Teachers: Seven Top Replete Resources & Strategies

Time to begin gearing up for classes and building those dynamo lessons ....

You've had a well deserved summer break, ready to start thinking about lesson ideas and learning strategies for this new year? You don't wanna just use what you did last year or even the year before.

Hey, we would have never stepped foot on the moon, it ain't no hoax, doing the same ole stuff year after year.

Yep, I encouraging you to break outta da box - starting now!

http://www.educationreporting.com/index25k.php#Seven

Jack

Teach using projects or service learning feed: http://www.educationreporting.com/greenschool.xml

Teach with online games feed: http://www.educationreporting.com/Education_Games.xml

Mechanics of experiential education in K12

Today, competent and competitive businesses don’t succeed using ideas or technology from yesterday. K12 schools are no different. The makeup of classrooms varies considerably from the past: students are digital, a growing number express restless behaviors, and class sizes swell as schools struggle with shrinking budgets. Experiential education, as I used it when teaching high school science, is an excellent method to combat lethargic learning behaviors and support students in building critical thinking skills, i.e., lifelong learner habits.

Read the article @ http://www.educationreporting.com/article-how-to-teach-with-ee.htm

Innovation - anyone can teach math program - research included

John almost failed first-year Calculus in the university, but his love of math and his belief that everyone has great mathematical potential led him to found JUMP Math as a kitchen-table tutoring group in 1998.

Here is the street cred: Dr. Mighton completed a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Toronto and was awarded an NSERC fellowship for postdoctoral research in knot and graph theory. He is currently a Fellow of the Fields Institute for Mathematical Research and an Adjunct Professor of mathematics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Mighton also lectured in philosophy at McMaster University, where he received a Masters in philosophy.

Honestly, I am impressed with the approach the program takes to include all students, at their learning speeds, using relevant materials and methods. He says his programs works for teachers, parents, and tutors - I believe him.

Link to material at "JUMP Math": check out "JUMP Math" http://www.educationreporting.com/curriculum.php#mat

Sizzle of service learning: helping students shine and extend their reach

I didn’t wake up one day and say, “I’m going to do a Service Learning (SL) project with students.” The neighborhood of my school is recognized as the poorest area in the state, most students don’t speak English as the primary language at home. Over 80% of students take advantage of the free lunch program and just a small percentage will get to college; even fewer will graduate with a degree. When I first considered sponsoring an after school club to do recycling, I thought a few students might be interested. I had to gear myself up to deal with the overwhelming student participation, which was all volunteer on their part.

Read the article, get my top six service learning resources, at http://www.educationreporting.com/article-sizzle%20-of-service-learning.php

Teachers - easily - tweak your tech skills

Two free and simple to use resources allow you to fortify your lessons, in any content area, using technology. This is not rocket science, all you have to do is find the best fit for your classroom or campus. Doing this over the summer means you can save time later. Plus, show off your skills when school opens. Here they are:

1. Digital Storytelling
Not to worry, there are step by step instructions on setting this up and rolling it out. You can also browse some examples. On the second page (click arrow at botton of first page) are the detailed answers to all the potential "how to" questions. http://www.educationreporting.com/viewArticleDetails.php?id=681

2. Learning with online games
Thousands of free games that can be simply used over the internet - no special software required. This is a big win-win: students learn the subject content and technology skills.
http://www.educationreporting.com/Education_Games.xml

New study reveals best methods to improve student scuccess

When students are underachieving, school policymakers often examine class size, curriculum and funding, but University of Missouri researchers suggest establishing relationships may be a powerful and less expensive way to improve students' success. In a review of the research they show that students with positive attachments to their teachers and schools have higher grades and higher standardized test scores.

An new study reports that the best method for improving student success is relationships.
http://www.educationreporting.com/viewArticleDetails.php?id=700

Effective teachers practices are no mystery

Knowledgeable, innovative, skillful, fun-loving, caring, supportive, task and pupil centred – it’s official – the most effective teachers are in a class of their own. Two year study on Effective Classroom Practices (ECP) yields results that articulate effective teacher practices. Click here to read article.

Hundreds of free online game resources for learning K12 subjects:
http://www.educationreporting.com/Education_Games.xml

Watch this and you'll weave it in too

Yep, this is the best - 20 minute video - that simply shows the complex issues of our global village: health, quality of life, earning an income, and leaving something for future generations.

Every teacher I've talked to about this says they're going to use it as a resource.

Check it out, "The Story of Stuff" video at http://www.educationreporting.com/greened.php#cla

How to uncork creative instruction

Effective teaching and learning opposes the drive-thru mentality our culture broadcasts. K12 teachers with learning going-on in their classes are capturing student attention with innovative strategies and engaging material. My intention with this article is to equip educators with three easy to implement strategies. I've used them and so have thousands of other successful teachers. But, putting them into service without laying the foundation fundamentals won't do much good.

Read the entire article http://www.educationreporting.com/article-how-to-uncork-creative-instruction.php

RSS Feeds: Fun, Free, Educational

I just updated these two feeds. Both are full of free information to use in K12 classes.

Learning games: http://www.educationreporting.com/Education_Games.xml

Green Learning, which includes service learning resources: http://www.educationreporting.com/greenschool.xml

Share 'em with a friend. :-)