|
|
|
Educational
Reporting™ News: Sept. 7, 2009
(top
of page)
I've done
the research - you save the time and reap the
rewards.
.... the
15+ links below will surely blow some fresh
breezes in a few classrooms across this world
- no doubt.
I've had
three of my own major myths revealed to me -
so far this year .....
......one,
robots can never replace teachers - I covered
this in an earlier issue.
...... two,
technology won't shift the shape of K12 classes
too, too much.
.......
three, no sustainable and equitable effort is
.... or will be made..... to educate young people
by public institutions - across the K12 curriculum.
Last week
I discovered the Open Education Resources (OER)
and the Open Language Learning Initiative (OLLI)........so
much for the floor of my myth #3. You have a
link to 'em both -and other FREE K12 courses,
and higher education as well - below.
|
|
|
"It
is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken
joy in creative expression and knowledge."
Albert Einstein
|
|
|
1.
Project
Based Learning (PBL): We live in
the age of collaboration. Look around. Teaching
students skills to work together builds
better opportunities for improving academic
skills and social skills. The link in the
title gives you all the evidence you'll
ever need.
2.
Service
Based Learning (SBL): Enrich your
library with over 25 focused powerpoint
files to better understand the who,
what, when, and why
of SBL. The link in the title supplies the
knowledge for education, after that I suggest
co-sposoring a SBL effort with other teachers
to move forward. If I did it, anyone can.
Resource
Spotlight: Real
Girls, Real Pressure
Seven out of 10 girls think they aren't
good enough or don't measure up. Sad but
true. Read the National Report on the State
of Self-Esteem, commissioned by the Dove®
Self-Esteem Fund. Now you are equipped with
background to understand those difficult
moments.
Free
K12 courses and higher education courses
can be found by clicking
here.
The
Open Language Learning Initiative information
can be found by clicking
here.
Spread
the wealth ..... it's free.
Share
this newsletter with your fellow educator.
|
|
Hottest
Ed Topics - Five Star Resources
Sick
techno: teachers & students:
Social
Media - a fad?
The majority of teachers I know aren't
deeply tech savvy, but contrary to popular
belief - neither are the majority of
students. The bottom line: K12 class
are supposed to be preparing our little
peeps for the future - right? After
all, they're the future leaders and
fillers of future jobs. Get ready to
have your perspective of time and communication
nailed.
Teacher blogging - no posers here:
3
Blogs - 3 Views
Meet three folks who cover the spectrum
of teaching. One sees the future and
is giving tips and techniques .... another
who is retired and sharing well earned
insights and strategies. The last -
but not least - is apparently riding
the daily classroom waves....
Education Reform - verified street
cred: Blue
School
A welcome change from traditional
education, their mission statement says
it all: to cultivate creative, joyful
and compassionate inquirers who use
courageous and innovative thinking to
build a harmonious and sustainable world.
|
Learning
With Games
Thousands
of links to free interactive, situational games
that promote learning in K12 content areas.
|
|
Educational
Reporting™ News: August 31, 2009 (top
of page)
Below, I have
sent ya about 12 of da best I know.....
I thought tis
da perfect time for a tad of true grit ....... the
stuff that keeps the ship on course when the mighty
winds start blowin' ........ ..
Everyone is best
when they are forging that excellence ..... don't
make a difference what you being .... a teacher, a
student, a parent, or even da administrator.
Everyone knows
those precious several weeks starting school, set
the tone for the mighty hike to follow ..... over
da rivers, through the rivers, and hopefully around
many of those bruisin' bumps.
But only the classroom
teacher knows and lives the daily grind ..... forced
upon 'em by the high stakes testing, left to wonder
across da divide.......with parents that are laggin'
or ones jumpin' somersaults to drive a point that
even their own children doubt.
Hey, teachers
just remember .... the worst step you can ever make
..... drum roll ... is start comparing you, your class,
or your results to another teacher, setting, or place
in time.
If you are giving
da students - all you got - then for sure you be earning
da graces of those truly in charge.
Be kind to yourself
..... that'll surely shine famously on your students.....
|
"Good
teaching is more a giving of right questions
than a giving of right answers." Josef
Albers
|
|
|
1.
Project
Based Learning (PBL): At 826 National
they use a PBL model for the development of successful
writing skills and the overall advancement of
student learning. Awesome stuff and they're having
success in inner cities too. What they are doing
is bustin' out da box.
