Podcast #113: Phone the Algebra In.
Jokes:
In Medical Terms
A man told his doctor that he wasn’t able to do all the things around the house that he used to do.
When the exam was complete, he said, Now, Doc, I can take it. Tell me in plain English what is wrong with me.
Well, in plain English, the doctor said, you’re just lazy.
Okay, said the man. Now give me the big, long, complex medical term so I can tell my wife.
Advisory:
NCMSA Want to send a message from your school to outer space? Send it on two lightsail missions.
On Our Mind:
Gender Equity:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/17/national/main6307774.shtml
From The Twitterverse:
- colonelb Compilation of Michigan’s MACUL Conference Tweets for 3/10-3/12/10 | #edchat #edtech #macul10
- mguhlin Watching @mcleod again on his TedxASB talk via YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yA6oTU1emM&feature=channel
- drmmtatom Geometry Graphing #fhuedu508
- marynabadenhors The iPod Touch in the Special Needs Classroom – Mobile Learning for All Students via www.diigo.com/~brasst
- marynabadenhors 10 Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn From Albert Einstein – by Dumb Little Man
- educatoral If anyone can spare a read of this Word Doc, letter I want to send parents explaining my grading policy: Any Feedback?
- steverubel 3 Ways To Use Google Reader As An Online Archive @daveyank /MakeUseOf
- NCMSA RT @EdEquality: RT @AdvanceEdu: AIE: in Louisiana $300,000 is the cost of prison for 12 years; $120,000 is the cost school for 12 years.
- ednaks This just in: Ten Excellent Online Apps For the Innovative Teacher http://ow.ly/16Pqae
- edutopia A study found when effective teachers are hired, scores of students in classes they don’t teach increase.
- shareski “I’m not supertitious. I’m just a little stitious”. Micheal Scott.
- drmmtatom RT @web20classroom: Voicethread Library for Educators: http://is.gd/aJuLi #fhuedu508
- kchichester Elementary and HS teachers really exist in different worlds. – me #MRA2010
- mom2preteens @kchichester and middle school is a whole other universe! #mra2010
- kchichester @mom2preteens No, middle school is a whole other galaxy on the far side of the universe #mra2010
- NCMSA Enjoying the conversation stream from our new tweeps since #NCMSA10 !
- hickstro Interview with @doughartman about effective professional development in the 21st century #MRA2010 #Cinch:
- johnharrison1 FYI. Got a bit.ly link you’re not sure about? Add + to end of address. Takes you to bit.ly stats for info/preview.
From our Listeners:
Thank you to Language Arts Teacher for the iTunes post. We greatly appreciate it!
To all of those who are now our fans on Facebook – Thank you! (You know who you are!)
MAMSE:
https://middleschoolmatters.com/Conference_Notes/MAMSE_2010.pdf
Service Learning
Students take leadership roles. They develop the activities.
• Raise money for local charities.
◦ Humane Society
◦ Lion’s Club
◦ Faith in Action
◦ Hospitals
◦ Make a Wish
◦ Chamber of Commerce
◦ Special Olympics
◦ Elementary schools
◦ Local Church events
◦ Senior Centers
◦ Knights of Columbus
◦ Usher local events
◦ Salvation Army
◦ Food Gatherers
◦ American Red Cross
◦ Library
◦ Fire Department
• Make a partnership (Lions Club)
◦ They want the school connection
• Do a service learning class.
• Dance Marathons
• The kids pick the projects. They keep a list of organizations.
• Gets the kids in front of the community.
• In class, they practice social skills.
• Tie in with Social Studies classes. (eg. Studying famine, did chores for charity – brought in money to donate to address famine.)
• Pin awards to kids with service of 25, 50, 74, 100 & 150 hours of service. Present the pins to the kids at a school board meeting.
• Presidential Awards are also available online. ( 50,75, 100 hours per calendar year).
• The idea is that students will always be part of a community.
• 9 week class. Starts in 7th grade. Goes for 2 years. (Building is 7-8)
◦ Creates culture of helping.
◦ Custodians participate as well.
• Middle School students need to be needed.
• Kids need to know that not every community service opportunity is for everyone. Some kids may not like working with little kids or old people.
• National Junior Honor’s Society
• Mill Creek CS&L website on Dexter Schools.
