+ Web Sites for Teaching Native American Heritage

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From EduHound’s “Classroom Tools & Tips,” which provides edtech resources for teachers, here are this week’s offerings.  The topic is

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE

• Reconnecting the Circle –Encourages people to learn about Native American people and cultures, and to develop a more meaningful and complete perspective on Indian Country.  http://www.reconnectingthecircle.com
• Native Americans: Themed Resources for Teachers –  from the Library of Congress, this site features a compilation of Native American related materials from across the Library’s Web site, including exhibitions, presentations and lesson plans.  http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/themes/native-americans/
• National Museum of the American Indian: Collections Search — Includes a representative sample of NMAI’s object and historic photo collections.  Each item is accompanied by basic, standardized information.  http://www.americanindian.si.edu/searchcollections/home.aspx
• Native Words – Native Warriors: NMAI Codetalkers – Learn about “Code Talkers,” the twentieth-century American Indian warriors and heroes who significantly aided the victories of the United States and its allies.  http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/
• Education World: Native Americans –  Explore Education World’s resources on the history and culture of America’s original inhabitants.  http://www.educationworld.com/a_special/native_americans.shtml

source: EduHound’s newsletter “Classroom Tools & Tips” from www.eduhound.com.   Send suggestions for topics to Judi Rajala at jrajala@eduhound.com.  The site also provides templates (offer your own!) and clipart, among other great resources. 

tutoring in Columbus OH:   Adrienne Edwards    614-579-6021    or email aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com

+ TWO Special Needs Meetings in Central Ohio

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I.  SPECIAL NEEDS CONNECTIONS  is a support group in Central Ohio for parents of special needs children.

• Share information
• Support each other
• Listen to speakers

The November meeting will beheld

• WHEN:  Monday November 16, 2009
• TIME:    7:00 – 8:30 pm
• PLACE:  130 Big Run Road, Delaware OH 43015 (Molly King’s home)
• SPEAKER:  Nancy Mandernach, OCECD
• TOPIC:  The new IEP and evaluation forms

OCECD is the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities.

Please RSVP so there will be enough materials. 

Contact Molly at: (home) 740-369-4047;  (cell) 614-581-6675; or email mking@nextgenaccess.com

II.   TRANSITION NIGHT FREE RESOURCE FAIR

Co-Sponsored by   Delaware Area Career Center, Hilliard, Dublin, Grandview, Upper Arlington, Westerville & Worthington Schools.

• WHEN:  December 10, 2009
• TIME:  5:30-7:30 PM
• PLACE: Hilliard Bradley High School, 2800 Walker Rd, Hilliard
• TOPIC: Mapping your IEP student’s way through high school and beyond

Representatives will be available to discuss

1) high school transition, 2) career and technical education programs, 3) agency supports after high school, 4) transportation, 5) recreation and parks programs, 5)  Special Olympics, 6) county DD resources and services, 7) employment supports, 8) Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, 9) financial supports, 10) independent living supports, 11) future planning, estate planning and wills.

If you have questions contact Betty Anderson 921-7234 (Hilliard Schools); Sheree Ellis 740-203-2264 (Delaware Area Career Center); Erin Kellum 718-8110 (Dublin Schools); Chris France 481-3620 (Grandview Schools); Peggy Moore 487-5158 / X133 (Upper Arlington); Marianne Davis 797-5877 (Westerville Schools); Sue Morgan 883-3041 (Worthington Schools).

