Cool Cat Teacher Blog Vicki Davis
Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 05/19/2013
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This YouTube channel is an example of how parents MUST sign off on genius project. The final video "go Pro hero" is the only "officially submiited" video for this student's genius project. But he runs a youtube channel that has a bit of a cult following. I don't approve of the stunts, etc. but the child's mother does. He also did all the work at home except for the final. This is one of those challenging ones and is something to be aware that you can deal with when you have genius projects. I have parent sign off on anything students do.
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Wix.com AwesomeMadi created by Tucker2015 based on my-gallery | Wix.com
This efolio is by far one of the best. I love on the homepage. She says "Hello my name is madison and I'm an artist." yes, you are, my dear.
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I enjoy what this student did with learning to edit in Photoshop.
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Here's the website where Merritt compiled all her book reviews on Kindle Nation Daily.
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Another one of my students has been writing and sharing on the Kindle Kids Corner. Here's an interview she did about trends in Young Adult fiction and I agree with so much of what she's written. This is another example of how authentic projects can transform a student. This happened to come out of one of my favorite kindle book sites - Kindle Nation Daily and an email conversation I had with the author Steven Windwalker (penname.)
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Another beautiful site and student work. Students update these and use them as they apply for scholarships. As I type this, I'm listening to this student's CD. He and his friends decided to cut a CD for his passion project. I love how this project gets students to do the things they want to do. Things that are important but don't get done move up the list when they are getting a grade - especially for your strong students. I think of the beautiful music that has been recorded on CD as part of these projects and it means a lot. I wish you can hear it, but likely they will release it soon. ;-)
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Learning with 'e's: 10 characteristics of authentic learning
An important read as we work to reinvent schools and make sure we measure authentic learning with more authentic measures than bubble trouble. ;-)
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Another passion project from a student who loves softball.
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What happens during a general checkup? - YouTube
This a general overview video that my student Riya made as part of her passion project. She wanted to help kids be unafraid of going to the pediatrician's office and she wants to be a pediatrician herself. She now has a youtube channel complete with videos to help children. I'm very proud of what she's done. This is just one example of the kind of learning that can happen. click on her name to view the other videos in the series. It is so interesting to see how much her little brother has grown in the 2 years she's been making the videos.
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I love this project created by one of my students to help children be unafraid to go to the doctor. She has a youtube channel called Pediatric Videos with one video having more than 50,000 views (the one on CT scanning.) Her dad is a pediatrician and filmed everything while supervising her and helping her write the script. Her little brother was the patient. This is a fantastic example of a passion based project.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 05/17/2013
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How To Handle A Student Who Habitually Calls Out — Smart Classroom Management
This is a tough one and I've had two or three this year who will call out - in a disruptive way. Sometimes it is when I'm speaking. I have one great class that causes me to struggle because of several who have a bit of a problem with knowing the appropriate time to engage (not in the middle of a question or when someone else is talking.) I encourage kids to have a pencil and paper or a tablet in hand to jot down notes of what they want to say - sometimes they are afraid they'll forget. Other times, when it is class discussion, I use poker chips. Each student gets two. When they want to interject, they spend their chip. Every student must participate twice before anyone can have a third input. It is a daily grade and so easy to assess b/c everyone must give up their chips. This article takes it much further and is a good one if you're struggling with this. "Namely, how do you deal with a student who, despite receiving consequence after consequence, continues to call out in class? Before we get to the solution, it’s important to note that there are times during a normal school day when you may want to allow your students to respond to you or their fellow classmates without raising their hand"
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8 Educational Apps To Create Digital Portfolios
All of my students are required to create an efolio. Every year they update it, eventually producing a personal website to use for themselves for the future. Here are 8 apps that help you do this.
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Fighting Childhood Obesity One School Cafeteria at a Time - ABC News
Can you design a school to promote healthy eating? There are things every cafeteria can do (read to the end.) This is a big problem and something we need to address. Every school should have a fruit basket near the checkout. It is a no brainer, but do we? "Just walk into the cafeteria and you can see this is no ordinary elementary school. "One of the most striking differences is the openness of the eating space," said pediatrician Dr. Matthew Trowbridge, who also consulted on the project. Students can look into the area where the food is prepared, and they can look outside to a planned school garden, where vegetables will soon be planted."
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Xerox stepping into grading school papers
Grading handwritten answers by students as a feature of a copier? Producing data analytics as a result. IF this works, it will not only sell more copiers, but also make handwritten work more of a commodity. Maybe if a computer can quickly grade the easy stuff, teachers can spend more time assessing project based learning and other work that computers cannot do. This won't help me much - except when I teach binary numbers and memory conversion which do require me to check work (I never do multiple choice.) I could see how math teachers would be thrilled. "Xerox later this year plans to roll out Ignite, a software and web-based service that turns the numerous copiers/scanners/printers it has in schools across the United States into paper-grading machines. Unlike such staples of the educational system as Scantron, which uses special forms where students choose an answer and fill in the corresponding bubble, Ignite will grade work where the answers are written in by the students, such as the numeric answer to a math problem. Ignite takes right and wrong answers and turns them into web-accessible data for teachers with reports that say whether a student or groups of students are consistently having more trouble with certain kinds of math problems. Those reports can be used by teachers to tailor what they're teaching — such as by identifying what group of students needs more help with a certain topic — or given to students so they know where they should focus their studying. It also opens the door to specific tests or homework assignments for specific students becoming more the norm, each tailored to academic strengths and weaknesses."