2.
Service
Based Learning (SBL): Toolkits. You are
going to find more than one kind here. Getting
students involved is the magical ointment that
meshes "life outside" with the fours
walls of a classroom. Try it once.
Resource
Spotlight:
Giraffe Project
You're gonna be inspired and you're gonna reach
outside your community - where ever you are -
at this amazing resource. K12 students and teachers
in our global village and the remarkable efforts
they have done and are doing.
|
|
Hottest
Ed Topics - Five Star Resources
Sick
techno via teachers & students: The
Story of Stuff
I guarantee this video will get ya thinkin'
and no doubt turn on a light bulb or tow for
students that see it too. It's fact - so paying
attention is essential and filled with facts
- no one catches 'em all on the first time around.
A perfect resource showing the connections of
life and importance of education.
Ed blog - no posers here: A
Teachers Education
Mrs Chili is holding nuthing back.... She practices
herself - what successful teachers demand from
their successful students. Reading her blog,
I am reminded of the grit in my finer moments
and not so fine moments teaching high school
science. Her sharing it is poignant and sincere.
Be ready to learn and be REAL ... a blog well
worth your bookmark!
Education Reform - verified street cred:
826
Valencia
This
is my missing shangri-la as a teacher. Dave
Eggers began it in '98 and now they're in seven
cities. Based one-on-one attention with a focus
on strong writing skills being fundamental to
future success....they even do field trips.
All work is done in community setting. This
is a model for every reform effort - hands down.
You ca also see their (newer) national effort
at 826
National.
|
|
|
Educational
Reporting™ News: August
24, 2009 (top
of page)
I'm displaying 15 links
below to provide lesson relevance and skill building for
K12 teachers...
..... no worries about
your political party these days ..... seems everyone has
gripes about the Feds "improving education" and
what they do ... or don't do ..... been dat way ever since
the Dept. of Ed got created.
..... with K12 ed our
kids suffer the losses as nothing gets done to produce,
enforce, and fund sutainable K12 improvements ..... as more
and more double sided rhetoric gets stimulated.
... unfortunately our
government - like any large corporation, or even school
district, that's outta control - has become bloated with
1) powerful folks voting their own agendas instead of what
serves a sensible solution, 2) domineering special interests
groups wanting to take control, and 3) disturbing political
agenda groups twisting facts and figures....it gonna be
a while to see what's capitulated.
No doubt, there is a
bumpy road ahead for K12 education while teachers are left
to steer the course and dig the trenches. Well, the Los
Angeles school district has taken matters - a link to that
news is below - into their own hands ....let's see what
they're gonna have articulated.
|
"Education
is a companion which no future can depress, no crime
can destroy, no enemy can alienate it and no nepotism
can enslave." Ropo
Oguntimehin
|
Your
tweet connection with Education Reporting is here.
|
|
1. Project
Based Learning (PBL): This is the Big 6 site
that, I think, uses a perfect model for any content
area. They demonstrate the cycle of critical thinking
that can be adapted to any age level curriculum.
2. Service
Based Learning (SBL): Bring learning to life.
This is a loaded section that has multi dimensional
resources. New or experienced SBLers -will find this
useful.
Resource
Spotlight: K12
Kids in Action
Tons of inspiration here for teachers and students.
Real stories about young students and classes creating
and implementing efforts to better their community and
the world.
|
Los
Angeles Begins Own School Management Process
The second largest school distinct in the nation is tired
of waiting for the Ffeds to improve schools. Read
the Education Week article.
Learning
With Games
Links to free interactive,
situational games that promote learning in K12 content areas.
|
Teaching
with Technology
1.
Wiki: Media
Studies - South Island School
Teachers and students collaborating here for on media
projects. Check out the "other stuff" section
in the drop down menu on left for some cool apps and
demonstrations too, including a nice "how to"
on making and publishing slides with sound.
2.
Blog: The
Doc Is In
A real time blog of teaching in action without all
the flamboyant and knick-knack stuff on ed blogs scattered
around the internet. This one is the refreshingly
honest and to the point. Well done!
3.
Teachers: Merlot
Nope, no wine tasting room - shucks. A comprehensive
educator based resource to learn content, share detailed
lessons, and build skills. This requires a free account
to use. Get connected here and move forward too. Check
out their communities.
|
|
|
Educational Reporting™ News: August 11, 2009
(return to top)
Robots going
to replace teachers.......?
