Saturday, October 8, 2016

An environment where students are not bullied based on their race or other aspects of identity can be intentionally cultivated both inside and outside of the classroom.

Van Gogh: Les Alyscamps; Autumn Leaves and Barbra Streisand

Van Gogh: Les Alyscamps: Falling Autumn Leaves

Since he painted this in France, here is Barbra Streisand singing 'Autumn Leaves' in French, from Je m'appelle Barbra (1966) :

How beautiful, not just her voice.

Barbra Streisand - Autumn Leaves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiRvvorZ4ic

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Does Independent Reading Time During the School Day Create Lifelong Readers?

http://www.readingrockets.org/blogs/shanahan-literacy/does-independent-reading-time-during-school-day-create-lifelong-readers?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ReadingRockets_TeachingReading+%28Reading+Rockets%3A+Teaching+Reading+Resources%29

6 Baseball-Themed Classroom Activities for the World Series

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/world-series-classroom-activities-matthew-davis?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20EdutopiaNewContent%20%28Edutopia%29

Supreme Court to Hear Special Education Case

http://www.specialneedsdigest.com/2016/10/supreme-court-to-hear-special-education.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FLUdSt+%28Special+Needs+Digest%29

From Dabbling to Doing: 6 Tools That Excite Kids About Coding

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/10/06/from-dabbling-to-doing-6-tools-that-excite-kids-about-coding/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

Using Technology to Empower Science

http://blog.mimio.com/using-technology-to-empower-science

Engaging Reluctant Children in Art Play

http://special-ism.com/engaging-reluctant-children-in-art-play/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Special-ism+%28Special-ism%29

A Step-by-Step Guide to ‘Untethered’ Faculty Development

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-10-06-a-step-by-step-guide-to-untethered-faculty-development

The way faculty teach is drastically different from what it was even five years ago. It’s now the norm for them to lead face-to-face, blended and online classes. Faculty development is in dire need of transformation to reflect the realities of teaching in digital, online environments.

Silly Music For Halloween #1 uh wella...saw the th...

Silly Music For Halloween #1 uh wella...saw the th...: He's not purple! Need a little fun break filled with art, music, performance art and laughter? Here you go. The class can read th...

With A-Poe-logies to Edgar

With A-Poe-logies to Edgar: The Raven By Edgar Allan Poe http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178713 Bullwinkle's Corner - The Raven https...

Let's Have Plants In The Classroom

Let's have plants in the classroom: Just a little bit more planning and maintenance and your class has fresh oxygen, color, STEM motivation, and a little bit of elegance. Pla...

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

The Empathy Gap and How to Fill It

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/10/05/the-empathy-gap-and-how-to-fill.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

10 Common Mental Health Problems Students Face

http://www.edudemic.com/student-mental-health/

The Rules for School Disciplinary Actions

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/disciplinary-issues/the-rules-for-school-disciplinary-actions

Deliberate Practice and Growth Mindset

http://theeducatorsroom.com/2016/10/deliberate-practice-growth-mindset/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theeducatorsroom%2FvPKE+%28EducatorsRoom%29

3 Reasons to Bring Music into the Classroom

http://www.coolcatteacher.com/3-reasons-bring-music-classroom/

How Great Teaching And Learning Grows Under The PBL Umbrella

http://www.teachthought.com/learning/project-based-learning/great-teaching-learning-grows-pbl-umbrella/

Rainstorms and Symphonies: Performing Arts Bring Abstract Concepts to Life

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/performing-arts-abstract-concepts-lisette-steinwald-mary-gresock

When early elementary teachers integrate music and theater, student learning improves in reading, math, and science as they become better critical thinkers and problem solvers.

Tis the Season: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Tis the Season: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: "Ichabod pursued by the Headless Horseman," by F. O. C. Darley , 1849. Although I appreciate Johnny Depp and the Fo...

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

List of Digital Leaders You Must Follow on Twitter

http://edtechreview.in/news/2191-digital-leaders-in-education?utm_content=buffer46ef1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Protest Started by Colin Kaepernick Spreads to High School Students

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/04/us/national-anthem-protests-high-schools.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Feducation&action=click&contentCollection=education&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

Highlighting Mistakes: A Grading Strategy

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/math-test-grading-tips

Ditching Traditional Grades & My Online Grade Book

http://catlintucker.com/2016/10/ditching-traditional-grades-my-online-gradebook/

5 Free Chrome Add-Ons That Are Crazy Useful

https://medium.com/@MoneySaver/free-chrome-tools-that-make-your-life-easier-298f17ba021#.pzx0r06h0

Every 504 Plan Should Include These ADHD Accommodations

http://www.additudemag.com/slideshow/5/slide-1.html

STEM Education Is Vital--but Not at the Expense of the Humanities

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/stem-education-is-vital-but-not-at-the-expense-of-the-humanities/?WT.mc_id=SA_FB_POLE_OP

A seeming link between innovation and the liberal arts now intrigues countries where broad-based education is less prevalent. In most of the world, university curricula still emphasize learning skills oriented toward a specific profession or trade. The ebullience of the U.S. economy, which boasted in 2014 the highest percentage of high-tech outfits among all its public companies—has spurred countries such as Singapore to create schools fashioned after the U.S. liberal arts model.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Garden Grants

http://www.birdsleuth.org/garden-grants/

Scientific Modeling in the Early Grades

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/scientific-modeling-elementary-grades-nsf

Children need art and stories and poems and music as much as they need love and food and fresh air and play.

https://astridlindgrenmemorialaward.wordpress.com/2015/12/17/children-need-art-and-stories-and-poems-and-music-as-much-as-they-need-love-and-food-and-fresh-air-and-play/

Moving, Routines, and Management

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/teaching-teens-tweens/moving-routines-and-management

Dyslexia in the General Education Classroom

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/dyslexia-in-general-ed-classroom-kelli-sandman-hurley?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=postplanner&utm_source=facebook.com

How to 'switch off' from a stressful work day

https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/how-switch-a-stressful-work-day

Hiring Successful Teachers—Two New Studies Point to What Works and What Doesn't

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-10-03-hiring-successful-teachers-two-new-studies-point-to-what-works-and-what-doesn-t?utm_content=buffer47686&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

What is a Personal Learning Network?

http://edtechreview.in/dictionary/255-what-is-a-pln?utm_content=bufferd24a3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

A PLN is a reciprocal network that you create to learn from, connect with, gather information or resources, create with and finally share what you have learned. A PLN can occur in your school, face-to-face, online, at conferences or through reading, reflecting and sharing.

Cheesy Jokes and Serious Thoughts for Halloween

Pumpkin carving as fine art: The Headless Horseman

This holiday is very controversial; not only does it offend many family's religious convictions (they may believe it is glorifying the 'dark side') but the images and stories are really scarey and icky, even for adults.

You don't have to believe in the supernatural to be offended or freaked out by Halloween. The concentration on aberrant behavior is enough to be unsettling. What might we do to take the edge off of the disturbing aspects of Halloween?

All children go through various developmental levels (Piaget's theory of cognitive development http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaget%27s_theory_of_cognitive_development) and it is possible to create an experience appropriate for the child's development. It is not easy, particularly if you live in the modern world, but with effort, a classroom and a family experience can be healthy for a child. For example, even though I enjoy the television show, 'Grimm," it is really not for young children. The episode, La Llorona, will freak out millions of folks, Hispanic or not. Another urban legend I have learned to never mention in class is Bloody Mary; the kids are truly scared. And what's the point of that? ELA classes can study folklore and Edgar Alan Poe without being traumatized.

How about the Simpson's version? I think Edgar would have enjoyed it.

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe http://www.schooltube.com/video/e850bdb733e729c582a9/The-Raven-by-Edgar-Allan-Poe

Bart always cracks me up as the raven.

Many families, school, and community groups concentrate on Harvest Festivals. That is a fine contrast to the ghastly. But even if you choose a study of nature, for example, spiders are freaky. Most are just helpful little garden buddies, but there are some dangerous ones. Kids need to know. Same with bats, and various birds. Around here we have huge ravens; I see them with their beady eyes focused on my chihuahua.

So we temper the fun, the imaginative, the quaint qualities of this season with supervision and wisdom. If you feel your child's school is offending your family's sensibilities--tell the principal. Tell the superintendent. You and your child have rights, especially when it comes to the quality of the school community activities. Offer an alternative. Autumn and harvest time (in the northern hemisphere) offers very lovely opportunities for art and activities. You could skip the dark side and go straight to Thanksgiving.

Yeah, Linus, I agree with you.

And don't forget, 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_the_Great_Pumpkin,_Charlie_Brown

Here's a download: http://www.fanpop.com/spots/halloween/videos/67218/title/peanuts-cartoon-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown

So, where are the jokes? These are just riddle-diculous.

You can actually buy this in NYC.

Did you hear about the new ice cream for monsters?

Its called cookies and scream.

This is a pic of an actual CookiesNScream Sundae.

Knock, knock, who's there?

Ivan.

Ivan who?

Ivan to bite your neck.

Where did Mzteachuh take the ghost for lunch?

Pizza Haunt.

Why isn't he purple?

Where do werewolves stay on vacation?

The Howliday Inn.

Where does the Wolfman live?

In a werehouse.

Also, my classes used to play 'Name that Tune' with 'Elvira Presents Haunted Hits' just to be very silly. Once we won a decorating contest with our classroom door covered with original panels and comic style story of the Purple People Eater. (Was the People Eater Purple, or did he eat purple people? Inquiring minds want to know.)

And Drac finally got with it.

bobby 'boris' pickett & the cryptkickers - monster mash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0thH3qnHTbI

The mashed potatoes was really a dance?

How do zombies celebrate Halloween?

They paint the town dead.

What oinks and drinks blood?

A hampire.

Sheb Wooley - Purple People Eater (1958)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9H_cI_WCnE

Dad: Your older brother sure looks weird and scarey tonight.

Younger brother: Yeah, just wait til he puts on his mask.

What did the poultergeist serve at his Halloween party?

Halloweiners.

Routine frequently seen at Middle School dances.

We can't forget Michael Jackson's 'Thriller."

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

What do birds say on Halloween?

Trick or Tweet.

What do fishermen say on Halloween?

Trick or Trout.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY - THEME SONG http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rn1bzECgHY&feature=relate

What did the little ghost have in his lunch box?

A boo-loney sandwich.

What did he have to drink?

A little box of Ghoul-Aid.

What do you call the eyeglasses for a ghost?

Spooktackles.

Scaredryer.

How did the bootician dry the Wolfman's hair?

With a scaredryer.

Is it good to drink the three weird sister's brew from the Scottish Play?

Yes, its very newt-tricious.

What do baby ghosts like to play?

Shriek-a-boo.

What happened when the phantom disappeared into the fog?

He was mist.

Don't get me started on comic books!Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Did you hear about the hippie werewolf?

He was fur-out, man.

What does an Aussie witch ride on?

A broomerang.

(Well, I'm not.)

And the greatest favorite of all--I even created a tee shirt for myself at Zazzle that read on the back:

I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts!

Who ya gonna call?

Ghostbuster theme song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytAYsn__ZZI&feature=related

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Educational Links 10/3/16

5 Confusing Signs of Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/nonverbal-learning-disabilities/5-confusing-signs-of-nonverbal-learning-disabilities?view=slideview&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

Revisiting the Question of Violence in the Media

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/revisiting-question-violence-media-stacey-goodman

Why Are We So Obsessed With Teaching Kids Cursive Handwriting?

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/09/30/why-are-we-so-obsessed-with-teaching-kids-cursive-handwriting/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

Current Events and Why We Need to Teach Them!

http://blog.mimio.com/current-events-and-why-we-need-to-teach-them

Tips, Tools and Strategies to Support Kids' Reading and Writing

http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/insights/2530-tips-tools-strategies-teaching-kids-to-read?utm_content=buffer6badc&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

5-Minute Film Festival: We The Voters

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/film-fest-civic-education-videos?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Is Your Classroom Academically Safe?

http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/academic-risk-taking/

How to fight disillusionment when the school year isn’t going as planned

http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/2016/10/disillusionment.html

The first roadblock of discouragement tends to hit a little sooner than most teachers are expecting. When you’re new to the profession, you assume disillusionment is something you won’t have to deal with until you’ve been in the classroom for years, so when you realize on day 3 of your career that the reality of teaching isn’t going to even remotely align with your expectations, you might experience a horrible moment of panic where you’re suddenly questioning all of your life choices.