Today I’ve been at Kentucky Country Day School at the Teach Tech Learn Conference. More than 200 teachers from around Kentucky and few from outside the state have come together to learn best practices for promoting 21st century learning. I promised my new friends here that I’d share the slide presentations here on my blog so they’d be easy to find and hope that all of you who take the time will grab some links and ideas. (Flipping through the slides of presenters is one of my favorite ways to gain ideas and get links to best practices.) Also notice that the Reinventing Writing presentation includes video - the book trailer and a 1 hour keynote of that presentation are included in the slidedeck - you can always forward through that if you want to see the slides, but some of you wanted the presentation from YouTube. Also note that these are updated as I always add new things to every presentation I give. Connect Connect with me online and share your questions or best practices. Let’s talk: Twitter: @coolcatteacher Facebook: www.facebook.com/coolcatteacher Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/coolcatteacher Tumblr: vickidavis.me Instagram: @coolcatteacher Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/coolcatteacher Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/coolcatteacher  Google Plus https://plus.google.com/+VickiDavis/posts Enjoy your summer and hope to see some of you at #ISTE14 next week! I’m so excited! Learn 12 Habits of Top 21st Century Teachers: Keynote 12 Habits of the Effective 21st Century Teacher from Vicki Davis   Reinventing Writing Reinventing Writing shared at KDCTTL Conference June 2014 from Vicki Davis Differentiating Instruction with Technology Technology Driven Differentiated Instruction #KCDTTL from Vicki Davis Have a great summer and learn lots! The post Ideas for Summer Learning from #KCDTTL appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Want to know how to take notes electronically? Frustrated because students can never find their notes or pictures they take of the board? There is a solution but we have to move past the (awesome) Cornell notetaking system and other systems we’ve used in the past into 21st century notetaking. I use a system that I share in Chapter 4: Reinventing Notetaking of Reinventing Writing. Recently on SmartBrief I gave an overview  of PREPS and how it works. PREPS stands for Prepare, Record, Engage, Ponder, and Sync. Here’s the first part of the article on SmartBrief, you’ll want to go to their SmartBlog and read the rest. Students everywhere are taking pictures of the board. It is almost like a "get out of jail free" card when it comes to taking notes. Can they find them later? Do they ever look at them again? Do they review them for the test? Obviously, we need new note-taking systems to help students learn, recall and capture in this modern age. In light of the unique nature of electronic note taking, I’ve developed a system that I share in my new book "Reinventing Writing" that I call PREPS. In my opinion, there are two contenders for best notebook service: Evernote and One Note.I’ll mention them throughout this guide. 1. PREPARE Set up Prepare your notebook by setting up categories and notebooks. Plan ahead for a class or meeting by using a template in Kustom Note for Evernote or use one of the templates included with One Note. If you need help organizing, watch the Evernote Secret Weapon videos… Read more about PREPS on my guest post on SmartBrief "5 steps for electronic notetaking success" The post PREPS: 5 Steps for Electronic Notetaking Success #reinventingwriting appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

IT Integrator Susan Oxnevad uses Google Forms to train parents about the school’s iPad program. Even though she’s an advanced user, she also has practical advice for getting started. Chock full of Google goodness and best practices, this show is a "must listen" for schools using Google Apps for Education (GAFE) or Chromebooks. Listen to Susan Oxnevad Share about Google Docs Susan Oxnevad - Show Notes #77 - 12 Great Ways to Use Google Drive in Education Susan Oxnevad’s glogster linking to effective writing methods using Google Docs is widely shared among writing teachers around the world. Susan Oxnevad, an instructional technology facilitator in the Chicago area, is an expert at using Google Tools for K-12 learning. She explains how to use Google Forms to embed media and ask questions about that media. She is excited about the new research tool available in Google Docs or Google Presentations on a computer.  Using the horizontal menu, navigate to tools and then in the drop down menu to research.  This tool opens a menu on the right side that conveniently searches in Google for any term typed into the search bar. Susan is excited about using Google Templates in education to create Reusable Learning Objects.  She finds out about tools and then tries them out herself.  She has found potential with voice activated search, which is currently filtered by her schools. Her advice for getting started is to use tools to teach current lessons.  The comment tool is easy to integrate for many students.  Peer reviewing can be taught with the comment tool in Google Docs. Susan is on Twitter at @soxnevad.  Her blog, Cool Tools for 21st Century Learners, contains a wealth of resources for teachers.   Susan is passionate about using technology for learning.  Listen to this episode to find out how she uses Google for learning in K-12. Listen to Susan Oxnevad Share about Google Docs Add Susan Oxnevad to your PLN @soxnevad http://d97cooltools.blogspot.com/ Every Classroom Matters is a bi-weekly Internet Radio Show by Vicki Davis on BAM Radio network with best practices for busy teachers.  Subscribe. Show notes prepared by Lisa Durff, Production Coordinator. Need help listening to the show? If you’re clicking "Play" on the BAM Radio Site, this often works best in Internet Explorer. Or subscribe in a podcatcher. I have a tutorial to help you Question: Do you have a favorite tip for Google Apps? Please share. You can leave a comment by clicking here. The post 12 Great Ways to Use Google Drive in Education with Susan Oxnevad appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

As hall of fame baseball player, Babe Ruth said, "Yesterday’s home runs won’t win tomorrow’s games." To level up writing, we need to take advantage of the out-of-the park features and capabilities that social media inspired concepts give writing instruction. I write this for @InnovativeEdu Read this Full Post Now Most of us know how it feels to write an exciting Facebook status update or a powerful tweet. Without delay, we know the impact of our words as they are retweeted, commented on, and liked (or ignored.) With this in mind, it stands to reason that students want a response too. Paper essays that are only seen by the teacher with a wastebasket as their final destiny are a needless waste of time and potential. Writing can be so much more exciting and it isn’t that hard to do. Order the book Reinventing Writing Notably, social media is impacting writing in the classroom in ten powerful ways. You don’t have to be on social media (or even like it)  to feel the lift social media concepts can give writing in your classroom, as I share in my new book  Reinventing Writing released just this month. 10 Ways Social Media Has Reinvented Writing and Tips to Benefit Students Social Media Impact #1 - Connect with an Audience. Research shows that audience improves student writing effort and work. It makes sense, writers want meaning… Read the rest of this post on Lisa Nielson’s Innovative Educator Blog You’ll see me sharing views and thoughts based upon the two years of research and work that went into my new book, Reinventing Writing. To see how to get it click here. When I write in other places, I do like to share the links here on my blog for all of you faithful readers. I’m doing this as part of sharing the news about how we can improve writing far and wide. Thank you for adding me to your PLN. Read this Full Post on Innovative Educator Get Reinventing Writing on Amazon   The post 10 Ways Social Media Can Improve Writing (on @InnovativeEdu) appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

During summer days, if you’re a top teacher, you’ll take time to improve your best asset — you. If somehow it’s not clear why that’s so important, look at it this way: when financial times are tight, our schools can improve the bottom line in four ways, three which aren’t beneficial for us as teachers. They can cut teachers and staff. They can cut benefits. They can lower quality. We teachers can become more productive and better at our jobs. The best choice for our students, schools, and us is #4 — becoming better teachers. But how? We’re so tired! Here are 12 tips that I use to level up every summer. 1. Rework the Worst to Be the Best Based on student feedback, rework your least engaging lessons to make them the most exciting lessons the next year. Create costumes or comb thrift shops, make room decorations, and spend time inventing powerful learning experiences. Top teachers never settle. Read this Full Post on my Edutopia Blog Permalink: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/top-12-summer-tips-teachers-vicki-davis Edutopia includes me as a blogger on their site. Edutopia has a thriving community of educators, please join in the conversation! I’ll keep you posted. Remember that you can sign up for notices every time I post something in the box on the top right of this page. The post Top 12 Summer Tips for Top Teachers appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

As the owner of a company that now consults school districts in their technology plans, I have zero patience for administrators that fail to see the importance of professional development when new tech is welcomed. My feelings have been hardened by first hand experience working in education and seeing how hopeless new tech initiatives were when the assumption that "if you provide it, they will learn." Just laying claim to the fact that technology was purchased and dropped into classrooms doesn’t make up for the negated fact that it will be next to useless without the correct training. Not only training, either; districts need to make concentrated efforts in championing not only the functional aspects of technical aptitude, but also the integrative possibilities with how instruction can be transformed through a digital paradigm… If teachers have a common understanding of where the technology is taking their instruction, the student body will only then be capable of being led by the next generation of instructors. From Derrick Wlodarz "7 Big Mistakes K-12 Education Needs to Avoid in 1:1 Computing Plans" via betanews Derrick Wlodarz (BetaNews: 7 big mistakes K-12 education needs to avoid in 1:1 computing plans, 2013) The post Lack of Staff Professional Development (in 1:1 Implementations) is Like Tossing Money Away [Quote] appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

