Wendy Says

Last month, the emerging roll of a teacherpreneur was introduced in this blog. This growing trend has only been happening over the last few years, but it is already making a huge impact in places where administrators are accepting the reality that students need to be taught how to be innovative thinkers if they are going to be solving problems of things we don’t even know about yet. This is the time for the development of teacher-leaders, design-thinkers, and teacherpreneurs. Ariel Sacks, a member of the TeacherSolutions 2030 Team, has “predicted that the schools of 2030 will need growing numbers of teacherpreneurs, which she described as teacher leaders of proven accomplishment who have a deep knowledge of how to teach, a clear understanding of what strategies must be in play to make schools highly successful, and the skills and commitment to spread their expertise to others—all the while keeping at least one foot firmly in the classroom.” 

Educators love to use big words and lots of abstract concepts in writing, so I’ll simplify what I can. Comprehensive reading and writing skills will always be important, as that is the basis for how we share our ideas. What does change is how these skills are taught, and due to an increasingly electronic/digital environment, the tools are continually evolving. Those of you who are currently entering the educational field come from the first generation that has grown up with computer-based toys since birth, and it is easy for you to relate to a mobile device as an educational tool. You see its possibilities and potential, how it can help a student instantly reach outside the classroom walls.

All of us are familiar with the ubiquitous lesson plans that lay out in detail the curriculum for each school day. While this can be extremely helpful, it can be a ball and chain, or it can be a springboard for creative discussion. We are living in an era in which we don’t know what the questions are going to be in the next ten years, let alone what their solutions are; it’s important that we encourage our students to see possibilities.

The schools that will succeed in preparing future thinkers and innovators will be those that are open to using the talent that already exists on their own campuses—their teachers. Teacher leaders will be an important part of integrating the foundational skills with the need to think beyond what’s in front of them. We understand the need to have solid reading and writing skills, but it’s their future application that is changing. Forward-thinking administrators know that if they are going to keep highly motivated and creative teachers in the classroom, they need to give them a voice.

A lot of publicity has been given to the changing face of how some corporations are being run, particularly think-tanks such as Google, Microsoft, and Apple. The standard cubicle is not going to inspire the ideas for products that don’t yet exist, but will inevitably shape the future; eventually, we will see more of this approach in the classroom. 

This is an exciting time to be in education, and I, for one, look forward to the great things that will be happening. These changes are not about throwing away the past, but rather using the past as part of the future; a strong educational foundation will always be necessary. 

There are many highly innovative and creative after-school programs that are being offered, and the people who are running them are your future teacherpreneurs. Is your school adopting any of these teacher-leader concepts? If yes, be a part of it; if not, make it happen!

Teachers, raise your hand if reading time is your favorite part of the day! Without a doubt, one of the most frustrating issues a teacher has to deal with is reading. In a normal classroom, you may have a few students who are dyslexic, some who might need glasses but don’t know it, others who barely get by, and of course, the few whiz kids who are beyond their age level. Thanks to teacher’s aides and volunteers, you can usually divide your students into categories of similar skill levels. We know that the better a child’s reading foundation is, the better his/her chances are at succeeding in school.

The availability of the computer and internet in the classroom has profoundly changed our teaching strategies. We already know that our young students can easily outdo us when it comes to digital games, so I want to share with you a couple websites that are using current technology designed to help all of us. I’m in support of anything that can make a difficult job easier, especially when it’s free!

1.    Children’s Storybooks Online (Magic Keys) 

• This site provides illustrated stories for children from the beginner level to young adult.
• Many of the stories also come with audio capabilities.
• Because this is a free site, there are several ads displayed. In this case, I suggest you check them out as they offer even more ways to effectively enhance your teaching success.
• Click on any story, and you will see that you can easily control what page you are on. If your classroom has a projector that you can access with your computer, you can easily share this with everyone at the same time. Conversely, just using your monitor is useful for a small group.
• Book choices are limited, but it is a great place to begin.

2.    ABC Fast Phonics 

• This is a sister site to the above one and is a phonics tutorial with sound and cartoons for all ages.
• The homepage is cheerful and colorful, which is an immediate attention-getter.
• It offers a variety of words and topics and then breaks them down into phonetic categories that are easy to understand.
• The learning activities are handled like games which takes away much of the apprehension experienced by the children; this is the kind of thing they’ve been doing since they were old enough to push buttons on toddler-style keyboards!
• Be sure to note in the right sidebar that the site is included in the Association for Library Services for Children.

