjRvlKdEm16jehCSVyzhL4vNg1L8a2iiYa13sBeOTIIE4s8-l0So8ZxjHAxhF5dDFaxrMMnrbbpvCVH7SWZgoK2Bq_LpwAdQit6P5seIsYCXKle4MIwjELk" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: white;"><img alt="Image via Flickr by MsC'sClassroom" border="0" class="size-full wp-image-53795" src="http://static2.edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/500x500xMcCs.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Jiq9ZcNJgv.jpg" height="200" pagespeed_url_hash="3370718674" width="200" /></span></a><span style="background-color: white;">
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: white;">A brief post from dailygenius.com offers eight ideas that you can use as a launching point for </span><a href="http://dailygenius.com/social-education/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: white;">integrating social media</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: white;"> into your teaching strategy. The links in the bulleted points lead to sources that provide more details.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: white;">A professor of biology discusses his experiences using </span><a href="http://www.academiccommons.org/2014/07/21/teaching-with-twitter-extending-the-conversation-beyond-the-classroom-walls/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: white;">Twitter as an educational tool</span></a><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">. He wanted to extend the conversations beyond what happened in the physical <span style="color: red;">classroom, and that is what he accomplished. Even people not enrolled in his class gave comments on topics the class was discussing.</span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">There are some outside-the-box ways that you can use Twitter and other social media platforms in your teaching. </span><a href="https://www.lightsky.com/blog/7-unique-ways-use-twitter-your-classroom" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">This post</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"> suggests things like letting your students design your Twitter page, live-tweeting field trips, and inviting guest tweeters to enrich class discussions.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">Podcasting as a social media tool often sits in the shadow of mammoths like Facebook and Instagram, but these </span><a href="http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/08/07/10-podcasting-projects-every-teacher-should-try" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">podcasting ideas</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"> are fresh enough to merit your attention. You could have your students record current events broadcasts or use podcasting to encourage an interest in music or journalism.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">You can use a class blog to help your students hone their writing skills, to keep everyone updated on homework assignments, or for a host of other purposes. Gain inspiration from this </span><a href="http://www.theedublogger.com/check-out-these-class-blogs/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">list of class blogs</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;"> that is arranged by grade level and subject. <strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An awesome idea!</span></strong></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">The popular photo-sharing platform Instagram can help you engage with your students in new ways. </span><a href="http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/08/07/10-ways-to-use-instagram-in-the-classroom" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">This list detailing surprising ways to use Instagram in the classroom</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"> suggests that you use the platform to showcase students’ accomplishments and organize scavenger hunts</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">YouTube is a handy tool for flipped classrooms, but its usefulness extends to more traditional setups as well. Classroom in the Future shares some intriguing ideas about how to </span><a href="http://www.classroominthefuture.com/10-ways-to-use-youtube/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">use YouTube to your advantage</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">.</span></li>
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In Short</span></span></span></h2>
<span style="background-color: white;">Social media is more than a way to find cute cat videos and read the gossip about upcoming movies; it is a powerful entity that can impact how you teach and how you relate to your students. The above resources can help you refine your teaching skills related to social media.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">These days, differentiating instruction can be done through coachbooks, teacher creativity and many ways that are cutting edge or outdated teaching practices. What if we could use social media to help students and ourselves drive toward a 21st Century classroom where students are using their phones in the classroom to ask their own questions? What if a student could use their own interests to help make connections through using social media? Consider this... </span></strong><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><strong>According to an article by John McCarthy, a great observation is "<span style="color: blue;">Differentiating with social media is most effective when we plan learning experiences based on </span></strong><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>content, process, and product</strong></span></a><span style="color: blue;"><strong> (our lesson structure) and incorporate </strong></span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-readiness-resources-john-mccarthy"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>readiness</strong></span></a><span style="color: blue;"><strong>, </strong></span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-learner-interest-matters-john-mccarthy"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>interests</strong></span></a><span style="color: blue;"><strong>, and </strong></span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/learning-profiles-john-mccarthy"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>learning profiles</strong></span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><strong> (student voice). The following guidelines can help any classroom teacher ensure that the tool used will address students' needs."</strong></span> <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><strong>Read on in this short article.</strong></span> </span></span><br />
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50+ Tools for Differentiating Instruction Through Social Media</h1>
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<span style="background-color: white;">January 16, 2015 </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.edutopia.org/users/john-mccarthy"><span style="background-color: white;">John McCarthy</span></a></div>
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</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> Imagine a world where resources were limited to what was found in the classroom or the school closet known as the "Curriculum Materials Room." Picture a world where students wrote letters with pen and paper to communicate with other students and adults outside of the building. Due to postage costs, the teacher either sent the letters in bulk or paid for stamps out of his or her own pocket. Can you recall a time when student interests like skateboarding or video were never used as part of learning curriculum because the tools needed were either too expensive or not yet conceptualized? Do you remember a time when non-traditional learners struggled, and absenteeism meant a high likelihood of students doing poorly in school, and possibly having to retake the course?</span><br /></div>
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<!--break--><span style="background-color: white;">If you experienced none of these scenarios, then you live in a world of possibility because you grew up with the many social media tools available to support all learners. If any of these scenarios bring back memories as a teacher or student, then you understand that we have many more tools today to ensure that learners succeed despite struggles, because students and teachers have so much more available to meet every learner's needs.</span><br />
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Selecting the Right Tool</span></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;">For educators differentiating instruction, social media tools embrace collaboration and global access to people and other resources. We give students a variety of learning experiences that incorporate the capability to:</span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">Exchange ideas</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">Provide positive, constructive, and kind feedback</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">Provide avenues to connect content with our learners' many different interests.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Differentiating with social media is most effective when we plan learning experiences based on </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">content, process, and product</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> (our lesson structure) and incorporate </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-readiness-resources-john-mccarthy"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">readiness</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">, </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-learner-interest-matters-john-mccarthy"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">interests</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">, and </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/learning-profiles-john-mccarthy"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">learning profiles</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> (student voice). The following guidelines can help any classroom teacher ensure that the tool used will address students' needs:</span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Be clear about the academic learning outcomes.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Assess what students know and don't know.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Identify related student background connections.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Utilize social networks that can: </span><ul><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;">
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Address needs for struggling learners</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Ensure that advanced learners are growing.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Use </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-eliminating-assessment-fog-john-mccarthy"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">fog-free assessments</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> that track learner progress.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black;">While the collaboration capabilities of many social media tools can overlap, some may be more effective than others depending on how they're customized for student voice.</span><br />