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This is a discussion to have with all IT integrators. Many adopt the attitude of leaving the hibernating bear alone. After all, eventually, the resistant teacher will come out of the den ready to enjoy the springtime of learning? No. Not necessarily. But technological change is as much emotional and psychological as it is instruction. If you don't first have the teacher in the mood to learn, you'll be struggling. So, be careful of labeling the teacher as resistant in the first place and be willing to teach and encourage the teacher wherever he/she is. This is a nice article from Elena Aguilar. Check out part 2 after reading this one.
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Google adding quick action buttons, real-time flight status to Gmail
You'll notice new quick action buttons in Gmail as announced by Google on Wednesday. They want to make things more intuitive. Expect these changes to happen on a gradual basis but they are coming. Including the ability to RSVP more easily - a feature which I like as some stragglers still refuse to properly use Google Calendar or any online calendar at all. "When the situation calls for it, new quick action buttons will pop up in an email, letting you accomplish simple tasks without reaching for the keyboard. For event RSVPs, you can even mark your attendance from the main inbox view -- a preview with all the key details will pop up, letting you respond with a simple Yes, Maybe or No. "
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Instagram Child Safety - SociallyActive
Instagram is something kids are using. Here are some tips for helping your child be safe on instagram. I totally agree about talking to your child about the photo map. If you haven't already, talk to them today about NOT using the feature which puts their photos on a map of where they were when they took it. Like that paint in your new bedroom? Photo map it? Boom. The lat and long of your daughter's bedroom. Just a bad idea. I do think instagram and other location based websites are going to get into hot water. Lat and long disclosing by kids should be approved by parents.
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Free Technology for Teachers: Video - How to Insert Images Into Google Forms
You can tweak your Google forms and insert images. Richard Byrne created a tutorial.
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You can make videos. You don't have to spend money or get too fancy. Digital storytelling is for every teacher. Take a look.
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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: How Can I Be a Better Teacher Next Fall? | Edutopia
Nice article to spread around to teachers as they hit post planning. From edutopia, it asks us to do what all of us teachers should constantly do: examine ourselves. Change is a way of life. I've got quite a few I'm pondering for myself as well.
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The 5 Biggest Education Technology Trends To Know About | Edudemic
While they left out wearable technology and learning analytics is combined into the LMS category, this is a quick list that you can forward to your board of directors or others who want to look at a few things about changing technology.
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30 iPad Apps Every Teacher Should Be Using ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
Interesting list of apps. What apps are you using?
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.8 Reasons we all think we're poor and broke and what to do about it
taking the martyr's approach
that we're not making
money when US teachers
are in the top 5%
wealthiest people in the WORLD?
It is time to start living
like it and stop "feeling"
broke. Do you want to
hear more in this series?
Let me know in the comments.
Teacher
(Photo credits: www.myparkingsign.com) You can be wealthy but to do that you must be exceptional. Exceptional people spend less than they make. Exceptional people don't take the (usually dumb) advice of marketers but make their own decisions. Exceptional people aren't sold to, they buy what they want.
But I'm not rich?
Oh really. Let's look at some stats from the global rich list:
- If you are at the US poverty line for a 3 person household of $19,350 you are in the top 11.26% richest people in the world
- The average janitor (median income) of 24,936 puts him or her in the top 10.09% of the world
- If you make the average annual salary of a US private school teacher of $36,300 - the top 4.24% in the world
- If you make the average annual salary of a US public school teacher of $49,600 - the top .98% richest in the world
- Principals, if you make the average salary of 67,000 then you're in the top .87%
I'm considering creating multiple part series on the topic of balancing our budgets and living like the wealthy educators we are. From the lunchroom to the teacher's lounge, we are some of the richest people in the world here in the US and we're missing out on the joy that can be ours if we just get our act together.
This is something that has caused me many tears personally and my husband and I have paid off mountains of debt even moreso after I became a teacher and took a massive paycut. If you're interested in me continuing to share what has helped Kip and me, let me know in the comments and I'll spread it out amidst the technology and teaching I talk about here. (I've been writing this one post since January so it may take a while.)
First of all, let's talk about why we think we're poor:
#1 - We are deceived by appearances. Looking rich doesn't mean being rich. In 2006, Warren Buffett, one of the three richest men in the world bought his most expensive car, a $55,000 Cadillac. The average millionare buys a car for $31,367. (Stop Acting Rich: ...And Start Living Like A Real Millionaire p 207)
In 2009 most million-dollar homes were not owned by millionaires. In fact 90% of those who were defined to be a millionaire lived in homes worth less than a million dollars.(Stop Acting Rich: ...And Start Living Like A Real Millionaire p 9, 24)
The odds are, if you look like you're rich, you're not.
#2 - We're discontent If you get on Facebook, it is likely you'll have a friend going somewhere and honestly... you want to go too. You deserve that vacation, you think. You want that new car. You need a dozen roses from your husband. You want that new plasma tv. Why can't you go shopping this weekend? Why? Why? Why? Pity pity pity.
Marketing in the US has thrived on the ability to stimulate us into being dissatisfied. Dissatisfied enough that we'll do something. (See: Lifehacker: The More Facebook Friends You Have the More Unhappy You Are)
On Facebook, you're aggregating all the high points in your hundred something friends lives and comparing it to the high points in yours. Let's see, out of 100 friends at least 4-5 are having it great right now. So, you're going to take those few and compare it to your life? That is unrealistic and unhealthy.
