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Jonathon Gordon

PBS Teachers | Resources For The Classroom - 1 views

    • David Loudon
       
      You can select different time periods/themes to search through. The four most prominent sections are Civics, World History, U.S. History and Cultural Studies.
    • David Loudon
       
      The problem with this site is that the links they provide are not often scholarly, and as such aren't as reliable as other sources may be.
  • Source: NOVA 60.0 1 Article/Essay Discover the story of how Dale Larson saved 29 schoolchildren during a 1928 tornado in Thurston County, Nebraska. Imagine how the events of that tornado would have been different with the current advances in severe weather warning systems. Details » Tags: 6-8, 9-12, Science & Tech, Social Studies, Geology & Natural Disasters, Meteorology, Historical Perspective
    • Jonathon Gordon
       
      Searching on this site is extremely easy. By using tags similar to DIIGO, teachers can search for exact lessons or ideas to improve lessons. 
  • the.News: Woody Biomass - Nebraska Source: PBS NewsHour 60.0 0 Resource Set Analyze the use of woody biomass as a fuel. Understand the carbon cycle, calculate your carbon footprint and formulate a policy position on using woody biomass to produce energy. Details »
    • Jonathon Gordon
       
      Classroom resources are not limited to just lesson plans, they also include on/offline activities for students; grade level specific in all cases. 
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  • Earth Days: Technology - Conveniences and Consequences Source: American Experience
    • Jonathon Gordon
       
      The sources from this site come from various PBS programs including "American Experience", "PBS Newshour", and "NOVA". 
  • Classroom Resources Discussions Professional Development Classroom Resources
    • Jonathon Gordon
       
      This is a great website for teachers. It is a credible source of information with multiple options for improving lessons plans. 
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    This website is provided by PBS for teachers to use to help with different classroom applications. It offers teachers the ability get classroom resources, start discussion boards with other educators, and professional development tools. 
James Leslie

30,000 Teachers May Not Be "Highly Qualified" | NBC Dallas-Fort Worth - 2 views

  • Updated 1:15 PM CDT, Thu, Oct 22, 2009 var partnerID=522927; var _hb=1; window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href; Print var partnerID=522927; var _hb=1; window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href; Email function position(o) { var pos = Position.get(o); Position.set('share_box',pos); } Share yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = "30,000 Teachers May Not Be "Highly Qualified""; nbc_dallasfor814:http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-beat/30000-Teachers-May-Not-Be-Highly-Qualified-65580922.htmlBuzz up! TWITTER .postToFBArticlePage { background:transparent url(http://media.nbclocalmedia.com/designimages/facebook.gif) no-repeat scroll 0 0; display:block; float:left; height:14px; padding-right:5px; width:70px; text-align:right; } .postToFBArticlePage span { padding-top:0px; margin-top:3px; display:block; } #slideshow .showcase #slideCount { /* THIS DOES NOT BELONG HERE */ padding-left:140px; } #slideshow .yahoo_buzz .postToTwitterArticlePage span, #slideshow .yahoo_buzz .postToFBArticlePage span { margin-top: 0px; } #slideshow .yahoo_buzz .postToTwitterArticlePage a, #slideshow .yahoo_buzz .postToTwitterArticlePage a:link, #slideshow .yahoo_buzz .postToTwitterArticlePage a:visited, #slideshow .yahoo_buzz .postToFBArticlePage a, #slideshow .yahoo_buzz .postToFBArticlePage a:link, #slideshow .yahoo_buzz .postToFBArticlePage a:visited { color:#C3C7C7; } // also publish comment to Facebook nbc.fbparamshare = { contentTitle: "30,000 Teachers May Not Be "Highly Qualified"", contentUrl: "http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-beat/30000-Teachers-May-Not-Be-Highly-Qualified-65580922.html?__source=Facebook", contentThumbUrl: "http://media.nbcdfw.com/images/100*75/090209+classroom.jpg", bundleId: "104938618682", contentType: "article", summary: "Tens of thousands of Texas teachers could be in jeopardy of losing their jobs if they aren't certified as "highly qualified."" }; FACEBOOK $(document).ready(function(){ $('#jqm_wrp_1') .jqDrag('.jqDrag') .jqm({ trigger: '#jqm_trg_1', ajax: 'http://www.nbcdfw.com/i/dispatcher/?command=LoadImage&id=22644077&caption=Gay+slurs+don%27t+%3D+firing.', target: '#jqm_cont_1', overlay: 0, onShow: function(h) { h.w.css('opacity',1).fadeIn("fast"); G.doPixelTracking(83); }, onHide: function(h) { h.w.fadeOut("fast",function() { if(h.o) h.o.remove(); }); } }); });
  • According to those requirements, teachers must be "highly qualified" in reading, math, writing, education and social studies.  Most new teachers hired this year passed only a certification exam in a specific subject, according to the Dallas Morning News. 
  • The Morning News reports that as many as 30,000 new teachers may now have to take a competency test in order to keep their jobs under the new interpretation of the No Child Left Behind law.
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    Knowing your subject may not be enough for long. New "No Child Left Behind" law may make teaching more difficult.
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    Knowing your subject may not be enough for long. New "No Child Left Behind" law may make teaching more difficult.
jbdrury

