Saturday, December 27, 2014

MzTeachuh: Take a Walk With Ludwig

MzTeachuh: Take a Walk With Ludwig: Vienna Woods, lessing-photo,com A picnic would be lovely. This is my favororite symphony ...

Take a Walk With Ludwig

Vienna Woods, lessing-photo,com

A picnic would be lovely.

This is my favorite symphony by Beethoven. Telling the class we will take a walk, hear the bird, the storm, and practically hear the clouds move across the sky--how wonderful.

Beethoven - 6th Symphony - Pastoral; there are some beautiful images of nature throughout a year, on this video, although no thunderstorm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJPZ-mu-Ts

Here is the full symphony.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbfa86bTD34

MzTeachuh: Principal's Suggestion Box Letter #5

MzTeachuh: Principal's Suggestion Box Letter #5: These letters are absolutely fictional (to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent.) But, with the hint of truth, maybe we can make ...

Principal's Suggestion Box Letter #5

These letters are absolutely fictional (to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent.) But, with the hint of truth, maybe we can make some adjustments. Principals have the best chance to do that.

Dear Principal,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this school year. My daughter Yolanda had the best year ever. Mr. --- ran such a fun, interesting class, her Fifth Grade couldn't be better. Her grades were up and her IEP goals met. We are so grateful.

Yolanda loves to help, and Mr. --'s style of classroom management gave her lots of chances to be busy, up and about, not just in her desk. She loved the projects in class and activities outside. The school garden was heaven to her. And she was so excited to meet the PE goal in the fifth grade mile.

Her previous teacher (in another district) felt that the active kids needed to learn to be quiet and controlled, and Yolanda's desk was lined up facing out the window with about six other students. When she told me, I wasn't sure if that was really happening until I brought treats for the holiday party, and there there they were, segregated from the class, and couldn't even see the board. It wasn't just the Resource kids, or the bad kids, either. Just the talkative ones who had trouble focusing on the workbooks. I am so relieved to have found your school.

I hear great things about the Sixth grade teachers--projects, PE, afterschool clubs. Yolanda is interested in computers (her older brother has a computer business.) I understand the kids learn to code.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. I will volunteer as I can. Yolanda's brother, Angel--the computer guy--is interested in helping also.

Your Truly,
Yolanda's Mom

Why Is Project-Based Learning Important?

http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-importance

Teaching Techniques for Inattentive and Overactive Children

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Teaching_Techniques/

Physical activity may help kids do better in school, studies say

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/physical-activity-may-help-kids-do-better-in-school-studies-say/2013/10/21/e7f86306-2b87-11e3-97a3-ff2758228523_story.html

My suggestion: Creating a well-balanced class is crucial for kids, they are like Renaissance learners and need daily experience in STEM, ELA, the Arts, PE, and throw in a school garden while you're at it. All learners (IEP or not) deserve a well-rounded, healthy experience. A sedentary, punitive classroom does them harm.

If a teacher has active kids, diagnosed ADHD or not, the classroom management needs to match the need. The very opposite of what active kids needs is isolation--it makes matters worse as their brains crave activity. Teachers can collaborate by grade level or subject to provide resources for the classroom all kids need. Special education teachers have important strategic input for kids with ADHD as well.

Principals must be aware of the functioning of all classrooms. That is surely part of leadership. I have observed both classroom scenarios described above. The brilliant classroom outcome was a direct result of staff working hard together under the leadership of a good principal. The other was the isolation not only of the kids, but the teacher from schoolwide and district resources to aid in the design of a better schedule of activities for this specific group of kids. The principal didn't have a clue what was happening.

MzTeachuh: Teaching Is Making A Kid Feel Uniquely Important

MzTeachuh: Teaching Is Making A Kid Feel Uniquely Important: 1. How Can Teachers Foster Self-Esteem in Children? Teachers play an important role in nurturing a student's sense of dig...