When you're having a pity party - GET OFF FACEBOOK. It stinks as a counselor and sucks wind as a comforter. Go talk to a friend or write in your journal. It is ok to see a therapist too. Talking about it is what healthy people do. Social media makes a sad counselor and a sick client.
#3 We refuse to wait If you've heard of the marshmellow test, kids who are able to master their desire to eat one marshmellow NOW in the hopes of getting a second marshmellow when the researcher returns, test well on future success. This is because they understand delayed gratification.
The biggest financial mistakes I made as a twenty-something were because I wanted it NOW. Delayed gratification is one of the keys to any long term financial change.
#4 We use plastic instead of cash One thing I learned in Financial Peace University (a great program from Dave Ramsey) is that the feeling of cash in your hands causes you to spend less. One of the fastest ways I've found to slash my grocery budget is to withdraw the cash for my grocery budget when I get paid. I keep it in an envelope and pay out of that. It is amazing how far money goes.
Plastic is NOT the same as cash. While we don't necessarily want to have a lot of cash on us all the time, it makes a difference if we want to cut our budget.
#5 We refuse to make hard decisions You can't do everything. Are you really watching all those television subscriptions? Are you keeping cable for one show?
Remember, I said HARD decisions not BIG decisions. For some reason, giving up entertainment seems to be a hard decision around my house. For example, I wanted to see the Jack Reacher movie, I enjoy the Jack Reacher book series. We didn't have time to see it in the theater, but then it came out on DVD and then for pay on Amazon to buy. I waited until last week to use some of my iTunes birthday money to rent it on iTunes. While, I could have waited another YEAR and it be free on Netflix (maybe), I do want to see it. Was it really worth the extra $15 to see it 2 weeks early? For me, the answer was no. Did I think about watching that movie quite a bit - sure I did, I was ready to see it. But, as we prepare to pay for my son's college in June, little pennies count.
Another example, I love books. I read at least an hour a day but sometimes more. If book reading were a hotdog contest, I'd be the dude with his mouth full, his hands raised in winning who asks for another when he's done.
But, I took my credit card out of Amazon and started buying Amazon gift certificates. I put it in and when I'm done with my Amazon budget for the month, I hit Kindle Nation Daily and the free kindle book list to find my reading. Or, I pull out a book that someone has sent me to review.
#6 We have no money in the bank This happens when we're automatically debiting everything without stopping to think if we should pay that. I've learned the benefits of saving 10%, giving 10% and living on 80%. If there's no emergency fund or cushion, then you're living close to the edge.
I admit, I've socked my savings down to zero way too often. If this is you, take steps NOW. Enroll in Financial Peace University or buy Mary Hunt's 7 Money Rules for Life®: How to Take Control of Your Financial Future or one of my new favorites by Andrew Hallum, Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School. Step back from the edge. No money in the bank is a problem.
#7 We sabotage ourselves by quitting just before the finish line and we have to start over. There's a scene in Chariots of Fire, where one guy is about to finish. He turns his head to look at the other guy and he misses out. But we're not even doing that. We're saving and getting close to paying off those credit cards. We're freezing our credit cards, quite literally, in ice and going cash only so we don't spend any more. But then, just before we're done, we say "Hey, I've paid all of this off, it is time to go on a trip." WE're stopping right before we finish and going back and starting over. What is wrong with this? Running the race takes SOOOO much energy and we're going to do it again.
I've done this too. Keep your eye on the finish line. Finish paying off the debts and then more forward.
#8 We refuse to talk about it with our household. This is a tough one. It is no secret how many marraiges struggle because of money problems.
Money is a gift because it is limited. Because it is limited, it forces us to talk about what is IMPORTANT. If we'll talk. The problem is that many argue, and others go into passive/aggressive mode.
This is why Financial Peace University helped us so much. You get in a room of people. Dave Ramsey, former bankrupt businessman, talks about how he got out. I don't really want to hear from people who've always been rich how to get rich - some of them were born on third base and take credit for hitting a home run. I want to hear from people who started off without a ticket to the stadium who got in and hit a home run.
My husband and I make progress when we're communicating. No communication, no money. That is often how it goes.
Money is important. Why do we need to talk about this?
Because, we, as educators have more power than we think.
When we're debted up, torn up, cashless, and clueless - there are people we cannot help. The world needs us to get our act together financially. We need us to get our act together financially.
It is amazing how most millionaires I know, few people know it. They live in houses that aren't so fancy. They drive average cars. They are often quieter people. There are people who look and act rich. I don't know about their bank account, but the research I quoted at the beginning has now shown me that perhaps appearances can be deceiving.
I'm committed to saving and budgeting so that I can help people. I do think money is important - while it is not something I worship - it is important. I want to do my best to manage it well.
Certainly, I've made a heap of mistakes, but thankfully past mistakes do not indicate future performance if you're the kind of person who learns from it and fails forward.
Hope this helps you gain perspective and learn from my own mistakes. If you want me to write more on this topic some time in the future, leave me a comment below and I'll work on it. Again, teaching and technology are the main thing, but if this helps enough of you who read this blog, I'm happy to write about it again.
A Day in the Life of a passion-driven, project based (Cool Cat) Teacher
I wrote this in late April/ Early May to share with you.
The first draft was in April.
It takes a while to polish up and add links sometimes.
Just a glimpse into some things in my life if your'e interested.
We're nearing the end of the school year at this point
as we finish up major projects and final work for the year.
Before School.
4:45 am-ish
My fit bit wrist alarm wakes me up when I'm in my lightest sleep. It is so nice not to wake my husband.
4:50 On the treadmill for 2,000 steps. Throw fresh coffee in the pot.
5:05 Reading my Bible/ Praying/ Journaling
5:20 Writing (Blogging or my second book.)
6:45 Get dressed
6:55 Breakfast with Kip
7:05 Head out the door. I like to get to school early to get my routine down.
7:20 At school. Do my 30/30 routine. (See 3 little tricks to smooth out your day.)
Homeroom Kids are finishing up blogs and checking the Flat Classroom Ning to see if partners have replied. I send them to their homeroom so I can handle mine. Everyone wishes they had homeroom in the computer lab. I'm ready to have the infrastructure ready for BYOT. (Bring Your Own Technology)
1st period. 10th Introduction to Computer Science. (@netgened work) We are outsourcing clips for the NetGenEd project. Students request clips, and other students in other parts of the world fulfill the clips. Lots of acting, interesting things happening, and a general commotion. These students know what they are doing. They know how to film and rip off my camera, their iphones, their ipads, and just about anything with a lens. They convert the files and upload on the Ning and post on the wiki their links.
Current events make powerful teaching moments, plus
students need to talk about things sometimes. 2nd Period. 9th Computer Fundamentals. We talked about the Boston Marathon because these students needed to and watched a video of Dick and Rick Hoyt and talked about how sometimes things are more than a race.
We also tied it in with understanding how to meet the needs of others through the power of social media. The students shared what they'd learned on their social media stats and shared the stats with each other.
We learned that an odd picture of a blowfish had gained quite a few followers on Instagram and that when you followed and unfollowed others quickly that you ticked them off and it wasn't something to do.
I checked the Trello board for the next lesson the students had proposed and voted up and taught a mini lesson on Tumblr to those who had signed up on the board. Looks like I'm teaching Twitter tomorrow.
(They vote up what they want me to teach while they are amidst their genius projects. I teach what has the most sign ups and handle individual requests individually. It is interesting, although some don't sign up, they often come across the room and start listening in and joining in.) (See 2012 genius work and current 2013 personal websites work being posted now)
Break. I have permission to walk for my break b/c of the 6 classes I'm teaching right now. I try to walk another 2,000 steps but only hit 1782.
3rd period. 9th Computer Fundamentals. N is getting ready to test virtual worlds. We downloaded Second Life and talked about newbie island. Other students started watching and looking and were excited.
C asked people to post questions for her on her Tumblr that would spark conversation and others did as we laughed. We discussed why some things get shared and others do not. C is enjoying her tumblr and getting a very positive response.
4th period. Senior filmmaking. I took pictures of the seniors all over campus for their senior movie. They proposed to take a picture with their little brothers/ sisters for that section and the group photo was beautiful and one I'll start doing every year. I never would have thought of that!
5th period. 8th grade keyboarding. MLA Papers. Portfolios We finished up taking MLA notes in Microsoft One Note about how to write an MLA paper and putting the notes in our binder as they started working on their MLA papers.
I'm a huge fan of notes because it powers the "external brain." If it is something they'll use in the future that is somewhat technically challenging or requires steps, they must write it down in the notetaking tool of their choice. These aren't things they will memorize but things they'll need to access in the future. Notes are taking in a way they will understand and remember.
Helping students determine and use a notetaking tool of their choice is a big part of what I help them do in the younger years. Pushing them to recall and look up from prior notes happens in the later years. My brain shouldn't be their primary source of knowledge. If they'll take what I teach into notes and tag for easy recall, they are empowered to be self sufficient. Students are missing out if they don't know how to create a notes archive to use for their lives.
Those who finished were making timelines on Dipity. They liked dipity ok but had trouble printing, so someone found TimeToast and they ended up over there. They thought it was a better solution to the problem. A personal timeline is on the portfolio checklist and they know that they can move ahead. If they move ahead and figure it out, they get to help me teach it! ;-)
6th period. Introduction to Computer Science. (Genius Hour work today) A student was so excited as she bought a headband from another. E.R. just got in the jewelry from Destiny Rescue. Last year E. co-created Hope for Slaves, a project to bring awareness to a blight on our human existence: human trafficking.
On May 1st, (May Day, ironically) our students buy and wear the jewelry of those rescued from human slavery in an effort to put their money into the hands of those making a difference in this. Her friend M was buying a headband because Elizabeth is carrying it in her purse and selling jewelry to end human trafficking. She told me about a group of girls rescued by Destiny Rescue just a few weeks a go. Ending human trafficking is her passion and she's doing something about it. (See Hope for Slaves)
I also had to finishing helping set up a meeting with M and J to head to the irrigation research park. They are creating an animation for an irrigation system that minimizes water loss for the Nature Conservancy's website. They are heading out there during homeroom tomorrow and missing my first period class (with notes from their parents, of course.) They need to take photos in real life so they can complete their animation.
When students find a passion, we all find treasure.
Life means more when students are curious and
passionate. I have a curriculum but as a
teacherpreneur, I can always incorporate things they
are passionate about. The genius hour is the perfect
way to do that.
7th Period. Study Hall.
I'm supposed to have this as a planning period, but my room is full. It is OK, I'm used to it. It means longer hours. April and May are tough. I've often told my husband if every school day were like May, I couldn't physically be a teacher. We're on the sprint to the end, and I want to finish well. (See Finding Your Beautiful Moment the last week of school.)