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Readiness</span></span></h3>
<span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Readiness focuses on a student's current academic skill level. Work is structured to help them address any gaps or needs for enrichment. Students work in like-skill groups for specific, targeted support to address a common need, such as guided reading or tiered (leveled) activities. They also collaborate in mixed-skill groups to support struggling students with needed skill development. Additionally, experiences can stretch the advanced students in a mixed-skill group -- they may have the core skills, yet the critical thinking challenges them <em>and</em> their teammates.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Consider these tools to assist with readiness:</span><br />
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<li><a class="external-link" href="https://kaizena.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Kaizena</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> provides a space where students get feedback for revising their work.</span></li>
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<li><a class="external-link" href="http://www.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Weebly</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> is a blog tool that can create "center" activities for students based on their skill support needs.</span></li>
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<li><a class="external-link" href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Survey Monkey</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> is one of many online survey tools for capturing pre- and formative assessment of students' progress. This one is also a good tool for student feedback on the helpfulness of the intervention used.</span></li>
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Interests</span></span></h3>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><strong>Allowing students to tackle work based on the option that makes the most sense to them is crucial for cognitive connections. Seeing a concept in context of a topic in which the learner has great interest -- and possibly expertise -- can help him or her turn abstract ideas into concrete purpose. </strong><strong>Here are some tools to help focus on student interests:</strong></span></span><br />
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<li><a class="external-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/yt/playbook/playlists.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Youtube Playlists</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">: There are many videos that address content from different perspectives, including the one way that a particular student or teacher needs to see it. Create playlists (</span><a class="external-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfxm9kJmkgVqr48n_yznErZl_qjXEtRG7&spfreload=10" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">like this one</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">) to provide that variety.</span></li>
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<li><a class="external-link" href="https://www.screencastify.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Screencastify</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> is a Google Chrome app that enables students to capture video of their screen. Have a history tour on Minecraft? This tool will showcase it (as in </span><a class="external-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ5Hm8nGCSE&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">this example</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> by </span><a class="external-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5IohpILw8B2LyW-lK8qJOA" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Steamer</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">).</span></li>
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<li><a class="external-link" href="https://www.zoom.us/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Zoom</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">, a video conferencing tool that includes recording, enables students to connect with field experts on relating content to the world outside of school.</span></li>
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Learning Profiles</span></span></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;">When students address concepts from diverse perspectives, especially in collaborative groups, it can lead to in-depth understanding. Learning <span style="color: black;">profiles are about providing each student with experiences that incorporate a variety of learning style elements, not just one. Such activities help students find deeper connections, especially if they share points of view via peer reflection and dialog.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Try these tools:</span><br />
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<li><a class="external-link" href="https://www.thinglink.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Thinglink</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> uses pictures to place links in different places where viewers can click to learn more. Here's </span><a class="external-link" href="http://www.thinglink.com/scene/606692319193726977" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">an example</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">.</span></li>
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<li><a class="external-link" href="http://piktochart.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Piktochart</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> lets you create infographics to offer </span><a class="external-link" href="http://piktochart.com/showcase/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">a visual explanation of a concept or idea</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">.</span></li>
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<li><a class="external-link" href="https://tackk.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Tackk</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> lets you create small interactive pages or build a portfolio of work using different media tools.</span></li>
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<span style="color: white;">Here are </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/a/edutopia.org/spreadsheets/d/1ihsTwYr1kFx9Jb08Z2w5i1MWoxYkRXZbTP4Gcbodp6I/edit#gid=0"><span style="color: white;">an additional 50+ tools for exploration</span></a><span style="color: white;">. Consider which will best fit the "current" needs of your diverse learners. More will be added on a regular basis. What tools do you use? Please share in the comments section below, and I'll keep the 50+ list growing.</span><br />
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Endless Possibilities</span></h3>
<span style="color: white;">We truly are in a brave new world -- the good kind -- where differentiation opportunities evolve due to the variety of social media tools available. No longer are students and teachers limited to resources purchased for the classroom. For example, 1:1 computing grows as schools understand the value of student contact with outside resources. As more schools review their cell phone policy and allow students to use their "internet devices," learning options increase with access to social media apps and other online tools such as those mentioned above.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;">In the past, limited access placed a hardship on teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students, especially when school resources are limited. In this brave new world, we are fortunate to live and work in an environment where the possibilities are endless for getting students what they need when they need it, and in a format that works best for them. How are you tapping possibilities to meet learner needs?</span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><footer><span class="author-link" style="color: white;"><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/users/john-mccarthy">John </a></span></footer><span style="color: white;"></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-20648347176792458452015-02-13T20:02:00.000-08:002015-02-13T20:02:31.879-08:0013 Great Twitter Chats Every Educator Should Check Out<h3 class="title" id="ph_pcontent3_4_MainHeading">
If you want to become engaged in your teaching practice with educators, there are no shortage of chats available for every day of the week. The list below mentions a bakers dozen of topics ranging from core subjects to technology and this list is but a small one. The list below is a small one and you can google other chats. I have participated in a few of the chats listed below and have meet some great people and am looking forward to checking out many of the chats and more as they come up and intrigue me. </h3>
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13 Great Twitter Chats Every Educator Should Check Out</h3>
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<li class="author">By Susan Bearden</li>
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Education Twitter chats take place when a group of educators "meet" on Twitter at an agreed upon time, using an agreed upon hashtag, to discuss topics of interest in education. Twitter chats range from small discussions with only a few participants to huge conversations with dozens or even hundreds of educators taking part! They provide a unique opportunity for educators to discuss specific topics of interest and connect with colleagues around the world.<br />
The word from educators in the trenches is that these chats are making a profound difference in how educators are improving their professional practice, providing ideas, resources and inspiration in ways never thought possible. <br />
<a href="http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/09/23/~/media/6D228460F92F40D290A607F2AA5E20B2.ashx" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="twitter chats for educators" border="0" height="133" src="http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/09/23/~/media/6D228460F92F40D290A607F2AA5E20B2.ashx" width="200" /></a>Interested in giving Twitter chats a try? Here are a few tips to get you started:<br />
1. Use a tool like <a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/" target="_blank">Tweetdeck</a>, <a href="http://www.tweetchat.com/" target="_blank">Tweetchat</a>, or <a href="http://www.twubs.com/" target="_blank">Twubs</a> to follow that chat. On a mobile device, you may find an app like <a href="http://www.hootsuite.com/" target="_blank">Hootsuite</a> to be helpful.<br />
2. It's okay to lurk (which means to follow the discussion, but not participate) at first. Lurking is learning! At the same time, don't be afraid to jump into the conversation. If it's your first chat, say so! You'll likely find a very supportive group.<br />
3. When participating in a chat, don't forget to include the chat hashtag, prefaced by the <em>#</em> sign, or else chat participants will miss your Tweets! Some tools, like Tweetchat, will append the hashtag automatically. It's easy to forget when you are deep in a discussion, so get in the habit of double checking your tweets before hitting "send." <br />
