PBL for Today

Project-based learning has been mentioned in recent meetings that I've attended. Just in time I read a report from KQED-TV (San Francisco)

Here are the elements that are needed to make PBL effective.

"Project-based-learning assignments should include six basic qualities -- intellectual challenge and accomplishment, authenticity, public product, collaboration, project management and reflection -- according to a framework released by the Buck Institute for Education. Executive Director Bob Lenz says "intellectual challenge" often is a missing element in PBL projects"

Motivation to READ? Suggestions

Running low on ideas for getting your students to read?
Some simple suggestions:

1. Read to others. March 2 in READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY and a perfect time to get others involved in your class as guest hosts and readers. 
2. Allow choices. Discuss genres. Try new types of books or articles.
3. Talk about it. Read then discuss in small groups. Celebrate ideas and understanding. 

PE Classes - Changes with Heart

PE Class - Changes with Compassion and Heart

A school district in Wellsville, New York noticed that students were showing up for PE class unprepared. They took a critical look into the issue using empathy to conceptualize the causes and make the changes. Read their story on Jennifer Gonzalez's Blog, Cult of Pedagogy.

Here's a quote from the story relating PE to the Literacy standards.

"Meanwhile, the Common Core State Standards were just beginning to settle into New York State schools and classrooms. Teachers were grappling with the instructional shifts that underpin the Core. Many struggled to define how literacy could support learning outside of English, math, science, and social studies as well. PE teachers, in particular, needed the most support."

I was SO ENLIGHTENED by their approach! This article is a MUST READ for ELA and PE teachers!

A Lost ART? Speaking and Listening

Travels around the Cape. So many questions and issues float up. 

Recently at CHHS - a conversation/workshop around teaching speaking and listening. Teachers are alarmed. Students don't know how to... Speak effectively AND Listen effectively.

There are simple constructs that we can teach them. We do not. Till now.

Speaking and listening are an integral part of the Common Core Standards.  My work has been with teachers. Teach students to listen. Teach them to speak.

Babies babel.

Toddlers speak in words, then phrases, then sentences.

What about school children? They are void of good information especially those who have grown up responding to screens, phones, computers, televisions.  How to speak well? How to listen?

Let's change that. 

Teaching the Winter Olympics

A South Korean Air Force aerobatics team, the Black Eagles, performing above a ski jump at a Pyeongchang Olympic site last month. CreditYonhap, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Go here for guide:  New York Time Learning Network

Students HATE to READ!

Students hate to read!

I heard this refrain over and over again in conversations with teenagers and preteens. They don't like the books, the articles, the topics. They don't like to spend time reading and they generally DO NOT READ independently or by choice.

Teachers know this. We WISH it were different.

To me, reading is like breathing. I read because I NEED to know more and I ENJOY lessons I read from great books.

A Plan for SUPERCharging the Reading-Love

1. Make it an official expectation. Cape's Elementary schools have adopted the American Reading Company program that asks all students to read for 30 minutes each night. Let's extend that to middle school and high school.
2. Give choices. Students can choose what they read! Choose what they like with some parameters such at the level or genre of the book, article, blog or report. Promote reading in areas that are interesting then foster that growth.
3. Offer opportunities, recognition and rewards. Classroom, school-wide, district-wide. Celebrate readers and give them opportunities to share.

CTE/ARTS Speaking and Listening Workshop

In the fall we looked at ways that you could extend your students speaking and listening skills in your CTE/ARTS classroom. Each teacher received a book by Eric Palmer to read a chapter and think about how you may be able to use it in your specific classroom. 

Eric created PVLEGS for students to focus on improving speech. Here's the explanation of this from the Well Spoken book starting on page 58. 

Poise - appear calm and confident

Voice - speak every word clearly, use a volume just right for the space

Life - Express passion and emotions with your voice

Eye Contact - connect visually with your audience, look at each audience member

Gestures - Use hand motions, move your body, have an expressive face

Next Speaking and Listening Workshop: Jan 30 or 31

Your Assignment for our next workshop: review these ideas to demonstrate and discuss in our follow up CTE and Arts workshop on Jan 30 and 31. Each teacher will be asked to give a 2 minute presentation on that day using the ideas here. The presentation can be anything that you do in class to teach your students like introduce and idea, concept or project, demnostrate a skill or relate an experience.  Prizes for the best presentation!