"There is one way to avoid criticism: Do nothing. Say nothing. Be nothing." says Aristotle. Criticism comes with breaking new ground. Criticism comes with putting yourself out there. But how do you respond when that criticism turns to hatred? Hatred is a hard thing to handle, particularly when you feel it is unjust. But I’m writing this for you today: DON’T LET IT STOP YOU. The Man in the Arena by Theodore Roosevelt It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt, Excerpt from the Speech "Citizenship in the Republic" given at the Sorbonne in Paris, France April 1910 We are all people of the arena. Every human has to cope with this question: What to do when someone hates you Be you. But being you will often cause undeserved hate from others. Hatred is a hard thing to handle. Humans usually posses a me-centric view of the world. We’ve all seen two good people can have a vastly different opinion. It happens. No matter what you do, how kind you are, or anything else, I promise you this: in your human-ness you will attract haters. No way around it. Haters are are an inevitable part of life if you’re accomplishing anything of worth. You can decide what to do with it. It will also shock and surprise you just how long some people will nurse hatred. It can be years later and they’re still hanging onto something you barely remember. Don’t confuse criticism with hate.  People who care will give advice help you improve.  Tip 1: Not Every Criticism is Motivated by Hate A person giving you constructive criticism wants to help you improve and become better. A hater wants to hurt you and wants you to die. Determine if love or hate is the basis by who gave you the criticism and how it is given. What was the intent? Help or harm? Why Do We Notice the Negative? You can be in a crowd of ten thousand and give an incredible speech. One critic blasts you on their blog or on Twitter and what do you notice? You don’t see 100 positive tweets - you see the one negative. You can captivate your whole classroom but one student has decided to dislike you.  You don’t relish 29 joyful happy learning kids - you languish because one student (and their parents usually) don’t like you.  (I’ve been there and goodness - it is hard when it happens.) Understand Critics Math Jon Acuff talks about this phenomenon in his book Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters calls this "critics math." Jon says 1 insult + 1,000 compliments = 1 insult Jon goes on to tell the story of Larry David, the inventor of the hit show Seinfeld, he went to New York and went to a ballgame. When the organizers spotted Larry in the crowd, they showed his picture on the big screen and played the Seinfeld theme song as the entire stadium stood and applauded. After the game as Larry walks to his car, a stranger drove by, rolled down his window, and yells "Larry, you suck!" Which did Larry remember later? The one stranger who said he sucked. Are you kidding? One rude person can erase 49,999 giving you a standing ovation? This math doesn’t make sense. Tip 2: Reject Critics Math The first step in overcoming critics math is to realize you’re doing it and refuse to go there. Tip 3: Keep Perspective For me, when I deal with the haters I admit  there’s room enough in this big wide world for both of us. Good people can dislike me. I can even dislike good people. Good and evil is not determined by whether people like you or me. This helps. I recall a professor in college who drew a little x at the corner of the board. Across the board he drew a cloud. He points at the cloud and says, "this is the universe." He walks across the front of the room to the tiny x and says, "this is you" as he addresses the whole class. Then, he says something profound. "Notice that you (pointing at the x) are not at the center of the universe (pointing at the cloud.)" Love is a powerful response to hate. Tip 4: Center Your Thoughts in Healthy Ways Nope. I’m not. But we can choose to center our thoughts daily. When hate rears its ugly head — it hurts.  And yet it gets easier with time. Focus on your goals. We’ve got things to get done! Tip 5: Focus on the Likers  not the Haters Stop focusing on the futile: making the haters like you. Focus on people who like you. Spend time cultivating relationships with those who like you and perhaps they’ll come to love you (and you them.) Focus on helping and serving others and being kind. Choose to ignore those who may be speaking negative about you - that can quickly become paranoia. Usually people aren’t even talking about you at all - I hate to tell you what I tell myself - you’re not that important.  Keep perspective and keep to your task. So, decide. We’ve already heard Theodore Roosevelt tell us clearly, "It is not the critic who counts" but why do we give such things power over us? Why let haters distract us from living an epic life? Tip 6: Celebrate Good Times and Progress My first boss sent a memo to his manager praising my performance. He brought the copy to my desk and I was so excited. I couldn’t believe it.  Then, he told me something I’ll never forget. ‘Create an at-a-girl folder for those hard days. They’ll come and you’ll need to remember who you are and who you can be. This is your first at a girl. Keep it." I still have the folder and  made one in Evernote. It has pulled me through dark days when I failed at something. We all fall. We all fail. It is part of life. Tip 7: Keep Moving Forward   Failure becomes permanent only if we stop trying.  It becomes success when we learn from it. It also helps to remember the good days when the bad days come. But let’s be clear about the difference between failure and criticism. Criticism is not failure. Having a hater is not a failure. Being criticized and having a hater is part of being human. Sweet Revenge. Dr. Phil Adler, my favorite professor, always talked about racism and sexism and how to overcome it. He would tell us that there were people who would not want us to be included in conversations because of our gender or race. "Be so good they can’t ignore you. The best revenge is success and proving them wrong." Ever since that moment in class, I’ve repeated this thought when faced with a hater of me or my gender. Tip 8: Be Excellent In Your Work. Your best revenge against haters is to prove them wrong. Succeed and work your best to do a fantastic job at whatever you’re called to do. Some just want swift justice in their me-centered world that demands it. Well, life is a marathon not a sprint. Be a turtle. (As I share in Chapter 13 of Reinventing Writing.) Who Hating Really Hurts Hating hurts the hater most of all.  I read a story of the freed slave Frederick Douglas riding a train through Pennsylvania. Told to ride with the luggage,  and several white passengers came to the car to express how upset they were. Douglass responds by telling them that he is not degraded but that those who did this to him were degrading themselves for treating a fellow human being with disrespect. (Paraphrased from the story included in Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington.) Tip 9: Commit Not To Hate Hating is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Hating is like tying a dead body to your back - the body doesn’t care they are lashed to you but you bear the burden. Hating hurts the hater most of all. When you are bothered by a person’s hate it gives them power over you. They can rejoice because they ruined your day. They purpose is to wound you and cause you pain and would probably only be happy if you were dead. Since there’s nothing you can do to make them happy you have to learn to live with it! Tip 10: Live Life! And live with it you do! Don’t just live - thrive and succeed and enjoy your life. Fulfill your mission and spend time loving the 99.9% of people who don’t have a problem with the fact you are breathing air at this moment. Life is too short to make a big deal of a small person. And hate does that - it has a way of making a person smaller and more incapable of success. So, my friends - forgive, move on. Do whatever it takes but let go of hate. If someone hates you -sing the song from Frozen and  "let it go." Haters are gonna hate. The question is: what will you do about it? The post What To Do When Someone Hates You appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Perhaps the weakest area of the typical one-to-one computing plan is the complete absence of leadership development for the administrative team—that is, learning how to manage the transition from a learning ecology where paper is the dominant technology for storing and retrieving information, to a world that is all digital, all the time. Leaders must be given the training to: Craft a clear vision of connecting all students to the world’s learning resources. Model the actions and behaviors they wish to see in their schools. Support the design of an ongoing and embedded staff development program that focuses on pedagogy as much as technology. Move in to the role of systems analyst to ensure that digital literacy is aligned with standards. Ensure that technology is seen not as another initiative, but as integral to curriculum. Leaders also must learn how to support risk- taking teachers and creating cohorts of teachers across disciplines and grades who are working on innovative concepts—such as students designing libraries of tutorials to help other students learn, as Eric Marcos has done with Mathtrain.TV. via Alan November Why Schools Must Move Beyond 1 to 1 Computing Alan November (November Learning, 2013) The post Developing Leadership #BYOD #1to1 [Quote] appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

And thus it begins, I am in the office listening to Josh Groban croon as I try to grapple with the music of life. In less than two hours I’ll be in the first faculty meeting of the year with my colleagues. Thursday we’ll have new faces along with quite a few returning ones. I’ve already written my own goals for how I want to level up this year in my classroom - most of them having to do with work flow. My husband has already had me practice saying the word "no" to prepare for the year — something I seem to say far too little for my own good health. Meanwhile my children slumber in the back - two home from Georgia Tech and one hoping to get just a tad more rest before he’s back to school with the rest of his peers on Thursday. And thus it begins. And yet, I’m convinced as I start lucky year 13 - and yes it is going to be my lucky year — that the greatest days of teaching are rarely those you plan. Great teachers find it amidst the cacophony of noise and the maelstrom of all that school can be. Great Teachers Level Up Their Own Learning But here’s the thing… great teachers are always setting goals for improvement. They are always leveling up. There are only 2 kinds of people in this world: people who learn and grow and people who don’t. It can be frustrating for employers - whether they are principals or businessmen and women — the great employees are always learning and leveling up and those who don’t know anything often refuse to acknowledge their lack of knowledge and won’t learn a doggone thing. There’s a great chapter in Dr. Henry Cloud’s book Necessary Endings about how to determine if you can work with someone and help them improve in their job or when you really need to let that person go and it has to do with that very thing. The Wise: The wise person responds to correction. They take notes. They ask questions. They go out and work to improve. The Foolish: The foolish person blames others and won’t even accept the criticism so they can begin to correct it. I see this with my students too. Often the very best students are grappling with the few things they missed while some weaker students are just happy for the C without a glance to learn the things they missed so they can level up next time. This phenomenon is mentioned in Proverbs in the Bible but is also pointed at to in current neuroscience. Paying Attention to the Score or How to Do Better Next Time: It Makes a Difference In a fascinating chapter in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, researchers had affixed sensors on the heads of students as they got back tests. Those with a fixed mindset (these people think they are who they are and they can’t improve) - the thinking part of their brain lit up as they learned their score. Their thinking quieted and they stopped paying attention when they were told how to improve next time. By definition, those with a fixed mindset think that they are who they are and no matter what they do, they can’t become better. So, I guess it would make sense that they would pay attention when they received their score — as they think it defines who they are. And they disengage as they are coached to improve because deep down they think that is an impossibility. After all, they think smart is not something you can become but something you are. Then, there’s the growth mindset people. As they were hooked to the sensors, their brains did not light up as they were told their score but were off the charts as they were given instruction on what they missed and how to improve next time. These people were learning like crazy so they could level up.  