10 Things Every New Teacher Needs to Know. Posted 09/03/2015 5:39PM | Last Commented 09/03/2015 5:39PM On Edutopia's Facebook page, we recently asked teachers what advice & encouragement they would give to newbies. The response was overwhelming (in the most amazing way possible). In an attempt to preserve the awesome discussion there, I've rounded up some of my favorite words of wisdom. Thanks to all the inspiring educators who contributed! Submitted by Jadyn Harris Submitted by Kristen Anderson Graham Submitted by Laura Atwood Jimenez Submitted by Erin Gibbons Submitted by Julie Gibson-Stenberg Submitted by Michelle Peacock Submitted by Maureen Salzman Submitted by Vicky Robles Submitted by Lisa Schmidt Schroeder 10.
Submitted by Jean Sances We want to hear from you! Igniting Student Engagement: A Roadmap for Learning. The opening months of school are a time of optimism and new beginnings. Each school year's start rejuvenates educators and students. Yet these feelings can quickly turn sour if we do not encourage students to find meaning in what we ask them to do. There are ways to engage learners into lessons and units. Here are three practices that, when incorporated by teachers, offer entry points for students to invest in their learning. Practice One: Be Real Communicating authentic purpose to students is critical if we want their attention. 1. Curriculum is often taught as non-concrete concepts that are steeped in academic abstractions (just like this sentence). 2. Parents, friends, and colleagues either have expertise or know "the right people" who can talk with (not to) your students. 3. Give students real-world challenges to solve. Practice Two: Launch Events That Matter Relevance matters.
Creative PSA Show The Sneeze. Personalizing History Guest Professional Practice Three: Keep the End in Mind. Navigator%20Fall%202015%20Making%20an%20Impact%20at%20Your%20School 3O6I. The Importance of a Teacher Bestie | Lessons with Lyndsay. It’s time for a reality check. The first-year of teaching is difficult. And when I mean difficult, I mean you are going to wonder if you are doing anything right, and at times you’re going to wonder if you’re truly in the right field. Then, you’ll have a day like today when you come back from a training and your students swarm you with hugs and tell you that you aren’t allowed to go to any more training meetings.
Then, you’ll have your “teaching bestie” schedule an impromptu therapy session with you just because she can tell you need one! If you are anything like me, you’ll realize that while it may not always feel like it, you are going to be okay! Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Now for some tidbits about my teacher bestie/life coach- for me, this would be the woman who was my boss last year. Your teacher bestie is someone who will laugh with you. Teaching besties are also pretty awesome about reminding you about school happenings. Having worked alongside my TB last year was awesome. 3 Things Students Desire to Hear From Teachers. "Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her. " - Urie Bronfenbrenner A year and a half ago, I decided that I needed to return to the K-12 classrooms and really experience ground-level teaching, testing, core standards, differentiating, and emotionally connecting with children and adolescents in ways I had not for many years.
I have been and still am an assistant professor in the school of education at Marian University, but the environments, experiences, and my own learning have grown and changed immensely from returning to the classroom 18 months ago. I asked the university for a course release, taking the lectures, research, and strategies into the early adolescent grades.
And three and a half semesters later, I am discovering, sometimes failing, sometimes celebrating, but always walking the walk of my graduate students and sharing these experiences with my pre-service teachers. I have surveyed the students and teachers with these questions in mind: 40+ Alternatives to YouTube. The Power of Reflection: 3 Ways Educators Can Reflect. Developing habits of continual growth and improvement requires self-reflection. As we as individuals, staffs, and organizations reflect on our actions, we gain important information about the efficacy of our thinking. These experiences let us practice the habit of continual growth through reflection. - Art Costa and Bena Kallick, Educational Leadership - April 2000 As we begin a new school year, teachers and administrators are focused on lesson planning, assessments, programs, district initiatives, professional goals, and more!
There is yesterday's "To-Do" list staring us in the face. We may have enjoyed time at the beach this summer. While at the beach, we may have reflected on last year and all that we hope to accomplish this year. When will we take time to reflect? 3 Ways Educators Can Reflect Blogging Blogging can be therapeutic. Twitter Chats Twitter Chats have become the cornerstone of my reflection and professional development. Voxer This past month, I was introduced to Voxer. 10 Tough Truths about Your First Year of Teaching. Photo Credit: A few weeks ago, I attended a retirement luncheon for a close teacher friend of mine whose daughter recently accepted her first teaching position. As you might imagine, this dynamic inspired quite a bit of reminiscing among the attendees, and soon enough, every veteran teacher in the room was sharing memories of his or her first year on the job.