Note: in case of bad weather, closing Hilliard Schools, the event will be cancelled.

tutoring in Columbus OH:   Adrienne Edwards   614-579-6021   or email  aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com

+ Asking Questions: Types, Structure, Leading a Discussion

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From YouthLearn.org, a technology, media & project-based learning site, here are some thoughts about inquiry-based learning.  http://www.youthlearn.org

Three Types of Questions

• Factual — Only one correct answer (“What did you eat this morning?”)  They can be complicated, though (“What makes a curve ball curve?”).  Factual questions make the best inquiry-based projects — but they must be answerable, and they must have room for exploration.
• Interpretive — More than one possible answer, but they must be supported with evidence. (“Why did Ahab chase Moby Dick?)  Answers aren’t wrong unless they have no relationship to the text at all.  Interpretive questions that build on each other are important for any type of text (video, fiction, non-fiction, a painting, poetry, etc).   They’re especially good for stimulating a look back at the text.  Such questions are excellent for discussions and as prompts for oral and written language exercises.  They lead to good inquiry-based learning projects.
• Evaluative – Have no right or wrong answers, since they ask for some kind of opinion, belief or point of view.  Since answers depend on prior knowledge and experience, they are good ways to lead discussions (“What  woud be a good place to take kids for a field trip?”) or explore books or other artistic works (“Do you agree with Ahab’s views on whales?”)  Note:  they rarely make good inquiry-based projects since they are internally focused.  But they can be a great way to connect with and elicit interaction from young or shy students (“Who’s your favorite Pokemon?”)

The Structure of Questions

In general, say the folks at YouthLearn, start a question with the WH questions: who, what, when, where, why. 

Be honest: how many times do you begin a question with “Tell me…” or “Describe for me…”?

When you frame a question that way, you take control of the learning process because you’re giving a command as well as asking for input.

When you ask a question, the most important thing is generating a true and honest curiosity about the answer.  So open-ended questions are best unless you have a particular reason for leading someone to a specific conclusion  — or need a fact supplied to you.

Try to avoid yes-no questions.  They’re usually a dead-end. 

Open-ended questions…

• invite opinions, thoughts and feelings
• encourage participation
• establish rapport
• stimulate discussion
• maintain balance between facilitator and participant

 Try playing “The Question Game”

To begin, two participants decide on a topic to question.  One person starts with an open-ended question, then the other responds with a related open ended question.  This goes back and forth as long as they can continue without making a statement or repeating a previous question. 

For example, the topic might be an object in the room, a light bulb.

A:   Why is it important to have light?

B:   Where does light come from?

A:   How does light help people?

B:   Where is light used?  

A:   What would happen if there were no light?

Try asking a question and going around the room, each person asking a question based on the one before.

Leading a Discussion

Good learning programs involve everyone in planning and activities — whether it’s a discussion among your team about goals or a brainstorming session among kids planning a video project. 

Some Good Ground Rules for Leading a Discussion

• Everyone prepared — This might mean everyone has received handouts or that the story for discussion has been read aloud.  
• Know your purpose — Is the goal to arrive at a decision or just to brainstorm possible ideas to be followed up later?
• Opinions must be supported by evidence — If you’re discussing a book, ask follow-up questions about why the student believes what she does.
• Leader just asks  – Leader does not answer questions.
• Care about each of your questions — Avoid generic questions; prepare in advance.
• Maintain high energy level — Enthusiasm is contagious!
• Be spontaneous sometimes — interpretive questions are an important part of all discussions.  Advance prep actually leads to better spontaneous questions.
• Allow questions to lead to other questions — Be aware of practical and logistical issues (e.g. time limits) but never squelch enthusiasm when kids are on a roll.
• Use techniques when possible/appropriate – For example, mapping can provide a conceptual, visual structure to the ideas you’re hearing.  Let people see you writing their thoughts and ideas on the map.

Visit the YouthLearn site:  http://www.youthlearn.org .  

Created by the Morino Institute , it is now led by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC).  YourthLearn.org  provides the assistance you need to start or strengthen both after-school and in-school programs. 

My source was The 2 Sisters Newsletter  at www.thedailycafe.com

tutoring in Columbus OH:   Adrienne Edwards   614-579-6021   or email  aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com   

+ Parent Conferences: More Tips for Teachers

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From The 2 Sisters at www.thedailycafe.com : they share tips from Trish Prentice.

