Information Age Education

What’s your Idea of an Ideal Teacher?

Rebecca Newburn — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:20:32 +0000

Walking down memory lane on the path that leads to my school days, I’m reminiscing about the teachers who remain evergreen in my thoughts even today. Each was as different as the flowers in a garden, but as a collective whole, they added value to my life in more ways than one.

A firm disciplinarian but an excellent teacher of mathematics, a kind and bubbly soul who even took delight in our childish pranks, a genius in the subject who infused enthusiasm by his very presence in the class – these were just a few who added to the potpourri of instructors who’ve been in and out of my life. What makes these particular teachers special? Why do I remember them fondly even after so many years? Probably because they lent that unique touch to a profession that touches lives; whatever the reason, they qualify as good teachers in my book. And opening the books of other students, I found that I was not alone in qualifying the best and worst of teachers. So here goes, a list of characteristics that every child wants in the ideal teacher:

· A thorough knowledge of and love for the subject.

· A love of and a tolerance for children.

· A tireless attitude when it comes to helping children who are at the bottom of the class.

· A good sense of humor that helps to take the occasional prank in his/her stride and the ability to turn a blind eye to minor infractions.

· Hands that offer help when needed, envelop in a hug in times of distress and guide when decisions are to be made.

· Supportive strength when children are going through a rough patch and need some time to get back on track academically.

· Sensitivity that tells him/her not to embarrass students in front of their peers.

· The ability to encourage when the going is touch, to push when that extra nudge is needed and to correct when on the wrong path.

· Forgiveness and kindness – qualities that rate higher than strictness in enforcing discipline.

· The ability to treat all students equally without showing favoritism.

· The ability to bring out hidden talents in students and encourage them to pursue their dreams.

· The ability to care for opinions even if they come from students who do not perform well academically.

· The ability to keep students’ secrets.

· Perseverance – even when the children are filled with self-doubts as to their own abilities.

· The ability to offer constructive criticism and honest feedback in a positive manner.

· The ability to correct without seeming to point out mistakes.

· The ability to get involved in student activities as an active participant.

A good teacher is not just one who’s well-versed in the subject; he/she should be able to adapt according to the environment and needs of the children in the picture. After all, teaching is much more than just mentoring young minds.

By-line:

This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who is an industry critic on the subject of nursing degree grants. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.

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How to Avoid the First-year Burnout

Rebecca Newburn — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:15:05 +0000

Every teacher in their first school year will experience the highs and the lows of the profession. There will be moments when you’ve really connected with a particular student and all your hard work to be in front of a classroom is rewarded. But there is always a flip side and it can be ugly. The key is to realize there is a common ground between these extremes and here are some tips for avoiding the burnout after your first year:

Positive attitudes are contagious. It’s imperative that you maintain a positive outlook on life in the classroom and out of it. To achieve the proper balance between the good and the bad sides of teaching you’ll have to stay positive; this also means it’s a good idea to surround yourself with positive people as well. The adage, “misery loves company,” is true and if you are negative you’re bound to be seek out negative companions. Avoid this at all costs.
Manage your time wisely. If you have a free period during the day use it to prepare for a class later that day or tomorrow. You’ll be shocked at how much you can get done in a small period of time. Avoid the urge to slack off when you do get these free moments.
Organization is key. Students can smell fear and they’ll exploit it anytime they can. If you’re caught off guard because you can’t find materials you were going to use for a lesson you’ll appear to be frazzled and this will picked up by your students in a second. Your classroom is your office space, have a place for everything and put everything in its place.
There are no stupid questions. The first year in any job is going to foster a tremendous amount of uncertainty for anyone. This is especially true for a teacher on the job for the first time. Don’t be afraid to lean on more experienced faculty members when you encounter an issue you’re unsure how to handle. There are many tricks to the trade but you’ll never learn them if you don’t ask for help. Remember that the other teachers around you are on your team and are eager to pass on their knowledge to the low man on the totem pole.
Your health is crucial to your success. It’s extremely important that you’re physically prepared as well as mentally prepared each day you come to school. Get plenty of rest and eat healthy. If you can maintain your diet and exercise routine you’ll feel better about yourself and it will prepare you for the rigorous school years that are in front of you!

