Student Resilience to overcome their disfunctional life -YOU can help!

This short article is part of the current September 2013 ASCD issue of Educational Leadership.  There are many similiar articles in this issue which will become available online in another month or so.  The point is....we as teachers can have a powerful impact in changing the direction of many students' lives who live in poverty, have disfunctional familiies, and live in crime-filled neighborhoods.

You've Got the Power.  Nan Henderson.  8.29.13.  ASCD Inservice.  8.29.13
http://inservice.ascd.org/educational-leadership/youve-got-the-power/

Resilience reseach is rather a new field of study and much needed to help educators teaching in many schools.  Foir more further information about Nan Henderson, please check her website.
Resiliency in Action. http://www.resiliency.com/

Please share your thoughts in the comments section.  (New readers - Click blog title, not article title and the comments section will show up below.)

Transforming Ourselves - the Teacher!

This article may describe many teachers; however it is clear that teachers described at the beginning of this article to not fit any of our LEX teachers.  The second part of the article is certainly worth reading and examining our oen adjustments to new ways of teaching to get better results from our students, both cognitively and subjectively.

Changing Our 'Stuff" is Not Enough.  Becky Bair. 8.29.13.  Powerful Learning Practice - Professional learning for connected educators.
http://plpnetwork.com/2013/08/29/changing-stuff/

After reading this article, what speaks to you as being important?  How have you changed recently in your teaching practice?  Share your comments with othe LEX colleagues in the Comments section below. 
(For new blog readers, click on the blog title - Transforming Ourselves - the Teacher!, and the comments section will appear.)

Sample Questions for the New Math & Reading Tests

Want to see what the new test questions might look like?  The sample questions published here are from PARCC, an oirganization working with a 19 state consortium to create next generation asessments. Wisconsin is not one of the PARCC states.  A review of sample questions from PARCC could let us know the kind of questions we might be having in the next update here in our state.
Be sure to check out the embedded links, sample math items and sample literacy items.
If you read the comments at the end of the article, there are criticisms on using standard English.

Testing Consortium Previews Test With Sample Items.  Catherine Gewertz. 8.20,13. Education Week - Curriculum Matters.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2013/08/testing_consortium_releases_ne.html?cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS2

"Reading" Maps is "Close" Reading

Common Core requires us to teach close reading, but don't think for a minute that entails only text.  Maps, charts, diagrams, photos, videos and other visual aids are often present for the student to use to better understand the concepts of the text.  Read this amazing article and find out why1492 was chosen as the year Columbus started his expedition across the Atlantic.  (Question:  Did you know the full answer?  I know I didn't)
Close reading of these aids is important to teach our students; they are not just simply factual storehouses.

After reading this article will you be doing something differently in your Title I class?

What Do We Mean my Reading Maps?  Phil Gersmehl.  7.22.13.  Education Week.  Premium article.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/07/22/37gersmehl.h32.html?tkn=QQCCsffrjN4HEqzMV3cLjguGQJrBmKGwK2mF&cmp=clp-sb-ascd

Solving Math Problems With Games & Puzzles

Author, Deepak Kulkarni, promotes math problem solving with  grid puzzles.  He also teaches short-cuts using algebra, divisibility rules, multiplication tricks, sets, Venn diagrams, factors, and other techniques.  Puzzle math is useful in some situations but not in situations relating math concepts to real world situations.  Very interesting!  Are you good at these puzzles?  Have you used them in T1?

Recreational and Educational Value of Math Puzzles.  Deepak Kulkarni.  7.5.13.  edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/recreational-educational-value-math-puzzles-deepak-kulkarni?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews%20071713%20(1%20list%20to%20rule%20them%20all;%20no%20ad;%2040K%20throttle)%20remainder&utm_content=&spMailingID=6564005&spUserID=MjcyOTI0ODQzODgS1&spJobID=78576993&spReportId=Nzg1NzY5OTMS1

Think Time or Dead Air?

This excellent article gives teachers ideas to build in "think time" in lesson design.  So ofen silence is not "dead air" but golden as student minds process the material.  Excellent ideas for teachers to make connections.  Well worth your time to read.  Share your thoughts.

Planning for Processing Time Yields Deeper Learning.  Jessica Roake. August 2013 Vol 55. No. 8 ASCD Education Update
http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/aug13/vol55/num08/Planning-for-Processing-Time-Yields-Deeper-Learning.aspx

Are iPads Key to Teaching and Learning?

This article is not an "article" in the normal sense but an open forum where readers can ask questions, share ideas and solutions, and engage in conversation with colleagues everywhere.  Read what is already written and share your thoughts as well.

Are iPads Key to Teaching and Learning?  8.9 to 8.17,13 Education Week Teacher - Forums. 
http://www.edweek.org/forums/education-forums_education-technology_ipads-key-teaching-learning-1?cmp=ENL-EU-CMTY#plckforumpage=ForumDiscussion&plckdiscussionid=Cat%3A047dba43-3f1d-45c3-831f-9125f292c0a4Forum%3A001cd4c6-4a20-4742-ae9a-6815ffe128c0Discussion%3Ada3779bc-dd95-46bb-8be0-9864ae3edb37&plckforumpostsort=TimeStampDescending&plckforumpostonpage=1

What's Happened to Spelling & Grammar?

Thought you’d be interested in reading this article published in the Milwaukee Journal, but originally written 8.10 and published in the Kansas City Star.  The article talks about the gatekeepers:  standardized tests, college essays that require standard English, etc.  Many of our digital natives are line sqigglers who fake actual spellings.  My thoughts: I'm guessing that our Title I kids don’t have as many digital opportunities as kids in more affluent families, but I could be wrong on that.  In either case we need to make our students aware that each as its place.

In rush to write, students leave spelling, grammar behind.  Joe Robertson. 8.10.13.  The Kansas City Star

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/10/4402846/in-rush-to-write-students-leave.html

 

Video Games Studied to Be Learning & AssessmentTools

Not quite what you might expect but the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is funding serious brain research to discover how video games can help in complex learning and develop noncognitive skills  such as empathy.  Many questions to ask.  Interesting research.  Check out the embedded links.

Researchers See Video Games as Testing, Learning Tools. 8.6.13 Benjamin Herold, Madison, WI. Education Week.  Premium Article.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/08/07/37games_ep.h32.html?tkn=MWCC3%2BYcMpDSmhcr9dlFNkU2TO%2BJFueC%2F0rf&cmp=clp-sb-ascd

Can a new SAT Test Give Opportunity to Low Income Students?

The new SAT test due in 2015 will have many changes that will benefit students like ours in Title I.  New questions will require students to analyze data, draw conclusions from text and support arguments using factual evidence from literature, history, and science.  Sound familiar?  That's what we are doing in our vocabulary, close reading in Title I.  Not only that, but the new test will benefit low income students.
Read to find out more.  Be sure to share your viewpoint in the comments section.

Retooling the Test:  Can a New SAT "Deliver Opportunity" to Low-Income Students?  Ilana Garon. 8.7.13.  Education Week Teacher - View from the Bronx - An Urban Teacher's Perspective
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/urban_teacher/2013/08/retooling_the_test_can_a_new_s.html?cmp=ENL-EU-VIEWS2