Sponsored by Staples Back to school already? Yes it is! I go back to school August 10, so I’ll so be hitting Staples for their Teacher Appreciation event August 2-9. Hopefully, you’ve all already joined the Staples Teacher Rewards Program. If so, you’ll get 40% back in Teacher Rewards for school supplies, teaching, art supplies, cleaning supplies and more when you buy in your Staples store. Go to Staples.com/classroom to download the coupon. (Not including technology, Staples Less List & Extreme Deal offers.) Print your coupon. Go to Staples! If you or a friend hasn’t joined yet, no worries! Sign up now and you can still get the coupon. Some Items You Must Check Out As part of the Staples Back to School Council, here are some of the items that you simply must check out when you head over to Staples. Floating Locker Shelves - I so love these. They make such sense for lockers. Big Pencil Case - Pens, pencils, sharpener — all part of a very cool PENCIL BAG! Shop by Grade - When you go to the Staples Back to School Center, you can click "shop by grade" and put in your grade level. This is so useful! Teacher Center - Visit the teacher center for lots of cool ideas. Here are some other blog posts and resources I’ve put together for teachers as part of the Staples Back to School Program: My list of favorite office supplies (look for ideas on what to buy) Think It Up - a Great way for US public school teachers to fund their student projects. Cool School Supplies Designed by Students - my recent post with some favorite new items for school as designed by students. Check out all of the Staples Back to School Line at: www.staples.com/backtoschool.  I’m so excited! Are you? Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to edit and post it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.)  The post Back to School Savings with #Teacher Appreciation Event at #Staples appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Sponsored by Staples Now is the time. I start back to school. So does my son. Lots of you will soon too. How do we get totally ready? Start by making a list. But sometimes I don’t know everything that is out there. So, I headed down to my local Staples store in Albany, and my son and I did some shopping. 1.   Help Your Child Get Ready For quite some time, I’ve had my son look at his list and shop for what he needs. I do this for several reasons: I want him to know how much things cost and One day he’ll be in college and doing his own preparations. You can see a pic of his basket below. I also encouraged him to buy extras to last through December. I get stressed and don’t have time to run back to the store, so we stock extras in a supply drawer in the house. My son’s Back to School Shopping Basket. I had him use the list and gave him a budget. He used his calculator and purchased what he needed for the day. I find that since I’ve been doing this, he takes better care of everything he has. I also plan ahead for encouraging him. I found these lunch notes that I’m keeping in my kitchen. I know the first few weeks will be busy, so I’m going ahead and writing funny/inspirational thoughts on them so I can grab and put them in his lunch. Lunch notes I found on the Less List display at the entrance of Staples. I’m writing this over the weekend and will have two weeks worth ready to go into lunches. As a busy Mom, you have to plan ahead to encourage your child. 2. Think About Workflow as You Organize your Desk Getting organized and ready is important. I recently wrote a blog post over at Edutopia about the habits and workflow that I use. So, as I organize my desk, I’m always thinking about flow. Some of my essential tools are: a labeler, a laminator, colored file folders, different colored pens that write well, highlighters, sharpies, and awesome dry erase markers. You can see from the pictures of my desk and bins, that I label everything. I also think that it is very helpful to have a bin behind your desk that is like a quick launch toolbar. (see pic) I have everything there that I can grab and go. You’ll need metal vertical files to do this, particularly if you keep your textbooks there like I do. My quick launch toolbar behind my desk. ARC punch, labeler, and my lesson plans, gradebook, and reward stickers. Everything is there to grab and go. Organize your desk for workflow, but also consider your health. One of my biggest excitements was when my son found this double walled water bottle. (pic) It is clear (as our school requires) but also won’t have a condensation problem (I work in a computer lab, so water could harm the computer). I also keep idea journals handy that I review each week as I plan my lessons for the next week. My husband bought me a really comfortable chair a few years ago. Tons of post it notes, pens, and everything right next to my desk. My water bottle, journal, and computer are ready to go. The first day of school, I will take a picture of each class. I’ll print these out and laminate them and put them on the wall. Erin Klein suggested this on our #moreforteachers Twitter Chat and it is a fantastic idea. 3. Look for New Ideas When I’m planning to get ready for the year, I take time to go through every aisle of Staples. I just don’t know what has come out. For example, I keep my laptop, iPad and iPhone with me all the time. But it is so easy for them to get dirty. I found the cute screen cleaners on the first aisle in my Staples by the Ink Cartridges. If I had run through the store, I never would have found these. I’ve put these in my school bag. This is the cutest thing of electronic cleaner/wipes! I bought this one and now keep it in my bag so I can keep my electronics clean. So, when I have my iPhone in the car and it gets dirty, it is clean right away. I so love this. I also found this cute little notebook in the Less List display at the entrance of the store. It tears off. I’m using this for planning my week at home. I take these out and use my ARC punch to insert them in my planner in the right place. This is one (of the many) ways that I customize my own planner to the way that suits me. While I do use apps, I like to hand write my list items for the week out of my master list in OmniFocus. I found this cute notebook in the Less List Display at the front of my Staples store. I use this to plan the week, but punch it with my ARC punch to put it in my custom planner. 4. Get Help for Student Projects The biggest thing that public school teachers in the US can do to save on classroom projects is to register your projects at DonorsChoose.org. This past week, Staples funded more than 200 classroom projects in Atlanta as part of its recent $10 million pledge to Think It Up™, a new national initiative of the Entertainment Industry Foundation that seeks to inaugurate a new movement in support of students, teachers and schools, helping to create a culture of excitement about learning everywhere in America. If you are planning classroom projects, register now! So, it is officially back to school. There’s so much going on! Take time to plan ahead and get #110Ready at Staples. I’ve been excited to share all of these ideas with you as part of their Back to School Council. I hope you’ll share your ideas in the comments, on Facebook, and on Twitter! Get organized and get ready! We bought lots at Staples. Here was our table of goodies when we came home. Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to edit and post it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.) The post Back to School: 4 Ways to Get Ready and Save Money appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

