+ 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

+ 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

+ 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

+ 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

+ Popular Harvard Course on Justice and Ethics: Online. Free.

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For years, students at Harvard have flocked to Michael Sandel’s courses on political philosophy.

Harvard University is making Michael Sandel’s well -loved lecture series on video to anyone who would like to sit in.

Justice is one of the most popular courses in Harvard’s history.  Now its your turn, they say, to take the same journey in moral reflection that has captivated more than 14,000 students as Harvard opens its classroom to the world.

Visit: http://www.justiceharvard.org/ for a preview.

In this twelve part series, Sandel challenges us with difficult moral dilemmas and asks our opinion about the right thing to do.  He then asks us to examine our answers in the light of new scenarios.

The results are often surprising, revealing that important moral questions are never black and white.

The course also addresses the hot topics of our day — affirmative action, same-sex marriage, patriotism and rights — and Sandel shows us that we can revisit familiar controversies with a fresh perspective.

You Can Participate

There is a lot more to Justice beyond the classroom.  Get engaged with features offered with every episode of Justice. 

You can voice your opinion in the polls, take the pop quiz to test your knowledge, dig deeper with in-depth readings, hone arguments with the Discussion Guides.

And continue the classroom discussion online with other viewers around the world.

Or you can start your own Discussion Circle, if your school, church, club, or organization wants to take the course as a group.

Session Topics

1. The Moral Side of Murder / The Case for Cannibalism 
2. Putting a Price Tag on Life / How to Measure Pleasure
3. Free to Choose / Who Owns Me?
4. This land is My Land / Consenting Adults
5. Hired Guns? / For Sale: Motherhood
6. Mind Your Motive / The Supreme Principle of Morality
7. A Lesson in Lying /A Deal is a Deal
8. What’s a Fair Start? / What Do We Deserve?
9. Arguing Affirmative Action / What’s the Purpose?
10. The Good Citizen / Freedom vs. Fit
11. The Claims of Community / Where Our Loyalty Lies
12. Debating Same-Sex Marriage / The Good Life

Michael Sandel

Michael Sandel is the Anne T and Robert M Bass Professor of Government at Harvard, where he has taught political philosophy since 1980.

His books include Democracy’s Discontent, Public Philosophy, Essays on Morality in Politics, The Case Against Perfection: Ethics in the Age of Genetic Engineering.

 His  most recent book is  Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?  (to be published this month; check your local bookstore).

His writings have been translated into eleven foreign languages and have appeared in The Atlantic, The New Republic, and the New York Times.

He has lectured widely in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand on topics including democracy, liberalism, bioethics, globalization, and justice.

He delivered the Tanner Lectures on Human Values at Oxford University, was a visiting professor at the Sorbonne, and in 2009 delivered the BBC’s Reith Lectures.  From 2002-2003, Sandel served on the President’s Council on Bioethics. 

He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  He received his doctorate for Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

I was sent to this site by Jon Gordon’s e-newsletter “Future Tense,” a Public Broadcasting venture.  Get the podcast and newsletter and lots of  info about cool video, internet and online music options.  newsletter@americanpublicmedia.org.  

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

+ Web Sites for Teaching Harpers Ferry

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From EduHound’s “Classroom Tools & Tips, this week’s topic is Harpers Ferry.

On October 16, 1859 John Brown, along with 21 followers, came to Harpers Ferry, Virginia, to strike a blow against slavery.  The raid failed and Brown was hanged in December.  Sixteen months later, the country erupted in civil war.

• John Brown’s 1859 Raid on Harpers Ferry – Anniversaries provide unusual opportunities to draw attention and stimulate interest in historic figures and events.  This observance will provide an unprecedented opportunity to reflect on and revisit the life of John Brown as it relates to the larger context of slavery, the abolitionist movement, and the American civil rights movement.  http://www.harpersferryhistory.org/johnbrown.htm
• Harpers Ferry National Historical Park — for Teahers (US Natl Park Service) –  Resources include: Plan a Field Trip, Curriculum Materials, Professional Development, Traveling Trunks, NPS Focus, Additional Resources.  http://www.nps.gov/hafe/forteachers/index.htm
• National Geographic Xpeditions: John Brown and the Underground Railroad – This lesson asks students to analyze John Brown’s attitudes and actions against slavery and the differences between his views and those of other people who were active in the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement.  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/17/g912/undergroundrail.html
• The American Experience: John Brown’s Holy War – Learn how John Brown led a righteous crusade against slavery, born of religious conviction — and carried it out with shocking violence.  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/brown/
• History Now.  From the Teachers Desk: John Brown – This lesson attempts to introduce middle school students to John Brown and to separate history from myth and the man from the legend.  http://www.historynow.org/09_2005/lp3.html

EduHound also offers this tip:

eFIELDTRIPS.org (visit http://efieldtrips.org )

• Trip Journal – First, the teacher downloads and gives students copy of a printed Trip Journal.  It is a simple one page fill-in-the- blank-type worksheet that helps to keep the students focused and provides a way for the teacher to grade student participation, if desired.  Students fill in the Trip Journal while they are completing the next component.
• Virtual Visit – An interactive Flash movie that teaches the students about the eFieldTrip topic.  It can be completed at any time, and at the student’s own pace.  Typically, it takes about 15 minutes for a student to go through the Virtual Visit.
• Ask the Experts – After completing the Virtual Visit, students  have an opportunity to interact with the experts.  Students can ask questions via an “Ask the Experts” web form, and receive an answer in 1-2 days.
• Live Chat – Another way students can interact with experts is by participating in a live web chat at a scheduled time.   

