Common Core State Standards
For those of you who may not know, there are standards that public schools in America (and some private and charter schools) have to adhere to. Until now, those standards have been able to vary from state to state. I know, from personal experience with researching my bingo game that it can be frustrating to know that there is so much variation. So, with that in mind, it’s nice to see that the Common Core State Standards are now here. Yes, it’s going to take time to adjust lessons and curriculum to align perfectly with these new standards – but I feel that we, as a whole, are going to be better for it. I’m actually so inspired by it that I’ve started working on a blog article about ways to integrate the standards into your students’ learning. As well as why we shouldn’t be afraid of them.
Atlanta Cheating Scandal – Part 3
With all of the discussion and hushed voices discussing the cheating scandal in Atlanta’s public schools, I found it refreshing to read an article from an insider – Dr. Beverly Hall. Too often I feel that educators keep quiet about their concerns or frustrations about what is happening, and this is why we really never get a whole clear picture of a situation. Yes, Dr. Hall retired from Atlanta as their school superintendent; but she provides her perspective on what happened, which is something we did not have previously. I feel that it’s important to look at the whole picture, in order to accurately decide on the next proper course of action.
Books that Build Character
As this new year gets started, reading is going to take focus again. Teachers, families, and children are going to be looking for new books to read. I liked this list of books mainly because I hadn’t heard of any of them, plus as an elementary school teacher I’m always on the hunt for new reads. Then, since I’m an aunt to 3 school-age kiddos I want to keep them fascinated with reading too. From this list I especially want to read ‘Do Unto Otters’ (I love little play on words), ‘Say Something’ (so important in addressing the bullying issue early one, and ‘Butterflies in My Stomach and Other School Hazards’ (this can be useful for new students and just all around good for the beginning of the year). I also like that each book can be a conversation starter – whether at home or at school.
Dream in Color
EdWeek Article
Since social awareness is important to me, I was interested to see what this opinion piece would discuss, in terms of race, in schools. Unfortunately, it was a rather short piece that didn’t really provide any examples on what new teachers could do, or how experienced teachers could create more enriched learning opportunities. The best part, in my opinion, was this thought about creating school plans,”These statements fail to motivate; they don’t provide a compelling level of urgency or the fuel to sustain changes in behavior necessary for getting different results.” The writer is correct – we do need to treat education as something that urgently needs change.
Games for Educators
Teaching Social Emotional Competence
Reading about emotional education isn’t something I expected from ‘Games for Educators.’ So, I was pleasantly surprised by the article written this summer. The author discusses how emotional intelligence and education are necessary in life, and school. “Everyone is so focused today on curriculum excellence that emotional education may have been overlooked.” I couldn’t agree more. There are so many basics that are really being missed when it comes to educational standards. Plus, really, teachers are already spending time with their students’ emotional learning. “Emotional education is a continuous learning process which everyone makes throughout their lifetime, starting from the youngest moments developing appropriate skills and intelligence for dealing with their inner and outer surroundings.” This is important for teachers, administrators, and families to realize. Knowing yourself is just as important as knowing 2+2 (yes, it really is); just like taking the time to really teach writing, study, and organizational skills are valuable. (Don’t even get me started on the frustration I feel that we don’t teach strong study habits in school.) Overall, I liked how the author brought to light an important topic, and ways in which to help students with it.
Bloomberg’s MBAs
Bloomberg BusinessWeek did a big special report on education recently. The article dealt specifically with MBAs. There were several sub-sections to the article; ones talking about what type of return on investment do you get, how women tend to be more successful in academia, and ways to go about picking the right school. Although the articles and ‘special report’ were good reads – I was more interested in how we are past focusing on high school and getting your Bachelors — now, it’s all about the Masters. I’ve seen it for a few years, but this article (along with others) crystallized that thought for me. I feel bad for all the kids in high school, they thought their educational journey was ending – haha.
The New School Food Army
I’m really excited to hear that there is a new program that is going to focus specifically on the food that is served in schools. “The aptly named FoodCorps (in the style of AmeriCorps) consists of fifty young American leaders who will dedicate a year of their lives to engage young children in healthy eating habits and provide them with a nutritional education that will stick with them for life.” – I was part of AmeriCorps for two years, so I know first hand how well these people will immerse themselves into the school food arena. I’m definitely going to be paying attention to this. I really hope that this organization will make positive food changes for our schools, and hopefully, for adults too.
Sesame Street Learning
Interactive Sesame Street Games
Can I just say I really love Sesame Street? I wish that my younger siblings had been more into Sesame Street than Barney (there’s some memories I can’t erase). I love that it is coming back into focus, which is why I wanted to share this article. Sesame Street came out with a new game to help out preschoolers. The “…game makes doing physical activities fun while also teaching nutrition and health. Plus, the game incorporates learning concepts such as counting, identifying colors and shapes, classifying and listening.” How great is that? I love that it is based on teaching physical health and fitness, which are critically important (but alas, don’t receive too much attention) with the ‘school’ aspect of counting and colors. I really feel that more and more games are going to be coming out that have a desire impact (arts, health, social studies) but are grounded in standards and curriculum. I think I might have to get this for a few of my nieces and nephews.
No Longer the Bully Victim
Helping the Bullied Fight Back
“It’s back-to-school time all over the country. For kids that get picked on, it’s a return to a horror zone. Experts say that more than 150,000 children miss school every day because they are afraid of being bullied. More than half of all schoolchildren have witnessed a bullying incident and three of every four students say bullying is a problem at their school.” I was a little leary of this article – I’m not an advocate for violence; but, bullying continues to increase at schools. So, I thought that this article would be good for others to read. As a teacher, and for schools, our hands can be tied in what we can do. We have to protect and hear all parties involved, which can result in well, slow results. Which makes the idea of having children being able to gain more confidence and be able to protect themselves more appealing these days. I think that if kids can learn some simple ways to protect themselves, while also learning why we don’t want to be violent or just go to hurting someone. I know too many kids who have been bullied and who have felt unsafe and who have lost confidence to not want to find them another way of not only surviving, but thriving. If taking lessons in a martial art can help make that happen, then I say – why not?
Photo Essay – Where Children Sleep
I liked this photo essay that looked at where kids, around the world, sleep. I liked it for a few reasons. One, it broke some racial stereotypes; the idea that all Caucasians are sleeping well. Two, it showed children from around the world and in different socio-economic statuses. And three, it gave a new view into other cultures. It sort of made me think of that documentary a few years back, ‘Babies’.
