Category: MSM

Middle School Matters podcast related information

MSM, Podcast, StrategyBy Troy Patterson

MSM 370: Halloween, Disruptive Students and We Got Your Goat!

 

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Why did the Clydesdale give a pony a drink of water?

He was a little horse.

 

What do you call a fish without eyes?

fsh

 

Why shouldn’t you write with a broken pencil?

It’s pointless!

 

What’s the difference between the bird flu and the swine flu?

One requires tweetment and the other an oinkment.

 

If athletes get athlete’s foot, what do elves get?

Mistle-toes.

Why do people say “break a leg” when you go on stage?

Because every play has a cast.

 

What kind of ghost has the best hearing?

The eeriest.

 

Why do seagulls fly over the sea?

Because if they flew over a bay, they would be bagels.

 

How do you tell if a vampire is sick?

By how much he is coffin.

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

TACKLING THE COMPLEX ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

 

I was recently reading the October, 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 “From the Editor’s Desk” column, “Tackling the Complex Issue of Climate Change,” written by Patty McGinnis. The article shares many websites including:

NASA — http://nasa.gov

NOAA — http://noaa.gov

US Global Change Research Program — http://www.globalchange.gov

Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science — https://www.climate.gov/teaching/essential-principles-climate-literacy/essential-principles-climate-literacy

 

HTTP://K12SCIENCE.NET/PODCAST/PODCAST/ENTRIES/2017/10/9_MIDDLE_SCHOOL_SCIENCE_MINUTE__TACKLING_THE_COMPLEX_ISSUE_OF_CLIMATE_CHANGE.HTML

 

A question for Dave . . .  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04d42rc  

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Amanda Dykes‏ @amandacdykes

Look my dad printed Google Earth.

Billy Spicer‏ @MrBillySpicer

Without passion…our learners are often lost. But when there is high interest? Watch out! #shareourpassions #OnFireLearning

Mental Floss‏Verified account @mental_floss

New Smithsonian Exhibit Explains Why Felines Were the Cat’s Meow in Ancient Egypt — http://bit.ly/2hGBqD1

Kelly Malloy‏ @kehttps://t.co/d9m8EUUP12llys3ps

I love this idea of using old catalogs for fast finishers! https://buff.ly/2kMHS03

Fascinating Pictures‏ @Fascinatingpics

When your mom tells you to fix your hair and smile for your school picture

Diane Ravitch‏ @DianeRavitch

Phil Cullen: Is Austrialian Schooling A Joke? http://dianeravitch.net/2017/10/14/is-austrialian-schooling-a-joke/ …

Bill Farrauto‏ @bfarrauto

I pull from a variety of strategies. Depends on which subject. Some more applicable than others. #satchat

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

 

Strategies:

 

 

Less Work, Deeper Learning

 

There are lots of things that teachers have to do that go above and beyond what the general public sees, but going back to John’s question, “What am I doing for students that they could be doing for themselves?”

 

http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/15917

 

21 Phrases to Use in Dealing With Difficult Behaviors

 

  1. “I will never intentionally disrespect you.”
  2. “I believe in you.”
  3. “I won’t give up on you.”
  4. “Let’s work together to solve this.”
  5. “I was puzzled when you…”
  6. “What do we do here when….”
  7. “What should you have done differently?”
  8. “How did you intend for that to make ______________ feel?”
  9. “How did you feel at the time?”
  10. “That seemed upsetting to you.”
  11. “I hear what you are saying. I’m listening.”
  12. “Is it possible that…?”
  13. “What should you do when ___________________?”
  14. “What will you do next time?”
  15. “When will you do it?”
  16. “What do you need to do now to make this right?”
  17. “Would you like to _________________ or ____________________?”
  18. “Can I count on you to do that?”
  19. “Okay, but in case you don’t, what do you think are fair consequences?”
  20. “What’s your understanding of what we decided together?”
  21. “Do you feel that you’ve been treated fairly?”

 

http://www.davidgeurin.com/2017/10/21-phrases-to-use-in-dealing-with.html

 

Resources:

 

History of Halloween

Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. In a number of countries around the world, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people continue to usher in the winter season with gatherings, costumes and sweet treats.

 

http://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween

 

TeachersFirst’s Halloween Resources

Searchable and selectable lesson plans. Today, we look at Halloween.

 

http://www.teachersfirst.com/holiday/halloween.cfm

 

PBS Halloween Collection

 

https://net.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/the-halloween-collection/

Web Spotlight:

 

Science Magic Tricks

Using Science to Perform Magic Tricks

 

https://www.thoughtco.com/top-science-magic-tricks-606073

 

E.S.C.A.P.E Junk News

https://newseumed.org/activity/e-s-c-a-p-e-junk-news/  

Using a downloadable poster, students learn a handy acronym to help them remember six key concepts for evaluating information, then test the concepts in teams.

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSM, StrategyBy Troy Patterson

troy@rmmade.com

troy@rmmade.com

 

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

What is tall when it is young and short when it is old?

  • A candle

 

I decided to make my password “incorrect” because if I type it in wrong, my computer will remind me, “Your password is incorrect.”

 

Why didn’t the witch fly on her broom when she was angry?

  • She didn’t want to “fly off the handle”

 

What do you call a man attacked by a cat?

  • Claude

 

Did you hear about the hungry clock?

  • It went back for seconds

 

 

Class trip to the Coca-Cola factory today.