Susan Jacobs is a freelance writer as well as a regular contributor for CollegeDegree.com, a site helping students to lean more about distance learning colleges. Susan invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address susan.jacobs45@gmail.com.

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The Story of Stuff - a New Video for a New Paradigm

Rebecca Newburn — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:46:15 +0000

Tonight I went to the US Premiere of The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard. It’s a fabulous educational video about stuff. It’s important to examine where stuff comes from and where it goes and all of the seen and unseen pieces in-between and this video short does a great job of outlining the process. The Story of Stuff website has numerous resources, including some generic educational materials, drop down menus for the different aspects of the production-consumption cycle and a well documented source list for the facts sited. Share the video with your students, colleagues and friends. We’re watching it tomorrow in my classroom. I was thinking about also showing the artwork of Chris Jordan and his collection called Intolerable Beauty. If you haven’t seen his stuff, I highly recommend it.
The project is the result of a collaboration between the Tides Foundation, GAIA, Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption and Free Range Graphics. My dear friend Erica Priggen works for Free Range Graphics and was the Producer of the video. Great work Erica and all of the people who worked to make The Story of Stuff!

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Web Research Made Easy with Social Bookmarking

Rebecca Newburn — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 03:14:48 +0000

There are millions of websites… and the number grows daily. It can take time to sort great teaching sites from those that aren’t as helpful. Yet, there is a tool to make the job easy. It’s called social bookmarking. Watch this helpful YouTube video about the value of del.icio.us, one of the top social bookmarking sites. You may also want to read some of the earlier posts about social bookmarking for a list of things to consider when starting to use social bookmarks. Tell your colleagues about del.icio.us too. If they find great educational resources, they can share them and that will save you a lot of time, which means more time to teach … and more time to relax. That’s a winning combination.

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Pursing Happiness … and Catching It

Rebecca Newburn — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:46:11 +0000

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” are among the unalienable rights in the United States Declaration of Independence. I’d like to focus on the latter of these inalienable rights, “the pursuit of happiness”, and how it relates to schools.

Education would serve us better as individuals, a society and a species if students were allowed to not only pursue happiness but actually catch it. Imagine if students were allowed to explore things that brought them joy and they were allowed to share that joy. They would discover their talents and gifts, which would be of immeasurable benefit to all. Instead of being told what is the right or wrong answer, they would be self-directed learners. In the process of exploring, there would be an increased amount of critical thinking, creativity and happiness.

At the moment our current educational system has a hierarchy that was established during the Industrial Revolution. It values math and language arts the most. Science is below that and the arts are at the bottom. The system does not place a high value on creativity or the multiple intelligences. Yet creativity is a valuable “commodity.” In the 21st Century, creativity will be a precious commodity and tool in navigating the ever-changing terrain in and out of the work place. Creativity brings richness to our world, diverse thinking and happiness. Our current educational system is based on a narrow view of intelligence which does not allow many brilliant and talented people to recognize or value their gifts. How many masterpieces never made it to the canvas because some well-intentioned adult told a child, “There is no money to be made in art?” How many brilliant inventions were never made because the creative spirit in children was not honored? Let’s look at education from a new perspective, where the pursuit of happiness is valued. How colorful and healthy would our planet be if children were allowed to pursue happiness in school?

Think about it. Past elementary school how many kids say that what they are studying in school is bringing them happiness. Not many, if any. Of course, kids have to learn, but how we educate and what we focus on can diminish or enhance that happiness. In the one-size-fits all curriculum, there is little nurturing of human greatness. We are educating our children for a world we cannot imagine, yet we continue to teach by this antiquated Industrial model. Creativity is an essential part of our humanness. Creative thinking will be a critical skill to help us navigate the amazing changes that we will witness on our planet in the Information Age. This creativity will come about not by teaching students in lock-step and valuing only one view of intelligence. This creativity will come about by allowing children to explore things that matter to them and that make them happy.