1. Give parents a photo of their child enjoying a school activity.  A twenty-five cent investment will pay big dividends and begin your conference on a positive note.
2. Want a great way to show parents how special their child is to you?  Try saying something like “One of the things I love best about your child is…”
3. Parent goals — if parents haven’t filled out a goal-setting sheet, ask “What are the goals you have for your child this year?”
4. Assessment results:  explain in plain terms.  Don’t use educational jargon with parents.
5. Share what you’ve started to envision for this child: appropriate goals, strategies to achieve them.  Even if there are only one or two things to say, parents will be impressed that you have considered their child at this level.  (Prentice has a system for teachers called a “Pensive,” a checklist of considerations about each child.) 
6. If there is a problem that needs addressing, use the phrase “We’re continuing to work on…”
7. Listen.  Encourage parents to share their thoughts too.
8. Handouts — it can be hard for parents to absorb and remember everything you’re sharing.  Give them a packet to take home.  Include fun, hands-on activities that parents can do at home with their child.
9. Always end each conference with an invitation for parents to call or email with questions at a later date.

Prentice reminds us that parents sit through only one (two or three?) conferences.  Teachers’ words matter and are replayed in their heads; they share them with neighbors.  So be thoughtful and kind. 

Be the teacher you’d want for your own child.

source: The 2 Sisters newsletter, “The Daily Cafe” at www.thedailycafe.com .  This piece is available to members only, however.

tutoring in Columbus OH:   Adrienne Edwards   614-579-6021   or email  aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com

+ New Pfizer Unit to Take On Autism

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In an article in The Day, by Lee Howard, we learn that associate research fellow at Pfizer Diane Stephenson and her colleague Howie Mayer were able to bring to fruition their idea of forming a separate research unit focusing on autism.

Stephenson has two nephews and a niece with the neurological disorder; Mayer has two children with autism.

They were later joined by  another colleague, Larry Fitzgerald.  The group contacted key experts outside Pfizer who knew the latest breakthroughs in autism research.

According to Stephenson, science in the past years have started making significant headway in genetic research geared toward autism.  Two years ago might have been too soon.  But late last year, the colleagues felt they had enough science on their side to make their case. 

“Most everyone told us we were crazy,” says Stephenson.  The pharmaceutical industry — and Pfizer — has been in a downsizing mode lately.  But senior management embraced the idea and launched the autism unit in January with 15 scientists.

Fitzgerald became the first head of the unit, but departed a few weeks ago, and mayer has also moved on, now working for another business unit at Pfizer.  Stephenson is the remaining founder still working on-site.

The long range goal will be to prevent autism, but Pfizer plans to address short-term solutions at first. 

Researchers plan to begin by targeting symptoms that appear to cross the spectrum of autism disorders: anxiety, agitation, sleep disorders, social deficits, language disabilities and repetitive behaviors.  The focus is to be identification of medications which address symptoms.

A longer-range goal is to understand the neurobiology behind the disorder so that core symptoms can be treated.

One asset in the research process, according to scientists, is the fact that several markers of autism have recently been identified.  One of these telltale signs is eye-tracking.  While normal children focus on the eyes of a face, autistic children look away, toward the mouth.

This baseline awareness can help scientists see if a drug is having an effect.

Senior scientist Edward Guilmette, in the neuroscience unit labs, is starting to target certain genes that could have an effect on autism. In mice models, the effect of turning on or off various genes than is studied.

Fifteen researchers can seem like a big commitment, but Pfizer scientists say that number  is small compared to the vast research that remains to be done.  They have reached out to collaborators at MIT, the Yale Child Study Center, and NYU, to develop and expand their work.

The current work being done at the moment involves mostly biology and animal studies.  But as specific small-molecule drug targets are developed, more chemists will be enlisted to help.

The first Pfizer autism medicines will likely come from its established drug portfolio.  One possibility is the pain medication Lyrica, although Stephenson emphasizes that drug trials have yet to establish any clinical support for the hypothesis.

