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SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

Every Earth Day, someone in your school, maybe the parent group, raises the question of WHY NOT a paperless classroom? Everyone nods their heads, agrees this is a revolutionary idea, and moves on as Earth Day passes. Really, though: Why not? There are benefits to adopting web-based alternatives to paper: it’s easy to collaborate when everything’s online. nothing gets soda dripped on it or eaten by the dog. students can collaborate without requiring parent time and gas fumes. teachers

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Accessibility Transportation Computer Curriculum 301

User Generated Education

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

I’ve been interested in the ideas surrounding the growth mindset prior to it being coined as such by Carol Dweck. As part of my studying Education Psychology as part of my Doctoral studies, I delved into studying attribution theory. Attribution theory provides a foundation to the ideas connected to a growth mindset. As such, I have been thrilled about the press it’s getting and I have facilitated several workshops for educators on the growth mindset – see The Education with a G

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Elementary Education Education Schooling 121

The Innovative Educator

SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Adult life is all about making choices, learning from them, and prioritizing competing demands for our time. A healthy educational environment must allow students to experience such opportunities and challenges. To do this, children must be able to make their own decisions and pursue their own passions. This creates the opportunity for them to flourish to their full potential if they have a supportive, respectful and loving culture.

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Curriculum Learning Achievement Education 100

Technology Tidbits

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Noteimals is a fun little free iOS app for teaching youngsters musical notes and the piano keyboard (If only I had this when I was learning how to play the piano when I was 5). The way this works is the musical notes takes on shapes of animals (think Mario Paint SNES) making it easier to learn notes. Users can choose a song to play through or create their own music in "Free Play" mode.

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Speaker: Andrew Cohen, Founder & CEO of Brainscape

The instructor’s PPT slides are brilliant. You’ve splurged on the expensive interactive courseware. Student engagement is stellar. So… why are half of your students still forgetting everything they learned in just a matter of weeks? It's likely a matter of cognitive science! With so much material to "teach" these days, we often forget to incorporate key proven principles into our curricula — namely active recall, metacognition, spaced repetition, and interleaving practice.

Teaching

Wisconsin Science and STEM Education

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Building on my previous post (a must read before this one), I describe two lessons here, labeling the literacy components of each lesson. For reference, connections to literacy strategies (L), disciplinary literacy (DL), and scientific literacy (SL) are labeled within the descriptions of the lessons below. Because each reference to disciplinary literacy (DL) would also be a reference to scientific literacy, for clarity it’s only labeled as DL (not as SL too).

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Science Sciences Energy Elementary 40

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015

School’s back and it’s more important than ever to integrate technology into your curriculum. Why? Consider these thirteen changes to technology-in-education since 2013: Windows has updated their platform—again. IPads have been joined by Chromebooks as a common classroom digital device. There is a greater reliance on internet-based tools than software.

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Curriculum Computer Professor Technology 266

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

With the growing interest in coding comes a call for after school tech camps that supersize student enthusiasm for learning technology. If you’ve been tasked (or volunteered) to run this activity, here are five activities that will tech-infuse participants: Write an Ebook. It’s been said that inside 70% of us is a book crying to get out.

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Schooling Research Research Computer 262

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SEPTEMBER 18, 2015

I repost this article every September because I get so many requests for mouse resources for those youngest keyboarders. Enjoy! One of the most important pre-keyboarding skills is how to use the mouse. The mouse hold is not intuitive and if learned wrong, becomes a habit that’s difficult to break. Here are some images to assist you in setting up your newest computer aficionados: Here are 16 websites student will enjoy, including 4 for adults new to computers: Mouse Skills.

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Teaching Geography Computer Curriculum 261

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SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

Here’s a great lesson plan with three activities well-suited to the discussion of architecture and design in 1st grade: Review. Students complete three projects in two weeks to aid understanding of architecture, design, and three-dimensional thinking. They’ll experiment with spatially laying out a three-dimensional structure on a two-dimensional paper.

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Architecture Teaching Curriculum Computer 245

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Mathematics, a subject steeped in abstract concepts, often poses challenges to students, especially those in grades 5-10. But imagine a bridge that transformed this intricate maze into an interactive adventure.

Math

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SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

I’m a teacher, have been for 35 years. I teach a lesson to my Middle School students that uses Twitter to improve writing skills. There’s a lot this popular social media tool can bring to the education world: it’s non-intimidating. Anyone can get through 140 characters. it forces students to focus on concise, pithy writing. Wasted, fluff words are not an option. it’s fun.

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Curriculum Computer Professor Teaching 239

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

As a working technology teacher, I get hundreds of questions from parents about their home computers, how to do stuff, how to solve problems. Each week, I’ll share one of those with you. They’re always brief and always focused. Enjoy! Q: So many colleagues are embedding documents to their blogs and websites, but I don’t know how to do that. Can you help?

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Computer Curriculum Professor Accessibility 234

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

In fifteen years of teaching K-8, I have learned that one factor provides a reliable barometer for student success: Parent involvement. In fact, it’s crucial. According to the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education Research Review and Resources , no matter income or background, students with involved parents are more likely to have higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school.

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Geology Computer Schooling Math 229

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

I’ve taught Preschool-8th grade for thirty years. Throughout, one factor stood out as the most reliable barometer of student achievement: Parent involvement. It didn’t mean parents as tutors, homework helpers, or classroom volunteers–although it could be those. It meant parents showing they cared about their child’s success. Today’s education model is catching up with the fundamental part parents play in student achievement.