I would love us to get back to the roots of the democracy upon which the United States of Awakening was founded. Let us renew our commitment to our Declaration of Interdependence: “Life, liberty and the attainment of happiness.” Let us have this as a foundational part of our educational system.

You may be inspired by this TEDtalk by Ken Robinson entitled “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” I sure was. It inspired this article.

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Afformations YouTube Video: Ask Better Questions in Your Life

Rebecca Newburn — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 03:39:23 +0000

Dr. Noah St. John has created a way to help you change your life. It’s called afformations. It’s a method of asking questions that focuses on what you’d like to create. Most people, including teachers and our students, ask lousy questions. Questions such as “Why am I so broke?” and “Why is math so difficult?” are rampant. The problem is that when you ask lousy questions, you get lousy answers, and hence create a less than desirable life circumstance.

I taught my students a little about how to use afformations at school and at home to change their lives and many had incredible shifts. Some of my colleagues also used it in their classrooms with delightful outcomes.

Dr. St. John explains a little about afformations in this YouTube video on Afformations vs. Affirmations.

For more about “Afformations”, read Dr. Noah St. John’s book:

The Great Little Book of Afformations (All-New, Expanded Edition)

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Suze Orman Supports Financial Literacy for Women

Rebecca Newburn — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 05:40:53 +0000

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has identified financial literacy as a 21st Century Content area. We as adults need to be financially savvy and we need to impart that money sense to our students and children.

Tonight one of my girlfriends, Wendy Sterndale, told me about an awesome book offer that Suze Orman, financial guru, has to offer women that I hope you’ll accept or share with the women you care about. She has written a book called Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny.

Although geared towards women, I’m sure anyone can benefit from the financial wisdom. It’s a five month program to help you create a healthy relationship to money, make more out of the money you have for yourself and your loved ones, and gain more financial freedom. If you open a SaveYourself account with TD Ameritrade, they’ll add $100 to your account. So you can start easily investing and recoup your investment in her book too!

I’m on a major campaign to learn more about finances so that I can make fabulous choices around money and teach these tools and strategies to my students. I hope you join me in making financial literacy part of your life and your teaching.

Check out Suze Orman’s book by clicking on the link below:
Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny

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Multiple Intelligences and Total Physical Response

Rebecca Newburn — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 02:34:37 +0000

We know that kids (and adults) learn in different ways. Why not find or make some songs about your subject? Create some appropriate hand gestures that further support learning.

On Pi Day my students had to create a poem or song about Pi using at least 5 facts about the number. There were a number of exceptional poems and songs written. The top 5 songs are going to be recorded and posted on this blog as podcasts.

Here is an excellent example of using best teaching practices that addresses multiple intelligences and total physical response in Mrs. Burk’s math class. I can see this song being helpful for a wide range on students. It uses a lot of strategies to support ELD too. (The video is hosted on a new site called TeacherTube.com, an educational alternative to YouTube. It often slows down a bit to buffer the video, but once you’ve watched it, it’ll play smoothly the second time.)

View this video file

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Technology Fear Factor Video

Rebecca Newburn — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 02:56:24 +0000

Teacher Vicki Davis of coolcatblog created this excellent video about technology and the fear that people have around using it. It’s hosted on TeacherTube.com, a new educational alternative to YouTube.View this video file For more information on the reasons we need to teach technology in the schools, watch the presentation on 21st Century Skills.

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Teaching Strategies: Standardized Test Practice

Rebecca Newburn — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 01:23:52 +0000

Standardized tests are a part of our current educational paradigm, regardless of your opinion on their merits. So how can we continue to promote critical thinking in the context of preparing our students for district and state-mandated tests?

One idea that I’ve found really helpful is to focus on teaching test taking strategies. My favorite, which promotes the development of critical thinking, is teaching students to eliminate incorrect answers. Here are a few things that you can do with your students to teach them about eliminating wrong answers:

1. Pair work: Have them discuss which answers aren’t correct. Encourage them to be able to eliminate at least one possibility.

2. Individual work: Have them eliminate at least one possibility and have them write why they chose to eliminate that answer.

3. For more ideas on stanardized test activities, read my post on How to Make Standardized Practice Fun.

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