Today I am posting a lesson plan that I created a while back using a TED talk on machine learning as a jumping off point. The great thing about using TED Talks to start class discussions is that there are transcripts of most talks and translations into many languages. I work with many students whose … Continue reading ESL or ELA Lesson Plan
During Class
Summer Browsing
Summer for teachers is half over and though we probably want to relish these dog days a few weeks more, many of us can’t help but look toward the fall and start to prepare. In the hustle and bustle of the school year I often bookmark sites I come across that may be useful, but … Continue reading Summer Browsing
Better Conversations
I posted a little while ago about asking better questions to have better responses from students. Well, tonight I was out for a walk and listening to TED Talks Daily when I heard a great talk from Celeste Headlee about better conversations. In this funny and engaging talk she advises us to throw out all … Continue reading Better Conversations
Good Question!
Good questions are the backbone of every classroom. They initiate the best conversations and are mandatory for fruitful investigations, both scientific and artistic. I remember the simply revalation I had from asking a student, "Can you tell me more about that?" and having them pause a moment and then really think about what they had just … Continue reading Good Question!
Duolingo
If you are a language learner, you have probably already heard of Duolingo. I discovered it a couple of years ago and have used it on and off since then to augment my study of French. Over the past year I have also used it in the classroom. This post is to tell you why … Continue reading Duolingo
The Red Book
This little gem by the imaginative Barbara Lehman was a Caldecott Honor Book in 2005. It has no words, so children at all reading levels can enjoy it. It has many possibilities for predictive and descriptive activities as the ‘reader’ follows an intriguing story of a book about a book. Let me know how you … Continue reading The Red Book
Gaming the Curriculum
Gaming in the classroom, gamification of education, learning apps; the landscape of educational games has certainly expanded in recent years. Wading into the waters of games in the classroom can be a daunting task for a teacher already drowning in a flooded curriculum. I recently read Mindshift: Guide to Digital Games and Learning which is a great … Continue reading Gaming the Curriculum
What is Going On?
I was reading an article for a masters course on technology in the arts and humanities classroom. The author, Kiran Subhani, describes in detail an activity that she uses where students interpret what is going on in a photo. For example, regard the picture below from 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner, Javier Manzano: First she would have … Continue reading What is Going On?
Panorama-rama
Has anyone tried Google Cardboard yet? I love how it is making VR experiences available for everyone, especially cash strapped educators. Virtual reality is really in its infancy, but the availability of VR tools, like the cheap paper goggles offered by Google and the apps that utilize its simple concept, make it easy for a generation … Continue reading Panorama-rama
What do you believe?
When I say philosophy, do you think of bearded proffessors, bespectecaled undergrads, and tedious dinner guests? It doesn't have to be that way. Some advocates, like the Philosophy Foundation and the awesomely acronymed PLATO, are trying to make philosophy accessible for public school students. The touted benefits are improvements in analytical reasoning, reading comprehension, problem-solving, and self-esteem. Teaching … Continue reading What do you believe?