Rosh Hashanah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

    • jbdrury
       
      Rosh Hashanah is a holiday my schools recognized given the sizeable Jewish population of Montgomery County, however it is not officially recognized by all school disricts and continues to cause controversy in regards to holiday schedules
  • Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה‎, literally "head of the year," Biblical: [ˈɾoʃ haʃːɔˈnɔh], Israeli: [ˈʁoʃ haʃaˈna], Yiddish: [ˈrɔʃəˈʃɔnə]) is a Jewish holiday commonly referred to as the "Jewish New Year."
  • Rosh Hashanah is observed as a day of rest (Leviticus 23:24) like other Jewish holidays.
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  • In Jewish liturgy Rosh Hashanah is described as "the day of judgment" (Yom ha-Din) and "the day of remembrance" (Yom ha-Zikkaron). Some midrashic descriptions depict God as sitting upon a throne, while books containing the deeds of all humanity are opened for review, and each person passing in front of Him for evaluation of his or her deeds.
  • Jewish law appears to be that Rosh Hashanah is to be celebrated for two days, due to the difficulty of determining the date of the new moon.[7]
  • The Hebrew Bible defines Rosh Hashanah as a one-day observance, and since days in the Hebrew calendar begin at sundown, the beginning of Rosh Hashanah is at sundown at the end of 29 Elul. The rules of the Hebrew calendar are designed such that the first day of Rosh Hashanah will never occur on the first, fourth, or sixth days of the Jewish week[9] (ie Sunday, Wednesday or Friday)
  • September 18, 2009
  • Historical origins In the earliest times the Hebrew year began in autumn with the opening of the economic year. There followed in regular succession the seasons of seed-sowing, growth and ripening of the corn (here meaning any grain) under the influence of the former and the latter rains, harvest and ingathering of the fruits. In harmony with this was the order of the great agricultural festivals, according to the oldest legislation, namely, the feast of unleavened bread at the beginning of the barley harvest, in the month of Aviv; the feast of harvest, seven weeks later; and the feast of ingathering at the going out or turn of the year. "Aviv" literally means "Spring". (See Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:1-16). It is likely that the new year was celebrated from ancient times in some special way. The earliest reference to such a custom is, probably, in the account of the vision of Ezekiel (Ezek 40:1). This took place at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month (Tishri). On the same day the beginning of the year of jubilee was to be proclaimed by the blowing of trumpets (Lev 25:9). According to the Septuagint rendering of Ezek 44:20, special sacrifices were to be offered on the first day of the seventh month as well as on the first day of the first month. This first day of the seventh month was appointed by the Law to be "a day of blowing of trumpets". There was to be a holy convocation; no servile work was to be done; and special sacrifices were to be offered (Lev 23:23-25; Num 29:1-6). This day was not expressly called New-Year's Day, but it was evidently so regarded by the Jews at a very early period.
    • jbdrury
       