Growth mindset teachers engage as they are coached to improve because deep down they know they can become better at teaching. They know that a great teacher is not something you "are" but something you become through struggle and work. Are you Leveling Up? All you can control is yourself and all I can control is me. While you and I can share this sort of thing with others - we can’t make someone learn any more than we can push a person up a 20 foot ladder. People ascend the ladder of learning by choice. At the end of the day, we can choose how we will learn. We can choose to be wise. Help Your Best Level Up And here’s the last tidbit. Some people don’t want to give feedback to their high performers because they compare to others favorably. This is a huge mistake with students and with others - high performers live for the thrill of being pushed. They want to improve and thus, they need to set goals. I’ve found top performers often complain that their teachers don’t push them. Give positive, constructive criticism and help every student improve. Certainly one could be paralyzed as one looks to improve but this is not a matter of paralysis but realistic analysis. None of us is perfect but when you’re green, you’re growing and when you’re ripe - you rot. So, if you stop trying to improve, you’re on the decline. Are You Ready to Learn? So, dear friends, examine yourselves as I look at my own life this morning and ask yourself if you’re growing and leveling up or if you’re satisfied and settling — which means you’re starting to rot. Make choices to improve something today and never settle. Rejoice at the victories but don’t stay at the victory party too long lest you forget that a new battle awaits you. Look at best practices (I get lots of ideas from the incredible educators interviewed on Every Classroom Matters)  and look at the things that frustrated you  last year. You can improve. And remember that your first few days of school are when you get those procedures down rock solid and start teaching. I always try to make their heads spin the first few days - it sets the pace for the whole year. I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand is in what direction we are moving. What direction are you moving in this new year? Ready to Go And such is a post for the new school year - I’ll head to my classroom in a moment to begin 2014-2015 — I’ll begin my thirteenth year as a teacher with the goal of being the best I’ve ever been thus far. I’ve got lots to learn and so do my students - I’m ready to start. Are you? Best wishes, my dear friends. You can do this. You can level up and learn and that sets the stage for engaging all of the other learners who will enter your classroom this year. Let’s do this! The post Ready, Set, Teach: Thoughts on Beginning the School Year Well appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

In the essay Helicopter Parent in the collection Dads of Disability I recount the events surrounding my then third-grade son Alexander’s experience dressing up as Igor Sikorsky, the father of the modern helicopter, and giving a presentation to his class. Alexander has a number of developmental, sensory, physical, and behavioral challenges. At the end of the story, I ended up with a sore nose from Alexander’s knocking his noggin into my face. Gary Dietz is author Dads of Disability: Stories for, by, and about fathers of children who experience disability (and the women who love them!) and wrote this blog post. Gary shares stories of parenting his own special needs son, Alexander and other Dads and Moms share their stories as well. His book is moving and a helpful, inspiring read for any teacher or parent of a child with disabilities. I found that reading the book helped me become more empathetic to the struggles that so many parents face. This inspiring book is a must read for any teacher working with special needs kids just because it will help you relate to parents. It would make an excellent book club study book. We ended up videotaping his presentation at home and then having him successfully share it with his class on video rather than at the podium. And Alexander’s team learned (and had reinforced) a number important classroom and parenting lessons. Helicopter Parent really seemed to resonate with Vicki Davis. (She let me know this a number of times.) Her interest in this essay even came up in her interview with me for Every Classroom Matters. I pondered why this particular piece seems so impactful to Vicki as a teacher. With that, here are my thoughts on this topic summarized into five recommendations. In Dads of Disability, Gary tells the moving story of how his son Alexander struggled to present face to face but thrived as he presented via video. Letting students present in diverse ways is part of helping include students in learning. -Vicki Davis 1. Meet a student "where the student lives" The lesson was handed to me (Dad) on a platter. Or actually, on an ice pack. I knew this lesson well, but it took a knock to my nose in front of a classroom of kids and parents to make me really embrace it. As many of you believe, I too believe in pushing a child—any child—a certain percentage past their comfort zone. This is how people grow. But, when you push too far past that zone, it can have less than optimal results. In my case, I ignored direct communication from Alexander in a number of ways that this podium presentation would be too much for him from a sensory perspective. I didn’t listen to him in my eagerness to have him included and have him show his peers and teachers (and the parents) that Alexander could do something they may not think he could do. Listening, like teaching, is an art as much as a science. Listen to your gut and reach out to the child’s team, specialists, parents—and most importantly reach out to the child and meet them where they need to be. Be just as careful not to push too hard as you are in not pushing hard enough. Yes, it’s an art. 2. Presume Competence The presumption of competence is an important phrase in the special needs community. Never assume a student can’t do something. The scenarios around this assumption needn’t be as dramatic as the situation documented in "Carly’s Voice" (when folks assumed Carly’s intellectual level was much lower than it actually was) or in the Ted X talk by Dan Habib about a young man whose "first" words after receiving an adaptive communication device were harsh expletives toward the staff who has been providing infantile treatment to him, a high school aged young adult. (Editor’s Note: This powerful video shared below - while the speaker starts with his son’s story, he moves on to share a powerful story about inclusion. He makes a powerful case that when special needs are included that the performance of all students improves.) The presumption of competence should be informed by these dramatic lessons but can also be observed and implemented in little ways every day. One time, Alexander raised his hand to answer a quite challenging question about jellyfish that no other child in the class knew. That one act changed forever the way his teacher, the aides, and just as importantly his peers viewed him. 3. Be creative in your use of ‘adaptive’ technology "Adaptive" technologies are getting more powerful and easier to use (and cheaper) each year. But don’t limit your approach to adaptive technologies to assistive communication or mobility devices. They can be simpler than that. In Helicopter Parent, using a video camera and simple editing software we were able to have Alexander participate in the exercise of dressing up as Igor Sikorsky and show the class his presentation. Another idea to try with some students is to use real-time communication software (like Skype or Facetime or many others) within a building. This could allow a student who may be overwhelmed by an auditorium or classroom to present, sing, or act for the rest of the class or school from another location in the same building. This could be an inexpensive and creative way to use technology that you already own to include a student in an activity in which they may otherwise not be able to participate. 4. Listen to parents and help them listen to the child A key part of presuming competence and ensuring you have the hard data and "soft" interpretation to meet the student where they need to be met is to listen. Listen to the students verbal and nonverbal communication and cues (like you would with any student). Listen to the specialists. Listen to the parents. Listen to your gut. Listen. Extra effort on this end of the process can help improve outcomes. How much harder (and less effective) would it be not to listen well and implement programs and curriculum that are ineffective, or even counter-productive? 5. Give "overlooked" children the same chance to shine as the superstars I really believe that all students have something to offer. I’ve seen this with my own eyes and mind and heart with my son and many other children. And it isn’t just "feel good" stuff some may see as a way to make parents and teacher’s "feel better" about challenged students. I believe that every student has something to offer, even academically, to others in the community. Even when it isn’t expected. Especially when it isn’t expected. Gary Dietz is author of Dads of Disability: Stories for, by, and about fathers of children who experience disability (and the mothers who love them). Seewww.dadsofdisability.com for his blog and information on how to purchase his book. Visit Gary at www.facebook.com/dadsofdisability and listen for his upcoming show on Every Classroom Matters.  The post 5 practical lessons for elementary classroom inclusion appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

I’ll come back and add the video and more information, but the Ice Bucket Challenge gives us a great opportunity to teach digital citizenship and all kinds of great information. I’ll talk more about this later, but here is my bellringer for today in this teachable moment. My Ice Bucket Challenge Bellringer You have permission to copy and paste this for your classroom and distribute it to your teachers. You don’t have permission to sell it or put it in a book without my permission. Ice Bucket Challenge - NAME: ______________________________ Bell Ringer The ice water challenge is a fundraising program that has gone viral on the Internet in support of ALS. As with any campaign there are good and bad things happening with it. To be wise digital citizens, we need to be able to act with wisdom and know how we need to respond. Look on the web and answer these questions. What is ALS? What does ALS do? What is the Ice Bucket Challenge? What are the rules? Some have criticized this fundraiser for promoting slactivism? What is that? It is fun but where are the funds? Are they actually raising money? What impact has this challenge had on ALS Fundraising? What is one of the biggest criticism of the celebrity videos made on this? What is the ice bucket challenge fail What is a pop culture phenomenon? Are there ways that something like this could be used to promote a cause that is not worthy? What should you do to make up your mind as to whether you will participate in something like this?   5 Essential Points When You Have a Social Media Fundraising Challenge Encourage research and education when a challenge is issued. Encourage donation — funds not just fun when you have a serious disease like this that an organization is fighting. Use this as an opportunity to teach and educate about digital citizenship. When you record a video be clear about: the cause and what you’re asking your friends to do. If in doubt, opt out. Remind everyone that they always have a choice to opt out and not participate. We’re encouraging giving into peer pressure when we don’t make up our minds and decide what we’re doing. The type of society we inherit tomorrow will be determined by how we discuss this sort of thing today. While I think this is a great cause, there will be a time that someone creates a funny viral challenge for a ridiculous or harmful program. If in doubt, opt out. I’ll tell you more about what I’m doing later and what I did and I’ll embed it in this post (including a video should I make one this afternoon. The post Ice Bucket Challenge Bellringer appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

