Category: Podcast

advisory, ISTE, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 395: ISTE, Irresistible, Jokes, and CSR (not CSI)

Jokes You Can Use:  

I was struggling to hear properly so I went to see the doctors.
He said “Can you describe the symptoms?”
– I said “Homers a fat fella and Marge has blue hair”

 

A vegan said to me: “People who sell meat are disgusting”
– I replied: “People who sell fruit and veg are grocer.“

 

Last night a hypnotist convinced me I was a soft, malleable metal with an atomic number of 82.
– I’m easily lead.

 

My laptop is broken. It just keeps playing “Chasing Pavements” over and over again.
– Probably because it’s a Dell.

 

I noticed that the local convent has no security around the building, so I helped myself.  
– No ‘fence.
– Nun taken.

 

I went round MC Hammer’s house the other day. It was very frustrating, he wouldn’t let me touch anything.

 

I really need to confront my phobia of German sausages, but I fear the wurst.

 

I used to play the triangle in a reggae band but left because it was just one ting after another.

Advisory:

Dollar Street

In the news people in other cultures seem stranger than they are.

We visited 264 families in 50 countries and collected 30,000 photos.

We sorted the homes by income, from left to right.

  • See how people really live

 

https://www.gapminder.org/dollar-street/matrix

 

11 Secrets Of Irresistible People

  1. They Treat Everyone With Respect
  2. They Follow The Platinum Rule
  3. They Ditch The Small Talk
  4. They Focus On People More Than Anything Else
  5. They Don’t Try Too Hard
  6. They Recognize The Difference Between Fact And Opinion
  7. They Are Authentic
  8. They Have Integrity
  9. They Smile
  10. They Make An Effort To Look Their Best (Just Not Too Much Of An Effort)
  11. They Find Reasons To Love Life

https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2015/08/31/11-secrets-of-irresistible-people/#3701b2313a0a

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Outstanding Engineering Trade Books for 2018

I was recently reading the February, 2018 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 article on the “Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12: 2018.  In this podcast, I feature Engineering Trade Books:

  1.  “Chasing Space, Young Readers’ Edition” by Leland Melvin
  2.  “Elon Musk and the Quest for a Fantastic Future Young Readers’ Edition” bu Ashlee Vance
  3.  “Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science” by Jeannine Atkins
  4.  “Mosquitoes Don’t Bite Me” by Pendred E. Noyce
  5.  “Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World” by Laurie Lawlor

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/6/7_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Outstanding_Engineering_Trade_Books_2018.html

From the Twitterverse:  

Rick Wormeli‏ @rickwormeli2

Mike captures a growing concern well, let’s get the conversations going on this: Google, ISTE, and the Death of EdTech https://crowleym.com/2018/06/30/google-iste-and-the-death-of-edtech/ … via @crowley_mike

 

Alice Keeler‏ @alicekeeler

Is using a Google search cheating or is it evidence that our quizzes are outdated??? #iste18

MoodleNews‏ @moodlenews

Plugins with the @MoodleAssoc members seal of approval alive are PoodLL, BigBlueButton, Questionnaire and Level Up! Fellow members unite! http://j.mp/2tJaB7v  @MoodleNews #MoodleWorldCup

 

Sarah Berryman‏ @srberryman

Love this simple info graphic of meaningful student work options! @cultofpedagogy

Eric Curts‏ @ericcurts

Create Video Mash-Ups with Google Slides http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2017/06/slides-video-mashups.html … #edtech

Jamie Mullenaux‏ @JamieMullenaux

Are you your biggest obstacle? If you knew you wouldn’t be judged what would you do? #iste18 @TheTechRabbi #hcpspln

Julie Woodard‏ @woodard_julie

Oh, Snap !!! Somebody asked me for this … I so very much apologize … I can’t remember who needed it …. eeesh

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

ISTE 2018

  • SketchNoting
  • Google Tour Creator
  • Leslie Fisher
  • Oculus GO
    • Gear VR compatible
  • Merge Cube
  • Cisco CSR

Strategies:

 

Grit

  • Duckworth defines as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals,” that captures the public imagination.
  • In a recent peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Educational Controversy, I examined the history of the discourse surrounding this special trait. It far predates Duckworth’s research, of course. My investigation led me to two conclusions. The first is that the widespread assumption that grit is a salient concept for low-income students is a stark misconception. The second is that while grit theory offers little of value to those disadvantaged students, it can certainly harm them, by romanticizing hardship.
  • … More
  • grit was understood as an antidote to the ease and comfort of wealth, which produced spoiled children who lacked the vigor of their ancestors.
  • celebrated Horatio Alger books were written and sold as instructive tools to teach middle and upper class children about the virtues that came from struggling against hardship.
  • In the economic boom following World War Two, sales of Horatio Alger books jumped once again, setting the stage for the 1968 novel and John Wayne film True Grit,
  • Today, however, this history is forgotten
  • To temper the tedium of synthesized academic studies, Tough sprinkles his narrative with interviews with impoverished young people. Most are exemplars of Horatio Alger-style grit, having overcoming absentee parents, racism, and violence before succeeding academically.
  • … More
  • Here, though, is the fundamental problem with the notion that the importance of grit has to do with bettering the chances of disadvantaged students. Children raised in poverty display ample amounts of grit every day, and they don’t need more of it in school.
  • … More
  • grit is not a fixed quality but one that can be developed. And what better arena for developing grit than facing the hardships of poverty and surviving? Poor children, therefore, are not the ones who need to be taught grit.
  • … More
  • Duckworth’s foundational research was conducted in largely privileged populations: Ivy League undergraduates, West Point cadets, and high-achieving contestants in the National Spelling Bee.
  • … More
  • historically, the grit discourse is driven primarily not by concerns about disadvantaged students but by the anxiety of middle and upper-class parents about the character of their own children.
  • overemphasis on character education means that fewer resources will be spent on teaching disadvantaged students the skills and knowledge they need to actually succeed academically and professionally.
  • … More
  • Sisyphus had plenty of grit, but it didn’t get him very far.
  • “[C]an you imagine the outcry if, let’s say, an old toxic dump was discovered near Scarsdale or Beverly Hills and the National Institutes of Health undertook a program to teach kids strategies to lessen the effects of the toxins but didn’t do anything to address the toxic dump itself?” Rose’s point is not that social and emotional learning programs are a waste of time; rather, the problem is that describing these as panaceas can be a dangerous distraction from more pressing issues.
  • … More

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/10/the-problem-with-teaching-grit-to-poor-kids-they-already-have-it-heres-what-they-really-need/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e082b1ab4ab8#annotations:AToOZnGpEeiyhidqm7MlZA

 

Resources:

The Global Problem Solvers (GPS the Series)

“Students focus on real-world social, economic, and environmental problems around the world. Through the program, they learn that coming up with ideas is just the first step in problem solving. While interacting with each other, they discover the stages of making ideas real – design, manufacturing, deployment, maintenance, and funding.”  – Cisco CSR Group

https://www.gpstheseries.com/en-us/teachers/  

Sero Assessment

https://www.serolearn.com/

Flipgrid

Microsoft has acquired education technology startup Flipgrid, Inc., and immediately announced that the subscription social learning platform will be free to all educators.

https://flipgrid.com/

https://blog.flipgrid.com/news/bettertogether

https://educationblog.microsoft.com/2018/06/flipgrid-microsoft-education/  

 

Wheel Decide

Think Wheel of Fortune, but you pick the topics (or names, choices, etc).

“Wheel Decide is a free online spinner tool that allows you to create your own digital wheels for decision making, prize giveaways, raffles, games, and more. Browse through our wheels and spin to randomize your life and make the decisions that have no wrong answers.”

http://wheeldecide.com

 

Web Spotlight:

 

Improving Teaching Effectiveness: Final Report

 

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2242.html#annotations:pRe8anVOEeikuRucRPTy3A

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 394: 8 Strategies (and coffee isn’t one of them)

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

“A hydrologist has a high-pressure job.”

 

When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep — not screaming, like the passengers in his car.