Finding uses for established drugs will be much less costly than the $1 billion price tag that would be involved in bringing new drugs to market.  Current drugs have already been proved to be safe.

Another factor reducing costs for developing autism drugs is that several of the spectrum disorders, including Fragile X, currenly have no approved treatment.  That means companies won’t have to prove to the FDA that their drugs are more effective than others on the market.

The long-term hope, according to Stevenson and her colleague Michael Tranfaglia of the FRAXA Research Foundation, is to actually reverse the course of autism — an idea that a few years ago would have seemed absurd, but is already being shown to be within the realm of possibility.

“The sooner you intervene, the better,” says Stephenson. 

Tranfaglia contends, “You can actually normalize development.  It’s entirely reasonable to think you could completely alter the course of the disease.”

my source was: www.courant.com; article on 10/25/09.   See the entire article by Lee Howard at The Day:   http://www.theday.com/article/20091012/BIZ02/310129965  

tutoring in Columbus OH:   Adrienne Edwards   614-579-6021 or email aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com

+ Light at Night May Link to Depression

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Researchers at Ohio State University have produced a study that may link depression to light at night, according to an article in Science Daily.

Researchers found that when mice were housed in a lighted room 24 hours a day, they exhibited more depressive symptoms than did similar mice who had normal light-dark cycles.

However, some mice were housed in constant light but had an escape option: a dark opaque tube they could go into.  They showed less evidence of depressive symptoms than the constant-light mice.

Says Laura Folken, lead author of the study and a graduate student in psychology at OSU, “The ability to escape light seemed to quell the depressive effects.  But constant light, with no chance of escape, increased depressive symptoms.”

Results suggest that more attention needs to be focused on how artificial lighting affects emotional health in humans. 

Co-author Randy Nelson, professor of neuroscience and psychology at Ohio State says

The increasing rate of depressive disorders in humans corresponds with the increasing use of light at night in modern society.  Many people are now exposed to unnatural light cycles, and that may have real consequences for our health.

The researchers presented the work October 21 in Chicago at the meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; it will appear in the December 28, 2009 issue of the journal Behavioral Brain Research.

“This is important for people who work night shifts, and for children and others who watch TV late into the night, disrupting their usual light-dark cycle,” says Fonken.

And there are many other practical implications, says Nelson.  Intensive care units are brightly lit all night long, which might add to the patients’ problems.

source: www.sciencedaily.com article on 10/21/09; journal reference is Laura K Fonken, M Sima Finy, James C Walton, Zachary M Weil, Joanna L Workman, Jessica Ross, Randy J Nelson, “Influence of light at night on murine anxiety- and depressive-like  responses.”  Behavioral Brain Research, 2009; 205 (2): 349 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.07.001

tutoring in Columbus OH:   Adrienne Edwards   614-579-6021   or email  aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com

+ A Green Halloween?

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From www.tonic.com we got an article by Annie Scott on changing the face of Halloween.

The goal is to make the holiday more about community and creativity, and less about candy and consumption.  With a national obesity epidemic and a planet that is clearly in pain, kids and parents are joining forces this year to celebrate in a healthier, “greener” way. 

The ”Green Halloween” and “Healthy Halloween” concepts were launched in 2007 across the country from each other.  They were initiatives to make the holiday a little less scary for health and the environment.

The two organizations are teaming up this year, in New York City and across the country.  On October 31 in New York, a festival in the Nolita neighborhood will be followed by a special healthy trick or treat trail.

But if you don’t happen to be in New York, there are many ways you can participate.  Draper conducted email interviews with Jim Glaser, Corey Colwell-Lipson and several families who have participated in the past about their vision for the project. 

Colwell-Lipson says “It’s the same fun holiday it’s always been — with a healthy and sustainable makeover.”  In New York, groups including the Action Arts League and Dr Mehmet Oz’s HealthCorps back the Green halloween party and help provide good times.