EduHound’s “Classroom Tools & Tips” is a newsletter offering valuable ed tech resources to incorporate into K-12 curriculum.  Educational topics, preformatted templates, technology tutorials, and practical tips are featured.  Contact Judi Rajala at JRajala@eduhound.com with your suggestions for topics; share your templates and tips.

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

+ Reading With Your Child – from PBS Parents

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 From PBS’s “Booklights,”  Pam suggests three ways to help your child’s reading progress, broken down by the people involved in the process.

1.     Helping the Teacher!

Any parent — you — can help with reading skills, even if you’re not in possession of a state-regulated curriculum. 

If you’re good at reading aloud, offer to come in and read to the kids once in a while.  Or ask about that state-regulated curriculum and find books in your library that can support it.

Pam brought in folktales, when her children were studying Native American culture; How Chipmunk Got His Stripes was a favorite.  When they learned about insects, she brought in Farfallina and Marcel.

You can use storytime to bring more depth to issues teachers can’t cover in class.

Or volunteer to select a book and read along with a single student in a pull-out program.  Send the book home for them to practice.  (You’re giving them a little extra attention; and you need no training.) 

You can help with writing practice.  Or running small book groups.  Or simply preparing materials for the teachers.

2.     Helping Your Child!

Helping your child at the beginning reading stage can be laborious, patience-testing, and frustrating.  But remember that she’ll benefit most by mixing up the type of reading she does. 

Easy books will reinforce the feeling that reading can be fun.  Books in her comfort zone give her confidence.  Books that are a challenge will push her learning to the next level.  And this applies throughout a person’s reading life! 

Don’t be one of those parents who tell your first-grader they can’t bring home a “baby book.”  A better approach, says Pam, is to let her bring home some books that she chooses and other books that you choose.

3.     Helping Yourself!

Avoid the “Reading Game,” says Pam.  It goes something like, “We can’t tear Jacob away from Harry Potter!  What is YOUR child reading…?”  

Parental competition starts early (“Lizzie was smiling at two weeks”) and goes on from there.  “Reggie made all-stars again!”  “Jamal is going to Harvard, but I’m sure that’s a good school too.”

Competition snakes its way in at many levels of a child’s growth, but verbal skills and reading level seem to dominate. 

In my thirteen years as a parent, no one has ever asked me if my kids can do long division or sing in tune or climb a tree.  But from the first year, I’ve been asked to compare what words they were saying and then what words they recognized and then what words they were reading until it was all about reading and levels and books.

According to Pam, there is only one way to win this game and that is not to play.  Don’t get sucked in, don’t let yourself feel bad, and don’t let yourself push your kid based on these conversations.  Also, of course, don’t let yourself get too proud either, because kids have a way of surprising you.

She says it’s meaningless anyway, so don’t take it seriously.  Honest exchange is useful and necessary, and you know the difference.  One kind of exchange makes you feel connected to another mom or dad; the other makes you feel like a failure.  Keep looking for and building connections.

source: Pam’s post on 9/10/09 at “Booklights” on the PBS Parents Web site.  http://tinyurl.com/mblcrz

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

+ Teaching Web Sites: Including Virtual Field Trips

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From my inbox, this from Donna Guthrie, children’s author and video maker.  She is currently producing a new series for children titled “Meet Me At The Corner.”

This is a series of virtual field trips and is being distributed over the Internet as video podcasts on her site  Meet Me at the Corner  http://www.meetmeatthecorner.org .

Some of the clips I saw appeared to be made and hosted by children themselves, on topics from “service dogs” to “how to interview an illustrator in your own area.”  They are well made and fun; informative and sure to grab your students’ interest.

The podcasts can also be found at

•  Curriki    http://www.curriki.org  
• Teacher Tube   http://www.teachertube.com 
• Next Vista Learning  http://www.nextvista.org 
• Watch Know  http://www.watchknow.org

  Curriki is an open Web site for K-12 educational materials, which has over 80,000 members who are educators and teachers.

TeacherTube is a video sharing Web site based on YouTube, designed to allow those in the educational industry, particularly teachers, to share educational resources.  To date, TeacherTube has 380,000 members.

Next Vista is an online library  of free videos for learners everywhere.  NextVista.org believes learning is stronger with teachers and students from all over the world contributing content.  They have a membership of 6,000 contributors.

WatchKnow was founded by Dr Larry Singer, co-founder of Wikipedia.  It is a database for “instant tutoring,” and hosts multiple video explanations of the same topics to accommodate different learning styles.

source: Donna W Guthrie, who can be reached by email at DonnaG6113@AOL.com

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

+ Educational Technology: Virtual Conference 09

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For your information:

FETC Virtual Conference Fall 09 requires no travel, no conference fees and no time away from work.  Attend from your desktop.

• October 22, 2009
• 10:am – 6:pm ET 
• http://virtual.fetc.org

FETC says you and your colleagues can hear and speak with top-rated education professionals as they discuss topics crucial to K-12 educators and administrators, as well as the latest solutions to improve the way schools and districts operate and educate.

You can register at http://tinyurl.com/l8t2ul

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Live Keynote Address — by Calvin Baker, Superintendent of the Vail School District in Vail, Arizona
• Building 21st Century Classrooms in the Clouds! — John Kuglin, Senior Educational Consultant, Retired, University of Montana
• Three Types of Immersive Interfaces: Implications for Learning and Teaching — Chris Dede; Timothy E Wirth, Professor in Learning Technologies, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Beyond Drill and Practice: Developing Automatic Recall of Math Facts for All Children — Ted Hasselbring, Professor, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University
• Technology Classroom Presentations and Live Chat   

You’ll also have the opportunity to visit the virtual exhibit hall, chat in real-time with exhibitors, plus preview and evaluate the latest hardware and software available today — all at no charge. 

source: FETC email 

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