Participate in the Global Read Aloud - It's Starting Soon!

The Global Read Aloud started in 2010 when a teacher named Pernille Ripp set out to connect students with the world through reading. Since then, the program has reached more than four million students from over 80 countries.

What is it?

During a 6 week period spanning from October to November, participants pick from set list of books to read aloud to students. Using those books as a catalyst, students make as many global connections as they can. There is no set way to connect with others, but many teachers use tech tools like Facebook, Padlet (see my previous post about Padlet), Skype, Edublogs, and Twitter (see my previous post about Twitter) to facilitate communication. Of course, you get more information about making these connections once you sign up to participate on the site. Imagine Skyping with a classroom in Singapore to engage in a debate about a book's conflicts! Wouldn't it be cool to collaborate on a Padlet board with a classroom in Brazil about how you connected to a story's main character?

When does it start, how do I learn more, and what books are on this year's list?

The 2018 GRA starts very soon: October 1! If you are interested in learning more or perhaps want to participate, head over to the event's main webpage to sign up. This year's books are listed on GRA's blog - they include picture books, early readers, middle readers, and a Young Adult choice.

Why is it important for students to make global connections?

 

The term "Global Competency" gets thrown around a lot when we hear talk of "21st Century Skills." And now as technology makes our world smaller and smaller, recent news headlines only remind us that we can run into trouble if we don't consider others' perspectives, communicate well, and make compassionate decisions. A 2016 article from the Harvard Graduate School of Education titled, "How to Thrive in the 21st Century" makes the argument that informed citizens with strong intra- and interpersonal competencies will be the ones who can make the most positive global change.

More questions about the Global Read Aloud? Head over to the extensive FAQ page on the GRA site!

Mindfulness Tools to Make it Though September

Since I've been a teacher for most of my professional life, the months of September and October are known to me as "the doldrums." I pretty much go underwater for these months because I'm so swamped with back-to-school tasks.

I know I'm not alone in this struggle.

This summer I was lucky enough to take an online Mindfulness course for educators through Mindful Schools. Practicing mindfulness allowed me to learn strategies I can use to get the space I need in a hectic day to slow down and breathe. I know, I know - "mindfulness" has become a big buzzword in schools and I fully admit that have been skeptical of the hype surrounding it. As with any new education trend, I try to adopt it with open-minded skepticism, and not treat it as a "cure all" for all of my teacherly frustrations.

This article focuses solely on mindfulness resources for teachers since that's what I'm most comfortable writing about. Also, it's important to take care of yourself before you attempt to care for others... there's an airplane oxygen mask metaphor in there somewhere...

Here are 5 mindfulness resources to get you started:

1. Calm

This subscription-based app (available for iOS, Android & Kindle Fire devices) promotes guided mediation centered around a variety of topics, such as relaxing before sleep, forgiveness, gratitude, and more. It is feature-rich and simple to use. There is also a free educator subscription available - yay!

2. Headspace

Headspace is a subscription-based app (available for iOS & Android devices) that provides daily guided meditation focusing on a variety of topics - from "Basics" to more specific sessions like "Panicking," "Pain" and more. I personally really like Andy Puddicome's voice (he's the creator of Headspace) which is ultimately why I decided to sign up for the $79/year subscription. I know, I know... The app looks sleek and is easy to use.

3. Smiling Mind

This non-profit organization from Australia works to make mindfulness accessible to all. They offer a totally free and feature-rich mediation app, as well as a mindfulness curriculum for parents and educators. They focus on mindfulness in the workplace, in education, and for adults.

4. Three Good Things: A Happiness Journal

Three Good Things is a very simple digital happiness journal that you can keep on your phone (and it's free!). Every day, it prompts you to record three things that went well in your day, in 100 characters or less. This app is great way to divert some of your mindless phone browsing energy towards a daily gratitude practice.

 

 

 

 

5. 5 Minute Escapes

This free app (available for iOS & Android devices) uses music, sound effects, and guided visualizations in its short guided meditations. You can "escape" to placed like "Tropical Island" and "Desert Night Sky." The free features are limited, however, and it cost about $8 to unlock all features.




Trying out one of these mindfulness resources or absolutely love one that I haven't mentioned? Leave a comment below!

Teacher Summers: Balancing PD, Planning & Plain ol' Relaxing

One of the big perks about being a teacher is Summer Vacation, but any teacher with a few years of experience can tell you that summer becomes a time to catch up on all of those tasks you neglected to do during the school year - from personal business, to reading those teaching books you've wanted to read, to lesson and unit-planning, to attending professional development. Of course, we all need time to relax and recharge, and sometimes it's tricky to balance "free time" and "work time" when the days stretch out ahead of us without a strict bell schedule.

Here are three resources to help teachers balance work and play over the summer:

1. Angela Watson's blog post: "How to make a (realistic) plan for summer that will leave you feeling rejuvinated" 

This information is also available in audio through Watson's "Truth for Teachers" podcast. Watson outlines a way for teachers to prioritize tasks they want to accomplish over the summer (both personal and professional), set deadlines for yourself, choose a "theme" for the summer based on your priorities, and create a realistic to-do list.

2. Chris Nesi's "House of EdTech" podcast episode: "How to Grow Your #EdTech Skills During Summer"

Nesi's podcast has some useful tips for teachers wanting to learn more about educational technology this summer.

3. Read George Couros's recent post on his blog, "Principal of Change," and reflect!

Couros walks through four questions that will challenge teachers to think critically about their teaching practice and allow them to focus on how they want to grow in the next school year. I recommend that you do this in June, when the school year is still fresh in your mind.

Have more tips or ideas about how to balance your summer? Leave a comment!

Further Your Professional Development & Become a Google Certified Educator!

I can't wait to sign up to start my Google Certified Educator training from Kasey Bell! Bell's website and blog Shake Up Learning is excellent and has a wide variety of Edtech resources, especially having to do with all things Google.

Her post and video walk-through about how to become a Google Certified Educator caught my eye this week because sign-ups for her trainings over the summer open on May 28 and close on June 10. Trainings are online and self-paced: the perfect kind of summer PD.

The Level 1 class focuses on the basics of using Google apps, as well as how to meaningfully use them with students. Level 2 provides educators with a deeper understanding of Google apps and how to integrate them even more effectively with students. Each class is about $300, but I think it's worth the investment since becoming familiar with Google apps and technology integration is becoming more of a necessary teacher qualification in the education (at least the public education) world these days. Definitely something you want on your resume!

5 Ways to Engage Students at the End of the Year

The end of the school year is upon us! I always found the last few weeks a challenging time to keep students engaged in meaningful activities until the very end of the year. I fully believe that creative/interactive/highly-engaging learning tasks need to be a mainstay throughout every teachers' curriculum. However, I totally understand that May and June are great months for teachers to take some more steps out of their comfort zone and try out some crazy ideas. Let's face it - the same old stuff gets stale at the end of the year as weather gets nicer and the countdown until summer starts.

Here are 5 ways to captivate students with highly-engaging and meaningful learning tasks:

1. Make Movies!

Want to breathe fresh life and creative energy into students' movies? Try out iOS apps like Clips, PuppetPals, or VideoScribe Anywhere.

Also, before you start or if you need inspiration, check out an amazing database of example videos at Nextvista.org - a website by the fabulous Rushton Hurley.

Insider Tips: Set limits. Think about time limits, what student videos need to contain/convey, and what props/sets students can and can't use. If students are speaking or there is narration, make sure scripts are properly vetted before filming begins!

2. Go on Academic Scavenger Hunts Using Goosechase

Goosechase is a digital scavenger hunt platform where students need to find photographic/video evidence that they have completed certain "missions" created by the teacher. Teachers can create games for teams or individuals, set up how long a game will last, and accept or deny student submissions. I love Goosechase because it uses technology to get students up and moving around a classroom or school campus.

3. Use the Quiz Site Kahoot! for Homework

Check out this video from Common Sense Media that explains how to use the very popular education quiz game platform, Kahoot, as a homework option.

4. Try a BreakoutEDU Game

BreakoutEDU is a platform that lets teachers turn their classrooms into "academically focused escape rooms." There are physical and digital components. You can purchase BreakoutEDU boxes, locks, and other gear from their site, as well as access to their digital lessons library.