      As we are social studies teachers, it is useful to know the basic history of the holiday
  • Traditional Rosh Hashanah greetings On the first night of Rosh Hashanah after the evening prayer, it is the Ashkenaz and Hasidic custom to wish Leshana Tova Tikoseiv Veseichoseim (Le'Alter LeChaim Tovim U'Leshalom) which is Hebrew for "May you immediately be inscribed and sealed for a Good Year and for a Good and Peaceful Life" Shana Tova (pronounced [ʃaˈna toˈva]) is the traditional greeting on Rosh Hashanah which in Hebrew means "A Good Year." Shana Tova Umetukah is Hebrew for "A Good and Sweet Year." Ketiva ve-chatima tovah which translates as "May You Be Written and Sealed for a Good Year."
    • jbdrury
       
      Could be a fun way of teaching/explaining the holiday to curious students
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    This my second posting for Rosh Hashana. It is a fairly basic rundown of the holiday provided by Wikipedia. I believe it is useful for teachers to have a knowledge of and be able to explain the major religious holidays where classes or school events may be cancelled, or if some of their classmates may not be present in school.
Jordan Manuel

firstamendmentcenter.org: Welcome to the First Amendment Center Online - 1 views

  • OTHER HEADLINES Free-speech cases top Supreme Court's agenda Opening day of term produces flurry of rejected appeals on several First Amendment topics. 10.04.10 Mich. worker's blog sparks free-speech debate Controversy centers on assistant attorney general who used his personal website to attack University of Michigan's openly gay student body president. 10.04.10
    • Jordan Manuel
       
      Features mainly information from news articles, but also primary source documents (court cases).
  •   speech     press     religious liberty     assembly     petition var FADE=1; var DELAY=3000;     BROWSING? SEE ALL TOPICS     Special topics / What's new
    • Jordan Manuel
       
      I would use this site to provoke debate among my students over the issues involved in First Amendment rights.
  • Lesson plans
    • Jordan Manuel
       
      This site is valuable for many reasons, but also it provides some intriguing lesson plans for all ages of students.
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    A resource for study of the First Amendment. Offers a wealth of info on past and current first amendment issues.
Richard Kirschner

Separation of church and state in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

  • The separation of church and state is a legal and political principle derived from various documents of several of the Founders of the United States. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The modern concept is often credited to the writings of English philosopher John Locke, but the phrase "separation of church and state" is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists, where Jefferson spoke of the combined effect of the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. His purpose in this letter was to assuage the fears of the Danbury, Connecticut Baptists, and so he told them that this wall had been erected to protect them. The metaphor was intended, as The U.S. Supreme Court has currently interpreted it since 1947, to mean that religion and government must stay separate for the benefit of both, including the idea that the government must not impose religion on Americans nor create any law requiring it. It has since been in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court,[1] though the Court has not always fully embraced the principle.[2][3][4][5][6]
  • The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (Amendment XIV) is one of the post-Civil War amendments, intended to secure rights for former slaves. It includes the due process and equal protection clauses among others. The amendment introduces the concept of incorporation of all relevant federal rights against the states. While it has not been fully implemented, the doctrine of incorporation has been used to ensure, through the Due Process Clause and Privileges and Immunities Clause, the application of most of the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights to the states. The incorporation of the First Amendment establishment clause in the landmark case of Everson v. Board of Education has impacted the subsequent interpretation of the separation of church and state in regard to the state governments.[37] Although upholding the state law in that case, which provided for public busing to private religious schools, the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment establishment clause was fully applicable to the state governments. A more recent case involving the application of this principle against the states was Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Grumet (1994).
    • Richard Kirschner
       
