Happy Birthday to my Husband

Happy birthday to the love of my life. When I hear people say, “He completes me,” I feel the same way. He truly is my better half and makes me feel loved. He is always there when I need him and I am so thankful that he has chosen me to grow old with. 

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 2/25/22

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels: E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

Brush Ninja - “Brush Ninja is a simple animated gif creator. Built to be accessible to as many people as possible, Brush Ninja is free and private and suitable for people of all ages.”(L:G; SA:A)

SF Symphony - “These are suggested lessons and activities which may be adapted to your school’s distance learning plan and scaffolded to best suit the age group of your students. The lessons are music-focused, and have been designed to facilitate curriculum connections with other disciplines. “ (L:G; SA:A)

10 Amazing Virtual Museum Tours - “Virtual Museum Tours are steadily becoming more and more common. VR has the power to transport users to places they might never be able to visit in real life so welcoming digital visitors into the museums of the world is a natural fit. It’s also a huge win for students across the globe as they get to explore some amazing pieces of world history with unprecedented access and ease.” (L:G; SA:A)

How to Create VR Tours of Local Landmarks - Richard Byrne gives a great tutorial on how to do this. (L:T; SA:A)

Cash Puzzler - “Memory puzzles are some of the first games young children play. Put the scrambled pieces of the puzzle back together to complete the image of a dollar bill in Visa’s Cash Puzzler game. Choose between 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar bill puzzles and learn fun facts about Benjamin Franklin, Ulysses S. Grant and more.” (L:E; SA:M)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Accountability

Recently in a discussion with friends, we discussed accountability and responsibility. So many of my students do not seem to understand either concept.

I had a couple of students give me excuses for not turning in their work on time. One excuse was that they forgot to hit submit but they had actually completed it days earlier. That is not my problem. That is why you should always go back and check that your work is turned in!

Another student did not complete an assignment properly. The students were supposed to send me a copy of a research-based article for approval. It had to be peer-reviewed, have a literature review, followed by methodology, followed by results, ending with discussion. This student sent me a link to a web page and no article. Others sent me the citation of the article and others sent me articles that were not research-based. It was as if they just wanted credit for turning something in even if it was wrong.

One student disagreed with the zero that she earned. She said she didn’t understand why she got a zero when she turned in her work on time. I took a screenshot as evidence that she turned in her work three days late! It is one thing to turn in late work but another to lie about when you turned it in! Students need to understand that this makes their integrity very questionable.

I repeatedly ask students to proofread their work and then check that their work is submitted. It is not my responsibility to do these things.

I’m not sure how to teach students that they need take responsibility for the decisions that they make. They need to understand that they will be held accountable for these decisions.

Do you have any suggestions? Please share.

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

Boynton Beach Home Depot Fiasco

We had to paint the outside of our stucco house because it probably hasn’t been painted in 30 years and it was looking rough. A lot of paint had flaked off and showed bare cement or the original pink that it was first painted. Since it is impossible to find people to do work on the house, we knew we had to paint it ourselves.

So, after doing research in Consumer Reports, we learn that Behr paint is the best exterior paint to use and it is only available at Home Depot. When we go to the paint department at Home Depot, we ask the guy about the paint. He agrees that the Behr Marquee is the best (at $51 per gallon) so we ask him to give us 4 gallons of flat white exterior paint to paint the outside of our house. He gets the paint for us and even helps us get rollers and brushes. When asked if we have to add white to the paint, he says no because it is already white and we just need to get it stirred at the desk.

Due to the heat, we can only work a few hours each day and spend about 4 days painting the house with the first two gallons. (Remember, we are not professional painters so it takes us a little longer than a professional). Finally, we have half of the house done and we have used 2 gallons of paint so far. When we open the 3rd gallon and we notice it looks a little wonky. When we roll it on the house, it doesn’t even cover the old paint. So, we thought that maybe they didn’t stir it well and we open the 4th gallon. But we have the same results.

We load the 4 cans in the car and head to Home Depot. When we get to the paint department and explain the problem, the first guy tells us that it is our fault because the numbers are different on the paint. We explain the Home Depot guy gave them to us. Another paint person tells us that we didn’t get white added to the paint and the paint was just a base so we explained that their guy told us we didn’t need to get anything added. So, we asked to speak to a manager. They walked away and started helping others but no one called a manager. I called the customer service desk on my phone and asked for the manager to come to the paint department.

