CSMFall2014

How exciting to see art teachers embracing technology to open new avenues of creativity for students. This article is an interview with two art teachers using ipads in the art classroom. Students can learn traditional elements of art plus things like layers and transparency plus undo mistakes, while gaining valuable technology skills. 1. How much technology is too much? 2. How do teachers keep up with advances in technology in art? Specialized art programs can be incredibly in-depth. 3. Can teachers who don't have access to ipads in the classroom, stay on the cutting edge of art ed?

Good questions!

This article talks about reading with the common core standards of reading more difficult and non-fiction texts in schools. In one particular classroom, the teacher asks intelligent questions about a non-fiction piece of work and the students find the answers within the text, a non-fiction piece of reading. Students read the required texts together and illustrate the research that children gain the most from reading difficult texts rather than easy ones. Instead, children read texts under their reading level for fun. The required reading is both interesting and challenging enough for the higher level students. Choosing reading below level for entertainment allows the students to get a sort of brain break, and still be able to engage with a difficult text during class with a fresh perspective. I think this article demonstrates another positive view of the common core in reading and how it can improve children's reading scores. 1. What elements of common core are Nebraska teachers not benefiting from because the state has not adopted common core? 2. How can secondary language arts teachers a common core standard of reading more non-fiction into their classrooms? 3. Who is more responsible for introducing non-fiction texts? Language Arts? History? Social Sciences? Science?

Interesting article! Great questions!

In our reading of Reeves, chapter 7, Wiggins and McTighe are mentioned a few times so I googled their names and came up with this article that can be helpful to us. (This is not my assignment article, just wanted to bookmark it for later reading)

In today's times, the K-12 classroom is continually evolving in order to adapt to the fast paced world of technological advances. It's important that teachers keep up-to-date with the latest helpful technology for their students and that parents understand the ramifications of that technology. This blog gives a list of technology trends that are impacting education both with their pros and cons listed.

Good article. Please make sure to include three questions.

Don't let the title fool you, this is a very interesting article with good points. At the root of many American problems lies an ineffective and outdated education system that is failing our students. Inequality and education have always been continually linked, and if we don't fix education, we don't fix inequality. Simply put, our students are not being prepared to compete in today's global, hyper-connected economy, and, for low-income students, the outlook is especially grim. DISCUSSION: 1.) Are massive online open courses going to be effective? 2.) The authors want to create adaptive optimized learning environments. How will low-income schools be able to afford this luxury? 3.) Is using "gaming" an effective way to intrigue student learning?

Great article to consider. Excellent questions!

I have been very intrigued by the thought of a flipped classroom (where students watch your lecture in the privacy of their own home and then come to class and work on homework and assignments) so I wanted to do little more research on the idea. This is a great article FOR flipped classrooms. There were 453 instructors who flipped their classrooms and 67 percent said they experienced increased test scores, 88 percent saw improved student attitudes and 99 percent said they would do it again. The flipped classroom allows for self-pacing and it helps students look up information they may have been scared to ask in class. This reminds me of when I was in college, if I read the chapter prior to my class I ALWAYS got more out of the lectures and homework than I did if I did not read. The flipped classroom allows for students to do their homework in class when the instructor is present so they can get help. In a flipped classroom instead of talking AT our students we are circulating and talking WITH them therefore, instructors have more one-on-one time with the students. What do you think of incorporating a flipped classroom? DISCUSSION: 1) Would you be willing to try a flipped classroom if your school would allow? Or, would you ask if you could try a flipped classroom? 2) I wonder if students would even watch the videos. In my daughter's school it seems most students aren't even doing their homework, do you think they would watch the videos before class? 3) Do you think the flipped classroom would be effective and: increase test scores, provide for improved student attitudes, improve student-teacher interaction, and allow students to learn at their own pace?

I am starting to see this more and more in my school. Great questions to consider!

This instructor "literally" hung paint cans on her wall! She broke the common core into six "buckets" or categories and put paint sticks into each bucket with activities on them. Her goal is to make the "standards come alive and empower her students to become autonomous thinkers." Its worth the 10 minutes, it gives all instructors something to think about incorporating into their classroom!

A great visual for students! Thanks for sharing!

Colleen Klaiber-Deacon Activity in classrooms is a great way to keep students more focused on learning. There are many different activities a teacher can do in the classroom, with classroom materials that is quick and to the point. From moving to stretching to even types of yoga, fuel up to play 60 has great activities for you to perform in class. 1. What is a major advantage that you can think of for getting students to move around? 2. What could you do as a teacher to make activities in the classroom more exciting and fun? 3. Is taking time to do physical activity in the classroom worth it? Explain?

Great article!

This article is about the gender inequality in those high school students who chose not to pursue PE classes once they are no longer compulsory. It states that a very high number of girls chose to not continue with physical education classes. This leads to less physical activity as they get older and an increased likelihood of obesity as an adult.

Interesting! Please make sure to include three questions.

This is an article written by the national education association. It is based on how to control a classroom with unruly students. It is written about a first year teacher and how she gained confidence within her classroom and firmly established rules and boundaries. It also talks about the importance of relationships and understadning your students. 1. What is your main tactic for establishing rules and bondaries that first year teaching? 2. Who do you know you can go to for help managing an unruly classroom? 3.What do you think is the hardest thing when it comes to classroom management as a first year teacher and as a veteran teacher?

This is so important! Great article!