An Every Classroom Matters Episode on Building Parent-Teacher Relationships sponsored by Bloomz First-rate teachers value parents. Jumpstart positive parent partnerships from day one.   Show parents how much they matter. Principal Amy Fadeji and Superintendent Joe Sanfelippo have a collection of simple ideas. Important Takeaways How to Connect. Four ways Amy encourages teachers to connect with parents. (Check out our show sponsor Bloomz too!) First contact. First-rate teachers value parents. Jumpstart positive parent partnerships from day one.   Show parents how much they matter. Principal Amy Fadeji and Superintendent Joe Sanfelippo have a collection of simple ideas. Joe stresses the first contact with the parent should be positive. He has a method that seemed like more work the first time they did it. Now teachers do it willingly. It makes a huge difference. Fab Fridays. How Joe ends every Friday on a positive note with five important phone calls. Helping Parents Love Phone Calls from the Principal. Amy has a fantastic idea. Her teachers give her information that lets her make positive phone calls to parents. Parents don’t dread a phone call from the principal now. Make Social Media Work for You. How to use social media to help improve perception of your school in the community. I made some of the best quotes into images at the bottom. Take them to share on social media. More solutions… Don’t just plan lessons. Plan for positive parent relationships. Set up communications. Two-way. Pave the way with positivity. Take time to be kind. Share this show with superintendents, principals, and teachers. If isn’t the start of the year for you, it is never too late to start again. Educator Resources Audioboom Amy Fadeji’s YouTube Channel for Her School Joe Sanfelippo’s district website Joe’s Podcast: BrandEd Interview Links @mrsfadeji   @joesanfelippofc Sponsor Bloomz is your one-stop solution for parent-teacher communications. More than just connecting with their cell phones, you can send long or short messages. You can send pictures and links. You can even coordinate volunteer schedules, donations, and parent teacher conferences. I’m using Bloomz in my classroom. Set up Your Bloomz Classroom today You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. Join the Every Classroom Matters Awesome Educators Network on Facebook The post 10 Ways to Build Powerful Parent Partnerships from Day One appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

3 Important Times We Have to Talk Students need parent teacher communication. We need to work together to help kids. There are three essential times for parent teacher communication. The Global Search for Education has a monthly question. This month: "What are the best ways parents can help teachers and that teachers can help parents?" Introductions Ongoing communications When problems or unforeseen circumstances happen I’ve been a teacher for fourteen years and a Mom for twenty. I’ve seen the good and bad from both sides. Here’s what I’ve learned. Introductions: Parent Teacher Communication Point #1 Teachers to Parents. Seasoned educators stress that the first parent communication should be positive. Make a phone call. Host a meeting. First impressions are everything. If the first time you call a parent, it is for bad news, they are going to dread hearing your name. Set expectations for ongoing and emergency communications. Parents to Teachers. Make your first communication positive too. Send a note. Be helpful. Set the tone. Even if you’re busy, a quick email to say you’re excited will help. Tip #1: Start strong, eager to get along. Ongoing Communications: Parent Teacher Communication Point #2 Teachers to Parents. Keep parents informed, but keep it short. I start off with email, but I’ve found that linking with a parent’s cell phone is vital. (Just texting them anytime is NOT the way. Use a tool like Bloomz.) Share pictures, stories, and successes. Tell parents when a child succeeds at something. I try to communicate with parents every 7-10 days or when a major project is happening. Go to ballgames. Be where the kids are. You can build great relationships at events. Parents to Teachers. Give teachers time to respond. If you email, realize that they are teaching during the day. If you text, be respectful and don’t do it too late. Communicate concerns with the teacher first before taking it to the principal. When you don’t, you aren’t partnering, you’re trying to coerce. Tip #2: Communicate consistently. Know how the other person likes to communicate. Listen. When Problems Happen: Parent Teacher Communication Point #3 Teachers to Parents I have a rule. If I have bad news to tell someone, they will hear it from me first. Superintendent Joe Sanfelippo says, "In the absence of knowledge, people tend to make up their own." A child gets teased. Something happens, and the teacher is involved. Nowadays, people who gossip have fingers of fire. Rumors fly. When problems happen, I tell the principal and quickly call the parent. I want them to hear it from me first. I prefer verbal conversations over email. Parents to Teachers Problems at home. If a close family member is ill, a new child is born, or parents are divorcing — tell the teacher. Children internalize hurt. Eventually, it comes out in behavior. When teachers know, we can better understand a child. We can be more understanding. Problems with the teacher. Listen to your child’s complaint. Before you communicate your thoughts with the child, contact the teacher. Hear the teacher’s side. Advocate for your child. But realize that children need to be in a successful mindset to succeed with that teacher. You destroy that mindset when you criticize the teacher in front of the child. Teachers aren’t the enemy. And realize this: your child is not the only child in the classroom the teacher is not a mind reader and may not know about this problem you may not be hearing the whole story We can work it out if we give each other the benefit of the doubt. But in the end, kids need people who care more about doing right than being right. In Conclusion The success of our children is in our hands. Let’s clasp hands in helpfulness. Let’s work together to help kid’s lives be awesome. The post Successful Parent Teacher Communication Tips appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