Judy, who was a customer service manager, showed up and we explained the problem to her. Again, she said we didn’t get the same paint numbers. I told her that while I was on the phone asking for the manager, the two guys were looking at the cans. One guy told the other that he needed to get the cans with the same numbers when he gave them to customers. She looked at me and asked, “You mean the new guy was telling the tenured guy what to do?” Then she looks at the paint and tells us that we had gotten the wrong paint! This stuff was an unpigmented base paint and it wouldn’t cover the paint on the house and would probably fade next year. We asked if we had to repaint over what we had already done in the past 4 days. Judy scoffed with disbelief and didn’t believe that we had been painting for 4 days! My husband got upset that Judy was calling him a liar but she finally backed down from that and said we would have to repaint it because that base paint was going to fade quickly without pigment. My husband was irate because he just wasted 4 days of painting! At least she gave us 4 gallons of the correct paint (we hope anyway) but there is no way to make up for the labor that we had put into the house already.

Things I Learned:

• Always check the numbers on the paint can even if the guy tells you it doesn’t matter.
• Base paint always needs pigment in it.
• Ask for a second opinion even if it makes the first guy mad.
• Home Depot employees will tell you anything to sell you a product.
• Consider going to Lowe's for home improvement supplies

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Thankfulness

“The NVIV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts.”

In Thinking Through Thankfulness, Rushton features A.J. Jacobs wanted to thank everyone involved in making his cup of coffee.

He gives the following prompts to accompany this video:

“Try talking to a friend about how many people you can identify who are part of making something you love.

Then try thanking at least some of those people. Did you learn something different from what the guy in the video learned?”

Every morning I write down one thing that I’m thankful for from the day before. I try to make my gratitude intentional and thoughtful. I never thought about making a thankful trail. I think this would be fun to do in a classroom where the class picks one thing to be thankful for. Then the class would brainstorm all the people who had a hand in creating this one thing. Then every day throughout the school year, students could write a thank you note to one of the people on the list.

Please check out the video and think of other prompts you might come up with. Please share.

 

 

Amateur Radio as a Stem Classroom Tool

(Guest Post: Jeffrey A. Meyer is a Radio Amateur and Model Railroader, and Retiree currently residing in Painesville, Ohio.)

We’ve come a long way since 1895 when the radio was first “invented”. That continuing radio-based research resulted in both AM and FM radio, RADAR of all kinds (police and weather too), the microwave oven, the television remote, mobile phones, and everything wireless. Today, radio is so prevalent that we get our news and weather on TV, radio, and smartphones, our cars nearly drive themselves, we can turn on our house lights remotely, keep our pets contained, heat up our meals, follow our kids on daycare cameras, order our favorite fast food at the drive-thru, etc.………..

Now, let’s look at how a 125 plus-year-old association with radio continues to offer an unrivaled STEM learning opportunity for today’s students.

SCIENCE (PHYSICS)

Amateur Radio revolves around sending and receiving radio waves, and to do so, students will learn about the earth’s atmosphere, basic electricity, sunspots, meteorology, Ohm’s Law, radio theory, and weather.

MATHEMATICS

This hobby involves the metric system and is comprised of many mathematical formulas, from calculating dimensions to building antennas to plotting a top view 3D picture of how an antenna actually works in space.

ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY

Electronic circuits are created by connecting different combinations of electronic parts, so the student will learn what these parts look like, what they do, be able to identify them in a schematic diagram, participate in both assembling and wiring projects, learn how to solder and how to do all of this safely.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Today, our computers talk to our radios, which means we can control them remotely or in your home radio room. This software can change both their frequencies and modes, control where we aim our antennas to exactly towards where we want to talk, record our contacts directly into our station logs, dispatch that contact information to websites for awards and even enable us to design our own proof of contact postcards.

COMMUNICATION ARTS & FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Through Amateur Radio, the student is able to sharpen both their conversational and listening skills. Broadening one’s horizons, through meeting and engaging with other people and cultures, is an important aspect of everyone’s personal growth. Those activities help all of us to better understand the world around us and learn the important art of being a patient listener. In addition to that, foreign language broadcasts can also be used to fill the gap between the “King’s English” and everyday conversation.

GEOGRAPHY

There is no better hobby or activity on earth that addresses this topic better than Amateur Radio. As signals are traveling all around the world 24/7/365, you will ALWAYS hear foreign amateur stations. Without having Amateur Radio, in my life, I wouldn’t readily know where specific countries are located, which continent they are in, or be able to answer that Final Jeopardy question that no one else knew.