As many teachers go back to school, it is easy to bemoan what is past. You could hit that alarm and moan and wish for another day. But I think the best strategy - at least the one that works for me - is to get up and run into the day. Get up early. Get to school early. Drink Your Coffee. Whatever it takes to hit this excitement head on. I’ve had a fantastic start to the school year with my students. We’re learning so much and I love our new LMS - Haiku Learning. We’ve got other exciting things planned this year including robotics and app building. You’ve got exciting things in store too. Better Every Year Never ever consider teaching the same year 30 times - that would be sad. Instead, if you and I are lucky enough to teach 30 years - we should become better every year. We should level up and move forward. This is an awesome profession that changes lives. It is exciting to start school and to have THEM back. THEM Those precious, wonderful kids who have all these talents and don’t know it yet. Oh, but I love those who are down. Those who remind me of myself at that age, I guess - they’re the ones left out - the ones who are struggling to learn - the ones who don’t feel like they fit in. As a teacher, you and I are a powerful force for good. We can be the light we wish to see in the world - shining spotlights upon the strengths of these children and helping them work through their weaknesses so the weaknesses don’t become debilitating influences upon their lives. You Get What You Expect But all of this starts with what we expect. You get what you think you’ll get. Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right." So, hit this day with all you’ve got! You’re on your way!! YYYYYYYEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! I get to teach another day. And that, my friends, is a very sweet thing that makes every day like a bite of chocolate. So sweet and delicious but always leave you wanting more. Teach well. Be noble. You’ve got this. The post Hey Teacher - You Can Do This! appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Extensity is one extension to rule them all. Extensity  will turn on and off other chrome extensions and keep your browser running lightning fast. So, this week in Indiana it was no surprise when I shared it as #1 of my essential tips for Chromebooks. One way to slow down your lightning fast Chrome browser is installing TOO MANY EXTENSIONS!! My #1 tip for EVERYONE USING CHROME: Install Extensity and only turn on the extensions you need for the current task. Extensity lets you turn on and off other extensions with one click. Let’s look. Extensity 1 Minute Tutorial Video If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here. Here’s a 1 minute Cool Cat Teacher Tip from the Cool Cat Teacher  YouTube Channel where I show you how I use extensity. (You can also see a sneak peak of the Chrome extensions that I use.) Have a great day! Hat tip to my friends on the teacher voxer group - they share great ideas!   The post Extensity: The Essential Chrome Extension Everyone Needs appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

I’m not here to just to mark papers. I’m not here to leave a mark in a negative way. I’m in this classroom to forever make a mark on the lives of the students within my care and trust. But to get to the learning, I need to create a positive classroom environment. I have just a few rules but have quite a few established procedures so we can flow, learn, and level up together. Sure there are lots of things not central to this theme of making a mark: grading, procedures, classroom management. All of these things may seem unimportant. However, as I’m a better classroom manager, we can move issues like people asking for computers, people wanting to go to the bathroom, etc. out of the way and get on to teaching. The way I see it, the less time we have to talk about side issues like going to the bathroom or saying "Mrs. Vicki, I need help" the more time we have for the real stuff. So the routines and procedures I have in place are set up to use as few spoken words as possible. Essential Routines As you start school some of the most essential routines are: How do you enter the room? How do you leave the room? How do we conduct class conversations? How do I quickly, quietly get the attention of the class? (I use give me 5 - it works!) How do students request to leave the room without disrupting things? (My students flip their cards to away, grab the hall log and write where they go and wordlessly hand me the log for sign off or clarification - they grab a pass and go and sign in when they return. Nothing said and business is handled. Plus I have a log seeing how long they are out and if the frequency is too much.) How do I keep track of disciplinary issues so I don’t interrupt teaching but can handle and improve the behavior later? How will paperwork and grading flow between me and the students so it is current and provides proper feedback for ongoing improvement? How will I encourage students to help one another? How will we quickly transition? How can students ask for help without a word? (My students flip their computer station cards from green to red - I can see at a glance who needs help and constantly rotate the room and work to help people.) These are simple but important things to consider and they can be overwhelming. This summer I took hours to plan out my classroom procedures, talk them over with teachers and advisors, and determine how I’d help students know how to use these. My classroom is a cleaner (See the pic taken last Friday seconds after my last class), more pleasant, more focused place because of it. We’re getting more done and I’m spending more one on one time helping students who really need me. Part of this, of course, is also the LMS I’m using (Haiku Learning) and the in-flip method of teaching (hear the Every Classroom Matters show I recorded with Jon Bergmann on that.) Any Day Can Be The First Day And remember this - you may have already started school but if your classroom flow is not what you like. If you’re frustrated and not getting their attention… If students aren’t coming in the room and getting down to business - don’t wallow in it. Learn and get things together. Start over. Any day can be the first day. If something isn’t working, reboot (as fellow teacher Tom Bennett from the UK says.) I love Harry Wong’s book, The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher, 4th Edition as my guidebook in this process but Fred Jones Tools for Teaching also has some great info on behavior management. As you get your classroom going, think through these things and tackle the problems you had last year with procedures so you can actually do something about them! Plus I can tell you that this doesn’t make your job harder - it actually makes it easier and will help you be less stressed! I didn’t believe it either but yes, better procedures works. Make every single year a better year! Level up! You can do this! If you’re interested in knowing my procedures, let me know which ones in the comments. They took quite some time to develop but are working so well! Share your problems and then work to create procedures. You can also give tips to other teachers! We can do this together. Let’s help each other! The post Make a Mark By Establishing Classroom Procedures appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Every email message from a parent or colleague is an opportunity to create a powerful impression. As Kevan Lee says in How to Send Better Email, great email gets across the intended message with the desired emotion. You have to do both. But you’re so busy, how do you find time to craft the perfect email? Use these tips to plan ahead! You don’t accidentally send awesome email any more than you accidentally climb Mt. Everest. It takes practice and planning. This year I’m working to send better email. Here are the key phrases, tips, and ideas I’ve uncovered in my quest. Better communication = better relationships. 8 Email Etiquette Tips for Educators & Everybody 1. Use Their Name Cows who are named give more milk. Aa living beings, we are wired to respond positively to our names. (Maybe with the exception of our full names for those of us whose Moms only used it when we were in trouble.) Use the name of the person sending you the email. While you can have certain things that you repeat in common emails, typing their name means that you’re paying attention and it matters. Do you know people who are struggling to get along and send each other terse emails? You might need to help them start communicating face to face - their negative views of one another might be making a big deal about things that weren’t meant that way.   2. Emote in Your Open Emoting is showing emotion. Emote at the opening so your recipient knows you really do care. Here are some of my favorites: Thank you! You’re right! I’m really sorry ___ happened to you. Thanks for sharing your idea. I know this is really frustrating for you - let’s get this solved. Definitely strange! (I use this when something has happened that I’ve never seen before that will take me time to research.) Awesome! (If they’re telling me something good.) 3. Repeat and Relate to Requests If they are asking for something, repeat their idea. Then try to relate to it. (This comes from Chase Clemons’ Support Ops Email Guide). So, for example, in my role as IT director a teacher contacted me upset that wifi wasn’t working properly in the back of her room. I started off by acknowledging how frustrating it is and my own personal experience with wifi struggles. Then, we move on to tackle the problem. Repeating makes sure you understand their point. Relating helps them know you empathize and also helps you consciously empathize in your own mind so you remember what it feels like to have this problem. 4. See Your Email Their Way Read How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie to master this one. Always frame your email in terms of what THEY feel and THEY think. It sounds harsh, but typically, when having a problem, they can care less about YOUR inconvenience or your struggle. So, I’m not saying give into every single request and stop what you’re doing. Just reread to see where you’re using "I" too much and where you can use "we." 5- Short but Not Snippy Take out the word "but" and put a period to shorten sentences. (Hat tip to Carolyn Kopprasch from Buffer) Use shorter sentences. Add white space. If it is too long, many won’t read. I remember getting weekly update emails from a teacher that were 12 printed pages. WHAT? Others are so short there is no room to emote or have follow up. These can come off as rude. Brevity is a challenge for me. Write and reduce until the essentials are included. 6 - Use Power Phrases Here are some phrases I like. I’ve laminated a page with them so I can pull them out in the stress of the day and use them. Thanks for being open and honest about your experience so we can learn from it. I know this is a huge disruption to your day and I’m working to get this fixed. I’d love to help you with this. I can fix this for you. Let me look into this for you. I’ll keep you updated. You’re right, we could definitely do this better. Can you try …. If it’s still a no go, can you… That will help me …. I know this might sound scary but I’ll walk you through it. Here’s the steps: I’m so sorry you’re not finding ___ helpful. What do you like and not like about it? I’ll be more than happy to see how we can help you? (This is when someone has complained but it is too short and I honestly don’t know how to help.) 7 - End Well End with a personal message or an uplift. Always end on a positive note about working together or what they can expect. Awesome! Glad we got it fixed! If that doesn’t work or you have more questions, just let me know and I’ll be happy to help! If you have any other questions, please reply to this email. Does this help you? Have a fantastic ___. (Friday, weekend, trip, vacation - or anything personal that will relate us as human beings not just human doings.) And remember, I’m always an email away if you need help. Does this help you? Did that answer your question? And does it make sense? Anything else I can help you with today? If this isn’t resolved to your satisfaction by ___ let’s talk then, OK? 8 - Plan Common Responses & No’s Create Snippets or Templates for Common Requests Remember the importance of classroom procedures? Help students be self advocates. For example, if a parent is asking at home about a grade and it isn’t the day I enter them in Powerschool, I have a procedure where students flip their card to red and ask me about the grade. If I don’t have other teaching tasks, the student and I will review the item, handle anything missing and I can update the grade immediately. If a parent asks, I help them understand the procedure that is in place and work to get their answer. This helps me get questions answered faster but also keeps me from being distracted. When there are common issues happening in anything I support, I’ll work on a common response that I can use as part of the larger, customized email. This saves time. Keep them in Google canned responses or a document (or use something like Phrase Express (PC) or Text Expander  (MAC) if you don’t use Gmail or Thunderbird.) Just remember to customize every email just a bit. Plan to How Say No As I read the powerful book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, I’m learning that to say yes to everything is not only unrealistic, it keeps me from focusing on the essentials. Learning to say no is essential! Here are some of the resources for phrases about how to say no that you can use. My husband and I laugh as he has me do "no practice" when I’m saying "yes" too much. But there’s truth to practicing saying no, particularly if you’re a woman. Start rehearsing ways to say no that leave a positive impression. No’s For Women: Use the Relational Account Method Research shows that saying "no" can harm the views people have of us . If we’re women people will think we are cold and selfish. While that isn’t fair, it is the world we live in. Women in particular need to know how to say no in a way that let’s us continue to be perceived in a positive light. I Wharton prof Adam Grant’s  7 sentences he uses to say no shares the "relational account" tip. It is THE approach for women to learn, in particular, when they say no. Grant says:  Studies by Hannah Riley Bowles and Linda Babcock reveal that when we offer relational accounts for going against the norm, we’re viewed more favorably, as we preserve our image as giving and caring. Here are some of my relational accounts: Mentoring requests: "Students are my top priority professionally, and since I teach more than 300 students per year, I don’t have the bandwidth to take on additional mentoring." Speaking requests: "With more than two dozen speaking invitations rolling in per week, my wife and I have set a limit for speaking engagements, and at this point, I’m maxed out." Introduction requests: "I’d become a taker if I kept asking this person for favors" or "I don’t know this person well enough to impose." This means that when you say no, relate it to a human aspect of your life so the others can see why you’re saying no. This happened to me by accident. I get so many requests to speak and often some people want me to drastically reduce my prices for speaking. During the school year I have just a few days to speak and when I get those requests, I can honestly say: "I have two children in college and just 10 days a school year to speak. My husband and I agreed that I can only speak at my full rate during the school year so we can pay for college." This is the truth and it is something people understand. If you have a true relation then use it - don’t make stuff up. Elizabeth Grace Saunders also has some lovely ways to say no on her post on 99U.  Here are a few that I’ve tweaked for myself. I’m happy to do that, let’s move ___ to next week, then. (This forces them to make a choice if they have given me too many things on my list.) Boy, I wish I could help you but that isn’t my area of expertise. It might take longer for me to figure it out and I might not give you the right answer. I’m copying -_ on this email who does this every day. Let’s see if he/she can help you before I get involved. (This hands it off to someone but lets the person know that if they don’t get the answer they want, they can reach back to you.) Wow! That sounds awesome. I wish I had the time right now to explore this more but with my full time teaching job, it just isn’t possible right now. If I know someone who might appreciate this opportunity then I’ll add this. I’m blind copying my friend ___ who might be interested in this opportunity and I’ll let him/her get back to you if it fits with their current areas of interest. Good luck and thank you for reaching out! You get the picture. Also notice how I use blind copy for introductions, particularly for the high level people who are now in my inbox. I want to protect and keep that relationship preserved. Email Is Important: So Answer Well While this is not comprehensive, it is meant to start conversations about how to respond to email. Every email is a chance to leave parents, colleagues, and community members with a wildly positive impression. When you answer consider these tips and remember this — spammers and junk mailers might not deserve one but sometimes it is hard to tell. If in doubt, crank it out. You can do this! Remember that awesome relationships are built upon awesome communications. Be an awesome communicator - it will help your career more than you can fathom!   The post 8 Great Email Etiquette Tips for Educators & Everybody appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

The Maker Movement is everywhere. What is it? How do you "do" it? What is the difference between "maker space" "creation station" "genius hour" and all of these other terms? How can you decide what to do in your own classroom? Here are a few essential resources for you: Reading About the Movement My research is summarized in these two articles I wrote for Edutopia: How the Maker Movement is Moving Into Classrooms - This piece gives you an overview of the maker movement including some of the research behind it. It also defines the jargon that has many confused about WHAT it is. Then, it gives you some of my favorite books and ends with the impact on libraries. I also include a video I shot at the FabLab at Kentucky Country Day School this summer that is a must watch! (Inserted below.) Read How the Maker Movement is Moving Into Classrooms on Edutopia If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here. The DIY World of Maker Tools and Their Uses - TheIn this article, we dive into the many tools that are being used: 3D printers, Vinyl cutters, laser cutters, woodshop influences. Then we dive into many of the technological faves including the Hummingbird Robotics Kit, Arduino Boards, Raspberry Pi, Legos, Minecraft, and more. This is full of videos that I shot at ISTE as I explored. Read The DIY World of Maker Tools and Their Uses  Listening to Stories About the Maker Movement There are several outstanding shows on the Maker movement for your listening. Learning by Doing: Inside the Maker Movement (Sylvia Martinez, coauthor of Invent to Learn) Why Playful Learning is Vital to Developing 21st Century Skills by Stephan Turnipseed, Chairman - Partnership for 21st Century Skills How Classrooms Change When Genius Drives Learning #geniushour - the four founders of genius hour talk about the movement - Joy Kirr @joykirr,, Hugh McDonald @hughtheteacher,, Gallit Zvi gallit_z,, Denise Krebs @mrsdkrebs Teaching Girls STEAM in Middle School with Vinnie Vrotney  How 3D Printers Open New Possibilities for Project Based-Learning with Kelly Hines Share Your Story I’m making a makerspace in my own classroom. I hope you’ll share your links, pics, and videos in the comments. I’d love to learn from you! Picture Attribution - By Dave Jenson (We’re working on it!) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons   The post Essential Information on Maker Movement appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Do you have Chromebooks? These handy devices can do so many things in the classroom. Intel has put together a community for Chromebook users at intel.com/ChromeEdu. There are already some powerful resource guides including the Ultimate Resource (by Naomi Harm), Chromebooks 101 (I wrote that one), Using Chromebooks in the Primary Grades (Erin Klein) and 12 Ways Chromebooks Remove Roadblocks to Tech Integration (Lisa Nielsen). They also have a way you can win a Chromebook posted as well, so you could win one. Why I Enjoy Using My Chromebook My Chromebook loads in 7 seconds. I have found that when I’m traveling, I use it for responding to email and drafting Google Docs (mine came preloaded with 22 GoGo In Flight Passes.) It is also handy for this blog and more. There are some things you should know though, and my 101 post will help you set yours up right the first time. These handy devices have a rapidly developing community of best practice. Getting connected will be an essential step for anyone using or supporting Chromebooks. Hope you enjoy Intel’s ChromebookEDU resource center and community. Let’s learn! 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 Chromebook Resource Center by Intel appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Do the text message abbreviations your children and grandchildren send leave you confused as a cow on astroturf? No more! While we shouldn’t use this in academic writing, learn to speak the IM (instant messaging) language to communicate with your kids. Common Text Message Abbreviations LOL - Laughing out loud (Recently a woman texted her daughter - "want you to know, Grandma just died. LOL." Her daughter was taken aback and found out that her Mom thought LOL meant ‘Lots of Love" - it doesn’t usually mean that.) WYD - What are you doing? ROFL - Roll on the floor laughing IDK - I don’t know BTW - By the way ILY - I love you - 143 means the same thing (popularized by Mr. Rogers) J/K - Just kidding NP -  No problem TTYL - Talk to you later SMH - Shaking my head BRB - Be right back Read Numbers and Letters As Words When kids use numbers, sound out the word. So 2moro means "tomorrow." L8r turns into "Later" and Gr8 is "great." B4N is Bye for now. Say the letter "c" as "see" (CUL8R.) "N" is "in." An Important Abbreviation for Responsible Adults: NSFW Not Safe for Work (NSFW) classifies websites you should avoid at work or school because they contain unsuitable pics and words. Know this term and beware. If a tweet or Facebook post says NSFW don’t click on it at school. If you post adult content, mark it with NSFW or people will unfollow and unfriend you for not warning them. If you see NSFW beside something — you’ll have adult content when you click. This is Not Safe for Work and definitely not something you should ever click on at school. Texting Abbreviations for the Older Generation You know our kids have to laugh at us sometimes! It can take a while to get used to this texting thing. While some moan at having to learn "another language" I am taken back to the old movie airplane where Barbara Billingsly "speaks jive." (See video below for a little throwback moment.) Really, all the kids probably us as intruders in their own language too. But he, we can develop our own IM language. You might sometimes feel like typing OMG to mean "Oh My Grandchildren" (or the much worse choice "Oh My Groin.") BG - Bringing Grandma/Grandpa or My favorite - GGG - Go Get Grandma. When NOT to Use IM Speak I’m told that saying IM speak out loud is a "no no." (Very uncool - you’ll make your kids LOL or maybe even ROFL.) It is always in bad taste to use these in formal written language, letters and essays. (And we do have our kids to be "the cool police" don’t we when we mess up. Does the pic below look familiar?) Aren’t you glad we have all of our kids to be "the cool police?" Here’s your challenge. Practice. Get out your phone. Send a text message to a kid or grandkid and use as many abbreviations as you can.  Let’s shake up these kids and show them that we can speak their language and create our own. Leave your favorite funny ones in the comments! Note: This is part of a series of columns I’ve written for some local newspapers and has been enhanced for the web by adding hyperlinks and resources. To read more of my past newspaper columns go to my "Tech Tips Newspaper Column" to read past columns or to contact me about having these columns in your local paper. The post Text Message Abbreviations Field Guide (IM Speak for Adults) appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

The H&R Budget Challenge will teach US kids aged 14 and up about real world financial skills as they compete to win scholarships & learn about money. Students need to understand financial skills but it is hard to teach these until students are out in the real world spending real money and making perhaps really lifechanging mistakes. That changes today.  Today the H&R Block Budget challenge is open for registration. This cool simulation combines real world scenarios in a powerful gamified environment where students and schools are competing for real prizes. (See the rules.) In this contest, students ages 14 up under the supervision of their teachers are given a pretend "salary" inside the simulation. They have bills to pay and things they need to do with their money. They are challenged to create a budget. As students go through the simulation they are met with real world "challenges:" the unexpected twists and turns that life itself throws at you. H&R Block is giving away $20,000 Scholarships: 132 of them! But this experience has a very real world impact. Leading classrooms will win classroom grants. But get this — H&R Block is awarding 132 (22 per simulation) $20,000 college scholarships! (The overall winner will receive a $100,000 college scholarship!) The Fun Game With a Serious Real World Impact Parents will appreciate the experience you are giving your students now — in just a few years these 14 year olds and older will be in the "real world" spending very real money. It is better to make mistakes and learn inside this game than to have extremely real consequences in a world where money is hard to come by. For this reason, I think this contest is life changing and can make every participant a winner whether they receive a scholarship or not. Learning to budget makes winners because money management is a struggle for so many. There are so many things that I love about this program. First of all, I love the gamification aspect of what is being done. While the scenarios are real world, the gaming aspects (as well as real world prizes) are going to make this something that many kids will enjoy. I also appreciate that they will send me curriculum materials to teach alongside the simulation. And yes, I just registered my own classes today. When does the challenge run? This will run throughout the school year with six simulation periods: one starting October 3 with the last one starting on February 13, 2015. It is for teachers in United States  public and private schools who teach students aged 14 and older. (See the rules for all the details.) How Do You Enter Your Classroom in the H&R Block Budget Challenge? Go to the H&R Block Budget Challenge Website: www.hrbds.org Read the guidelines to make sure your school fits the criteria Sign up your classroom! Can You Tell Me More? You can find all of the details on the official rules form, but here’s  the overview of the challenge: CHALLENGE OVERVIEW: The Sponsor is inviting Eligible Students to compete in a virtual budget Challenge against Eligible Students in their classroom and Eligible Students in schools throughout the country. Each Eligible Student will be presented with a virtual salary and will be tasked with building a budget, paying recurring bills and making decisions regarding real-world expenses such as rent, utilities, car payments and insurance. Throughout the Challenge, students will be thrown spontaneous real-life occurrences such as, but not limited to, a virtual car accident, lost cell phone or pay raise, and will be required to adjust their budget accordingly to deal with such unexpected situations. Eligible Students will also have the opportunity to complete quizzes on various personal finance topics such as interest and 401(k)’s to assist in their Challenge progress. By maximizing 401(k) savings, paying bills on time and responding correctly to quiz questions, while avoiding fees such as, but not limited to, virtual late fees, overdraft fees and finance charges, Eligible Students will increase their individual Challenge score and also increase their classrooms Challenge score average, which can be viewed on the Challenge Leaderboards (as outlined further below) So, get out there and take the challenge! Let’s have some fun and change our student’s financial future at the same time. 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 The H&R Block Budget Challenge: Giving Away Scholarships as Kids Learn Financial Literacy appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Get a costume box. Get some creativity. Do drama and learn! Here’s how. I have a costume box in my room and it is AWESOME. This time of year is THE TIME I add to it because of all of the Halloween costumery out there. (Mark your calendar for the day after the event — you’ll pick up lots of goodies for almost nothing.) Include dry erase boards as they can have anything drawn on them and become great props. Every time I get out the costume box the kids perk up and get excited so usually I try to have at least 2 lessons a month using this technique. When looking at the latest lessons I’ve used, there are two categories of how I use drama to teach: review and quick teaching of topics. Let’s talk about both drama in the classroom activities and give you an example of each. It is amazing how a costume box can immediately change the tone in your classroom. You can use this method without losing too much time! Drama in the Classroom Activities: Idea #1 REVIEW In my Computer Science class we were learning about how to do certain things: keep your computer safe, protect from viruses, etc. So, in this case, I wanted to review HOW to do certain things. I wanted the actions they need to take in their real lives to become real. The best way to reinforce their chapter reading, class discussions and other work we’ve done is to see this in action. This took the first 20 minutes of class if you include my short 2 minute review after each concept. Here’s the bell ringer: VIRUS AND COMPUTER SECURITY BELLRINGER Your group has 5 minutes to prepare a 1 minute skit on the following. You should dramatically depict the following. Please put the label of what someone is by sticking the word on their shirt (i.e. the firewall will have the word firewall on their shirt). The timer for 5 minutes will start when the bell rings. GO!! You will be graded on the following for a work ethic grade: Did you participate in the skit somehow? (10 points) Did your skit depict and explain the topic? (50 points) Did you use the essential terms and have at least 2 terms labeled on a person? (20 pts/ 10 pts per) Bonus: Creativity, humor, or artistic flair (5 points) Were you ready in the time required? (5 points) Did you pay attention to others as they presented? (10 points) Skit Topics You are going to do a brief 1 minute skit with your group depicting the following. Group A: How to keep your computer from being stolen (p O-18) Group B: How Viruses infect computers and how to keep safe from them. (p O-19) Group C: How to Keep Your Computer Safe From Intrusions (p O-20) Group D: How to Block Spyware and Pop Up Ads (p O-21) Group E: How to Avoid Email Scams (p O-23) Ways to Mix this Up You can use this for many types of procedures: How to tackle certain reading passages (you could have kids dramatize tips for each other by having one person play the struggler and even blow up the text onto a large poster.) In science you could have kids dramatize processes in a cell or how certain chemicals interact (have them tape the words on their chests — this is a MUST DO). In history, you could have brief moments in the life of a historical figure that you dramatize. In math it could be how to solve certain problems — but one kid could play "Mr x" and what he has to do complete the challenge and "solve" the mystery. (The equation.) There are so many ways to bring this in.  (Add your own in the comments!) One of my all time favorite methods is the "roving reporter" method. Try to use groups of 3 for this one. Once kids are trained, you can easily pull this one out to introduce new topics they can research quickly and share. Drama in the Classroom Activities: Idea #2 The Roving Reporter I love bringing current events into my classes — particularly Computer Science. Part of what I teach is helping kids understand what this new technology actually means to their lives and the real world. By using drama in this way, students are pushed to apply it to the real world and how it will actually be used. I do handpick the new technologies myself from those I find as I listen to my favorite technology podcasts and the blogs I read. In this case, there is a somewhat defined roleplay where there is a news anchor (at the desk — they will want a table and a coffee cup so just go ahead and get one or you’ll lose yours off your desk.) The news anchor tells the story and then hands off to a "roving reporter" (who just has to have a mike - just make one) who interviews an eyewitness. The news anchor is handed back to for a conclusion. Once you’ve trained students on this one, it works like a charm and is faster to do each time. Students have to get to the core of the story quickly. For me, this takes a bit longer because the topics take a good 20 minutes of research - yours may take far less. After each skit, students get pretty excited and want to talk for a moment - but to keep on track use a timer. Here’s a bellringer I’ve used: THE REAL NEWS!!! Today you are one of these three characters: A news anchor at a news desk reporting the story. A roving reporter who is on site doing an interview with an eyewitness An eyewitness who has seen this in action. Teams: Your job is to explain one of these technologies that is creating Buzz in silicon valley. Team A: Ultrasonic sound being used as part of mobile devices including mobile phones or Chromecast. Team B: Smartwatches and the Gear-S operating system Team C: Google Drones are now competing with the Amazon Delivery drone although neither is legal in the US yet. Team D: Apple has announcements this week, many think they will announce their own Phablet. Team E: The Mafia is using a hypersonic weapon to target the rich and have them pay a ransom for it to stop. What You’ll Do You will have 20 minutes to research this trend or topic and get the REAL story. Then, you will stage a dramatic news report with this outline. You may use props from the costume box. The Scenario Start off with the anchor at the news desk reporting on the facts. The anchor hands the news report off to the roving reporter who is on location. The roving reporter says what he/she sees and interviews an eyewitness. (If you have to have 4 on your team there will be 2 eyewitnesses) The roving reporter hands it back off to the news anchor who wraps up and then ends with… and now onto other news. You will be graded as follows: 15 points Did you participate? 15 points Did you explain the technology in an easy to understand way? (Anchor) 15 points Did you explain accurately what you’re seeing on site? (Roving reporter) 15 points Did you explain what a person would really see in this scenario? 40 points Did you have 4 points of explanation and use the BRIEF model. Note, that in this, I’ve taught them some concepts from the book Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less by Joseph McCormack. (He’s a former military intelligence officer tasked to help people be better communicators. AWESOME book on communication.) Ways to Mix This Up This lesson is great for things that can be observed: historical events, key actions in a novel, what a particular experiment looked like in large scale, a scientific discovery, a key mathematical discovery, and more. I do drama. While I don’t "do drama" with kids in terms of hysteria — this is one way I totally "do drama." Here are a few tips to make this even better for you and the students: Take a "class-ie" when you’re done. This is like a selfie but of a class. Make sure they leave words on their shirts (if you used them) and their costumes and get a quick picture. If you take the whole period, make sure that clean up happens - give yourself a good 7 minutes to finish up the event After clean up happens, give your own version of the Oscars. You can use paper plates and write on them things you want to recognize or get silly dollar store bling or even use stickers. This will get everyone cleaned up quickly and also let you reinforce the great things that you saw whether it was acting or key concepts. I have a little tiny silly trophy to give to the winning team with the best skit. You can also vote on people’s choice. When students become better at this, you may choose to film — but often I don’t just because it can shut down the learning and freedom you get. Again — make sure the kids help you CLEAN UP. Share costume boxes with other teachers and rotate to share expenses. If you have a stage area (some schools are building them) create a space for costumes and teach students classroom procedures for how to care for costumes and props. Ask parents for old costumes or cool stuff for your box. (But be ready to toss some things out.) In particular look for small, easy to use things like hats or old tacky ties. All of these items should be clean. This is one of many ways you can incorporate all types of learners into the classroom. I find that things we act out become far more memorable to students. Enjoy! I hope you do drama now too. If you have ideas, please share them in the comments so others can learn from you. I want to learn from you too!   The post Drama in the Classroom Activities: 2 Examples with Bellringers appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Note taking skills aren’t just automatic. We tell students "take notes" but they have no idea what that means. What makes "good notes." What do they write down? What should notes look like? Every since I went through the Writing Across the Curriculum Course at my school I realized the tremendous gap between "writing" as we’ve taught it traditionally and 21st century writing skills. That frustration threw me into research about how to teach writing in my classroom (all of that research was then put into my new book Reinventing Writing - just because I couldn’t find the book I needed when I was struggling with teaching writing in the digital age.) (Photo Credit: Wesley Fryer who has been teaching about visual notetaking for some time now.This graphic is from a 2013 workshop he did in Canada and drawn by two of the workshop participants, Tanya Avrith and Audrey McLaren. Thanks Wes for sharing these.) Now I have a new frustration that has me grappling with noteaking. I don’t just take my students into full blown digital notetaking as I discuss in Reinventing Writing. If they don’t have basic notetaking skills down in an analog way adding a new technology AND teaching how to take notes at the same time is too much. So, now, I’m taking the approach of helping students master analog notetaking. This is for several reasons the first is just to teach the analog notetaking skills they need but secondly, I’m full out an IN-FLIP classroom. When I’m teaching concepts on the computer or anything point and click, I always do it with videos embedded in our LMS - Haiku Learning. A note about In-Flip: The kids love it. The other day I took a poll and said — everyone go to the left side of the room who prefers that I teach this stuff from the board like I used to. Go to the right side of the room if you prefer the videos. The left side of the room had no one but the dust bunny and a cricket there. For more, listen to the discussion I had with Jon Bergmann at ISTE about it) I want to know what they are getting out of the videos and if they are pulling out the essential questions I’m giving them. Until I know that they understand how to pull out the important points, I’m checking their notes every single day. (And don’t for one second think that my class is all videos - we have LOTS of face to face interaction - just not for certain things.) So, here are some of the essential notetaking skills I’ve taught them so far. Cornell Notetaking System My favorite Cornell notetaking video is by Jennifer DesRochers. Students watch this one and set up their Cornell system on paper. I then have several lessons where students JUST using the Cornell system. I check to make sure they have summaries at the bottom of the notes, headings at the top, and that they are pulling essential points out. This method is THE SINGLE MOST important reason (besides studying myself blind) that I graduated first in my class from Georgia Tech. I couldn’t have processed the high volume of notes without it and it is an important method. If you don’t believe me, look at student notes. Many of them have no dates, no topic, no teacher class information at the top. We can do better. Visual Notetaking At this point it is likely that your students are just using words in their notes. We want them DRAWING. Why? So they can use all parts of their brain. Using symbols and notes and such can help connect ideas in powerful ways. So, at this point, I take my students on a visual notetaking journey. We leave Cornell except for the heading with the date, class, topic, and teacher’s name. Also, if you want to dig deeper, Wes Fryer’s blog post about Visual Notetaking is a Must Read. Step 1: Visual Notetaking Bellringer I have a bellringer that I use with this and will share snippets so you can adapt it. (I don’t want to put the full one here because the digital notes I used under fair use and you’ll need to find and paste your own into your bellringer.) The following are 3 sets of visual notes. As you look at these notes with your partners and look at these examples, fill in your answers to the questions on the back of this page. So, students are looking at 3 examples of visual notetaking. For full impact, find 3 examples of visual notes taken related to your subject (perhaps even the topic at hand.) These should be in color if possible. Have students discuss in their small groups and then discuss as a group. Questions to Ask As Students Look at Visual Notetaking Examples All three examples use a strategy called "visual notetaking" - looking at these examples (and what is shared in them) how would you define visual notetaking? What are some advantages of using visuals in your personal notetaking system? How could you use visual notetaking as part of the Cornell system you’ve already learned? What are some drawbacks of visual notetaking? Then, after we’ve discussed visual notetaking from observing samples, we’ll dive deeper. Step 2: Introduction to Visual Notetaking This first video I have students watch and take notes any way they want. I like this video because it is showing visual notetaking as it is talking about it. Again, stress to students you don’t have to be an incredible artist to make this work and not to get hung up on details. Step 3: How Can Visual Notetaking Be Used in Class? In this second video, I have students watch the video and take visual notes for the whole thing. They can stop the video but for only up to 1 minute. I don’t want them sidetracked or delayed. I also want them to see how visual notes can be used in a classroom setting. I liked Rachel Smith’s approach in this video. I follow up later with why we use visual notes and a little bit about the left brain being a center for logic and procedures and the right being a place for creativity and social intelligence. I also talk about how we all use all of our brain even though we have strengths but when we learn and use more of our brain it makes it easy to remember. Then, I have students using the Cornell system WITH visual notetaking. How I’m applying Visual Notetaking in my Own Life I’m now doing visual goalsetting — I take my goals and turn it into a one page graphic drawing that helps me picture who I am and who I want to be. I’m also visually noting the books I read on one page and putting that page in Evernote. That makes it more readable. When my students move to electronic notetaking and find that some tools (particularly on the ipad) have some of the visual notetaking tools built right in - they’re going to be excited. Other Concepts We Will Cover in Our Notetaking Journey Mindmapping Bullet Journaling Notetaking Cues for Live Lectures (See this article for what I mean) the Charting Method When students get into electronic notetaking I’ll teach them the PREPS system I share in Reinventing Writing. Analog Notetaking Mastery Before Going Digital So, while I will have this year’s students at the level of notetaking prowess and using the full blown PREPS system that I share in Reinventing Writing before Christmas, I’m just finding that I need to shore up the basics. If students know WHY they take notes (the reinforcement of writing down the words helps put a nudge to the brain that this is important - and for recall later) and HOW to take notes - they’ll be better able to become engineers of their own personal learning system. In the end, I want each students to have their own system of personal notetaking that is a combination of the best. I want them to be fluent on paper and electronically. But this is definitely a progression of skills and best taught in small bites integrated among the content that I’m teaching. So, we teach a new technique about every week and a half. What do you think should be included? So, while this is on my mind (and now on some of yours) will you take time to share the essential things you think should be taught in an analog way (on paper) before taking students into a full blown digital notebook? The post Note Taking Skills for 21st Century Students appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Our classrooms are full of ones. Not hundreds not hundreds of thousands - - not millions — but there are millions of ONEs. Each child is unique. Each child is an individual. So are you teachers! We don’t do all the things quite the same. I read a great quote from Beth Moore that represents teachers so well: You don’t have to see eye to eye to be glad to be side by side. Do you need some ideas for improvement? It fits.  I want to share with you some fast, easy ideas to make your classroom more excellent. For each of these ideas, I’m linking to a show that will help you learn more. Which show? Well, many of you may not know but I do a bi-weekly (and sometimes more) show on BAM Radio called "Every Classroom Matters" and I’m celebrating 100 episodes this week!!! The shows are a short 10 minutes. The focus is great education wherever it is happening: K12, highered, homeschool, virtual school, professional development. Learners of all ages in every country. Excellent teaching and trends - wherever they happen — are the focus (thus the name Every Classroom Matters.) I want you to be encouraged and hopeful! Let’s get some ideas from each other. Here are 15 ideas and shows (and videos) to go with them. 1. Let Your Students Make Apps Kennedy and her teacher Marsha Harris. Kennedy made an app to help other kids learn French and about France. Kennedy (a fifth grade student) and her teacher Marsha Harris, @marshamac74 did this at their school in Atlanta, GA using Crescerance. (I’m going to be doing this too at my school. We’ll start in October!) Listen to #ecmatters show #93 "Students and Teachers Experimenting with Creating Apps  2. Encourage Your School to Start Prototyping Scot Hoffman at the American School of Bombay in India is leading the school’s R&D department. How do you innovate when you’ve "always done it this way?" The American School of Bombay has a fascinating approach: have an R&D department. If you don’t know "R&D" stands for "Research and Development." Companies who spend money on R&D will be innovators in 3-5 years. The intentionally research and develop products for their company. This can apply to our classrooms too. Learn about ASB’s R&D department and some of the improvements that they’ve made with teachers. Apply this by experimenting and protyping teaching methods in your classroom. Listen to #ecmatters show #92 R&D: Identifying the Next Best Teaching Practices  3. Encourage your Special Needs Kids to Make Videos Two guests — one father and one award winning teacher — both found that videos are an excellent way to bring special needs kids into the larger classroom. Gary Dietz and John Lozano  John Lozano and His Student Michael Listen to #ecmatters show #73 with teacher John Lozano: Using How Do We Help Other Kids and Adults Understand Autism?   