An Every Classroom Matters Episode Online learning is growing. How do online classrooms differ from the face to face classroom? What about the student/teacher relationship? Jade Ballek is a principal of an online K12 school in Canada. She tells all: the challenges of online learning and the strengths. Sylvia Duckworth made a sketchnote to go with this show! Thanks Sylvia! (See below.) Important Takeaways How do you know if a student is "really" learning? How do you measure and improve student engagement? (Some of us can use these tips in our face to face classrooms.) How does the support structure differ from the face to face classroom? (It was interesting to see what they do to help teachers help students.) Ways students have to be trained to interact with online instructors to make the relationship better. How Jade analyzes course content to improve it. The benefits of online learning, particularly for kids who are shy or quiet. The challenges of online learning and what Jade does to level up course content and teaching. If you’re a blended classroom (or flipped), like me, you’ll learn lots of handy tips to help you improve your online classroom. Most 21st century classrooms are comprised of bricks (f2f) and clicks (online) and our ability to meld the two into a powerful learning experience will determine our success as teachers. Interview Links @jadeballek  Sponsor Lesley University has an impressive line-up of online programs specifically designed for busy teachers. If you’re interested in strengthening your professional training, your resume or your career options, you’ll want to take a look at what Lesley has to offer. Lesley’s programs include: •creative learning environments •experienced faculty •small classes, and •the kind of supportive online community that we all value and want. Take a moment to check out Lesley’s programs for teachers by going to Online.Lesley.edu/BamRadio. Check out Lesley University’s programs. 7 Things Every Educator Needs to Know about Online Learning - drawn by Sylvia Duckworth. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. Join the Every Classroom Matters Awesome Educators Network on Facebook The post 7 Things Every Educator Needs to Know About Online Learning appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Sponsored by Staples Little moments can make a big difference. As teachers, we need to protect our health. We also are charged with protecting the children in our care. Let’s talk about some small things that can make a big difference in the lives of children (and teachers.) This blog post is sponsored by Staples. Office products power your office, but People Products power your people. Coffee, snacks, even desk-cleaning wipes - they make work feel like home and your team feel good. Learn more about People Products at Staples. 1. Encourage the Use of Hand Sanitizer and Hand Washing. The first thing students do when they enter my classroom makes a big difference. They use hand sanitizer. While I encourage them to wash their hands frequently, they can’t always do that between classes. A 2002 study found that telephones, desks, water fountain handles, microwave door handles, and computer keyboards are the most bacteria-laden culprits in our workplaces today. So, hand sanitizer is important. Remember they should also use it when they leave the classroom. (They have been using the keyboards, after all, and need that protection.) Get deals on hand soaps and hand sanitizers at Staples. I have a Purell touch free dispenser on my wall but I also have an extra pump sanitizer that I’ll use if a student starts sneezing or needs it. 2. Clean Your Classroom. Our janitor does a fantastic job. But as the computer lab instructor, I do a little extra. I started doing this eight years ago when I realized one week that every student who sat at computer eight was out with strep.  As I researched my suspicions, I found that an outbreak of the flu at an elementary school in 2008 was blamed on "infected computer equipment." Computers can carry germs. I spray antibacterial electronics cleaner onto a microfiber cloth and wipe down keyboards at least once a week. But when sickness is happening, I’ll do it even more. Then, after I do this, I’ll go scrub my own hands with soap and water. This is one of those little extras I do because I love the kids. After I started this weekly habit, I noticed that I didn’t get any "sick computers" any more. Kids still get sick, of course, but I believe I’m doing all I can. You can pick up electronics wipes but I look for antibacterial cleaning wipes for the keyboard. Because I have so many computers, I use antibacterial electronics spray spray to make sure the keyboards are disinfected. Spray onto the microfiber cloth and then wipe the keyboard. Don’t spray the keyboards directly. Also disinfect other places where students touch a lot. 3. Nourish Yourself When You Take a Break Ninety seven percent of Americans snack, getting 24% of their calories from snacks. Snacking helps you keep your blood sugar level (especially if you have a long time between your breakfast and lunch, like I do.) Look for healthy snacks and plan ahead. I keep almonds and walnuts at my desk for break. When I don’t plan ahead, I get hungry and eat "whatever." I’ll find that by the afternoon, I have no energy. So, I have a snack cabinet where I stock healthy snacks for the week. Plan ahead. Buy several weeks worth of healthy snacks. 4. Drink Lots of Water Seventy five percent  of Americans may suffer from chronic dehydration. The Mayo Clinic says you need roughly 8 glasses of fluids a day. Drink water or fluids continually. I keep a full water bottle at my desk. (I like the double walled water bottle [pictured] because it has no condensation and leaves no ring.) Staying hydrated helps you think. It keeps you healthy. Stock water in your room, or buy a refillable water bottle. I keep my double walled water bottle by my desk and filled. It helps me feel great and think more clearly when I’m hydrated. 5. Get a Good Chair Several years ago, I started having knee problems. My husband is an industrial engineer. They often deal with ergonomics. He came and looked at my desk and work area. He said it was my chair! He bought me a new chair for my birthday. (Most teachers can get their school to buy one, but it wasn’t the case for me.) That chair was one of the best investments we have made in my health! My knee problems were gone within the week! Make sure your work area fits your build and helps you have good posture. I adjust my chair for me and do not let my students borrow it — ever. That chair is an investment in my good health. Find an ergonomic chair with the proper support for your back, the elbows, and your height. My husband says that you need a chair where the height of the chair, position of the seat, angle of the back, and height of the armrest can be adjusted. The chair should promote good posture. Thrive! You Can Do It! Teachers, take care of yourself! You are important! As I wrap up this series of blog posts, I want to give a shout out to Staples and all they have been doing for teachers! I’ve had a great time as their Back to School Ambassador for teachers. Staples has donated $10 million to Think It Up and are funding student projects as I type this blog post. Staples has an incredible Teacher Rewards program. Staples has even jumped into genius hour and have had students design school supplies. My son has the locker shelf and pencil bag designed by students and loves them. And now, they’re wanting me to help you nourish and take care of yourself! I hope you’ll take time to check out all of their People Products. This back to school time has been awesome! If you’re still shopping, check out my highly recommended back to school supplies and my favorite things to buy at Staples. Thanks, Staples. Take care of yourself, teachers! Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to edit and post it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.)   The post 5 Great Ways to Make Your Classroom a Healthier, Happier Place appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

An Every Classroom Matters Episode In this episode, technology guru Jennifer Gonzalez shares ideas for increasing engagement and making teaching easier with technology. If you’re using Makerspace and genius hour, learn how to build an online toolkit for your students. Important Takeaways How can we increase student participation with technology? What are the best ways to collaborate with other teachers? What are the tools you should put in your online Makerspace toolkit? An easy way for busy teachers to find awesome resources. How teachers hold themselves back from advancing in technology. Technologies for elementary and kindergarten students. Where can beginning educators get started with technology? Educator Resources Plickers Kahoot Today’s Meet Voxer Twitter Google Docs iMovie Vimeo YouTube Storybird Pinterest Diigo Haiku Deck Google Slides Class Dojo Class Charts Screencasting Voicethread Glogster Infographics Survey Monkey Poll Daddy QR Codes Interview Links @cultofpedagogy The Teachers Guide to Tech 2015 You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. Join the Every Classroom Matters Awesome Educators Network on Facebook The post 5 Big Classroom Problems You Can Solve with Technology appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

A 2 Minute Productivity Tip No time to read the news? Newsmap helps. Here are tips and a quick tour. A Fast Way to Read the News: Newsmap Newsmap isn’t new — but perfect for a five-minute glance at the news. Here are some tips: When you hover over a box, it will show you the most recent headline. (Great if the box is tiny.) The brightness of the box shows you how breaking the news is. (Brighter means more are coming in faster, darker means that it is decreasing in the number of headlines.) Click Customize to fine tune how you want to view the news. (You’ll need to create an account.) Click the different countries across the top to see how the news looks there. This is a must-share with current events teachers and news hounds. My other tool for news reading is Feedly. Here’s a Feedly tutorial to get you started. Be productive! Be focused! Use tools that work. The post A Fast Way to Read the News: Newsmap appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Hosting a Shark Tank with Kids Students can be app developers. They can program apps. They can pitch their ideas. They can handle defending their dreams. Students can code. Students can create. Those who think students can’t do these things either haven’t tried or have a limited view of themselves as educators. Tomorrow I’m taking three teams of kids up to the National Ed Tech Developer Tour Event up in Atlanta, Georgia. (A few more tickets might be available.) The trailers of the three teams are shown below. They’ll be presenting about their apps and ideas. Two teams already have their apps live on the iTunes and Google Play app stores: #iCare and #Drone Zone. App programming with Crescerance has been awesome since I first learned about it from fifth grader Kennedy and from Susan Bearden at ISTE 2014. So, now, we level up. I’m excited for them and our school and look forward to the event tomorrow night. Because it may be called a "Shark Tank" but I see nothing but encouragement and support for these kids. Want to know more about our Shark Tank event this past spring? Here’s our wiki page on the event.  Student App Developers: Here are the Apps One other exciting note — half of those traveling with me are girls! I see no difference in the success of boys or girls as we program! They may have different apps, but they thrive as they use technology. #iCare #Drone Zone Money Manager   The post Student App Developers: You Can Do This! appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