4. Some chats move very quickly and it can be difficult to keep with all the chatter. Don't be intimidated or feel that you have to read everything! Just catch what you can. Many chats are archived afterwards and can be a gold mine of valuable information and resources. Often, a link to the archive will be shared at the end of the chat. Or, just do a Google search for the chat hashtag and the word "archives." For example, a search for "edchat archives" brings you quickly to the #edchat archive at <a href="http://edchat.pbworks.com/" target="_blank">edchat.pbworks.com</a>. <br />
5. Participating in Twitter chats is a great way to build your Personal Learning Network. Twitter chats attract passionate educators who are dedicated to lifelong learning, improving their professional practice, and sharing resources with others. Follow people with whom you interact, or who tweet helpful resources and/or comments that resonate with you. Chats provide terrific opportunities for relationship building!<br />
This list of popular chats is a great way to get started, but is just a small sampling of the many education chats available. For more, check out this comprehensive <a href="https://docs.google.com/a/qcsd.org/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AiftIdjCeWSXdDRLRzNsVktUUGJpRWJhdUlWLS1Genc#gid=0" target="_blank">list</a> of Twitter chats and start exploring!<br />
<strong>#edchat:</strong> Considerd the "grandfather" of educational chats, #edchat is one of the most popular chats and is held on Tuesdays from 12 to 1 and 7 to 8 pm Eastern Time. This fast moving chat attracts participants from all over the world to discuss a variety of topics related to education. You'll also find interesting discussions and resources shared by searching for this hashtag during the week. Learn more at <a href="http://efacetoday.blogspot.com/p/parent-teacher-chats.html" target="_blank">edchat.pbworks.com</a>. <br />
<strong>#edtechchat:</strong> is dedicated to all things related to Education Technology and takes place Mondays from 8 to 9 pm Eastern Time. If you are interested in education technology, you'll find inspiring discussions and valuable resources here. Archives are found at <a href="http://edtechchat.wikispaces.com/" target="_blank">edtechchat.wikispaces.com</a> and podcast discussions of each week's chat can be found <a href="http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=98&Itemid=271" target="_blank">here</a> on the Bam Radio network.<br />
<strong>#tlap</strong>: Looking for inspiration? #tlap was inspired by the fabulous book "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0988217600/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0988217600&linkCode=as2&tag=teachpirate-20" target="_blank">Teach Like a Pirate</a>" by Dave Burgess (@<a href="http://twitter.com/burgessdave" target="_blank">burgessdave</a>) and attracts passionate, creative educators seeking to improve their professional practice. Set sail with yer fellow pirates on Mondays 9 pm ET. Ahoy, matey!<br />
<strong>#satchat</strong>: Fascinating discussions about education and leadership are held on Saturday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30 am Eastern Time. This chat attracts a great combination of teachers and administrators, with inspired results!<br />
If you aren't up that early on weekends, you can catch <strong>#satchatwc</strong> (Satchat West Coast) at 10:30 am ET. For a uniquely global discussion, <strong>#satchatoc</strong> attracts a lot of international participants and is held Friday nights at 8:00 pm ET. Learn more at the <a href="http://www.bradcurrie.net/satchat.html" target="_blank">satchat website</a>. <br />
<strong>#flipclass:</strong> Interested in flipping your classroom? Join the #flipclass chat on Monday nights from 8 to 9 pm. Exchange ideas, resources, and best practices with enthusiastic educators participating in the flipped classroom movement. Archives and more information at <a href="http://flippedlearning.org/domain/26" target="_blank">flippedlearning.org/domain/26</a>. <br />
<strong>#sschat:</strong> This can't-miss chat for History/Social Studies teachers takes place Mondays from 7 to 8 pm. English teachers should check out the <strong>#engchat</strong> discussion held at the same time. On the last Monday of the month check out <strong>#engsschat</strong>, when the two combine communities in a shared chat. Learn more about the #sschat community <a href="http://sschat.ning.com/" target="_blank">on its ning</a> and about #engchat at <a href="http://www.engchat.org/" target="_blank">engchat.org</a>. <br />
<strong>#ptchat:</strong> The goal behind #ptchat is to encourage a transparent & collaborative dialogue between parents & educators. You'll find these fascinating and thought provoking discussions on Wednesday nights at 9 pm ET. Learn more at <a href="http://efacetoday.blogspot.com/p/parent-teacher-chats.html" target="_blank">efacetoday.blogspot.com/p/parent-teacher-chats.html</a>. <br />
<strong>#kinderchat:</strong> If you are interested in early childhood education, check out #kinderchat on Mondays at 9 pm ET. This popular chat recently added an additional discussion at 3:30 pm ET to accommodate overseas participants. Learn about this inspiring community on the <a href="http://www.kinderchat123.net/p/the-chat.html" target="_blank">kinderchat website</a>. <br />
<strong>#digcit</strong>: This chat discusses best practices in teaching Digital Citizenship and Literacy on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 7 to 8 pm ET. Find out more information at <a href="http://www.gonevirtual.org/digcit.html" target="_blank">gonevirtual.org/digcit.html</a>. <br />
Want to learn more about Education Twitter chats? Jerry Blumengarten (@<a href="http://www.twitter.com/cybraryman1" target="_blank">cybraryman1</a>) has some terrific resources on <a href="http://www.cybraryman.com/" target="_blank">his website</a>. For specific tips, check out his "<a href="http://cybraryman.com/howtochat.html" target="_blank">How to Chat</a>" page and his "<a href="http://cybraryman.com/chats.html" target="_blank">Twitter Chat</a>" page. <br />
Hope to "see" you at a Twitter Chat soon!</span> </td></tr>
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About the Author</div>
<strong></strong> Susan Bearden is the Director of Information Technology at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in Melbourne, FL, and is the co-moderator of #edtechchat and #digcit chat. Follow her on Twitter at @<a href="http://www.twitter.com/s_bearden">s_bearden</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/09/23/13-twitter-chats-for-educators.aspx">http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/09/23/13-twitter-chats-for-educators.aspx</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-25464361104324287382015-02-11T02:41:00.003-08:002015-02-13T08:14:47.020-08:00It's Time to Make Learning Fun Again . . . Even for Adults<br />
Have you ever heard of a great idea during professional planning and love the idea but you hear it at the end of the session and your brain is fried? You never implement it and a great idea goes to waste. One concept to turn this around is the APPmazing Race. In the article below there are great ideas from using data driven teacher teams from pairing the most tech saavy teacher to someone that can barely turn their computers on. <br />
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It's Time to Make Learning Fun Again . . . Even for Adults</h1>
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FEBRUARY 10, 2015</div>
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<a class="external-link" href="http://ipadpalooza.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1e64b4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Photo credit: iPadalooza</a></div>
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One of the things I've struggled with during my tenure in education is how professional development is done in schools, especially around integration of technology. PD is already confined to a couple of weeks in the summer, but then throw on top of that the "sit-and-get" style in which we teach our content, and you can see why most teachers would rather surf Pinterest than learn during these sessions. We preach how "student-centered" we want the classroom to be, yet we spend hours talking <em>at</em> teachers and call this "professional learning."</div>
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While this isn't unique to technology, I've found that a vast majority of technology training spends 90 percent of our time teaching us about tools, and 10 percent discussing how we could use these tools in the classroom (usually at the end of the workshop, when we are all exhausted).</div>
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The APPmazing Race</h3>
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At last year's <a class="external-link" href="http://ipadpalooza.com/" style="color: #1e64b4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">iPadpalooza</a>, we stumbled upon an idea that may have changed the way professional learning in educational technology takes place from now on. During the three-day "learning festival" (it's not a conference), attendees were encouraged to create teams either prior to or during registration. These teams would take part in a 36-hour challenge known as the <a class="external-link" href="http://ipadpalooza.com/appmazing-race/" style="color: #1e64b4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">APPmazing Race</a> (thanks to the clever <a class="external-link" href="http://www.techchef4u.com/" style="color: #1e64b4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Lisa Johnson</a> for the title). The inspiration behind this concept is that learning takes place everywhere and anywhere, so why should we limit it to the individual sessions during the event? What about the time in between?</div>
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One of the finalists for the APPmazing Race.</div>
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<a class="external-link" href="http://ipadpalooza.com/2014-gallery/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1e64b4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Photo credit: iPadalooza</a></div>
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Over 40 teams took part in the inaugural race, and 18 actually completed all the challenges, which ranged from taking selfies with the vendors to creating a digital poster of what they ate from the infamous food trailers. (<a class="external-link" href="http://hookedoninnovation.com/2014/07/01/the-appmazing-race-a-great-way-to-increase-collaboration-and-learning-at-an-event/" style="color: #1e64b4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Learn more about the challenges</a>.) The race combined collaboration, interaction, problem solving, movement, and creation all at once. Add to that, there was <em>no</em> direct training on actual technology or apps. While each and every challenge required technology, it was almost invisible at the same time. Needless to say, the APPmazing Race was a big hit with attendees, and it got me thinking -- why couldn't we do this same thing with regular, everyday staff development?<br />
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The Interactive Learning Challenge</h3>
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"Learning by doing" is not a new concept by any stretch. The famed<a class="external-link" href="http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DEVMARKETPLACE/Resources/Handout_TheLearningPyramid.pdf" style="color: #1e64b4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Learning Pyramid</a> has been around for decades. However, what has changed is how we all now have access to the world in our pocket. So, armed with the success of the APPmazing Race, I've spent the past year developing and testing this concept that I'm calling <strong>Interactive Learning Challenges</strong>(or ILCs).</div>
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At its core, an Interactive Learning Challenge starts with the concepts of collaborative problem solving and interactive creativity, and adds an element of competition to learning. An ILC can take place over the course of several days or even in one hour. It can be done with as little as a dozen people to as many as a few hundred people (as was the case at iPadpalooza).</div>
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This past fall, I debuted the Interactive Learning Challenge to a group of 150 staff members at a school in San Antonio, TX. Their superintendent had contacted me about delivering a keynote speech during their "Welcome Back" convocation. He then mentioned that if I wanted, instead of the typical hour for a keynote, I could have two and a half hours to expand it into some sort of interactive workshop. This was the perfect time to try out my theory.</div>
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After setting the tone for the day, I had the entire group line up and self-identify who was the most or least tech-savvy. After that, I paired and grouped the staff to insure that each team of four included at least one "high tech" person. The way I designed the challenges, every team member had to be participate in the creation of the final product, regardless of tech skills. Rather than confine them to the lecture hall, I placed challenges throughout the building. Completing one challenge revealed the clue to another, and so on. One staff member called it a "scavenger hunt on steroids."</div>
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Every group completed the challenge, and after we reconvened, I asked the staff to reflect on what they had completed. Some of the takeaways were that they loved moving while they learned, and that those who had self-identified as least tech-savvy felt empowered and actually learned some apps they hadn't known before. Needless to say, it was a <em>huge</em> success, and many of them send me messages even today about how engaging and interactive it was, but more importantly, about how they are trying the same thing with their kids in class.</div>
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While I don't think this style of staff development can be applied to all topics, I'm working on making a series of "recipes" based on subject matter, group size, device availability, and time frame so that others may try this same approach to professional learning. My hope isn't so much for Interactive Learning Challenges to revolutionize the way we do professional development around technology as much as it is to maximize the time we have for learning.</div>
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And it doesn't hurt if the learning is also fun, right?</div>
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</section><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-22945408545468069082015-02-10T16:01:00.003-08:002015-02-11T02:15:58.633-08:00Can you name the 7 Wonders of the Modern World?The seven wonders of the ancient world are not only interesting but so are the new wonders and let me explain. The ancient wonders are all relics that have long since been destroyed minus the Great Pyramid of Giza for reasons that make for interesting reading and are listed below. What I had no idea of is there are multiple lists from an architectural version and another that made me scratch my head. First, the old or original list is incredible but what do you think of the list that largely helps with the transportation better quality of life for humans while the latter is more cultural or religious. A complete slide show is at the bottom of the post. What I find truly amazing is the Roman Colosseum is on the list. You would think it would have made the ancient list by people of the ancient world but as old as the Colosseum is, it was built after the original list was compiled. <br />
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<li><a href="http://geography.about.com/z/js/o.htm?k=geography&SUName=geography&d=Geography&r=http%3A%2F%2Fgeography.about.com%2Fod%2Flists%2Fa%2Fsevenwonders.htm" target="_top">Geography</a></li>
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="2" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/fl/The-Colossus-at-Rhodes.htm">The Colossus of Rhodes</a><br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="3" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/egyptmaps/fl/Great-Pyramid-at-Giza.htm">The Great Pyramid of Giza</a><br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="4" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/fl/The-Hanging-Gardens-of-Babylon.htm">The Hanging Gardens of Babylon</a><br />
The Lighthouse of Alexandria<br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="5" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/fl/The-Mausoleum-at-Halicarnassus.htm">The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus</a><br />
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia<br />
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus<br />
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<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="6" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World.htm">The Seven Wonders of the Modern World</a></h3>
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="7" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World.htm">Channel Tunnel</a><br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="8" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World_2.htm">CN Tower</a><br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="9" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World_3.htm">Empire State Building</a><br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="10" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World_4.htm">Golden Gate Bridge</a><br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="11" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World_5.htm">Itaipu Dam</a><br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="12" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World_6.htm">Netherlands North Sea Protection Works</a><br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="13" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World_7.htm">Panama Canal</a><br />
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The "New" Seven Wonders of the World</h3>
On July 7, 2007 (7-7-07) an organization announced a "new" set of the Seven Wonders of the World based on online voting from around the world...<br />
Chichen Itza, Mexico - Mayan City<br />
Christ Redeemer, Brazil - Large Statue<br />
<a data-component="link" data-ordinal="17" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/greatwall.htm">The Great Wall, China</a><br />
Machu Picchu, Peru<br />
Petra, Jordan - Ancient City<br />
The Roman Colosseum, Italy<br />
The <a data-component="link" data-inlink="4kth7Tr7_BJupXvrO74dzg==" data-ordinal="18" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" href="http://asianhistory.about.com/od/glossarytz/g/GlosTajMahal.htm">Taj Mahal</a>, India<br />
<a href="http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World.htm" target="_blank">http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/ss/Seven-Wonders-Of-The-Modern-World.htm</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-19564907202800736012015-02-10T02:50:00.004-08:002015-02-10T02:50:48.106-08:00From Maureen Downey: One teachers plea to stop the madness of overtesting<h1>
A teacher’s plea to Georgia lawmakers: Lessen testing so we can return to teaching</h1>
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<span class="cm-timestamp"></span> <time class="updated" datetime="2015-02-10T05:05:21+00:00">February 10, 2015</time> | </div>
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I love hearing from educators in the field because they are living most of the issues we discuss on this blog. Their front-line reports and their insights are critical to any discussions.<br />
Mary N. Fouraker is a 26-year teaching veteran in Georgia. She spent her career in public schools, 23 of them at Charlton County High in Folkston, a small, rural school in southeastern Georgia.<br />
For most of her career, she has taught high school English.<br />
“My degree is actually in public relations from the University of Georgia, but I went back to get my teaching certification, and I have never looked back,” says Fouraker. “I love what I do, and my husband and I are proud parents of successful children, both graduates of CCHS and public universities of our fine state (UGA, GA Tech, and Georgia Southern).”<br />
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<a href="https://cmgajcschools.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/testing.jpg"><img alt="A teacher says too much time is lost preparing for tests and taking tests. (AJC File )" class=" wp-image-1455" height="269" src="https://cmgajcschools.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/testing.jpg?w=404&h=269" width="404" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text">
A teacher says too much classroom time is lost preparing for tests and taking tests. (AJC File )</div>
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She shared a letter she wrote to legislators, explaining: “In December of this past year, I was involved in yet another round of testing, and I just felt. . .sad. . .disillusioned. . .and frustrated. I am considered a successful teacher — my students do well, and I am a department chair and sit on several committees. But after so many years of going through so many testing cycles, I just felt sad. This is the letter I composed that evening, and after several months of reflection, I decided to send it on my state senators and representatives. It was also suggested that I send it to you, because of your interest in and support of Georgia public education. Please take the time to read it — I feel I speak for many. Thank you so much.”<br />
Here is Fouraker’s letter to lawmakers:<br />
To Whom It May Concern:<br />
I was pondering the state of education this morning. I had a great deal of time to do so, since I was proctoring the second day of a three-part test. I was wondering if we truly think about what we do.<br />
As an example, I was thinking about the studies I have read and that have been quoted to me that indicate one of the best predictors of student success is the protection of instructional time. I also realize that no one can teach students better than the teacher regularly assigned to them; in other words, no substitute is better than the teacher, and no one can teach my students better than I can.<br />
And yet, here I was, on the second day of a five-day End of Course Test schedule that was taking my whole class out of my instructional sphere for two days. Members of that same class were going to be missing some of our future class meetings during the rest of the five-day schedule because they had EOCTs in other classes that would be testing during my class block.<br />
But that isn’t all – I missed another class entirely the day before, not because they were testing, but because I was – I was proctoring during class time, so they were being “covered” by another teacher. Theoretically, I would have missed today with them, too – I was scheduled to do so – but the test ended sooner than expected. But, keep in mind I was scheduled to miss them.<br />
Now, when the EOCTs are over, we will start a five-day SLO testing schedule for all those courses not covered by EOCTs. That will be two days out of my SLO classes, because English is a two-part test.<br />
What this means is that our students have a two-week testing schedule. They are coming to school for two weeks basically to test. I will not be teaching for two days per class being tested, and at least one day in a non-tested class because I’m proctoring. There will be students who will miss my classes because they will be testing in another class.<br />
Then, there is review time – not so much for me because of the nature of my subject (literature and composition), but for other, more information-based subjects (science, history, etc). The students will be reviewing for these high-stakes tests as much for their confidence and sense of security as anything else. But they will not be learning anything new.<br />
Adding to my puzzlement and consternation is the fact these are End of Course Tests and Student Learning Objective tests, but they are not given at the end of the course; they are given at least two weeks, and sometimes three weeks, before the semester ends.<br />
On a block schedule, that’s 15 to 22.5 hours of instruction not conducted before the end of the course. That’s a great deal of information/instruction either not introduced or taught very quickly. That’s three weeks of an 18-week class – gone.<br />
I assure you, I will be teaching (when I’m in class and my students are in class and not involved in testing), as will my colleagues, but my students, who are quite aware of such things, will not be nearly as focused on the material; it would be nice to think they would be interested in the class for the sake of learning, but they’re probably just interested in the end result of a grade.<br />
Since the EOCT and SLO count 20 percent of their grade and that 20 percent is done, they’re not going to be too impressed with anything else I introduce.<br />
And, it’s one-sixth of my instructional time gone. That translates to the very distinct possibility of one-sixth of objectives not being met – objectives that have already been tested, nevertheless. They are objectives that are important, but are given short shrift because of our need for testing. Add to this the week of pre-testing for SLOs at the beginning of each semester, and our schedule really does begin to boggle the mind.<br />
I love what I do, I love my kids, I love my subject, and I love learning in order to stay up-to-date in both my subject and in my profession. But I just don’t understand how this testing procedure is helping me or my students.<br />
I believe in public education; but, like Milton said long ago, I believe education should help our students to “perform justly, skillfully, and magnanimously all the duties, public and private, of peace and war.” I believe in cultural literacy, the fact there are certain things every citizen of the United States should at least be exposed to, in order to truly understand our culture and succeed in our society.<br />
I have yet to see how this testing schedule and these tests help to achieve any of this. I don’t understand why some of my students have an incredible amount of accommodations in my classroom in order to succeed, yet they don’t have the same accommodations on these high-stake tests that can determine their future – and possibly my own.<br />
My daughter has a degree in psychology, but she is now taking classes for teacher certification; she wants to teach high school social studies. I am so excited! She has the gift, a true love of learning and a way about her that encourages those she’s instructing/coaching to achieve. But when I tell my colleagues about her plans, the majority of them express a certain amount of dismay. They want to know why I am so pleased, and they often admit they discourage their children from becoming teachers. How sad!<br />
However, I understand how they feel. It is discouraging, disheartening, and demoralizing to be disrespected and even disenfranchised from making decisions that affect my efforts to develop good, honest, life-long learners by the very public and its leaders that I strive to serve.<br />
And I worry – I truly believe that teaching is her God-given calling, but will she be allowed to develop it? Or will her spirit be crushed under the weight of laws, demands, and requirements that she doesn’t understand and no one can really explain?<br />
Please understand, I’m writing this letter as a plea – please, look at what we require of our students and their teachers. See if the means really get us to the ends that we say we want, or are we just checking off boxes on somebody’s master list. Help us love what we do – help our young people become what they are meant to be.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Mary N. Fouraker<br />
English Teacher/Dept. Chair<br />
Charlton County High School</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-45333097832805716042015-02-08T03:55:00.001-08:002015-02-11T13:33:37.921-08:0030 Things You Should Never Say in a Classroom <em></em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>I am not sure if the following list is serious or not but there is no way anyone would with self respect would say them and certainly not twice. You will wince, you will chuckle but hopefully this is not a part of your practice.</strong> The following article comes from Teach Toolkit (<span style="color: red;">You will notice a Brit wrote this. You will see when reading number one).</span></span></em><br />
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<em><h1 class="post_name" id="post-15903">
30 Things You Should Never Say in a Classroom by @TeacherToolkit</h1>
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<span class="byline">Posted by <a class="url fn n" href="http://teachertoolkit.me/author/rossmcgill/" rel="author" title="View all posts by @TeacherToolkit"><span style="color: #da1301;">@TeacherToolkit</span></a></span> <span class="entry-date"><span class="dot"><span style="font-family: Lucida Sans Unicode;">⋅</span></span> <time class="entry-date" datetime="2014-12-30T11:42:17+00:00" pubdate="">December 30, 2014</time></span><span class="comment-link"><span class="dot"><span style="font-family: Lucida Sans Unicode;">⋅</span></span> </span></div>
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<h3>
<strong>You Should Never Say?</strong></h3>
<ol>
<li>Right, you answer those questions whilst I just nip out for a fag.<span style="color: red;">*</span></li>
<li>Shut it son!</li>
<li>Get out! Go straight to the headteachers office and wait outside …</li>
<li>This is my personal email address.<span style="color: red;">*</span></li>
<li>During this term, I’m not going to mark any of your books.</li>
<li>If you do that again, you’ll be excluded …<span style="color: red;">*</span></li>
<li>Okay. Hands up. Who doesn’t understand?</li>
<li>Don’t choose that subject at GCSE, it won’t help you (insert) …</li>
<li>Why didn’t you do your homework? It was easy.</li>
<li>If you need help, ask your mum to text me.<span style="color: red;">*</span></li>
<li>What a stupid question!</li>
<li> You only need to learn this for the exam, then you can forget it.</li>
<li>I haven’t planned anything today and forgotten what I’m doing. Can you lot just get on with some colouring-in or just read a book …</li>
<li>My other class did this really well. What’s wrong with you today?</li>
<li>You have to be here, I don’t.</li>
<li>Who’s your teacher? (Reply) Well, that explains it. They’re not even a proper teacher …<span style="color: red;">*</span></li>
<li>I’m so happy, I don’t have to see you lot for a whole two weeks!</li>
<li>Let’s watch a video.</li>
<li>I’ve seen this same idea for the past 6 years.</li>
<li>What do you mean, you don’t have a phone?</li>
<li>(Loud burp/fart) Were you born on a farm?</li>
<li>If I divide the time in the lesson by who is here, that gives me less than 2 minutes to speak with each of you. Okay?</li>
<li>Thank god I don’t live near this school!</li>
<li>‘Hello mum? I’m teaching. I can’t speak right now.’</li>
<li>I’m off to Thailand for half-term. What are you lot up to?</li>
<li>I’m not even going to look at your work. Do it again!</li>
<li>Stand in the corner and put your hands on your head.<span style="color: red;">*</span></li>
<li>God. I was hammered at the weekend!<span style="color: red;">*</span></li>
<li>So you all have more time to prepare, I’ve just decided to postpone the test …</li>
<li>Aha! So, your (name) brother/sister. That explains it all.</li>
</ol>
Of course, much of the above is written in jest and may be acceptable within the context of your classroom conversations and teacher-student relationships. However, there are some fairly <span style="color: red;">serious</span> points above which should be avoided at all costs. I have highlighted these with a small <span style="color: red;">red</span> asterisk at the end of each sentence. (These are all safeguarding and/or health and safety issues).<br />
Whether this raised a smile or a frown, I hope you found it useful.<br />
If there is anything missing, why not tweet your thoughts by <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Things%20You%20Should%20%23NeverSayInClass%20via%20%40TeacherToolkit.%20http%3A%2F%2Fwp.me/p2HFBD-48v%20What%20have%20You%20Said%20In%20Class%20That%20You%20Later%20Regret?" target="_blank"><span style="color: #da1301;">clicking here</span></a>, or add your sentence to my comments feed below.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-16422208262083120572015-02-07T06:52:00.004-08:002015-02-07T06:54:36.267-08:00The Toughest Class You Will Ever Teach: 9 Tips for Engaging Middle School Students<span style="font-size: large;"> I have taught middle school students my entire career and found the article below one that will either confirm what you are doing or give you some additional perspectives. <strong><span style="color: red;">My comments are in red and I invite you to comment.</span></strong> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Toughest Class You Will Ever Teach: 9 Tips for Engaging Middle School Students<!-- google_ad_section_end --></span><br />