  • Sure hope there isn’t a “pop” quiz

 

I have a stepladder. I never knew my real ladder.

 

Who cares if you pee in the shower?

  • Apparently, the bride and guests.

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

 

Journey North

 

In this issue, I read the the Citizen Science article, “Navigate Classroom Citizen Science Throughout the School Year with Journey North,” written by Jill Nugent. The article describes the free online citizen science platform that actively engages students in the study of seasonal change.  For more information, please visit:

http://learner.org/jnorth

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/9/25_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Journey_North.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Regretfully, we can’t all become teachers…

 

Planet Classroom‏ @PlanetClassroom

What’s new in #learning? http://Planetclassroom.world  has ideas.

Joyce Yattoni NBCT‏ @MrsYattoniELA

Be a reading role model. Ts & Ps what are you reading today? Great #IF from @jenniferlagarde and @TechNinjaTodd. #yearofya #nerdybookclub

TeachThought‏ @TeachThought

The Padagogy Wheel – It’s Not About The Apps, It’s About The Pedagogy – TeachThought PD http://bit.ly/2fPxOOJ  #edtech #education

Matt Miller‏ @jmattmiller

11 class activities w/sensors you didn’t know your phone had http://ditchthattextbook.com/2015/01/01/11-class-activities-with-sensors-you-didnt-know-your-phone-had/ … #DitchBook #googleedu #gtaatx

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

 

Strategies:

 

Retrieval Practice: The Most Powerful Learning Strategy You’re Not Using

 

Retrieval practice is the act of trying to recall information without having it in front of you. Suppose you’re studying the systems of the human body—skeletal, muscular, circulatory, and so on.

What’s new is the research: In recent years, cognitive psychologists have been comparing retrieval practice with other methods of studying—strategies like review lectures, study guides, and re-reading texts. And what they’re finding is that nothing cements long-term learning as powerfully as retrieval practice.

Over the course of a year and a half, while the teacher continued teaching as normal, students were regularly quizzed on the material with no-stakes quizzes, meaning they wouldn’t count against their grades. These quizzes only covered about one-third of what was being taught. The teacher left the room for every quiz, so she had no knowledge of what was included in the quizzes.

The very act of being quizzed actually helped students learn better.

In other words, if we do more asking students to pull concepts out of their brains, rather than continually trying to put concepts in, students will actually learn those concepts better.

 

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/retrieval-practice/

 

10 Things I Wish I Knew My First Year Of Teaching

  1. Prioritize—and then prioritize again.
  2. It’s not your classroom.
  3. Students won’t always remember the content, but many will never forget how you made them feel.
  4. Get cozy with the school custodians, secretary, librarian.
  5. Longer hours isn’t sustainable.
  6. Student behavior is a product.
  7. Don’t get sucked into doing too much outside of your class.
  8. Help other teachers.
  9. Reaching students emotionally matters. A lot.
  10. Literacy is everything for academic performance.

 

https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-my-first-year-of-teaching/

 

Resources:

 

QR Code Monkey

 

https://www.qrcode-monkey.com/

 

37 Insanely Smart School Teacher Hacks

 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/insanely-smart-school-teacher-hacks?utm_term=.gia375NM6#.bpJE47Nyx

 

Reading Strategies That Work, According To Science

 

https://www.weareteachers.com/science-backed-reading-strategies/

 

Web Spotlight:

Michigan Historical Society Resource

Teaching with primary sources.  “We invite you to check out the Teaching with Primary Sources Inquiry Kits. This resource allows students to select a research topic of interest and evaluate themed primary sources from the Library of Congress. A partnership between Maryland Humanities, Maryland Public Television, the Maryland State Department of Education, and the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program made this possible. We appreciate them sharing their work with History Day students across the country. View the Inquiry Kits at http://www.thinkport.org/tps/.”

 

NBC Learn

Video Resources.

http://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn/resources

 

This is Your Brain on Art

WHEN WE EXPERIENCE ART, WE FEEL CONNECTED TO SOMETHING LARGER. WHY?

If you think about it, having a great time at the theater defies logic in many ways. We’re surrounded by strangers, bombarded with unusual images and often faced with a wordless language of symbols. Yet, on a good night, we generally laugh more, cry more and enjoy ourselves more at a live performance than when we’re watching TV at home. We may even lose ourselves and feel connected to something larger. How does this happen?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/lifestyle/your-brain-on-art/?utm_term=.6545ebdd77f4

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSMBy Troy Patterson

MSM 368: Wait, Wait, Wait, Time for Classroom Management at 4 O’Clock   

MSM 368: Wait, Wait, Wait, Time for Classroom Management at 4 O’Clock   

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Dear Optimist, Pessimist and Realist:

While you guys were arguing about whether the glass of water was half full or half empty, I drank it.

Sincerely,

The Opportunist

 

An MIT linguistics professor was lecturing his class the other day. “In English,” he said, “a double negative forms a positive. However, in some languages, such as Russian, a double negative remains a negative. But there isn’t a single language, not one, in which a double positive can express a negative.”

A voice from the back of the room piped up, “Yeah, right.”

 

Is it just me, or are there fewer minimalists every year?

 

2 Wise Guys (mobsters) decide to go hunting. When these two are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy takes out his phone and calls the emergency services.

He gasps: “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator says: “Calm down, I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: “OK, now what?”