An Every Classroom Matters Episode Viktor Frankl wrote that a person "who can find a why to live can bear almost any how." Meaning. We search for it. We long for it. We want to matter. Students want it. Teachers want it. Purpose is not beyond our reach. It is right here. If there is one movement I can ask you to join, it is choose to matter. Choose to matter is a mindset. It is an essential part of what we do as teachers. You know this, but you don’t know how. Now you can. Listen to this show. Download the free ebook. Join the movement. Change the world one child at a time. Find the joy in teaching again. With just five or ten minutes a week, you can do this. Important Takeaways How kids, teachers and school have a brand and how to communicate that brand to the world. What Angela thinks about her brother’s tragic suicide and how things could have been different. Can schools make time for this? Where to get free lesson plans. How a pitch and "cause court" work to help build a child’s strengths. How to connect with schools who are helping kids matter. Educator Resources Liberating Genius: The First 20 Days - free ebook The new Choose 2 Matter Website Interview Links @angelamaiers You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. Join the Every Classroom Matters Awesome Educators Network on Facebook Mattering is as essential to our being as water, food, and shelter. The post Liberating Genius: A Plan for the First 20 Days of School appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Every student should know how to take a screenshot. A screenshot is simply a picture of the screen. Why do you need to know how to take a screenshot? To get technical support To create new things! (with permission, of course) To share! To document things that happen online for safety reasons  (see below) Four Ways to Take a Screenshot in Windows In this tutorial, I cover 4 ways to take a screenshot. The hotkeys built in with Windows (both the whole screen and just the active window) Using the Windows Snipping tool The Screenshot tools built into Microsoft Office Adding the Snagit Plug in to Chrome I want my students to understand all four of them. The audio isn’t so perfect on this one, but I hope it helps you see what I teach my students. At the end, I mention the 5 Steps to Online safety that from my book Reinventing Writing. You can download a free poster with these five steps on them to share with your students.    The post How To Take a Screenshot in Windows [Video] appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

The Global Search for Education Candy Nerds were put in a CD tray by one student. They talked. They misbehaved. Some kids tried to look at porn. At one point during the year, someone tied a crowbar and crushed cans under my car. (I guess he hoped I couldn’t come to school the next day.)  Wow! What a terrible class. Cathy Rubin asks, "What was your most challenging classroom and how did you turn it around?" in this month’s Global Search for Education. The boys didn’t want to type. One boy was so disrespectful that we had a behavior contract he had to follow before I’d let him come back into class. It was turmoil. It was hell. But somewhere amidst the struggle, I glimpsed paradise. 1. Seek Advice from Seasoned Teachers. First, I asked advice of the best teachers I knew: my Mom, my sister, my curriculum director. They helped me do things to solve the biggest problems first. Find experienced teachers. Seek their advice.  2. Read Books. On the weekends, I read books. I learned about proximity, behavior management, and classroom management. The answers to almost any problem can be found in the pages of a book. Reading helps you with leading.  3. Talk to the Kids. Everything changed the day I asked the students what would help them want to learn the keyboard. "Only a steak dinner," the boys said smugly. So, I went to the principal and cut a deal. When they finished learning the keyboard, they could bring steaks. We could grill during their lunch period.  (The Great Steak Out is still an annual tradition 14 years later.) The positive excitement was so powerful, there wasn’t time to misbehave. Figure out what motivates your students. What are their interests? Enlist help from your administration. Motivate with positives and not just negatives.  4. Change What You Can. It was my first year of teaching. They were my worst. But it wasn’t them - I’m convinced it was me. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I started learning. I changed the seating chart. I looked at my classroom procedures. I worked to bring things into the classroom that kids loved. I leveled up my teaching. I handled discipline problems privately (particularly if the student seemed to crave "an audience.") Change yourself. Take back your classroom. Control what you can.  5. Study the Craft of Teaching. Fourteen years later, I haven’t had a discipline referral to the front office in over a year (maybe two.) My students are a dream. Sure, student should "know" how to act. Some do. Some don’t. They’re kids. I’m a professional. In all those years, the kids haven’t changed. I have. They still are someone else’s "bad class." But not mine. I don’t have a bad class. I don’t have a bad child. We’re learning. But most of all, I’m more of a craftsman than I was that first year. That first year I had some head knowledge, but I knew very little about what really worked. As long as someone is getting great results, I can learn what they do — and so can you.  But What About When Teaching Is Hard? Teaching is still hard. Last year was the hardest year ever - but it wasn’t the kids. It was other things. But there’s also something wonderful that happens amidst the struggle: When a child learns to love himself. When she better copes with hardship. When she learns something new. Before you get to great things, first you have to get past the worst. And for me, my first year was the worst. But I never quit on the kids. I never quit on myself. This noble profession of teaching is worth the struggle. The post How to Turn Around Bad Classroom Behavior appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

An Every Classroom Matters Episode What if you can stop parent problems before they happen? Second grade teacher Erin Klein shares a 10-minute treasure trove of ideas that work! Parents are our partners. Let’s do this! Important Takeaways How can we prevent "helicopter parenting?" How can we be less defensive when parents ask questions? How do you get parents to actually read what you send them? How to help all parents, tutors, and IEP teams on the same page with current student work. The more ways you teach, the more students you’ll reach. @kleinerin #edchatPowered By the Tweet This PluginTweet This Educator Resources Bloomz PhotoCircle Three Ring Haiku Learning Text messaging has been shown by Stanford University researchers as one of the best ways to engage parents. Helping the Poor in Education, the Power of a Simple Nudge Interview Links @kleinerin Sponsor Bloomz is your one-stop solution for parent-teacher communications. More than just connecting with their cell phones, you can send long or short messages. You can send pictures and links. You can even coordinate volunteer schedules, donations, and parent teacher conferences. I’m using Bloomz in my classroom. Set up your free Bloomz account today You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. Join the Every Classroom Matters Awesome Educators Network on Facebook The more ways you teach, the more students you’ll reach! Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to edit and post it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.) The post Tools You Can Use to Get Parents and Teachers on the Same Side appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