“With headlines screaming about lead in candy, phthalates in costumes, the childhood obesity and diabetes epidemics, the incredible environmental and human costs of spending billions of dollars on decor that gets tossed, and so much more, the timing was just right,” says Colwell-Lipson. 

“But someone needed to make the greening of Halloween practical, affordable and fun.  That’s where we stepped in to start the ball rolling.”

Jim Glaser makes a good case for Halloween with no candy.

Really, what’s fun about candy?… In the ultimate vision, Green Halloween locations will actually offer more fun — more art, more interactive experiences and a wider selection of gifts that will actually be more fun to go through than pounds and pounds of the same discounted high fructose corn syrup products.

Think about halloween pouches seeming more like Christmas stockings and ask which might be more fun?  And by the way, Green Halloween does not advocate ‘NO candy.’  It advocates moderation and more wholesome, natural sugar treats.

Coldwell-Lipson feels that it’s hard to get enthused when the problem is simply presented.  For example, one reporter found a child on the street and asked how he’s feel if people stopped handing out candy.  The kid almost started crying — how could people take away his fun like that?

But the reporter failed to tell the child — or better, show him — the fabulous alternatives.

The two organizations are helping families participate by encouraging people to get involved on the website [www.GreenHalloweenNYC.org  ], where they can find other local advocates and with the eventual goal of greating green trick-or-treating networks.

Colwell-Lipson also suggests making a Green Halloween door sign to spread awareness and help kids find places to get better treats.

People are getting involved for different reasons, but everyone seems to have the same goal: smarter choices.  Susannah Pryal of Sammamish Washington says “I think the older kids who come to our house are surprised and disappointed.  But really, it’s the same.”

She has been participating from the beginning.  “I felt like such a hypocrite giving out candy when I didn’t like giving it to my kids.  Plus, I am such a candy addict and I didn’t want candy in my house.”

Barbara Keskiner of Tampa Florida is helping organize a Green Halloween in her community.  She became involved because of her 2-year-old daughter.  “As she has not yet been started on a candy diet on halloween, we don’t think that she will miss it!”

A mother in Los Angeles is part of “Green Teen” and founder of the Green Youth Movement, Ally Maize, has this to say: “This has really become a mother-daughter project for the both of us, and her involvement has made it more meaningful for me.”

Their family will be participating in Green Halloween in a number of ways, including a YouTube video for green halloween tips, informative email blasts to local schools, and by handing out special treats.

“For halloween,” says Maize, “we will be giving out eco-friendly and socially responsible treats like fair trade chocolate and Trick-or-Treat for Trees coupons, which are inexpensive coupons that can be purchased in bulk (a tree is planted for each coupon purchased).  Also, 90 percent of all of our home decorations are either homemade or recycled.”

Visit www.GreenHalloweenNYC.org for more information.

source: Annie Scott’s article at Tonic.com’s on October 16, 2009. 

tutoring in Columbus OH:   Adrienne Edwards   614-579-6021  or email  aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com

+ Web Sites: Museum Lessons

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From EduHound’s “Classroom Tools & Tips” this week, some sites for teaching lessons about museums.

• Guggenheim Museum: Curriculum Online – Provides teachers with curriculum materials to support the use of the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum’s exhibitions and collections both during school visits and in the classroom.  http://artscurriculum.guggenheim.org/lessons/start.php
• MuseumStuff.com – This website can help you find museums online, a staggering variety of educational links, scads of interactive virtual exhibits, dozens of interesting museum shops, specialized content for museum professionals and much more!   http://www.museumstuff.com
• Smithsonian Education: Lesson Plans – Smithsonian lesson plans emphasize inquiry-based learning using primary sources and museum collections.  http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/lesson_plans.html
• The Art Institute of Chicago: Online Resources – Provides user-friendly online educational resources that demonstrate ways to integrate museum resources into classroom curricula.  http://www.artic.edu/aic/education/onlinelearning/index.html
• Building Visual Arts Lessons (Education at the Getty) – Features ideas for preparing lessons, a step-by-step guide for teaching visual arts for each grade level, and ideas for evaluation and assessment approaches.  http://www.getty.edu/education/for_teachers/building_lessons/
• Educational Programs: Illinois State Museum – Provides many online resources designed for teachers, and using the available resources of the Illinois State Museum web site.  http://www.museum.state.il.us/ed_opp/