      An excellent recitation of the historical background of the First Amendment with references to the influence of the Church of England and patriots such as Patrick Henry & Thomas Paine. Excellent list of references. Important resource to keep for future reference.
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    This is one of the very best websites I have ever found addressing the First Amendment and religion in the public schools. It deals with student prayers, official participation, teaching about religion, student dress, etc.
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    How is this site different from candst.tripod.com/...jnt-sta.htm? How might teachers use this site?
James Leslie

CITE Journal - Social Studies - 1 views

  • New technologies are disseminated into our nation's schools at a rapid rate. To utilize these technologies effectively, teachers need not only to be proficient in technology but also well versed in the effective integration of technology into their instruction. The key in meeting this expectation is the teacher preparation methods class. In the methods class, students see their teachers modeling the use (or lack of use) of technology, and these students are likely to go on to do likewise in their future teaching (Cooper & Bull, 1997; Handler, 1993).
  • New technologies are disseminated into our nation's schools at a rapid rate. To utilize these technologies effectively, teachers need not only to be proficient in technology but also well versed in the effective integration of technology into their instruction. The key in meeting this expectation is the teacher preparation methods class. In the methods class, students see their teachers modeling the use (or lack of use) of technology, and these students are likely to go on to do likewise in their future teaching (Cooper & Bull, 1997; Handler, 1993).
  • New technologies are disseminated into our nation's schools at a rapid rate. To utilize these technologies effectively, teachers need not only to be proficient in technology but also well versed in the effective integration of technology into their instruction. The key in meeting this expectation is the teacher preparation methods class. In the methods class, students see their teachers modeling the use (or lack of use) of technology, and these students are likely to go on to do likewise in their future teaching (Cooper & Bull, 1997; Handler, 1993).
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  • New technologies are disseminated into our nation's schools at a rapid rate. To utilize these technologies effectively, teachers need not only to be proficient in technology but also well versed in the effective integration of technology into their instruction. The key in meeting this expectation is the teacher preparation methods class. In the methods class, students see their teachers modeling the use (or lack of use) of technology, and these students are likely to go on to do likewise in their future teaching (Cooper & Bull, 1997; Handler, 1993).
  • New technologies are disseminated into our nation's schools at a rapid rate. To utilize these technologies effectively, teachers need not only to be proficient in technology but also well versed in the effective integration of technology into their instruction. The key in meeting this expectation is the teacher preparation methods class. In the methods class, students see their teachers modeling the use (or lack of use) of technology, and these students are likely to go on to do likewise in their future teaching (Cooper & Bull, 1997; Handler, 1993).
  • New technologies are disseminated into our nation's schools at a rapid rate. To utilize these technologies effectively, teachers need not only to be proficient in technology but also well versed in the effective integration of technology into their instruction. The key in meeting this expectation is the teacher preparation methods class. In the methods class, students see their teachers modeling the use (or lack of use) of technology, and these students are likely to go on to do likewise in their future teaching (Cooper & Bull, 1997; Handler, 1993).
  • To achieve the desired gains with technology, social studies methods courses must not focus only on making preservice teachers proficient at using technology, but must promote strategies to integrate technology to enhance teaching and learning (Cantu, 2000). Technology rich instruction models effective use, explores the barriers and benefits of technology integration (Keiper, Harwood, & Larson, 2000), and thereby surmounts the traditional absence of technology in methods courses (Rose & Winterfeldt, 1998).
  • To achieve the desired gains with technology, social studies methods courses must not focus only on making preservice teachers proficient at using technology, but must promote strategies to integrate technology to enhance teaching and learning (Cantu, 2000). Technology rich instruction models effective use, explores the barriers and benefits of technology integration (Keiper, Harwood, & Larson, 2000), and thereby surmounts the traditional absence of technology in methods courses (Rose & Winterfeldt, 1998).
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    Since more and more schools are using smart and promethean boards, teachers should be trained to use them.
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    This amount of computer literacy, is not enough for today's classrooms.
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    Teachers should have more course work that deals with how to use computers to enhance the learning experience of their students.
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    To achieve the desired gains with technology, social studies methods courses must not focus only on making preservice teachers proficient at using technology, but must promote strategies to integrate technology to enhance teaching and learning (Cantu, 2000). Technology rich instruction models effective use, explores the barriers and benefits of technology integration (Keiper, Harwood, & Larson, 2000), and thereby surmounts the traditional absence of technology in methods courses (Rose & Winterfeldt, 1998).
Lindsay Andreas