In this 7 minute video, you’ll learn some tips and tricks for organizing files and finding them on a PC. While I’m using Windows 8.1, the system I teach for organizing files is adapted from one Gina Trapani shared in her Lifehacker guide and can be used on any device. How to Organize Files and Find Them on a PC: Essential Questions How does the computer letter the drives? What does a network drive look like? How can students organize files on a computer so they can find them? How do you copy and move files from one place to another? I teach this very early in Computer Fundamentals. Many educators and students do not know how to copy, move, organize, and don’t have a system for keeping their files organized! This is from my basics series over on my YouTube channel. Contact me if you have special requests for tutorials.  The post How to Organize Files and Find Them on a PC [Video] appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

An Every Classroom Matters Episode Want to save time? Want free resources? Open education resources (OERs) can help busy teachers everywhere! Do you know how to find them? Use them? License them? Make your own? Today’s guest, Sue Jones, has created a helpful guide to OERs and is using them in her highered classroom. You can do this! Listen to today’s show to get started. Important Takeaways How OER resources can save teachers lots of time. Finding videos, PowerPoints, and more that you can actually use. A fast tip for figuring out which free videos are accurate. A cool network where educators share tons of free resources. How to share while preventing "stealing." (I share how I license my work.) Why teachers are so excited about OER resources.   Educator Resources Finding, Sharing and Integrating OER Presentation by Sue Jones that we talked about in the show YouTube and copyright/li> OER Commons Creative Commons Search- a turbo fast way to search! Flickr Slideshare lincs.ed.gov Citing Creative Commons work Kyle Pearce’s math animations David Wiley’s 5 R’s of Reuse Interview Links @geonz Sponsor Lesley University has an impressive line-up of online programs specifically designed for busy teachers. If you’re interested in strengthening your professional training, your resume or your career options, you’ll want to take a look at what Lesley has to offer.Lesley’s programs include: •creative learning environments •experienced faculty •small classes, and •the kind of supportive online community that we all value and want. Take a moment to check out Lesley’s programs for teachers by going toOnline.Lesley.edu/BamRadio.  Check Out Lesley University’s Online Programs You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. Join the Every Classroom Matters Awesome Educators Network on Facebook The post OER: How to Find, Use and Share Free Teaching Tools and Resources appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

An Every Classroom Matters Episode Jon Schwartz is the California teacher who created Rockademix.  He found that Karaoke is an incredible way to teach reading and English as a Second Language (ESL) students. You’ll find so many ideas that you can use to teach reading (and any subject). This method can produce great results! The California state Senate named Jon "Tech Hero of 2011." If you write music, maybe you should write some for your classroom. If not, start looking for some! Important Takeaways How a blues song unlocked a child struggling to learn English and how it led to the creation of a company. How Karaoke can boost reading. Free ways that every child can create music in any classroom. How Jon’s classroom transformed when he started using music to teach kids. How to engage kids who are struggling readers by using music. Educator Resources Rockademix A Peek into Jon’s Classroom Jon shares the music that started it all and how you can download a free copy of the Constitution song and video with dance moves. Interview Links @kidslikeblues @rockademix Other ECM Shows on Music We’ve had quite a few other award winning educators who are demonstrating to all of us how well music works in the classroom! There’s a reason many of us remember the Saturday Morning "Schoolhouse Rock" songs we sang about the US government. "I’m Just a Bill" or "Conjunction Junction, What’s Your Function?" If you’re struggling to teach something. Find a song! Teachers are writing music everywhere now! Jed Dearybury, teacher from South Carolina ECM episode #130 "Taking Risks to Engage Students" with Scott and Tim Bedley episode #60 Listen to Jon Schwartz Watch this video to see how the blues teach about the constitution https://youtu.be/AOalfo0ZhXAPowered By the Tweet This PluginTweet This Every Classroom Matters is a bi-weekly Radio Show by Vicki Davis on BAM Radio network with best practices for busy teachers. Subscribe. Show notes prepared by Lisa Durff, Production Coordinator for Every Classroom Matters. If you need help, use this tutorial. The post Stop Struggling! Teach English Language Learners with Karaoke! appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

Trends to Help You Teach Kid President is cool. He is now looking for awesome girls to celebrate. His video is endearing (and funny) but rings true. Girls often don’t think they’re awesome. I felt invisible and unwanted by my peers until I lost weight and started winning beauty pageants — at least in my small town. Being smart was not a good thing. Being pretty was. I remember feeling very un-awesome. We MUST  tell girls they are awesome just like they are! We can complain about "the media." But now we have a cute kid (and his brother) who want to celebrate awesome girls. We should be all over this one! Pile on! So, if you want to help girls or are working with girls, why not join Kid President in celebrating these awesome girls! This fun activity is perfect if you’re working with girls and self-esteem. Watch the video (and laugh) - come on people, the video is hilarious. But then, Why not take pics of your classroom of girls and tweet to #kpawesomegirls? Why not celebrate some awesome girls in your life? Why not share some awesome inspiring girls of history? Who knows some awesome girls??? Let’s have fun with this! So, Kid President is doing this, he’s cool. Much cooler than you and me saying it. (Sorry teacher friends, that is how it is.) Girls (and boys) need to know they are awesome. Each child is a masterpiece. Every child matters. With all the messages girls get in magazines and media, we need to help them see their own beauty. This is a trend we can join. So, I’m going to start by tweeting out that my friend Angela Maiers is a #kpawesomegirls (that is with an "s") because of her #choose2matter movement. OK @iamkidpresident my friend @angelamaiers is a #kpawesomegirls 4 starting the #choose2matter movement & helps kids know theymatter — Vicki Davis (@coolcatteacher) September 23, 2015 Kids matter. I’ll use any means necessary to help them know that. How about you? Who are the awesome girls in your life?   The post Celebrate Awesome Girls with Kid President! #kpawesomegirls appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