 

“Undertakers after a hard day’s work are dead tired!”

 

Every time someone predicts the date of the end of the world, God pushes the date back a little just to be funny.

 

“A split taxi fee is fare.”

 

From a Friend of mine in regards to his wife’s birthday:

Apparently, I ruined her birthday.

Not sure how I did that…

I didn’t even know it was her birthday!

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

“Outstanding Earth Science Trade Books for 2018.” (Part 3)

 

I was recently reading the February, 2018 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 article on the “Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12: 2018.  In this podcast, I feature Earth Science books:

  1.  “Seven Wonders of the Solar System” by David A. Aguilar
  2.  “When the Sun Goes Dark” by Andrew Fraknoi and Dennis Schatz
  3.  “Exploring Space: From Galileo to the Mars Rover and Beyond” by Martin Jenkins

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/6/7_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Outstanding_Earth_Science_Tradebooks_2018.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Two Guys👨‍🏫‏ @twoguysde

Bam we’re giving away a @YETICoolers tumblr to keep your drinks cold during your summer break!! To enter for this awesome cup that keeps your ice frozen for way too long, simply Follow Us or Share with at least one other educator #edtech #Education

Kahoot!‏Verified account @GetKahoot

#NotAtISTE? Join our #KahootChat on Tuesday, June 19 at 7pm CT and meet educators online instead! #NotAtISTE18 #EduChat

Johanna Brown‏ @johannabrown

Warning unpopular teacher opinion: Why do we say that after high school is the real world? Isn’t it all real? I remember my high school days distinctly and they were real. What happens in high school matters.

 

Libby Howe‏ @libbybrynn

Doing some reading on my deck! #BeTheOne

EDTECH@UTRGV‏ @ImFutureReady

14 Badge Ideas to Engage and Motivate Learners. https://www.learndash.com/?p=22158  #edtech #ILoveEdTech #ImFutureReady #edchat #badges

SIGOBL‏ @SIGOBL_MACUL

When planning instruction, consider how tech can enhance these strategies that @john_hattie & @robertjmarzano agree on: http://www.evidencebasedteaching.org.au/robert-marzano-vs-john-hattie/ …. It will likely improve your process and the impact on learners. #edchat #edtech

ABC News‏Verified account @ABC

Parents of a 5-year-old Kansas boy hit with $132,000 bill after their son knocked over an art sculpture on display at a local community center. https://abcn.ws/2JGLKMm

ABC News‏Verified account @ABC

ABC News Retweeted ABC News

“I was surprised, absolutely, more so offended to be called negligent,” said the boy’s mother. “They were treating this like a crime scene.” http://abcn.ws/2JGLKMm

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

 

Strategies:

 

10 ways we made our school happier

 

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2018/06/07/10-ways-we-made-our-school-happier/

 

After 1,155 Hours Together, a Teacher’s End-of-Year Letter to Her Students

It’s been only nine months since we formally met, and we’ve had only 1,155 hours to spend together. In between all of the lessons, projects, tests, and homework assignments, I was also learning about you—who you are and who you have the potential to become.

https://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2018/06/13/a-teachers-end-of-year-letter-to-her-students.html

 

8 Strategies To Help Students Ask Great Questions

https://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/8-strategies-to-help-students-ask-great-questions/

 

It’s Okay NOT to Reassess

When to limit reassessment

Here are three things to consider when thinking about proactively putting limits on what’s possible for classroom teachers.

    • Grades 11 & 12

 

  • Low-Priority Standards

  • Reassessment is naturally occurring already

 

 

http://allthingsassessment.info/2018/06/12/limiting-reassessment/

 

Noticing the Good Stuff: A Suggested Practice

When something amazing happens in your classroom but only you see it, did it really happen?

NOTICING THE GOOD FOR OURSELVES

OBSERVING AND LISTENING:

READING AND WRITING IDEAS:

TO DO ON YOUR OWN:

Create a dedicated space or use sticky notes. Try recording one good thing per day for a number of days in a row 10, 15, 30—whatever feels manageable.

 

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/noticing-good-stuff/

Resources:

 

History Bombs

History Bombs is an innovative educational media company based in the UK. We produce award-winning educational content to engage and inspire adults and children.

https://www.historybombs.com/

 

One Question We Should Always Ask When Implementing Technology into Classrooms

Lately, I have been sharing that we need to be very thoughtful of any technology that has the word, “school, classroom, or ed” in the name.  At first, some are taken aback when I say this, but eventually, they understand why I share this learning. I then encourage groups to ask the following question (or a variation of it) when thinking about what technology they use in schools:

“Is this a technology that will apply to the lives of our students outside of school or after their time with us?”

If we can’t justify the long-term benefit of the use of a technology (or more importantly, the time of our educators) to do things that have a real impact on our students past their time in education, then we are developing a lot of students who are really good at school, but not necessarily learning.

https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/8303

 

50 Questions Every Student Should Be Able To Answer Before They Graduate High School

 

 

11 Powerful Characteristics of Adaptable Learners

 

  1. Recognize Your Environment Is Constantly Changing
  2. Reject Comfort and Complacency
  3. Take Ownership of Results
  4. Show Willingness to Collaborate
  5. Build Resilience and Perseverance
  6. Demonstrate Care for Others
  7. Be Open to Changing Your Mind
  8. Be Flexible in Your Methods, Focused on Your Mission
  9. Be Eager to Try New Things and Learn New Skills
  10. Be Open to Feedback
  11. Develop Confidence in Your Ability to Learn

Web Spotlight:

 

How Can Middle Schools Best Organize to Help Young Adolescents Thrive?

Our research shows that when the school is made to feel smaller, that’s when young adolescents flourish more. With a K-8 school you have potentially more students in the school because you have all the way from 5-year-olds to 13- and 14-year-olds.

 

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/46648/how-can-middle-schools-best-organize-to-help-young-adolescents-thrive

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 393: Makin’ the Frog Happy. ASCD is going away (well part of it), Help Wounds Heal

Jokes You Can Use:  

Why are frogs always so happy?

  • They eat whatever bugs them

 

Why did the witches’ team lose the baseball game?

  • Their bats all flew away

 

Why couldn’t the leopard play hide and seek?

  • He’s always spotted.

 

Why did Adele cross the road?

  • To sign “Hello” from the other side

 

Teacher: “Which book has helped you the most in your life?”

Student: My parents checkbook.

 

Q: Why did the can crusher quit his job?

A: Because it was soda pressing.

 

My friend told me he had the body of a Greek god. I had to explain to him that Buddha is not Greek.

 

Advisory:

 

A Teen Scientist’s Invention to Help Wounds Heal

Working out of her garage, Anushka Naiknaware designed a sensor that tracks wound healing, becoming the youngest winner (at age 13) of the Google Science Fair. Her clever invention addresses the global challenge of chronic wounds, which don’t heal properly due to preexisting conditions like diabetes and account for billions in medical costs worldwide. Join Naiknaware as she explains how her “smart bandage” works — and how she’s sharing her story to inspire others to make a difference.

https://www.ted.com/talks/anushka_naiknaware_a_teen_scientist_s_invention_to_help_wounds_heal#t-20483

 

Avatar Generator

 

http://photos-share.com/

 

Middle School Science Minute

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

Outstanding Life Science Trade Books for 2018

I was recently reading the February, 2018 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 article on the “Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12: 2018.  In this podcast, I feature Life Science books:

  1.  “Catching Air: Taking the Leap with Gliding Animals” written by Sneed B. Collard III
  2.  “The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin” written by Julia Finley Mosca
  3.  “The Great Penguin Rescue: Saving the African Penguins” written by Sandra Markle
  4.  “It’s a Fungus Among Us: The Good, the Bad and the Downright Scary” written by Carla Billups and Dawn Cusick

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/6/4_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Outstanding_Life_Science_Tradebooks_2018.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Alex Corbitt‏ @Alex_Corbitt

17 Tips to Engage “Resistant” Classes! +Tip #18: Integrate Culturally Responsive Pedagogy! (by @finleyt) #edchat #Education #edtech #eLearning #ukedchat

