Educational Links 6/22/17

Here are four good sites for outside STEM activities: 

Bird Sleuth (also has good ideas for a school garden.)

http://www.birdsleuth.org/ 

eBird

http://ebird.org/content/ebird/

North American Butterfly Association
http://www.naba.org/

Butterflies and Moths of North America

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/

Science Beginning with body parts!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKGxoMd1zAY

A Road Map To Becoming A Better Teacher

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/road-map-becoming-better-teacher/?utm_content=buffer6c9e1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Five Things You Think Principals Want to Hear (and What They Really Want to Hear)

http://theeducatorsroom.com/2014/06/five-things-think-principals-want-hear-really-want-hear/

ENGLISH LEARNERS: OTHER PLACES ARE SHOWING WHAT WORKS

https://ctmirror.org/2017/06/12/english-learners-other-places-are-showing-what-works/

CHOOSING A CAREER IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

https://www.thinkinclusive.us/choosing-a-career-in-special-education/

ADHD and Mood Swings: What You Need to Know

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/add-adhd/adhd-mood-swings

Kids with ADHD (also known as ADD) often struggle with managing their emotions. For some, that can mean mood swings that leave their parents, teachers and friends wondering what caused such a swift change in attitude and behavior.

Educational Links 6/21/17

Study Finds Online Courses ‘Reduce’ Students Grade Outcomes

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-06-20-study-finds-online-courses-reduce-students-grade-outcomes?utm_content=buffer03016&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

‘Let’s celebrate teachers who quietly get on with the job, rather than the perceived wisdom of education gurus’

https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/lets-celebrate-teachers-who-quietly-get-job-rather-perceived-wisdom

An Update on the Trump Administration’s Budget Proposal and Education Funding

https://www.understood.org/en/community-events/blogs/in-the-news/2017/06/14/an-update-on-the-trump-administrations-budget-proposal-and-education-funding?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

A School That Provides The One Constant In Homeless Children's Lives

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/06/19/531930470/a-school-that-provides-the-one-constant-in-homeless-childrens-lives

Treatment Options for Dyspraxia

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/treatment-options/treatment-options-for-dyspraxia?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

What Is Intention Deficit Disorder?

https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2017/06/19/what-is-intention-deficit-disorder/

Early Career Myth: If Students Don't Comply, They Aren't Learning

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/work_in_progress/2017/06/early_career_myth_if_students_.html?override=web

It is easy for a teacher to look at a student who is clearly not participating and assume that the student isn't engaging in the learning. Often, however, looks can be deceiving and what we thought was a totally disengaged young person, was actually a child who wasn't comfortable learning in the way we established learning should happen in our space.

Educational Links 6/20/17

6 Common Misunderstandings About Assessment

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/assessment/6-common-misunderstandings-about-assessment-of-learning/?utm_content=buffer3fc3c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Why Are Schools Still Peddling the Self-Esteem Hoax?

Social-emotional learning is rooted in ‘faux psychology’ (opinion)

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/06/21/why-are-schools-still-peddling-the-self-esteem.html?cmp=soc-edit-fb

Community Voices: How one school relies on restorative justice to improve school climate

https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/community-voices-how-one-school-relies-on-restorative-justice-to-improve-school-climate/

The Brain on the Bard: How Shakespeare Impacts Children With Autism

http://www.americantheatre.org/2017/06/16/the-brain-on-the-bard-how-shakespeare-impacts-children-with-autism/

The Criminalization of Disabled Students

https://ollibean.com/the-criminalization-of-disabled-students/?utm_content=buffer0c69f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The Purposes of High-Quality PBL

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/06/purposes-of-high-quality-pbl/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=Getting%20Smart&utm_content=The%20Purposes%20of%20High-Quality%20PBL

Educators have taken note, and there is a corresponding movement in schools to shift to PBL. At the core of this shift should be clear purposes for implementing PBL. The changing demand in the workforce and economy certainly are causes to do projects, but what are other driving goals behind striving for the implementation of high-quality PBL?

Educational Links 6/19/17

Neurodiversity: When you’re not flawed, just mentally different

http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2017/06/15/neurodiversity-when-you-not-flawed-just-mentally-different/PURSa1XmQdjzYPOejcThAN/story.html?event=event12

How Can Technology Motivate the Reluctant Learner?

http://blog.mimio.com/how-can-technology-motivate-the-reluctant-learner

How Kids Pay Attention (and Why Some Kids Struggle With It)

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/distractibility-inattention/how-kids-pay-attention-and-why-some-kids-struggle-with-it?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

Why I’m Optimistic About the Next Wave of Education Technology

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-06-18-why-i-m-optimistic-about-the-next-wave-of-education-technology?utm_content=buffercc151&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Arts Integration

https://www.edutopia.org/blogs/tag/arts-integration

Say It with Your Hands

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/hand-gestures-in-teaching-sfusd

Poor Students Face Digital Divide in How Teachers Learn to Use Tech

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/06/14/poor-students-face-digital-divide-in-teacher-technology-training.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

America's most innovative schools constantly help train teachers to use new technologies, but the barriers to creating such a culture in high-poverty schools can seem insurmountable.