My friend’s daughter laughed appreciatively at the funny anecdotes that were shared, but as she said her goodbyes at the end of the party, I was struck by the level of candor she shared about her mounting anxiety. “Thanks for sharing your stories with me,” she said sincerely, and a round of wry laughter ensued. Not every story was a happy one. “No seriously,” she smiled, reassuring those whose memories were less than ideal, “Sometimes, I’m afraid that no one is telling me the truth. Student teaching was such a controlled and well-monitored experience. I hope she does. 1. Don’t believe me? 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Celebrate: The Kid Who Won’t #celebratelu | the dirigible plum. Why Kindergarten in Finland Is All About Playtime (and Why That Could Be More Stimulating Than the Common Core) “The changes to kindergarten make me sick,” a veteran teacher in Arkansas recently admitted to me.
“Think about what you did in first grade—that’s what my 5-year-old babies are expected to do.” The difference between first grade and kindergarten may not seem like much, but what I remember about my first-grade experience in the mid-90s doesn’t match the kindergarten she described in her email: three and a half hours of daily literacy instruction, an hour and a half of daily math instruction, 20 minutes of daily “physical activity time” (officially banned from being called “recess”) and two 56-question standardized tests in literacy and math—on the fourth week of school. That American friend—who teaches 20 students without an aide—has fought to integrate 30 minutes of “station time” into the literacy block, which includes “blocks, science, magnetic letters, play dough with letter stamps to practice words, books, and storytelling.” A working paper, “Is Kindergarten the New First Grade? Supporter Toolkit. Want to show your support for Connected Educator Month and what it stands for?
Want to encourage other educators to come join the discussions, the explorations, and the fun? Or maybe you just to let others know that when people talk about “connected educators,” that means you or your organization. In the supporter toolkit you’ll find a large collection of graphics, copy, and other promotional tools to help spread the word. Swipe copy: Feel free to “swipe” (copy & paste) our words on your blog, website, or in a press release.Graphics: banners and badges suitable to put on your personal page, your profile, or your siteFor Twitter: pre-crafted tweets to copy & paste as well as images sized for TwitterFor Pinterest & Facebook: hover over any image for a “Pin it” button, and use these large graphics to fancify your Pinterest account or Facebook pagePrintables: Flyers or postcards to print and share. How to Get the Most Out of Student-Owned Devices in Any Classroom. Allowing students to bring their own devices to class can be a cost-effective way to quickly get access to the internet and to the many useful tools those devices carry.
But students don’t always get the chance to use their devices, especially in low-income schools. As we previously reported, a 2013 Pew study revealed that only 35 percent of teachers at the lowest income schools allow their students to look up information on their mobile devices, as compared to 52 percent of teachers at wealthier schools. And while 70 percent of teachers working in high-income areas say their schools do a good job providing resources and support to effectively integrate technology into the classroom, only 50 percent of teachers in low-income areas agree. But it’s not a lost cause — the disparity can be addressed, according to Michael Mills, assistant professor of teaching and learning at University of Central Arkansas, who trains in-service teachers and works in a seventh-grade classroom. Google's Three-Step Formula for Happiness. NO, Not Everyone Needs to Code! #edchat.
I began the day yesterday with a conversion from someone I admire and consider a great edu-twitter friend and #onted colleague. Andrew, as he often does, threw a tweet in my direction suggesting the contrary to what I have been blogging and speaking about for a few years now. Coding. I’ve learned over the years that Andrew likes a good conversation – one in which both perspectives are shown – to educate the audience at large in making their own unbiased judgements. Here is how it went: Uh oh. As many of you are aware, I am a big advocate for Computer Science education. Perhaps coding is the new literacy – I keep seeing this statement a lot. The notion of forcing every student to code seems counterproductive to the 21st century learning we keep preaching. So, back to my previous statement. Like Math, LA, the Arts, Phys. I want to see coding in elementary schools. So my challenge for you is simple. But the same can be said about every other subject taught in schools. – Oscar Wilde.
5 Questions You Should Ask Your Leader. I was recently asked by a superintendent if I had some questions to ask his principals to start off the year. The questions I gave him were based on the following areas: Fostering Effective RelationshipsInstructional LeadershipEmbodying Visionary LeadershipDeveloping Leadership CapacityCreating Sustainable Change In my opinion, the principal is probably the most important job in an educational organization.
