Monthly Archives: July 2017

MSM 365: It could be dark, Don’t go to sleep on this one…

MSM 365: It could be dark, Don’t go to sleep on this one…

/ , , /

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

First rule in cannibal baseball: Never wok the leadoff man.

 

“Something about subtraction just doesn’t add up.”

 

I spend three minutes every day choosing a TV channel to leave on for my dog.

Then I go to work, and people take me seriously as an adult.

 

“Did you hear about the nun who procrastinated doing her laundry? She had a filthy habit.”

 

Don’t trust atoms. They make up everything.

 

Why is a river rich?

  • Surrounded by banks.
  • Two banks on either side.
  • Banks all around.

 

Why did the man name his dogs Rolex and Timex?

  • They were “watch” dogs.

Advisory:

Middle School Science Minute  

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

Globe at Night

I was recently reading the Summer, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.  

In this issue, I read the the Citizen Science section article, “Summer Night Sky Citizen Science with Globe at Night.” It was written by Jill Nugent.  The article describes how middle school students and teachers can get involved in the Citizen Science Project – “Globe at Night” to measure and report the brightness of the night sky in their geographic location.  To participate, please visit:

http://www.globeatnight.org

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/7/26_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Globe_at_Night.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Scrivener‏ @ScrivenerApp

News regarding Scrivener 3 for both macOS and Windows: ‘3 – That’s the Magic Number’ http://www.literatureandlatte.com/blog/?p=1032 . 🙂 All the best, L&L.

 

Dave Burgess‏ @burgessdave

Ditch That Homework is OUT!! #DitchHW Awesome collaboration between @alicekeeler & @jmattmiller #DitchBook #tlap https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946444391/ref=sr_1_2_twi_pap_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501112750&sr=8-2&keywords=ditch+that+homework …

 

RUTH BUZZI‏Verified account @Ruth_A_Buzzi

Am I getting old, or are supermarkets playing really great music?

 

RUTH BUZZI‏Verified account @Ruth_A_Buzzi

My cat is now ready to take on the dog.

Ian Jukes‏ @ijukes

6 Things Science Says Kids Need To Succeed In Education And Business http://buff.ly/2u7oPgC

 

ABC News‏Verified account @ABC

After months of violence and instability, Venezuelans head to the polls to choose delegates to rewrite constitution http://abcn.ws/2uLIWCK

 

Kelly Malloy‏ @kellys3ps

Love this problem solving wheel to help students figure out how to handle their own problems!

 

Shelly Sanchez‏ @ShellTerrell

Cool Back to School activity! Student Interest Surveys (PDF) http://buff.ly/2vOOP2v  #edchat #Back2School #Back2School2017 #education

 

Kelly Malloy‏ @kellys3ps

Welcoming Parents Into Your Classroom – great ideas for Meet the Teacher night or Back to School Night! http://buff.ly/2uGiiwQ

 

Engaging Educators‏ @engaginged

The latest The #CommonCore Gazette! http://paper.li/engaginged/1328450564?edition_id=905eaf20-7466-11e7-8f01-0cc47a0d1609 … Thanks to @aahbuhkuh @BCSB_Prep @lflwriter #commoncore #ccss  

Direct link to article (i.e. bypass Paperli):  https://gadflyonthewallblog.wordpress.com/2017/07/24/middle-school-suicides-double-as-common-core-testing-intensifies/  

 

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”  

 

Strategies:

 

Schools Are Missing What Matters About Learning

Curiosity is underemphasized in the classroom, but research shows that it is one of the strongest markers of academic success.

When Orville Wright, of the Wright brothers fame, was told by a friend that he and his brother would always be an example of how far someone can go in life with no special advantages, he emphatically responded, “to say we had no special advantages … the greatest thing in our favor was growing up in a family where there was always much encouragement to intellectual curiosity.”

 

The power of curiosity to contribute not only to high achievement, but also to a fulfilling existence, cannot be emphasized enough.

 

In recent years, curiosity has been linked to happiness, creativity, satisfying intimate relationships, increased personal growth after traumatic experiences, and increased meaning in life.

 

“giftedness is not a chance event … giftedness will blossom when children’s cognitive ability, motivation and enriched environments coexist and meld together to foster its growth.”

