Dickens At 200: A Birthday You Can't 'Bah Humbug' hide captionBorn in 1812, English writer Charles Dickens was born 200 years ago on Feb. 7. Rischgitz/Getty Images Born in 1812, English writer Charles Dickens was born 200 years ago on Feb. 7. Tuesday marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens — the great 19th century English novelist who gave us stories of pathos and comedy, and colorful portraits of the people of London, from the poor in the back streets, to the rich in the parks and avenues. Lots of Dickens' phrases — like "Bah humbug" and "God bless us, every one!" — have slipped into our minds and our memories. "After Shakespeare, Dickens is the great creator of characters, multiple characters," says Claire Tomalin, author of the new biography Charles Dickens: A Life. Dickens liked to walk, as he said, "far and fast," gathering his thoughts and his strength to pour into his novels. "He would write these quite rapidly," Tomalin explains. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Getty Images
How to Plan Instruction Using the Video Game Model Imagine you are placed in the following scenarios: You are dropped off at the top of a ski resort's steepest run when you've only had experience on the beginner slopes. You have to spend your day on the bunny hill when you're an expert skier. You play a game of darts with the target two feet away. You play a game of darts with the target 200 feet away. You are a 3rd grade student trying to do a crossword puzzle designed for experts. In each of these extremes, you would feel either frustrated or bored, depending on your level of achievable challenge. Challenge is a powerful motivator when students take on tasks they find meaningful and, through their efforts and perseverance, succeed. Achievable Challenge Requires Individualization The video game model is ideal for kids lacking in foundational knowledge, but it is not necessary for all kids at all times. The Role of Scaffolding Demonstrating Incremental Progress Strategy 1: Use Rubrics Strategy 2: Flexible Grouping
A letter to Charles Dickens on his 200th birthday My dear Mr Dickens, Happy 200th birthday! You yourself were not much given to celebrating anniversaries, but you did go to Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1864, with Robert Browning, Wilkie Collins and John Forster, to celebrate Shakespeare's 300th, "in peace and quiet". And on 30 January 1849, you celebrated the bicentenary of the execution of Charles I with your friend Walter Savage Landor. In so doing, you gave a clear message of how greatly you honoured Shakespeare's writing – "was there ever such a fellow!" Just now, we are all reading and rereading your novels, your journalism, and your story A Christmas Carol, with its pointed message that a decent society depends on the rich learning to be generous and the poor being saved from ignorance and want. We are enjoying the way you bring London to life before our eyes: streets, river, bridges, shops, dust heaps, markets, prisons. Novels and letters give us a panoramic view of 19th-century England.
Teaching like it's 2999 COMPLETE COLLECTION OF POEMS BY RUDYARD KIPLING Kipling gained renown throughout the world as a poet and storyteller. He was also known as a leading supporter of the British Empire. As apparent from his stories and poems, Kipling interested himself in the romance and adventure which he found in Great Britain's colonial expansion. Kipling was born on Dec.30, 1865, in Bombay, where his father directed an art school. In 1889, Kipling return to England. Kipling composed many of his poems while living for several years in the United States in the mid-1890s. In 1896, Kipling returned to England from the United States. In 1900, Kipling went to South Africa to report the Boer War for an English newspaper. Before World War I, Kipling became active in politics. he widely lectured and wrote for the British cause both before and during the war.
Game-Based Learning Units for the Everyday Teacher Game-based learning (GBL) is getting a lot press. It is an innovative practice that is working to engage kids in learning important 21st century skills and content. Dr. Judy Willis in a previous post wrote about the neurological benefits and rationale around using games for learning. She also gives tips about using the game model in the classroom. James Paul Gee has long been a champion for game-based learning in speeches, blogs, and books. Myths About Game-Based Learning First, let's clarify a couple things. Gee refers to teachers as "learning designers," and I couldn't agree more. Inspired by the work I've seen, here is an overview of components and structure for the everyday teacher to implement game-based learning Overall Structure: Individual Quests and Boss Levels A game-based learning unit should consist of both smaller quests and more robust boss levels. Boss levels are more rigorous missions that require students to synthesize the content and skills learned in the quests. Avatar
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