Class Struggle: Term papers are worth the time and trouble - washingtonpost.com - 2 views

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    According to this article, long term papers in English and History classes are being shoved out because of standards limitations. Low income, middle class, upper class students all cannot write an essay to save their lives in college and beyond. Joellen and I were highly disturbed that the undergraduates in our Civil War class couldn't deal with footnotes and basic principles of writing. Professor Kraut was also infuriated. If there is anything more risking to our nation, it's poor writing!
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    I agree with you on the importance of writing longer research essays in high school. The process of writing a long essay is a thorough exercise in understanding something in your own way, and it can be so satisfying upon completion. (like that student in the piece that was GLoWing...i like that feeling)
Laura Wood

The New York Times Learning Network - 1 views

  • Daily Lesson Plan
    • Laura Wood
       
      So there are usually Daily Lesson Plans but apparently they are revamping the site so these are temporarily on hiatus. However you CAN access the over 2,000 lesson plans (in the "Lesson Plan Archive" below) they have on the site. I did a search for 9-12 grade economics lessons and hit paydirt. I <3 NY Times.
  • News Snapshot
    • Laura Wood
       
      The site says that the "News Snapshot" is for younger kids BUT it might be a great way to gather background information on a picture and gives you all the information to give students contexts about current events.
  • On This Day in History
    • Laura Wood
       
      Wasn't someone saying that their students demanded that this be on the board every day. Well here's a one stop shop to find information about what happened today (historically speaking of course).
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  • Crossword Puzzle
    • Laura Wood
       
      SERIOUSLY!?!?!? The New York TImes makes themed historical crossword puzzles!?!?! So many to choose from. I'm not sure how helpful this will actually be to students. It may be neat if they could play it online and google search for answers. Might be a cool way to learn even more information on events we cover in class. It would be important to not just make this busy work (why I had word finds).
  • News Summaries
    • Laura Wood
       
      Daily headlines with one sentence summaries. Short and Sweet. Could be easily followed with "Daily News Quiz" (below).
  • Test Prep Question of the Day
    • Laura Wood
       
      You can't escape standardized tests. The NY Times offers a test question of the day sponsored by Kaplan. They also explain the answers.
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    This site is RAD! Current and Recent Events resource From the website: "Students can read the day's top stories using Knowledge Tools, take a news quiz about today's world, and play special crossword puzzles. . . . Teachers can access a daily lesson plan for grades 6-12, written in partnership with The Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Each lesson plan and the article it references can be printed out for classroom use. Previous lessons are available in the archive and in thematic lesson plan units. . . The site additionally provides teachers with the latest education news from the newspaper. "
Jonathon Gordon

The Civil War | PBS - 2 views

  • The Civil War is now available on DVD. Visit Shop PBS for more information.Support outstanding programs like The Civil War</em
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    This site provides accurate information on the American Civil War. Using sources from the award winning Ken Burns documentary "The Civil War" which provide any social studies teacher with accurate information yo use in designing lesson plans. 
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    How might teachers use this site?
kkasargodstaub

Environment Facts, Environment Science, Global Warming, Natural Disasters, Ecosystems, ... - 1 views

  • The ocean needs your help
    • kkasargodstaub
       
      The site relies on a lot of different sources but National Geographic is a reliable source. There are great tools here for teachers to take current issues and make them relevant in students' lives. You could use the site for research, inspiration and/or to get students involved in local community issues. It's great for a civics, current issues and/or geography class.
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    I absolutely LOVE the National Geographic Website as a social studies tool. I've specifically used it in civics classes or geography classes for students to study current events, but the options are endless. They have videos, pictures and great information.
jbdrury