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/07/the-underrated-gift-of-curiosity/534573/

 

12 back-to-school hacks with EXPO markers

 

https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/12-back-school-hacks-expo-markers/

 

Resources:

 

A Turnaround Success Story

 

http://www.educationalleadership-digital.com/educationalleadership/2017summerfree?pg=72#pg72

 

There Are No Digital Natives

Oh, kids these days. When they want to know something they Google it. When they want to buy something they go to Amazon. When they want to date someone they open Tinder.

 

It’s almost like they’re from a different country, one where technology has bled into every aspect of life. These so-called “digital natives” are endowed with the ability to seamlessly interact with any device, app or interface, and have migrated many aspects of their lives to the Internet.

 

But “digital natives” don’t exist—at least according to new research—and it may be a fool’s errand to adapt traditional methods of learning or business to engage a generation steeped in technology.

 

The true existence of digital natives has come under question in the years since, as multiple studies have shown that Millennials don’t necessarily use technology more often and are no better at using basic computer programs and functionalities than older generations.

 

Bringing new forms of technology into the classroom might not necessarily help younger kids learn, and, likewise, your new hire won’t have mastered the Adobe Suite just because they’re under 25.

 

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2017/07/27/20443/#.WXyUvNPytdA

 

Web Spotlight:

Listenwise

Listenwise is an audio resource on the web.  Teachers can sign up for free and get NPR curated stories by category.  If your school buys a license, well  . . .

 

Thinglink from ISTE’s HackED UnConference EduBloggerCon

https://www.thinglink.com/edu  

 

iOS Updates Coming

Clean up/out your apps on your Apple devices.  You’d be surprised . . .

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSM 364:  Try These Wonderful Resources, But You Could Do That With Moodle . . .

MSM 364:  Try These Wonderful Resources, But You Could Do That With Moodle . . .

/ , /

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Once I told a chemistry joke.

There was no reaction.

Norwegians are putting bar codes on their ships.  They go out in the morning and when they return, they Scandavian.

 

Who earns a living by driving his customers away?

  • A taxi driver

 

If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get?

  • MissleToe

 

Advisory:

 

Middle School Science Minute  

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

Innovative Teaching

 

I was recently reading the Summer, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.  

 

In this issue, I read the the Editor’s Desk article, “Innovative Teaching = Learning.” It was written by Patty McGinnis, Editor of Science Scope.  The article describes the value of innovative teaching and how it impacts student learning.

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/7/13_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Innovative_Teaching.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

AMLE‏ @AMLE

Synthesis of Prof Development on the Implementation of Literacy Strategies for Middle School Content Area Teachers http://bit.ly/2fg8a7d

 

Susie Highley‏ @shighley

You can utilize Google’s GTHANKS program idea with eThanks for G Suite schools https://sites.google.com/view/ethanks/home … #BLForum17 #INeLearn

 

Andrew Maxey‏ @ezigbo_

Tuscaloosa, #TCSLearns is committed to making middle school work well for EVERY student. Read about it here -> http://tuscaloosacityschools.com/Page/96

 

Susie Highley‏ @shighley

TED.ed is a great source for content for 13 and up @Catlin_Tucker #INeLearn #BLForum17 https://ed.ted.com

 

Richard Byrne‏ @rmbyrne

How to Change Access Settings in the New Version of Google Forms http://ow.ly/yGlW30dOr1U

 

Teacher2Teacher‏Verified account @teacher2teacher

They’re your Ss for one year – and your kids forever. #TeacherLife via educator @justintarte

 

Kelly Malloy‏ @kellys3ps

Teaching the Right Time to Ask a Question http://buff.ly/2uITeGh

AMLE‏ @AMLE

Pup Camp is a fun way to get kids ready for the transition into middle school http://ow.ly/M1NnQ  #mschat #elemchat

 

AMLE‏ @AMLE

Do you know the 16 characteristics of successful middle schools? This We Believe. http://bit.ly/1MisJqq  Chart: http://bit.ly/1HQM6Hj

Kelly Malloy‏ @kellys3ps

This is an interesting flexible seating idea – with chalkboard paint or whiteboard paint. http://buff.ly/2ukzBlt

 

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”  

 

Strategies:

 

Why I’m Starting This School Year with a Get-to-Know-You Curation Project…and You Should Too!

My students are always surprised when I tell them about my secret (well, not so secret now) loathing of ice-breaker games. I’m a talkative, friendly person, but the moment you tell me to come up with two truths and a lie about myself I start to feel queasy and wonder if I could sneak off and hide in the restroom while everyone else “circulates and finds another person who has traveled to another state recently.”