PledgeCents‏ @PledgeCents

This is crazy. Look how many teachers say they are paying more than $500 a year out of their own pocket! http://teachersareprofessionals.com  @alicekeeler #TeachersAreProfessionals #teaching #teacherlife #teacherproblems #education #edchat #whatisschool

Shelley Burgess‏ @burgess_shelley

Good morning friends. Excited to talk #CultureMatters with you and our special guest @JayBilly2 author of our 1st #LeadLAP Guide #LeadWithCulture

 

Chad A. Stevens, Ph.D.‏ @k12cto

The Key to 21st Century Classrooms Isn’t Tech. It’s Evolved Teaching. | EdSurge News http://ow.ly/DYFG30kpgyj  #edtech

 

Joseph Pizzo‏ @ProfJPizzo

Any fool can know. The point is to understand. Einstein #Wisdom @ncte @NJCTENews @NJAMLE @NJASCD @NewJerseyDOE @4theMiddle @sanwoz @LaVonnaRoth @DrDebbieSilver @DrKenPiascik @anniecp @Arsant10 @TheBradCurrie @DisruptedTv @diane_phares @ELLAdvocates @ECET2natl @jrochelle

 

Steven Weber‏ @curriculumblog

Staff Morale Is Lower Than Ever http://edge.ascd.org//blogpost/staff-morale-is-lower-than-ever … #LeadUpChat

 

David Rockower‏ @dgrock Jun 7

Years ago I gave up on check out systems for my classroom library. I now hand out books and say, “Enjoy.” Most of the books come back quickly, some don’t; lots reappear on locker clean out day. @nerdy @ncte

Sandra Boynton‏Verified account @SandyBoynton Jun 8

June 8 is #BestFriendsDay. Spend a little time today talking, or going for a long walk, or laughing together, or just quietly enjoying each other’s company.

Christine Monge‏ @ChristineMonge

Here’s how to sign up for my book study https://christinemonge.com/book-study-sign-up/ …  Also maybe, just maybe, @HollyClarkEdu and/or @TanyaAvrith will be able to join the hangout from #ISTE18  

 

Kim Campbell‏ @KimCamp4Kids

It’s a wrap @HopkinsWJH. Ss r home for the summer and the Ts r having some fun@Hopkins270 #TsThatPlayTogetherStayTogether

https://twitter.com/i/status/1005234387405942785

 

Anthony Tosto‏ @MisterTosto

Mentoring Teachers: If you want to give your Student Teachers something to prepare them for this great profession, this is the book. It is informative, insightful, and empowering. #eduprotocols ⁦@jcorippo⁩ ⁦@mhebern⁩ #thenewfirstdaysofschool

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

 

Strategies:

 

Classroom Assessment Techniques: Quick Strategies to Check Student Learning in Class

 

http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/assessment-and-evaluation/classroom-assessment-techniques-quick-strategies-to-check-student-learning-in-class#annotations:CFwg6mbMEeixrgsMeTGjzA

 

Using Math Menus: Some Nuts & Bolts

 

http://www.marilynburnsmathblog.com/using-math-menus-some-nuts-bolts/

Resources:

 

PERTS Mindset

Online program delivered in two 30-minute sessions. Includes survey questions, short reading passages, and brief reflection exercises. Students will learn:

  • Scientific evidence showing that the brain is malleable.
  • Specific behaviors that can rewire the brain and increase one’s intellectual abilities.
  • The importance of effective study strategies and of getting help from others.

 

PERTS is an applied research center based out of Stanford University. We believe that evidence-based strategies should benefit all students, not just the privileged few. To make research accessible to all, we empower educators everywhere to implement evidence-based strategies cost-effectively. We are so excited to bring you Growth Mindset for 9th Graders and to make the latest research on growth mindset strategies actionable to every high school in the United States.

https://www.perts.net/orientation/hg#get-started 

Graspable Math

 

https://graspablemath.com/

Web Spotlight:

 

20 Strategies for Motivating Reluctant Learners

 

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/44067/20-strategies-for-motivating-reluctant-learners

The Web Site Knows Not It’s Time.

ASCD EDge Discontinuation

 

The ASCD EDge website will be discontinued on July 1, 2018. The website will be removed and all content will be deleted.

You may download materials you have previously contributed to the ASCD EDge website; however, no specific download or take-out feature is being provided. To save your content, you can log in to your account and copy and paste your blog posts into a format of your choosing and download any other media using your browser’s standard download functionality.

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 392: Middle School Directions, Story Telling and What happened this minute.

MSM 392: Middle School Directions, Story Telling and What happened this minute.

Jokes You Can Use:  

A duck was starting to cross the road and a chicken stopped it saying, “Careful.  Once you cross, you’ll never hear the end of it.”

Riddles:

This five letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it.

  • short

When you need me, you throw me away. When you are done with me, you bring me back.

  • An anchor

I stay in the corner but travel around the world.

  • A stamp

What rock group has four members who don’t sing?

  • Mount Rushmore

What was the largest island in the world before Australia was discovered?

  • Australia

A woman shoots her husband and then holds him under water for five minutes. Then they go out to dinner. How can this be?

  • Camera and develop

A window cleaner is cleaning a window on the 25 floor. He wasn’t wearing any safety gear- falls, but is not hurt.

  • Cleaning the inside of the windows

 

Advisory:

TED Talk:  How Language Shapes Us

 

 

Laurel vs Yanny – Next

Students need to look at the speaker to hear the differences.

https://vitals.lifehacker.com/listen-to-these-auditory-illusions-when-you-re-bored-wi-1826081147#annotations:Ec7zImULEeihfRc8kddzfQ

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Outstanding Physical Science Trade Books 2018

 

I was recently reading the February, 2018 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 article on the “Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12: 2018.  In this podcast, I feature Physical Science books:

  1.  “Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Revealed” written by Mary Losure
  2.  “The Secret Project” written by Jonah Winter
  3.  “When the Sky Breaks: Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and the Worst Weather” written by Simon Winchester

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/5/30_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Outstanding_Physical_Science_Tradebooks_2018.html

 

From the Twitterverse:  

Rodney Hetherton‏ @RodneyHetherton 22h22 hours ago

When you try to give directions on a Friday.

Craig Kemp‏ @mrkempnz

NEW: The 2018 Top 8 Professional Learning Reads for educators as voted by you http://mrkempnz.com/2018/06/the-top-8-professional-reads-for-educators-2018.html … get your books for summer now! #edchat @gcouros

Roxi Thompson‏ @roxi_thompson

An important reminder of why it’s so important to be actively engaged in school board elections. We need to make sure we have board members who will vote for policies that support innovation. @dintersmith #WhatSchoolCouldBe

This is Geography‏ @thisisgeography Jun 1

Decomposing

𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕊𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕫 💡‏ @ShellTerrell

What learning designers can learn from comic design https://buff.ly/2ILv9Xi  #elearning #edchat

amightygirl‏ @amightygirl

The #RockfordPeaches, the women’s baseball team that inspired A League of Their Own, is celebrating their 75th anniversary this week! The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a major milestone in women’s sports. https://www.facebook.com/amightygirl/posts/1705236059512700 …

Roman Nowak‏ @NowakRo

Honour the love of learning. Learn, teach & lead with your heart. Share the joy & wonder. We are working with amazing kids daily. Help each one go further than they can imagine. #bekindEDU #kidsdeserveit #tlap #LeadLAP #edchat #JoyfulLeaders #engagechat #TeacherMyth #t2t

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

 

Strategies:

Starbucks Curriculum

 

A conversation and learning session on race, bias, and creating an environment that is welcoming to all.

 

THE TEAM GUIDEBOOK

The guidebook was designed for groups of three to five Starbucks partners to work through the learning session at their own pace—self-directed versus heavily moderated. Each module in the guidebook follows the same pattern—some form of inspiration (a film, a look into mind science, a leader sharing a story) followed by self- or group reflection and a chance to practice.