Angel Island - California's "Immigration Station" - 1 views

  • This document reproduces in its entirety a book published by The Women's American Baptist Home Missionary Society, Chicago, in 1917. It describes the processing of Asian immigrants through Angel Island in San Francisco Bay - the "Ellis Island" of the west.
  • Unrestricted and unregulated immigration would not be wise either on our eastern or western coasts. We need the most careful consideration of the character of our future citizenship. But when we have decided who may be admitted to our land, let us receive all who come with a true Christian courtesy
    • jbdrury
       
      This provides an interesting contemporary description of the Angel Island facility, and under this sub-heading are further descriptions of other immigrants (Indian, Korean, etc.) coming through Angel Island.
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    • jbdrury
       
      This section - on Japanese Picture Brides - describes the missionaries perceptions of these young japanese girls coming to America for the first time, but the pamplet includes "interviews" with some of the women (whether or not these are factual could be debated).
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    This is the second part of my Angel Island posting. I find this document fascinating; it is a complete reproduction of a 1917 pamphlet produced by The Women's American Baptist Home Missionary Society, and includes interesting - and sometimes offensive - first hand accounts of immigrants coming through Angel Island at the time. The non-secular language cannot be denied as well, but it still makes for a fascinating glimpse into the perceptions of asian immigrants during this period of our history.
jbdrury

Suit looming against California over school funding - San Jose Mercury News - 1 views

  • California spends $35.7 billion, or about 30 percent of its budget, on its 10,000 public K-12 schools
  • California has trailed national per-pupil spending since 1979, and now the gap is $1,700 per student
  • Since 1979, cases have been brought in about 30 other states. But while 14 resulted in court-ordered funding increases, cases decided in the past four years have tended to favor the states
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    • jbdrury
       
      I may be wrong, and I don't know how feasible it is, but it would seem to me a better solution would be to redistribute property tax revenue, as opposed to putting burdens on the state government to come up with additional funding for the educational system.
  • But Michael Rebell, executive director of the Campaign for Educational Equity, which successfully sued to win more money for New York City schools, said that achievement has improved dramatically, especially among minority and low-income students, after lawsuits in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont.
    • jbdrury
       
      This is an important point; the very size of California's population and economy has always made it a key influence on national trends.
  • Without reform, Hanushek said, because the state is so big — it educates one of every eight children in the nation — and because its schools perform so poorly, "California is dragging down the nation
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    As those of you in my EDU 522 class know, we have spent quite a while on the issue of unequal school funding. The Kozol video we watched in class raised the question of how each state pays for its public schooling, and as a result I have been trying to determine which states still use local property taxes (thus perpetuating the inequality of schools within the state) and which have instituted reforms to equalize funding. The problem is, none of this information is compiled in a concise manner. This is a recent article discussing this issue; I am still trying to find others.
Jennifer Carey

Learn to Use the New Google Maps & Google Earth for Education via Free Mapping with Goo... - 0 views

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    Free class to teach you how to use the new Google Maps & Google Earth. Self-paced.
heatherstaley

North American Cultures | Free Lesson Plans | Teachers | Digital textbooks and standard... - 0 views

  • 2. To many residents of the U.S., bullfighting looks cruel and inhumane; to many residents of Latin American and European countries, bullfighting is an artistic and noble part of their culture. What customs, institutions, or sports which seem perfectly acceptable and humane in the U.S. could be viewed as cruel and/or inhumane when viewed from another culture?
Alan Edwards

D.C. Launches Rigorous Teacher Evaluation System - 0 views

    • Alan Edwards
       
      Bill Turque's article in yesterday's Washington Post feels like a balanced view about a controversial plan. It definitely relates to some of the issues we've been chatting about in and out of our classes. These issues of teacher evaluation, standardized tests, teaching methods, and unions is important for anyone teaching in DC.
    • Alan Edwards
       