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<span id="ehowcont" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Article" style="width: auto;"><span itemprop="description"><span itemprop="articleBody">Teaching little kids can be fun. They have energy and a fascination with the world that only comes from the innocence of childhood. Adult students, on the other hand, have a higher cognitive ability and can understand complex concepts even if their English language skills are at a beginning level.</span></span></span><br />
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Nonetheless, <strong>what does a teacher do when her students are too young to think like adults but are trying their hardest to escape childhood?</strong> This is the question that faces every middle school teacher. The awkward age that ranges from around 11 until 15 is a challenge for even the best of teachers, but there is hope. Here are some teacher-tested tips for the middle school teachers out there that will help you work with your students’ strengths and minimize their struggles.</div>
<img alt="" class="cboth" src="http://busyteacher.org/theme/images/spacer.gif" /><br />
<h2 class="h2v1">
How to Engage Middle School Students</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<h3>
Get Physical</h3>
Kids at that difficult middle school age are often brimming with energy, even in inappropriate moments. To harness that energy in a constructive way,<strong> try using physical games that include a language element</strong>. The physical exertion will tame the middle schoolers’ energy enough so they can sit and listen and the language tie in will ensure you don’t feel like you are wasting valuable classroom time. Try games like <em>Simon Says</em>, which require your students to listen for directions before they move. See ‘<a data-original-title="TPR Tricks: 5 Fabulous Ways to Use Total Physical Response in the ESL Classroom" href="http://busyteacher.org/4246-tpr-tricks-5-fabulous-ways-to-use-total-physical.html" target="_blank" title="">TPR Tricks: 5 Fabulous Ways to Use Total Physical Response in the ESL Classroom</a>’. <strong><span style="color: red;">Without a doubt, middle schoolers need to leave their seats in controlled KAOS whenever possible. Action themometers where students can vote yes or now or have choices by standing in predetmined places in the room or taking notes by having a gallery walk or voting on student work using rubrics are just some choices. Students love doing this.</span></strong> </li>
<li><div class="stepnum">
</div>
<h3>
Encourage Talking</h3>
Talking can be a high priority for kids in the middle school age group, especially for girls. Though second language students may not be as chattery as native speakers, kids will still benefit from a chance to talk in class. <strong>Make sure your lesson plans always include questions for discussion</strong>. You may need to give specific questions for your students to cover rather than giving simple directions to simply discuss, but you will find that middle schoolers have opinions and they appreciate a chance to share them. The more you make kids quiet day after day, you will be the teacher they hate coming to. <span style="color: red;">Students do need procedures so they stay on task and you have to have consequences explained in advance</span>.</li>
<li><div class="stepnum">
<strong> Be Creative</strong></div>
Even though kids in the middle school age range are trying to mature out of their childhoods, being a kid is still a large portion of who they are, and <strong>encouraging creative expression through artistic elements will add an element of fun to your classroom</strong> they are sure to appreciate. <strong><span style="color: red;">Using Bloom's taxonomy, Gardner's Multiple Intelligences or student choices through jigsaws are just a few ways to engage students</span></strong>. </li>
<li><div class="stepnum">
</div>
<h3>
Be Concrete</h3>
Preteens experience a lot of brain development, but in middle school most students think in very concrete terms. They often cannot understand intangible concepts, so <strong>the more concrete examples you give during your instruction, the more effective your teaching will be</strong>. If you are trying to teach something abstract, try to explain it in as concrete terms as you can to help your students understand, and give lots of chances for students to put theoretical knowledge to practical use. <strong><span style="color: red;">This is an area I need to improve in. Bring the language down to their level. My students are amazed at my vocabulary but amazing does not translate into understanding. Keep the directions simple.</span></strong> </li>
<li><div class="stepnum">
</div>
<h3>
Use Object Lessons</h3>
<strong>Object lessons can be an effective way to make an abstract lesson more concrete</strong>. Think of ways you can teach a concept through an object lesson, and check online for successful object lessons other teachers have used.</li>
<li><div class="stepnum">
</div>
<h3>
Be Flexible</h3>
<strong>Not every traditional or even successful lesson plan will work well with middle school students</strong>. Be flexible and willing to change up even the lessons that have worked for you in the past. Because your middle school students have different needs than children or adult students, you should always be willing to tailor your plans to meet those needs. Yes, what works for one group of students may not work with others. Some students need a different type of activity than the class period before. <strong><span style="color: red;">Perhaps your three activity jigsaw needs only two activities if students cannot grasp a concept or they are too immature to pull it off and would be off task.</span></strong> </li>
<li><div class="stepnum">
</div>
<h3>
Celebrate Success</h3>
Everyone wants to feel as though he is successful at his work, and middle school students are no exception. <strong>Celebrating the small victories and accomplishments of your students will help them feel motivated</strong> and will inspire them to deepen their linguistic educations. Make sure this is authentic.<strong><span style="color: red;"> Authentic praise is priceless. Do not tell a student their work is great when it needs improvement and is below their capability. Conversely, for students where the praise of going from below average to above average and reaching their ability is a huge win for them.</span></strong> <strong><span style="color: red;">That is celebrating success. Also, some classes need to receive the praise as a whole.</span></strong></li>
<li><div class="stepnum">
</div>
<h3>
Encourage Curiosity</h3>
Middle school students are like children in that they are learning how the world works. <strong>Encourage your students to satisfy their curiosity about language as they learn</strong>. Allowing your students to ask any questions, and not berating them for it, will help your students get excited about learning. Then use this excitement to show them that they can be successful language learners. <span style="color: red;"><strong>Encourage students to write new vocabulary down in their books and have them demonstrate the language in their daily work. Have students look up questions they would like to know on a classroom computer or even their phones to get an answer</strong></span>. </li>
<li><div class="stepnum">
</div>
<h3>
Give and Take Respect</h3>
<strong>The more you give your students respect, the more likely they are to return the gesture</strong>. Avoid talking down to middle school students, listen when you ask their opinions and talk to them like they deserve respect, and you will find your students are more responsive and engaged in class. <strong><span style="color: red;">This is huge. Being condescending is poor and will never win you to your students. Get to know your students. Never cut down their culture. I hate rap but many of my students of various cultures love it. Don't talk about it. If you like something about their culture, it is great to weave that into an assignment or vocabulary. Use application learning where they can make that connection to their daily lives.</span></strong> </li>
</ol>
<h2>
Experienced teachers know that it takes a special person to work with middle school students.</h2>
By planning lessons to meet the needs of your middle school students and being flexible with your time and activities, you will be proud of what great students your middle schoolers have become.<br />
<a href="http://busyteacher.org/10666-teach-9-tips-engaging-middle-school-students.html">http://busyteacher.org/10666-teach-9-tips-engaging-middle-school-students.html</a></div>
</span></span></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-29776292822420587532015-02-06T15:31:00.000-08:002015-02-06T15:31:17.856-08:00Differentiating Instruction using Bloom's Taxonomy<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>The concept of using Bloom's Taxonomy to differentiate instruction is not new. I have used this strategy for years but could it be taken a step further? Is it something with practice have students use the verbs to write questions while reading or working on an activity to differentiate what they have learned during the lesson using their own verbs to answer the questions? For</strong> <strong>instance, a student or team could look at the reading and cross reference with the chart below to figure out what the author of the text is asking. They could look at the questions being asked and look for the verbs to see what the author is asking. Students with practice could look at the lists to comprise their own questions and form their own understandings. I used this while completing some doctorate coursework and did the former but not the latter. What do you think? The article and chart below are in Teach Thought. How do you use Bloom's taxonomy in the classroom? If not, why not? The article below is currently on teachthought.com</strong></span><br />
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Bloom’s Taxonomy’s verbs–also know as power verbs or thinking verbs–are extraordinarily powerful instructional planning tools.<br />
In fact, next to the concept of backwards-design and power standards, they are likely the most useful tool a teacher-as-learning-designer has access to. Why?<br />
They can be used for curriculum mapping, assessment design, lesson planning, personalizing and differentiating learning, and almost any other “thing” a teacher–or student–has to do.<br />
For example, if a standard asks students to infer and demonstrate an author’s position using evidence from the text, there’s a lot built into that kind of task. First a student has to be able to define what an “author’s position” is and what “evidence from the text” means (<em>Knowledge-level</em>). They’ll then need to be able to summarize that same text (<em>Understanding-level</em>), interpret and infer any arguments or positions (<em>Analysis-level</em>), evaluate inherent claims (<em>Evaluation-level</em>), and then write (<em>Creation-level</em>) a response that demonstrates their thinking.<br />
Though the chart below reads left to right, it’s ideal to imagine it as a kind of incline, with Knowledge at the bottom, and Create at the top. You may not always need this kind of tool to “unpack” standards and identify a possible learning sequence, but it also works ideally as an assessment design tool. If students can consistently work with the topic in the columns to the right–designing, recommending, differentiating, comparing and contrasting, and so on, then they likely have a firm grasp on the material.<br />