A Father Finds Videos Help His Son Give a Winning Report Father Gary Dietz shares some stories about working with his son in the classroom. Dads of special needs kids will particularly love his heartwarming book, Dads of Disability. (Read his post 5 practical lessons for elementary classroom inclusion about the impact that inclusion has on all kids in the classroom.) Listen to #ecmatters show #91 with father Gary Dietz (author of Dads of Disability) : Understanding the Anxieties Around Educating Special Needs Kids   4. Consider the In-Flip Model of Learning if the Flipped Classroom Isn’t Doable for You The flipped classroom isn’t doable for everyone — not all places have good Internet or computers at home for the kids. The in-flip model is one that every teacher can use. I love this model of teaching as I use Haiku Learning and prepare videos of the detailed work we’ll be doing. Learn more about how Flipped learning is moving forward and about the in-flip from Flipped Classroom pioneer Jon Bergmann. (Recorded at ISTE 2014.) Listen to #ecmatters show #90 with Jon Bergmann: Preparing Your Students for Flipped Learning  5. Join Some Global Collaborative Projects This Year Global collaboration is vitally important for every 21st century classroom. Whether you’re using Mystery Location calls or learning about rhinos in South Africa, this is something you can do.  Here are several ideas for you. (If you’ve read the book I coauthored Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - you’ll know that I co-developed a model for how to integrate global collaboration into your classroom and still meet standards. I still believe this book is THE definitive guidebook for global collaboration in education - I haven’t read anything that comes close to the how-to. Yes, I’m biased. ;-)) Listen to #ecmatters show #89 with Toni Olivieri-Barton Getting Your Students Involved in Global Partnerships  My students have signed up again for the AIC Conflict Simulation run by Dr. Jeff Stanzler at the University of Michigan and we start next week. This awesome program teaches the Arab Israeli Conflict like nothing you’ve ever seen. Listen to #ecmatters show #74 with Dr. Jeff Stanzler How Simulation Games Can Teach Complex Subjects  Some challenges are hands on and use social media. This transformative project teaches about water poverty in a safe but powerful way. Listen to #ecmatters show #64 The 4 Liter Challenge: Teaching Students ABout Water Poverty  Karen Stadler from South Africa won ISTE’s Online Learning Award for this one. This is a great example of a project that a teacher has created that is making a difference. Listen to #ecmatters show #56 The Rhino Project: Teaching Social Consciousness. Students are connecting with Olympic Champions. Even if you don’t get in the program, the videos are free for all of us to use. They are a gold mine of grit, determination and powerful stories! Listen to #ecmatters with Steve Mesler and teacher Julieann Cappuccino about Classroom Champions: How Students are Learning Critical Skills from the Best in the World  6. Learn the Tricks and Hacks for Google Susan Oxnevad gives an awesome overview of 12 great tools to use with Google Drive. (If you’re into this, you might also want to read my 15 top Google Add-Ons) Listen to #ecmatters show #77 12 Great Ways to Use Google Drive  7. Consider Gamification and How You’re going to Gamify Your Classroom Cat Flippen (yes that is her very cool name) is researching games in the classroom and what they are (and are not). You’ll find yourself motivaed to use games with her work. Listen to #ecmatters show #86 Serious Games: Rethinking Gamification in Education   Watch this video that we recorded part of the Gamifi-ed OOC this past February with teacher Michael Matera who has gamified his entire history course. He has awesome ideas. Speaking of Gamifi-ed - this past school year some higher ed educators and I combined our classrooms to study games. (We’ll be at it again in February if you’re interested. Listen to #ecmatters show #51 Gamification: What Does it Take to Create Games that Actually Result in Learning with Verena Roberts, Dr. Lee Graham, and Colin Osterhout 8. Watch Videos of Best Practices and Share Them with Your PLC Bob Greenberg is using his retirement to travel the country and record videos with leading thought leaders. The Brainwaves YouTube channel is must watch and share. These resources are fantastic snippets to use and discuss in any group seeking to improve education. Hear the back story behind what he’s doing. (It will make you love Bob and his noble quest even more.) Sir Ken Robinson and Chris Dede are among his newest interviewees. This is a perfect example of learning to use the subscription feature in YouTube — so you can keep up with a channel like this! Listen to #ecmatters show #85 Capturing the Best Teaching Practices and Leaving a Legacy 9. Dress Up and Hook Students Elementary teacher Jeromie Heath has a costume closet! Great teachers remember that they are the most important asset they have in the classroom. When we dress up — kids take notice. (I also gave some clues into my own "Zombie Test Prep" example. Listen to #ecmatters show #84 Making Learning Fun: Engaging Students With Imagination  Dave Burgess and his book Teach Like a PIRATE: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator totally rocked my classroom when I read them during the summer of 2013. Every teacher should listen to this show and buy his book! Listen to #ecmatters show #20 Teach Like a Pirate: Grabbing and Keeping Your Student’s Attention with Dave Burgess 10. Encourage Students to Read a Renegade eBook Twenty something’s Seth and Chandler Bolt (one of them is a rock star - literally) have written  a fantastic ebook for teens: Breaking Out Of A Broken System. The back story and how they are using the proceeds to help those in poverty is even better. This is a refreshing look at success and education by two brothers breaking the rules and suceeding anyway. I loved it. Listen to #ecmatters show #83 Learning for Life Versus Learning for Grades, College or Career with Chandler Bolt 11. Make Sure Young Children Use Technology in Age Appropriate Ways Author Karen Nelson is a PreK teacher integrating technology. She uses so many ways to positively connect kids and keep balance. Listen to #ecmatters show #82 Generation C: When Very Young Children Are Connected to Technology  Karen didn’t know this but her work lines up with the research from Patti Wolman Summers’ book about using iPads with kids under 4.  Listen to #ecmatters Show #55: Toddlers on Technology: Touch Screens, Picking Apps for Young Kids and Setting Limits  These two listens would make great discussions for elementary age teachers in staff meetings and PD. 12. Make Sure Your Body Language is Positive Matthew Kohut, author of Compelling People: The Hidden Qualities That Make Us Influential, shares about body language and the subtle cues that can help you be a better educator. Plus, don’t miss the must-know body language tricks for speech coaches that you’ve probably never heard before! Listen to #ecmatters show with Matthew Kohut #81 Hidden Social Qualities of Effective Educators  13. Write in Powerful New Ways As those of you who read my blog know, I’m wildly intrigued by how writing is reinvented (thus my book Reinventing Writing). Linda Yollis is a classroom blogger-guru and has powerful ways for her students to connect. Listen to  #ecmatters show #49 Trial and Error: 3 Strategies for Building an Authentic Audience for Your Student’s Work with Linda Yollis First grade teacher and award winner Karen Lirenman uses Twitter in her classroom. You can do this too! Listen to #ecmatters show #10 Savvy Use of Edtech in Early Ed Classrooms with Karen Lirenman Annice Brave, 2012 Illinois Teacher of the Year uses Google Docs to co-plan with her fellow teacher Jeff Hudson. She also talks about journalism and AP Scores. Listen to #ecmatters show #27 Reinventing Your Classroom  14. How to Have Great Test Scores and Focus on Learning Superintendent Pam Moran has an epic interview where she shares the philosophy that has led her district to test less and score better. This is a must listen and share share with your superintendents and principals who say it can’t be done. Listen to #ecmatters show #69 The Proper Role of Testing with Pam Moran 15 - Find Your Own Passion I wish I had time to list every single show but it is now 7:05 and if I don’t get dressed, I’ll be late for school. As of this moment there are 100 show episodes listed on the Every Classroom Matters page! Look at the page and find one that interests you and what you’re trying to do right now. Shine the Light on Great Teaching Everywhere This show is my own effort to shine a light upon everyday educators. Every day educators are AMAZING. Let’s celebrate teaching and learning wherever it is. I hope these short 10 minute shows help you get energized and excited about all the things you can do in your classroom. And remember. Every Classroom Matters — YOUR classroom matters. Level up a little every day. The post 15+ Teaching Ideas to Get You Excited About Teaching appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

With only 1 in 10 schools offering coding in the USA, Josh Gauthier is one teacher using coding to engage students in learning. He finds learning how to new things in order to engage students is worth the time and money invested. Listen to Josh Gauthier discuss creating apps with students Add Josh Gauthier to your PLN @mrgfactoftheday Mr. Gauthier’s Tech Chats Josh Gauthier - Show #75 - Project Based Learning with a Purpose Josh Gauthier is a fourth year teacher in Wisconsin, who just moved to teaching at the local high school. Totally amazed at what his students would take on when given the chance, he watched in awe as his students learned  to create apps, using XCode and other languages. Listen to #ecmatters show #75 Note: Show #93 was another Every Classroom Matters show about students creating apps with a fifth grader who created a french language app. Every Classroom Matters is a bi-weekly podcast by Vicki Davis on BAM Radio network. Listening will help you teach with better results, lead with a positive impact, and live with a greater purpose. Subscribe. Need help listening to the show? If you’re clicking "Play" on the BAM Radio Site, this often works best in Internet Explorer. Or subscribe in a podcatcher. To get help use this tutorial. Show notes prepared by Lisa Durff, Production Coordinator for Every Classroom Matters. The post Project Based Learning with a Purpose with @mrgfactoftheday appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.

Building authentic audience is an essential technique for 21st century teachers. Linda Yollis, a 27 year elementary teacher shares with us how she uses social media in the classroom.  Using their class blog and teacher’s social media connections, Linda’s students write for the world. Let’s learn as Linda Yollis @lindayollis, classroom blogging extraordinaire, shares how she engages her students using blogging. Listen to Linda Yollis - Every Classroom Matters Show #49  Listen on iTunes: Trial and Error episode Add @lindayollis to your PLN: Mrs. Yollis’ Classroom Blog Linda Yollis - Show #49 - Trial and Error: 3 Strategies for Building an Authentic Audience for Your Student’s Work Linda Yollis, 3rd grade teacher, finds using social media with students can be incorporated into many content areas. Teaching with Twitter In one instance, she posted out a question on Twitter asking what the weather was like for other people. She and her students received many responses from around the world, incorporating geography, math, English, reading, science all into the answers. Classroom Blogging Linda is excited about learning and finds this is contagious and has spread to her students. She does incorporate digital safety along with teaching subjects like coding, which she learns right along with her students. Their blog is a classroom activity to which the students contribute. Students write posts, comments, add code, and pictures of the day. About Linda Yollis: Linda is an award winning teacher, having won the several Edublogger Awards, earned the Google Certified Teacher designation, and Digital Voice Awards. Her class blog is nominated for a Bammy Award this year and she keynoted last year at San Luis Obispo County Computer Using Educator’s conference. Every Classroom Matters is a bi-weekly radio show by Vicki Davis on BAM Radio network with best practices for busy teachers. Subscribe. Need help listening to the show? If you’re clicking "Play" on the BAM Radio Site, this often works best in Internet Explorer. Or subscribe in a podcatcher. To get help use this tutorial. Show notes prepared by Lisa Durff, Production Coordinator for Every Classroom Matters. The post 3 Strategies for Building an Authentic Audience for Your Student’s Work appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog.