Saturday, May 3, 2014

Who Wiped Your Nose?

Mom wiped everything.
Mother's Day May 14.

MzTeachuh: Next Week's Lesson Plans 5/4/14

MzTeachuh: Next Week's Lesson Plans 5/4/14: Current Events Sources National Geographic Daily News Mudslide Buries More Than 350 in Afghan Village http://news.nationalgeograph...

Next Week's Lesson Plans 5/4/14



Current Events Sources
National Geographic Daily News

Mudslide Buries More Than 350 in Afghan Village

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/05/140502-afghanistan-landslide-deaths-united-nations/ 

Channel One News: Boehner to appoint select Benghazi committee

http://www.channelone.com/boehner-to-appoint-select-benghazi-committee/ 

Creating a Classroom Newspaper

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/creating-classroom-newspaper-249.html 

Cogitating on Teacher Stuff

 Infographic: 4 Ways the Internet is Making Kids Smarter

http://www.teachhub.com/infographic-4-ways-internet-making-kids-smarter-0

Unshackled and Unschooled: Free-Range Learning Movement Grows

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/unshackled-and-unschooled-free-range-learning-movement-grows/ 

Every Teacher an Innovator

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/every-teacher-an-innovator-joe-mazza 

Don't Make Me Use My Teacher Voice

Behavioral Interventions

http://www.interventioncentral.org/behavioral-intervention-modification

Losing Control Of Your Class? Here’s How To Get It Back

http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2011/01/22/losing-control-of-your-classroom/ 

Staying Organized

Teachers' End of the Year Organization & Binder Tips 

http://www.teachhub.com/organized-teacher-binders-2 

Finishing The School Year Strong - Keeping You Organized Podcast

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

Teaching is Unlocking the Treasures of Knowledge http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/11/teaching-is-unlocking-treasures-of.html

 

 

 



MzTeachuh: A Plethora of Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 5/...

MzTeachuh: A Plethora of Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 5/...: Check out this great infographic on the site!  Infographic: 4 Ways the Internet is Making Kids Smarter http://www.teachhub.com/infogr...

A Plethora of Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 5/3/14

Check out this great infographic on the site!

 Infographic: 4 Ways the Internet is Making Kids Smarter

http://www.teachhub.com/infographic-4-ways-internet-making-kids-smarter-0 

4 Free Web Tools for Student Portfolios

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/web-tools-for-student-portfolios-dave-guymon 

How To Use YouTube In Your History Class

http://www.edudemic.com/youtube-in-your-history-class/ 

5 Great iPad Apps for Classroom Management

http://edtechreview.in/news/1180-5-great-ipad-apps-for-classroom-management 


Animoto Now Offers an iPad App 

Tablet and Smartphone Boot Camp for Middle School Parents

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/raising_happiness

Student Profile: A STEM Learner


Grades 9-12 / STEM / PBL

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/stem-student-profile-ced 

Bringing Industry into the Classroom


Grades 6-12 / STEM / Real-World 
  
Teaching Digital Citizenship in the Elementary Classroom

Technology/Engineering
Classroom Activities
Spotlight on Math Instruction

The Maker Movement Conquers the Classroom

http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/04/30/the-maker-movement-conquers-the-classroom.aspx 

How the Maker Movement is Transforming Education 

http://www.weareteachers.com/hot-topics/special-reports/how-the-maker-movement-is-transforming-education 

Animoto Now Offers an iPad App 
What is STEAM?




 


 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MzTeachuh: Special Needs Tweets of the Day 5/3/14

MzTeachuh: Special Needs Tweets of the Day 5/3/14: Behavioral Interventions http://www.interventioncentral.org/behavioral-intervention-modification   How To Prevent Autism Burnout htt...

Special Needs Tweets of the Day 5/3/14

Behavioral Interventions

http://www.interventioncentral.org/behavioral-intervention-modification 

How To Prevent Autism Burnout

http://www.snagglebox.com/article/autism-burnout?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Snagglebox+%28snagglebox%29 

Autism and Social Acceptance: The Importance of Table Manners

http://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2014/05/02/autism-and-social-acceptance-importance-table-manners?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AutismSpeaksBlog+%28Autism+Speaks+|+Official+Blog%29 

What Is an IEP? 

http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/iep-504-plan/what-is-iep 

10 Helpful Special Needs Organizations

http://www.care.com/special-needs-10-helpful-special-needs-organizations-p1017-q21971069.html 

What Makes a Good Special Ed Classroom? 

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/special-ed-inclusion-classroom/ 

Behavior and Classroom Management

http://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/behavior-and-classroom-management/ 

 

 

 

MzTeachuh: Mommy, Read It Again!

MzTeachuh: Mommy, Read It Again!: Mother and Child Reading, by Frederick Warren Freer That adds up to 4,893 bedtimes stories by age nine. Mother's Day is May 11.

Mommy, Read It Again!

Mother and Child Reading, by Frederick Warren Freer
That adds up to 4,893 bedtimes stories by age nine.

Mother's Day May 14.

Friday, May 2, 2014

MzTeachuh: Special Needs Tweets of the Day 5/2/14

MzTeachuh: Special Needs Tweets of the Day 5/2/14: First-Ever 'Wheel Of Fortune' Special Needs Contestant Loses The Game, Wins Everyone's Heart http://www....

Special Needs Tweets of the Day 5/2/14

First-Ever 'Wheel Of Fortune' Special Needs Contestant Loses The Game, Wins Everyone's Heart

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/01/wheel-of-fortune-special-needs_n_5246964.html 

Beware of False or Misleading Claims for Treating Autism

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm394757.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Why I Sent My ‘Typical’ Kids To A Preschool For Autistic Children

http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2014/04/25/autism-leah-hager-cohen 

Chairman Kline Seeks Big Increase in Federal Aid for Special Education 

http://www.specialneedsdigest.com/2014/05/chairman-kline-seeks-big-increase-in.html 

Impact of childhood bullying still evident after 40 years

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140417212510.htm 

Huffman, Van Hollen, McKinley, Walz, Gibson, Reichert Introduce Bipartisan IDEA Full Funding Act

http://huffman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/huffman-van-hollen-mckinley-walz-gibson-reichert-introduce-bipartisan 

 Checklists & Worksheets

http://www.ncld.org/learning-disabilities-resources/checklists-worksheets 

Five Practical Sensory Strategies for the Classroom http://www.specialeducationadvisor.com/five-practical-sensory-strategies-for-the-classroom/

 

MzTeachuh: Oh, That Sassy Mozart!

MzTeachuh: Oh, That Sassy Mozart!: Was looking for a sass y picture to go along with this music, but Wol fie's was the best. BTW, you may want to ...

Oh, That Sassy Mozart!

Was looking for a sassy picture to go along with this music, but Wolfie's was the best. BTW, you may want to watch or rewatch the film "Amadeus" sometimes. It's still awesome.

Music for when you know you're a genius but not that many other people will admit it.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart--Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

 

MzTeachuh: Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 5/2/14

MzTeachuh: Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 5/2/14: 3 Significant Benefits Of Social Learning http://www.teachthought.com/technology/3-benefits-of-social-l...

Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 5/2/14


3 Significant Benefits Of Social Learning

http://www.teachthought.com/technology/3-benefits-of-social-learning/ 

Skills and Strategies | Enlivening Reading Clubs With Tech Tools and More

 http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/02/skills-and-strategies-enlivening-reading-clubs-with-tech-tools-and-more/

Vote Now For Your Favorite Doodle4Google

http://www.edudemic.com/doodle-4-google-contest/ 

Webinar Recording - Five Fun Uses of Comics In the Classroom 

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/05/webinar-recording-five-fun-uses-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29#.U2PbK1dlum0 

How Games Lead Kids to the Good Stuff: Understanding Context

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/how-games-based-learning-teaches-problem-solving-in-context/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29 

Videos and Resources for Making STEM Come Alive

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2014/04/23/make-stem-come-alive/ 

Finding Images with Google Advanced Image Search 

http://www.mypaperlessclassroom.com/2014/04/finding-images-with-google-advanced.html 

 

 

 

MzTeachuh: MzTeachuh's Top Posts of the Week 5/2/14

MzTeachuh: MzTeachuh's Top Posts of the Week 5/2/14: National Poetry Month: Poems #20 and #21  http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/national-poetry-month-poems-20-and-21.html   Next Wee...

MzTeachuh's Top Posts of the Week 5/2/14

National Poetry Month: Poems #20 and #21 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/national-poetry-month-poems-20-and-21.html 

Next Week's Lesson Plans 4/26/14 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/next-weeks-lesson-plans-42614.html 

Ed Tech and STEM Monday Review 4/28/14 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/next-weeks-lesson-plans-42614.html 

Chillaxin' With My Mommy 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/chillaxin-with-my-mommy.html 

Happy to Learn, Happy to Teach Tweets of the Day 4/30/14 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/happy-to-learn-happy-to-teach-tweets-of.html 

Focus: ADHD Special Needs Tweets of the Day 4/30/14 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/focus-adhd-special-needs-tweets-of-day.html 

Running Errands with Mama 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/running-errands-with-mama.html?spref=bl

Focus: ADHD Special Needs Tweets of the Day 4/30/14 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/focus-adhd-special-needs-tweets-of-day.html

Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 4/29/14 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/ed-tech-and-stem-tweets-of-day-42914.html 

Focus: Apps for Reading Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 4/30/14 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/04/focus-apps-for-reading-ed-tech-and-stem.html 

 
http://www.teachthought.com/apps-2/15-of-the-best-educational-apps-for-improved-reading-comprehension/

Thanks to our international audience: USA, Sweden, Germany, UK, France, China, Canada, Spain, Australia, and Ukraine.




















 

 

 

 

MzTeachuh: She's Not My Real Mother, But...

MzTeachuh: She's Not My Real Mother, But...: Mother Teresa she loves me just the same. You have someone like that in your life? Mother's Day, May11.

She's Not My Real Mother, But...

Mother Teresa
she loves me just the same.
You have someone like that in your life?
Mother's Day, May14.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

MzTeachuh: ePLNs for Teachers –Getting Connected

MzTeachuh: ePLNs for Teachers –Getting Connected: Teachers can find professional networking  online.  Educational sites afford convenience, privacy, and expertise in a variety of educ...

ePLNs for Teachers –Getting Connected

Teachers can find professional networking  online.  Educational sites afford convenience, privacy, and expertise in a variety of educational areas. There are also interactive activities for teachers joining an online community. Here are a few advantages to connecting online:

·         Current educational topics discussed by experts and educators in a timely, thorough manner.  For example, the latest input on educational technology use in the class, special education innovations, and school-wide interventions such as social and emotional interventions are hot topics currently inspiring teachers in their professional pursuits.

·         Convenience and privacy comes with networking online. Professional development is generally limited to scheduled on-campus staff or team meetings, conferences, or District trainings. A teacher may have a question or comment on a topic with no opportunity during these gatherings, or the teacher feels the question or comment is too basic or too sophisticated for the discussion. Educational sites can provide a responsive venue through articles, group discussions, webcasts, videos or a search by a teacher using key words at the teacher’s convenience.