I’ve shown you that radio is more relevant than ever, given you just a small sampling of examples, where radio activities intersect with STEM instruction and demonstrated how a simple hobby easily brings the non-textbook, practical side of problem-solving into your classroom environment.

Finally, programs like this are rare enough that there are less than fifty schools nationally doing something similar, with some states having none at all. That being said, there are plenty of opportunities out there to blaze a new trail and use this hobby as a unique launching pad for your kids, so why not with your school and why not now? Do you see the potential? Check out SARCNET at www.sarcnet.org. and you’ll see what I mean.

Let’s collaborate on this, you’ll be glad we did.

QST from Flickr Commons     

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 2/18/22

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels: E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

Sundial - Make your own sundial (L:E; SA:S)

Financial Football - “Visa and the National Football League have teamed up to create Financial Football, a fast-paced, interactive game that engages students while teaching them personal finance skills. The latest release features 3D graphics and game-changing opportunities with audibles, blitzes and long yardage plays. The game is available to play for free through iOS and Android apps and online.” (L:H; SA:C,M)

WolframTones - “WolframTones is an experiment in applying Wolfram's discoveries to the creation of music.” (L:H; SA:FA)

History Trivia Game - “Place the cards on the timeline in the correct order.”(L:H; SA:SS)

Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants - “Beaming Science, Exploration, Adventure and Conservation live into Classrooms Through Guest Speakers and Virtual Field Trips with Leading Experts from Around the World. Using Technology to Broadcast Live into Classrooms from the Most Remote Regions on the Planet. Since September 2015, We’ve Hosted 3,000+ Live Events Connecting Half a Million Students to Scientists and Explorers from 95 Countries.”(L:G; SA:SS,S)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Communicating Effectively

In It’s easy to do (if you know how to do it) from Seth Godin's Blog, Seth Godin,

"This is the dilemma that every game designer, form creator, and teacher faces.

Writing an instruction manual, doing a survey, creating a map–they’re all difficult tasks because of the translation that’s required: the person doing the work already knows what they’re trying to teach. But the person interacting with the manual doesn’t.”

Sometimes when I’m teaching a new skill, I take it for granted that my students will know the things I didn’t say but should have said. When I know how to do something, it becomes easy and routine, so I forget all the little steps it also takes to do something.

So, before I teach a new skill, I write down all of the steps it takes to learn this new skill. Then I number them in the correct sequence. After doing this, I try the sequence out to see if ends up completing the goal that I want to achieve. Once I think it is right, I find a willing victim (I mean helper) to practice it on and I ask them to do only what I say to do and don’t do anything extra. This is where I find out all the little steps that I have forgotten and even though it may seem silly or frustrating, it really helps clarify what I want to teach.

For example, when I wanted to teach how to write a check and log it into the checkbook register, I found out there were a lot of little steps that I didn’t include. When I tried out the lesson with my husband, the lesson didn’t end up like I wanted it to. First, I didn’t name the parts of the checkbook, so he didn’t realize what the checkbook register was. I didn’t show examples so he didn’t write it in the register like I thought it should be done. With a few corrections and additions, the next practice lesson went much better,

When I’m writing an article that I want to share with others, I must think about the audience. If I want to share something about education to a person who is not in education, I ask someone not in education to read my article. I ask them to let me know if there is something they don’t understand. Sometimes when someone is in education for a long time, they take it for granted that others reading certain material will understand all the jargon or background that is included. If someone not familiar with the field of education reads this, it might not make any sense to them. This review helps me make my writing clearer.

When I ask my graduate students, who take my practicum class, to write a newsletter home to parents each week, I ask them to not use abbreviations or education jargon. I look over the letters to explain why parents might not understand what they are trying to say. I don’t want my teachers to talk down to parents but I want them to communicate in a way that anyone is able to understand.

How do you make sure that the message you are trying to send makes sense to your audience? Please share.

Photo by Antenna on Unsplash

Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site

Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site is located in Union, SC. Rose Hill is a historic mansion that was home to Governor William Henry Gist during the 1800s. William Henry Gist was elected Governor of SC in 1858. Rose Hill was an active cotton plantation for 128 years and covered 2000 acres at the time. There are four magnolia trees at the front of the mansion that is estimated to be about 200 years old. South Carolina State Park Service acquired Rose Hill Plantation in 1960 and protects 44 acres. There are five historic buildings at this historic site. The Gist family cemetery is about a mile away where fourteen members of the Gist family are buried.