Friendly Technology for Beginners We bank online. We buy things on our computers. But what do we know about computer security? Everything from our wills to our accounting software is on our home computers. But one drive around a neighborhood with my phone looking for hotspots, and I can see dozens of homes ready for a hacker to steal their information. We put in alarm systems. Do we purchase firewalls? Do we password protect our wifi and home computers? Do parents and kids share the same login ids? These are just a few of the 22. 22 Computer Security Tips Everyone Should Know Here’s a quick video with the 22 most common mistakes I’ve seen since beginning my work with computers in 1993. This is a beginning video that I also share with my students and their parents. A Few Important Questions from the Computer Security Video (Watch it!) Do you have a firewall? Did you change the firewall’s password from the default? Does your wifi have a password? Do you have user accounts for your children? (Not administrative.) Do you have parental controls on your child’s account? (Or can they install software and let hackers onto your computer when downloading games?) Do you let strangers or whoever charge their phone in the USB on your PC? Do you have a secure password for your home computer? Do you know the most common ways people steal passwords? Computer Security Software & Hardware to Check Out  Antivirus Software Avast Free AVG Free Kaspersky Antivirus Other Software Malwarebytes- for malware Ninite - to help you quickly install updates for all your software Zone Alarm - only if you need it (listen to the recommendation) LastPass - A Password Manager (I like this one - WARNING - Learn how to set this up and be careful! I wrote about this here.) 1Password- Another password manager Hard Drive for Backup Western Digital My Passport 1TB External Hard Drive My Go-To Computer Security Experts and Resources Luke Allen’s Technology Toolbox David Pogue’s Book - Pogue’s Basics: Essential Tips and Shortcuts (That No One Bothers to Tell You) for Simplifying the Technology in Your Life Other Articles I’ve Written for Beginners You May Want to Read 10 Things Everyone Should Know About Passwords 8 Great Email Etiquette Tips for Educators and Everybody 5 Steps to Internet Safety (Free Download) Location Based Safety Guide What did I miss? I’ve already updated the video once. Is there anything else that needs to go in there? I know this is a very simple explanation, but my audience is beginners. I’d appreciate feedback before I share this with my students next week. As I recommend in the video, you should have a local computer expert you can consult to advise you on all matters. This is to get you started, but you are responsible for your own computer security and safety. No one video could explain every single risk, nor did I try to. This is to start you on your journey. I am not liable for your computer security in any way - you are. Please consult your local computer technician. And now, that disclaimer is done!  The post If You Don’t Know these 22 Things About Computer Security, You’re Headed for Trouble appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

MATH FREEBIE ALERT: Awesome Foldables and Downloads from Sarah Hagan Math = Love Blog Sarah Hagan is one busy math teacher from Oklahoma. Her site has: Foldables Templates Bulletin Boards Graphic Organizers If you know any math teachers, this is one of those sites that is a MUST SHARE! Just scanning her site, I see Frayer models, integer operations work mat, downloadable mathematical research projects, college algebra real number line project, order of operations graphic organizer. All ages here. Here’s where to follow her: Sarah Hagan on Google Plus @mathequalslove Tell every math teacher you know! Awesome! (What are your favorite places for freebies?) Free math resources from Sarah Hagan The post MATH FREEBIE ALERT: Awesome Foldables and Downloads from Sarah Hagan [Link] appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

Technology Research and News A recent Wall Street Journal Article is attracting attention. It found (gasp) using computers doesn’t give you better test scores. Technology in classrooms means little. Here’s why: "The report suggested that "we have not yet become good enough at the kind of pedagogues that make the most of technology; that adding 21st century technologies to 20th century teaching practices will just dilute the effectiveness of teaching." Report results are based on an assessment in 2012 that tracked students in more than 40 countries and surveyed them on computer habits and conducted both written and digital tests. On average, seven out of 10 students in countries surveyed use computers at school and students average at least 25 minutes a day online. In some countries, like Turkey and Mexico, about half of the students don’t have access to a computer at home. The survey found that students with more exposure to computers do better, on average, than those with little exposure to computers, but the OECD cautioned against drawing conclusions based on that result. The data could simply reflect that school systems that invest in technology also invest in better teachers and draw on students from a higher socio-economic class, who tend to do better in school." The Wall Street Journal, "Technology in Classrooms Doesn’t Always Boost Education Results, OECD Says" IT IS HOW YOU USE TECHNOLOGY! How do you teach with tech? WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT?  You can’t get smarter just rubbing Einstein’s head. If he were still alive, you’d have to talk to him. You’d want to interact to improve. Technology in the Closet Before I became a high school teacher, I taught teachers how to use technology. I’ll never forget my discovery about edtech. I was lost in the building. I opened the door to the closet instead of the conference room. The closet was full from bottom to top with computers in boxes. I had just been working in a poor school with few computers. But this closet was full. When I asked if the teachers could have them, I was told they stockpiled them at the end of the fiscal year. They would figure it out. Over a year later when I went back and peeked, the closet was still half full. Nobody figured it out. I discovered that HAVING technology means nothing. You have to: Have technology in the classroom, Students must have access, and Teachers must know how to teach with tech. Using Technology in Ways that Improve Classroom Learning It is not about what you HAVE but what you DO with what you HAVE. Unless you HAVE NOTHING — and then you don’t even HAVE a chance. And that is unfair. Technology is here. It can make a massive difference if you HAVE the know-how to teach with it effectively. Edtech Professional Development Must Amp Up I went to a recent professional development about differentiated instruction. It was one day of lecture. I couldn’t believe it. We need PD! But teacher training must model what we’re teaching.  When I teach collaborative writing, we write collaboratively. When I do a workshop on global collaboration, we collaborate globally. When I do a workshop on differentiation, I differentiate. To do otherwise is not only hypocrisy, but it is also a waste of money. And that is where we are. A gulf yawns between the haves and HAVE NOTS. I would argue this. Good Technology Access + Good Technology Pedagogy = Improvement  and Good Technology Access + Bad Technology Pedagogy = No Improvement and No Technology Access = No Improvement And the latter two in this list aren’t much different. It is more than technology access. It is how we teach with what we have. It would be like giving new customer care reps an awesome new system and not training them. But it happens each and every day in our schools. This report is no surprise. It just validates what many in education technology have been saying all along. If you’ve got the technology, let’s talk about good teaching with it. The post Why Technology in Classrooms Doesn’t Always Boost Education Results appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