 

Two friends are playing golf one day at their local golf course. One of the guys is about to chip onto the green when he sees a long funeral procession on the road next to the course. He stops in mid-swing, takes off his golf cap, closes his eyes, and bows down in prayer.

His friend says: “Wow, that is the most thoughtful and touching thing I have ever seen. You truly are a kind man.” The man then replies: “Yeah, well we were married for 35 years.”

 

Two planets meet.

The first one asks: “How are you?”

“Not so well”, the second answered “I’ve got the Homo Sapiens.”

“Don’t worry,” the other replied, “I had the same. That won’t last long.”

 

A helicopter was flying around above Seattle yesterday when an electrical malfunction disabled all of the aircraft’s electronic navigation and communications equipment.

Due to the clouds and haze, the pilot could not determine the helicopter’s position and course to steer to the airport.

The pilot saw a tall building, flew toward it, circled, drew a handwritten sign, and held it in the helicopter’s window. The pilot’s sign said “WHERE AM I?” in large letters.

People in the tall building quickly responded to the aircraft, drew a large sign, and held it in a building window. Their sign said “YOU ARE IN A HELICOPTER.”

The pilot smiled, waved, looked at his map, determined the course to steer to SEATAC airport, and landed safely.

After they were on the ground, the co-pilot asked the pilot how the “YOU ARE IN A HELICOPTER” sign helped determine their position in Seattle.

The pilot responded “I knew that had to be the MICROSOFT building because, similar to their help-lines, they gave me a technically correct but completely useless answer.”

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

 

STEM Integration

I was recently reading the September, 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, “STEM Integration: A Tall Order.”  The article describes the challenges of integrating STEM into the middle school curriculum.

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/9/7_Middle_School_Science_Minute__STEM_Integration.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Russel Tarr‏ @russeltarr

*NEW on Tarr’s Toolbox: ““Quote them out of context”: a ‘Fake News’ exercise for evaluating sources” http://www.classtools.net/blog/quote-them-out-of-context-a-fake-news-exercise-for-evaluating-sources/ … #historyteacher

 

Tanmay Vora ✍‏ @tnvora

“Learning anything new is not a daunting challenge, but a journey where each step counts.” http://qaspire.com/2017/09/04/micromastery-a-hidden-path-to-learning-and-happiness/ … #book #sketchnote

Tanmay Vora ✍‏ @tnvora Sep 21

“I have a rule: If I keep complaining about something, I either do something about it or let it go.” – @swissmiss http://qaspire.com/2017/01/30/dont-complain-create/ …

Tim Eagan🏳️‍🌈‏ @tjeag 

Love this! @cultofpedagogy !

Tony Vincent‏ @tonyvincent Sep 21

With iOS 11 we can finally record an iPad or iPhone’s screen without using a computer! Great for how-tos and think-alouds…

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

 

Strategies:

 

The Fisheye Syndrome: Is Every Student Really Participating?

 

Greta just had an amazing discussion with her fifth period history class. They’ve been studying the Holocaust, and in today’s class, they just nailed it. She had originally planned for about ten minutes of discussion, but things were going so well, she let it go for the whole period. Days like this rock.

 

Except for the stuff she didn’t notice. Like Haley.

 

And Becky and Kyle? The super shy ones? Naturally, they also stayed quiet. Oh, and three other students secretly texted the whole time. In fact, in Greta’s class of 28 students, only nine of them actually contributed to that discussion: Four of those were really into it, five commented once. The other nineteen just sat there. The whole time. Really.

 

Greta doesn’t realize that she is suffering from the Fisheye Syndrome. It’s a condition that impacts our perception, as if we’re looking through a fisheye lens – the kind they use in peepholes. To those afflicted with fisheye, some students appear “larger” than others. They take up more energy and grab more of our attention, making the others fade into the periphery. We have a vague sense that the others are there, and we nag ourselves to include them, but those magnified students are just too hard to resist.

 

Here are some ways to balance things out:

  • Make your intentions transparent.
  • Increase wait time.
  • Pre-load discussions.
  • Vary discussion formats.
  • Use icons.

 

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/fisheye/

 

I Banned Fun in my School… by @BST_Principal

I have a confession to make. A few years ago I banned fun in my school.

Let me give you a little context. I was speaking to all of our teachers, teaching assistants and support staff at the very start of the first INSET session of the new school year. My reasoning was straightforward:

I wanted fun to be superseded by joy.

 

https://ukedchat.com/2017/09/08/banned-fun-school/

 

Resources:

The Four O’Clock Faculty by Rich Czyz  

If you aren’t getting the professional development you need, go get it yourself or make your own opportunities.  The book includes ideas for creating your own PD clubs at school and orchestrating your own learning through events you can organize yourself.  The “Angry Administrator Update” section gives some insight into potential administrative responses.

 

Science Lesson Plans

Here you’ll find short, lively activities to focus your class trip, or full-period lessons to integrate into your yearly curriculum. Dive in!

https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans   

 

Responding to Disruptive Students

Negative attention communicates that an educator doesn’t know any other language to access the relationship with a student. Negative attention’s function is self-protective and unconsciously anti-inclusive. Negative attention’s pattern sounds loud and looks clumsy.

 

“The only behavior teachers can control is their own,” Rappaport and Minahan advise. What follows is an idea that can help teachers change their responses to challenging, disruptive behavior.