Teaching Is Making A Kid Feel Uniquely Important

1. How Can Teachers Foster Self-Esteem in Children?

Teachers play an important role in nurturing a student's sense of dignity and self-worth.

http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/health/773-teachers-foster-self-esteem-in-children.gs

2. Incorporating Cultural Diversity in the Classroom

http://www.teachersofcolor.com/2009/04/incorporating-cultural-diversity-in-the-classroom/

3. Social Emotional Learning

In the classroom, social skills come first. Keep kids on track with these ideas.

http://pinterest.com/weareteachers/social-emotional-learning/

4. Social and Emotional Learning: What is it? How can we use it to help our children?

http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/social_emotional_learning_what_it_how_can_we_use_it_help_our_children

5. Core Strategy: Social and
Emotional Learning

6. Why Champion Social and Emotional Learning?

It's not enough to simply fill students' brains with facts. Educators must also help children develop the skills to manage their emotions, resolve conflicts nonviolently, and make responsible decisions.
http://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning

7. Build Self-Esteem in Children

Some Thoughts on Helping Children Build Self-Esteem
http://www.stressfreekids.com/resources-2/self-esteem-in-children/build-self-esteem-children

8. Self-Esteem

Subject: Social/Emotional Health
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/self-esteem.cfm

MzTeachuh: Gen Ed/Special Ed Teamwork

MzTeachuh: Gen Ed/Special Ed Teamwork: Inclusive Classroom What do General Education Teachers Need To Know About Special Education? http://www.schoolpsychologi...

Gen Ed/Special Ed Teamwork

Inclusive Classroom

What do General Education Teachers Need To Know About Special Education?

http://www.schoolpsychologistfiles.com/2008/11/what-do-general-education-teachers-need-to-know-about-special-education.html

Types of Learning Disabilities

http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities

Welcome to SERGE

Special Education Resources for General Educators

http://serge.ccsso.org/

The General Ed Teacher’s Guide to the Inclusive Classroom

http://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/inclusion/the-general-ed-teachers-guide-to-the-inclusive-classroom/

Collaboration Between General and Special Education: Making it Work

http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=1097

Why Do I Have a Special Ed. Kid in My Class?

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2013/09/why-do-i-have-special-ed-kid-in-my-class.html

IEP Meeting? Do I Have To Go?

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/03/iep-meeting-do-i-have-to-go.html?spref=bl

"Inclusion: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions from the NEA"

http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/lre.faqs.inclusion.htm

MzTeachuh: Best Articles For Educators 12/27/14

MzTeachuh: Best Articles For Educators 12/27/14: Squeezing Social-Emotional Learning into the Common Core http://www.bamradionetwork.com/teachers-aid/2254-squeezing-social-emo...

Best Articles For Educators 12/27/14

Squeezing Social-Emotional Learning into the Common Core

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/teachers-aid/2254-squeezing-social-emotion-learning-into-the-common-core

New Apps for Kids With Learning and Attention Issues

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/finding-an-assistive-technology/new-apps-for-kids-with-learning-and-attention-issues-this-holiday-season

Staying Healthy and Managing Stress While Teaching

http://www.advice-for-teachers.com/healthy.html

http://time.com/author/annie-murphy-paul/

School Buses add WiFi to Bring Internet to Homes of Poor Students

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/12/school-buses-add-wifi-to-bring-internet-to-homes-of-poor-students/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

The Hobbit FREE lesson plans and links

Do you love Tolkien and The Hobbit?
http://www.betsyanne.com/Hobbit_Links.htm

Have You Seen Yourself Teach Lately?

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/teacher-selfie-seen-teach-lately/

Classroom Management Resources

http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/classroom-management

Friday, December 26, 2014

MzTeachuh: MzTeachuh's Top Posts of the Week 12/26/14

MzTeachuh: MzTeachuh's Top Posts of the Week 12/26/14: Educational Links 12/24/14 http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/educational-links-122414.html The Jackson 5 'Up On The Houset...

MzTeachuh's Top Posts of the Week 12/26/14

Educational Links 12/24/14

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/educational-links-122414.html

The Jackson 5 'Up On The Housetop'

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-jackson-5-up-on-housetop.html

Unique Insights Into Learning (and Teaching)

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/unique-insights-into-learning-and.html

Special Needs Weekly Update 12/22/14

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/special-needs-weekly-update-122214.html

Teaching Is Communicating With Parents

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/teaching-is-communicating-with-parents.html

Teaching Is Leading The Adventure To Middle Earth

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/teaching-is-leading-adventure-to-middle.html

Educational Links 12/25/14

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/educational-links-122514.html

Elvis Sings 'The First Noel'

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/elvis-sings-first-noel.html?spref=bl

Upbeat Educational Outlooks

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/upbeat-educational-outlooks.html

Info To Help Your Teaching

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/12/info-to-help-your-teaching.html

MzTeachuh: Teaching Is Writing Your Lesson Plans In Pencil

MzTeachuh: Teaching Is Writing Your Lesson Plans In Pencil: 1. Microsoft in Education Teacher Resources Lesson plans for teachers http://www.microsoft.com/Education/en-us/teachers/plans/...

Teaching Is Writing Your Lesson Plans In Pencil

1. Microsoft in Education Teacher Resources

Lesson plans for teachers

http://www.microsoft.com/Education/en-us/teachers/plans/Pages/index.aspx

2. New Teacher Academy: Lesson Planning

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/new-teacher-lesson-planning-lisa-dabbs

2. Evidence & Arguments: Lesson Planning

Grades 9-10, ELA, Planning

Common Core Standards: ELA.RI.9-10.2 ELA.W.9-10.6 ELA.SL.9-10.1a

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/evidence-arguments-lesson-planning?fd=1

3. Discovery Education

Lesson Plan Library

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/index.cfm

4. Learning A-Z Response to Intervention

http://www.learninga-z.com/special/rti/?gclid=CJKli-e4wLMCFQtxQgodMGEA9g

5. Suggested Classroom Interventions For Children With ADD & Learning Disabilities

http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/teacher.shtml

6. STEM Education Resource Center: Science Resources

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/stem/science/

7. Project Based Learning Language Arts Projects

http://kidseducationalwebsites.blogspot.com/2011/01/project-based-learning-language-arts.html

8. Math from Edudemic, this is just one article:

Gamification In The Classroom: How (And Why) One Teacher Did It

http://edudemic.com/tag/math/

I agree, chocolate is essential.

MzTeachuh: Principal's Suggestion Box Letter #6

MzTeachuh: Principal's Suggestion Box Letter #6: These letters are absolutely fictional (to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent.) But, with the hint of truth, maybe we ...

Principal's Suggestion Box Letter #6

These letters are absolutely fictional (to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent.) But, with the hint of truth, maybe we can make some adjustments. Principals have the best chance to do that.

Dear Principal,

This is just a little suggestion that will help the staff out, especially the ladies. This is a little embarrassing, but is concerning the availability and access to the restrooms.

The current am schedule eliminated the fifteen minute recess (replaced with teacher-led structured exercise) so teachers have no chance to use the restroom from 7:30 to 11:45 am. Neither do any of the students, Grades 1-5, without leaving instruction.

Also, a retired friend of mine won't sub here anymore because she wasn't given a restroom key for the teacher port-a-potty restrooms near the portable classrooms (where mine is located.) She says she is taking diurectics, and the schedule was bad enough, but it is at least an eighth of a mile to the restrooms in the admin building.

Thank you for helping.

Practical Teacher

Keeping Healthy: Tips for Teachers
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/themes/keepinghealthy/

Staying Healthy and Managing Stress While Teaching

http://www.advice-for-teachers.com/healthy.html

Tips from Substitute Teachers on Staying Healthy!

https://subassistant.com/2013/01/tips-from-substitute-teachers-on-staying-healthy/

My suggestion: Don't be a martyr. Speak up about basic conveniences in the schedule, and you'll be helping all the staff. Restroom breaks (all humans need a morning restroom break --when you drink more water for health's sake, guess what), appropriate staff room (is it clean? cheerful? functional? safe?) Principals can influence these things.

MzTeachuh: GenEd and SpecEd Collaboration Series

MzTeachuh: GenEd and SpecEd Collaboration Series: Gen Ed/Special Ed Teamwork http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/06/gen-edspecial-ed-teamwork.html What GenEd and SpecEd ...