 

I know full well that every other teacher they have will be doing similar, if not the same, things this week. How am I supposed to stand out, make them sit up and pay attention, get them excited about entering my room each day with the same old get-to-know-you activities?

 

Enter CURATION. An awesome idea for all sorts of project-based learning in the classroom (you can read more about that here), but one that I’m planning on using to get my students to introduce themselves to me (and each other!) in a way I bet they haven’t seen before!

 

Curation is the process of collecting a bunch of high-quality materials all related to a similar theme, topic, or idea. The curator of a museum might curate a collection of artifacts from ancient Greece, a librarian might curate a group of the latest and best young adult novels for a start of the school year display in the library, and so on. And using the free, online tool elink, I’m going to have my students curate a collection of photos, links, videos, songs, and whatever else they can think of, that will teach me and their classmates all about them!

 

OR, YOU COULD USE MOODLE!

http://www.funfreshideas.com/2017/07/why-im-starting-this-school-year-with.html?m=1

 

29 Practical Ways to Empower Learners in Your Classroom

http://ajjuliani.com/practical-ways-to-empower/

 

Resources:

#FormativeTech by Monica Burns

https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/formativetech/book254514  

The book is a quick read.  It has a number of tech suggestions for implementing formative assessment in the classroom using technology.  Many of them can be done through Moodle, yet Moodle doesn’t get a mention.  Yes, I get it, not everyone has Moodle.  Yet, it should be mentioned as an option for those who do, or are willing to set up a Moodle and give it a go.  For the cost of using all these services, it might just pay to rent some server space.  

 

Next Vista

All videos in the regular collections of NextVista.org are for a student audience, highlighting the creativity of students and teachers around the world. Our three principal collections are:

http://www.nextvista.org/videos/

Web Spotlight:

 

The Silicon Valley Billionaires Remaking America’s Schools

In San Francisco’s public schools, Marc Benioff, the chief executive of Salesforce, is giving middle school principals $100,000 “innovation grants” and encouraging them to behave more like start-up founders and less like bureaucrats.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/technology/tech-billionaires-education-zuckerberg-facebook-hastings.html

 

MTBoS.org

Welcome to MTBoS.org! Working to support the MTBoS community.

Dont know what I’m talking about? The MTBoS is an acronym for “Math Twitter Blog-o-Sphere” – it is a community of math teachers who, well, blog and tweet. Mostly, it’s a hashtag that any math teacher who blogs and/or tweets is encouraged to use! Find out more at http://mathtwitterblogosphere.weebly.com  or just follow the hashtag #mtbos on Twitter.

This website serves no “official” role – there is nothing official about the MTBoS, it is just a bunch of talking folks!

http://mtbos.org/

 

This Is What Sound Actually Looks Like

If you’ve ever wondered what sound actually looks like traveling through the air, then you’re in luck because apparently, all you need is a high-speed camera and a photography trick called the Schlieren Flow Visualization to help you see sound.

http://digg.com/2017/what-sound-looks-like

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSM 363: Where Was I Going With This?

/ , , /

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

For a period, Houdini used a trap door in every single show he did…I guess you could say it was a stage he was going through.

 

What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?

 

Q: What did the duck say when he bought lipstick?

A: “Put it on my bill.”

 

Q: What starts with E, ends with E, and has only 1 letter in it?

A: Envelope.

 

There are six eggs in a basket. Six people each take one of the eggs. How can it be that one egg is left in the basket?

  • The last person took the basket.

Advisory:

 

Riddles:

You are driving down the road in your car on a wild, stormy night. You see three people waiting by a bus stop.

  1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
  2. An old friend who once saved your life.
  3. The perfect partner that you’ve been dreaming about.

 

Your car is a two seater. Thus, there can only be one passenger in the car. Who would you choose?  

 

*A: You pull up and give your friend the keys.  He drives the old lady out of harm’s way, he is a hero after all.  You stay with the perfect partner of your dreams and everybody lives happily ever after.  

Wise Words

 

https://9gag.com/gag/a3B4Vg8?ref=pn

Middle School Science Minute  

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

 

WILDCAM GOROGOSA

 

I was recently reading the April/May, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.  

