Lessons Life Taught Me
Here are the first ten "life lessons" from Regina Brett of Clevland. Please consider these as you start a new school year with all of the "ins and outs" that the year will offer:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Friends & parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
Monday, 5 September 2011
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Student Engagement
Student Engagement and Optimizing Learning
Teachers are constantly looking for ways to engage learners with the curriculum. When students are engaged academically, emotionally, and behaviorally, their learning experiences will be optimized.
Engaged Academically
Students who are engaged academically demonstrate a desire to learn and challenge themselves. They want to be challenged intellectually and approached as serious learners.
Engaged Emotionally
Students who are engaged emotionally feel a sense of belonging. When learning, they feel the emotions of enjoyment, excitement, and enthusiasm. Relationships become an integral part of learning and help create successful teamwork.
Engaged Behaviorally
Students who are engaged behaviorally demonstrate on-task behaviors. They persist and persevere when learning. They focus attention, concentrate intently, put forth effort, and process information cognitively to make meaning and transfer learning.
Did you know?
Student engagement has emerged as a multifaceted concept, encompassing academic, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive aspects, requiring engagement efforts that stress improving both students’ motivation to learn and their sense of connection (Stout & Christenson, 2009).
“Student engagement is the product of motivation and active learning. It is a product rather than a sum because it will not occur if either element is missing.”
— Elizabeth F. Barkley, Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty
The information below is based on ideas in the PLS courses Classroom Management: Orchestrating a Community of Learners®, Classroom Management: Orchestrating a Community of Learners® Online, and Student Engagement and Standards-Based Learning™.
Read on for several strategies designed to engage students academically, emotionally, and behaviorally.
The opportunity to participate as a unified group creates a sense of belonging and helps students find common behavioral footing and connections to one another. They improve their communication and collaboration and their social/cross cultural skills.
End each day with an unfinished sentence for students to complete
Example: Students complete a statement, such as “I enjoyed…”, “I learned…”, “I realized…”, or “I’m looking forward to…” The unfinished sentence helps students engage with the material on an academic level by reflecting on the day.
Schedule the same special events year after year
Example: Each year after completing their unit of study on the Middle Ages, an forth-grade history class reenacts a medieval festival. Every student going into forth grade knows that he or she will participate in this special event. Make sure the special event is related to your curriculum.
Taking It Further
References
Hidi, S., & Renninger, A. (2006). The four-phase model of interest development. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 111–127.
Stout, K. E., & Christenson, L. (2009). Staying on track for high school graduation: Promoting student engagement. Prevention Researcher, 16(3), 17–20.
Yazzie-Mintz, E. (2007). Voices of students on engagement: A report on the 2006 High School Survey of Student Engagement. Bloomington: Indiana University, Center for Evaluation & Education Policy.
Teachers are constantly looking for ways to engage learners with the curriculum. When students are engaged academically, emotionally, and behaviorally, their learning experiences will be optimized.
Engaged Academically
Students who are engaged academically demonstrate a desire to learn and challenge themselves. They want to be challenged intellectually and approached as serious learners.
Engaged Emotionally
Students who are engaged emotionally feel a sense of belonging. When learning, they feel the emotions of enjoyment, excitement, and enthusiasm. Relationships become an integral part of learning and help create successful teamwork.
Engaged Behaviorally
Students who are engaged behaviorally demonstrate on-task behaviors. They persist and persevere when learning. They focus attention, concentrate intently, put forth effort, and process information cognitively to make meaning and transfer learning.
Did you know?
Student engagement has emerged as a multifaceted concept, encompassing academic, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive aspects, requiring engagement efforts that stress improving both students’ motivation to learn and their sense of connection (Stout & Christenson, 2009).
“Student engagement is the product of motivation and active learning. It is a product rather than a sum because it will not occur if either element is missing.”
— Elizabeth F. Barkley, Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty
The information below is based on ideas in the PLS courses Classroom Management: Orchestrating a Community of Learners®, Classroom Management: Orchestrating a Community of Learners® Online, and Student Engagement and Standards-Based Learning™.
Read on for several strategies designed to engage students academically, emotionally, and behaviorally.
The opportunity to participate as a unified group creates a sense of belonging and helps students find common behavioral footing and connections to one another. They improve their communication and collaboration and their social/cross cultural skills.
End each day with an unfinished sentence for students to complete
Example: Students complete a statement, such as “I enjoyed…”, “I learned…”, “I realized…”, or “I’m looking forward to…” The unfinished sentence helps students engage with the material on an academic level by reflecting on the day.
Schedule the same special events year after year
Example: Each year after completing their unit of study on the Middle Ages, an forth-grade history class reenacts a medieval festival. Every student going into forth grade knows that he or she will participate in this special event. Make sure the special event is related to your curriculum.
