edutopia Ramsey Musallam’s TED Talk on his "3 Rules to Spark Learning" inspires the need to foster students' curiosity. As educators, we want them to ask questions and explore their ideas, which can lead to a rich inquiry-based classroom. From young children whose mantra for everything is "Why?" to teens that require effective inquiry skills as part of their preparation for successful post-secondary life, this need is high. But our challenge is where to begin. 1. The Question Formulation Technique offers a starting place to teach students how to construct questions that meet their needs. 2. One challenge to generating substantive questions and ideas is getting every student's voice heard. Post a topic as a statement starter or a question on chart paper for small groups. Traditionally, the teacher collects the results at the end to use as data for later activities based on the students' contributions. 3. Divide students into groups of 2-4. 4. No Time to Wait Where will you start?
Everything Teachers Need to Know about Project Based Learning- 6 Must Read Books June 5, 2015 According to BIE, project based learning is “an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom.”In its essence , project based learning is all about engaging learners in meaningful and goal-oriented learning activities. Technology is proved to be an effective means of creating and enhancing a PBL-based culture in and outside class. We have already featured a wide variety of iPad and Android apps that are ideal for a PBL classroom. Today, we are grounding you in the theoretical as well as practical part of project based learning. 1- Thinking Through Project-Based Learning: Guiding Deeper Inquiry by Jane I. 2- Project Based Learning (PBL) Starter Kit by John Larmer (Author), David Ross (Author), John R.
Harry & Rosemary Wong: Effective Teaching - Teachers.Net Gazette How to Start Class Every Day Making Your Students Feel Seen Greeting students will have the most immediate impact on your day or each class period. A sincere greeting establishes a positive climate for the classroom. In the business world, the importance of a greeting is understood. Your wait person welcomes you and takes care of your needs. It makes sense that greetings would apply in your classroom. It Begins at the Door At many schools and in many classrooms, discipline is not a factor, bullying does not exist, and more importantly, students are on task and doing their classroom work. This is the doorway of Karen Rogers, a high school teacher in Olathe, Kansas. Greeter Leaders At the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership (SISCL) in New York, when the K-2 students reach their classroom door, they find a teacher and a student waiting to greet them. The teachers model the “greeter leader procedure” for the children. The student being greeted responds, “Good Morning,” in return. R. At A.
Science Says Pinterest Has This Surprising Effect on Mental Health What do dream-worthy wedding boards, fabulous DIYs and a few hilarious Pinterest fails have in common? They’re all the first thing that comes to mind when we think of the social media hub Pinterest. According to a new study released by the Public Relations Review, Pinterest is far more than a collection of pinspirational projects — it is an online platform where users can talk about their struggles with mental illness and connect with their peers in a community-centered environment. Jeanine Guidry of Virginia Commonwealth University, along with three colleagues, began investigating how Pinterest users address and respond to mental illness in their 2015 study. Using quantitative content analysis, they chose 800 depression-focused pins and analyzed both how they were constructed and how other Pinterest users responded to them. The pins themselves were overwhelmingly positive. How are you engaging in community on Pinterest?
Going with the "Flow": Teachers' Perspectives about When Things Really Work, Online Submission, 2014-Jul-22 This research studies teachers' experience with the concept of "flow." Flow can be described as a state of being in which one is fully engrossed in the activity. When activities are in "flow," there is a sense of immersion, high energy, joy, and focus. In an analysis of fifteen teachers' reflections of flow experiences, five prominent characteristics emerged: engagement, authentic and meaningful experiences, relationships, learning environment, and flexibility and risk-taking. Recognizing the classroom conditions under which flow may occur could assist teachers in creating effective and engaging learning environments. Descriptors: Teacher Attitudes, Teaching Experience, Reflection, Teacher Participation, Educational Environment, Graduate Students, Inservice Teacher Education, Reflective Teaching, Risk, Performance, Teacher Effectiveness, Best Practices, Interpersonal Relationship
Wood tick racing: It’s a thing in Loretta in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, and it’s taken very seriously! <div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div> LORETTA, Wisconsin -- The Indy 500 is a Memorial Day weekend tradition -- but there is another great race that takes place right here in Wisconsin. It's a kind of racing you've probably never heard of. In Wisconsin's Northwoods, time moves at its own pace, which is why in his bar in Loretta, Wisconsin, Reed Cain can become a little frazzled. "Something I learned in the bar business -- it`s something new every day," Cain said. In the woods of Loretta, there has been frenzy as well. "They usually like to jump on white cloth. "Pine trees! Wood tick hunting These hunters have been searching for something that just woke up from a long winter's slumber. "I like to catch them a few days before and put them in training. "Right here! You might not believe it, but there is a group in Loretta, Wisconsin that races wood ticks. "I mean, it`s exciting. Loretta, Wisconsin Randy Kuhnert "Tick races started about 37 years ago with my father. "Devastated.
How to Design a Classroom Built on Inquiry, Openness and Trust Teachers who are interested in shifting their classrooms often don’t know where to start. It can be overwhelming, frightening, and even discouraging, especially when no one else around you seems to think the system is broken. A question I’m asked often is, “Where should a teacher begin?” Should teachers just let students go or is there a process to good student-centered inquiry? Many teachers have likely engaged in some type of inquiry or project-based learning, but with frustrating or dismal results. When I start with a new group of students, the design is tight. I’ve also discovered I need to teach the difference between collaboration and cooperation. Start with creating one inquiry unit in one subject. Sometimes you may not understand why certain things aren’t working. If you don’t know how to create an inquiry classroom, ask me. Talk to your students about their learning — a lot. And, yes, I use the big words. Embed technology in ways that are authentic to the learning process.
The Best Resources On Students Having A “Purpose For Learning” There has been some useful recent research on the importance of students having a “purpose for learning,” and I’ve also previously posted about the topic. I thought it would be useful to bring them all together. Here’s how the Mindset Scholars Network talks about it: Students value their schoolwork when they believe it is relevant to their lives and/or will help them connect to a purpose that is bigger than themselves—whether it is a contribution to their family, their community, society at large, or something else. Here’s what I have so far: The Best Resources For Doing A “One-Sentence Project” Another Interesting Finding On The Value Of Having A “Purpose For Learning” The Power Of Having A “Purpose For Learning” In The Classroom A Simple Writing Prompt To Accompany Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Essay, “The Purpose Of Education” Purpose & Relevance is from The Mindset Scholars Network. I’m adding this post to The Best Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Resources Related October 1, 2015 March 25, 2016
Thoughts on Education: BreakoutEDU on the 1st Day of School? Why Not!! BreakoutEDU on the 1st Day of School? Why Not!! I designed a Breakout for the first day of school, and the energy was electric. I started out by thinking of the things I would normally do the first day: Put students in ABC order by their first name, have them join my Google Classroom, get them to explore my website, etc… Then I worked out how to make those tasks into clues. Here is my map with all of the pieces, put together on a Google Drawing. I started it off with a Google form I wanted to them to fill out so I could get to know them better. Next I had them line up in ABC order by first name to get their class numbers. Then, I showed them the Google Form that would be their lockbox for the day (My next breakout will be with a physical box and locks, but the digital one worked great too!). I explained how a Breakout worked and that a key piece would be teamwork. The date lock came from this poster I had on one of my bulletin boards. Me: Does anyone know what this logo is? Me: Hmmmmmm.