While we’ve shared <strong><a href="http://www.teachthought.com/learning/14-brilliant-blooms-taxonomy-posters-for-teachers/" title="Bloom's Taxonomy Posters">Bloom’s Taxonomy posters</a></strong> posters before, the simplicity and clean design of the chart format make it a bit more functional–even useful to hand to the students themselves as a hole-punch-and-keep-it-in-your-journal-for-the-year kind of resource. It also makes a powerful self-directed learning tool. Start at the left, and, roughly, move right.<br />
<a href="http://www.teachthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/verbs-for-blooms-taxonomy.jpg"><img alt="verbs-for-blooms-taxonomy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-12068" height="952" src="http://www.teachthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/verbs-for-blooms-taxonomy.jpg" width="736" /></a><br />
<em>249 Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs For Critical Thinking </em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-56588335422426719992015-02-05T15:28:00.003-08:002015-02-05T15:28:46.314-08:00The latest edition of Fulton County Schools Difference Makers has Vanguard Member featured<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Wow, what an honor to be named as an educator mentioned in Fulton County Schools Difference Makers Program</span></strong>. <br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&v=NcZt4jstbXs&x-yt-ts=1421914688" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&v=NcZt4jstbXs&x-yt-ts=1421914688</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-29000039440030860472015-02-04T14:10:00.001-08:002015-02-04T14:10:47.462-08:00Fulton County Schools learned today that it will be reaccredited for another five years by AdvancED<img class="prg" id="imgPrg" src="https://webmail.fultonschools.org/OWA/14.3.224.2/themes/base/pgrs-sm.gif" style="display: none;" />
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Fulton County Schools learned today that it will be
reaccredited for another five years by AdvancED, the parent organization of SACS
(Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). A 20-member external review team
assessed the entire school district during</div>
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This comes from the Fulton County Schools communications department and is great news for an urban district that focuses so much on improving teacher and student achievement. Seeing first hand how much FCS works to ensure the success of every stakeholder, this is good news for the Greater Atlanta area where many people are working to make sure students can be gainfully employed and ready for a career and of course... become productive citizens. </div>
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<a href="https://employees.fultonschools.org/_catalogs/masterpage/FCS/Images/fcs-logo_130x61.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Employees" border="0" class="ms-siteicon-img" id="ctl00_x7ac66890dbeb4221b604e44acf766721" name="onetidHeadbnnr0" src="https://employees.fultonschools.org/_catalogs/masterpage/FCS/Images/fcs-logo_130x61.png" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Fulton County Schools learned today that it will be
reaccredited for another five years by AdvancED, the parent organization of SACS
(Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). <br /><br />A 20-member external
review team assessed the entire school district during February 1-4 and made its
recommendation to Superintendent Robert Avossa and the Fulton County Board of
Education this afternoon. Over the four-day period, the team interviewed nearly
650 system leaders, principals, teachers, students, families, and
business/community partners. Preceding the visit, however, were months of
preparation, artifact collection, and research documentation throughout the
district.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />AdvancED examined three main areas: impact of
teaching and learning; capacity of leadership; and use of resources. It praised
Fulton County Schools for exceeding national standards in providing learning
environments that have high expectations and are equitable, supportive, active
and well managed. It also gave high marks – called Powerful Practices – for the
district’s leadership and school board governance, and for fostering a culture
where all within the school system have a shared understanding of goals and
direction. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />“This is an intensive process, one that allows us to
take a deep look at ourselves and to peel away our layers to evaluate our
effectiveness and efficiency as a school system. We’re extremely proud that
AdvancED recognized our schools’ hard work and our leaders’ efforts to provide a
quality learning experience for all students.” said Linda McCain, school board
president.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />Acknowledging some limitations and challenges faced
by the system, the AdvancED team pointed out that no school system is perfect
and that many social and economic factors are beyond the district’s control. It
identified some areas for improvement, particularly how digital learning is
addressed in schools and a perception in the community that funding or resources
may not be allocated the same among schools. It also shared that while some
schools are high performing and continually seeking improvement, not all schools
have the same focus on continuous improvement practices and processes.
<br /><br />“We know that there are some areas that need improvement and they don’t
come as a surprise,” said Superintendent Robert Avossa. “Many already have
direct plans for improvement, such as our digital learning environment, which is
being addressed through our strategic plan’s focus on instructional technology
and personalized learning. We are confident AdvancED will see great success in
this area when we are reevaluated during the next five-year accreditation
cycle.”<br /><br />Fulton County Schools’ reaccreditation will be made official when
the AdvancED Commission votes later this year. Being accredited by AdvancED
signifies that a district and its schools are focused on raising student
achievement, providing a safe and enriching learning environment, and
maintaining an efficient and effective operation. In addition, it means that the
school system adheres to high quality standards based on the latest research and
successful professional practices.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">In 2004, Fulton County Schools became the first school
system in the nation to receive district accreditation. Before that, every
school went through the accreditation process individually. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">AdvancED is the unified organization of the North
Central Association (NCA), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS) and the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC). AdvancED accredits
more than 32,000 public and private schools and districts across the United
states and in 70 countries worldwide</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-14690264387613110392015-02-02T16:34:00.000-08:002015-02-03T15:22:48.322-08:00The Genius Hour Design Cycle: A Process For Planning<h1 class="single-title post-title" itemprop="headline">
The Genius Hour Design Cycle: A Process For Planning</h1>
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by <strong>Nigel Coutts</strong>, <a href="http://thelearnersway.net/" title="thelearnersway.net">thelearnersway.net</a><br />
<em>Ed note: Part 1 of this 2-part series <strong><a href="http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/teaching-through-passion-based-learning/" title="My Journey Teaching Through Passion-Based Learning">can be seen here</a></strong>; note that some of the language has been slightly revised from the original post by Nigel. He uses the term passion projects, which is very close to Genius Hour and Passion-Based Learning. The differences across the three terms are often a matter of individual use and interpretation, a point we wanted to help clarify by using the three terms interchangeably even though they may not be exactly the same–passion projects needn’t use a Genius Hour format, nor does passion-based learning necessarily need to take the form of projects. In that way, the above model can be used for any of the three, but it felt most precise as a model for teachers to use to design Genius Hour projects. So, here we are. You can (and should!) read more from Nigel at <a href="http://thelearnersway.net/" title="thelearnersway.net">thelearnersway.net</a>.</em><br />
In an ongoing effort towards polishing the edges, over the years we have continued to refine the processes we apply to the Personal Passion Project. <span style="line-height: 1.5;">We have gained insights into the sorts of projects that work well and which will cause difficulties. We have added a degree of structure while maintaining the required degree of freedom necessary for a personalised project.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"> The results of this learning are presented (in the model above and the text) below.</span><br />
<strong>1. Be prepared to be amazed</strong><br />
The quality of the students projects will go beyond what you expect. This is particularly important when a student comes to you with a grand idea that seems too hard or overly complex. If the student has the right level of passion for the project and an idea for how they will get started they will more than likely complete the project and complete it well.<br />
<strong>2. Don’t let your fears get in the way</strong><br />
The students are almost certainly going to select topics that you have no knowledge of and don’t have the skills to support. At this point it could be easy to let your fears and insecurities get in the way. The best way to move forward is to listen to the student; do they know what they are doing? do they know which questions they need to answer? what problems they need to solve? If the answers to all of this are positive, start looking for an expert to help when times get tough.</div>
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<strong>3. Some students need a push in the right direction</strong><br />
Some students will come up with projects that are too simple with answers that could be easily Googled. We introduced the students to ‘High Order Thinking Skills’ and built these into the planning forms students complete. Projects need to include elements of synthesis, evaluation and creativity with the minimum requirement adjusted for individuals. We provide students with a list of verbs appropriate for the top levels of Bloom’s taxonomy and help them use these in framing their topics.<br />
<strong>4. Some students design a project that has nothing to do with their passion</strong><br />
A student might have a passion for surfing and decide they are going to write a book about the history of the sport. The problem is they have designed a project where they will need to be a historian, a researcher, a writer and you know they don’t enjoy doing any of this. Maybe with the right topic they will gain a wider interest in these things but most likely they will quickly dream of days at the beach.<br />
<strong>5. Some projects are just not possible</strong><br />