Hot Research, Trends, and Teacher Resources Today I’m going to be experimenting again with a news feature that I ran a few years back. I’ll summarize some of interesting research, trends, and helpful resources. Let me know in the comments if you like me bringing back this feature and if you find it useful. I plan to try this for a while and measure the response. I want to help educators be excellent every day. Part of being excellent is reading things and being a lifelong learner. Tweet me things you think need to be shared on a wider basis. Resources You Can Use in the Classroom Free Technology for Teachers: Google Expeditions is Possibly Coming to a School Near You http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2015/09/google-expeditions-possibly-coming-to.html#.VgmHSstVhBc Cool virtual reality tool. I have one my sister gave me for Savannah college of Art and design that they did with the iPhone. It was incredible. Cardboard with a smartphone inserted. It uses the accelerometer inside to really make it feel 3d. It does. You can actually get kind of dizzy. From Richard Byrne’s site. "Earlier this year Google unveiled a new virtual reality program for schools. The program is called Expeditions. Expeditions uses an app on the teacher’s tablet in conjunction with the Cardboard viewer to guide students on virtual reality field trips. Today, Google announced that they are bringing Expedition demonstrations and the required kits to schools all over North America, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand." We’re NASA Mars scientists. Ask us anything about today’s news announcement of liquid water on Mars. : IAmA https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3mq1wl/were_nasa_mars_scientists_ask_us_anything_about/ NASA mars scientists posted at 1:30 pm on 9/28/2015 just a few hours after it was announced that liquid water was found on MARS — that they would be answering questions on Reddit. This is a cool thread. yet another reason to join Reddit. 10 Questioning Strategies to Differentiate Instruction | Minds in Bloom http://www.minds-in-bloom.com/2015/09/10-questioning-strategies-to.html Laura Poinier’s post has some easy-to-do strategies that can help you start differentiating NOW. I especially love what she says about giving kids prior notice. The simplest and most effective strategy to help students succeed is to give them extra time to process. Do this by giving prior notice before cold-calling. Assure specific students that you will never "cold-call" them and will instead let them know ahead of time when they will be asked to participate. How? During independent practice or bell ringers, privately tell a student, "Your answer to number one is perfect; I’m going to ask you to share it when the timer goes off," or "After Bobbi and Jake read, you are going to read paragraph three aloud." Many students who struggle academically act invisible or act out to avoid public academic failure. Giving prior notice is a great way to reduce anxiety and misbehavior. Free Technology for Teachers: 5 Research Tools Students Often Overlook A fantastic overview / reminder to students about some incredible research tools right in front of them. Share this one! Writing Editing tips to take your writing from good to great - Crew blog http://blog.crew.co/take-draft-good-great-editing-tips/?utm_content=buffer3a9aa&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer This is an awesome article with tons of quotes from writers. A marvelous one to share with your creative writing classes. Research that People Are Talking About New Research: Spending DOES Make a Difference, Especially for the Poorest Children | Diane Ravitch’s blog http://dianeravitch.net/2015/09/28/new-research-spending-does-make-a-difference-especially-for-the-poorest-children/ "The authors-C. Kirabo Jackson, associate professor of human development and social policy at Northwestern University, Rucker C. Johnson, associate professor of public policy at University of California, Berkeley, and Claudia Persico, a doctoral candidate in human development and social policy at Northwestern University-show that "increased school spending is linked to improved outcomes for students, and for low-income students in particular…Increasing per-pupil spending yields large improvements in educational attainment, wages, and family income, and reductions in the annual incidence of adult poverty for children from low-income families. As they also show, it matters how the new money is spent-such as on instruction, hiring more teachers, increasing teacher pay, hiring guidance counselors and social workers. Money well-spent "can profoundly shape the life outcomes of economically disadvantaged children and thereby reduce the intergenerational transmission of poverty. Money alone may not lift educational outcomes to desired levels, but our findings confirm that the provision of adequate funding may be critical."" Sleep Scientists Confirm Getting To Work Before 9 AM Is Torture http://www.lifehack.org/316086/sleep-scientists-confirm-getting-work-before-9-torture Scientists are continuing to advocate that work and school start later. Researcher Paul Kelley CLAIMS that test scores and work productivity should start at 10am. Of course, what he doesn’t account for that this would push sports to later in the day and kids would go to bed even later than they do already. You can only cram so much into a day. Anyway, it is interesting reading. One of the most important things is emphasizing and encouraging to parents that kids get enough sleep. What Parents Can Do To Avoid Passing Anxiety On To Their Kids | MindShift | KQED News http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/09/28/what-parents-can-do-to-avoid-passing-anxiety-on-to-their-kids/ "Children of anxious parents are more at risk of developing an anxiety disorder. But there’s welcome news for those anxious parents: that trajectory toward anxiety isn’t set in stone. Therapy and a change in parenting styles might be able to prevent kids from developing anxiety disorders, according to research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry Friday." Music and Learning: Why Teachers Should Consider Music in the Classroom | The Inspired Classroom http://theinspiredclassroom.com/2015/09/music-and-learning/ The research on why music is so helpful in the classroom. Being a Better Online Reader - The New Yorker http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/being-a-better-online-reader?utm_content=buffer8a084&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer Fascinating overview of the research and controversy of online and e-reading versus reading with a physical book. From what I’ve read the "jury is still out" but still, there are definitely times you must have a physical book. For example, my daughter struggled in Calculus - we decided to save up and bought her the $800 printed calculus book (instead of the $124 online book). Her grades are decidedly UP. There are certain materials, I believe, that are best shared on the printed page. Here’s what researcher Anne Mangen a professor at the National Centre for Reading Education and Research at the University of Stavanger, in Norway is quoted in the article which says, Much of Mangen’s research focusses on how the format of reading material may affect not just eye movement or reading strategy but broader processing abilities. One of her main hypotheses is that the physical presence of a book—its heft, its feel, the weight and order of its pages—may have more than a purely emotional or nostalgic significance. People prefer physical books, not out of old-fashioned attachment but because the nature of the object itself has deeper repercussions for reading and comprehension. "Anecdotally, I’ve heard some say it’s like they haven’t read anything properly if they’ve read it on a Kindle. The reading has left more of an ephemeral experience," she told me. Her hunch is that the physicality of a printed page may matter for those reading experiences when you need a firmer grounding in the material. The text you read on a Kindle or computer simply doesn’t have the same tangibility. One interesting note on this article. They don’t follow some of the principles of helping make a page readable online. I found the page hard to read not because of the words, but the layout. I would argue that the way a page is presented also impacts how reading happens. Trends About Today’s Students How mobile technology in education is shaping the next generation of employees | Information Age http://www.information-age.com/technology/mobile-and-networking/123460243/how-mobile-technology-education-shaping-next-generation-employees This article talks about how today’s teaching is going to change the business world. Sadly, I think that much of the teaching they CLAIM happens (such as mobile learning and differentiation) may not be as widespread as they think. Either way, this generation is different and I do think they expect to be a truly mobile workforce. Of course it will be interesting to see how the kids who are lucky enough to have personalized learning feel about the workforce. How one school is turning Generation Z into entrepreneurial innovators | Information Age http://www.information-age.com/it-management/skills-training-and-leadership/123459052/how-one-school-turning-generation-z-entrepreneurial-innovators And I’m seeing this too. This generation wants to start their own business. We see this with Shark tank type experiences. This is a cool overview of what one college is doing as they literally help students start businesses in school instead of doing projects that go in the trash. Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here. The post Improving the Education of Kids in Poverty and Other Helpful News appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