 

THE PERSONAL NOTEBOOK

A personal and private tool for partners to self-reflect on behavior and the realities of bias in our society.

 

THE VIDEOS

Films and documentaries to stimulate both a new understanding and a will to act.

 

 

https://starbuckschannel.com/thethirdplace/

 

Storytelling the Stillmotion Way: Part 1

Today I’d like to introduce a very special guest professor. Our friends from Stillmotion will be taking the reins for the next few weeks, using their experience as Emmy award-winning filmmakers to teach you a very special skill — the art of storytelling.

 

https://vimeo.com/blog/post/storytelling-the-stillmotion-way-part-1

The Contest Results:

 

https://vimeo.com/blog/post/challenge-storytelling-the-stillmotion-way

Resources:

 

WootMath

Free and Paid versions.

https://www.wootmath.com/practice/free-tier-for-teachers

 

Quizster

Take a picture of your homework.  Send it in. Or take a picture of your formative assessment.  Send it in.

https://quizster.co/  

 

What Happened When I Committed to Loving My Students Unconditionally

Many teachers talk about loving their students. In fact, I have made bold announcements to everyone—from my colleagues to my friends and family—about loving my students every year that I have taught. But did I really love them? All of them? Every single student? Not really.

This school year, I tried another kind of love. I wanted my love for my students to be super-resilient and a little bit blind—similar to the kind of love I give to my own children.

https://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2018/05/30/what-happens-when-i-love-my-students-unconditionally.html

Web Spotlight:

 

What Happens in an Internet Minute in 2018?

JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE

The numbers for these services are so enormous that they can only be shown using the 60 second time scale.

Any bigger, and our brains can’t even process these massive quantities in any useful capacity. Here are just a few key numbers scaled to a monthly basis, for fun:

  • 42,033,600,000 Facebook logins
  • 159,840,000,000 Google searches
  • 1,641,600,000,000 WhatsApp messages sent
  • 8,078,400,000,000 emails sent

On an annualized basis, the data becomes even more ridiculous, with something close to 100 trillion emails sent. (No wonder it’s so hard to get to inbox zero!)

 

2018 version:

2017 vs 2018

 

2016 version:

 

http://www.visualcapitalist.com/internet-minute-2018/

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Chrome App Lock down browser

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 391: What? It’s dead? Now I’ll have to start a Scavenger Hunt

MSM 391: What? It’s dead? Now I’ll have to start a Scavenger Hunt

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Any stairway is a stairway to heaven if you’re clumsy enough.

 

Sleeping Beauty must have been terrified the first time she went back to sleep.

 

If your shirt isn’t tucked into your pants, your pants are tucked into your shirt.

 

If you swap the “W”s in Where, What, and When with “T”s. You end up with their answers.

 

The snooze button has probably ruined more lives than shark attacks have.

 

Freshwater fish aren’t technically seafood.

 

Advisory:

 

How People Make Only a Jar of Trash a Year

 

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/05/zero-waste-families-plastic-culture/?beta=true

 

Brainstorm vs Green needle

if you think of the word “brainstorm” you hear the word brainstorm. if you think of the words “green needle” you hear green needle.

https://mobile.twitter.com/sirvinnyd/status/996962183257968641/video/1

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Everyday Phenomena

I was recently reading the February, 2018 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 “Teacher to Teacher” column, featuring  “Teaching With Everyday Phenomena,” written by Susan German. Phenomena are observable events that serve two purposes in her classroom.  First, they increase student engagement and second, they make subsequent lessons more coherent.

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/5/24_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Everyday_Phenomena.html

 

From the Twitterverse:

Todd Bloch‏ @blocht574

“Mr BLOCH I exceeded my NWEA goal in science!” So you learn something in my class? “Yeah, but that test doesn’t measure all I learned from you!” #mschat #miched Students are more than a score! (So is learning)

 

MiddleWeb‏ @middleweb

REVIEW – Fair Isn’t Always Equal: A Must-Read 2nd Edition. #mschat Grading & assessment thought leader @rickwormeli2 earns high praise. #edchat #leadupchat #middleschool #educoach @stenhousepub #grading #assessment #equity https://www.middleweb.com/37724/fair-isnt-always-equal-a-must-read-2nd-edition/ …

Danny Steele‏ @SteeleThoughts

Good teachers will spend some time this summer thinking about how they can improve their lessons next year. That’s just what they do.

 

Michigan Medicine‏Verified account @umichmedicine

Mowing the lawn on this holiday weekend? Dr. @braduren has important safety tips you need to keep in mind: http://michmed.org/eKRVW

edutopia‏Verified account @edutopia

Thank you, Maria Montessori.

MiddleWeb‏ @middleweb

REVIEW: Helping Striving Readers Become Thriving Readers. @Stephharvey49 and @AnnieTWard have the answers says reviewer Linda Biondi. #engchat #elachat #educoach @ncte #literacy #reading @ILAToday #coteachat @ScholasticTeach https://www.middleweb.com/37727/helping-striving-readers-become-thriving-readers/ …

Dave Burgess‏ @burgessdave

The 10 #PBL Commandments!!! Incredible video and Hamilton parody by @AmandaFoxSTEM http://daveburgess.com/the-10-pbl-commandments/ … #tlap #geniushour #DitchBook

 

Mrs_Borak‏ @ashleyborak

Genius hour presentations were amazing! I’m so impressed by our student’s dedication and creativity.

Tarrant Institute‏ @innovativeEd

For the pm crowd: @dave_baroody shares rubric, resources & lessons learned from implementing Genius Hour

 

teacheridea‏ @teacheridea

TI: 20+ Summer Scavenger Hunts. https://tinyurl.com/yd9akmeb  #edtech #edchat #elemchat #3rdchat #4thchat #5thchat #middlechat #mschat #6thchat #7thchat #8thchat #scichat

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

 

Strategies:

 

Desmos Pet House: A Linear {and Not-So-Linear} Project

To prepare Math 8 students for future linear studies in Algebra 1, Desmos Pet House, a math-meets-art-meets-coding project, began as a seemingly simplistic graph paper sketch.  However, the open task proved to be a “low floor, high ceiling” experience that whisked students into the world of linear functions, linear inequalities, restrictions on the domain and range, and even animations!  Desmos provides a platform for instant visual feedback for the algebraic “code” students wrote.

http://www.mathycathy.com/blog/2018/05/desmos-pet-house-a-linear-and-not-so-linear-project/

 

Resources:

 

We Could Live without These Education Buzz words

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2018/05/19/we-could-live-without-these-education-buzz-words/

Summer Reading List

 

Web Spotlight:  

 

The Web Goes Dark For . . .

  • WikiSpaces dies for teachers and classrooms July 31, 2018.  Grab your stuff while the grabbing’s good.

The Digital Curtain Falls Across . . .

  • Padlet:  Using the Freemium Model now.  
  • Avast – Education license is now discounted 50% instead of free.  
  • Xtranormal is now Nawmal and is priced for education at $10/month.  

 

Can you think of more that should be on this list?  Share them on this spreadsheet.  We’d love to hear from you.  

 

CAPTURING TELEVISION HISTORY, ONE VOICE AT A TIME

We record in-depth video conversations with key figures in television, both in front of and behind the camera.

https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/#annotations:qnoNQF70Eei1nnuFOrZvRw

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 390: What the G are you talking about?  It’s CODAPendence.

MSM 390: What the G are you talking about?  It’s CODAPendence.

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Which pet makes the most noise?

  • A Trumpet.

What happens to a frog’s car when it breaks down?

  • It gets TOAD.

Why do pimples make horrible prisoners?

  • They keep breaking out

What do you get if you cross a fridge and a stereo?

  • Cool Music

 

Advisory:

 

Hole Punch Flipbooks


http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/04/hole-punch-flipbooks-by-scott-blake/

 

Roman Mars is obsessed with flags

*Note that there is a couple of swear words in the audio. You can skip the very first part and just show the actual Podcast. (Then, there are a couple of “badass”  utterances in the six minute).

