10-Rep Learning ~ Teague's Tech Treks

Learning Technology & Tech Observations by Dr. Helen Teague

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Quotes Instead of Rules…

Instead of class rules, try something a little bit different.

Our students see a mosaic of rules, procedures, guidelines…

Try something new (if it doesn’t work, you still have your rules, guidelines, and procedures) 🙂

Give students (middle school through high school) quotes instead. Ask them to relate these quotes to life in your classroom.

Some Possible Quotes to Include:

Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
~Malcolm S. Forbes

A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people of getting things done.

~Dwight D. Eisenhower

He who refuses to embrace a unique opportunity loses the prize as surely as if he had tried and failed.
~William James

All personal success is boundless when surrounded by courage, determination, hard work and vision. ~Congresswoman Susan King

Don’t dwell on what you lack; dwell on what you have and use it to the fullest with gratitude. Don’t dwell on your failures—learn from them and move on. Don’t dwell on your fears or sorrows—dwell on your hopes.
~Marian Wright Edelman

What others can be included?

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Summer Vacation Idea

As a visual twist on the iconic “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” invite students to represent their summer using pictures only.

Pictures may be uploaded to a class Flickr Account (use student birthday for captions when uploading). Once all pictures are uploaded, use PhotoShow for a visual movie trailer effect.

Pictures may be inserted into a slideshow program or online at Slideshare. Pictures may be printed, cut and used for a student “Getting-to-Know-You activity,” Concentration Game (print two copies of pictures), and/or desk identifiers instead of student names.

Invite students to bring in photos to scan or picture cards to upload. Give students a disposable camera to take pictures (develop using CD option) or invite them to draw and scan these drawings.

Other suggestions?

 

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Searching For Data

Educators search for data. They use data for two major purposes: accountability and performance improvement.

Accountability requires schools to prove something, while performance improvement is focused on improving student performance.

The conversation in the media, at the state and federal levels, and often, in schools is focused overwhelmingly on accountability.

A case in point:
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Parental Involvement

It’s no surprise that students supported by parents involved in their education tend to exhibit higher achievement; this study breaks down parental involvement into subtypes to see what actions make the most difference across 50 studies.

The authors of “Parental Involvement in Middle School: A Meta-Analytic Assessment of the Strategies That Promote Achievement” find that involvement described as “academic socialization” has the strongest positive correlation to achievement.

They describe this as involvement that “creates an understanding about the purposes, goals, and meaning of academic performance; communicates expectations about involvement; and provides strategies that students can effectively use.” Other types such as school visits and volunteering were positively correlated with achievement, but less so.

Interestingly, helping with homework was the only type not positively related to achievement.

Read more:

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