Philadelphia: High school students walk out of class and march to City Hall to protest severe budget cuts and planned school closings, May 9, 2013.
The budget cuts are absolutely horrific. Here are some of the proposed changes:
- Schools with more than 1,000 students would no longer be required to have librarians or librarian assistants.
- Schools would no longer be required to have counselors, and counselors’ caseloads would no longer be capped.
- Teachers could be assigned to unlimited classes outside their subject area, and high school teachers could be assigned an extra class without pay. There would be no limit on amount of consecutive time taught in a school day.
- There would be no limit on class size
- The district would no longer be required to provide copy machines, or “a sufficient number of instructional materials and textbooks.”
- Counselors would no longer be guaranteed to have rooms with privacy and confidentiality, a telephone, a locked filing cabinet and a door.
There’s more here.
(via logic-and-art)
John Katzman, founder of The Princeton Review (via thepeacefulterrorist)
With all due respect to JK, who is a former boss of mine, the SAT does measure something quite reliably— family income.
(via thisfan)
(via thisfan)
20 Quick Actions You Can Do Today To Set Your Classroom Up For Massive Success
An impressive and thoughtful list. Most of the ideas come with linked resources. Here are three (click through for the rest):
Action #7 Pay attention to noise and light surroundings, which may distract learning (30 minutes)Teachers only have so many resources and control over the actual classroom structure. Using throw rugs and curtains help to diminish excess noise from hallways or in the room. If you have a reading area, why not set up a table lamp from home for more cozy lighting? It may not seem like much, but the environment plays a big role in a student’s ability to concentrate.
Do you or your parents have any old furniture at home? Adding a chair or couch to a silent reading area will greatly enhance your student’s willingness!
Action #8 Deal with smartphones from the first day with a proactive plan for integration (10 minutes)Whether you like it or not, smartphones are working into younger and younger hands. Some schools may have a ban on smartphones altogether, but if your school does not, consider creating a plan that uses smartphones in the classroom. Banning them will only give you a headache as you spend hours trying to referee, confiscate, and deal with unruly students. Who wants to waste time doing that?
Why not create a smartphone area in your classroom? Everyone must put his or her smartphone there at the beginning of the day. For five minutes before lunch or after work is finished, they can go over to that area and use it for research or educational gaming. When you work with your students, you might find they are more apt to compromise as well.
Action #9 Create a list of “question words” that help you with effective questioning (10 minutes)Create a board or poster with excellent words to use in questioning your students. These words can be used not only for instructing, but when students are asked to question each other. The NDT Resource center has an effective list of words to remember.
Sesame Street in Israel (Rechov Sumsum) is the first in the Sesame Street family to include a puppet who uses a wheelchair. This is in part due to a global partnership between an Israeli charity and Sesame Street Workshop to further the inclusion of people with disabilities across the world!
(Photo credit: Israel21c) from Timeout Israel on fb
(via whorinlauryn007)
No Field Trip? No Problem. Alternatives and solutions.
- See more at: http://www.teachhub.com/no-field-trip-no-problem-alternatives-and-solutions#sthash.MyvfHGlM.dpuf
Field trips are fun; there’s no argument about that. And they are often valuable experiences for students, chances to make connections to the real world and do hands-on activities outside the classroom. But with tight schedules and tighter budgets, a field trip may seem out of reach. Here are some solutions and alternatives to explore:
Problem: We can’t take the time for a field trip.
Solution: Have the field trip come to you.
Museums, theater companies, wildlife sanctuaries and other groups that used to host school field trips are feeling the pinch of educational budget cuts, too. Some of these organizations have in-school activities or guest speakers they can offer as an alternative.
Related ArticlesField trips are fun; there’s no argument about that. And they are often…Check it out! The best news, reviews, and all-around cool stuff for teachers…Oscar season gives you a chance to use kids’ love of movies to actually further…So you’ve decided to flip your classroom — for a unit, a semester, or for good…TeachHUB contributor, Dale Coulter, discusses how discussion-driven learning,…If you’ve worked with a group before, it never hurts to ask if they might offer this kind of program. Most organizations list these programs on their websites. If you don’t see a program that meets your needs, ask. Many museums and other groups have education as a part of their mission statement, so they might be willing to work with you to create something special just for your students.