·         Opportunities to investigate new teaching areas and/or extend teaching expertise abound through sites that are specific to educational technology, special education, or improved teaching methods. A teacher may want more information about learning disabilities, for personal or professional reasons, and find helpful information and professionals online.  Maybe a video demonstrating a specific lesson would be very helpful. There is an abundance of sites to enhance a teacher’s knowledge and methods.
Here are well-established educational sites excellent for teacher connections.


http://www.edutopia.org/
 Edutopia This is an attractive, vast website that is has numerous educational topics: experts and educators writing articles, groups to join, videos, classroom guides.  Edutopia is a great support for teachers.



https://www.teachingchannel.org/
The Teaching Channel  provides specific video demonstrations in K-12 classrooms and lesson plan points on basic curriculum areas, as well as information on implementing the Common Core.  There are also articles and blogs. The Teaching Channel provides a ‘Teaching Team’ feature for professional development.



http://www.ncld.org/
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) This site offers connections for parents and teachers in the complex, challenging area of Special Education. There is a diversity of articles that are thorough, clear, and understandable for those not trained in Special Education.  The site offers ebooks, podcasts, videos and current news about the IEP process, IDEA, funding, and interventions. NCLD is a tremendous asset for teachers and parents.


http://www.edudemic.com/
Edudemic is a clear, concise, and thorough guide to educational technology, blended and flipped learning, and educational innovation using technology. There are many guidelines on a wide variety of topics that a teacher may not even have enough background in ed tech to ask about. For a teacher wishing to deepen knowledge of ed tech, or a beginner hoping to catch up--Edudemic is very effective.

MzTeachuh: Who Baked You All Those Birthday Cakes?

MzTeachuh: Who Baked You All Those Birthday Cakes?: I betcha it was Mama. Mother's Day May 11.

Who Baked You All Those Birthday Cakes?

I betcha it was Mama.
Mother's Day May 10.

MzTeachuh: Do Behavior Support Plans Work?

MzTeachuh: Do Behavior Support Plans Work?: I don't know how many BSPs I have written, probably an average of five a year for fifteen years. This is a pretty way to pictu...

Do Behavior Support Plans Work?


I don't know how many BSPs I have written, probably an average of five a year for fifteen years.

This is a pretty way to picture it.
The effectiveness of the BSP lays mostly on the adults involved and actually less on the students. Here are very general guidelines beginning with the most complicated student needs.

1. My experience in Special Education included directing a Non-Public School (that's a separate facility for kids with extreme behavior problems due to behavior dysfunctions or emotional disturbance who have been expelled from their home public school.) At the small school I directed, we had students who had been expelled from the larger non-public schools. It follows that the Behavior Support Plans added to the IEPs (Individualized Educational Programs)  for these students were written with input from medical doctors, educational psychologists, counselors, and frequently psychiatrists as well as District personnel and myself as the case carrier.

These were precision directives, much like a medical prescription or a protocol for physical therapy. There was nothing haphazard about this. With a carefully administrated system of positive reinforcement, interesting curriculum, and above all, parent buy-in, we saw progress. This was the elite level of teaching. Only the few, the proud and the thoroughly trained can maintain.

2. Behavior Support Plans are also written for students in other areas of Special Education. Many students on a public school are classified as Moderately Handicapped, and mostly learn in one classroom separate from general education. The handicaps are not the same, and could include OHI (Other Health Impaired), autistic, SLD (Specific Learning Disability) or a variety of disabilities identified as Moderate by special testing done by the District psychologist. In our state, for many years this was called Special Day Class requiring more specialized instruction for the students to succeed. There are separate Special Day Classes for Emotional Disturbed students because the regimen required is differently structured than other classes. The BSPs for these students are similar to the ones in a non-public school, addressing specific behaviors that can be modified by positive intervention.


Finger pointing is not considered a positive support.
In a typical SDC (Special Day Class)  the students could mainstream for a class or two, lunch and breaks. If a student in such a class exhibits disruptive behavior out of the norm, then a BSP will be added to the existing IEP. The Special Education teacher schedules an addendum IEP meeting to discuss the Behavior Support Plan, and following discussion and collaboration from parents, the teaching team, administration and District Psychologist, the BSP is added to the IEP. Generally, the BSP includes the homeroom teacher (case carrier)  noting improvement, and a tangible reward will be offered. The consequences for inappropriate behavior are noted in the BSP, can be mild and administered in the classroom unless it has a larger scope and needs a school consequence from an administrator. If all the adults are consistent, this works well.