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Learning Analytics Computer Achievement Accessibility 226

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These easy-to-use design briefs outline student objectives, challenges, and materials needed to complete each 30-minute to 4-hour lesson. ITEEA’s Integrative STEM curriculum, Engineering byDesign, includes many more standards driven hands-on activities just like these!

STEM

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SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

Well-used, television has traditionally been important in the classroom. It informs students in emergencies, updates them on historic events, and now–with extensions like Apple TV–connects them on a granular level to what they learn in their textbooks. I haven’t written about this learning tool in a long time so I was excited when AATT contributor, Sara Stringer , came up with this great article: Even though some people feel that there is too much on TV that does nothing to edu

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Elementary Curriculum Teaching Schooling 222

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

As a working technology teacher, I get hundreds of questions from parents about their home computers, how to do stuff, how to solve problems. Each Tuesday, I’ll share one of those with you. They’re always brief and always focused. Enjoy! Q: Some websites/blogs are confusing. I click through way too many options to get anything done. What’s with that?

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Computer Curriculum Professor Teaching 221

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

This is a reprint of an article I posted last Spring. By starting these tasks in Fall, you’ll be ready when yearly assessments arrive in April-May: Between March and June, 2015, nearly five million students in 11 states and the District of Columbia completed the PARCC and Smarter Balanced testing to measure student accomplishment of Common Core State Standards in the areas of mathematics and English/language arts.

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Problem Solving Computer Mathematics Communications 220

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

To help you adjust, here are the Top Ten articles on putting technology into your back-to-school plans: How to Prepare Students for PARCC Tests. 8 Tech Tools to Get to Know Your Students for Back to School. 5 Tools To Shake up the New Year. 3 Apps to Help Brainstorm Next Year’s Lessons. 8 Characteristics of a Successful K-12 Technology Department. How to Build Your PLN.

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Schooling Computer Curriculum Professor 202

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 26, 2015

If you are using the SL K-5 Technology Curriculum , you’ll love this new free service. Starting Sunday, Structured Learning will offer online, virtual Office Hours. Any questions you have about how to unpack lessons, teach a skill, or tie into class inquiry can be asked at this weekly real-time Google Hangout: Sundays, 2pm PDT. Just like your college professor, doors are open to whoever shows up.

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Professor Curriculum Computer Technology 188

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

This special on site licenses has been extended a month. When September ends, prices increase for the first time since we’ve offered multi-user licenses. Let me step back. What are site licenses ? They are for multiple users rather than just the teacher–students, other teachers, even parents. They offer grade-level student workbooks (in PDF format) for the SL tech curriculum and keyboarding curriculum.

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Curriculum Teaching Schooling 187

Ask a Tech Teacher

SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Labor Day is annually held on the first Monday of September (this year, September 2nd). It was originally organized to celebrate various labor associations’ strengths of and contributions to the United States economy. It is largely a day of rest in modern times. Many people mark Labor Day as the end of the summer season and a last chance to make trips or hold outdoor events.

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Publication Curriculum Computer Technology 171

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2015

America, we love you.

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User Generated Education

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

What does learning look like in school environments? What is wrong with the following pictures? Mohamed, a self-assured kid with thick-framed glasses and a serious expression, had just started at MacArthur High School a few weeks ago. The Irving, Tex., ninth-grader has a talent for tinkering — he constructs his own radios and once built a Bluetooth speaker as a gift for his friend — and he wanted to show his new teachers what he could do.

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Schooling Biology Learning Chemistry 116

User Generated Education

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

Lately, I have become a little obsessed with idea of the best day ever. It is undeniable obvious when you see someone have or experience for yourself a peak experience: succeeding with ; getting a unexpected, amazing gift; finishing or winning a sports event (depending on your goal); being given accolades for a personal accomplishment. I personally perceive it as a coming together or congruence of the mind, heart, body, and spirit where all of them are present and fulfilled.

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Learning Schooling Education Education 101

The Innovative Educator

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Want a community that embraces self-directed learning? These tools, practices, and structures are used to support such a community as part of The Agile Learning Model. They can be used anywhere and modified to best support learning in your environment. To follow you will read about the following structures, tools, and practices: Set-the-week Meeting Offerings Board Scrum Morning Intentions / Stand-up Meeting Spawn Points Personal Kanban Gratitude Circle / Community Rituals Closing Meeting / Aft

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Learning 95

The Innovative Educator

SEPTEMBER 27, 2015

This week, I had some words via Twitter with Wake County Public Schools for making decisions about policies that affect students without bringing students into the conversation in a respectful way. Students were upset when they learned Snapchat was blocked and they took their concerns to Twitter. @randixmartinez If your phone is put away, why would you care if snapchat is blocked?

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Communications Publication Schooling Learning 94

The Innovative Educator

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

Google is updating the way they do certifications. Google is providing these certifications as a concrete and tangible way to measure skills and knowledge. Level 1 is for educators and 2 for trainers and innovators. Below is a brief description with a link to more information. Read More Read More This post from Shake Up Learning provides additional insight and you can read below from Google's newsletter.

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Education Education Innovation Learning 91

The Innovative Educator

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

Is it any wonder parents often complain that they don't feel welcome in their child's school. Students and staff often have a similar reaction. That's because when visiting a school for the first time, you are likely to experience some of the following. You get to the building, but you find it difficult to find the unmarked door that is the entrance into the school.

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Schooling 88

The Innovative Educator

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

Guest post by Jackie Patanio I never thought of myself as a maker. Until this weekend. I participated in my first Education Forum and Maker Faire with my son, a mini maker in the works. Educators, kickstarters, & supports were all at the forefront of the amazing maker movement. While there I was inspired to contemplate my passions and consider how I could make in my own life.

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Education Education 85