5. Explore in Virtual Reality with Google Expeditions

Google Expeditions is an iOS and Android app that lets students embark on field trips across the globe - all from the comfort of their own classrooms. Teachers can customize Virtual Reality experiences for their students and immerse students in worlds they otherwise wouldn't get to experience.

Use these tech tools to help end your school year with a bang! Have another exciting EOY suggestion? Write in the comments below!

What Do You Wonder?

Wonderopolis.org is a site dedicated to collecting and fostering curiosity about our world. The site was created by the National Center for Families Learning in 2010, and it contains short articles that attempt to answer questions that students have submitted.

A main feature of the site is its Wonder of the Day articles that answer questions such as, "How many sharks are in the ocean?" and "Why do some things burn while others melt?" The great thing about these articles is that they contain a built-in text-to-speech feature, a short video about the topic at hand, highlighted vocabulary with pop-up definitions, and a few "Try It Out" extension activities at the end of the article. I can see these daily articles being a great addition to a morning or weekly reading routine in a classroom.

Wonderopolis's Wonder Jar page gives ideas and instructions for a jar in which families or classes can collect their own wonders. The Interactive Wonder Jar on the top of the page also automatically generates questions. Students can also submit questions to the Wonder Bank, vote on questions that have been submitted by others, and explore from where people are submitting questions.

As summer nears, check out Camp Wonderopolis, a place where students (gears towards grades 2-8) can enroll in a free virtual Summer Camp. Each summer has a theme, and this year's theme is "Symphony of Wonders" in which kids can explore and learn about music. Families can also buy a Campsite Kit from the Wonderopolis store to enhance their "camp" experience.

Wonderopolis is definitely a site to check out with curious elementary-aged students!

Tips to Help Report Card Writing Drudgery

May is a conflicted month for teachers. On the one hand, school is winding down and summer is within reach, standardized tests are over, and you've really had a chance to develop relationships and rapport with students. On the other hand, there's so much to do before the school year really ends, like cramming in those Units you'd thought you'd get to by January, filling out end-of-year paperwork, and of course, writing report card comments.

Here's some quick tips to help with report cards to save your time and sanity. One great resource is Angela Watson's blog and podcast on stress-free report card writing. Watson outlines a 5-step formula for report card comments, which is basically a more nuanced take on the "compliment sandwich" form of report-card writing (positive statements at the beginning and end that sandwich a "needs improvement" statement).

Here are 4 more tips that have worked for me (some of these Watson also mentions):

1. If you're someone who works well with To Do lists, make a detailed schedule or list that itemizes every comment you need to write. It sounds like work on the outset, but it has kept me focused and on task. When I stick to it, I usually end up finishing comments early (yes, really). The key is in the detail. DO NOT just put "Write report card comments" on your list! This task is way too overwhelming and you'll probably just end up ignoring it or feeling like you'll never get to cross it off. Instead, write something more specific like, "Write Nathan's Math comment." Then, figure out how many comments you need to write each day in order to finish by the deadline and stick to your schedule.

2. Analyze your working style. If you had a choice, are you the type of person who works better if you sit down for one long stretch of time to write comments? Are you the type who works better if you only have to subject yourself to the misery of report card writing for 30 minutes a day? Do you write better in the morning before school starts? During your prep time? At home at night? Think intentionally about how long you need to write and what type of time you need to complete your comments efficiently.

3. It's okay to pull from "stock sentences" as long as there's still plenty that personalizes the comments to the performance and personality of each student. Instead of writing each comment from scratch, pull material from the comments you've already written. Report cards comments aren't priceless works of art! This page with 101 Report Card Comments from Scholastic has some great sentence starters for those times when you're really at a loss for words.

4. Take time to think about the importance of the comment in the grand scheme of things. Is it really worth spending an hour on each report card comment if you have 24 students? How many parents actually read the comments? Do you also have a follow-up parent-teacher conference in which you can expand and explain your comments in more detail? Which is better at your school and for your community/colleagues: long comments completed late or shorter comments completed early?

Happy Report Card Writing! Have any more tips? Leave a comment below.