Conferences are valuable ways to grow professionally. Consultant Anne Anderson, who attended many such events as a teacher, shares ideas for getting buy-in and funding, prepping for the trip, getting the most from talks and exhibits, and bringing it all home.
Kids on the Cusp / Making Connections
by Mary Tarashuk · Published 01/13/2016 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Students need some dangling carrots, not to trick them but inspire them. Trying to get to the root of each individual learner, digging deeper in an effort to recognize each unique person’s contributions to the classroom, help build Mary Tarashuk’s Carrot Community.
In this Resource Roundup we’ve pulled together a selection of classic and contemporary resources about the effective use of rubrics in the classroom. Follow the links and discover many examples of rubrics, devised for a variety of purposes.
Annual resolutions to “get organized” usually fade quickly, despite ready access to smart devices and clever management apps. What we need, writes organizing expert Frank Buck, is some good advice. He begins his 5-part series with the digital calendar.
Principals can use social media to improve communication, provide information during school safety situations, increase collaboration, and enhance professional development. Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn argue, in fact, that social media is a leadership essential today.
Help middle graders take the next step in environmental studies & awareness. Using USDA resource materials, students can join the effort to uncover and eradicate the invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle which threatens 70% of the tree canopy in the United States.
How can we judge the effectiveness of students bringing their own electronic devices to class? Matt Renwick’s checklist looks at whether devices meet all students’ needs, how they are involved in choosing devices, and whether they’re able to collaborate in class and beyond.
Integrated STEM Literacy / STEM By Design
by Anne Jolly · Published 12/08/2015 · Last modified 12/13/2019
In focusing on traditional text-based knowledge & skills, we miss the key role visual tools play in STEM exploration and innovation. Recognizing the ways scientists and engineers use visuals with text can help us better support students in every classroom, writes author/illustrator Roger Essley.
A class full of middle schoolers are ready to learn. But supplies are low, technology is sparse, and you have already spent too much of your own money for the classroom. Educational consultant Anne Anderson repurposes 3 classroom staples you’re sure to have.
Can one period of observation reveal a teacher’s skills and accomplishment? In Amber Chandler’s district, which uses the Danielson rubric, it’s 50% of her evaluation. How to defend yourself? She suggests a well planned pre-conference and serious portfolio building.
