Take 5! Integration Update - September 8, 2010 (Vol.2/#2)

Issue #2:

“Take 5” is a weekly update containing information related to teaching and learning for today and beyond...

Take just 5 minutes (or less) to look over these resources and see what might be helpful for your and/or your students. Better yet, set aside at least 15-30 minutes a week (yes, that's been increased from last year!) to focus on finding resources and ideas that will improve student learning and prepare them for their future!


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Tips and Tools for Teachers - Beginning of year reminders...

• SMART Exchange - SEARCH for lessons and SHARE the lessons you create!

• Do you have a SOCS Teacher page? Or do you have a teacher web page or website that can be linked through the SOCS system? Click HERE to see what options you have available to you.
  

Ponderings

• Participating kids are learning kids! -- Whether using cheap or more expensive "student response systems" (e.g., thumbs up/down, small whiteboards/chalkboards, colored/lettered index cards, or electronic "clickers") the results are in (which you probably already knew)... NEWSFLASH: Kids learn more when they participate! (In other words, active minds are learning minds!)  
• This article specifically discusses the strategy of "preventing the brightest students from putting their hands up," but more specifically, points out the benefits when ALL students get to participate, test their knowledge, or just plain guess at something posed by the teacher. 
• So... in your classroom, do the same few students always respond? If so, are the other students being "active" and challenging themselves to think and learn? How do/will you get them all involved in their learning?

Learning Opportunities

1. District Professional Development Opportunities - Calendar
2. University of Toledo presents Creating a Customized Classroom Management Plan (by Chelonnda Seroyer), Wednesday, Sept. 22 (5-8pm) -- FREE, but space is limited - More info at: http://teachut3.utoledo.edu/speaker.aspx 
3. In the right margin of this blog, enter your email to receive future postings into your email Inbox (Take 5s and more!) -- plan on 1-3 posts per week.

;-) Just for Fun! (and a little learning, perhaps)

• How will you celebrate... Wonderful Weirdos Day tomorrow (the 9th)?, or Video Games Day (12th)?, or Big Whopper Liar Day (18th/3rd Saturday, as not to conflict with schools, perhaps!), or Talk Like a Pirate Day (19th)? And be sure to remember Constitution Day on the 17th! More listings for each month here -- http://www.brownielocks.com/month2.html