 source: EduHound’s “Classroom Tools & Tips” online newsletter.  Judi Rajala want your suggestions for topics.  Also share your templates, teacher tips, trials, or tech tips.  JRajala@eduhound.com

+ Tips for Teachers: Parent Conferences

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From enotes.com, the “Teacher’s Corner” newsletter:  tips for teachers to use when meeting with parents.

Since the school year takes on a certain rhythm, most of you have established working relationships with your students by now.

Your students probably already know what you expect of them.  And you know what to watch for when a student is having a bad day.

Perhaps you have already met a few parents by now, either through a formal Open House, or during one of those informal — often effective — conferences held in the grocery store parking lot.

Most parent conferences are great opportunities to share information that’s helpful for all parties.  Here are some tips:

• Seating is important – so try to sit with no barrier (like a desk) between you and the parents.  Have adult-sized chairs, so no one has to squeeze into a tiny desk in the front row. The goal is not to have it feel like “us versus them.”  Convey the sense that we’re all adults with the same objective: we want this student to be successful. 
• Look professional — bring paper and pencil to the conference so you will have notes to refer to later.  It also buys time if you jot something down while you’re trying to think of the right thing to say. 
• Start with positives — parents need to know that you’re on their side and that everyone is on their child’s side.
• Concerns: focus on behavior — and be as specific as possible.  Instead of “Brianna isn’t doing her best,” try “Brianna completed only 2 of 5 homework assignments.”  Sandwich a negative between two positives.
• Have confidence, but admit shortcomings when appropriate — if you’re being criticised, remain confident in yourself and the curriculum; but be willing to admit when things could have been handled better.  Tell parents exactly what you’re doing to resolve an issue.
• Be as neutral as possible in the face of negativity –be as professional as possible.  Many factors may be at play: if a parent’s own school experience was unhappy, he or she may not be able to hear what you say.  Keep the focus on their child. 
• Close the conference with a summary — leave parents with a plan, and smiles, and handshakes.

No one can guarantee that parent conferences will go well.  In some cases, it may be helpful to have an administrator or lead teacher present.  I f things go badly, take some time after a day or two to relfect on what happened.  See if you can pinpoint what you will handle differently next time.

Parent-teacher conferences have never been more important than they are now, because we are all concerned not just about classroom behavior but also high-stakes standardized test scores.

A little preparation can help make the time you spend with parents fruitful for all of you.  And it can also improve your interaction with your students.

source: www.enotes.com “Teacher’s Corner” newsletter.  Visit the site  and receive the newsletter yourself — for links to valuable sites and great teaching tips.

tutoring in Columbus OH:   Adrienne Edwards   614-579-6021   or email  aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com   

+ 100 Free College Courses From Major Universities

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In my inbox: this link to Online School.  http://tinyurl.com/ydxtfk2

They suggest checking in if you’re unemployed, but these look interesting for just about anyone. 

With so many college courses available free of charge, there are plenty you can be taking to improve your skills and expand your knowledge to help you become a prospective employee that manager are scrambling to hire.

Choose from these classes that can improve

• writing,
• communication,
• teaching and technological skills or help you learn about
• web design,
• business, and
• entrepreneurship.

There are even classes that will help you become a

• better thinker and
• expand your horizons by offering fun and useful information.

 So take a look… http://tinyurl.com/ydxtfk2

tutoring in Columbus OH:  Adrienne Edwards  614-579-6021  or email aedwardstutor@columbus.rr.com