MORAL quandaries often pit concerns about principles against concerns about practical consequences.
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Helping Troubled Pupils - 8 views
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"We all hide things. From our friends and even from ourselves. Because of this, the pupils showing clear signs of distress and of need of social and/or emotional support are probably only a fraction of the real need at any one time. We also all experience difficulties at times, yet the object of our distress is often fleeting, or in hindsight trivial in the grand scheme of things. However, many of the young people we teach have chronically stressful situations to deal with on a daily basis, both at home and at school. This can exhibit in the classroom as anxiety, poor concentration or disruptive behaviour."
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Humour in Education - 12 views
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"It can be a funny old game this teaching lark and many of us survive the day-to-day stresses by laughing, rather than crying. As a social species, humour is a fundamental part of developing group cohesion, yet I have never seen it mentioned in teaching or in insets, although perhaps I don't get invited to that kind of party! But can a teacher 'learn' humour or is it something innate, and how can humour be deployed to enhance relationships and learning?"
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Math - Online Calculator - Formula Library - 87 views
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My students in physics classes always come in with a broad range of math ability. Through the class, I teach and reteach a lot of math and sometimes understanding the content gets lost in the stresses of learning the math/algebra. Though to truely understand the interplay between rates and proportions involved a strong math background helps the content and big picture can be grasped even if the math must be buoyed. I hope this program assists my students this year to be more confident with the math so the physics concepts do not get lost.
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Technology Teaching Resources with Brittany Washburn: Sub Plans for the Elementary Comp... - 6 views
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Whether you're out sick or have a planned day out of the computer lab, writing sub plans is time consuming and often stressful. Technology teachers have a unique set of challenges to consider when deciding what to leave for a sub. This blog post will hopefully give you some solid ideas and peace of mind for the next time you need to be out. I have this other blog post about Technology Tools for Sub Plans with ideas and tools to help your sub be more comfortable using technology. Today's post is going to assume you have a substitute who is not comfortable using or teaching technology. You can skip right to idea #3 if your substitute cannot use any technology. All of the images are linked to the resource if you're interested. Just click or tap to learn more.
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How Firm Are Our Principles? - NYTimes.com - 1 views
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two ethical frameworks. A utilitarian perspective evaluates an action purely by its consequences. If it does good, it’s good. A deontological approach, meanwhile, also takes into account aspects of the action itself, like whether it adheres to certain rules. Do not kill, even if killing does good. No one adheres strictly to either philosophy, and it turns out we can be nudged one way or the other for illogical reasons.
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to think either abstractly or concretely
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a very simple manipulation of mind-set that did not change the specifics of the case led to very different responses.
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Class can also play a role. Another paper, in the March issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, shows that upper-income people tend to have less empathy than those from lower-income strata, and so are more willing to sacrifice individuals for the greater good.
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stressing subjects, rushing them or reminding them of their mortality all reduce utilitarian responses,
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Even the way a scenario is worded can influence our judgments, as lawyers and politicians well know.
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our moods can make misdeeds seem more or less sinful.
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Objective moral truth doesn’t exist, and these studies show that even if it did, our grasp of it would be tenuous.
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shared by Steve Ransom on 14 May 12
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The fantasies driving school reform: A primer for education graduates - The Answer Shee... - 5 views
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education reform poverty teachers gr8 speech research black minority poor
shared by Steve Ransom on 14 May 12
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Richard Rothstein
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In truth, this conventional view relies upon imaginary facts.
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Let me repeat: black elementary school students today have better math skills than white students did only twenty years ago.
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As a result, we’ve wasted 15 years avoiding incremental improvement, and instead trying to upend a reasonably successful school system.
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But the reason it hasn’t narrowed is that your profession has done too good a job — you’ve improved white children’s performance as well, so the score gap persists, but at a higher level for all.
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Policymakers, pundits, and politicians ignore these gains; they conclude that you, educators, have been incompetent because the test score gap hasn’t much narrowed.
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If you believe public education deserves greater support, as I do, you will have to boast about your accomplishments, because voters are more likely to aid a successful institution than a collapsing one.
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In short, underemployment of parents is not only an economic crisis — it is an educational crisis. You cannot ignore it and be good educators.
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equally important educational goals — citizenship, character, appreciation of the arts and music, physical fitness and health, and knowledge of history, the sciences, and literature.
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If you have high expectations, your students can succeed regardless of parents’ economic circumstances. That is nonsense.
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health insurance; children are less likely to get routine and preventive care that middle class children take for granted
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If they can’t see because they don’t get glasses to correct vision difficulties, high expectations can’t teach them to read.
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Because education has become so politicized, with policy made by those with preconceptions of failure and little understanding of the educational process, you are entering a field that has become obsessed with evaluating only results that are easy to measure, rather than those that are most important. But as Albert Einstein once said, not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted, counts.
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To be good educators, you must step up your activity not only in the classroom, but as citizens. You must speak up in the public arena, challenging those policymakers who will accuse you only of making excuses when you speak the truth that children who are hungry, mobile, and stressed, cannot learn as easily as those who are comfortable.
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An important read for anyone who truly wants to understand what's really important in education and the false reform strategies of our current (and past) administration.
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Harvard Education Letter - 27 views
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Learning to see all behavior as a form of communication, for example, is a key principle that helps when teachers are frustrated or confused by how students are acting. Even though students’ behavior can look bizarre or disruptive, their actions are purposeful and are their attempts to solve a problem.
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About 10 percent of the school population—or 9–13 million children—struggle with mental health problems. In a typical classroom of 20, chances are good that one or two students are dealing with serious psychosocial stressors relating to poverty, domestic violence, abuse and neglect, or a psychiatric disorder. There is also growing evidence that the number of children suffering the effects of trauma and those with autism-related social deficits is also on the rise.
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If teachers are supported to set up classrooms to promote success, these students (and other challenging students who have similar behaviors but may not have individualized education plans, or IEPs) can improve their performance in school and in life.
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Making positive attention more predictable in the classroom can help break the cycle of negative attention-seeking behaviors. Putting one-on-one time on the student’s personal visual schedule (even if it’s only a couple minutes to read a student’s favorite page in a book) or setting a timer for 10 minutes and telling the student that’s when you will be back are just two strategies that can help.
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Teachers who work with challenging students need support from administrators and others in the school. It is very stressful to have a student in class who is constantly disruptive. In order to make the necessary investment, the teacher needs substantive support from administrators to avoid frustration and burnout and to garner the energy to provide effective interventions. When administrators delegate some of the teacher’s responsibilities to other people in the building, the teacher can devote more time to finding solutions. Regularly meeting with consultants (e.g., special educators, mental health professionals, and behavior analysts) can be essential for designing how the student progresses, but it also takes up the teacher’s prep time. If possible, the administrator can arrange coverage so that the teacher can meet with consultants at times other than lunch and prep. Support staff can instruct small groups of children while the teacher works with the student with behavior challenges. And since there are usually so many people involved with a struggling student, delineating a clear coordination plan is also critical. It can be helpful, as a team, to make a list of responsibilities and indicate who is responsible for what.
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The more intensely the student is taught the underdeveloped skills, and the more the environment is changed to encourage appropriate behavior, the more quickly the student’s behavior is likely to change.
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shared by Kate Pok on 20 Nov 11
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Southern Hospitality? Not for Immigrants - NYTimes.com - 43 views
www.nytimes.com/...tality-not-for-immigrants.html
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shared by Kate Pok on 20 Nov 11
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Except that those ridiculous portions of the law, including the transport part, are now in the process of being repealed. As embarrassing as this all is, one should still do her homework. -
Many thanks for your comments. As far as I can tell, there's been a lot of debate about rescinding parts of the bill and there's certainly been support to change parts of it, but I haven't found anything that says that's definitely happening. At any rate, I was planning to use the article as an example of how racial categories tend to change based on circumstances rather than set in stone. Again, thanks for reminding me to double check details.
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You are right, racial categories do tend to change based on the times as history shows us, but I'll point you to two articles in The Birmingham News which show a little more than just debate about rescinding parts of that bill. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/09/federal_judge_throws_out_xxxx.html http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/11/immigration_law_amendments_in.html The fringe parts of this law are embarrassing to me as a native of Alabama, so I'd love to have our lawmakers' second thoughts on this seen as part of what's going on with this law.....Thanks, not meaning to nit-pick!
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@Elaine, for some reason your message hasn't shown up and I wanted to make sure I responded. I absolutely agree with you that the there are plenty of wonderful Alabamans who are embarrassed by the fringe parts of the law and I certainly don't mean any disrespect by posting this article. In fact, I think this article actually points to the generosity of spirit and kindness I remember most about growing up in the south. I'm also glad to see that there's quite a bit of protest about the worst parts of this law and agree that the protests should also be part of the conversation so I'm including the links you sent me here: http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/09/federal_judge_throws_out_xxxx.html and http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/11/immigration_law_amendments_in.html The articles do report that quite a few legislators and many immigrant rights activists are advocating revisions to the law and I look forward to seeing the repeals. That said, the articles also note that the bulk "of the new law is in effect despite a federal court challenge to it brought by the U.S. Justice Department, church groups and state and national civil liberties groups " and a "federal judge [Blackburn] this afternoon again upheld most sections of Alabama's tough new immigration law." In short, the fight for repeals is just beginning. Once more, I stress that I do NOT mean to offend anyone; rather, I think it's important to discuss the circumstances under which such a restrictive law could be passed as well as the reactions that have mobilized in response to it. I think it's a wonderful "teaching moment" about politics, economics, civic engagement, global economy, etc. Sincerest regards.
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shared by Deborah Baillesderr on 05 Mar 14
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Resources & Downloads for Meditation in Schools | Edutopia - 22 views
www.edutopia.org/meditation-resources-downloads
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shared by Jeremy Brueck on 26 Jul 13
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Closing in on Close Reading - 73 views
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Common Education reading literacy ELA Common Core CommonCore Close reading close_reading closereading
shared by Jeremy Brueck on 26 Jul 13
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close reading means reading to uncover layers of meaning that lead to deep comprehension.
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Close, analytic reading stresses engaging with a text of sufficient complexity directly and examining meaning thoroughly and methodically, encouraging students to read and reread deliberately.
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If reading closely is the most effective way to achieve deep comprehension, then that's how we should teach students to read.
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But the teaching of reading veered significantly off track when those personal connections (also well represented on some high-stakes state assessments) began to dominate the teaching and testing of comprehension, often leaving the text itself a distant memory.
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the shift to teaching reading as a set of thinking strategies too often left readers with the notion that the text was simply a launching point for their musings, images that popped into their heads, and random questions that, in the end, did little to enhance their understanding of the text itself.
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examining meaning thoroughly and analytically
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directing attention to the text, central ideas, and supporting details
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reflecting on meanings of individual words and sentences
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developing ideas over the course of the text
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The best thinkers do monitor and assess their thinking, but in the context of processing the thinking of others (Paul & Elder, 2008)
3 Rubric Makers That Will Save You Time And Stress | Edudemic - 141 views
Resources & Downloads for Meditation in Schools | Edutopia - 54 views
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A dozen ways to teach ethical and safe technology use - Home - Doug Johnson's... - 142 views
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Responsible teachers recognize that schools must give students the understandings and skills they need to stay safe not just in school, but outside of school where most Internet use by young people occurs. Over-filtered school networks set up a false sense of security; the real world of the Internet is quite different from the Internet at school.
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Can't agree enough with this, the over-use of filters in schools is making everybody complacent when it comes to teaching students to self-filter. -
Right -- if students don't take ownership of their own messages, we see a lot more of those inappropriate messages when the "babysitter" is taken away.
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A district’s current acceptable use policy should include language about posting private information about both oneself and others
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A district’s current acceptable use policy should include language about posting private information about both oneself and others
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Verbalization of how we personally make decisions is a very powerful teaching tool, but it’s useless to lecture about safe and appropriate use when we ourselves might not follow our own rules.
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If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything
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9. Create environments that help students avoid temptations
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Assess children’s understanding of ethical concepts. Do not give technology-use privileges until a student has demonstrated that he or she knows and can apply school policies. Test appropriate use prior to students gaining online access.
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Privacy - I will protect my privacy and respect the privacy of others. Property - I will protect my property and respect the property of others. a(P)propriate Use - I will use technology in constructive ways and in ways which do not break the rules of my family, church, school, or government.
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2. Stress the consideration and application of principles rather than relying on a detailed set of rules. Although sometimes more difficult to enforce in a consistent manner, a set of a few guidelines* rather than lengthy set of specific rules is more beneficial to students in the long run. By applying guidelines rather than following rules, students engage in higher level thinking processes and learn behaviors that will continue into their next classroom, their homes, and their adult lives. -
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Your Brain on Computers - Attached to Technology and Paying a Price - NYTimes.com - 55 views
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Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information. These play to a primitive impulse to respond to immediate opportunities and threats. The stimulation provokes excitement — a dopamine squirt — that researchers say can be addictive. In its absence, people feel bored.
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“The technology is rewiring our brains,” said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse and one of the world’s leading brain scientists. She and other researchers compare the lure of digital stimulation less to that of drugs and alcohol than to food and sex, which are essential but counterproductive in excess.
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While many people say multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multitaskers actually have more trouble focusing and shutting out irrelevant information, scientists say, and they experience more stress.
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The nonstop interactivity is one of the most significant shifts ever in the human environment,
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shared by Steve C on 03 Sep 09
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Let the Children Play (Some More) - Happy Days Blog - NYTimes.com - 0 views
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shared by Steve C on 03 Sep 09
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Goof-off time shouldn’t be limited to summer vacation: it’s important all year.
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st American children in the not-so-distant past, “going out to play” was the norm. Today, according to a University of Michigan study,
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Just an hour a day of vigorous play — running, chasing, games like tag or dodge ball, and even dealing with or avoiding being excluded from these activities — can provide intense skill learning.
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Deprive a social mammal like a rat or monkey of its normal rough-and-tumble play and it enters adulthood emotionally fragile, unable to tell friend from foe, poor at handling stress and lacking the skills to mate properly.
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Play is an active process that reshapes our rigid views of the world.
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shared by trisha_poole on 13 Jan 11
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A Brief Guide to Learning Faster (and Better) « Scott H Young - 82 views
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shared by trisha_poole on 13 Jan 11
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Roland Gesthuizen liked it
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Anything that can be learned falls broadly into two categories: things you need to understand intellectually, and skills you need to be able to perform. Most things you want to learn involve a mix of the two.
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ee the distinction between skills and concepts, you can devise two separate learning strategies for each.
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Rule #1: Practice for Skills, Connections for Concepts
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Rule #2: Concepts before Facts (95% of the time)
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Patterns make concepts useful, patternless concepts tend to have a very limited use, so they aren’t studied that much.
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But it needs more time to mature in the back of your head while you do other things. Worse, it utterly fails when put under intense stress or time constraints.
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Rule #4: Concept Checklists are Useful
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Then create a second-order list under each of the larger bullet points with sub-concepts.
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Write out (I suggest on a word document, since it allows multiple levels of bullets) all of the major concepts covered in your course.
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Heuristics for Learning Better
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A concept checklist is a good way to handle those scary, “I don’t understand anything!” moments that many learners face. It allows you to dissolve the frightening implications of total ignorance into a step-by-step guide that can allow you to slowly conquer any subject.
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Tactic #1: The 5-Year Old Method
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Tactic #2: Metaphors
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I recommend brainstorming for metaphors. Start with open-ended questions like: This idea reminds me of…? This idea is used in real-life situations, such as…? What phenomenon mimics this idea? If I wanted to tell a story about this idea, it would go like…?
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Tactic #3: Visceralization
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combine smell, feeling and motion into an image, not just a picture.
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Tactic #4: Deep Linking
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if you know you don’t actually have to deeply learn the material, going deeper into a subject can actually make the original idea easier to understand.
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How to Learn Faster and Better
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1. How to Learn Faster - The basics of learning better 2. How to Learn Anything - Rules of thumb to master hard subjects 3. Tactics for Learning Better - Specific methods to learn faster
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How to Adjust to your Interactive Whiteboard: Dos and Don'ts « classroom2point0 - 178 views
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If you’re like many teachers, you find IWBs (Interactive Whiteboards) both exciting and intimidating.
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In this first of this two-part post, we’ll explore dos and dont’s with your new IWB. In my next post, I’ll give you some basic lesson plan tips I’ve found that have worked and provide links to some amazing IWB resources.
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shared by Javier E on 19 May 11
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The Decline of Final Exams - NYTimes.com - 52 views
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shared by Javier E on 19 May 11
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Keith O’Brien surveys a national decline in final exams, reflected at Harvard, where fewer than a quarter of the undergraduate courses scheduled the tests in the spring term last year.
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There’s nothing magical about finals, Bangert-Drowns added. They can be arbitrary and abstract — an inauthentic gauge of what someone knows.
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many still find value in the final exam. It might be stressful, even terrifying, but it has the singular power to force students to go back over material, think critically about what they have read, review hard-to-grasp-topics once more, and even talk about the subject matter with classmates and instructors — all of which enhance learning.
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shared by Keith Rowley on 20 Jun 11
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Brief meditative exercise helps cognition - 5 views
www.sciencedaily.com/...100414184220.htm
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shared by Keith Rowley on 20 Jun 11
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deniseahlquist liked it
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"Simply stated, the profound improvements that we found after just 4 days of meditation training- are really surprising," Zeidan noted. "It goes to show that the mind is, in fact, easily changeable and highly influenced, especially by meditation."
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The meditation training involved in the study was an abbreviated "mindfulness" training regime modeled on basic "Shamatha skills" from a Buddhist meditation tradition
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"Findings like these suggest that meditation's benefits may not require extensive training to be realized, and that meditation's first benefits may be associated with increasing the ability to sustain attention,"
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seems to be strong evidence for the idea that we may be able to modify our own minds to improve our cognitive processing -- most importantly in the ability to sustain attention and vigilance -- within a week's time."
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Both groups also improved following the meditation and reading experiences in measures of mood, but only the group that received the meditation training improved significantly in the cognitive measures. The meditation group scored consistently higher averages than the reading/listening group on all the cognitive tests and as much as ten times better on one challenging test that involved sustaining the ability to focus, while holding other information in mind. "The meditation group did especially better on all the cognitive tests that were timed," Zeidan noted. "In tasks where participants had to process information under time constraints causing stress, the group briefly trained in mindfulness performed significantly better."
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participants were instructed to relax, with their eyes closed, and to simply focus on the flow of their breath occurring at the tip of their nose. If a random thought arose, they were told to passively notice and acknowledge the thought and to simply let 'it' go, by bringing the attention back to the sensations of the breath."
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"The simple process of focusing on the breath in a relaxed manner, in a way that teaches you to regulate your emotions by raising one's awareness of mental processes as they're happening is like working out a bicep, but you are doing it to your brain. Mindfulness meditation teaches you to release sensory events that would easily distract, whether it is your own thoughts or an external noise, in an emotion-regulating fashion.
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"This kind of training seems to prepare the mind for activity, but it's not necessarily permanent," Zeidan cautions. "This doesn't mean that you meditate for four days and you're done -- you need to keep practicing."