Rose Hill was one of the largest enslaved communities in the area and had 178 slaves at one time. Most of the slaves worked in the cotton fields. Many left the plantation in 1865 when they became free but some chose to stay and become tenant farmers.

William Henry Gist became governor just before the Civil War. One of his last acts was to call for a succession convention. Governor Gist and 169 other men signed the Ordinance of Secession on December 20, 1860. This secession led to war and three of the sons joined the Confederate Army.

You can take a guided tour of the house for $10 per person. There is a park store and gift shop. There hiking trails and picnic shelters also. You can walk around the grounds to look at the gardens, trees, birds, and historic structures.

When we visited there, we were told that the house was haunted and some people have seen a ghost in the window. I don't know if that is true or not but it is fun to imagine. According to Most Haunted Places in South Carolina, “One of the most haunted plantations in the country, the Rose Hill Plantation was built in 1827 and the family lived, died and was buried right there on the property! Their ghosts are still said to roam the property in both the house itself and the on-site cemetery.”

A Farmer’s Son

“The NVIV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts.”

In A Farmer’s Son, Rushton features Dado Banatao, He was the son of a farmer in the rural Philippines who grew up without shoes or access to electricity. Yet, his father encouraged him to keep learning because he wanted a better life for his son.

He gives the following prompts to accompany this video:

“How many times along the path of his story in the video can you count when he might have given up? Can you list the barriers that would have caused this?

Would he have been as successful if he hadn’t wanted to make a difference in the lives of others? Why or why not?”

When I watched this video, I’m was so amazed at his persistence. My parents always said that if there was a will, there was a way and if you wanted something bad enough, you won’t let anything stand in your way. Even though he faced obstacles and disappointments, he kept on working towards his goal. What a role model for all students!

Please check out the video and think of other prompts you might come up with. Please share.

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 2/11/22

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels: E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

USGS Multimedia - “Access all multimedia to include images, video, audio, webcams, before-after imagery, and more. Filter and explore with filtering options to refine search.”(L:G;SA:A)

Genially - free; “Create presentations, infographics and other stunning content by yourself or with your team.” (L:G;SA:A)

Breshna - “Breshna empowers everyone to create their own video games. Breshna creates games with no code and at lightning speed” (L:G;SA:A)

Floop - “Floop shifts the nature of instruction and learning with next-generation feedback practices. Research-based, transformative methods provide meaningful, accurate, and timely feedback to effectively foster lifelong learners.” (L:G;SA:A)

Word It Out - “Transform your text into word clouds!” (L:G;SA:A)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Meet Deadlines

In On schedule from Seth Godin's Blog, Seth Godin states,

"Don’t miss deadlines."

In my opinion, meeting deadlines is so important. When I meet a deadline, I’m saying that I respect the other person enough to do what is agreed upon by the time agreed upon. If I don’t think I can meet a deadline, I say so before agreeing to anything or taking on that project.

Currently, I’m teaching two courses that involve deadlines. If students register for a class, they understand and agree to meet the deadlines that are required by the instructor. If students don’t think they can complete the work, they shouldn’t take the course. I don’t accept any late work for this reason. If students can’t meet the deadlines set at the beginning of the course, it reflects on their commitment and professionalism.

I feel when you don’t meet a deadline you are showing a lack of respect to the other person. You are saying that your time is more important than the other person’s time and what they need are not as important as your needs.

When I was teaching in public schools I tried hard to always meet deadlines given or submit things before the deadline. I would not allow myself to turn in anything late. This is something that I could control. If there were extenuating circumstances that were not in my control, I would talk about extending the deadline if possible.

This is a simple concept to follow: Don’t miss deadlines!

How do you feel about deadlines? Please share.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

School Amateur Radio Club Network

I was recently contacted by someone who wanted me to reach out to educators and tell them about the  SARCNET - School Amateur Radio Club Network in Australia. I didn’t know about this network and was very intrigued by his message. As a ham radio operator, I was thrilled to see how schools were involved with amateur radios. Mr. Meyer wants to see more schools in the US develop this kind of network too and asked me to reach out to my readers and share this information. With his permission, I am copying and pasting his message.

“I am Jeffrey A. Meyer, Radio Amateur and Model Railroader, Retiree and currently residing in Painesville, Ohio.