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

 

The secrets of the ‘high-potential’ personality

    1. Competitiveness
    2. Risk approach (or courage)
    3. Curiosity
    4. Ambiguity acceptance
    5. Adjustment
    6. Conscientiousness

 

The truth, of course, is a little more nuanced. It turns out the same traits, in excess, may also impede your performance, and the real secret to success may be to know exactly where you fall on each spectrum, and how to make the most of your strengths and account for your weaknesses.

https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-the-secrets-of-the-high-potential-perso/f-f17e6ba97b%2Fbbc.com

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

The Advantages of Biodegradable Products

I was recently reading the February, 2018 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 in the Disequilibrium section, “The Advantages of Biodegradable Products,” written by Todd Hoover. The article helps teachers design a 5E Unit to help students visualize the differences between polystyrene and starch-based packing peanuts.

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/5/11_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Biodegradable_Products.html

 

From the Twitterverse:

Eric Curts‏ @ericcurts

4 Fake Sites to Teach Students Website Evaluation http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2016/02/fake-sites-teach-website-evaluation.html … #edtech

Denis Sheeran‏ @MathDenisNJ

Be a leader who knows that it is your role to create a world in which those whom you lead will come to outperform you. And when they do, feel joy and pride. #ThursdayThoughts #leadlap #edchat #leadupchat #CultureEd #leadership #TLAP #makeitreal

Eric Curts‏ @ericcurts

Student Reading Log Template with Google Sheets http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2016/05/reading-log-template.html … #edtech

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

 

Strategies:

 

Powerful Way to End the School Year

One of our strategies that teachers enjoy using at the end of the school year is a practical, easy-to-use tool we call Celebrating Learning With Year Mapping.

 

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/powerful-way-to-end-school-year-donna-wilson-marcus-conyers

 

LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING ELLS

 

https://www.aworldoflanguagelearners.com/2018/04/17/language-learning-strategies-for-teaching-ells/

 

The Letter G

In fact, researchers discovered that most people didn’t even realise there were two different forms of the letter — the looptail and the opentail.

 

“Many researchers are thinking now that learning to write plays an important role in learning to read,” said Professor McCloskey. “We’re writing less and less in our culture nowadays.”

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/mind/scientists-discover-most-people-cant-identify-right-form-of-the-letter-g-despite-seeing-it-all-the-time/news-story/7a0f476723f0bd984dd899f797a6e0c9

 

Resources:

 

Tricider for Education

https://www.tricider.com/create?q=education  Polling and brainstorming for classrooms.  

Breakout Box Resources

 

CODAP

CODAP is a free web-based data tool designed as a platform for developers and as an application for students in grades 6–14.

http://codap.concord.org/

Web Spotlight:

Why Teens Should Understand Their Own Brains (And Why Their Teachers Should, Too!)

 

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/51237/why-teens-should-understand-their-own-brains-and-why-their-teachers-should-too

 

WE MADE PLASTIC. WE DEPEND ON IT. NOW WE’RE DROWNING IN IT.

 

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-waste-pollution-trash-crisis/?beta=true

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 389: The Penguin Defense

MSM 389: The Penguin Defense

Jokes You Can Use:  

Lily‏ @Lilylauren

I want to defend a penguin in court simply so I can say “Your honour. My client is clearly not a flight risk”

 

Important “Jokes You Can Use” Tool from Google

https://www.blog.google/topics/next-billion-users/no-laughing-matter-files-go-introduces-bad-joke-detector/  

 

A student in class the other day dropped her phone.  It landed safely. It was in airplane mode.

 

I’m currently boycotting any company that sells items I can’t afford.

 

PATIENT: Doctor, I need your help. I’m addicted to checking my Twitter!

DOCTOR: I’m so sorry, I don’t follow.

 

Why are iPhone chargers not called Apple Juice?!

 

Did you hear about the love affair between sugar and cream?  It was icing on the cake.

 

Advisory:

 

Motivation Increased 35% By One Simple Goal-Setting Instruction, Study Finds

Goals are frequently found to boost people’s motivation, and so their performance.

A recent study, however, reveals a fascinating kink in that oft-quoted research.

Men, it seems, respond to goals better than women, the study found.

 

https://www.spring.org.uk/2016/03/motivation-increased-35-simple-goal-setting.php

 

ZenTangles

 

https://zentangle.com/

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Take a Stream Selfie

I was recently reading the February, 2018 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 Citizen Science article, “Take a Stream Selfie for Science,” written by Jill Nugent. The article describes a project that maps streams across the United States and bridges an existing gap in water quality data. For more information, please visit:

https://scistarter.com/streamselfie

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/4/16_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Stream_Selfie.html

 

From the Twitterverse:

ISTE‏ @iste

“As educators, our challenge and opportunity is to give our students the tools they need to engage in a civil society whose future they will shape.” http://bit.ly/2KB1VHW  via @EdSurge #stuvoice #digcit

 

NYSUT‏ @nysut

Sign up for the Thunderclap to spread the word. Urge Sen. Flanagan and @NYSenate to support local control of teacher evaluations! Together we can fix APPR! https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/69830-we-can-fix-appr … #Pass8301NOW #LetUSTeach #LetThemLearn

 

Richard Byrne‏ @rmbyrne

Free Tools for Creating Animated Videos https://t.co/b7Mc57kpSL

 

Richard Byrne‏ @rmbyrne

How to Automatically Issue Certificates When Students Pass a Quiz in Google Forms http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2018/04/how-to-automatically-issue-certificates.html …

 

Greg Gorman‏ @gormang

10 ways Google tools can make the end of the year ROCK https://wp.me/p3bT67-1Sh  via @jmattmiller #usd246

 

Richard Byrne‏ @rmbyrne

17 Audacity Tutorials for Beginners http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2018/05/17-audacity-tutorials-for-beginners.html …

 

Richard Byrne‏ @rmbyrne

300+ Printable Comic Templates http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2018/05/300-printable-comic-templates.html …

 

Richard Byrne‏ @rmbyrne

TodaysMeet Is Shutting Down – Six Alternatives to Try http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2018/04/todaysmeet-is-shutting-down-six.html …

 

Tony Vincent‏ @tonyvincent

You can visually organize your Google Drive by color-coding folders and including emojis as icons. http://tonyv.me/gdrive

Tom Murray‏Verified account @thomascmurray

8 apps and tools for classroom SEL http://ow.ly/L8rw30jQn9L  #edtech

 

Steve Seward‏ @sewardstephen

Exit tickets, entry tickets, mid-lesson tickets—it’s all about learner thinking & using data to inform (extend or remediate) next instructional decisions. 25 questions to get you & your learners kick-started! #AdaptBasedOnPurpose

Michael Werner‏ @SimpleCEO

8 Ideas for Using Tech in Math Class http://rviv.ly/P4Egec

 

George Couros‏Verified account @gcouros

How to change your mindset to be more positive.  

https://t.co/SopAVGSWVo

 

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

 

Strategies:

 

Positive Reinforcement

As the largest middle school in the state of New Jersey, Lincoln Middle School has struggled at times with student discipline. Chronic tardiness and fights on campus have been a problem for this school, which serves 1,800 7th- and 8th-grade students.

Traditional approaches to student discipline haven’t worked to change the school’s culture. Not only has punishment been largely ineffective as a deterrent, but it also erodes the critical relationship between students and educators. When teachers are constantly meting out punishment, their relationship with students becomes confrontational instead of supportive—and this isn’t the type of environment in which students can learn most effectively.

 

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2018/05/01/positive-reinforcement-leads-to-school-wide-change/

 

My Daughter’s Homework is Killing Me

Memorization, not rationalization. That is the advice of my 13-year-old daughter, Esmee, as I struggle to make sense of a paragraph of notes for an upcoming Earth Science test on minerals.

Esmee is in the eighth grade…

What I am interested in is what my daughter is doing during those nightly hours between 8 o’clock and midnight, when she finally gets to bed.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/10/my-daughters-homework-is-killing-me/309514/

 

Resources:

 

The Problem with All Stars

How humility is crucial to success.

Start by asking kids, if you could make up a team, would it be better to have a team of all super stars, or a mix of stars and average players?

32 minutes. – Audio only

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

 

Save the Planet Board Game

Save The Planet Board Game is free and open-source DIY cooperative board game. In the Save the Planet Game you and your family and friends can work together to save the planet to win, while learning how to save the planet in real life. The beginner option is appropriate for children 4 and up and the advanced option is a fun game for teens up to any age. This game is open-source so you are encouraged to build on it – make it better, add more good deeds, make a local deed list and make more advanced derivatives. Have fun!

http://www.appropedia.org/Save_the_planet_board_game

 

Answer Garden

AnswerGarden is a new minimalistic feedback tool. Use it for real time audience participation, online brainstorming and classroom feedback.

https://answergarden.ch/

 

Sourcera

Search museums, archives and libraries for images, embed them in slides at the click of a button! Also available for documents.

Highlight text in your slide and use it to search many of the world’s largest and richest archives.

Find images that you can re-use, view licensing information, embed them in your presentation complete with attribution, caption and link to source with a single click.

 

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/sourcera/bahhjiijkghmilcaakejnpgakhgdmhdd?utm_source=permalink

 

Docs Teach

DocsTeach is a product of the National Archives education division. Our mission is to engage, educate, and inspire all learners to discover and explore the records of the American people preserved by the National Archives.

 

The National Archives and Records Administration is the nation’s record keeper. We save documents and other materials created in the course of business conducted by the U.S. Federal government that are judged to have continuing value. We hold in trust for the public the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights — but also the records of ordinary citizens — at our locations around the country.

 

Access thousands of primary sources  — letters, photographs, speeches, posters, maps, videos, and other document types — spanning the course of American history. We’re always adding more!

 

Borrow from an ever-expanding collection of document-based activities created by the National Archives, and teachers around the world. Copy and modify activities for your students.

 

Create your own activities using the online tools. It’s as simple as: (1) selecting a tool, (2) choosing your primary sources, and (3) customizing instructions.

 

https://www.docsteach.org/

 

Audacity Tutorials for Beginners

17 Videos to help you (and your students) use Audacity.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6wGbZVVzENlzXKZJz3D1XmOZeL91GncR

 

Trinket

Share Code from any Device

Trinket lets you run and write code in any browser, on any device.

Trinkets work instantly, with no need to log in, download plugins, or install software.

Easily share or embed the code with your changes when you’re done.

https://trinket.io/

 

Periodic Videos

A lesson about every single element on the periodic table

Created by the Periodic Videos team using the TED-Ed platform.

http://ed.ted.com/periodic-videos

 

The Baseball Study by Recht and Leslie

Video relating research on the importance of vocabulary and background knowledge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP6qpSrr3cg&feature=youtu.be

 

18 Free Image Sites and Tools for Schools

A picture is worth a thousand words, but it might also be worth a thousand dollars if your school gets hit with a copyright violation claim. This happens to schools every year as students or teachers inappropriately use an image that they do not have the rights to.

http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2018/04/free-images.html?spref=tw

Web Spotlight:

 

25 Things Successful Teachers Do Differently

https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/25-things-successful-teachers-do-differently/

 

Strategies List

Thinking Collaborative List of strategies for the learning. Here is a sample…

1-2-6

3-2-1 Plus 1

5-3-1

7-11 Conversations

A B Each Teach

Adjournment Directions

Airplane Stacking

Analogy Prompts

Applause

Around the Room

Ask for Sabotage Ideas

Assumptions Challenge

Assumptions Inquiry

Assumptions Wall

Attention First

Banned Words

Block Party

Brainstorm Modalities

Brainstorm Questions

Brainstorm

Break and Breathe

Broken Squares

Caping

Card Games

Card Stack and Shuffle

Carousel Brainstorming

Carousel Interview

Catalogue

Causal Loop Diagram

Check In

Choose Voice

Choreograph an Opening

Clarify Conflicting Mental Modes

Use the link below for more:

http://www.thinkingcollaborative.com/strategies/

 

Grasshopper

Welcome to Grasshopper,the coding app for beginners

  • Learn with fun, quick lessons on your phone that teach you to write real JavaScript.
  • Move through progressively challenging levels as you develop your abilities.
  • Graduate with fundamental programming skills for your next step as a coder.

https://grasshopper.codes/

 

Amazon Shareholder Letter

 

Six-Page Narratives

We don’t do PowerPoint (or any other slide-oriented) presentations at Amazon. Instead, we write narratively structured six-page memos. We silently read one at the beginning of each meeting in a kind of “study hall.” Not surprisingly, the quality of these memos varies widely. Some have the clarity of angels singing. They are brilliant and thoughtful and set up the meeting for high-quality discussion. Sometimes they come in at the other end of the spectrum.

 

High Standards

Understanding this point is important because it keeps you humble. You can consider yourself a person of high standards in general and still have debilitating blind spots. There can be whole arenas of endeavor where you may not even know that your standards are low or non-existent, and certainly not world class. It’s critical to be open to that likelihood.

Recognition and Scope

What do you need to achieve high standards in a particular domain area? First, you have to be able to recognize what good looks like in that domain. Second, you must have realistic expectations for how hard it should be (how much work it will take) to achieve that result – the scope.

Let me give you two examples. One is a sort of toy illustration but it makes the point clearly, and another is a real one that comes up at Amazon all the time.

Perfect Handstands

A close friend recently decided to learn to do a perfect free-standing handstand. No leaning against a wall. Not for just a few seconds. Instagram good. She decided to start her journey by taking a handstand workshop at her yoga studio. She then practiced for a while but wasn’t getting the results she wanted. So, she hired a handstand coach. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, but evidently this is an actual thing that exists. In the very first lesson, the coach gave her some wonderful advice. “Most people,” he said, “think that if they work hard, they should be able to master a handstand in about two weeks. The reality is that it takes about six months of daily practice. If you think you should be able to do it in two weeks, you’re just going to end up quitting.” Unrealistic beliefs on scope – often hidden and undiscussed – kill high standards. To achieve high standards yourself or as part of a team, you need to form and proactively communicate realistic beliefs about how hard something is going to be – something this coach understood well.

In the handstand example, it’s pretty straightforward to recognize high standards. It wouldn’t be difficult to lay out in detail the requirements of a well-executed handstand, and then you’re either doing it or you’re not. The writing example is very different. The difference between a great memo and an average one is much squishier. It would be extremely hard to write down the detailed requirements that make up a great memo. Nevertheless, I find that much of the time, readers react to great memos very similarly. They know it when they see it. The standard is there, and it is real, even if it’s not easily describable.

Here’s what we’ve figured out. Often, when a memo isn’t great, it’s not the writer’s inability to recognize the high standard, but instead a wrong expectation on scope: they mistakenly believe a high-standards, six-page memo can be written in one or two days or even a few hours, when really it might take a week or more! They’re trying to perfect a handstand in just two weeks, and we’re not coaching them right. The great memos are written and re-written, shared with colleagues who are asked to improve the work, set aside for a couple of days, and then edited again with a fresh mind. They simply can’t be done in a day or two. The key point here is that you can improve results through the simple act of teaching scope – that a great memo probably should take a week or more.

 

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000119312518121161/d456916dex991.htm

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 388: Repetition, Repetition, Repetition, Retrieve this for great success!

 

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Did you hear about the auto body shop that just opened?

  • It comes highly wreck-a-mended.

 

Why did the invisible man turn down the job offer?

  • Because he just couldn’t see himself doing it.

 

I just ended a long-term relationship today. I’m not too bothered, it wasn’t mine.

 

To this day, the boy that used to bully me at school still takes my lunch money. On the plus side, he makes great Subway sandwiches.

 

I won $3 million on the lottery this weekend so I decided to donate a quarter of it to charity. Now I have $2,999,999.75.

 

I saw a sign that said “Watch for children” and I thought, “That sounds like a fair trade”.

 

Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back.