 

In this issue, I read the the Citizen Science section article, “It All Adds Up.” It was written by Jill Nugent.  The article describes how middle school students and teachers can get involved in the Citizen Science Project – “WildCam Gorongosa” to identify wildlife from trail cam images found in the park.  To participate, please visit:

http://www.wildcamgorongosa.org

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/7/6_Middle_School_Science_Minute__WildCam_Gorogosa.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Jason Gribble‏ @ForestPrincipal

Book number 3 for this summer’s reading. Started it last night. I cannot put it down. Everyone needs this one. #empowerbook – at Lake Erie

http://www.spencerauthor.com/empower/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073HJR8HR/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

 

Common-Core Materials Continue to Vary in Quality, According to Textbook Review http://crwd.fr/2lOzL06

 

Chad A. Stevens‏ @k12cto

Teachers: 6 social assignments for online learning | eSchool News http://ow.ly/vPuw30dnmcI  #edtech

 

Richard Byrne‏ @rmbyrne

Six Types of Classroom Video Projects  https://t.co/FPSMPw8ZsW  

 

Book Creator Team‏Verified account @BookCreatorApp

Top 5 Things I’ve Learned About Creativity – from @TheTechRabbi http://bit.ly/2tYEGlP  via @EdTechTeacher21 #edtech #creativity

Sari Rautiainen‏ @SariRautiainen

In Finland, PhDs are awarded sword as a symbol to defend what’s right and true. My sword stays at home today, but I #marchforscience

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”  

 

Strategies:

50 Activities for the First Day of School by Walton Burns  

“Never stress about the first day of school again!  With this book you can walk into any classroom and start the class off.  With no prep, start learning student names, building rapport, assessing knowledge, introducing language, and establishing rules.”  More free resources at:  www.alphabetpublishing.xyz/book/first-day-of-school/  

 

Explainer GIF’s

 

https://www.commoncraft.com/explainergifs

 

Resources:

 

Padlet  

https://padlet.com/  

Apps for (most) any device

From Padlet’s website:  

Don’t miss any of the action, even when you’re away from a computer.

  • Available on iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), Android, and Kindle devices
  • Posts appear instantly across devices
  • Take photos and scan QR codes from within each app
  • Stellar app ratings (see what we did there?)

Easy and intuitive.  Even if you’ve never used any kind of software before, Padlet is familiar and fun.

  • Add posts with one click, copy-paste, or drag and drop
  • Works the way your mind works – with sight, sound, and touch
  • Changes are autosaved
  • Simple link sharing allows for quick collaboration

 

Web Spotlight:

Academic Standards:  Breaking Whole Things Into Broken Bits  

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/academic-standards-breaking-whole-things-into-broken-bits/  

“A drive to break the Standards down into ‘microstandards’ risks making the checklist mentality even worse than it is today. Microstandards would also make it easier for microtasks and microlessons to drive out extended tasks and deep learning. Finally, microstandards could allow for micromanagement: Picture teachers and students being held accountable for ever more discrete performances. If it is bad today when principals force teachers to write the standard of the day on the board, think of how it would be if every single standard turns into three, six, or a dozen or more microstandards. If the Standards are like a tree, then microstandards are like twigs. You can’t build a tree out of twigs, but you can use twigs as kindling to burn down a tree.”

 

Current Events Webinar

Looking to cover current events next school-year, or need some ideas on how to tackle controversial issues? We have you covered at Share My Lesson this summer with our live and on-demand Summer of Learning professional development webinars covering a wide range of current topics from fake news, to immigration, to how to encourage civil discourse.

All webinars are available for one-hour of professional development credit.

https://sharemylesson.com/collections/current-events-across-curriculum-webinars

Apple Teacher Certification Program

  • Becoming an Apple Teacher:  Fuel Your Passion for Learning
    • Apple Teacher Learning Center
    • Free iBooks today.  
  • Every Learner is a creator.
    • Expect a lot from classroom technology.  
    • User Experience, Accessibility, Apps to Create.  
    • Everyone should learn how to code.  
      • Playgrounds app on the iPad
    • Apple Teacher Program
    • Deployment and Management  
      • Classroom Manager and App
  • How do you fuel your passion for learning when you’re not at ISTE?
  • Apple Teacher
    • Just-In-Time Resources  
    • Teachers choose the skills they want to work on.
    • Free self-paced program.  
  • Keynote
    • Use Keynote as a vocabulary activity.  
    • Scavenger hunts
  • Additional Learning Opportunities
    • Teacher Tuesday at the Apple Store
    • EdTechTeam – Apple Teacher Conferences  
  • Next Steps
    • Sign up using your Apple ID and password:  appleteacher.apple.com
    • Explore:  Apple Teacher Learning Center and take a Quiz.
  • What’s your Apple Teacher story?
    • #AppleTeacher or @AppleEDU
  • Website:  apple.co/education-iste  
  • apple.com/education for apple resources.  
  • West lobby has a social media mosaic.  
  • @ForTheLoveOfLearning  

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSM 362:   #ISTE? Jennie, we got your number.