Here's what I just sent to Education Week and it certainly applies to your blog. I have been trying to get my foot in the door, at several local school districts, to introduce the world of Amateur Radio and model railroading and can't even get a single return call or e-mail. Maybe one of your "subscribers" is interested in a rare, unique and life-changing program for kids in grades 3-6, so here's my pitch. Best of all it's FREE.
-----------------------------------------------

Today, educators are constantly expected to do more; to be the wide ranging single subject matter expert, the cheerleader, the mentor, the substitute parent, the nurse, the referee and the list goes on and on……

What if local teachers had an army of volunteer subject matter experts that could bring both their hobbies and practical expertise into those local classrooms?

Being both an Amateur Radio Operator "Ham" for 45 years and model railroader, both these hobbies provide a unique opportunity for hands-on instructional learning. Not only do they both provide a wealth of practical STEM experience through electronics, radio theory, propagation, engineering, meteorology, weather, safety, communication, project planning, etc., most of the hobbyists I know would jump at the opportunity to work with kids.

Hobby enthusiasts are an amazing, creative and an untapped resource for educators. They are hidden away in every community and willingly provide their own equipment and expertise FOR FREE. They also have a zeal to pass on this technology to the next generation. So, this largely free and enriching collaboration, between the schools and the hobbyist fraternity, is a real home run.

A program, specifically designed for Amateur Radio, has already been successfully implemented by SARCNET in Australia, growing from one school to six, expanded into two countries and the kids are clamoring to get involved. That's a problem most teachers would like to have; kids wanting to be there and fully engaged.

Australia doesn't have a patent on innovation, so it can work here too! We just need more educators who are willing to listen and explore the possibilities that exist all around them every day. With that simple curiosity, we get a win for the hobbyist, the win for the teacher and most of all, a life-changing win for the kids.”

If you have an interest in something like this in your classroom or school, I’d be glad to help you connect with Mr. Meyer for more information. Just email me with your contact information.

Photo by Pradamas Gifarry on Unsplash

A Triple Win

“The NVIV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts.”

In Gorgeous Gondolas, Rushton features a family’s gondola-making business.

He gives the following prompts to accompany this video:

“Are there things made in your community or region that are hard or impossible to find elsewhere? How much do you know about them, if so?

Every community has its special stories. In Venice, the work of the Tramontin family is such a story. What’s a special story in your family?”

This story reminds me of things that are made special in my city. Greenville, SC used to be where Pepto Bismol was made for twenty years. Dukes mayonnaise was created in 1917 in Greenville, SC.

Please check out the video and think of other prompts you might come up with. Please share.

The Giving Tree Stamp

One of seven new Forever stamps coming out in 2022 is The Giving Tree stamp. This new stamp has caused a lot of mixed reactions. When I heard about the controversy, I had to do some more research because I remember reading this book to my children and even using it in my classroom. What controversy could there be over this well-known children’s story? I wonder who decided to pick this book to feature on the stamp and what they were thinking.

The picture on the stamp shows a boy catching an apple which is similar to the cover of this popular book. The title of the book and Shel Silverstein’s name are also written on the stamp. It was designed by Derry Noyes.

The Giving Tree is a picture book written by well-known author and illustrator, Shel Silverstein and was published in 1964. When the boy is young, he enjoys climbing the tree, swinging from her branches, and eating her apples. Then he forgets about the tree until he needs something and the tree is happy to give him whatever he wants. Then one day when he is an old man and the tree has nothing left to give, he sits on her stump.

Some people are very excited that a book they loved as a child was going to be on the stamp. It has been used to show children the selflessness of giving. The story shows the joy of unconditional love. Whenever the boy wants something, the tree is always there for him.

Others feel like this was the worst choice of Shel Silverstein’s works to display and honor on a stamp. They feel this story shows selfishness and an unhealthy relationship. The boy is constantly taking and not giving anything back and the tree doesn’t know how to set boundaries by saying no. She gives so much that she eventually has nothing left.

I think the story itself and this new stamp are brilliant! It opens up so many different discussions that involve critical thinking. By having these great discussions, we can clarify our own understanding of the way we feel. I think this story can be seen in so many different ways because it depends on the age of the reader. Maybe that is what the author hoped would happen. When we are young, we focus on the tree and the unconditional love it gives just like we hope we get from our parents. As we get older, we learn about the ability we have of giving to others. Then as we mature, we start looking at the actions of the boy and wonder about his actions. Are they selfish? Do we know what kind of life he has had? Maybe he grew apple trees and gave apples to others. We just don’t know because the author doesn’t go into that with the reader.