Problem: We don’t have the money for a field trip.
Solution: Explore alternatives.
Sometimes the field trip price tag is out of reach. But take a look around: with a little creative thinking, you might be able to find new field trip options that are less expensive.
If the history museum is too pricey, is there a nearby historic site that you could visit instead? If the zoo is out of reach, have you contacted local wildlife rescue groups or animal rehabilitation clinics? Sometimes less-well-known destinations can offer your students unique experiences as well as less-expensive ones.
Also, keep in mind that some businesses are glad to offer a “behind the scenes” tour for free. You may be able to build some new cross-curricular connections if your students see the inner workings of a factory, restaurant, or office. Send a letter home to parents – they may be able to help you arrange some fascinating field trips of their workplaces at very low cost!
There are other alternatives to explore as well. If busses are too costly, is there a destination within walking distance? Some museums charge more for educational tours because it requires an education staff member to be in attendance. What if you asked students to be guides for each other? Assign groups of students to focus on specific topics they will encounter at the museum, make them do the research in advance, and then ask them to lead the rest of the class through that section of the museum.
Problem: Time and money are both too limited.
If you’re tight on time and money, there are still options available.
Solution1: The On-Campus Field Trip
Incredulous? Don’t be. There are often experiences on campus that you’ve never thought to explore. What could your students learn from an in-depth exploration of the school theater, the library, or the weight room? You will need the assistance of a resource teacher, coach, or librarian, but it’s certainly cost-effective. Could your students do cooking science experiments in the cafeteria kitchen? Do service learning by visiting the classroom of some younger students and tutoring them? Who knew there were so many options available without ever setting foot on a bus?
Solution 2: Virtual Experiences
The Internet offers opportunities for students to explore without ever leaving the classroom. To really make this feel like something special, consider using a virtual field trip to do something your students would never be able to do in real life – such as the Online Explorations connected to the Hubble Space Telescope or the Virtual Field Trip of the Jet Propulsion Lab in Southern California. Digital resources are also available from the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. If students learn about World War II by listening to an interview with a decorated war hero, that can be just as impactful as a trip to the local history museum.
Solution 3: Field Trip Materials without the Trip
Don’t forget to explore the resources your field trip venues might offer. Some organizations have lesson plans and project materials you can use in your classroom without ever visiting the venue. Museums may have photographs, videos, or virtual tours that allow you to share some of their treasures with your students from the comfort of the classroom.
Solution 4: Independent field trips
While it won’t work for every school setting, sometimes the “independent field trip” approach is the best solution. Select a topic or question you want students to explore – for example, “How does food get from the farm to our table?” Then have each student (or each parent of a younger student) sign up to explore some part of that process on their own. Students might visit a farm, a farmer’s market, a factory that processes food, a supermarket, a restaurant, and so forth. Give them a set of questions or specific tasks to accomplish during their trip, and then have them report back to the rest of the class. Working together, your class can create a comprehensive picture of the farm-to-table chain with much more detail than you could get from a single field trip!
Some field trips are irreplaceable opportunities, but if time and money are in short supply, don’t despair! A little extra research, some help from parents, and a little creative planning can create a brand new memorable experience for your students!
- See more at: http://www.teachhub.com/no-field-trip-no-problem-alternatives-and-solutions#sthash.MyvfHGlM.dpuf
(via kbkonnected)
miss frizzle don’t give a fuck
some of the best miss frizzle clips from episodes 1-14 compiled by urs truly
i never realized just how weird this show was….
My heroine.
How the fuck did ms frizzle not get fired?
(Source: pepperbear, via logic-and-art)
In honor of Black History Month, here’s Part 2 of a list of 20 books that every young Black child should own/read. I feel this list is important because Black children need to see themselves in the books they read. Feel free to add to the list!
Note: Here’s the whole list hereRoll of thunder!
I swear I had like 2 copies of this book. And then i bought the trilogy.
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