Educational Links 6/18/17

ADHD 101 Teacher Card

https://www.additudemag.com/download/adhd-symptoms-parent-teacher-classroom/

8 Expert Tips on Helping Your Child With Dysgraphia

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dysgraphia/8-expert-tips-on-helping-your-child-with-dysgraphia?view=slideview&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

Implicit Bias In the Classroom: Can Video Games Help Combat It?

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2017/06/can_a_video_game_help_teachers.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

Respectful Talk

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/speaking-respectfully-nea

Why Free Play Is the Best Summer School

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/06/for-better-school-results-clear-the-schedule-and-let-kids-play/373144/?utm_content=buffer3c8c0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

12 Good Social Studies Apps for Middle School Students

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2017/06/12-good-social-studies-apps-for-middle.html

Urgent Plea To School Leaders: Budget for Books

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/whole_story/2017/06/urgent_plea_to_school_leaders_.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

For school leaders across the country who are making plans and drafting budgets for next year, I have a simple but urgent plea for you: prioritize books. Though I know I don't have to convince anyone of how important building students' literacy skills is, I also know that we are not all on the same page about how to invest resources to help students grow as readers. 

Yosemite Trip: No Yogi Bear Or BooBoo But Lots Of Beauty

View from our Yosemite campsite.

We had site #25--near the river and restrooms.

'Welcome,' quoth the raven.

Visiting a National Park is a privilege, powerful and just plain fun.
We had the lovely experience this April to drive up to Yosemite National Park through the Sierras to a very nice campsite, complete with bear-proof food box, fire pit, wildlife and fantastic river running through marvelous trees and mountains.

Onward ho

Abraham Lincoln began the
process of
acknowledgement
for Yosemite to become a National Park
--and it is
now also a World Heritage Site.

My daughter and I rented a covered wagon--er-- F150 truck--emulating our pioneer ancestors (like if.) The drive included a spectacular climb through the Sierra elevations to  the Yosemite Valley.

I love that river!

We camped near the Merced River, and at first I thought we heard the thundering waterfalls as we slept--but they are so huge, they seemed close but were actually miles away. It was rapids on the river I heard.




The trees were very tall, healthy, filled with lovely birds and the light through the branches (including the moonlight of a full moon) was transcendent.

Lil ole tree hugger me.

The trees make a person feel like a small child with tall, caring adults surrounding. Yes, I hugged them.

There is also excellent transportation (a fleet of vans) to Yosemite Village and the main sites. If you must have a pizza, civilization isn't far.

A multitude of fearless birds--robins, bluebirds, ducks, and the observant ravens, and so many I cannot tell you who they are. But they were all sassy.

Yosemite provides a healthy habitat for the critters, including squirrels with extraordinarily luxurious tails. Too early and chilly (in the 20s F at night) for butterflies. No bears. I think they were still hibernating.
Fine with me.

Me, taking the pic on the left.

The incredible Yosemite Valley has 360 degree views of mountains, waterfalls and grand vistas. There are no bad shots. The cool fresh air, light breeze and occasional mist--it was like camping in a fantasy story.

Collaborators in fun!

Head 'em up, move 'em out!

We actually left a day early--the weather forecast called for snow, and even if we thought we could get down the mountains okay, we were not too sure about all the other campers driving down the rather skinny mountain roads! So we headed back through Central California--Tulare and Bakersfield and Buttonwillow and the Tehachapi's winding trail (actually a freeway) on our way home. BTW, my daughter is a great driver!

The famous Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite. 

Educational Links 6/17/17

10 Things Teachers Should Do in the Next 90 Days

https://www.weareteachers.com/teachers-summer-checklist/#.WUSNaRgrLGJ

A Day in the Life of a Child With Sensory Processing Issues

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/sensory-processing-issues/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-child-with-sensory-processing-issues?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

Why Prosody Matters: The Importance of Reading Aloud with Expression

http://www.scilearn.com/blog/prosody-matters-reading-aloud-with-expression

Teacher Wellness

https://www.edutopia.org/blogs/tag/teacher-wellness

What’s Next In Language Learning?

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/06/whats-next-language-learning/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=Getting%20Smart&utm_content=What%27s%20Next%20In%20Language%20Learning%3F

300 Ways to Help Your Students Love Writing

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/every-classroom-matters/4025-strategies-to-help-your-students-develop-a-love-of-writing

Professional Development: Benefits of Social Networking

http://www.teachhub.com/professional-development-benefits-social-networking

Social networking is a popular tool that many classroom teachers use today to help them stay connected with their colleagues as well as other professional educators. Today’s technology, meanwhile, allows you to connect with people all over the world.