References:
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2022/0111-usps-reveals-more-stamps-for-2022.htm
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/global/images/releases/shel-silverstein.jpg

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 2/4/22

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels: E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

QRToon - Turn boring QR codes into a cute one with a picture. (L:G;SA:A)

Ziplet - “Exit tickets your students will love. No student logins required. Try the fast, easy and engaging way to run exit tickets.” (L:T;SA:A)

Exploring By The Seat - “Beaming Science, Exploration, Adventure and Conservation live into Classrooms Through Guest Speakers and Virtual Field Trips with Leading Experts from Around the World. Using Technology to Broadcast Live into Classrooms from the Most Remote Regions on the Planet” (L:T;SA:A)

Chatterpix - “Grab your camera! Let’s ChatterPix! Chatterpix Kids can make anything talk -- pets, friends, doodles, and more.” (L:G;SA:A)

Tagxedo - “...turns words -- famous speeches, news articles, slogans and themes, even your love letters -- into a visually stunning word cloud, words individually sized appropriately to highlight the frequencies of occurrence within the body of text.” (L:G;SA:A)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

This year I’m trying to lose weight and it is one of my goals every year. I’m not on any fad diets but I’m trying to watch what I eat, eat less sugar and carbs and not eat food that is unhealthy. I think my husband and I do a pretty good job at it and I log in the food I eat into MyFitnessPal. We even try to walk an hour every day. But, I just can’t seem to shed the pounds. My husband seems to lose pounds easier than I do. He has increased his fruit intake and eats more salads.

So, I try to eat more fruits and salads too because it works for him. Instead of losing weight, I gain a little. When I look back at my food diary, I believe that even though I’m eating what he is eating, my body is processing it differently than his body is. No two bodies are alike and that is why following a diet that other people are on won’t work for everyone.

I believe this same theory applies to learning. Everyone learns differently and it is almost like a fingerprint. There are no two learners alike so what works on one student will probably not work in the same way for another student.

That is why it is so important to vary our teaching strategies and give students several options when learning a new skill. Allow students to explore the different ways of learning so they can find one that works for them. Explain that some of the options may not appeal to them or work for them and if that is the case, try a different one. It is okay if one way isn’t working and they move on to another way. Allow them to reflect on why something didn’t work for them and what way is working for them. It is this conscious reflection that will help them streamline their own personal learning process. Without this reflection, every situation might be a hit-or-miss result which would waste a lot of time.

It is important to remember that when we are teaching, one size does not fit all and it never will. So, we need to stop trying to teach as if it does.

How do you help students find their own learning process? Please share.

Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

Moving Too Fast

In Personal velocity from Seth Godin's Blog, Seth Godin asks,

“Why do bikes stay stable when you ride them (and fall down when you stop)?”

I am always commenting to my students that they need to slow down. They need to check their work. Don’t be in such a hurry. I truly know how they feel because I’ve done it myself.

Yes, when I’m doing my lessons on Duoling (a phone app I’m using to learn Spanish), I find myself making careless mistakes. I don’t proofread my work before I submit my answer. I don’t recheck the question to make sure I’m answering it too quickly. I think I know the answer and I submit it quickly only to find out that I either misspelled a word or I left out a word. I knew the answer but I just didn’t take the time to do it correctly.

Is the reason we are too quick to answer is that if we go too slow we are afraid of making a mistake? Then we learn we made it anyway. I need to help my students see that learning is not like riding a bike. Doing it faster is not going to help anyone learn it faster. Practice takes time and careful deliberation. The more we practice, the faster we will go but not the other way around.

Faster does not mean better. Going slower and being more careful leads to more success than speed and carelessness.

How do you teach your students to slow down? Please share.

Photo by Igor Lypnytskyi on Unsplash

2022 Goals Review for January

It was colder than normal this month so we didn’t go to the beach at all. I did a lot of knitting and reading this month.

1. Lose 5 lbs. - my weight goes up and down so I didn’t make any progress on this.

2. Finish my national park blanket. - will not get to work on this again until we go back to SC.

3. Year of the Gnome - knit at least one gnome a month. Completed 1 gnome.

4. Knit a sweater. - started on the Nordic Nights sweater.

5. Yarn - more out than in (use more yardage than I buy)

Yarn used - 1826 yds

Yarn bought -

6. Design 3 new patterns. - thoughts are swirling through my head.

7. Learn something new. - not sure what I want to do yet.

8. Read 12 nonfiction books: 
        A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming by Kerri Rawson

How is your progress towards your goals? Please share.

Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash