"Giving it a try" decreases an adult learner's knowing-doing gap.

         Stepping in and trying things when you realize you don't know how to do it that well is exactly what those who consistently perform at high levels do.  It is what we want our student learners to do also.  Learning is about making attempts and learning from those attempts over time. Learning is about making mistakes. Move beyond being nervous - give those things you need to learn a try and you will be on your way.  Celebrate your attempts as you do with children when they try!   Click here for some further motivation.

See the world through her beautiful eyes - a woman with Aspergers

Click here. 

Published on Dec 12, 2012

Wendy Lampen (Belgium, 1969 -- @lampadedromy) works as a lecturer for a university of applied sciences. She got diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome herself. Trained as a teacher in English, History and Ethics she later on worked with adolescents with autism in a school setting

Have you used Mastery Connect for Formative Assessment?

Mastery Connect :  Has anybody had the golden opportunity to use Mastery Connect?  Does it appear to have more benefits than what you are currently using?  I know some teachers who have loved this for formative assessment - but they used it a few years back.  Let me know if you have an opinion on this tool for formative assessment.  Kathy

PLN - just how is yours working for you?

So what is this thing called a PLN (Personal Learning Network)? Well, if you are like most educators, you are committed to learning how you can help your students achieve success. Perhaps your biggest struggle, however, is finding the TIME to learn it all. We know that it is one of our biggest obstacles, but we have joined millions of educators worldwide who are connecting with social media and other technology to communicate, collaborate and create anywhere and at any time. (Watch this brief video to learn more about PLNs.) I have to say, I just love this part of being a global learner - it makes learning so much more fun.

The best part of a PLN is it’s personal! You choose with whom you want to connect, how you want to learn, when you want to learn and what tools you will use. You can inspire others by sharing out your thinking or be inspired by the ideas of other educators.

A simple Google search for Personal Learning Network yields 479,000 results, so you may be wondering where to start. We have outlined some ideas below to get you started:

• Twitter: a social network used by millions of people every day to send short messages to a global audience

• Check out this beginner’s guide for helpful tips!
• You can also participate in live Twitter chats - learn how here

• Webinar: A webinar is a live meeting that takes place over the web. The meeting can be a presentation, discussion, demonstration, or instructional session. Participants can view documents and applications via their computers, while shared audio allows for presentation and discussion.

• “Where do I begin?” Click here to learn more!
• Ideas for where to find and register for webinars:

Edweb webinar calendar

ASCD: Learn, Teach, Lead webinars

Education Week webinars

• Teacher's Blogs: a blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary. It is a place to express yourself to the world. A place to share your thoughts and your passions

• Teacher’s Blo.
• A Google search (ex: 2nd-grade teacher blogs) can yield great results!
• Check out this Pinterest Board: Great Teacher Blogs

• Don’t forget about Facebook! “Liking” certain pages can expand your PLN and provide even more valuable connections. See literacy & technology ideas below:

• Units of Study in Teaching Writing Facebook group
• Two Writing Teachers Facebook page
• Educational Technology and Mobile Learning Facebook group
• Simple K12 Facebook group

Educators around the world are only one click away! By becoming a part of a PLN, you can learn something new every day and interact with educational leaders like Lucy Calkins - my favorite writing guru. Build your kingdom of learners today.

Steal These Tools!

Steal These Tools!

http://www.achievethecore.org/

achievethecore.org  is a non-profit organization is working to collect resources to enable the implementation of the Common Core.  Check out “steal these tools” first!

Have you tried a MOOC?

A MOOC is a  massive open online course. Many colleges all over the country are creating free classes that anyone may join to learn more about a wide variety of topics.  Google "MOOC" and you will get all kinds of classes for learners of almost any age.  My husband heard me talking about the options for students who want to take a MOOC.  He asked if I thought there might be a MOOC that would interest him.  A few clicks later and he is currently taking 2 MOOC's out of a University in Texas.  And you might be surprised that there is a MOOC coordinator AND that the university's MOOC Coordinator contacted my husband via the phone to check on how he liked his courses and if he had any questions. Imagine the surprised look on my hubby's face.

Click here to read more or just surf the web for a MOOC for you!  How about a gardening MOOC?

I find the world a beautiful adventure and this just adds to the learning fun. Kathy

New Formative Assessment State Resources

DPI has a new Formative Assessment webpage, video and supplementary discussion and resource guide. Click here to review it.   It certainly seems pretty skeletal at this time but I was excited to see the inclusion of early childhood learners.  

I think the Fluency Snapshot holds more potential actually - check it out and let me know what you think. 

Wondering if teaching prerequisite skills to ALL students is more effective than pre-testing.....

This study is quite old but it does make you wonder. Two sigma status really catches educators attention and promotes the teaching of  pre-requisite skills to all students since even the students who didn't need them did better than if they would not have reviewed the prerequisite skills.  If a teacher teaches all students the pre-requisite skills before starting the new knowledge would they have better results than pre-testing and grouping students.  I am trying to find more updated research.

In my class this weekend, we talked about what is working and what is not working.  Most teachers are not in the practice of pre-testing or inappropriately pre-test the students cold - without activating their prior knowledge by working on key concepts for a few days in a problem solving way perhaps.

A good instructional strategy is only as good as when it is actually used.  This has me thinking.  I wish someone would replicate this research study with teaching all student pre-requisite skills in one group while another group uses an effective pre-testing and differentiation teaching approach.  The results would be fascinating.

Two Sigma is a high standard for high performance.  The percentage of students who achieve at that percentage.  2 sigma is rare for sure with 95% of students successful.
1 sigma - 66.7%            2 sigma - 95%                       3 sigma - 99%

Check out the study.