Summary: Title: Teaching Secrets that we just gave away! Jokes: Technology The world's first fully computerized airliner was ready for its maiden flight without pilots or crew. The plane taxied to the loading area automatically, its doors opened automatically, the steps came out automatically. The passengers boarded the plane and took their seats. The steps retreated automatically, the doors closed, and the airplane taxied toward the runway. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," a voice intoned. "Welcome to the debut of the world's first fully computerized airliner. Everything on this aircraft is run electronically. Just sit back and relax. Nothing can go wrong ... Nothing can go wrong...nothing can go wrong...." Homework Assignments A father came home from work one night to find his little boy sitting on the cat, with a pen and paper in his hand. "Why are you sitting on Felix?" he asked. "Well, teacher told us to write an essay on the family pet." On Our Mind: Happy Belated Birthday to Ron King! Transitions Elementary to Middle http://www.nea.org/tools/16657.htm http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-2/middle.htm http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit32/ http://www.lpcsc.k12.in.us/kesling/docs/Survival_Tips.pdf Middle to High http://www.ldaofmichigan.org/articles/Mizelle3-06.htm http://www.kidsource.com/education/middlehigh.html From Our Listeners: I was listening to the podcast ... As we talked, it was obvious that there was a lot of confusion between formative and summative, especially when it came to grades. I shared your example of the students who both learned the content, but started their learning at different levels. As you talked about you, it was clear that if a student had more prior knowledge they would probably get a better grade. But a student who learned the same things, yet had less prior knowledge would probably not get as good a grade. This was a striking example for the participants in the workshop. All of a sudden, people got a much better understanding of formative assessment, summative assessment and its impact on grading. I think it is a great example and it had a great impact on 40 science teachers. Keep up the good work, Dave Bydlowski resa.net/science k12science.net Twitter: k12science Facebook: k12science From the Twitterverse: Advisory: The Learners Profile http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/techknowpark/kiosk/Profile_Teachers.html Webspotlight: Teens & Mobile Phone Infographic: http://www.flowtown.com/blog/teens-and-their-mobile-phones?display=wide Timelines: Create your own timelines: http://www.xtimeline.com/ Students Provide Feedback on Teachers: Teaching Secrets: 10 To-Dos for New Teachers 1. Find your curriculum and read through it several times. 2. Find all your supporting materials, both student and teacher copies. 3. Ask to look over last year’s yearbook. 4. Create a birthday list for each class (celebrate half-birthdays for summer birthdays, six months from the actual date). 5. Develop some sort of impartial method for calling on students during class. 6. Figure out how you will capture students on the first day of school. 7. Design some method to manage and keep track of daily paperwork, especially for absent students. 8. Make an appointment to sit down with important building specialists. 9. Introduce yourself to the school secretaries, the nurse, the bookkeepers and the paraprofessionals. 10. Decide where and when you will fight your battles with the kids. http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2010/05/05/tln_ratzel_newteachertodos.html?tkn=WOYCT4%2FR0wxIx1HwBu%2Bs1%2FE2wCPYug9wyhjq&cmp=clp-sb-ascd Reading Programs Yield Few Gains in Comprehension Events & Happenings:
