Putting the "Awe" Back in "Awesome" for Students

Like most teachers I know, I decided to go into this profession in order to "make a difference" in this sometimes too fast pace world we live in.  So often on the news we see some of the horrific things people do to each other and the planet.  Many times I wonder "What went so wrong in this person's life that they would do such things?", and I also wonder if they lacked something in their childhoods that let them know that they mattered. 

I know that when I was young, a teacher's encouragement, advice and praise sometimes carried more weight than that of my parents (parents were SUPPOSED to think all your art pictures and science projects were great, right?).  As I got older, I decided that I wanted to be able to do that for children at a young age (before they decided to cut up folks and store them in a freezer), and make sure they knew that they mattered.  So, when I came across this article on Edutopia.com by Vicki Zakrzewski entitled "Put the 'Awe' Back in 'Awesome'", I really was reminded of why I got into teaching in the first place.  In the article, Ms. Zakrzewski discusses how teachers can and should incorporate the issues that are important to students into their learning experiences in order to foster a sense of purpose in students.  An example that is given in the article describes a first grade student moved to start a non-profit foundation that produces clean water for over 789,000 people- all based on a discussion with his teacher about people in Africa not having clean water to drink. (Pretty impressive, huh?)  The article goes on to give suggestions about how teachers can go about providing these sorts of experiences for their students.  Let me know what you think!!

Top 8 Plagiarism Detector Tools for Teachers

As an elementary school teacher that works with younger elementary students, I don't really have a lot of use for these tools as of yet, but I thought I'd share this article for two reasons.  The first reason is that I remember that there are a lot of middle-high school teachers in my courses and this could be a great resource for them.  Secondly, I didn't know there were SO MANY different software tools that focused on plagiarism.  The article, "Top 8 Plagiarism Detector Tools for Teachers" on Educatorstechnology.com gives links to and information on several web tools that can help teachers detect plagiarism in student work (and maybe could be used by students to make sure they haven't plagiarized).  One of the tools, Turnitin.com, was familiar to me as I've used it several times to turn in papers as an undergrad.  The others, such as Plagium, Dupli Checker, iThenticate and others detailed in the article boast simple ways to check portions or all of a student's text to check for plagiarism. I hope some of you find this article to be helpful...

Great Organizational Tools for Teachers

If you're anything like me, nothing gets done unless it's written on a list somewhere.  Most people, especially teachers, require the use of some sort of planner to organize all the "to-do's" of our everyday lives.  I came across and article on Educatorstechnology.com entitled "3 Good Calendar Tools for Teachers" and I HAD to check it out.  The article gives some insight and provides links to three really great calendar tools:  Assign a Day, Google Calendar, and Short Calendar.

The Assign a Day Calendar seems to be the one that's most geared toward and designed for teachers.  Teachers can even post student assignments to the calendar so students can view them (to eliminate the "I didn't know it was due today" defense).

Google Calendar is really easy to use, compatible to synch with other Google applications, and is ideal for office or personal use.

The Short Calendar is deemed in the article as the simplest one of these tools to use (plus you can share your tasks in email form with others).

As a super busy wife, mom, teacher and mentor, it's really important to my productivity (not to mention my sanity) that I have tools at my disposal which will help keep me on task.  I will definitely be utilizing one, if not all, of these tools at some point.  If you have experience with these tools, let me know which one works the best for you and why...  Thanks!!

Yeah, Vegas!! "Getting Parents Fired Up for Education"

I'm always excited and happy to read articles like the one I found on Ed.gov.  The article "Las Vegas Parents Get Fired Up for Education" shares a great example of what can happen when schools, parents and students come together to "foster home-to-school relationships".  The article talks about how the Clark County School District has several partnerships in place that helped to make its "Family Enrichment Day" a successful event.  Over 400 parents showed up to the event, in which they were exposed to various enrichment activities, speakers, and programs aimed at improving the success of students.  The continuous theme of the event was that parents are critical in the success of their children, both socially and academically.  As a teacher, this point has always been a cornerstone of my teaching philosophy, and I work very hard to let the parents of my students know that I am always available to communicate and work with them.  I would love to see more districts implementing a "Family Enrichment Day" instead of only bringing parents in when there's a parent teacher conference or a disciplinary problem with a student.  The "Family Enrichment Day" provides a relaxing atmosphere where parents, teachers, and students can air their concerns, learn how to move forward successfully, and have fun with learning at the same time.

"What Does School Reform Look Like?"- Good Question!!

As an educator and parent of public school students, I definitely see the need for school reform on many (scratch that, EVERY) level.  I understand that change is not easy (or necessarily cheap), but we owe our students more.  As someone who grew up in a time when writing your times tables ten times each was the way to memorize them and getting to clean the chalkboard after class was a special treat, I found it a little challenging to learn how to teach this 21st Century generation of children.  I basically had to relearn all the content areas in a new way, when I didn't really see anything wrong with the old way.  I realize now that the students I'm teaching are growing up in a world where knowing the bare minimum isn't enough.  Those factory jobs that just required that you have a high school diploma and be 18 that were so plentiful when I was growing up are basically no more.  Students have to really have a deep understanding of the world they are living in and the tools that are used in it in order to be a successful, productive citizen. 

My little diatribe has come about as a result of an article I was reading on PBSteachers.org entitled "What Does School Reform Look Like?" by Andy Carvin.  Mr. Carvin was preparing to attend an EuCon conference in which this very question would be discussed.  Mr. Carvin's opinion seems to be that instruction should be "inquiry driven and focused on creating 21st century citizens" and I agree whole-heartedly.  It's a really interesting article which touches on everyone, especially those in the educational field.  I hope you read it and ponder the question for yourself...  Let me know what your answer would be...

Ughh!! Do I Have to Be Productive Over the Summer??

Happy End of the School Year, fellow teachers!!  As another school year comes to a close, it's time for us educators to reflect on all the things that went right, could've used improvement, and needs a whole overhaul in our classrooms.  While my students are on vacation at the beach and playing with friends, I will most likely spend the summer studying up on new tools, resources and technologies to improve student learning next year in between beach outings. 

I don't know about everyone else, but I have a difficult time turning off my "teacher switch" even when I'm home (much to the dismay of my now young-adult children).  I'm constantly on the lookout for "teachable moments" and fun new resources and tools.  I recently came across an interesting article "7 Ways to Become a Better Teacher this Summer" by Corey Murray on Edtechmagazine.com and I wanted to share it with you all.  In the article, Mr. Murray lists various professional development resources that us teachers can explore over the summer that will help us brush up on our teaching skills.  Included are various education websites, information on ASCD conferences and workshops, and even professional development resources offered by the Peace Corps.  I will definitely be exploring a few of the options covered in the article, and hope that some of you will find this article to be beneficial over the summer. 

For the next few days (or weeks), however, I'm going to try very hard NOT to be productive and enjoy sleeping in!!    (^_^)

Another Great Resource to Use in the Classroom!! NBC Learn

Hi all!!  As we come to the close of another (hopefully great) school year, I'm sure the last thing a lot of us want to be thinking about is what we want to do differently in our classrooms next fall.  But, as teachers know, it's almost impossible to turn of that "teacher mode" switch, and we are constantly on the lookout for new tools to benefit our students.  I came across a really cool article on iLearnTechnology.com regarding a really great resource that's available for teachers and students to use for free.  NBC Learn has tons of great resources on a variety of topics such as Science, Writing and History.  The article "NBC Learn: Science Behind the News" focuses on a section of NBC Learn that "explores the science, technology, and engineering found in current events".  There are tons of videos on the site that use current events to explain science concepts and vice versa.  We all know that giving students information in an authentic, real-life context helps students understand how what they're learning relates to real life.  This in turn deepens their levels of understanding and learning.  The article also provides some of the numerous ways this resource can be integrated into the classroom effectively.  I will definitely be exploring this further to see how it can benefit students for the upcoming school year.  I hope you all find it interesting and that you have a great summer!!  If anyone has used this resource in their classrooms already, please let me know what you think of it.

Thanks~~

Infographics: Another Way to Use Technology to Enhance Learning

In pursuing my M.A. in Educational Technology, I've had the privilege of being exposed to some really great technology tools and uses for them in the classroom.  Each course I've taken has left me in awe at some new software or program that I become really excited about (chalk it up to my being a technology novice when I started this program).  So when I came across the article "Beyond the Book:  Infographics of Students' Reading History" by Sara Mulhern Gross on Edutopia.org (one of my favorite sites), I had to share it.  I've never in life heard of an infographic, much less how to use one in such an engaging way in the classroom.  In an effort to encourage students to not only read more, but to enjoy reading, Ms. Mulhern Gross developed a lesson in which students would create infographics.  The infographics they created were to be based upon their reading histories, and be compared and discussed among their peers.  The resulting increase in reading interest described by  Ms. Mulhern Gross in the article was enough to make me want to implement this lesson in my classroom.  I hope you all find the article inspiring and helpful as well!!

Preventing Summer Learning Loss...

It's that time of year again!!  The end of another school year, the excitement of summer and, most importantly to students- FREEDOM!!  Of course, as educators and parents, we want our children to experience all the fun that summer brings, but it's also important that we continue to expose them to educational experiences in order to prevent summer learning loss.  Studies show that students can lose two to three months of learning if they aren't exposed to any academic activities during summer vacation.   I came across a really interesting article on Edutopia.org entitled "Seven Ways to Prevent Summer Learning Loss" by Barbara Dianis.  In the article, Ms. Dianis offers seven really great ideas for incorporating quick academic review activities into our children's summer days.  These ideas include setting aside 15-30 minutes dedicated to reading, completing two or three math problems a day, or encouraging children to develop and write short stories throughout the summer.  These are great strategies to use with either young children or teens.  I plan on implementing a few with my youngest son, who will be a high school senior next fall and hates to read anything that isn't video game related, lol.  I hope you all will check out the article and find it as helpful as I have!!