There are many studies that reiterate this, but I think it is that they have the most authority closest to kids. It is not to say that teachers aren’t important; they are absolutely vital. Even though the questions were developed for superintendents to ask principals, I think that they should be questions any educator, parent, and even student should be able to openly ask their principal. 1. 2. 3. 4. Many leaders are scared about developing people and then having them leave. Again, great leaders develop more leaders. 5. If Only I Could Just Say Yes | Passion…Purpose…Pride. On the shelf behind my desk is a sign that reads…..”No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.” That sign has stood by me for twenty-two years, traveled to three different cities, and weathered countless looks from me after some very challenging conversations.
This past week I received an email from an old friend of mine who I had not heard from in over fifteen years. That friend was my mentor, the principal who not only helped me earn my first assistant principal job, but the one who gave me the sign and those personal words of wisdom which have carried me through many lonely moments when I sat alone at the end of a long night and questioned my decisions.
This morning when I walked into my office to catch up on some work from the past week I took the sign off the shelf and held it in my hands. What I have learned is that often those lessons begin with the word “no.” Here are 5 things we can take away from having to say “no” when it would be easier to just say yes. The Opportunities For Empathy In The Classroom. The Opportunities For Empathy In The Classroom by Terry Heick So much talk about empathy in education recently.
Why? What’s the big idea? In “The Role of Empathy in Learning,” I wrote: “The role of empathy in learning has to do with the flow of both information and creativity. But where does it come from? Empathy Source: Analysis of “Other” Whether by close academic examination, more personal “evaluation,” or some kind of analysis that’s in-between, “other” lays the groundwork for empathy.
The act of an infant reaching out for your face as you hold, or making eye contact with someone during a conference, or even reading literate all are framed by empathy–or suffer tremendously without it. Literary study is probably the most iconic case for empathy in traditional learning environment. Empathy Source: Your interactions with them This is a powerful opportunity to model empathy. Empathy Source: Their interactions with one another Empathy Source: How content is framed Another example? How to Cope With 11 Types of Students Who Sometimes Drive You Crazy. How to Cope With 11 Types of Students Who Sometimes Drive You Crazy By Lynn Usrey The fact that students in your class are all very different is splendid. But it can also be overwhelming learning how to cope with all these complicated kids. Teachers who have classrooms filled with so many types of students are essentially doomed (just kidding). In reality, things aren’t as bad as they may appear. Sure, it’s a challenge for you to juggle the daily pressures of running your classroom. 11 Types of students 1 – The Buddy-Buddy The buddy-buddy students are no strangers to flattery. 2 – The Worker Bee Perhaps these are not your best students, and some may know it. 3 – The Celeb These students shine bright and dazzle everyone in the school. 4 – The Egghead These students are smart and well read. 5 – The Jester Are things getting too serious in the classroom?
6 – The Featherhead 7 – The Hooky-Player Do you remember the faces of these kids? 8 – The Attention-Seeker 9 – The Creative Mind 10 – The Roughneck. How to Build Your PLN on Twitter -- THE Journal. 21st Century Learning Page 2 of 2 How to Build Your PLN on Twitter The screenshot below shows an introductory tweet by a moderator. These introductory tweets usually include pertinent information regarding the upcoming chat including the topic and the question/answer format. In the next screenshot, the moderator is interacting with a student audience. The next screenshot shows an initial question posted by a moderator. Below is a sample response to a moderator’s question using the Q1:A1 format.
Most chats will end with the moderator bringing the chat full circle with some sort of a closure to the chat. During a chat, it can be hard to keep up with the conversation. Who Should You Follow? Twitter chats are a vital part of professional growth. About the Authors Denver J. John Riley is an introduction to education instructor at the Mcvey Innovative Learning Center in Hilliard, Ohio. Education Week. Do You Have a Student-Centered or Teacher-Focused Classroom? [Infographic] Professional Learning. How to Start an Online Book Club on Goodreads. 5 Reasons Your Portfolio Should Be Online. Louis Riel School Division. Winnipeg School Division. What Message Are We Really Sending About Learning and Technology? | Katie Martin.
HUGE List of Halloween Activities and Ideas for Upper Elementary - Teaching to Inspire with Jennifer Findley. Write Music in Google Documents. World Education Games 2015. Before You Assign a Reading Log. Why Do I Need To Learn Algebra? | Wonderopolis.
Extreme student behavior: 7 traps to avoid when NOTHING seems to work. Teach Writing Skills: Powerful Prompts for Student Writing. Books, Bytes, Blog. - Books, Bytes, Blog. October 9. Lousy at punctuation? Fear not – so was Wordsworth. M.fastcompany. Failure Is Inevitable. What Matters Is How You Deal With It. - Accidental Creative. Tips Moving From Math Procedures to Understanding. America Needs to Get Over its Reverence for the Bachelor's Degree.