      So this year, it appears that the folks downtown will be testing a new method of teacher evaluation based on five in-class evaluations and the teacher's students grades and test scores. The program will only apply to about 20% of the teachers in D.C.
    • Alan Edwards
       
      DCPS will use a team of expert teachers to evaluate the teachers in 2 of the 5 evaluation sessions. They will look for active student engagement, diverse teaching methods, and teachers who work to create a safe learning environment for their students. I think that it's great that teachers will be a part of this evaluation process because great teachers have opportunities to give the best advice for these teachers. Moreover, the experts would have a degree of independence from the school's administration and union influence.
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  • Rhee is investing $4 million in the system, called IMPACT, which will also assess teachers against an elaborate new framework of requirements and guidelines that cover a range of factors, including classroom presence and how carefully they check for student understanding of the material. But IMPACT is likely to be another flash point in Rhee's turbulent relationship with local and national teachers union leaders. They say that growth statistics are too unreliable to include in performance evaluations and that the new assessment system -- which the District can legally impose without union consent -- is an instrument to identify and remove struggling teachers, not a means to help them improve.
  • This year only reading and math teachers in grades 4 through 8 -- fewer than 20 percent of the District's 3,800 classroom instructors -- will be evaluated on the basis of growth on the annual District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessment System, or DC-CAS. Student value-added will account for half of their evaluation.
  • To allay teacher concerns that assessments will be tainted by personality clashes with principals, IMPACT will employ a corps of third-party "master educators" to conduct two of the classroom observations. The District's old system, like those in most other cities, required fewer classroom visits and left them largely to school administrators, who often had neither the time nor the expertise in subject matter to render fair evaluations, educators say. The master educators, who do not report to the principals, have backgrounds in the teachers' subjects.
  • IMPACT documents suggest that no nuance will be left unexamined in the 30-minute classroom visits. Observers are expected to check every five minutes for the fraction of students paying attention. Teachers are supposed to show that they can tailor instruction to at least three "learning styles" (auditory, visual or tactile, for example). They can lower their scores by "using sarcasm that visibly hurts or decreases the comfort of one or more students." Among the ways instructors can demonstrate that they are instilling student belief in success is through "affirmation chants, poems and cheers."
Stephanie Beer

Lesson Plans - Migration: Why People Move - 1 views

    • Stephanie Beer
       
      This lesson encourages students to use websites such as the US Census Bureau and the UN Population Division in order to research a migration in history of their own selection.
    • Stephanie Beer
       
      I would use this lesson in a middle school geography class but it could also be used in a US history class in a unit on immigration.
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    This is a great lesson for a middle school geography class that would get students thinking about peoples' motivations for migrating from one place to another. The lesson plan includes objectives and standards as well as the lesson procedure. There are also ideas for extension activities.
Kenneth O'Regan

American Art - 2 views

  • Norman Rockwell Telling Stories Through January 2, 2011
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    This is the front page of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This website is a lot more than just the site for an art museum. Inside, you can find information about current exhibits, collections, upcoming events, teacher resources, and much more. Over the next few months there are also some special events for high school teachers, including one on October 16th titled "Teaching History through Art." I think it is easy, in most high schools, to forget the importance of art in our society and how it can give a glimpse of our cultural history.
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    How might teachers use this site?
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    Art can define elements of our history. I would probably be better able to answer this question if I could attend the seminar on October 16th. Taking a look at a few of the featured exhibitions on the main page of the site, we can already make some history connections. Consider the current Norman Rockwell exhibition. Rockwell provides excellent visualizations of idealized, traditional American society in a broad period, roughly 1913 to shortly before his death in 1978. Rockwell paintings could be used in any kind of lesson plan dealing with either of the World Wars, the Boy Scouts, or the rise of middle-class America in the 1950s. Another lead exhibit on the page is titled The Pond, by an artist whose name currently escapes me. Taking a look at the photos of a pond somewhere in Maryland in the 1980s, the pictures tell a story of forgotten parts of the American wild that are surrounded by urbanization and industry.
Maria Mahon

