Education Short List

I Have A Dream

Ahh, the last week of school before the big winter break. I don’t envy teachers this week. It’s a super busy week, with deadlines, papers to grade, projects to hand out or get back. Plus, if it’s snowing – or you even have the chance of snow – there’s no way you are going to get your students to focus. Add to that, if you are an elementary school teacher – the excitement of the holidays.

For new teachers, I would think that this week is more hectic than others; and a bit more stressful than even the first day of school.

Originally I had planned on giving out resources to aid educators in celebrating all the holidays found in December. But then I remembered my years as a teacher, and a substitute (which you can just forget about accomplishing anything if you are a sub) – and thought better of it.

So, here’s to you teachers, instructors, classroom aides, and educators. Good Luck this week. Do your best to enjoy this time with your students. And go drink a big glass of Martha Stewart’s eggnog (www.marthastewart.com/recipe/favorite-eggnog)

The winter holidays are quickly approaching, teachers are excited about being able to integrate some fun, alternative, creative lessons. But, while still enjoying the celebration it is just as important to acknowledge and learn about something other than just Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Teaching Tolerance created a great resource of lessons for just this purpose. The part that I think is the best is that these lessons aren’t just geared toward elementary-aged students (as it common during this time of year); so educators are able to give their high school students something different as well.

http://www.tolerance.org/activity/school-holiday-calendar?ttnewsletter=ttnewsgen-111509

Halloween is just around the corner; and this is a fun time for teachers to bring in creative lessons, plus some arts and crafts. But what about older students? Or for children who don’t celebrate Halloween? Do they just get left out? Unfortunately that answer is usually yes. I actually had a girl whose family did not want her celebrating or participating in holiday activities. I always felt so bad for her, missing out.

Here, I have found several sites with lessons that incorporate the general fun feeling of Halloween, ones that create learning lessons for older students, others are focused on the seasons, another brings a thought provoking lesson into the history of Halloween, one tells us about what our Halloween costumes really say, and a few surprises. This list of lessons and sites should give teachers the chance to incorporate something different without excluding any of their students.

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http://www.edhelper.com/halloween.htm

http://www.edhelper.com/pumpkins.htm

http://www.edhelper.com/DailyThemes_November_1_2.html

http://www.edhelper.com/Autumn.htm

http://www.tolerance.org/activity/what-do-halloween-costumes-say

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Halloween/

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/teaching-topics/teaching-topics-halloween/

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/the-horror-the-horror/

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2002/10/31/frighteningly-fabulous-festivals/

Today, March 17th, is a day when people celebrate their Irish heritage, even if they don’t have any. For me, being Irish means a great deal, much more than just one day could ever measure.

Every year, no matter where I was, I would use this day to create teachable moments; and not just with children. I did programs in college, with my colleagues, and everyday folk.

Here are a few links that you could use to create one of your own teachable moments. And realize, that St. Patrick’s Day is much more than drinking green beer and watching Riverdance.

Erin Go Braugh

Links for information

1. Learn Random Facts About Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509487,00.html

2. Ed Helper’s Education Lessons

http://www.edhelper.com/st_patricks_day.htm

3. The History Channel

http://www.history.com/minisites/stpatricksday/

4. A Quiz testing your Irish Knowledge

http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/all-things-irish-quiz

5. Wikipedia’s History of Ireland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Patrick%27s_Day