It can be hard to say no to a project but some are just not feasible. A classic example is the student who wants to design a better tennis racquet by selecting the right mix of shape and materials. The problem is that the modern tennis racquet uses high tech composites and even with million dollar R&D budgets the differences between one design and the next is hard to prove.<br />
<strong>6. Time and Scale</strong><br />
Some projects will clearly take longer than you have available, others are simply too large in scale or will rely on the involvement of too many people. Setting manageable goals and working to an achievable timeframe is important. At the same time you need to ensure that the concerns over time constraints are genuine.<br />
Creating a detailed timeline with estimates of how long each phase will take is beneficial on many levels at this stage. For the students the conversations around how long the project will take can include some rewarding reflection on how they approach tasks and can assist in their development of an understanding of their learning style. Some students need time to talk about their project and unpack ideas socially, others need quiet time to think through the steps, some just dive in and fix mistakes and redirect their plans as they go.<br />
<strong>7. Too many changes</strong><br />
One of the challenges for some students has been the ever changing project. They select one topic, discover they don’t like it or encounter a problem they can’t easily solve and change to another topic. A week later and the process repeats. Setting a definite deadline after which there can be no changes is important. In the end the students work out that they have to make their ideas work.<br />
<strong>8. Just enough planning</strong><br />
Over the years we refined the level of planning the students were required to do before commencing on their projects in earnest. The initial version required great detail and length processes for developing focus questions and setting targets. For some students and some projects it worked well but for others it got in the way. Eventually we got to a point where the planning had just enough detail, so we know the students have an understanding of their project and that we can support them along the way. <a href="http://www.redlandsyear6.net/storage/downloads/MyPPP2013PDF.pdf" target="_blank">View our simplified planning template</a><br />
<strong>9. Relying on experts and building a team</strong><br />
Many of the projects students have explored over the years fall outside of the expertise of their teachers. I have no idea how to sew for example and have been of equally little help to students who are basing their projects around dance or music. Across the school we have found amazing partners with the skills we needed and in most cases they are keen to spend time with a student who they share a passion with. Building a team of support around the project is key to its ultimate success. Being mindful of the workload within this team is also important. We have had some colleagues so keen to help that they become overloaded and although they never complained we had to be careful in managing the demands on their time.<br />
<strong>10. Collaboration</strong> <strong>&</strong> <strong>Self Organized Learning</strong><br />
Because this is a Personal Passion Project we have not included team projects. Nevertheless collaboration between students is an important part of many projects. Where possible foster the opportunities for collaboration while allowing each student to maintain control of their project. The power of collaboration will lift the quality of the projects as students share ideas and encourage each other to go beyond expectations.<br />
Collaboration will also solve some of the problems with projects outside the teacher’s comfort zone. This year I had a group of students focused on game development and their ultimate success was a direct result of the community of like-minded learners they created around their projects. This is a perfect demonstration of students adopting a self-organized learning environment as they connect with their passions.<br />
<strong>11. The invisible safety net</strong><br />
For the Personal Passion Project finding the right levels of scaffolding, teacher input and guidance is one of the challenges. We want the students to feel that they are working independently while maintaining an appropriate level of support. In many ways we are wanting to provide an invisible safety net that allows the students to take risks independently while having the support they require.<br />
<strong>12. Documenting the process and ensuring time for reflection</strong><br />
Giving time to active reflection on the process has been important. Students need to be able to take a step back and assess what they have achieved and what remains to be accomplished. Sharing these ideas with peers is most beneficial and allows you to train the students in reflecting on their learning and in giving feedback to their peers.<br />
The act of reflecting on the process has also benefitted many students when it is time to share their projects with the world as their audience is as interested in the process as they are in the product. This is particularly true for projects where the process is not obvious or is underestimated by the audience. A good example is game design projects in which the finished product does not reveal the level of knowledge and effort that was required.<br />
<strong>13. Real Audiences</strong><br />
For all learning adding a real audience for the students is critical, too much of what students do is produced for an audience of one. For the Personal Passion Project presenting to an audience in the end of term ‘Gallery Walk’ has been critical in ensuring the success of the projects. The students gain a real sense of achievement from this day and the feedback is always genuinely positive.<br />
For 2015 we are planning to move to a ‘Genius Hour’ model with students engaging in a scaffolded programme of project management skill development throughout Semester One that leads into planning for and completing a Personal Passion Project across Semester Two. The difference will be that the learning experience will be distributed across the year, one hour per week.<br />
We hope that this fits with the demands of the new syllabus from a time perspective while retaining the best parts of the present model. Certainly at the end of the year we will reflect and share what has been learned.</div>
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</section><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13582332953163955437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2278295496608220973.post-14803385738395502012015-01-31T18:23:00.001-08:002015-01-31T18:23:23.635-08:00What are the high paying degrees for 2015?<section class="storytopbar-bucket story-headline-module" id="module-position-N2uCtwlKDnY"><h1 class="asset-headline" itemprop="headline">
Most people can rattle off the degrees that pay the most amount of money. Some of the degrees are the favorites you will see below. What is surprising is what sits at number 5. If you think Green Acres (that is your hint), you will get it. The list is dominated by math and science majors. I guess its true that the quarterback gets the girl in high school but smart girls look for those that are good at the courses described above. Of course, girls are getting better at the STEM programs and are slowly earning the degrees for themselves. What is most interesting is the number of people earning college degrees. This number is going up significantly making degrees and finishing schools more important than ever. The article is below. </h1>
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The 5 highest paying degrees of 2015</h1>
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<span class="asset-metabar-author asset-metabar-item" itemprop="name"> Erika Rawes, The Cheat Sheet </span><span class="asset-metabar-time asset-metabar-item nobyline">12:02 p.m. EST January 31, 2015</span></div>
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<span class="js-caption-wrapper"><span class="cutline js-caption">On average, engineering majors earn $3.5 million over the course of their lifetime.</span></span></div>
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More and more people are earning college degrees. As of 2011, close to one out of every three people over 25 held a bachelor's degree, according to a U.S. Census Bureau release. "As recently as 1998, fewer than one-quarter of people this age had this level of education."<br />
Because more of us are college-educated, this makes it so that "just any" degree will not necessarily suffice for some people anymore. People are starting to see that if they're going to invest all of that hard-earned money, not to mention time and energy, into obtaining a degree, it should be into one that will likely lead to ample job opportunities and higher earnings power.<br />
The Census Bureau reports that a bachelor's degree holder typically earns $2.4 million over his or her lifetime. Some degrees, like those in education, typically result in lower lifetime earnings than this benchmark. Other degrees, however, generally allow graduates to earn more than this lifetime benchmark.<br />
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Using Census data, coupled with an employer survey analysis by the National Association of Colleges and Employers(NACE), we've made a list of college majors that will likely lead to the highest earnings for 2015 grads.<br />
<b>1. Engineering</b><br />
2015 projected average starting salary: <b>$62,998</b><br />Average lifetime earnings of <b>$3.4 million</b><br />
You may be tired of hearing about how engineering is one of the "best college majors" or "most profitable college majors." But the reason you see engineering on so many of these lists is because the data lead right to it. On average, engineering majors earn $3.5 million over the course of their lifetime, which is more than any other college major. This year is expected to be no different, as NACE estimates the average salary of 2015 engineering grads at just under $63,000.<br />
When it comes to specific disciplines within the engineering field, petroleum engineers are expected to have the highest starting salaries in 2015. NACE estimates that the average grad could pull in a cool $80,000.<br />
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<b>2. Computer science</b><br />
2015 projected average starting salary: <b>$61,287</b><br />Average lifetime earnings of <b>$3.1 million</b><br />
Those who earn computer science degrees are also raking in the dough. And, this year's grads can expect large starting salaries. Over the course of a lifetime, computer grads who work in management occupations earn the most — a whopping $3.7 million. Those computer science majors with a specific discipline or specialty also tend to earn higher wages.<br />
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To read more, click the link below at the Detroit Free Press<br />
<a href="http://www.freep.com/story/money/personalfinance/2015/01/31/cheat-sheet-highest-paying-degrees/22478439/" target="_blank">http://www.freep.com/story/money/personalfinance/2015/01/31/cheat-sheet-highest-paying-degrees/22478439/</a><br />
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