 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/responding-disruptive-students

 

Web Spotlight:

For Crown or Colony by PBS

Mission US is a multimedia project featuring free interactive adventure games set in different eras of U.S. history. The first game, “For Crown or Colony?,” puts the player in the shoes of Nat Wheeler, a 14-year-old printer’s apprentice in 1770 Boston. As Nat navigates the city and completes tasks, he encounters a spectrum of people living and working there when tensions mount before the Boston Massacre. Ultimately, the player determines Nat’s fate by deciding where his loyalties lie.  

 

Cathy O’Neill

https://www.ted.com/talks/cathy_o_neil_the_era_of_blind_faith_in_big_data_must_end

 

How to Achieve Classroom Engagement With the 4 Minutes That Matter

https://medium.com/future-focused-learning/how-to-achieve-classroom-engagement-with-the-4-minutes-that-matter-7dc73034207

 

The NTN Student Learning Outcomes and Rubrics

A key pillar in the New Tech Network model is the use of outcomes that matter to guide our schools’ support of students and their long-term success.The NTN Student Learning Outcomes are a set of research-based outcomes aimed at preparing students for postsecondary college and career success.

https://newtechnetwork.org/resources/ntn-student-learning-outcomes-rubrics/

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Moodle Spelling

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 367:   “Corny” jokes, more Moodle, giving 100% or less.

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Grammarly‏Verified account @Grammarly

What a corny pun.

Santa Claus has the right idea …

Visit people only once a year.

~Victor Borge

 

What would men be without women?

Scarce, sir .. mighty scarce.

~Mark Twain

 

I was married by a judge.

I should have asked for a jury.

~Groucho Marx

 

My wife has a slight impediment in her speech.

Every now and then she stops to breathe.

~Jimmy Durante

 

I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.

~ Zsa Gabor

 

Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living.

The world owes you nothing. It was here first.

~Mark Twain

 

What’s the use of happiness?

It can’t buy you money.

~Henny Youngman

Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life.

~Herbert Henry Asquith

 

I don’t feel old.

I don’t feel anything until noon.

Then it’s time for my nap.

~Bob Hope

 

The cardiologist’s diet: If it tastes good … spit it out.

~Unknown

 

By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he’s too old to go anywhere.

~Billy Crystal

 

Advisory:

 

Boxes

 

http://www.templatemaker.nl/

 

Icebreakers

 

http://teacherrebootcamp.com/2017/08/08/backtoschoolicebreakers/

Middle School Science Minute  

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

 

Getting Their Names Right

 

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

 

In this issue, I read the the “Health Wise” section article, “Getting Their Names Right.” It was written by Michael Bratsis.  Even though the article was written for a high school audience, it is very appropriate for middle school teachers and describes how mispronounced names can add to the difficulties that students have in the classroom.

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/8/22_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Getting_Their_Names_Right.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

WE Middle School‏ @WestEssexMS

Academic Teams doing activities to establish norms and procedures. Relationships are everything! @AMLE @NJAMLE @JBerckemeyer

 

Beth Houf‏ @BethHouf

Tweet Fairy is on the loose at #fmsteach #leadlap #tlap #KidsDeserveIt

DoInk Tweets‏ @DoInkTweets

MT @edtechneil: If you’ve ever wondered how to use a ‘green screen’, here’s a quick & easy guide I created #edtech

Beth Houf‏ @BethHouf

A2: Our school hashtag helps us to build and maintain a strong school culture. I will keep modeling and supporting! #leadlap #TeacherMyth

Aaron Hogan‏ @aaron_hogan

Want to lead well? Value people and their ideas. #LeadUpChat #LeadLAP

Miguel Guhlin‏ @mguhlin 1h1 hour ago

RT This is what happens in an internet minute: http://ly.tcea.org/wfsdm . #technology via #TCEA

Dave Burgess‏ @burgessdave 22h22 hours ago

The start of the year is intense! Are you giving 100% to school? Well, that may be a mistake in the long-run. Wisdom from #TeacherMyth #tlap

New Tech Network‏ @newtechnetwork

We have major updates to our rubrics! Check them out & download them here => http://ow.ly/qNBe30dosnc  #PBLChat #PBL #deeperlearning

Craig Vroom‏ @Vroom6

Thanks @RACzyz for the read! Appreciate the personal touch and sending my way! #4OCF #TLAP

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

 

Strategies:

 

Owl Eyes

 

https://www.owleyes.org

 

Science Notebook Corner

Keeping a notebook can help your students think and act like scientists. Sample our easy-to-implement strategies and lessons to bring science notebooking into your classroom.

https://www.calacademy.org/educators/science-notebook-corner

 

How Technology Should Have Already Changed Your Teaching

  1. Giving letter grades
  2. Classroom design
  3. Where the learning happens
  4. The pace of student progress
  5. The audience for student thinking
  6. What is studied
  7. Where the questions come from
  8. Who provides learning feedback, and when
  9. Starting and stopping class the class, correcting misbehaviors
  10. Using curriculum maps to create finished units and lessons
  11. “Covering” your content

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/how-technology-has-changed-education/

Resources:

 

Wilson Center

Collections contain selected sets of historical documents related to a specific topic, region, or event.

 

http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/collections

 

The first thing teachers should do when school starts is talk about hatred in America. Here’s help.