/ , , , /

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

NASA put a bunch of cows into orbit. They call it the herd shot round the world.

 

Have you ever tried eating a clock? It’s very time consuming.

 

Broken puppets for sale….

No strings attached.

 

What did the Tin Man say when he got run over by a steamroller?

“CURSES, FOIL AGAIN!”

 

What kind of exercise do lazy people do?

Diddly-squats.

 

I went to my Doctor and he suggested I do some exercises. Here is my new regiment…

 

  1. Jump to conclusions
  2. Climb the walls
  3. Drag my heels
  4. Push my luck
  5. Make mountains out of molehills
  6. Bend over backwards
  7. Run in circles
  8. Put my foot in my mouth

 

The village blacksmith hired an enthusiastic new apprentice willing to work long, hard hours.

He instructed the boy, “When I take the shoe out of the fire, I’ll lay it on the anvil. When I nod my head, you hit it with the hammer.”

The apprentice did exactly as he was told, and now he’s the new village blacksmith.

 

 

Advisory:

 

Fish Problem

Use the link below for support materials:

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/can-you-solve-the-fish-riddle-steve-wyborney

 

Middle School Science Minute  

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

 

 

EMPATHY IN STEM EDUCATION

 

I was recently reading the April/May, 2017 issue of “Science Scope,” a magazine written for middle school science teachers, published by the National Science Teachers Association.  

In this issue, I read the the article, “The Importance of Cultivating Empathy in STEM Education.” It was written by Kathy Liu Sun.  The article describes how there are three ways to embed empathy in STEM classes:

  1.  Connect STEM content to real people.
  2.  Bring in a guest to share his or her perspective.
  3.  Add a “human-user” to an existing project.

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/6/30_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Empathy_in_STEM_Education.html

 

 

From the Twitterverse:  

MiddleWeb‏ @middleweb

Scaffolding Grit – great piece from @tweenteacher Heather Wolpert Gawron. (It starts with passion-based learning.) https://www.edutopia.org/blog/scaffolding-grit-heather-wolpert-gawron …

 

Shannon Miller‏ @shannonmmiller

Where are my @flipgrid lovers? Here are 15+ ways to use Flipgrid in your class! http://ow.ly/lV3a30cTvRt  #EdTech #FutureReady #EdChat

 

Liz Kolb‏ @lkolb

Classroom Games and Tech: Essential Summer Reading – The Triple E Framework http://classroomgamesandtech.blogspot.com/2017/06/essential-summer-reading-triple-e.html?spref=tw

 

Jennie Magiera‏Verified account @MsMagiera

Reflecting on #ISTE17. TY to all for so much love & support, to those who shared & @BrianRSmithSr for this video: https://www.pscp.tv/1to1Brian/1MnxnalkDbXJO?t=2s …

Jonathan Wylie‏ @jonathanwylie

30 Free Google Drawings Graphic Organizers via @ericcurts http://bit.ly/2ty8ohE

 

Kevin Michael‏ @teacherMrMic

Small changes can make a big difference. #ShiftThis @JoyKirr

Class Ideas‏ @class_ideas

More teachers leaving profession, new DfE research shows http://crwd.fr/2qvPXnM

#mschat every Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.  And as Troy says, “The Twitter never stops!”  

 

Strategies:

 

Meet the Teacher Flyer

 

Create a flyer to pass out with expectations, web links, contact info, and things that you want parents to know.

 

 

 

New Study Shows the Impact of PBL on Student Achievement

Does project-based learning (PBL) raise student achievement? If you’ve been involved in PBL for long, you’ve undoubtedly encountered this question. Over the last few years as education researchers at University of Michigan and Michigan State University, we have worked to address this question through a large study of the effects of PBL on social studies and some aspects of literacy achievement in second-grade classrooms. We call this initiative Project PLACE: A Project Approach to Literacy and Civic Engagement.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/new-study-shows-impact-pbl-student-achievement-nell-duke-anne-lise-halvorsen

Resources:

 

#ISTE17:  ISTE 2017 Annual Conference Keynote #2 – Jennie Magiera  

Chicago Public Schools Chief Technology Officer

http://www.teachinglikeits2999.com/  

It starts with a story in Seoul, South Korea.  Teachers can help you be your whole self.  “Stereotypes aren’t wrong, they’re just incomplete.”  They lack from a complete telling of the story.  As educators, whose story are we telling?  How are others getting an incomplete story and how can we advocate for our students, ourselves and our profession to tell our story?  Theme:  “I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging . . . and it is very difficult to find anyone.”  – Gandalf the Grey  Teachers are wizards.  The untold story of Wizards:  The Single Story of Resistant Colleagues (“I love ISTE!  It feels like a wizard convention!), The Untold Story of Innovation, The Untold Story of Our Inner-selves, and how Technology Helps Us Shatter the Single Story.  Find the untold stories and set them free!  

Courageous Edventures, Jennie Magiera  

Chart a course to innovation using educational technology. Let’s go on an edventure! Want to leverage digital tools to innovate and take risks in your teaching? Looking for ways to troubleshoot common classroom challenges? Jennie Magiera charts a course for you to discover your own version of innovation, using the limitless possibilities of educational technology. Packed with lesson plans, examples and practical solutions, Courageous Edventures will show you:

  • How to make school innovation approachable for all educators
  • How to create your own Teacher-IEP (Innovation Exploration Plan) how to use it to guide you through Problem Based Innovation
  • Strategies and solutions for tackling common educational technology problems
  • Methods for putting learning into the hands of students
  • How to find innovation in everyday places

Broken into four sections to scaffold your journey. The chapters are organized to steer each step of your innovation odyssey but also allow you to simply pick up the book, find what you need and dig in.

  • Part 1 “Charting Your Course” helps you prepare for a digital transformation
  • Part 2 “Navigating Your Problems” leads you through Problem Based Innovation to help you first identify and overcome problems through new digital strategies
  • Part 3 “Sailing into the Great Beyond” pushes you further to take bigger risks to transform your practice
  • Part 4 “Reflecting on Your Edventure” helps you reflect and share your journey

Important Features:

  • Acknowledges the hurdles in the pathway of attempting digital transformation and innovation and provides numerous practical strategies to overcome them
  • Breaks down actual classroom problems of practice in the areas of Assessment, Differentiation, Planning and Parent Communication to focus digital transformation in strong classroom instruction and pedagogy.
  • Focuses on strategies over tools, but still provides a companion website for step-by-step tutorials, examples of student work and ready-to-use templates

https://www.pscp.tv/1to1Brian/1MnxnalkDbXJO?t=2s

Padlet  

https://padlet.com/  

Apps for (most) any device

From Padlet’s website:  

Don’t miss any of the action, even when you’re away from a computer.

  • Available on iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), Android, and Kindle devices
  • Posts appear instantly across devices
  • Take photos and scan QR codes from within each app
  • Stellar app ratings (see what we did there?)

Easy and intuitive.  Even if you’ve never used any kind of software before, Padlet is familiar and fun.

  • Add posts with one click, copy-paste, or drag and drop
  • Works the way your mind works – with sight, sound, and touch
  • Changes are autosaved
  • Simple link sharing allows for quick collaboration

 

Web Spotlight:

 

 

Why mythbusting fails: A guide to influencing education with science

“If it disagrees with experiment, it’s wrong,” physicist Richard Feynman said. “In that simple statement is the key to science.”

By this measure, the learning-styles hypothesis has failed too many times to count.

 

https://deansforimpact.org/why-mythbusting-fails-a-guide-to-influencing-education-with-science/

 

The Best Sites Where Students Can Transcribe Historical Texts

 

 

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2017/06/29/the-best-sites-where-students-can-transcribe-historical-texts/

 

10 Risks Every Teacher Should Take With Their Class

As I work with students and teachers there is one common thread that the “stand-out” classrooms share: They take risks. Not only do these students and teachers take learning risks, but they also take them together.

http://ajjuliani.com/10-risks-every-teacher-take-class-2/

 

 

How Did I Do? Reflecting on My Stretch Goals

 

https://www.middleweb.com/35082/how-did-i-do-reflecting-on-my-stretch-goals/

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

ISTE Unplugged session:  HackEd 2017.  One of these people can be heard on Middle School Matters!  Can you find them?  

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!