There are many facets to designing and teaching a curriculum. This section covers areas such as teaching methods, learning scenarios, assessment tools, innovative lesson plans and classroom activities.
While we throw money at “educational reform,” we continue to cling to unhelpful beliefs about school and learning. To effect meaningful change, we need to abandon tired practices and beliefs and adopt an entirely different model.
Storytelling teaches your children essential life skills. This interview with Mitch Weiss and Martha Hamilton explain what goes into a successful storytelling workshop.
Use an iPad to enhance your teaching. The educational potential of this technology is being utilized more and more. It’s a great way to engage your students.
The arts are essential, not a frill. Sadly, arts are being cut and minorities are most adversely affected.
Storytelling teaches your children essential life skills. Not only enjoyable and interactive, storytelling teaches skills that are used beyond the classroom.
Am I smarter than a fifth grader? Depends on how you measure smarts. If you’re going to quiz me on which of the original colonies voted against ratification of the Constitution, then NO. Just hand me my pride in a box and I’ll see myself out. But some of the everyday wisdom that gives me a leg up on an eleven-year-old comes directly from my own time in fifth grade X³ years ago. Hands down, the most memorable and applicable lesson of my elementary school years came from caveat emptor.
As part of our ongoing series on new problems and ideas in teacher assessments, www.funderstanding.com has reached out to rank-and-file educators for their input. Through both direct sources and a far-reaching social media shout-out, we have spoken to dozens of educators – teachers, specialists and administrators – to gauge their concerns. Not surprisingly, the only obvious consensus is the starting point: a rigorous, fair and valid teacher evaluation system will ultimately result in better student outcomes. Beyond that, any theoretical common ground is laced with divisive practical landmines.
How do you know if you’re good at your job? Whatever you do – butcher, baker, software maker – the standards of success are probably clearly understood by you, your superiors and your clients. Sales figures, mortality rates, Michelin stars and investment returns are easily quantifiable ways to evaluate the performance of those involved. There are, of course, certain intangibles that come into play in work evaluations, too. Even professional athletes, for example, who live and die by the sword of statistics, know that their on-the-job performance reviews include consideration of clubhouse skills like leadership, consistency and calm. Now, how [...]
Kids now talk and behave differently We may need to step back to 1953 right now, and I'll tell you why