3.  A student identified as  Mildly Handicapped may also need a BSP. Students in this category may have only one class taught by a Special Education teacher, mainstreaming the remainder of the day. If a student exhibits behavior that merits certain discipline interventions from administration, then the Special Education teacher schedules an addendum IEP meeting, prepares a BSP to support the student to begin showing positive improvement. The whole IEP team includes the student, the parents, all teachers, administration and District Psychologist. This is the team that will help the student replace the inappropriate behavior with appropriate behavior. Again, the BSP is only as effective as the adults administering it. And this is a challenge.


IEP meetings are really, really important.
4. Most Districts have a district level expert (maybe called Behavior Analyst or Positive Behavior Intervention Specialist) who helps administer a program such as this when the students are having a tougher time. Or when the Special Education teacher bothers to ask for help. I have found these professionals to be supremely helpful and awesome experts. They may do a student study called a Functional Behavior Analysis that takes the guesswork out of why the student is behaving this way and what can be done to help. Kids are complicated and may need medical, psychiatric evaluation or more simple interventions like counseling. This input is crucial.

If you are reading this, you are an educator, a parent, or a concerned friend. Maybe you're the student. If you have a concern, check with a professional more trained than yourself to answer questions about your child or student's behavior.

I would also check out (and this advice is for teachers, too) to see how organized the school site is--are the rules consistent? Is the work appropriate for your child's developmental stage? (For example, is there recess? Does your child or class have creative opportunities? Are bullies under control? Is there enough supervision?) Teachers and administrators need to constantly self-evaluate the soundness of a school's program--the entire school. When kids' needs are met, there is less disruptive behavior.

But sometimes there are other forces in a child's experience. That's when a parent or teacher checks out what a psychologist or doctor has to say.

Here are some resources on the topic of  Behavior Support Plans.


1. Behavior Support Plans
What is a Behavior Support Plan (BSP)?  http://www.pent.ca.gov/beh/bsp/bsp.htm 

2. Behavior Assessment, Plans, and Positive Supports


 http://nichcy.org/schoolage/behavior/behavassess


3. What to Do When Challenging Behavior Persists


http://www.pbs.org/parents/inclusivecommunities/challenging_behavior5.html 


4. Write Your Own Behavior Plan


 http://specialchildren.about.com/od/specialeducation/qt/behaviorplan.htm


This last link is for teachers. Don't forget to check with families, other teachers, administration, and/or a Special Education teacher if a student it giving you a tough time. Maybe you don't know the whole story!    


Here's another platitude that may also help: This, too, shall pass.

 5. Keep Your Cool: Tips for Handling Difficult Students


http://busyteacher.org/6064-keep-your-cool-tips-handling-difficult-students.html 


 

MzTeachuh: Spring! Vivaldi and Van Gogh

MzTeachuh: Spring! Vivaldi and Van Gogh: Field with Poppies Van Gog h   I have always loved how the violins sound like baby birds. This has a cute video also. Vivaldi...

Spring! Vivaldi and Van Gogh

Field with Poppies Van Gogh

  I have always loved how the violins sound like baby birds. This has a cute video also.

Vivaldi Spring 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqojc0UrhOU

MzTeachuh: Looking for Some Ed Tech Sites?

MzTeachuh: Looking for Some Ed Tech Sites?:   Do you already know these? eSchool News http://www.eschoolnews.com/  Tech and learning http://www.techlearning.com/inde...

Looking for Some Ed Tech Sites?


Wednesday, April 30, 2014

MzTeachuh: Détente avec ma maman.(Relaxing with my mama.)