 

Advisory:

 

Hilariously Illustrated Vocabulary

https://us.mrswordsmith.com/

Middle School Science Minute

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

Project-Based Learning

I was recently reading the February, 2018 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” section, “Tips for Project Based Learning,” written by Peggy Perdue. In this article, Peggy provides 13 teacher tips for project-based learning.

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/4/4_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Project_Based_Learning.html

 

From the Twitterverse:

Katie Powell‏ @Beyond_the_Desk Apr 19

A2: A decent tool to assess engaging teaching: #mschat

Shelby Cowan‏ @mscowansela

Wow! Learning some great information and strategies for vocabulary. #ksdetasn #mtss #TheMoreYouKnow

Dave Burgess‏ @burgessdave

Testing season mixed with end of the year stresses can make this stretch hard for teachers. Self-care is essential. “The Danger of Never Being Done” is REAL…I wrote about it here: http://daveburgess.com/the-danger-of-never-being-done/ … #ZenTeacher #tlap #LeadLAP #KidsDeserveIt #edchat

George Couros‏Verified account @gcouros

8 Things to Look For in Today’s Classroom https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/3586 …

Kim Campbell‏ @KimCamp4Kids

Ya know they say when teachers and students have fun together students do better and teachers do better. Coming together as a school community is so very important. #MakeItHappen @Hopkins270 @HopkinsWJH

 

Google‏Verified account @Google

So many different students, but just one of you. Take the pressure off your prep with video lessons from Google: http://goo.gl/UKh7Km

 

Diane Ravitch‏ @DianeRavitch

Pearson Embedded a “Social-Psychological” Experiment in Tests Without Student Knowledge http://dianeravitch.net/2018/04/21/pearson-embedded-a-social-psychological-experiment-in-tests-without-student-knowledge/ …

 

Danny Steele‏ @SteeleThoughts

“Instructional leadership” is not about improving teachers… it is about creating the conditions where teachers can improve themselves.

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

 

Strategies:

 

Retrieval Practice Challenge Grids for the classroom

 

https://lovetoteach87.com/2018/01/12/retrieval-practice-challenge-grids-for-the-classroom/

 

Retrieval Practice

When we think about learning, we typically focus on getting information into students’ heads. What if, instead, we focus on getting information out of students’ heads?

 

https://www.retrievalpractice.org/

 

Anki

Create powerful FlashCards. Anki is based on timed retrieval.

  • From images to scientific markup, Anki has got you covered.
  • Review on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and any device with a web browser.
  • Only practice the material that you’re about to forget.
  • Use the free AnkiWeb synchronization service to keep your cards in sync across multiple devices.
  • From card layout to review timing, Anki has a wealth of options for you to customize.
  • Embed audio clips, images, videos and scientific markup on your cards, with precise control over how it’s shown.
  • Because the code and storage format is open, your important data is safe.

https://apps.ankiweb.net/

Resources:

Interaction Online:  Creative activities for blended learning

Cambridge University Press, Lindsay Clandfield & Jill Hadfield.  

“This book is for teachers interested in incorporating interaction online into their teaching. Interaction Online is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to incorporate an aspect of online interaction in their language teaching. It is relevant for use with online, blended or face-to-face courses and appropriate for a wide range of teachers and learning contexts. This handbook contains over 75 tried and tested activities, the majority of which can be carried out either synchronously or asynchronously.”

 

Great Books for Middle School Book Clubs

This year our collection topped more than 70 titles to choose from and after I shared a snapshot of some of them on Instagram, I was asked for a list.  So here you are, our most-selected books from our book club selection, as well as a few new favorites for next year. Note, that some of these are more mature, for the more mature titles, students need parental permission to read them.

https://pernillesripp.com/2018/04/19/great-books-for-middle-school-book-clubs/

 

NASA Wavelength:

This site provides a full spectrum of NASA resources for earth and space science education.  NASA Wavelength is your pathway into a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels – from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. These resources, developed through funding of the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD), have undergone a peer-review process through which educators and scientists ensure the content is accurate and useful in an educational setting. Use NASA Wavelength to quickly and easily locate resources, connect them to other websites using atom feeds, and even share the resources you discover with others through social media and email.

 

When you click on Middle School, you go to:

http://nasawavelength.org/resource-search?facetSort=1&educationalLevel=Middle+school

There you will find 953 resources, at this time.

 

http://nasawavelength.org

 

Open Heritage

Explore the story and 3D model of each historic location

https://artsandculture.google.com/project/cyark

 

Web Spotlight:

Cambridge University Survey:  World Teacher Survey!

“Join teachers around the world and take part in the World Teacher Survey. Have your voice heard and help make teaching better for everyone!”  (Yes, it is probably someone’s research for their next book, but you might as well have fun with it!)

http://view.ceros.com/cambridge/world-teacher-survey/p/1

 

Paid summer breaks and other common myths about teachers

  • MYTH: Teachers have a paid summer vacation
  • MYTH: Teachers are given all their supplies
  • MYTH: All teachers receive an adequate wage

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/15/us/teacher-pay-myth-misconception/index.html

 

Why I cringe every time I hear the term Digital Literacy

So here is why I want to cringe. What students don’t possess most often is a not digital literacy, but rather digital fluency.

Fluency is different than literacy because the former is simply making meaning of something and the latter is the important concept of transfer of knowledge –  it’s where digital savviness begins to grow from a seedling to a beautiful blossoming tree.

“A literate person is perfectly capable of using the tools. They know how to use them and what to do with them, but the outcome is less likely to match their intention. It is not until that person reaches a level of fluency, however, that they are comfortable with when to use the tools to achieve the desired outcome, and even why the tools they are using are likely to have the desired outcome at all.”

http://www.hollyclark.org/2018/04/16/why-i-cringe-every-time-i-hear-the-term-digital-literacy/

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

advisory, MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 387: Put On Your Chair Slippers and Ctrl-Tab Your Ears For The Show!

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

  • If a firefighter has two eyes, what does a ballerina have?  
    • Two Too/Tutu  
  • What’s invisible and smells like carrots?  
    • Bunny farts.  

 

Fountain Pen jokes:

 

  • What newspaper does a fountain pen read? The New York Tines.
  • Two fountain pens walked into an ice cream shop, the third one ducked.
  • I heard Lamy was going to develop a new Velcro pen, but they thought it might get ripped off.
  • I used to get a small shock whenever I touched my pens. Needless to say, I’m ex-static.
  • Did you hear about the new anti-gravity pen? It’s impossible to grab one!
  • Why wasn’t the fountain pen popular on Instagram? It wouldn’t post.
  • Wanna hear a joke about a broken nib? Nevermind, it’s pointless.
  • What do you call a factory that makes adequate pens? A satisfactory
  • Did you hear they’re going to have a new outdoor pen show? It’s supposed to be in tents!
  • What are the worst fountain pens made? Vacuum fillers, because they suck.
  • A duck walks into a pen store to get a new pen and says “just put it on my bill”.
  • I have an entire drawer filled with pen caps. They look so lonely there, because they have no body.
  • I keep looking for camouflage pens, but I can’t seem to find any.
  • I was considering becoming a nibmeister, but I heard it’s a grind.
  • Did you hear about the new apocalypse pen? They’re selling like there’s no tomorrow!

 

Advisory:

 

If the person who named Walkie, Talkies…

Stamps = Lickie Stickie
Defibrillators = Hearty Starty
Bumble bees = Fuzzy Buzzy
Fork= Stabby Grabby
Socks = Feetie Heatie
Hippo = Floatie Bloatie
Nightmare = Screamy Dreamy

 

*Warning, some of the suggestions by others are NSFW.

https://twitter.com/i/moments/978351623662694400

 

OK GO! Video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWGJA9i18Co&ibss=1

 

Yale’s Most Popular Class Ever and What We Can Learn from It

A few years ago, psychology professor, Laurie Santos, proposed a new elective class at Yale University. She believed it would be a helpful and relevant course for students. No one had any idea how popular it would become.