After school. K had voted up Pinterest on the Trello board and wanted it to be taught, however, not enough had voted it up so it wasn't scheduled yet. She was in my classroom after she'd had her run and said she really wanted to know how. I sat down and said, Hey, I'll pinterest with you.
K chose Pinterest because her passion based project is to teach pop art to fifth graders and she's found that the best place to find art projects for elementary students is on Pinterest. We sat down and got her going and pinning.
By the time we were almost done, her friend H was on Pinterest and Z was sitting there looking over my shoulder intrigued with what was happening. We ended up laughing at images on some pinterest boards and printed some of the photos.
The girls decided that we're all working too hard and are too serious and asked if they could be the "positive encouragement people" (PEP) and if they could put some funny (but appropriate) pics on my wall. Sure! Now, I have some hilarious things there and we're all laughing. I'm sure the kids the next day will enjoy these pics too. WE're all working so hard lately.
After work. I zip home when my youngest gets of tutoring at the learning lab. He is tutored until 4. I dash out the door at 4:15 to make it home by 4:30 to record another episode of Every Classroom Matters and throw dinner on the stove.
I hate to admit this, but this time of year is so tough. Sometimes I fall asleep as early as 5pm. Other times, I'm up late because there's too much to do. My oldest graduates from high school this year so graduation is taking a bit of time.
I find teaching fulfilling and important and glad I'm empowered to be a teacherpreneur. I tell my students that I'm not here just to teach them but here to completely blow their minds. But often teaching isn't that fancy stand in front of a room, Robin Williams kind of stuff. It is small daily interactions. We huddle up the first 5 minutes of class every day at this time of year as I make announcements and help them focus on deliverables. After that, it is run around the room, work, and encourage.
I hope you'll share your story of your passion driven classroom. If you want to know more about genius hour / 20% time - this is a great podcast to listen to. (See Engage Students and Supercharge Learning with Genius Hour)
My life is nuts but I wouldn't have it any other way. These students are not my children by birth, but they are my children by heart.
Photo credit: Big Stock
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
START punching fear in the Face and escape average @jonacuff
How do you focus your time?
How do you work on what matters?
How do you overcome your fears?
This is all in +Jon Acuff 's
book "START" which I highly recommend.
I have a lot of purpose in my life - I'm a teacher, after all. But fears, like the mermaids & kelp around Harry Potter's legs as he dove into the lake to save his friend, those fears can pull me down.
Punch fear in the face. Fears that have told me to please people so maybe, they'll like me. Fears that grew out of quite a few years of childhood when no one wanted to be my friend. When I became more attractive, people wanted to be my friend. Brains didn't matter, attractiveness was all that did. Now that I'm getting older, I'm finding those fears returning,
"You're not beautiful any more, no one will like you." -or- "If you can't look like a model, no one is going to want you to speak for them anymore." The desire to please people and be liked is a dangerous path to self-hatred because there are some people who will never like you or me. They will not be happy until we self destruct or die and do we really want to go to that length to please them?
Critics Math Jon makes the point in the book to beware of critics math: 1 criticism + 1,000 compliments = 1 criticism. Most of us, all we see is the criticism and that is unhealthy.
Escape Average. It is the end of the school year.
Hyperventilation hyperdrive - if you could picture a woman in a space suit trying to dock a space ship with 1,000 screaming children on board while coming out of light speed and hyperventilating at the same time -- that is what the end of the school year is like.
I've let my weight slide right back on up. Sure, I've got an exceptionally hard work load, but I do have a life to live. I'm settling in too many places in my life in the land of average and it is time to pack my bags and go. To do this, I have to deal with my fears of not being liked. Learn to say no, and edit my life to include the most impactful areas... and START on the journey.
I don't want to stay or be average in any area of my life but wallow there far too long. I love the activities at the end of the book that help you work through this.
Do work that matters. So much matters to teachers. Every single precious baby matters. Every child. Every parent. They are human beings and they are IMPORTANT. I want to teach the children and encourage the parents to parent well and love their kids even when those kids aren't perfect. These are important things.
But for me, the question is -- what is the work that matters that I was made to do? Can I cull out things that don't matter so much or work that isn't adjacent to the land of purpose for me?
Can I actually learn to say no?
Questions & Actions The most purposeful people don't get there by accident. They question everything. They question their lives and find answers. They take time for introspection. They self-examine.
But the purposeful people I know also act upon these answers. They START.
I highly recommend this book if you're ready to get serious about living your life with purpose. If you're wanting meaning and to get back 'on track' pick it up and START.
I wish I'd had this book when I first started blogging or at the beginning of my career. It would have saved a lot of heartache. Great book for graduates and Jon is awesome to hear in person.
Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
3 Keys to reaching all your dreams
Saturday with Friends and Family 028 (Photo credit: -DjD-) I've been up writing again at 5am on Saturday. Not because I hate myself or I'm rested, but because I have a burning dream.
You see, I've found that dreams aren't made on sandy beaches with your feet up drinking a cold Diet Coke. That might be where they are first thought about, but it isn't where they are made.
I've accomplished more dreams since I started setting my alarm clock for 5 am than before. Dreams are made out of work. They are made out of early mornings and late nights.
Five am is particularly attractive to me (and sometimes 4 am if on a deadline.) They are attractive because they are guilt free. I have no one who needs my attention and more importantly, there is no one who feels ignored or untended to. If I have to work all day and let my family know ahead of time, there's not usually struggle there.
So, I'm up writing again on a Saturday morning when lots of people are sleeping. This will be my second book. I did this on Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds: Move to Global Collaboration One Step at a Time and I'm sure I'll do it again.
Lots of dreams mean lots of work, but like a good delicious watermelon, you can only bite one small piece at a time.
The 3 keys to reaching your dreams:
- FOCUS. Pursue one at a time
- ENLIST SUPPORT. Make sure your inner family circle is supporting and with you (don't ignore them)
- WORK. Make a plan for when you'll work on it every week so that motion is always forward
I add also a fourth and PRAY over it - which for me, as a Christian, is vital. The dreams I pursue must be aligned with my personal values or the inner conflict will sabotage any forward motion.
Got a dream? Get started.
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Engage students & supercharge learning with Genius Hour #geniushour
Manifesto and hosts of
#geniushour chat
Joy Kirr, Hugh McDonald
Gallit Zvi, and Denise Krebs
are the Fantastic 4 of
genius hour. They are 4
teachers DOING it.
Listen to this week's show
to learn more. Really? Every child is a genius? Hooey.
I admit, that is what I first thought when my friend Angela Maiers said this. However, if you look at the definition of genius:
"1. Exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability.
2. A person who is exceptionall intelligent or creative, either generally or in some particular respect: "musical genius."
Synonym: talent" We are looking for the natural abilities of students. Now, don't mistake natural ability for the art of mastering. We all know naturally gifted athletes who never accomplished anything because they were allergic to sweat, or naturally smart kids who accomplished nothing once they had to study. Genius takes time but talent can be spotted and nurtured.
One thing is sure, if a child never knows their own talent... they will never get on the path to genius. It starts with identifying and nurturing passions.
I'm a passion meter.
Why should students be doing the same thing all
the time? Can't we lead them in inquiry based
learning experiences where they are explorers,
scientists, creators, and inventors?
We must help them find their genius
so they can find purpose. My job is to help students discover those passions and innate talents that they don't know they have. Twenty percent of our time is spent on personal interest projects. Every teacher can't do 20% time, but EVERY teacher, EVERY school, and EVERY classroom can have an exciting, engaging genius hour. It is that important.
Recently on the Every Classroom Matters show, I sat down with the "Fantastic 4" of Genius hour: +Joy Kirr (@joykirr), +Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs), +Hugh McDonald (@hughtheteacher) and +Gallit Zvi (@gallit_z).
Do you know it was the first time all four of them had physically talked in real time? It was electric as they discussed passion based learning and how they implement genius hour in the classroom. They are doing incredible work and I highly recommend adding them to your PLN.
Listen to the authors of the Genius Hour Manifesto: Click here to listen:
Radically Authentic Learning: How Classrooms Change when Student Genius Drives Learning
Genius hour wiki: geniushour.wikispaces.com#Geniushour chat - first Wednesday of each month.Genius hour manifesto: http://educationismylife.com/genius-hour-manifesto/
Do you want to nominate someone to be on the show?
Fill out the nomination form.
Want to know more about Every Classroom matters and how to subscribe?
Read "The Every Classroom Matters Show and a tutorial on how to subscribe using iCatcher" This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 05/10/2013
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At STEM Early College High School, students earn top test grades | STEMwire
I'm recording another episode of "Every Classroom matters" interviewing some of the teachers and organizers in the Chicago Early STEM college movement. As I researched for this show, I found this report out of North Carolina reporting an increase in test scores. A county here in Georgia is also implementing Early college stem as well. STEM is something every school needs (listen to the earlier show I recorded w/ Kevin Jarrett) but this is an interesting approach. "Just two years after it opened, a North Carolina high school has found that teaching students the principles of STEM can boost test scores and keep learners engaged. That’s prompting the school to ask, “If we can do it, why can’t other schools do it, too?” The school has a mouthful of a name: the Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School. It has attracted many students to its Raleigh campus – first generation-college students, minorities, and students from poor backgrounds – who are underrepresented in STEM fields. But in 2012, students did far better than average on the state’s standardized exams, with more than 95 percent passing."
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Quest2Matter - What It Is & How to Join - Choose 2 Matter
Help your kids submit their idea and work to Quest to matter. This is a great way to showcase what your students are doing. It will also open up opportunities for mentoring. If you know a kid who is doing something cool to change the world - SUBMIT IT. The end date is June 7th. Why not have your class create a quest to matter. If you haven't had a chance to do a genius project or some creative teacherpreneurship with passion projects - USE THIS opportunity. My friend Angela Maiers had this idea and many have joined in (like me) to help create a website showcasing and promoting all the great work that students are doing as social entrepreneurs to change the world. There will be a winning project that is showcased and mentored.
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Top 10 Adobe Flash Player for the new iPad 3
One of the concerns about ipads is the inability to use flash or javascript. This can be done. Here are the top 10 flash players. If you limit down to those that can do Flash AND java - the options are a bit pricey - Cloud Browse does both but only lets you have 10 minute browsing sessions. Virtual Firefox ($4.99) and Virtual Browser for Chrome (19.99) each can allow Java and Flash and also bookmark/sync services with your desktop browser (5.99 and .99 respectively.) This may be a tad expensive but show it can be done. The highest rated is virtual browser for chrome. I think the chrome browser is a tad pricey. You do have to be 17 to download these apps, I guess because you can use them to access video.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.15 Wrong Ways to Implement the Common Core
guest post by Johnna Weller, Ed D. Note from Vicki: As I was talking to Johnna from Discovery Education about this post, I started hearing her talk about districts who are struggling with Common Core. We thought that it would be helpful to know what people are doing to cause their districts to fail in implementation. Of course, if we learn from failure, we can fail forward into success. Thanks Johnna for this guest post. (See disclosures at the bottom.) Answers to complex questions never
come in a box. A seal on a box does not
guarantee success. 15. Expect that a packaged program will be the magic bullet. We’ve all seen the labels on the cover of teacher’s manuals that say (in bold print), “Aligned to CCSS.” And, although the lessons might be matched to specific CC standards, and include quality examples of “close reading” or “text-based questions,” there is no program that can cause our students to be deep and critical thinkers. Of course, materials can be a helpful resource to teachers, but they are only as good as the teacher who uses them. This is my mantra: “Programs don’t teach kids, teachers teach kids.” So, read the labels, and be a judicious consumer of what’s out there, but know that you can’t buy CCSS implementation in a box. 14. Expect that anything will be the magic bullet. Despite what you may have seen or heard, there is no simple solution to implementing the Common Core. Meaningful implementation is a process…a process of refining and reflecting instructional practice. That process takes time, and various strategies (just like the way we want students to problem-solve). No single product, event, or experience -- no matter how powerful -- will single-handedly flip the switch to Common Core. Educators should be strategic in their implementation by designing a plan that includes a variety of high-quality ways to move toward transforming their classrooms. Such an implementation plan needs to address curriculum, assessment, and instruction. Technology is mentioned in the Common Core
State standards 40 times! It is important but teachers
are still important.
13. Put all your eggs in the technology basket. There is no doubt that technology has the power to transform teaching and learning. Plus, it is mentioned in the CCSS no less than 40 times. But, unto itself, technology/media/digital, etc will not guarantee that students question, connect, infer, analyze, and think. That’s where teachers come in. (Remember, there’s no magic bullet.) The most powerful way to leverage technology, is to engage in ongoing professional development and collaboration to learn, practice, and infuse it meaningfully into instruction. (These ideas are evident in Discovery Education’s design of professional development that puts amazing technology in teachers’ hands, but recognizes that the power of its effectiveness is through instruction.) 12. Remove everything from your curriculum that isn’t attached to a Common Core standard. Even the CCSS documents themselves say that the standards “…do not—indeed, cannot—enumerate all or even most of the content that students should learn. The Standards must therefore be complemented by a well-developed, content-rich curriculum consistent with the expectations laid out in this document.” So, don’t forget about health. And the arts. And more. (See If Common Core Standards Become our Straight Jacket, we'll hate what education becomes for how this is happening in some schools already.) "Creativity" is listed in the Common Core
State Standards - even in math! How do you
get creative with math? 11. Don’t empower the creative genius of students and teachers. You might be surprised to know that the word “creativity” appears in the Math CCSS (yes, math!). We can value and nurture creativity by producing, not only consuming, a variety of information, ideas, texts, and media. You need a network. These Discovery Educator Network (DEN)
teachers are meeting to collaborate and learn from each
other. You can collaborate and connect for
mutual learning experiences wherever teachers
connect... on Twitter, Facebook, and face to face.
They are all vital parts of the savvy educator's PLN. 10. Go it alone. The positive impact of collaboration has been validated by researchers and practitioners. As a profession, we must tap into and share our collective expertise to support our individual efforts. Teachers might be superheroes -- but even superheroes accomplish more when they work together. (An example of a powerful electronic community of practice is Discovery Educator Network (DEN), where teachers from across the country share ideas. Discovery also holds a variety of opportunities for teachers to come together live and in person to learn and share with each other.) 9. Focus only on outcomes and not processes. Student learning, aka deep thinking, is the goal of the Common Core. Remember that learning is a process. So, even though we look to our outcomes and data as measures of learning, we can’t ignore the process. The same idea applies to teachers. Teachers need opportunities to learn, plan, act, and reflect.
Beware of how you define rigor!
Giving kids harder math problems or more difficult books
to read doesn't increase the rigor. It only increases frustration.
Talk to your staff about what rigor is! 8. Equate complexity with difficulty. Webster defines complex as “having many parts, details, ideas, or functions.” In our information-driven world, our students will need the ability to process, filter, and ponder many sources of information. For this reason, the Common Core standards promote critical and complex thinking. That means that students need opportunities to learn, practice, and apply these skills. So teachers need to demonstrate, model, and support students in these tasks. That’s not the same as assigning difficult tasks. Giving kids harder math problems and more difficult books to read doesn’t increase the rigor. It only increases frustration -- for the student and the teacher. This takes us back to the importance of time for teachers to learn, plan, act, and reflect on ways to engage students in complex thinking.
7. Make it more about curriculum-alignment than instructional practice. Obviously, a well-designed and cohesive curriculum is a part of CCSS implementation. However, even the best curriculum delivered poorly is doomed. Instructional practice is the key to creating classrooms where students are deep readers and writers who inquire, question, critique, and synthesize. Research continually points to the impact of the teacher as the most powerful factor in student learning. To continue that thought… 6. Ignore the need for professional development. High-quality professional development is the best way to make the transition to the Common Core. Consider a variety of options to include follow-up and collaboration. 5. Don’t communicate with parents and the community. As we move forward into a model of school that looks different than sit and get (finally), parents need to understand that rote memorization will be lessened, while inquiry and problem-solving will be increased. It’s true…this is not your grandmother’s classroom. Technology allows the world to be our classroom. To be successful, this shift will require the mutual support of school, home, community.