I think that this article does a straight forward job of addressing the need to bring social studies back into the core curriculum. The article says, although some may not agree, social sciences help to teach kids about who they are, where they've come from, and how to interact in public. Social sciences also teach our students how to be good citizens and what their rights are. Taking this away or diminishing its importance leads to apathy and illiteracy in terms of social and political economics. Lastly, the article states that a lot of kids may actually like social science and that there are jobs out their in the social science and economic fields and that turning away from social science in school could strongly deter those kids from pursuing those fields.

Love this article! You know I agree! Make sure to add three questions.

This article is for teachers who have led a class discussion, but lack feedback from introverted students. Introversion deals with how a person responds to outside stimulus, and is not connected to shyness or social skills. Introverts thrive when given alone time to think, so to help an introverted student brainstorm in the classroom, the author suggests including more individual thinking time. - What can we as educators do to make introverted learners feel appreciated and at ease in our classrooms? - How can quiet thinking time benefit introverts as well as extroverts? - How can teachers balance the needs of both extroverted and introverted learners in their classrooms?

Great article! This will be valuable information as you begin teaching.

This article provides 10 suggested guidelines to follow for schools seeking to implement a student centered learning environment. This begins with the definition of student centered learning to mean learning which is student driven. The suggestions range in content from changing the teacher role to be one of coach / facilitator to redefining student success so as to not be overly reliant on grades and test scores. Discussion Questions: 1. The article uses student centered learning and student driven learning to be synonymous. Is this truly the case, or is student driven learning merely one iteration of student centered learning? 2. The article is careful to clarify that student centered learning is not a one size fits all nor equally applicable to all subjects. Which subjects are less amenable to the student centered / driven learning as portrayed in the article? 3. How realistic is it for a school to transition away from grades as a measurement of student learning given that grades and class rank are two of the main criteria colleges look at in making admission determinations?

Love the concept of student centered learning :)

This article addresses the issue of teacher burnout and a solution to help treat and minimize it. The article suggests that relieving one's stress for a short period each day goes a long way in avoiding burnout. 1) Should all teachers be required to participate in a short training to teach them mindfulness and stress relieving techniques? 2) What techniques do you use to destress and how can incorporating mindfulness improve them? 3) How would taking time to destress through mindfulness effect your classroom performance?

It's that time of year. You'll always see LOTS of teacher burnout/teacher slump articles written in November :)

This article provides a compelling infograph showing how important individualized learning can be and its impact, not only to the student but to our country, financially. Just imagine, if we raised our students' math scores to the level of Canada's students' math scores, we would increase our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $77 trillion over 80 years, which is the equivalent of raising everyone's paycheck by 20% every year. 1) How could we implement personalized learning in today's educational system? 2) Are there variations of personalized learning that we could implement today without radically overhauling our current system? 3) Does knowing how higher math scores can dramatically improve a student's wage earning ability, and dramatically improve our country financially, change your perspective on the importance of students being proficient in math?

Go Math, Go! interesting!

This article focuses on the future of the 2007 law that created the Learning Community. Recent reports have failed to show a connection between the Open Enrollment policy and student performance on Nebraska Assessments. Another area that the policy fell short on, was achieving the blended socioeconomic of students that the lawmakers wanted to see. Decisions will be made about the future of the policy at the next legislative session and these reports could drive big changes to be made. 1. What is your personal opinion on the Open Enrollment policy? 2.What changes could be made to improve the policy? 3. What ideas to you have that could improve the socioeconomic diversity of our students in our city schools?

So glad someone posted this. Interesting.

Studies are finding that when teachers and parents agree with kids that STEM subjects are not their best, students do not pursue those subjects. IT also says we should focus our praise on the process and not necessarily what comes natural. This encourages our children to embrace the process of learning instead of only the things that come natural. What are some other reasons you think kids quit STEM subjects? Do you think we validate our students/children too often? Why or why not? How else can we engage or encourage our students without the typical element of praise?

This article is TOTALLY speaking to me :) Wish I could re-do science in high school and believe more in myself. (Got good grades, but never "got" it.)

Learning that incorporates student choice provides a pathway for students to fully, genuinely invest themselves in quality work that matters. When students participate in learning design this allows students to make sense of content on their own terms. There are times when students are able to research their interests and independently projects. Student voice, student choice is very important in classrooms. 1- How hard is it to have student voice, student choice in a classroom? 2- How do you accommodate to all of the different student voices and choices? 3- How can we have student voice, student choice in classes that have to follow strict standards?

Love! My classroom philosophy is "student voice/student choice"

This article discusses how mistakes are a teachable opportunity that many educators are missing. The writer hopes to change the shame and hiding that comes with mistakes and instead discuss them openly so that teachers and students can share what they learned as a result of their mistake. The article goes on to give advice to teachers to create a personal learning community where mistakes can be viewed as opportunities and nine things to change in your classroom with your students and how you address mistakes. 1.Do you believe that students should have the opportunity to fix mistakes on graded papers (for credit) so that they are learning from them? 2. The article believes that many creative, talented kids are being left out of gifted programs because they only include the students with the least mistakes on standardized tests. What do you think would be the best way to identify these students? 3. Do you believe that students learn from their mistakes currently?

Shannon Walker posted the above article. I forgot to sign it, since my username is different!

Thanks, Shannon. Love this article.

This article says that to improve the culture in your classroom you should try gratitude. One of the most important lessons in life is to have a positive attitude, especially during challenging situations in your life. Positive draws positive. Negative draws negative. Let's be positive. * Do you think gratitude and positive attitudes improve the lives of students and adults? * Would you consider having your students keep a 'gratitude journal' in your class? * What are some ways you could draw positive energy into your classroom? Laurie Hoepner

love