Educational Link 7/9/17

“We Have to Stop Trivializing ADHD”

https://www.additudemag.com/stop-trivializing-adhd/

Four Strategies to Help Struggling Math Students

http://theeducatorsroom.com/2017/07/four-strategies-help-struggling-math-students/

Understanding Your Child’s Trouble With Organization and Time Management

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/organization-issues/understanding-your-childs-trouble-with-organization-and-time-management?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

5 Ideas to Amp Up Chromebooks

http://www.coolcatteacher.com/5-ideas-amp-chromebooks/?utm_content=buffer74b7d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Tch Talks: A Student’s Perspective on SEL in the Classroom

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2017/07/06/students-perspective-on-sel/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Tchers%27%20Voice&utm_campaign=Facebook%20Blog%20Metrics%20July%2017&utm_content=Tch%20Talks%20Student%20SEL

9 Simple Ways to Prevent Burnout in Special Ed Teachers

http://theeducatorsroom.com/2015/01/9-simple-ways-prevent-burnout-special-ed-teachers/

Social/Emotional Learning: It Starts With Teachers

http://www.edweek.org/tm/collections/package/social-emotional-learning/index.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

Fostering a sense of calm and joy in the classroom must start with the teacher. This special report explores the social-emotional competencies needed for classroom teachers, and how they can then convey those skills to their students. The stories in the report, which include perspective pieces by current teachers, look at new research surrounding teacher stress and burnout, innovative ways to incorporate social-emotional learning into everyday lessons and with different groups of students, and strategies for self-care, mindfulness, and cultural responsiveness, starting in teacher preparation programs.

Educational Links 7/8/17

The 3 major dos and don’ts of blended learning

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/06/07/dos-donts-blended-learning/

50 Of The Best Google Chrome Extensions For Teachers

http://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/technology/50-of-the-best-google-chrome-extensions-for-teachers/?utm_content=buffera11dc&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

21 Thoughts Student Teachers Have When Shopping For Classroom Clothing

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/21-thoughts-student-teachers-have-when-shopping-for-classroom-appropriate-clothing

Four Strategies to Help Struggling Math Students

http://theeducatorsroom.com/2017/07/four-strategies-help-struggling-math-students/

Physics for Babies? Books That Expand Science Understanding

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/07/07/physics-for-babies-books-that-expand-science-understanding/

Why Religion Belongs in the Classroom

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/07/07/why-religion-belongs-in-the-classroom.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

Researchers See Brain Differences Between Kids With Dyslexia and Kids With Dysgraphia

https://www.understood.org/en/community-events/blogs/in-the-news/2015/06/11/researchers-see-brain-differences-between-kids-with-dyslexia-and-kids-with-dysgraphia?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

We already know that when engaged in reading tasks, certain parts of the brain work differently in people who have dyslexia and those who don’t. Brain scans have shown that. Now, a new study shows there are also brain differences between people with dyslexia and those with dysgraphia.

Educational Links 7/7/17

Giving Your Teacher Team a Boost

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/giving-your-teacher-team-boost-ben-johnson

Types of Learning Disabilities

https://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/

How Online Camps Help Kids Stay Connected to STEM Skills and Mentors Year-Round

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/07/06/how-online-camps-help-kids-stay-connected-to-stem-skills-and-mentors-year-round/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

http://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/10-team-building-games-that-promote-critical-thinking/?utm_content=buffer79a55&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Reimagining failure: ‘Last-chance’ schools are the future of American high schools

http://hechingerreport.org/reimagining-failure-last-chance-schools-future-american-high-schools/

Technology in the Classroom: Getting New Teachers Connected

http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-getting-new-teachers-connected

A Teacher's Advice for Making the Most Out of the Every Student Succeeds Act

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2017/07/05/a-teachers-advice-for-making-the-most.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

DARING TO LEARN HOW TO LEARN

https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/daring-to-learn-how-to-learn

Why do some of us learn easily and quickly, while others struggle, left behind plodding along?

Part of the answer, at least in the online learning space, is that learning is a real skill in of itself, and some people are more skilled at it than others. And the good news for the plodders is that it is a skill that can be readily grasped when we break it down.