D.C. Schools Face Bigger Classes, Layoffs Amid $40 Million Budget Shortfall - washingto... - 0 views

  • Parker questioned the wisdom of the District's decision to hire 900 teachers over the summer, despite obvious signs of financial distress.
    • Maria Mahon
       
      Hearing things like this makes me aware of how important it can be to follow local politics. I don't know enough about DC, but I do find it surprising that 900 teachers were hired over the summer and not there will be layoffs.
  •  
    The DC school system is being forced to layoff teachers and consolidate some classes because of budget problems. This comes as a surprise after 900 teachers were hired this summer.
Joellen Kriss

IB Program to Replace APs? | The Sag Harbor Express - 0 views

  • The program focuses on a project based, in-depth and multi-cultural curriculum in six main fields: the student’s native language, second language, individuals and societies, experimental sciences, mathematics and computer science, and the arts.
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      This is pretty much what happened in my High School. The only AP "classes" that were offered were AB and BC Calculus.
  • Nichols added, however, that as the school moves to implement the IB program, Advanced Placement classes would most likely be phased out.
  • ...5 more annotations...
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      More and more colleges ARE counting IB classes toward credit. I came into AU with 18.
  • Eliminating the AP classes would help defray some of the costs associated with establishing an IB program. Nichols added that the exams associated with IB programs are on par with AP tests and recognized by most universities.
  • “In AP courses the students are required to memorize and regurgitate, but in the IB program the students take their knowledge and apply it to new situations. They are asked to problem solve and synthesize information,” continued Nichols
    • Joellen Kriss
       
      This is the MOST IMPORTANT DISTINCTION between an AP course of study and an IB course of study. As my IB coordinator used to put it, "AP is a testing system, IB is a learning system" and it's so true. I'm still using the writing and critical thinking skills I learned as a part of the IB program in my daily life.
  • “With the IB, you can show depth rather than breadth,”
  •  
    Like the other article I posted, this one deals with the IB program, but rather about it's possible implementation in a school district on Long Island (where I'm from.) It highlights all of the benefits of the program, where the other article highlighted the "weak" points of the course of study.
Lindsay Andreas

Holiday sales could launch e-book readers as mass-market must-haves - washingtonpost.com - 0 views

  • Sales of electronic books jumped 68.4 percent last year and skyrocketed 177 percent to $96.6 million for the year through August, according to the Association of American Publishers. That's not counting the millions downloaded for free at public libraries, where e-books are fast becoming one of the most popular features. And Amazon has said that its e-book reader, the &nbsp;Kindle, has become the best-selling product on its Web site.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      At the National Book Festival, they had an entire mobile unit pushing the e-book movement. If you have a DC Public library card, they have a lot of electronic options!
  • "To me, it's just inevitable," says Haber, who knew printed books were goners when people told him they liked to touch and feel them. "I heard the same thing from LPs and CDs. The mass market, they want convenience and experience."
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Since our class is a certified green course, I thought this statement was rather appropriate.
  • Amazon executives have made near-instantaneous content a company goal. The latest Kindle, which began shipping last month, holds 1,500 titles and can wirelessly download books in 60 seconds. The company envisions a day when any book ever printed in any language can be downloaded in one minute.
    • Lindsay Andreas
       
      Talk about the great equalizer of the future! If this idea goes big and they can produce it for a more mass audience, this has unbelievable potential. You could potentially have access to so much information. The other thing that is slowly grabbing my attention is the fact that it would cut down on back problems. I had to carry around McKinley's AP US history book last week, and I just about died. If schools picked up on this technology they would just buy e-readers and no more carrying around 50 lbs + of textbooks. They would be more likely to read for homework if they didn't have to drag those beasts back and forth everyday.
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