MzTeachuh: Détente avec ma maman.(Relaxing with my mama.): 'Madame Monet with her son, Jean' Renoir The chicks, too. Mother's Day is Sunday, May 11.

Détente avec ma maman.(Relaxing with my mama.)


'Madame Monet with her son, Jean' Renoir
The chicks, too.

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 10.

MzTeachuh: Focus: Apps for Reading Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of...

MzTeachuh: Focus: Apps for Reading Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of...: Educational Literacy Apps http://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101/literacyapps   6 Great Reading Apps for Kids http://www...

Focus: Apps for Reading Ed Tech and STEM Tweets of the Day 4/30/14

Educational Literacy Apps

http://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101/literacyapps 

6 Great Reading Apps for Kids

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/developing-reading-skills/6-great-reading-apps-kids 

10 iPad Apps for Teaching Kids to Read

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/tablets/10-ipad-apps-for-teaching-kids-to-read.htm 

Apps For Book Lovers

http://appadvice.com/applists/show/apps-for-book-lovers 

Learn-to-Read Apps, Games, and Websites

 https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/learn-to-read-apps-games-and-websites

“50 Best iPad Apps for Reading Disabilities”

https://www.google.com/search?q=apps+for+reading&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a 

Top 12 Comprehension Apps

http://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101/comprehension/literacyapps_comprehension 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MzTeachuh: Focus: ADHD Special Needs Tweets of the Day 4/30/1...

MzTeachuh: Focus: ADHD Special Needs Tweets of the Day 4/30/1...: ADHD News http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/categories/adhd   Seeking Causes of Hyperactivity http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_...

Focus: ADHD Special Needs Tweets of the Day 4/30/14


ADHD News

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/categories/adhd 

Seeking Causes of Hyperactivity

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/add_and_adhd/ 

Teens: How to thrive despite ADHD

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-living/ci_25623408/teens-how-thrive-despite-adhd 

Doctors Might Have Incorrect Definition of ADHD

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/add_and_adhd/ 

Less ADHD Than Meets The Eye Among Kids With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/04/25/less-adhd-than-meets-the-eye-among-kids-with-fetal-alcohol-syndrome/68966.html 

Mind Games: Surprising News About ADHD Medication

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-wick-edd/adhd_b_4949845.html 

What is ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)?

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/adhd/ 

 

MzTeachuh: Happy to Learn, Happy to Teach Tweets of the Day ...

MzTeachuh: Happy to Learn, Happy to Teach Tweets of the Day ...: Exited? Maybe Excited? What Happens In Our Brains As We Read http://anniemurphypaul.com/2014/04/what-happens-in-our-brains-as-we-read...

Happy to Learn, Happy to Teach Tweets of the Day 4/30/14

Exited? Maybe Excited?

What Happens In Our Brains As We Read

http://anniemurphypaul.com/2014/04/what-happens-in-our-brains-as-we-read/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-happens-in-our-brains-as-we-read 

A Place for Learning: The Physical Environment of Classrooms

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/the-physical-environment-of-classrooms-mark-phillips 

Exploring the Idea of ‘Happiness’ As Part of School Work

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/04/exploring-the-idea-of-happiness-as-part-of-school-work/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29 

Teaching English Learners: A New Educator’s Practice Guide from the What Works Clearinghouse

http://www.ed.gov/blog/2014/04/teaching-english-learners-a-new-educators-practice-guide-from-the-what-works-clearinghouse/ 

Q&A with Elizabeth Yelen: Traumatized children have trouble learning. Here’s how to help

http://hechingerreport.org/content/qa-elizabeth-yelen-traumatized-children-trouble-learning-heres-help_15721/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HechingerReport+%28Hechinger+Report%29 

Breakfasting in the Classroom May Help Increase Test Scores, Finds Study

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2014/04/breakfast_classroom.html 

Offensive TV Program “Bad Teacher” Canceled

http://dianeravitch.net/2014/04/29/offensive-tv-program-bad-teacher-canceled/