It’s a class on happiness.

https://growingleaders.com/blog/yales-popular-class-ever-can-learn/

 

WOOP

WOOP stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan.

It’s a practical, accessible, evidence-based activity that helps students find and fulfill their wishes. In character development terms, WOOP builds self-control.

Good curriculum to start kids planning and making things happen. WOOP includes lots of resources to help teachers plan. Also includes workbooks for students. 

Free. 

https://www.characterlab.org/woop/

 

The Power of Yet

 

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

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Density of Pop

I was recently reading the January, 2018 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 Disequilibrium section, “Why is regular soda denser than diet soda,” written by Todd Hoover. The article helps teachers design a 5E Unit to help students visualize the differences between the densities of diet and regular soda/pop and learn about the nutritional differences between the two.

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/3/23_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Density_of_Pop.html

From the Twitterverse:

Alex Corbitt‏ @Alex_Corbitt

8 Final Exam Alternatives (by @finleyt) #edchat #education #eLearning #edtech #ukedchat #AussieEd

Susie Highley‏ @shighley

I know a lot of Ts who do special activities the afternoons of testing; schedules are already disrupted, so it’s a great time to do genius hour, Breakout EDU, etc. #INeLearn

 

Eric Curts‏ @ericcurts

Random Writing Prompt Generator with Google Sheets http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2016/04/writing-prompt-generator.html … #edtech

james sturtevant‏ @jamessturtevant

http://bit.ly/2pCmwTk  if you are in to your kids creating EDITORIAL CARTOONS, you simply must try @StoryboardThat #satchat @markbarnes19 @MGeoghegan22 @OCMBOCESSLS

*PS – Happy Birthday to James!!

Write About‏ @mywriteabout

Happy #NationalPencilDay! What will you and your pencils write about today? #EngChat #ELAchat

Lee Araoz‏ @LeeAraoz

10 Reasons to Use Inquiry-Based Learning via @sylviaduckworth #satchat

Alice Keeler‏ @alicekeeler

Collaborative Lesson Plan Template – http://www.alicekeeler.com/2017/04/30/collaborative-lesson-plan-template/ …

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

 

Strategies:

 

Why dance is just as important as math in school

 

https://ideas.ted.com/why-dance-is-just-as-important-as-math-in-school/

https://chairslippers.com/  

Resources:

 

NASA SCAN

 

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/communications/outreach/students/txt_kidszone.html

 

Google Go Phone

“Android Go is a special configuration of Android Oreo designed for lower-end mobile devices, particularly those with less than 1GB of RAM. It features a number of stripped-down UI elements and variants of traditional Google apps made to optimize memory usage.”  

Ars Technica Article

 

101 Practical Ways to Ditch That Textbook: Updated Version

Here for the good stuff? You’re a few steps away from access to:

  • 101 Practical Ways to Ditch That Textbook, an insanely practical guide full of new teaching ideas
  • The Digital PIRATE: Tech Like a PIRATE, great activities that combine free tech tools and engagement hooks from “Teach Like a PIRATE”
  • Links and resources from Matt’s keynote presentations

You’re just a few steps away. Enter your e-mail address, first name and last name and click the button. After you confirm your e-mail address, a link to your resources will arrive in your inbox!

http://ditchthattextbook.com/2018/03/28/free-updated-ebook-101-practical-ways-to-ditch-that-textbook-2-0/

 

Web Spotlight:

 

Google Tips

 

  • CRTL | SHIFT | T – reopens closed tabs (useful as you are walking around and want to see what the students just closed)
  • Extensity – quick turn Google Chrome Extensions on or off (important because each extension that is running will take resources. Extensions can also cause conflicts.)
  • Rename a link – paste a web site into a Google Doc. Click on it once and pick “Change”. Make the text more user friendly (also ADA compliant).
  • Randomize your class or Groups without an add-on (Create a Google Sheet with names (via form or class list), Freeze the top row (header), Highlight columns, Click on Data | Randomize range)
  • Chrome tabs: CTRL | Number to go to that tab. (1-8, 9 will go to the last tab)
  • CRTL | Tab will switch windows

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!

 

MSM, PodcastBy Troy Patterson

MSM 386: Let’s have a rathole party!

 

Jokes You Can Use:  

 

Did you hear about the guy whose left side got cut off?

  • It’s OK, he’s “all right” now.

 

I couldn’t figure out why the baseball kept getting larger.

  • And then it hit me.

 

What do you called an angry carrot?

  • A steamed vegetable.

 

What kind of music is scary for balloons?

  • Pop music

 

What kind of dog doesn’t bark?

  • A hush puppy

 

Hyphenated

Non-hyphenated

Irony?

Advisory:

 

Cartoon Sounds

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=m1Xh_VU3jXA

 

Commercials

 

http://www.adweek.com/creativity/this-look-inside-spike-jonzes-apple-ad-is-as-fascinating-as-the-film-itself/

 

The March of Our Lives

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=jnFd35I0YrA

Lyrics:

https://genius.com/Ben-platt-and-lin-manuel-miranda-found-tonight-lyrics

 

Middle School Science Minute  

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

Learning Through Assessments

 

I was recently reading the January, 2018 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, “Engaging Students in Learning Through Assessment,” written by Patty McGinnis the Editor of Science Scope.  In her article, she discusses how assessment is more than an indication of student progress, it can also be a powerful method for engaging students in active learning.

 

http://k12science.net/Podcast/Podcast/Entries/2018/3/13_Middle_School_Science_Minute__Learning_Through_Assessments.html

 

From the Twitterverse:

Alex Corbitt‏ @Alex_Corbitt

5 Tips for Managing Student Paperwork (+ Tip #6: Go Digital!) (by @finleyt) #edchat #education #elearning #edtech #ukedchat #aussieED

Chuck Poole‏ @cpoole27

A teacher’s influence is one that never truly ends. It is an ever present force that helps build character, strength, and wisdom for years to come. #JoyfulLeaders

Eric Sheninger‏Verified account @E_Sheninger

3 critical questions when it comes to transforming learning: Why should we innovate? How will we successfully implement innovative practices? What critieria and evidence will be used to determine success and efficacy? #LT8Keys #empower18 #leadered

Frank Spencer‏ @Frankwspencer

District arms teachers with rocks in case of school shooter | WPXI https://t.co/kKbtABsIBL

Teresa Gross 📝📚‏ @teresagross625

I am getting ready to launch a couple of twitter book studies soon. #pd4uandme

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

 

Strategies:

 

Resources:

Hypothes.is – Middle School Matters Group:

Feel free to help us bookmark and annotate the show. Or create your own group to collaborate or annotate across the web.

https://hypothes.is/groups/KD6PYn6X/middle-school-matters

 

SoundBible

SoundBible.com offers free sound clips for download in either wav or mp3 format. We offer free and royalty free sound effects and clips for video editors, movie scores, game designers, and weekend sound warriors.

Downloads are totally free and upfront with large download buttons to prevent confusion.

http://soundbible.com/

 

ScratchWork

Collaborative online whiteboard that is focused on math. This site does LaTeX well. You can write the LaTeX expressions, but more impressively, you can just draw the equation and it will convert it. Solves expressions as well.

 

Free version:

  • Math equations are downloaded as images.
  • 4 boards for free
  • Basic math recognition
  • PDF export with watermark

https://app.scratchwork.io/

 

Lessons for Movies

 

http://www.lessonsonmovies.com/

 

Web Spotlight:

 

Returning the Favor – Mike Rowe  

Follow host Mike Rowe as he travels the country in search of remarkable people making a difference in their communities. Returning the Favor . . .   Recognized by the Got Your 6 Foundation for dispelling stereotypes of post-war veterans. Some clips are 6-10 minutes long making them a nice fit for the classroom and advisory.  Could even put them in Moodle with an H5P editor for formative assessment and then a single threaded forum for discussion. The show is in its second season on Facebook Watch, so you may need to use some “creativity” in getting this to your classroom . . .

 

Random Thoughts . . .  

 

Personal Web Site

 

Click the Play button below to listen to the show!