A new report says three
social skills are fundamental to learning in homo sapiens
(you and me) .....
1. imitation, which
accelerates learning and multiplies learning opportunities
2. shared attention,
which facilitates social learning
3. empathy and social
emotions, which are critical to understanding human intelligence
and appear to be present even in children who are speaking
yet
....what's this have
to do with robots and teaching?
There are already "social
robots" programmed to do those three functions ....they
already interact with us humans through dialogue or other
means that we are more and more comfortable with.
For instance .....how about
all those robots that respond to customer service calls we
make about cell phone or cable service.....?
I never thought I'd
see the day robots had even a remote chance of being teachers
.... and yes I put the link to the complete research report
below.
|
| "A
teacher affects eternity; you can never tell, where their
influence stops."
Henry B. Adams |
|
1. Project
Based Learning (PBL): Take a few minutes and
look over these videos on teachers using PBL. Don't
get freaky if they seem to complex for your class. Remember,
you set the pace by the design of your project. Start
simple.
2. Service
Based Learning (SBL): A comprehensive "Dummies"
guide: get up to speed or jet into warp drive. Plus,
you can browse 100+ ideas to open the gates.
Resource
Spotlight: MIT
Open Courseware
MIT opens its vault with some AP classes and 101 level
classes for teachers and students. The 101 material
covers all content area and AP is science only.
|
Advances
in Learning
Read the research that talks about those robots in tomorrow's
classroom from Science
News.
|
Teaching
with Technology
1.
Wiki: 5th
Grade Science Class
Amazing resource by the content, including a web cam.
I was surprised to see that 5th graders put it together.
2.
Blog: Digital
Story Telling
Well, stories are always with us and we know students
can weave some wonder .... put that creativity and
technology to use. This site has models, case studies
and resources too.
3.
RSS: Project
Ideas, Service Learning Resources
Tons of free sits here to use as models, idea generators,
or research into activities using collaboration -
some include volunteering in the community and some
are environmental education that promote stewardship
and social responsibility.
|
|
|
| |
Educational
Reporting™ News: August 4, 2009
(return
to top)
Summer is dwindling
away, opening that window to consider fresh ideas on lesson
building for those digital students.
....this material
is orientated to making meaningful class activities. After
all, offering active learning opportunities means students
will be doing the work and educators are doing the facilitating.
You already
know your lessons are the blueprint for learning opportunities.
Take it a step further, that opportunity gets exercised
when student critical thinking is turned on.
And the million
dollar question is, (drum roll) "How to get that critical
thinking engaged and carried forward by student effort?"
Curiosity.
Orient your
teaching efforts to generate student curiosity using well
structured activities dealing with relevant material. How?
Sprinkle your lessons with student collaboration exercises
using your finely honed classroom management skills.
Here are my
top two picks for collaboration and three top-notch technology
teaching resources....
|
| "The
mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled."
Plutarch |
|
1. Project
Based Learning (PBL): Start simply and build.
You customized PBL activities to fit the social and
academic specs of your classroom. This site has hundreds
of quality resources, experts, and examples. Check out
Edutopia.
2. Service
Based Learning (SBL): Students want relevant
content. They want to take appropriate ownership. Ask
'em. Here's a resource with plenty of ideas: Facing
the Future.
Resource
Spotlight: Teachers
Domain
A successful teacher knows that a video over 13 minutes
loses student attention. This resource has tons of quality,
short video clips for every content area - all free!
|
What
are you doing to induce metacognition?
Experiential education promotes
metacognition, the opportunity to reflect on your own thinking,
as students work on clearly defined tasks in small groups.
You'll find free resources to build potent lessons at Education
Reporting: http://www.educationreporting.com.
|
Teaching
with Technology
1.
Wiki: The
English Experience
Teacher built wiki that showcases student work, provides
class resources, and manages workflow of assignments.
Check out the student podcast section!
2.
Blog: TechSavvy
Educator
Okay, this one is really a techno site but - wow -
tons of useful links. The link here displays 21 virtual
fields trips, look 'em over.
3.
RSS: Learning
Games
Hundreds of free online games for all content areas.
The feed is updated weekly.
|
|
|
|