By doing a Google search for “free online books,” you will be amazed at how many resources are out there. Technology is here to stay, and it is our job, as well as our responsibility, to make the best use of it as possible. Teachers, you can do this!

It’s about that time of the year, when elementary students begin asking about Valentine’s Day parties and older students start whispering about their latest Valentine loves. Have you heard it yet? Sure, exchanging cards and small gifts (and of course candy) is fun, but this year why not opt for a less tangible and more meaningful show of love in your classroom?

Who needs calorie-laden chocolate or sticky candy when you can show students how much you care—and how to show it themselves—in quality learning activities. And really, they may not even know they’re learning! Here are some ideas for you to get started:

Educational Game Day
What kid doesn’t love to play games? Take a break from the monotony of teaching and host an educational game day. Students can choose from a variety of math or reading games that you already have in your classroom, or bring their own. Some excellent—and even unexpected—educational choices include Monopoly, Life, Jenga, Sequence, Scrabble, Blokus, Battleship, and so many more!

The Language of Love
What better way to show love than a sonnet or poem? Teach the basics, then have your students write poems to one another. Don’t worry so much about rules and perfection; simply getting their ideas down on paper is enough for a quick writing activity.

History of Love
Yes, love does have a role in history. Research the role of marriage in society, from cultural perspectives to modern rituals and traditions to arranged marriages. How might have history been altered if Marie Antoinette wasn’t forced to marry a man she never met, the future King Louis XVI? Discussions are likely to raise questions and offer more opportunity for research, and give students insights into how times have changed over the years.

How Does the Heart Work?
Forget about love and embark on a discussion about how the heart—literally. How does our circulatory system work? What is the biology behind the body? Use the thematic tie-in but take it in a totally different direction.

Chemistry of Cooking
If you have access to a kitchen in your school, give a lesson on chemistry—the chemistry of cooking. Simple cooking lessons allow you to teach the properties of matter and chemical reactions, and your class will have a nice Valentine’s Day treat when you’re done.

The Cost of Dating
Do you teach older students who are potentially looking to take someone on a date? Do they know the cost of a date? Do some real-life math with functional text such as menus, art center programs, etc. Have students plan their ideal Valentine’s date and calculate the real cost, including tax, tip, and incidentals.

As a teacher, Valentine’s Day always seems like a wasted day. Too much time spent on love notes and silly crafts (not to mention the sugar-laced treats that are sure to fill up the classroom!) can really put a damper on learning opportunities. Show your students some love this Valentine’s Day and find new ways to celebrate the holiday. What are some ways you’ve found to incorporate learning into your holiday?

The links I’ve provided here are just a small sampling of the thousands of learning opportunities found on the Internet. Spend some time exploring ideas, and please share what you find!

If you are in the one of the 45 states that has adopted the Common Core State Standards, your teaching practices are likely in the midst of change. While change is difficult, and getting students ready for the new assessments that go along with the new standards is also a challenge, utilizing a similar standards base nationwide will only benefit our children. Especially in the more transient communities, students who move frequently will enjoy expectations that are aligned from district to district and state to state.

As you likely know, the new CCSS are much more in-depth than many current states’ standards. With full implementation this year, many school districts are struggling to get students up to speed, especially since old state standards are still being tested with school labels depending on these assessments.

With the same end goal in mind, a sharing of resources is essential to student success in our own school districts and beyond. Here we’re sharing a list of resources we’ve found that will help teachers master the CCSS and provide much-needed ideas for teaching to the new standards.

• As an endorsing partner for the common core initiative, ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) shares a wide range of resources on its website. From Common Core background to implementation resources to professional development opportunities, ASCD has a comprehensive list of tools for teachers.
• The International Reading Association is dedicated to worldwide literacy. Here you’ll find information about professional development, books and journals for personal exploration, and links to outside sources to ensure your instruction is up-to-snuff on the new English Language Arts standards.
• Wondering what the new assessment instruments will look like? Be sure to visit the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium websites for sample test questions, implementation information, and more.
• Edutopia offers a guide to numerous resources for both administrators and teachers, including how to plan lessons using CCSS and where to being your implementation of the new standards.
• TeachThought has compiled all the best websites for teachers with their 50 Common Core Resources for Teachers list. While you won’t have time to sift through them all, a quick scan could bring about new ideas and teaching practices.

CCSS is a great step in the right direction for education in the U.S. and with a little cooperation, we can all learn from one another. What are your favorite resources for implementing the new standards?