Standards For Educators 2b Advocate for equitable access to educational technology, digital content and learning opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students. Equitable access: When all students have access to technology needed for learning and to culturally relevant curriculum and resources regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender identity, sexuality, ability, primary language or any other factor that might hinder or unfairly advantage one student over another. Educational technology: Devices, apps, webs resources, internet access, technology support and other digital tools used to deepen learning. Digital content: Digital content may include open educational resources (OERs); digital media and podcasts; digital curriculum, including culturally relevant curriculum; news and other websites; and digitized original or historical resources such as newspapers, virtual field trips or virtual reality (VR) software and devices.
Evaluating Technology Use in the Classroom Evaluating the use of technology in a classroom environment is not something most administrators are trained to do. It is easy to walk into a classroom and see that every student is using a computer, but how do you really assess if and what type of learning is taking place? In the past, I have had administrators tell me “I walked into the teacher’s room and all the students were on laptops.” As though just the site of students working on laptops meant they were engaged in the learning process. I have been trying to wrap my head around a simple way for administrators to evaluate the use of technology in the classroom (a thank you to Dennis Harter who got me thinking about this). When most administrators evaluate teachers during the evaluation process, they have some sort of check sheet they are working from either mental or as part of a school’s evaluation process. I remembered a Marc Prensky article in Edutopia in which he talks about the typical process of technology adoption:
10 Amazing Lesson Planning Apps and Tools for Teachers Creating and writing lesson plans are activities common to basic teacher education courses. Before entering a classroom, young educators are taught how to meticulously plan their time for the benefit of their students. The most obvious way that teachers avoid the traditional lesson planning concept is by finding ideas, or even entire plans, online. This shortcut can be as simple as finding an in-class activity idea on Pinterest or as complex as downloading a grading period’s worth of lessons that are grade-appropriate. Even if teachers spend just a few hours per week on lesson plans, that is a few hours of time that educators could feasibly be doing something else. BetterLesson Peerless Common Core-aligned lessons for educators who are serious about their craft. Common Curriculum Amazing lesson planning that is aligned with Common Core and promotes collaboration. ReadWriteThink Free lesson planning resources for teachers of the language arts and reading. ReadWorks LearnZillion ReadWorks Digital
Manifesto for 21st Century Teacher Librarians | Teacher Librarian Editor’s Note: This article was originally published as a Tag Team Tech column on www.voyamagazine.com. It has been reprinted and reproduced numerous times and in many places. We are making it available here to ensure that all of our readers have seen it. Manifesto for 21st Century Teacher Librarians By Joyce Kasman Valenza October 2010 A couple of summers back a young school librarian, fresh out of library school, asked a very honest question at one of our state retreats: We’re all doing different stuff. Well into the 21st century, it is clear that the concept of modern teacher librarian practice is not clear. What I know for sure is that if the Joyce who graduated from library school in 1976 (and again with a school specialty in 1988), heck, if the Joyce from the 2007/2008 school year, were to visit my library today, she would be stunned by the differences in my/our practice. And in my humble opinion some aspects of emerging practice are nonnegotiable. Reading Information Landscape 1. 2. 1.
Free Technology for Teachers 10 Teacher Resources For Lesson Planning Templates & Tools 10 Teacher Resources For Lesson Planning Templates & Tools by Mike Acedo Ed note: This post was updated May 2, 2017 It has been a long known fact that teachers have one of the hardest and most time-consuming jobs in the world. There is very little free time for teachers even outside of the classroom, leaving educators constantly on the lookout for useful ways to make their job more convenient and effective. Lesson plans can play a vital role in simplifying a teacher’s job, and also can ensure that classes are conducted in a seamless and efficient manner. However, a quality lesson requires time, commitment, and creativity to create. Thankfully, in addition to popular sites such as teacherspayteachers (which focus mainly on purchasing pre-made materials), there are a number of resources and pre-constructed lesson templates that teachers can utilize to help create organized, innovative, and effective lesson plans. If you’ve got a favorite we missed, let us know in the comments below! Learnboost
The AASL Standards Web Portal: Accessing Standards and Support Resources (Webinar) Kathy Mansfield is the library media/textbooks consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and served as a member of the AASL Standards and Guidelines Editorial Board. Kathy was an elementary school librarian in Kentucky for 19 years before joining KDE. She is on the boards of both the Kentucky Association of School Librarians (KASL) and the Kentucky Library Association (KLA), as well as on the leadership team for the Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL). Tips & Tricks SMART Training | Next Level Interactive PD This is our new 21st Century learner... wow! Tip #17 SMART Response- Student Log-In vs. Anonymous: When using SMART Response software, you are hopefully attempting to collect data that will drive your instruction. Tip #16 SMART Response- WHY? When downloading SMART Notebook software you are given the option of including the Response software too. Tip #15 Homework Calendar- Gallery Highlight: Have you gone searching for a calendar to place on your SMART Board? Tip #14 Modeling Writing the Alphabet- Elementary: Research says that children learn best by modeling. arrow. Tip #13 Scrolling Text Banner- LAT Highlight: In the Lesson Activity Toolkit there are some real "gems" that you may pass by. that will scroll across your screen while presenting in Notebook software. Tip #12 Back to School Notebooks- SMART Exchange Highlight: Looking for a great presentation for the first day of school? Tip #11 "Question Flipper"- LAT Highlight: Trying to develop new and improved ways to use formative
5 Strategies to Deepen Student Collaboration Most of us who teach believe in the power of collaboration and frequently engage our students in collaborative activities. But how many times have we put students in groups only to watch them interact with their laptops instead of each other? Or pursue their own individual goals instead of consult with one another? Or complain about a lazy teammate? Promoting real collaboration is hard to do well—and it doesn’t just happen on its own. Create Learning Activities That Are Complex Students need a reason to collaborate. Complex activities are challenging, engaging, stimulating, and multilayered. One way to do this is through rigorous projects that require students to identify a problem (for example, balancing population growth in their city with protection of existing green spaces) and agree—through research, discussion, debate, and time to develop their ideas—on a solution which they must then propose together. Prepare Students to Be Part of a Team Minimize Opportunities for Free Riding
AASL Position Statements Skip to main content Position Statements The following position statement is currently under review to align with the National School Library Standards: Support for National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Certification WIDA: CAN DO Descriptors by grade level cluster; download for PreK-K, Grades 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12 Look at all we can do! Creating learning environments for language learners based on what they can do! The Can Do Descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in teaching and learning in academic contexts. WIDA is proud to announce the release of the K–12 Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition, the Early Years Can Do Descriptors (for children 2.5–5.5 years old), and the K–12 PODEMOS, the Spanish Language Development Edition of the Can Do Descriptors. Note of Thanks The development of the Can Do Descriptors represents the work of many educators in the field. K-12 Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition The K–12 Can Do Descriptors, Key Uses Edition highlights what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they meaningfully participate in the college and career readiness standards. Here’s what’s included in this edition: Webinar for K-12 Educators Download or Purchase Early Years Can Do Descriptors
Standards Transparency and Mastery Platform (STAMP) The Standards Transparency and Mastery Platform (STAMP) is designed to support local educational agencies' (LEAs) utilization of New Jersey Student Learning Standards to update curricula. The Division of Teaching and Learning Services has developed this platform to provide resources, guidance documents, and other features to aid educators in: developing a clear, thorough understanding of the standards in each content areaproviding meaningful professional learning opportunitiesrevising curriculadesigning standards-based instruction High-quality STAMP resources ensure that New Jersey’s teachers are able to implement the New Jersey Student Learning Standards with fidelity, clarity, and effectiveness. Visit the events registration page for monthly professional learning opportunities.
Dr. Diane August Diane August, Ph.D., is a Managing Director affiliated with the American Institutes for Research and a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Applied Linguistics, both located in Washington DC. Her area of expertise is the development of science and literacy in second-language learners. She is the Principal Investigator for a large NICHD-funded study investigating the development of literacy in English-language learners and Co-Principal Investigator at the IES-funded National Research and Development Center on English language Learners. At the Center she has she has conducted a series of experimental studies focused on developing science knowledge and skills in middle grade ELLs. She was Staff Director for the National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Children and Youth. In 1981, she received her Ph.D. in education from Stanford University, and in 1982 completed a postdoctoral fellowship in psychology also at Stanford. See more In addition, Dr.
Crosswalks - National School Library Standards Meet your collaborators where they are with AASL’s series of crosswalks between the National School Library Standards and other sets of national teaching and learning standards. School librarians and educators can download separate documents for each national standards set crosswalked by AASL. Other possible standards sets are being reviewed by AASL for crosswalks and will be posted here as they are completed. Download printable PDFs (11×17) of these crosswalk sets About the CrosswalksThe AASL Standards Crosswalk Task Force recognizes that sets of standards vary in their nature and level of specificity or generality.