#CharlottesvilleCurriculum: That’s the new Twitter hashtag for educators, parents and anyone else looking for resources to lead discussions with young people about the violence that just erupted in Charlottesville, when white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members marched and clashed with counterprotesters. One woman was killed and 19 were injured when a car rammed into the counterprotesters, and two state police officers assisting in the response died when their helicopter crashed on the outskirts of town.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/08/13/the-first-thing-teachers-should-do-when-school-starts-is-talk-about-hatred-in-america-heres-help/

 

10 things every white teacher should know when talking about race

 

https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/truth-for-teachers-podcast/10-things-every-white-teacher-know-talking-race/

 

Why Do We Murder the Beautiful Friendships of Boys?

 

Research shows that between 1999 and 2010 suicide among men, age 50 and over, rose by nearly 50%. The New York Times reports that “the suicide rate for middle-aged men was 27.3 deaths per 100,000, while for women it was 8.1 deaths per 100,000.”

 

Driven by our collective assumption that the friendships of boys are both casual and interchangeable, along with our relentless privileging of romantic love over platonic love, we are driving boys into lives Professor Way describes as “autonomous, emotionally stoic, and isolated.” What’s more, the traumatic loss of connection for boys Way describes is directly linked to our struggles as men in every aspect of our lives.

 

In America, men perform masculinity within a narrow set of cultural rules often called the Man Box. Charlie Glickman explains it beautifully here. One of the central tenets of the man box is the subjugation of women and by extension, all things feminine. Since we Americans hold emotional connection as a female trait, we reject it in our boys, demanding that they “man up” and adopt a strict regimen of emotional independence, even isolation as proof they are real men. Behind the drumbeat message that real men are stoic and detached, is the brutal fist of homophobia, ready to crush any boy who might show too much of the wrong kind of emotions.

 

And so, by late adolescence, boys declare over and over “no homo” following any intimate statement about their friends.

And so, there it is, the smoking gun, the toxic poison that is leading to the life killing epidemic of loneliness for men, (and by extension, women,) look no further. It’s right there: “no homo.”

 

https://medium.com/@remakingmanhood/why-do-we-murder-the-beautiful-friendships-of-boys-3ad722942755

Web Spotlight:

 

Silicon Valley Courts Brand-Name Teachers, Raising Ethics Issues

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/02/technology/silicon-valley-teachers-tech.html

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSM, Podcast, StrategyBy Troy Patterson

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!

 

Conferences, ISTE, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

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!

 

 

 

MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 361:  Myth #1: This is going to be a short show.

MSM 361:  Myth #1: This is going to be a short show.

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Q: Why can’t you trust an atom?

A: Because they make up everything. 

 

Q: What did Cinderella say when her photos did not show up?

A: “Someday my prints will come.”

 

Q: Why did the golfer wear two pairs of pants?

A: In case he got a hole in one.

 

Q: What is the difference between a cat and a comma?

A: One has claws at the end of its paws and the other is a pause at the end of a clause.

 

I just read a book about Helium. It was so good that I can’t put it down.

 

A teacher asks her class what their favorite letter is. A student puts up his hand and says ‘G’. The teacher walks over to him and says, “Why is that, Angus?”

 

Books:  

 

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Keeping Math in Perspective

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 Editor’s Desk article, “Keeping Math in Perspective.” It was written by Patty McGinnis, Editor of Science Scope.  The article describes how students, who aspire to be scientists should be encouraged to follow their dream regardless of their mathematical ability.

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/6/15_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Keeping_Math_in_Perspective.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

MiddleWeb‏ @middleweb

MiddleWeb Retweeted NPR’s Education Team

A good weekly education news summary from NPR… for all of us who have trouble keeping up!

MiddleWeb added,

NPR’s Education TeamVerified account @npr_ed

This week, DeVos rolled back a number of Obama-era regulations. Read our weekly roundup for all the details. http://n.pr/2s2D2OM

 

Steve NorlinWeaver‏ @SteveSnorlin56

AMLE2017 – Annual Conference for Middle Level Education. C u there!

0 replies 1 retweet 0 likes

 

Vicki Davis‏ @coolcatteacher

Google Apps for the iPad and iOS (The COMPLETE list!) http://bit.ly/2skMjPV

edutopia‏Verified account @edutopia

5 videos to explore growth mindset: http://edut.to/2sBzRyb . #growthmindset

1 reply 77 retweets 100 likes

EL Magazine‏ @ELmagazine

These five provocations inadvertently cause student resistance, stress, and acting out. What to do instead: http://bit.ly/2qRcITT

Dr. Justin Tarte‏ @justintarte

The quality of relationships among the adults within a school have a significant & far-reaching effect on the culture of the school. #edchat

 

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

 

Strategies:

 

Deeper Learning Is By Discovery, Not Delivery

I remember one of my mentors gave me this advice, “Make them (the students) think.”

 

There are numerous advantages to discovery learning. Students will remember more of the facts and fundamentals of the discipline when they learn this way. They will have more context to connect ideas and make learning stick. They will also develop skills as independent learners, something that will serve them well their whole life.

 

How could you improve your lesson design so that learning becomes more discovery and less delivery?

http://www.davidgeurin.com/2017/06/deeper-learning-is-by-discovery-not.html

Resources:

 

 

Explode These Feedback Myths and Get Your Life Back

Each year I’m faced with the dilemma: do I assign more writing, confining my life to the 8-1/2 x 11 page or 1366 x 768 screen? Or do I scale things back, then fret about whether kids are getting the feedback they need to succeed?