• Join Middle School Student Council (Michigan Association of Student Councils)
• Exchange Day between schools
Webspotlight:
Solving Algebra on Smartphones
Research shows that a project to use the devices as teaching tools in some N.C. districts has had a measurable impact on student achievement in math.
Students, some initially skeptical that a phone would help them do better in math, have been quick to embrace the idea of using the mobile device to learn, says Denton, who attends Dixon High School in the 24,000-student Onslow County, N.C., schools.
For some math classes, particularly Algebra 1, Project K-Nect had mathematicians at Drexel University in Philadelphia develop short animated video math problems that teachers can assign to students as homework or classwork.
Some students have taken the technology a step further and created movies with graphics, student actors, and stories highlighting math. Particularly popular are student-created movies with a “CSI” theme in which the drama uses math to solve a crime. One student produced and posted a rap song on polynomials, which was ultimately posted to YouTube and spawned thousands of imitators, says Gross of Digital Millennial Consulting.
Learning Science:
learningscience.org is an organization dedicated to sharing the newer and emerging “learning tools” of science education. Tools such as real-time data collection, simulations, inquiry based lessons, interactive web lessons, micro-worlds, and imaging, among others, can help make teaching science an exciting and engaging endeavor. These tools can help connect students with science, in ways that were impossible just a few years ago. Take a look at a few different types of “learning tools” at this link, Tool Examples. At this point in our project we are highlighting some of the best web resources for science concepts. Although our main emphasis is on students, teachers, and parents, really anyone interested in science education will find the site useful and informative.
Using the National Science Education Standards (1996, National Academy of Sciences) as our framework, we highlight only the best of these “learning tools” for students and teachers. All of the featured tools go through a review process. Once a “learning tool” is submitted it is analyzed by an editorial panel of science educators and scientists for content and design.
learningscience.org is proof of concept project and a work in progress. Most of our “learning tools” are web based and free. We will remain a totally FREE online learning community that researches, reviews, and recommends the best of world wide science education interactives. This means that most of these are accessible to teachers, students, and parents who have access to the Internet. For some of the concepts, we have only a few “learning tools”. That is why it is important that you join us in this effort. If you are a science professional, or someone who enjoys science, please consider sending us your ideas.. If you have found science resources that we should add, please share your ideas with others, we would love to hear from you. Just email George Mehler with your suggestions.
learningscience.org is a collaborative project of the Central Bucks School District (PA,USA), the teachers of the Central Bucks School District, The College of Education at Temple University (PA, USA), and George Mehler Ed.D. George Mehler can be reached at gmehler@cbsd.org or 267 893 2044.
http://learningscience.org/index.htm
Slum Dog Millionaire and Education:
“Having watched hundreds of Indian children learning without teachers at the Hole In The Wall computers, it became obvious that all children can work by themselves, if they want to,” Mitra says.
“Most British children grow up with the internet and have the means to learn what they want in minutes, and this challenges the traditional idea of school being about learning things that will come in handy in the future. They become disengaged.”
Mitra is not alone in noticing this problem. John Dunford, head of the Association of School and College Leaders, last week told the group’s annual conference that computer games and websites have made children impatient and harder to motivate.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/mar/16/slumdog-millionaire-education-online-independent
NCMSA10 Conference Notes (Todd Williamson)
MAMSE10 Conference session notes hosted by Dexter Public Schools.
http://www.dexterschools.org/~millcreek/mamse2010/MCMAMSE/Resources_Pg1.html
Events & Happenings:
Calendar of Events:
NMSA News:
- NMSA is looking for both an Executive Director and an Assistant Executive Director. You can apply here. Good luck!
Other News:
- Digital Jumpstart: Digital Tools for Digital Learning Conference
- Novi, MI April 26, 2010 held at the Novi Sheraton. See link for details.
- The Michigan Association of Middle School Educators Annual Conference is coming up March 17-18, 2011 in Coopersville, MI.
- The Michigan Joint Education Conference will be in Redford, Michigan (Thurston High School) this summer June 23, 2010. Keep tabs on the website for more details coming soon.
- Classroom 2.0’s Live Calendar.
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- Classroom 2.0’s Ning Blog: Archived content is available.
- Second Life:
- Regular Tuesday meetings are scheduled. See the board on the ISTE Island for up to the minute details.
- Video: Educational Uses of Second Life
March 25, 2010 @ 9:33 pm
Thanks. Which part did you find interesting?