How are Apps Affecting Student Learning?

This must-read article explains how digital media is affecting American youth.  Kathy Davis got the opportunity to work with Howard Gardner, best known for his theory of multiple intelligences.  Their project focused on apps.  Davis and Gardner authored the book, The App Generation: How Today’s Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy and Imagination in a Digital World. Many students do not take the necessary "downtime" to reflect, take a walk, think about what happened and what might happen next. What was noted, however, is the increased creativity in the visual arts, but which declined in language arts. 


Is the 'App Mentality' Killing Students' Creativity?  Frank DiMaria 6.16.15. THE Journal, Transforming Education through Technology

We're Not Ready to Teach ELLs Effectively

We know large numbers of immigrant students from many countries are coming to the U.S., yet we are ill-prepared to teach them effectively.  A number of reasons come to mind & this article doesn't include them all.  Bi-lingual teachers spend a lot of time preparing lessons in the students' native language.   The Council of the Great City Schools have started a project with experts and educational publishers to develop better instructional materials.  It's being tested this spring but won't be ready for wider distribution until 2016. 
This article was produced by The Hechinger Report, a non-profit news organization focusing on inequality and innovation in education.  This topic is extremely important because ELLs are expected to meet the rigor of Common Core expectations just like native speaking students. 


Note: Reproduction of this story is not permitted.


For teachers of English learners, Common Core means double the work. Margaret Ramirez. 6.16.15. The Hechinger Report

Read Aloud Project for K-2nd Graders

Kindergarten teacher, Jamie Landahl, tells us about how she has used the Read Aloud Project in her school, North Las Vegas Duncan Elementary School.  The project is appropriate for children in K-2nd grades.  The project focuses on building student comprehension and vocabulary by enhancing read alouds with activities.  The following article describes the method which involves 30 minutes a day for a week.  Results?  Amazing....She describes her kids as coming to Kindergarten not knowing how to hold a pencil.  At the end of the year, her students answered questions and were able to write complete sentences.  Excellent article.


Program challenges, improves listening comprehension in Kindergarten through second-graders.  Sandy Lopez.  6.14.15.  Las Vegas Review-Journal
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/education/program-challenges-improves-listening-comprehension-kindergarten-through-second

Forming Positive Relationships With Students-- Easy Things You Can Do

Student learning in your classroom depends on relationships you have made with your students.  All the strategies in the world will not be effective unless your students believe in you.  Establishing good rapport is easier than you might believe.  The following article is excellent and if you do them you'll find an amazing difference.




4 easy ways to form positive relationships with students. Josh Strumppenhorst. 6.9.15. eSchoolNews

 

Four- Brain Engagement Using Technology

Author, Joli Barker, gives us excellent tips to engage students in deeper reading of complex text. Her premise is that active minds need to adapt, negotiate, problem solve and produce. She urges teachers to allow students to explore in four-brain based areas.  Each are is explained and examples are given.
Excellent!


Tech Tip Engage students in deeper learner.  Joli Barker. 6.2.15.  SmartBlog on Education
http://smartblogs.com/education/2015/06/02/tech-tip-engage-students-in-deeper-learning/?utm_source=brief

Excellent Virtual Field Trips For Your Students

I've posted a few articles on field trips and I know you value the experiences for your students.  While there are countless examples - actual and virtual - it may be difficult for you to make excellent choices.  Meris Stansbury, associate editor of  eSchool News gives you a list of 10 wonderful virtual field trips that will help build useful lessons that engage students to learn more.  I particularly like those that contribute to the 21st Century Skill, "global awareness."  So many of our students understand the world around them but are ignorant of other lands and world issues.
Explore these virtual sites and I'm sure you'll find several that fit into your curriculum.


Ten of the best virtual field trips.  Meris Stansbury, 4.7.13. eSchoolNews
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2013/04/07/ten-of-the-best-virtual-field-trips/?

How to Give Feedback to Students More Effectively

We hope that the feedback we give to students will help them in the future with similar assignments.  What ;happens when you don't see that occurring?  Perhaps it is the way you give feedback in the first place.  The author of the following article, Taylor Meredith, saw that happening with her students.  After reading John Hattie's & Dylan Wiliam's work, Ms. Meredith changed her method completely. She learned that relationships with students were the key for  student feedback.  Excellent article and well worth your time.


Starting Student Feedback Loops.  Taylor Meredith. 5.16.15.  edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/starting-student-feedback-loops-taylor-meredith