Educational Links 7/6/17

Chicago won’t allow high school students to graduate without a plan for the future

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/chicago-wont-allow-high-school-students-to-graduate-without-a-plan-for-the-future/2017/07/03/ac197222-5111-11e7-91eb-9611861a988f_story.html?utm_term=.94cb8440de49

NEA Projects Member Losses. A Supreme Court Ruling Could Worsen Them

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2017/07/nea_projects_membership_loss_supreme_court_could_worsen_it.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

A Teacher’s Guide to Working With Principals

https://www.weareteachers.com/working-with-principals/

Project-Based Learning Q&A

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/07/pbl-qa/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=Getting%20Smart&utm_content=Project-Based%20Learning%20QandA

Schools are boosting graduation rates by offering 'credit recovery.' But what are students learning?

http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-edu-pass-credit-recovery-20170701-htmlstory.html

A Great Resources That Offers 400 Math and Science Simulations and Activities for Students

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2017/07/a-great-resource-that-offers-400.html

Stress and the LD Puzzle

http://www.smartkidswithld.org/getting-help/emotions-behaviors/stress-ld-puzzle/

Children today experience a considerable amount of stress. Their lives are full and fast-paced. Adults often have unrealistic expectations: performance is emphasized over process, and a lack of respect is shown for cooperative learning and alternative ways of demonstrating competence. 

Educational Links 7/5/17

Tired Edtech Trends That Teachers Wish Would Retire: From the Floor of ISTE 2017

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-07-04-tired-edtech-trends-that-teachers-wish-would-retire-from-the-floor-of-iste-2017

Standards-Aligned Genius Hour

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/standards-aligned-genius-hour-matthew-farber?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Trump touts rural broadband internet access in $1 trillion infrastructure plan

https://www.eschoolnews.com/2017/07/04/trump-touts-rural-broadband-internet-access-1-trillion-infrastructure-plan/

What’s the Difference Between Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and Slow Processing Speed?

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/information-processing-issues/whats-the-difference-between-sluggish-cognitive-tempo-and-slow-processing-speed?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

Frugal Teacher Guide: Where to Buy Everything

https://www.weareteachers.com/frugal-teacher-best-deal-school-supplies/

SPECIAL REPORT: SMART STRATEGIES FOR TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

http://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/smart-strategies-teacher-pd/index.html?cmp=soc-fb-promo-professional+dev+report&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Facebook+Ad

The Truth About Teachers’ “Summer Vacation”

https://www.weareteachers.com/truth-teachers-summer-vacation/

TRUE OR FALSE: FIDGET SPINNERS BENEFIT STUDENTS WITH ADHD?

https://www.learningandthebrain.com/blog/true-or-false-fidget-spinners-benefit-students-with-adhd/

Despite their rise in popularity, there does not seem to be solid scientific evidence that these toys help with attention issues. For example, Scott Kollins stated in a recent NPR article:

“I know there’s lots of similar toys, just like there’s lots of other games and products marketed towards individuals who have ADHD, and there’s basically no scientific evidence that those things work across the board.”

Educational Links 7/4/17

Inclusive Education

http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/learning-disabilities/inclusive-education/

DISTRICTS NEED TO SET UP WI-FI FOR STUDENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING

http://www.theedadvocate.org/districts-need-set-wi-fi-students-public-housing/?utm_source=ReviveOldPost&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost

Can Computer Simulations Help Teachers Intervene With Suicidal Students?

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

Why Social Studies? It’s “Self-Evident”!

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2017/06/30/social-studies-class-self-evident/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Tchers%27%20Voice&utm_campaign=Facebook%20Blog%20Metrics%20July%2017&utm_content=Six%20Tips%20to%20Make%20the%20Value%20of%20Your%20Social%20Studies%20Class%20%E2%80%9CSelf-Evident%E2%80%9D

10 Ideas For Upgrading Your Teaching This Summer

http://teachthought.com/pedagogy/10-ideas-for-upgrading-your-teaching-this-summer/?utm_content=buffer01ed8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Social-Emotional Intelligence is Missing from School. Here's Why That Matters.

http://www.specialneedsdigest.com/2017/07/social-emotional-intelligence-is.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FLUdSt+%28Special+Needs+Digest%29

Helping Your Students Identify Their Values

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/helping-your-students-identify-their-values-maurice-elias?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29

The beginning of the school year is a good time to ask students to reflect on what gives them guiding direction in their lives. And writing their guiding principles for life is a perfect assignment for doing so.

For teachers of students fifth grade and up, ask your students to describe the laws by which they want to live their life. To help them get the idea, discuss any biographies they have read or watched (or watch clips or read excerpts together) and then discuss or list together a summary of the rules by which these individuals seemed to live their lives. Also ask students the same question about characters in novels, adults in their lives, or historical figures.

A Writing Prompt to Really Get To Know Your Students

"Three Things I Want You To Know About Me."
 
I came up with this prompt while teaching high school, but it works with younger kids, too. It gives the students a choice of what to comment on, and allows them to use their own voice to tell it like it feels. You may learn a lot about music, sports, and their dog; but sometimes you will also learn about very serious topics like family crisis or illness. And at times the school can help the families. But you will know the students better, especially if you actually read the essays and comment on them. The kids feel very validated, and more willing to write the remainder of the year no matter what the topic.

Jim Abbott of the Yankees, pitching a no-hitter.

I especially enjoyed when the students shared their dreams for their future. You would be amazed how many major league baseball players (of the future) were in my seventh grade classes. Far be it from me to say otherwise. Who knows, anyway? If Jim Abbott, who had only one hand due to a birth defect, became a major league pitcher, shouldn't I be like his grown-ups and be filled with encouragement for kids' dreams?

We Brought The Summer With Us

Samhradh Samhradh

The song was first heard of in Dublin 1730, a song written for the Gaelic festival known as Bealtaine that marks the beginning of summer, celebrated April 30 to May 1.

During the festival there is the lighting of bonfires and making of flower decorations.

This song is a perfect summer tune to listen to during a road trip through the country side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4LtHaAoimI

Samhradh, samhradh, bainne na ngamhna
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn
Samhradh buí na nóinín glégeal
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn

Thugamar linn é ón gcoill chraobhaigh
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn
Samhradh buí ó luí na gréine
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn

Samhradh, samhradh, bainne na ngamhna
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn
Samhradh buí na nóinín glégeal
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn

Tá an fhuiseog ag seinm ‘sag luascadh sna spéartha
Áthas do lá is bláth ar chrann
Tá an chuach is an fhuiseog ag seinm le pléisiúr
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn

Samhradh, samhradh, bainne na ngamhna
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn
Samhradh buí na nóinín glégeal
Thugamar féin an samhradh linn

Summer, summer, the calves milk

We brought the summer with us

Yellow daisies Summer glégeal

We brought the summer with us

We brought it from leafy woods

We brought the summer with us

Yellow summer from sunset

We brought the summer with us

Summer, summer, the calves milk

We brought the summer with us

Yellow daisies Summer glégeal

We brought the summer with us

The lark playing 'sag swinging in the skies

Pleased to day flower tree

The cuckoo is the lark singing with joy

We brought the summer with us

Summer, summer, the calves milk

We brought the summer with us

Yellow daisies Summer glégeal

We brought the summer with us

In my family, the last immigrants were Irish, arriving in the USA in 1880. From Cork and Dublin, they passed stories, humor, generosity and spirituality down through the decades, and I find the resources of modern life to learn more about them is an amazing boon to my understanding of who we are and what we give to the world. I especially like that our Irish language flourishes.

As I love my garden--the concept of summer (flowers),  birds, and leafy woods bring summer with them is precisely how I feel.

Educational Links 7/3/17

Planet Earth App Ideal for Structured or Open-Ended Learning

http://www.techlearning.com/app-of-the-day/0011/biomeviewer/70659

12 secrets of teachers who trimmed 10+ hours off their workweeks

https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/12-secrets-teachers-trimmed-10-hours-off-workweeks/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCornerstone+%28The+Cornerstone+Blog%29

Teachers' biggest challenges? Long hours and heavy workload

https://www.tes.com/news/further-education/breaking-news/fe-teachers-biggest-challenges-long-hours-and-heavy-workload

   

I Want to Get Better at… Social Emotional Learning Next Year

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2017/06/23/social-emotional-learning/

The Difference Between Dysgraphia and Dyslexia

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dysgraphia/the-difference-between-dysgraphia-and-dyslexia?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg

Humanizing Teacher Professional Development Lets Us Grow Together

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/2017/06/growing_together_build_teachers_social-emotional_competencies.html?cmp=SOC-EDIT-FB

The Case for Mentors Grows Stronger

https://www.edutopia.org/article/case-mentors-grows-stronger-youki-terada?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Past research has shown that mentors can help to address the persistent issues of teacher shortages and job dissatisfaction, preventing new teachers from burning out and leaving the profession. Without a mentor, nearly one in three new teachers leave by their fifth year, but with a mentor that ratio drops by more than half, to one in seven.