 

The only reason many of us will stop pushing ourselves to the breaking point is if it turns out that it’s not only bad for us, it’s also bad for students. As it turns out, that actually seems to be the case.

 

How can we shatter these myths, providing better feedback while modeling a life worth living? Here are the myths phrased as four “shoulds”:

  1. Feedback should be immediate
  2. Feedback should come from the teacher alone
  3. Feedback should be individualized
  4. Feedback should include a grade

Implied in many such myths is the idea that feedback should be objective, able to be quantified, scored, or rated by an outside observer. But in spite of our online gradebooks — which arrogantly assert achievement can be calculated to the hundredth place (implying 10,001 levels of performance!)— assessment and grading remain a fundamentally subjective endeavor.

https://teachersgoinggradeless.com/2017/06/02/feedback-myths/

 

Web Spotlight:

 

Google not, learn not: why searching can sometimes be better than knowing

 

https://medium.freecodecamp.com/google-not-learn-not-why-searching-can-be-better-than-knowing-79838f7a0f06

 

 

 

46 THINGS I WISH PARENTS KNEW

 

http://www.coolcatteacher.com/45-things-wish-parents-knew/

4 ways to attend ISTE 2017 virtually – pssst, they’re free!

https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=372&category=ISTE-Connects-blog&article=4+ways+to+attend+ISTE+2017+virtually+%E2%80%93+pssst,+they%E2%80%99re+free  

    1. Follow #ISTE17 and #notatISTE on Twitter and Instagram.  

 

  • Follow #PresentersOfISTE to see what they’re saying and for access to the resources they share.  
  • Download the ISTE App.

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

#ISTE2017 See you there!  

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 358:  Glasses, we don’t need no stinking glasses! Oops, yes we do.

 

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

If attacked by a mob of clowns, what should you do?

  • Go for the juggler.

 

Anything you say and do, can and will be screenshot against you.

 

For many people, “live and learn” is one task too many.

 

I was gonna donate blood today, until the lady got all personal and started asking “Whose blood is this?” and “How did you get it?”

 

I just realized that I haven’t done the “Hokey Pokey” in over 10 years. I guess when you get older, you just forget what it’s all about.

 

DiGiorno should start to deliver, just to mess with people.

 

I used to be in a band called “missing cat”. You’ve probably seen our poster.

 

So, I met an Egyptian…they walk just like everyone else.

 

My friend’s hamster passed today….. he fell asleep at the wheel.

Advisory:

 

Complainers

 

https://www.healthspiritbody.com/complaining-causes-depression-anxiety/

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Eclipse 2017: Safety

 

This is the second in a multipart series on Eclipse 2017 utilizing the resources from NASA that can be found at:

http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov

 

Three questions are asked and answered regarding Eclipse Safety.  They include:

  1.  Why is it not safe to look at the sun even when only a small part of it is visible?
  2.  Where can I get the right kind of solar filter to view the eclipse?
  3.  Isn’t this safety issue about eclipse viewing, a bit overblown?

 

For information on how to safely watch the eclipse, please visit:

http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Susan Zanti‏ @SusZanti5

Getting more teachers connected to Twitter as a means of personalized professional learning-growing PLN #bfc530

Rat-hole:

https://mastodon.social/about

 

Dru Tomlin‏ @DruTomlin

Dru Tomlin Retweeted AMLE

Big ups 2 all #middleschool Ts making marvelous/magnificent things happen in the critical middle grades! @AMLE #mschat #thankateacher

Dru Tomlin added,

AMLE @AMLE

We love our teachers! Happy Teacher Appreciation Day!

AMLE‏ @AMLE

Is it working in your middle school? Perspectives for educ & business guide you through sch initiatives http://bit.ly/1Y39J7d  @nikkiwoodson  

Rat Hole #2:  Paperless classroom

Jay Billy‏ @JayBilly2

Join me for a discussion on “Reflecting on This Year” on #satchatwc at 10:30 EST or you figure out the time in the other time zones #satchat

Bailey‏ @MissGooderlBGCS

6th graders taking a gallery walk & leaving positive comments on their peers Math 6 Projects!@KaraffaAlyssa @B_IckesBGCS @ERadabaughBGCS

Mary Gambrel‏ @MarGambrel

OMG! This is going to be a game changer for me. Positive, Not Punitive, Class-Mgmt Tips @Larryferlazzo: http://edut.to/2dVVezw  @edutopia

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

 

Strategies:  

 

Teachers Going Gradeless

Toward a Future of Growth Not Grades

 

After years of teaching using the principles of standards-based learning and grading, I encountered two findings that radically changed my perspective on assessment, grading, and reporting.

 

This year, I changed my approach, using feedback and revisions only, without entering a letter grade until the end of each term. At that point, I allow students an opportunity to evaluate their overall performance using statements from my Descriptive Grading Criteria(adapted from Ken O’Connor’s 15 Fixes for Broken Grades).

 

For some of us, the word gradeless means to grade less

For others, gradeless means without grades

 

https://medium.com/@hhschiaravalli/teachers-going-gradeless-50d621c14cad  

 

 

Resources:

 

Cornell Notes


How to take Cornell Notes (5 minutes, 26 seconds)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtW9IyE04OQ

 

XPMath Games

Free Math games.

http://www.xpmath.com/

 

Free Vocab Words

 

http://www.hilotutor.com/index.html

http://www.hilotutor.com/archives.html

 

Coded Messages for Safety

 

http://www.inspiremore.com/sons-coded-text-message/

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 356:  AMLE, Poetry, Blended Sixth Graders.