Taking It Further
References
Hidi, S., & Renninger, A. (2006). The four-phase model of interest development. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 111–127.
Stout, K. E., & Christenson, L. (2009). Staying on track for high school graduation: Promoting student engagement. Prevention Researcher, 16(3), 17–20.
Yazzie-Mintz, E. (2007). Voices of students on engagement: A report on the 2006 High School Survey of Student Engagement. Bloomington: Indiana University, Center for Evaluation & Education Policy.
Friday, 10 June 2011
Is Power Point Over the Hill?
This From "Nine Shift" today, June 10, 2011. What do you think? I am inclined to agree (even as I am composing yet another one).
Could the white board replace PowerPoint?
Could the white board replace PowerPoint?
A Gen Xer in a meeting recently endorsed the white board over PowerPoint, saying the white board is more interactive and engaging. “When PowerPoint appears, I start texting my girlfriend,” he noted.
PowerPoint is of course linear, one-way communication that has become deathly boring in the hands of many Boomers.
Could the old fashioned white board replace PowerPoint? There are online white boards of course. But this was the old fashioned kind. What do you think?
A Gen Xer in a meeting recently endorsed the white board over PowerPoint, saying the white board is more interactive and engaging. “When PowerPoint appears, I start texting my girlfriend,” he noted.
PowerPoint is of course linear, one-way communication that has become deathly boring in the hands of many Boomers.
Could the old fashioned white board replace PowerPoint? There are online white boards of course. But this was the old fashioned kind. What do you think?
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Helping Children be Stress Free
How to Help Your Children Be Free of Stress
and Anxiety
For teachers this is all about a safe and secure classroom. Children must have a secure feeling about their environment if they are being asked to take academic risks that may be judged right or wrong. Past success and non-personal critique has a lot to do with the risk taking necessary to help children venture creative solutions to problems posed in the classroom. No-one wants to look "dumb" in front of their peers. Unfortunately, too many kids refrain from responding because the self-esteem risks are too high. Dr. Dyer puts it his way below. Take a look.
By Dr. Wayne Dyer, Oprah.com
JUNE 15, 2010 | No-limit children have learned a different response to the same stimuli because they know the world to be friendly. Their behavior is meant “for the best,” or at least their mistakes are “honest.” Therefore, if an action goes awry, it does not elicit feelings of guilt. Remorse, learning, redoing and improving are possible responses instead. Rather than worry, a no-limit child sees future events as exciting adventures, opportunities to grow, chances for fun challenges and new experiences. Since self-worth is not tied to performance, the worry about “doing well” is eliminated. No-limit children are “doers,” and guilt and worry do not do anything. Thus, it is very unlikely they would bother themselves with negative thinking or destructive behaviors.
Living is not a race; it is a journey, something to be enjoyed each day. You can do a great deal to help children to understand this important truth, and you will get a nice bonus as well—that is, a lot less anxiety for yourself as part of the bargain.
and Anxiety
For teachers this is all about a safe and secure classroom. Children must have a secure feeling about their environment if they are being asked to take academic risks that may be judged right or wrong. Past success and non-personal critique has a lot to do with the risk taking necessary to help children venture creative solutions to problems posed in the classroom. No-one wants to look "dumb" in front of their peers. Unfortunately, too many kids refrain from responding because the self-esteem risks are too high. Dr. Dyer puts it his way below. Take a look.
By Dr. Wayne Dyer, Oprah.com
JUNE 15, 2010 | No-limit children have learned a different response to the same stimuli because they know the world to be friendly. Their behavior is meant “for the best,” or at least their mistakes are “honest.” Therefore, if an action goes awry, it does not elicit feelings of guilt. Remorse, learning, redoing and improving are possible responses instead. Rather than worry, a no-limit child sees future events as exciting adventures, opportunities to grow, chances for fun challenges and new experiences. Since self-worth is not tied to performance, the worry about “doing well” is eliminated. No-limit children are “doers,” and guilt and worry do not do anything. Thus, it is very unlikely they would bother themselves with negative thinking or destructive behaviors.
Living is not a race; it is a journey, something to be enjoyed each day. You can do a great deal to help children to understand this important truth, and you will get a nice bonus as well—that is, a lot less anxiety for yourself as part of the bargain.
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Welcome to Our New Web Site
We are thrilled to publish our new website dedicated to educators in the Ottawa Region and to excellence in professional development. The ETFO Credit Course Program has been operating in Ottawa for over 30 years and we are very proud to continue this great tradition of practical excellence for practicing professional educators. Brenda, Cara and I are excited to work with our partners to bring the teachers of the Ottawa Region the very best professional development available.
John
John
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