Through a lens: Nigerian orphans capture their country The northern Nigerian city of Jos can be a difficult place to grow up in. Impoverished and volatile, it has been a flashpoint for ethnic and religious clashes over the past decade and the site of several Boko Haram attacks. And it can be especially tough for the city's street children and orphans. I first visited the area in 2008, working at Gidan Bege, an orphanage for boys aged 12 to 19. Many of them had spent much of their childhoods living on the streets. The creative potential of these children was immediately apparent - but so, too, was the lack of opportunities available for them to pursue their creativity. FEATURE: A day in the life of Lagos' only rape support centre So, I took six of them and began to teach them photography. It became known as the Murmushi Photo Project. And what have emerged are images of great beauty amid hardship. FEATURE: A day in the life of a Nigerian house girl Here are their stories: Shadrach Adie Amallam - 'I discover what is hidden' Source: Al Jazeera
Examples by Subject This page contains examples of what other teachers have created with MinecraftEdu. The examples range from fully fledged lesson plans to classroom blogs. If you want to submit your blog or other resource for the page, hit feedback link at the bottom of the page! Arts Pixel Art Coding - Mike Harvey's map of mixes computer science with Pixel Art. English Language Arts Feeding Change - Liam O'Donnel blogs about ways of employing Minecraft to boost student writing. Minecraft at SAA - Mrs Gielen uses Minecraft as an elective in afterschool clubs and convinces other teachers to use it, too. Foreign Languages TESOL Builders - Blog surrounding the efforts of a instructor using MinecraftEdu to teach English as a Second Language at a Midwestern University. Math Minecraft Maths - A brief account of a series of lessons by Andrè Chrercka using Minecraft to teach maths. My Life as an Edu-Pirate - Minecraft and other games have potential to change the way we teach maths. Science Social Studies Other Projects
Minecraft Guide: Getting Started with Minecraft Minecraft is one of the bestselling video games of all time but getting started with it can be a bit intimidating, let alone even understanding why it’s so popular. In this edition of How-To Geek School we’re going to help you get started with the game (or at least understand why your kids love it so much). Despite its simple appearance there is a whole lot going on in Minecraft. Today we’re going to dig into installing and setting up Minecraft to get you playing and enjoying the game as quickly as possible. If you’ve watched your friends or kids play and scratched your head at what exactly the appeal is (or maybe you’re already convinced and excited to go) we’ll highlight what makes Minecraft so downright addictive to so many. For most people, it’s important to understand what exactly this hugely popular game is and why others become so enamored with it before they’ll take it for a spin. What Is Minecraft? Take as a simple example, your average Super Mario Bros. game. Using Profiles
A Strength-Based Approach to Teaching ESL This guest post was contributed by Laura Lenz. It first appeared on her blog,Teaching with an Open Heart. Close your eyes. Imagine a school where we focused on the strengths of English language learners. Let’s decide this school year to focus more on these strengths and assets and the unique potential of our English learners. This would be a change in the way we view our English learners as well as a shift in how we view the very nature of teaching. At the beginning of the school year, most teachers will be asked to look at data from state tests. A few years ago, I was on an interview committee for the ESL coordinator in our district. Here are some suggestions for making this shift in how we work with our English learners this year. These students are the newest bilingual or multilingual members of our community. Some strengths will be easy to see, like how expert a student is at playing soccer or the great artistic talent some students possess. Be specific in your praise.
wiki Kid EdCamp 2014 | communicateconnectsupport Why Do a Kid EdCamp? There were many take-aways from doing our first ever Kid EdCamp that can be simply stated in a list, and I love lists! 1. Students are motivated by voice and choice. 2. Students are able to be self-directed learners as presenters and participants. 3. Students are able to practice and experience the habits of mind: creativity, curiosity, empathy, collaboration, and reflection. 4. I originally began this blog with that list at the end of the blog, but it fits much better at the beginning. Last week, we held our first ever Kid EdCamp! On the first Wednesday of each month, my school has something we call PLUSS Day. 3rd and 5th grade teachers said they would ask their students if anyone would want to present at a session. After explaining what EdCamps were to students, they became very excited. They were amazing! and so man more! We began the day at 10 am. Things to Remember for Next Time: 1. Like this: Like Loading...
Do's & Don'ts for Teaching English-Language Learners The number of English language learners in the United States is growing rapidly, including in many states that have not previously had large immigrant populations. As teachers try to respond to the needs of these students, here are a few basic best practices that might help. We have found that consistently using these practices makes our lessons more efficient and effective. We also feel it is important to include a few “worst” practices in the hope that they will not be repeated! Modeling Do model for students what they are expected to do or produce, especially for new skills or activities, by explaining and demonstrating the learning actions, sharing your thinking processes aloud, and showing good teacher and student work samples. Don’t just tell students what to do and expect them to do it. Rate of Speech and Wait Time Do speak slowly and clearly, and provide students with enough time to formulate their responses, whether in speaking or in writing. Use of Non-Linguistic Cues
Thinking About Using Minecraft in Your Classroom? EducationWorld is pleased to share this article by education writer James Drzewiecki. Also, don’t miss the related article Site Review: MinecraftEdu. It has pigs, creepers, spiders and even a dragon, and it’s all the rage with kids (and quite a few adults). Minecraft has over 100 million users across various platforms, and educators are increasingly using the game as a teaching tool. How Minecraft works At its core, Minecraft is about placing and mining blocks. When the game begins, players must work quickly, with friends or by themselves, to build shelter to survive the night (when all the monsters of the world come out). Available game modifications, called mods, add a variety of gameplay changes. Benefits of Minecraft in the classroom Minecraft gives students the freedom to create, pushing their imaginations to the limit and allowing them to be creative in ways not possible in the real world. Education World® Copyright © 2014 Education World
MinecraftEdu :: Home Eight Actions to Reduce Racism in College Classrooms | AAUP Last year, at dozens of colleges and universities across the United States, students protested institutional unresponsiveness to pervasive issues of racial inequity. Most media attention disproportionately focused on the popularity of the protests as opposed to the actual issues underlying campus unrest. For example, instead of deeply exploring the experiences that ignited demonstrations among students at the University of Missouri, journalists wrote mostly about the football team’s threat to cancel its game against Brigham Young University, the potential financial implications of the team’s activism, and the eventual resignations of the system president and the chancellor of the university’s flagship campus. Similarly, news coverage of protests at Yale University concentrated less on students’ frustrations with the university’s climate of racial exclusion and more on e-mails about potentially offensive Halloween costumes and perceived threats to free speech. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.