MSM 356:  AMLE, Poetry, Blended Sixth Graders.

 

Jokes You Can Use:

 

Last night I had a bad dream. I dreamt I was a muffler.

  • I woke up exhausted.

 

Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?

 

What do you call a part time band leader?

  • A semi-conductor

 

There was this limo driver who was in business for 25 years without a single customer…

  • All that time and nothing to chauffeur it.

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Best STEM Books — Part 2

 

I was recently reading the February, 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 an article on the best STEM Books for 2017, for students in grades K-12, as recommended by the National Science Teachers Association.  In this second of a two part series, we look at 5 of the recommended books that are appropriate for middle school students.  Titles include:

Steve Jobs: Insanely Great

Super Gear: Nanotechnology and Sports Team Up

Trailblazers: 33 Women in Science Who Changed the World

Welcome to Mars

Women of Stone and Steel

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/4/12_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Best_STEM_Books_Part_2.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

AMLE‏ @AMLE

These novels teach learning from loss & overcoming adversity, great for #middleschool http://edut.to/2nNcgsC  via @Edutopia #growthmindset

MiddleWeb‏ @middleweb

NEW: Poetry Writing Made Fun–10 Cool Teaching Ideas. @CherylTeaches #elachat @ncte #poetrymonth #nwp #educoach @amle https://www.middleweb.com/34549/poetry-writing-made-fun-10-teaching-ideas-for-april/ …

AMLE‏ @AMLE

#Quote from today’s AMLE Newsletter. Get the newsletter w/ free Associate Membership http://bit.ly/2mAtbtX

Kelly Malloy‏ @kellys3ps

10 Wordless Videos That Teach Problem Solving – Could also be used as writing prompts or to practice re-telling http://buff.ly/2pgFHmu

AMLE‏ @AMLE

Removing Imaginary Boundaries Around Content – Teacher and students benefit from an integrated curriculum http://bit.ly/2p5pIYJ  #mschat

Kenneth Ward‏ @kennethdward

Why I Read to My Middle School Students #oklaed #mschat  https://www.weareteachers.com/read-middle-school-students/  

 

Tan Huynh‏ @TanELLclassroom

3 types of #scaffolding for all SS. #ellchat #chatesl #ellchat_bkclub #ell #educhat #teachchat #WIDA #k12 #ESOL http://wp.me/p7NKW2-nl

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

 

Strategies:

 

Blended Learning

 

  1. Blended Beats Virtual
  2. Choose and Train the Right Teachers
  3. Student Engagement is Essential
  4. Parents Need to Be Educated, Too
  5. You Need Support Over Time
  6. Decide What Scaling Means to You

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/04/6-best-practices-for-expanding-a-blended-learning-initiative/

 

Homework Alternatives

 

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/alternatives-to-homework-a-chart-for-teachers/

 

Resources:

 

College-Ready Sixth Graders

Mike Petrilli, Big Cheese at the Fordham Institute, a reliably reformy thinky tank, is concerned. While he allows that some students and families are uber-stressing about the whole college thing, the rest of us should be in a greater state of panic:

 

We need the majority of parents and kids to be more stressed out. We need to shake them out of their complacency and tell them: You and your kids are heading toward a coming-of-age catastrophe, but you can avoid it if you act now! [emphasis his]

 

http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2017/04/college-ready-sixth-graders.html

 

Interactive Word Wall

An Interactive word wall can transform spaces in your classroom. They provide a way for students to engage with content in an authentic matter and promote a sense of curiosity among your students.

http://classtechtips.com/2016/11/09/create-interactive-word-wall-scannabletech%EF%BB%BF/

 

Random Thoughts . . .

 

Personal Web Site

advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 355: The Ron King Award Show

MSM 355: The Ron King Award Show

 

Jokes You Can Use:

 

Why was Peter Pan banned from using any Airline?

 

My books all piled on top of me, I’ve only got my shelf to blame.

I read this book about Mount Everest… It was quite the cliff hanger!

 

Two engineers were standing at the base of a flagpole, looking at its top. A woman walked by and asked what they were doing.

“We’re supposed to find the height of this flagpole,” said one, “but we don’t have a ladder.”

The woman took a wrench from her purse, loosened a couple of bolts, and laid the pole down on the ground. Then she took a tape measure from her pocketbook, took a measurement, and announced, “Twenty one feet, six inches,” and walked away.

One engineer shook his head and laughed, “A lot of good that does us. We ask for the height and she gives us the length.”

 

Eileen Award:  

  • Twitter: Ron King (Special LifeTime award)

 

Advisory:

 

Habituation

As human beings, we get used to “the way things are” really fast. But for designers, the way things are is an opportunity … Could things be better? How? In this funny, breezy talk, the man behind the iPod and the Nest thermostat shares some of his tips for noticing — and driving — change.

https://www.ted.com/talks/tony_fadell_the_first_secret_of_design_is_noticing

 

Creativity

The process of being creative can be fun and take on different “looks”.  The Swingle Singers are a vocal group that jump starts the creative writing juices with a writing exercise.  They get three words in an envelope.  They pair up and have to come up with a song that builds off of those three words.  Here’s an example:  Tree, Friend(s), and Attack.    https://www.facebook.com/TheSwingles/videos/10155002322541421/

 

National Day…

April 8th

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/

 

Mindfulness makes a difference in schools

 

Relaxation techniques calm K12 students and staff, leading to better grades and better behavior.