Classrooms should always be improving and leveling up learning.
As a profession, we should be the premier learning organization.
4. Say, “We do this already.” No matter what you’ve “done” regarding Common Core, there is plenty more to learn and apply. As a profession, we should be the premier learning organization. Unfortunately, sometimes we are not. The type of thinking that keeps us static will not help us get better. Remember, if you’re not growing, you’re dying. 3. Don’t network outside of your school. In the same line of thinking as #10, schools can’t thrive in a cocoon. The CCSS are a fabulous opportunity for educators across the country to be talking the same language, sharing ideas and generating synergy. None of us is a smart as all of us. It’s evident by the ideas on pinterest and the discussions on #ccchat that we can be collective thought-partners. 2. Be afraid. Fear of change. Fear of the unknown. Why be afraid? We could learn from NASA -- which accomplishes historic feats by being open to change, curious about the unknown, and enticed by challenge. This is an exciting time for society and education -- and most importantly, our students. Let’s embrace the challenge and stretch ourselves. The most powerful practices begin in the classrooms of teacherpreneurs who study, apply, and reflect on their practice. 1. Don’t focus on kids. Always remember why we do what we do. Implementation of the Common Core with flying colors -- shiny curriculum, top-notch assessments, and even stellar instructional practices -- won’t mean anything if it’s not connected to your students.
Act to improve your classrooms.
What you can do So, now that you know what NOT to do to implement the Common Core, here’s something that you can do: tap into the variety of options that Discovery Education offers. We don’t claim to be the magic bullet (there isn’t one, remember?). But, they can provide a variety of tools to add to your implementation plan. To help teachers and administrators implement Common Core well (and avoid pitfalls listed above), Discovery Education is providing professional development academies in various location across the US this summer. Regardless of whether your school has access to Discovery products, these academies provide proven practices in instruction, curriculum, and assessment into classroom applications that support long-term planning and immediate classroom application. As a trusted educational partner, Discovery Education has worked with thousands of educators to transform teaching and learning. They understand that successful implementation requires a focus on fundamentals: curriculum, instruction, assessment, and leadership. You can learn about the four academies at: http://www.discoveryeducation.com/Common-Core-Academy/index.cfm Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I have used personally. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 05/08/2013
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The problem with Pearson-designed tests that threatens thousands of scores
I agree. Students who got to read the passages ahead of time had an advantage - of course, is anyone looking to see if there was a "hit" on other textbook passages - is this luck or is it corruption. Either way - it smells like corruption. There is a conflict of interest if you're testing and selling textbooks to help kids do better on testing. "students who read the Pearson test before seeing it on the state test had the opportunity to fill the gaps in their own knowledge—whether through class discussion or simply by reading and answering the questions provided in the curriculum—before they took the test. And that means that the validity of a test that aims to differentiate between “good” and “poor” readers is necessarily called into question. Unfortunately, it seems that New York education officials don’t realize how significant this problem is. Or even that it is a problem. (Meryl Tisch, New York Board of Regents chancellor, actually defended the quality of the assessments, boasting that, thanks to a rigorous new quality-control review, the Department of Education had avoided the kinds of problems that lead to last year’s now-famous pineapple scandal. And that failure to recognize what may be a far more serious and consequential challenge may be the biggest red flag that Common Core assessment decisions are in trouble in the Empire State."
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 05/07/2013
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10 Online Resources To Inspire Writers Of Any Age | Edudemic
Online resources to inspire writers of all ages.
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My 10 Favorite Learnist Boards Built By Teachers | Edudemic
If you want to see how Learnist is being used - here are Dawn Casey-Rowe's 10 favorite learnist boards built by teachers. This will help you see how this tool is used.
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How to Use Learnist on the Web | Products | Learnist
I'm having a chat with Dawn Casey-Rowe, a teacher and she was sharing with me what she's doing on Learnist. This is a Learnist board about how to use Learnist. I am interested in how this works. There is also an app. It looks like a sort of combination between pinterest, mentor mob, and flipboard.
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Hawaii - Flat Classroom Live! - Flat Classroom Conference
So excited to be co-leading the Flat Classroom Live! event in Hawaii with my friend and Flat Classroom co-founder Julie Lindsay. This event for students and educators is a life-changing way to learn about new technology and make powerful connections between schools. Join us July 24-26.
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YouTube Launching Paid Subscriptions to Some Video Channels: Report
There's a new "cable tv" in town... YouTube. That's right. YouTube may be launching paid premium channels this week. It will be quite interesting to see what happens if a video goes viral behind a paywall and if the free-for-all online video network will disenfranchise its netizens or if youth will take their game elsewhere. Of course, YouTube must continue to monetize and make development of content worth it for their content creators, but it will be interesting to see what happens, particularly with new networks like Vine cropping up around sharing video.
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TED Teams Up With PBS for Education Program - NYTimes.com
"In its first television foray, TED has joined forces with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the New York public broadcaster WNET for a one-hour special, “TED Talks Education,” to be broadcast on PBS on Tuesday. If it is successful, the program could become a template for future joint projects, said Juliet Blake, one of the show’s executive producers and the TED official charged with bringing the conferences to television."
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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