An Every Classroom Matters Episode Beth Kanter is a leading social media expert for nonprofits. She gives advice on how schools should manage their Facebook, Twitter, and social media efforts. Most schools need more volunteers and donors (or at least positive press). Schools can even motivate students to share positive things. Social media can help if you know how. Important Takeaways How should schools spend time on social media? Measure success? How one group found a video with a million views didn’t help get more volunteers and donors. Engage and empower PhilanthroTeens to support your school on social media. Make it easier for volunteers to sign up. Make it easier to donate through social media. (We talk about Facebook’s "donate now" button.) Explanation of A/B testing and how it can help your school. Beth Kanter wrote the Networked Nonprofit book series. She is considered a leading expert in the use of social media for social change. Social media is a mindset. Social media is a skill. Social media can help you, not just be a problem. Anyone working with social media in schools should follow Beth. Educator Resources The Networked Nonprofit: Connecting with Social Media to Drive Change by Beth Kanter Measuring the Networked Nonprofit: Using Data to Change the World by Beth Kanter Facebook donate now button Interview Links @kanter bethkanter.org Sponsor Volunteerspot.com is a free tool that will make it easier to engage potential volunteers and donors. Make parent-teacher conferences easy. Pick the times you can meet. Email/share the link. Parents DON’T need a password or login to sign up. Volunteerspot will remind them. Volunteerspot is easy and FREE! Sign up today. Sign up for Volunteerspot.com now. Join the Every Classroom Matters Awesome Educators Network on Facebook You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. Episode 174: Get More Volunteers and Donors for Your School Listen to this episode with Beth Kanter to learn how to get more volunteers and donors for your school. The post How to Get More Volunteers and Donors for Your School appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

Useful Pedagogies and Tools for Educators Sketchnoting is not just an attractive way to take notes, it can improve retention and learning. These sketchnoting resources will get you started with your students.  You don’t have to have a ton of talent, just a little know-how. I’ll update these sketchnoting resources, so tweet me or leave a comment to add your favorites. Don’t get overwhelmed, just get started. Twitter Tip: If you want to find and share great sketchnotes, follow the #edusketch hashtag on Twitter. Resources on Sketchnoting and Visual Notetaking: Most Valuable Sketchnoting Resources Sylvia Duckworth’s incredible presentation Sketchnoting for Beginners. Kathy Schrock’s Sketchnoting guide Smashing Magazine’s Article on Sketchnoting Karen Bosch’s Free Sketchnote Course on iTunes Notetaking Skills for 21st Century Students - one of my most popular blog posts that incorporates visual notetaking/sketchnoting into how I teach students to take notes. Sylvia Duckworth’s Sketchnote/ Visual Notetaking Blog Post for Beginners Karen Bosch’s Sketchnoting Tools Website Doodlers Unite - Popular TED Talk by Sunni Brown - She uses the term "doodle" but many I know use sketchnotes or edusketch as their titles. Warning - you can’t really use this video with K12 kids, it has an inappropriate joke in it. Pick some of the others I’ve listed here. Sketchnoting Tools Sketchnoting Fans: Paper 53 Built a Sketchnote Community Karen Bosch’s Tool Recommendations (scroll down for her current recommendations) 10 Habits of Bloggers that Win, Sylvia Duckworth’s Sketchnote of the ebook by Vicki Davis Places to See Awesome Sketchnotes Sylvia Duckworth’s Sketchnote Flickr Account - Sylvia sketches relevant things for educators today. Sketchnote Army Website Sketchnotes on Pinterest (this is a search for the tag, you must filter to find the ones you want, but I love trolling for ideas here.) Sacha Chua’s Evernote Notebook of Sketchnotes (hat tip Todd Finley for pointing me to her!) People Who Sketchnote Education Topics @sylviaduckworth Sylvia Duckworth @langwitches Silvia Tolisano @braddo Brad Ovenell-Carter @karlyb Karen Bosch @rockourworld Carol Anne McGuire @rebezuniga Rebeca Zuniga @amyburvall Amy Burvall @sachac Sacha Chua Sketchnoting Resources and Books to Help You Dive Deep The Doodle Revolution: Unlock the Power to Think Differently by Sunni Brown [BOOK] The Sketchnote Handbook: the illustrated guide to visual note taking by Mike Rohde [BOOK] What are Sketchnotes? (Great sketchnotes explaining sketchnotes.) [SKETCHNOTES] How to Create Awesome Visual Notes [BLOG POST] Brad Ovenell-Carter’s Sketchnoting Primer (video above) [VIDEO] Sketchnote Podcast (they are videos - 10 part series you can use with kids as you watch people draw on camera.) [10 VIDEOS] Sketchnoting Research and News Drawing to Learn | Learning Sciences Research Institute http://www.lsri.nottingham.ac.uk/research/drawingtolearn "Ainsworth, Prain and Tyler  (2011) in a paper in Science argue that  drawing  can play a number of  important roles in learning:, namely: Drawing to enhance engagement — surveys have shown that when students draw to explain they are more motivated to learn compared to traditional teaching of science. Drawing to learn to represent in science — the process of producing visual representations  helps learners understand how scientific representations work. Drawing to reason in science — student learn to reason like scientists as they select specific features to focus on in their drawings, aligning it with observation, measurement and/or emerging ideas Drawing as a learning strategy — if learners read a text and then draw it, the process of making their understanding visible and explicit helps them to overcome limitations in presented material, organise and integrate their knowledge and ultimately can be transformative. Drawing to communicate — discussing their drawings with their students provides teachers with windows into students’ thinking as well being a way that the peers can share knowledge, discovery and understanding." Skills and Strategies | Doodling, Sketching and ‘Mind Mapping’ as Learning Tools - The New York Times http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/24/skills-and-strategies-doodling-sketching-and-mind-mapping-as-learning-tools/?_r=2 Excellent article on the strategies and skills students need about sketchnoting, doodling, and mind mapping. These are important skills. Kathy Schrock is quoted in the article. Hat tip to Sylvia Duckworth for this gem. The post Epic Sketchnoting Resources: How to Get Started Teaching Sketchnoting appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

An Every Classroom Matters Episode Raised by an "alcoholic and an outlaw" father, Kevin Honeycutt grew up in poverty. He says childhood had many "midnight runs." His Dad would let the kids pack their belongings in one trash bag each. Kevin was always the new kid. Foster homes. Extreme poverty. But someone saved him. It was his teachers. This episode is his story. Important Takeaways How you can "flip a kid" and change a life You have lots of kids who transfer in and out, do you still make a difference? "Rebelieving" in someone How band and art classes changed his life How to help kids with no hope succeed Finding success secrets I asked him, "If you were your own teacher. If "little Kevin" were in your class for 15 days, what would you tell him?" I replayed Kevin’s response to that question over and over. His answer haunts me. We should all be saying this. Do you feel this way? When I’ve poured my heart and soul into a child and they transfer, I cry. I mourn. I wonder if I made a difference. Kevin fills me with hope. The show is full of great quotes. (below) Educator Resources Your Digital Dad [free ebook] Your Digital Dad YouTube Series Interview Links @kevinhoneycutt Join the Every Classroom Matters Awesome Educators Network on Facebook You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. The post Story of a Young Life Turned Around by Great Teachers appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!