 

“We decided to respond to our students’ anxiety, rather than have to deal with the behavioral challenges,” Hanscom says.

Districts that succeed in making mindfulness a regular part of the school day—and an impactful part of students’ lives—start by training the adults in their buildings to become competent practitioners, says Saltzman, whose Menlo Park, California-based mindfulness practice operates training programs in schools.

And a little time spent on mindfulness at the beginning of class can pay off. “A teacher may think, I can’t add another thing to my day,” Saltzman says. “But what teachers find is, if they start class with five minutes of mindfulness—movement, breathing, journaling—most teachers will report ending up with more teachable time.”

“There were just so many layers of yuck to get through before we could get to academics,” Achterhoff says. “If we don’t address the trauma, then the kids are going to become stunted in academic growth.”

Teachers who use the techniques report improvements in behavior, and that students often ask to take short yoga or breathing breaks so they can refocus on instruction.

https://www.districtadministration.com/article/mindfulness-makes-difference-school  

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Best STEM Books, Part 1

 

I was recently reading the February, 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 an article on the best STEM Books for 2017, for students in grades K-12, as recommended by the National Science Teachers Association.  In this first of a two part series, we look at 5 of the recommended books that are appropriate for middle school students.  Titles include:

  1.  Emmet’s Storm
  2.  Genetic Engineering: Science, Technology, and Engineering
  3.  A Global Warming Primer: Answering Your Questions About the Science, the Consequences, and the Solutions
  4.  Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat
  5.  Sabotage: The Mission to Destroy Hitler’s Atomic Bomb

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2017/3/27_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Best_STEM_Books_Part_1.html

Lithuania Update for Dave

From the Twitterverse:  

Scott McLeod‏ @mcleod

Strategizing Your BYOT Implementation, Part 1 | @mguhlin http://bit.ly/2npImKu  #edcolo #iaedfuture

 

MiddleWeb‏ @middleweb

REVIEW: An essential guide to becoming an ELA teacher. @HeinemannPub #educoach #elachat @ncte #mschat #teachered https://www.middleweb.com/34545/making-the-journey-as-an-ela-teacher/ …

 

AMLE‏ @AMLE

#MiddleSchool educators, submit an article to AMLE Magazine & share your sch & classrm ideas that make a difference

 

Jerry Blumengarten‏ @cybraryman1

My PLN (Personal Learning Network) page https://www.cybraryman.com/pln.html  #nt2t Build a PLN of passionate educators who are willing to connect & share

Rick Wormeli‏ @rickwormeli2

Scratching My Head: Project 180, Day 129 http://www.letschangeeducation.com/?p=1704  via @MonteSyrie

 

Jessica Van de Kemp‏ @jess_vdk

Helpful ‘closure’ activities for teachers and students: http://edut.to/2mOfYOA  via @finleyt @edutopia #edchat #hschat #mschat

 

Jasper Fox Sr.‏ @JasperFoxSR

Calling for a “Timeout” on Rubrics and Grading Scales http://jfox.cc/2crkJc3  essential reading frm: @rickwormeli2

 

David Geurin‏ @DavidGeurin

12 Rules Of Great Teaching – http://buff.ly/2p8QhIP  via @TeachThought

Paul Chenoweth‏ @bruingeek

I approve of this message:

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

 

Strategies:

 

How to support wiggly students

In fact, according to Nea.org, “A 2008 study found that children actually need to move to focus during a complicated mental task. The children in the study—especially those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—fidgeted more when a task required them to store and process information rather than just hold it. This is why students are often restless while doing math or reading, but not while watching a movie, explained Dr. Mark Rapport, the supervisor of the study and professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.”

 

  1. Redirect
  2. Experiment.
  3. See what’s on the market for support.

 

http://smartbrief.com/original/2017/04/how-support-wiggly-students

 

No Grade Is Too Early for Flexible Seating

A decade ago, I watched college students break out for small group work on hallway benches, on the floor in the corner, and standing at tables. I noticed that kindergartners could learn while standing, kneeling, huddling under a table, and even sitting in a wooden cubby. I saw my principal take a reading group to the office, where students loved to cram themselves beside the copier, between UPS boxes, and under a table. All this got me thinking: Why do we work at desks? Why stop students from wiggling? Could we purposefully educate students to recognize the locations they work best in?

 

Plan your transition to flexible seating with:

  • a variety of workspaces
  • clear expectations for behavior
  • guidelines for where/how students may work
  • consequences for abuse of the seating options

When developing your seating options, consider the needs of different activities:

  • clipboards for writing
  • flat surfaces for word work sorts
  • comfort for pleasure reading
  • stability for electronics

Offering just one or two seating options may put your students in the same boat as traditional seating. Just as traditional seating doesn’t work for everyone, flexible seating may not either.

 

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/no-grade-is-too-early-flexible-seating-john-s-thomas

Resources:

WriteAbout

WRITE. Find creative inspiration to write. Make their writing better. Have fun writing. Share their writing. Read other students’ writing. Respond to writing. Write some more.

https://www.writeabout.com/

 

Web Spotlight:

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site