5 Powerful Questions Teachers Can Ask StudentsMy first year teaching a literacy coach came to observe my classroom. After the students left, she commented on how I asked the whole class a question, would wait just a few seconds, and then answer it myself. "It's cute," she added. Um, I don't think she thought it was so cute. I think she was treading lightly on the ever-so shaky ego of a brand-new teacher while still giving me some very necessary feedback.So that day, I learned about wait/think time. And also, over the years, I learned to ask better and better questions.Many would agree that for inquiry to be alive and well in a classroom that, amongst other things, the teacher needs to be expert at asking strategic questions, and not only asking well-designed ones, but ones that will also lead students to questions of their own.Keeping It SimpleI also learned over the years that asking straightforward, simply-worded questions can be just as effective as those intricate ones. With that in mind, if you are a new teacher or perhaps not so new but know that question-asking is an area where you'd like to grow, start tomorrow with these five:#1. What do you think?This question interrupts us from telling too much. There is a place for direct instruction where we give students information yet we need to always strive to balance this with plenty of opportunities for students to make sense of and apply that new information using their schemata and understanding.#2. Why do you think that?After students share what they think, this follow-up question pushes them to provide reasoning for their thinking.#3. How do you know this?When this question is asked, students can make connections to their ideas and thoughts with things they've experienced, read, and have seen.#4. Can you tell me more?This question can inspire students to extend their thinking and share further evidence for their ideas.#5. What questions do you still have?This allows students to offer up questions they have about the information, ideas or the evidence.In addition to routinely and relentlessly asking your students questions, be sure to provide time for them to think. What's best here, three seconds, five, or seven? Depending on their age, the depth of the material, and their comfort level, this think time will vary. Just push yourself to stay silent and wait for those hands to go up.Also be sure to vary your tone so it genuinely sounds like a question and not a statement. When we say something in a declarative way, it is often with one tone and flat sounding. On the other hand, there is a lilt in our voice when we are inquiring and questioning.To help student feel more comfortable and confident with answering questions and asking ones of their own, you can use this scaffold: Ask a question, pause, and then invite students to "turn and talk" with a neighbor first before sharing out with the whole group. This allows all to have their voices heard and also gives them a chance to practice their responses before sharing in front of the whole class.How do you ask questions in your classroom? What works well with your students? Please share with us in the comment section below.The Heart of the Matter: Why I Teach6

Friends and family have been asking you for weeks, "What are going to do with all that time off during the holidays?"What am I going to do, you think to yourself . . .I'm going to sleep, people. I'm going to take a break from the fast-paced world of being a daily classroom teacher. I'm going to sit and listen to others talk and take a break from hearing my own voice.You might also be thinking . . .I'm going to appreciate this time I have and re-fuel for the next semester. I've got some great ideas for some engaging projects and experiential, hands-on learning. So, I'm going to take a few breaths, enjoy family and friends, and then spend some time planning out those ideas.For our new teachers out there, particularly those in their first year, there are some additional thoughts happening. Some may be really truly catching their breath for the first time since the start of the school year, while some may even be questioning their choice to become a teacher. (If you're a new teacher and experiencing any of this, consider taking a few minutes to readElena Aguilar's "What I Wish I'd Known as a New Teacher.")Our Resilient StudentsWhat we do have in common, as new and as experienced teachers, are all the ways students have touched our hearts. Teachers longer in the classroom have more stories. Newer teachers have less. But we all have them.Here are a few students and their stories that have stayed with me, ones that helped keep me in the job as a high school teacher:Gerardo came from a poor farming community in Mexico. His grandmother had raised him and had worked hard to pay for his schooling there. He arrived in this country at 14 years old, learned English in a year and by the time he was in eleventh grade, knew he wanted to be a doctor. Last I heard he was in medical school.Melody was an honors student. She had a baby the summer before her junior year. She worked two jobs that school year. She was an incredible writer.Miguel told me at the start of the year that he didn't like to read. I suggested book after book (which he would read a few pages, then reject). Just before winter break, he chose to take and read,Tuesdays with Morrie. He walked into class that Monday following break and said, "That book changed my life. I read it twice."Diana was heavily involved in gang life and drugs from age 12 to 14. Then, when she began high school, she quit both. Her senior year she received a community service award from the city for her exemplary community service.Jessica and her two small sisters and mom lived in their car. They had been without a home for nearly two years. She came to school everyday.Many of my students' lives were filled with challenges, with pain. Yet they so often seemed to muster resilience and also humor. And when I couldn't find these things in myself, theirs would keep me going.Teacher as LearnerBurned in my mind is a time when in my first year of teaching, I reached for my car door handle one morning and almost didn't open it. "I can't do this," I thought. "I don't know what I'm doing!" Then, I imagined my students, those who would get to school everydayeven though they were faced with enormous challenges I will likely never experience. If they can do this, I can do this.Each year teaching I grew; I got better. I accepted the truth that this work as teacher means one must fully embrace a learner identity as well. Just as we ask our students to be vulnerable, to share, to reflect, to grow, we as teachers must do the same.A Whole Child ApproachMy resiliency has also grown during the nearly 20 years I've been in this profession. That resiliency comes in part to holding steadfast to my philosophy on teaching and learning -- regardless of new (and sometimes questionable) initiatives or the ongoing political and media attacks on teachers.That philosophy includes the following: 1) hearts and minds are connected so always tend to both; 2) all learners deserve rationale for what and why they are learning something; 3) we learn with each other and not in isolation; 4) reflection helps us grow, and is a necessary part of learning; and, 5) we need to see our own lives and interests in what we are learning.I teach because there is an excitement and joy and suspense in the journey. I get to be forever a learner, one who must strive to keep her heart and mind wide open at all times. I teach because this journey as teacher, it requires all the best parts of my humanity.What are the reasons you teach? Who are the students who inspire you? What led you to teachingand what has made you stay? Please share with us in the comments section below.

What I Wish I'd Known as a New TeacherThe end of October can be a difficult time for new teachers. I know this from personal experience, and also because there's a graph out there that shows the dip that new teachers take in the fall as their energy wanes. When I first saw this graph, I felt a tremendous relief: I'm normal! This is documented! Yes, I know that we don't always need research to validate our experiences, but I did.Now, almost two decades later, I wish I'd known a few things about myself, about teaching, and about my students. Some of what I wish I'd known could have been shared with me -- some I just had to live and learn from. So I offer this reflection both for new teachers as well as for those who support them. And so if you work with a new teacher, I'm hoping you might stop by their room in the next few days and share some insights from your own experience. And if you are a new teacher, then I'm hoping these reflections might help you feel validated, hopeful, and resourceful.1. This will get better.The first year of teaching is so, so hard. You don't even know why it's so hard -- you can't wrap your head around that because you're in survival mode. It's so hard because you are being asked to push your heart and mind and body in ways you never have. You are making thousands of decisions each day, and there are big parts of you that know you don't know what you're doing. So you question the decisions you're making each day (questioning is good, it is) but that questioning also makes you feel tired and insecure. It will get better. You're just overloaded. You're learning so much (I know you can't even recognize this because you're so tired) but it'll sink in as the months pass. Nothing will ever be as hard as the first year.2. Always work from the heart.If your actions and words emerge from the heart, you can't make too many mistakes. Let yourself love your students -- don't be afraid of falling in love with them. That's the path to take as a new teacher. Get to know them, indulge your curiosity, spend time learning about who they are as human beings; the rest will follow.3. They will remember this about you.Your students will remember how you made them feel, whether they felt loved and cared for by you. I know this: I'm in touch with dozens of former students who were amongst the first groups of kids I taught. They remember my love for them in various ways; they don't remember the lessons that I botched, or that I didn't return their homework within a promised two days, or my disorganization. When I listen to what they remember, I hear: it was my love for them. And I did love them. Deeply.4. Be open to surprises.Students will surprise you -- they will learn things you didn't think they could learn, they will grow in ways you didn't expect. You might think that a particular student will struggle later on (after all, he's already been retained in second grade and he can't spell his own name and clearly has a learning disability). And then you might find yourself ten years later at his high school graduation hearing that he's been accepted to art college and there'll be tears ruining your makeup and you didn't bring tissues and when he sees you he grins and gives you a huge hug and says, "Ms. Aguilar, I'm so glad you came." And you'll still be crying and telling him how proud you are. It will truly be one of the most joyful days of your life. Truly -- because it was a surprise! And he was from that first year, when you thought you'd ruined them all. "You were really nice to me and you encouraged me to draw," he says, and you beam.5. Find a coach.Find someone who can support your growth, someone who has training to be a coach, someone who will observe you and give you feedback and help you fulfill the vision you have for yourself as a teacher. You won't be able to figure this all out on your own. You can't see what you can't see. You don't know what you need to know. Ask for a coach, beg, search out all possible options -- and find someone to help you grow.6. And if you can't find a coach . . .Move. Find another school. I'm serious. Find a place where someone will support you in your growth as a teacher. Ok, if it can't be a coach, settle for a mentor, an administrator who will commit to supporting you in a non-evaluative way, or find a partner-teacher who might be a mentor, or a professional learning community of teachers who observe each other. You won't be able to guide your own development by yourself; the weekly (if you're lucky) or annual professional development won't be enough.As a new teacher you need a lot of feedback and support. Don't stop searching out support until you get it. If you feel like you're learning and increasingly meeting the needs of your students, you'll feel good. You'll stay. And kids need teachers who stay.The first year (like a first love) has so many highs and lows and I still get both dreamy-eyed and panicky when I remember the 1995-96 school year. Capture this year, share stories with people you trust, and then in twenty years, look back and write yourself a "What I Wish I'd Known" letter.

Using Humor in the ClassroomBut why do I have to go? School is not fun! That quote is from a first-grade child, asking his mom why he has to go everysingleday to this place that he was told was going to be a lot of fun, but has not lived up to the hype. If he could articulate further, he might say, "I am only six. I like to have fun, but school is not fun and from what I can tell, it's going to get worse every year, not better."This is not an April Fool's Day anecdote; it's all too real. That's why we are always on the lookout for ways fun ways to engage and inspire students . On the other hand, we also know that teachers are not selected or trained to be comedians or entertainers. However, we know that a positive climate for learning, and enjoyment, is correlated with retention of information and putting knowledge to work in everyday situations (including tests).Confused? Me, too. So I sought out an expert: Ed Dunkelblau, former president of theAssociation for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, Director of the Institute for Emotionally Intelligent Learning and consultant to schools for both character and social, emotional learning (SEL) approaches, as well as to families coping with the stress ofmilitary service. I spoke with him about how to bring humor into classrooms.I asked Ed how humor can be fit in when teachers have so much to cover in their classes. He said, "In the present environment ofhigh stakes testing, budgetary challenges, increased demands on educators and competition for students attention, everyone in the school benefits when humor is part of the pedagogy. Humor builds a learning relationship through the joyful confluence of head and heart." He points to a growing literature on how humor reduces stress and tension in the classroom, improves retention of information, and promotes creative understanding."But most of all, it brings a sense of pleasure and appreciation and creates a common, positive emotional experience that the students share with each other and the teacher."Humor Strategies to UseEven if you are what Ed calls "humor challenged," there are things you can do to lighten the load and dissipate the clouds in your classroom. Just remember, above all, that sarcasm has no place in the school. Only "no hurt" humor is acceptable. Laugh at yourself -- when you do something silly or wrong, mention it and laugh at it Add humorous items to tests, homework or class assignments -- even at the University, one of my favorite options when I give multiple choice exams requiring students to identify pairs of psychologists is Calamari and Endive. It always gets smiles, and helps to break exam tension Keep a quotable quotesbulletin boardor corner in your room -- look forhumor quotesand post them and encourage your students to do the same Keep a cartoon file, and have an area where you can display one or two a day on a rotating basis, with students making the choice Have Joke Friday -- ask students to bring in jokes to share, either to start the day on Friday, to make a transition between lunch and the following class, or at the end of the day (be sure to screen the jokes in advance, of course) Ask students to try to build humor into occasional writing assignments -- that will start a conversation about what it funny, how they know something is funny, why different people find some things funny but some things are funny to almost everyone Have a funny hat day, or mismatched socks day, or some other funny dress-up time Build creative and humorous thinking by showing cartoons and picture without captions and asking students to create them -- individually, in pair-shares, or small groups Ask students to bring in books they think are funny. Ask them to talk about why, and to use examples from the bookTruth be told, however, there is another side to the story. Ed tells of a group of individuals who are not so enamored of bringing humor into classrooms and schools: private practice therapists. "The more laughs our society loses, the more humorless our society becomes, and the more clients our society creates. Laughter is a great antidote to stress. As they say at the AATH, "Those who laugh, last. Those who don't, pay a price." But really, it's the kids who pay the price, and they should not have to.Let's add somemoreenjoyment to school. We don't need guffaws -- a smile and a little levity can go a long way. It's time for us educators to take humor more seriously. I am sure Ed will be happy to help you if you ask.How do you bring humor in to your classroom? Please share in the comments section below.

Golden Rules for Engaging Students in Learning ActivitiesWhen we think ofstudent engagementin learning activities, it is often convenient to understand engagement with an activity as being formed by good behaviour (behavioural engagement), positive feelings (emotional engagement), and, above all, deep thinking (cognitive engagement) (Fredricks, 2014). This is because students may be behaviourally and/or emotionally invested in a given activity without actually exerting the necessary effort to understand and master the knowledge, craft, or skill that the activity promotes.In light of this, research suggests that considering the following interrelated elements when designing and implementing learning activities can increase student engagement behaviourally, emotionally, and cognitively, thereby positively affecting academic achievement.1. Make It MeaningfulIn aiming for full engagement, it is essential that students perceive activities as being meaningful. Research has shown that if students do not consider alearning activityworthy of their time and effort, they might not engage in a satisfactory way, or even disengage in response (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, Paris, 2004). To ensure that activities are personally meaningful, we can, for example,connectthem with students' previous knowledge and experiences, highlighting the value of an assigned activity in personally relevant ways. Also, expert modelling can help demonstrate why a certain activity is worth pursuing, and when and how it is used in real life.2. Foster a Sense of EfficacyThe notion of self-efficacy refers to a student's ongoing personal evaluation of whether he or she can succeed in a learning activity or challenge. ("Can I do this?") Researchers have argued that effectively performing an activity can positively impact subsequent engagement (Bandura & Schunk, 1981). In order to strengthen students' sense of efficacy in learning activities, the assigned activities should: Be only slightly beyond students' current levels of proficiency Regularly demonstrate students understanding throughout the activity Use peer modelling Include feedback that helps students make progress.3. Provide Autonomy SupportAutonomy support refers to nurturing the students' sense of control over their own behaviours and goals. When teachers promote an internal locus of control rather than compliance with directives and commands, student engagement levels increase as a result (Reeve, Jang, Carrell, Jeon, & Barch, 2004). Autonomy support can be implemented by: Welcoming students' opinions and ideas into the flow of the activity Using informational, non-controlling language with students Giving students the time they need to understand and absorb an activity by themselves.4. Embrace Collaborative LearningCollaborative learningis another powerful facilitator of engagement in learning activities. When students work effectively with others, their engagement is consequently amplified (Wentzel, 2009), mostly due to experiencing a sense of connection to others during the activities (Deci & Ryan, 2000). To make group workmoreproductive, strategies can be implemented to ensure that students know how to communicate and behave in that setting. Teacher modelling is one effective method, while avoiding homogeneous groups and grouping by ability, fostering individual accountability by assigning different roles, and evaluating both the student and the group performance also support collaborative learning.5. Establish Positive Teacher-Student RelationshipsHigh-quality teacher-studentrelationshipsare a key factor in determining student engagement (Fredricks, 2014), especially in the case of difficult students and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. When students form close and caring relationships with their teachers, they are fulfilling their developmental need for a connection to others and a sense of belonging in society (Scales, 1991). Teacher-student relationships can be facilitated by: Caring about students' social andemotional needs Holding positive attitudes and enthusiasm Increasing one-on-one time with students Treating students fairly Avoiding the use of deception or promise-breaking.6. Promote Mastery OrientationsFinally, students' perspective of learning activities also determines their engagement. When students pursue an activity because they want to learn and understand (i.e. mastery orientations), rather than simply to obtain a good grade, look smart, please parents, or outperform peers (i.e. performance orientations), their engagement is more likely to be full and thorough (Anderman & Patrick, 2012). To encourage this mastery orientation mindset, consider various approaches, such as framing success intermsof learning (e.g. criterion-referenced) rather than performing (e.g. obtaining a good grade). Also, place the emphasis on individual progress by reducing social comparison (e.g. makinggradesprivate) and recognising student improvement and effort.Do you normally consider any of the above facilitators of engagement when designing and implementing learning activities? If so, which ones? If not, which are new to you? How do you think they can help you increase student engagement in learning activities?Research Ames, C. (1992). Achievement goals and the classroom motivational climate. In D. Schunk & J. Meece (Eds.),Student perceptions in the classroom(pp. 327-348). Hillsdale, N.J: L. Erlbaum. Anderman, E. M., & Patrick, H. (2012). Achievement goal theory, conceptualization of ability/intelligence, and classroom climate. In S. Christenson, A. Reschly, & C. Wylie (Eds.),Handbook of Research on Student Engagement(pp. 173-191). New York, NY: Springer. Assor, A., Kaplan, H., & Roth, G. (2002). Choice is good, but relevance is excellent: Autonomy-enhancing and suppressing teacher behaviours predicting students' engagement in schoolwork.British Journal of Educational Psychology, 72(2), 261-278. Baker, J. A., Grant, S., & Morlock, L. (2008). The teacher-student relationship as a developmental context for children with internalizing or externalizing behavior problems.School PsychologyQuarterly, 23(1), 3-15. Bandura, A., & Schunk, D. H. (1981). Cultivating competence, self-efficacy, and intrinsic interest through proximal self-motivation.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41(3), 586-598. Belland, B. R., Kim, C., & Hannafin, M. J. (2013). A framework for designing scaffolds that improve motivation and cognition.Educational Psychologist, 48(4), 243-270. Black, P., Harrison, C., Lee, C., & Marshall, B. (2003).Assessment for learning: Putting it into practice.Maidenhead:Open UniversityPress. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior.Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227268. Driscoll, K. C., & Pianta, R. C. (2010). Banking time in head start: Early efficacy of an intervention designed to promote supportive teacher-child relationships.Early Education and Development, 21(1), 38-64. Fredricks, J. A. (2014).Eight Myths of Student Disengagement: Creating Classrooms of Deep Learning. Los Angeles: Corwin. Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence.Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59-109. Gillies, R. M., & Ashman, A. F. (1998). Behavior and interactions of children in cooperative groups in lower and middle elementary grades.Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(4), 746-757. Gregory, A., & Weinstein, R. S. (2004). Connection and regulation at home and in school: Predicting growth in achievement for adolescents.Journal of Adolescent Research, 19(4), 405-427. Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Holubec, E. (1994).The new circles of learning: Cooperation in the classroom and school.Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Kidd, C., Palmeri, H., & Aslin, R. N. (2013). Rational snacking: Young children's decision making on the marshmallow task is moderated by beliefs about environmental reliability.Cognition, 126(1), 109-114. Linnenbrink, E. A., & Pintrich, P. R. (2003). The role of self-efficacy beliefs in student engagement and learning in the classroom.Reading & Writing Quarterly, 19(2), 119-137. Middleton, M. J., & Midgley, C. (2002). Beyond motivation:Middle schoolstudents' perceptions of press for understanding in math.Contemporary Educational Psychology, 27(3), 373-391. Newmann, F., Wehlage, G., & Lamborn, D. (1992). The significance and sources of student engagement. InStudent Engagement and Achievement in American Secondary Schools(pp. 11-39). ERIC. Noels, K. A., Clement, R., & Pelletier, L. G. (1999). Perceptions of teachers' communicative style and students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.The Modern Language Journal, 83(1), 23-34. Peter, F., & Dalbert, C. (2010). Do my teachers treat me justly? Implications of students' justice experience for class climate experience.Contemporary Educational Psychology, 35(4), 297-305. Reeve, J. (1998). Autonomy support as an interpersonal motivating style: Is it teachable?Contemporary Educational Psychology, 23(3), 312-330. Reeve, J., & Jang, H. (2006). What teachers say and do to support students' autonomy during a learning activity.Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(1), 209-218. Reeve, J., Jang, H., Carrell, D., Jeon, S., & Barch, J. (2004). Enhancing students' engagement by increasing teachers' autonomy support.Motivation and Emotion, 28(2), 147-169. Scales, P. C. (1991). Creating a developmental framework: The positive possibilities of young adolescents. InA portrait of young adolescents in the 1990s: Implications for promoting healthy growth and development.ERIC. Schunk, D., & Swartz, C. (1993). Goals and progress feedback: Effects on self-efficacy and writing achievement.Contemporary Educational Psychology, 18, 337-354. Schunk, D. H. (2003). Self-efficacy for reading and writing: influence of modeling, goal setting, and self-evaluation.Reading & Writing Quarterly, 19(2), 159172. Shernoff, D. J., Csikszentmihalyi, M., Shneider, B., & Shernoff, E. S. (2003). Student engagement inhigh schoolclassrooms from the perspective of flow theory.School Psychology Quarterly, 18(2), 158-176. Slavin, R. E. (1996). Cooperative learning in middle and secondary schools.The Clearing House, 69(4), 200-204. Turner, J. C., Midgley, C., Meyer, D. K., Gheen, M., Anderman, E. M., Kang, Y., & Patrick, H. (2002). The classroom environment and students' reports of avoidance strategies in mathematics: A multimethod study.Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(1), 88-106. Tyler, J. M., Feldman, R. S., & Reichert, A. (2006). The price of deceptive behavior: Disliking and lying to people who lie to us.Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 42(1), 69-77. Webb, N. M., Nemer, K. M., & Ing, M. (2009). Small-Group reflections: Parallels between teacher discourse and student behavior in peer-directed groups.The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 15(1), 63119. Wentzel, K. R. (2009). Peers and academic functioning at school. In K. Rubin, W. Bukowski, & B. Laursen (Eds.),Handbook of peer interactions, relationships, and groups. Social, emotional, and personality development in context(pp. 531-547). New York, NY: Guilford Press. Willingham, D. T. (2009).Why don't students like school?: A cognitive scientist answers questions about how the mind works and what it means for the classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

How to Engage Underperforming StudentsGuided by research, educators at Cochrane Collegiate have honed in on ten top teaching methods, and teachers receive weekly PD to help them implement the practices.

Narrowing the Achievement GapBy focusing tightly on instructional strategies and PD, educators at Cochrane Collegiate Academy saved their school from closure. In just three years, they have doubled student performance, and they continue to reach higher.The educators have developed an instructional model called Interactive Learning (IL). It is a collection of their ten best practices, which they call their non-negotiables, and teachers must implement them in every lesson, every day.Shana Oliver, the school's academic facilitator, runs the training sessions for these best practices, and she helps the teachers see and experience how they can incorporate all ten into one lesson.Interactive Learning Non-NegotiablesEssential QuestionWhat is the intended goal of the lesson? Remember, there is one essential question per lesson, and students must be able to answer this question by the end of the lesson.With essential questions, teachers really have to be intentional about what they want the students to be able to do, and it has to be at the highest-level of learning. The students have to be able to analyze and apply; they cannot just answer the question with a yes or no. It has to be an extended response. An essential question must be "multi-skill" in order for it to be a good one.Activating StrategyAn activating strategy is something that gets students actively thinking or making a connection with the material being presented that day. Make a connection to the content or to the outside world to see how much the students already know or remember.One of the main things used at Cochrane is to show video clips. Students love it when they see their favorite show or cartoon. Initially, they don't know what they're about to learn so they focus on that video clip. Then the teacher uses that engagement to link to the lesson, and the students realize that their likes or interests can channel a learning experience.Relevant VocabularyRelevant vocabulary must be present in your lesson. Keep your vocabulary limited to what your students are able to handle and make sure that it is actively used in context throughout the lesson. Also have your students interactively use the words during the lesson.Use vocabulary that's relevant. Teachers must pick and choose what is going to be most important and most effective. They must teach vocabulary through a graphic organizer, through an experience, or whatever they need to help the students get it.Limited LectureThere should be limited lecture time. After 12-15 minutes of lecturing, you should engage your students in some type of activity, even if it's for only a few minutes. The teacher can then go back to lecturing for another chunk of time.Examples: Have students talk to their neighbor, draw a picture, write a few sentences that summarize or describe the lecture, finish an example problem, or get in a discussion with their group.Graphic OrganizerUse of a graphic organizer allows students to visually categorize new information or review old information.Students need to be able to conceptualize whatever information we're giving them. The graphic organizer is student friendly. When they look at information that's organized, it's easier for them to retain and remember that information. And when they go home, it is less intimidating to look at that information as opposed to pulling out a notebook that has pages and pages of notes.Examples: Have students record information in colorful charts in their notebooks, use computers to create graphic organizers, or create a "foldable."Student MovementStudent movement is a must. Students need to be mobile at some point during instruction to ensure they're actively engaged.This one is probably the most challenging for Cochrane teachers because it can be intimidating to have students moving. But student movement can look a number of different ways, and it doesn't always mean students have to get up. They just must be physically engaged in whatever the teacher is doing. It's important because students don't like to sit still, especially male students. They ahve found that when the male students are up and moving around the room, they are totally engaged in what the teacher is doing.Examples: Students do a gallery walk in which they move in groups from corner to corner, answering questions or analyzing things posted on the walls; they work in teams or at rotation stations; they raise their hands or give the thumbs-up or thumbs-down; they answer questions with their body, putting their left foot out if they think the answer is A and their right foot out if they think it's B.Higher Order Thinking QuestionsPresent your students with at least three higher-order-thinking (HOT) questions during the lesson. This is proof that you are presenting all your students with challenging work.The HOT questions are Cochrane's signature element. The rationale behind them is we want to give the kids an opportunity to be challenged in the classroom. The way the teacher presents these questions varies, and students' responses can be indicative of their learning pace. The same question should be used for all students, but advanced learners may be required to respond in a different way. Students can respond on paper, as part of a classroom discussion, in paired discussion, or through homework.SummarizeSummarize to bring the lesson to a close. This is when you can assess your students' abilities to effectively answer the essential question, and you can find out whether you need to extend or refine the skill.Teachers must find creative ways to have the students answer the essential question at the end of the lesson. A student's ability to answer the essential question at this point is a way for the teacher to assess the student's learning. In most instances, this is the point when a teacher can determine whether she needs to go back and reteach or needs to accelerate student learning.Examples: Have students use a writing prompt, short activity, discussion, or illustration to summarize, or have them summarize on an exit ticket.RigorousLessons must be rigorous. The activities should be challenging and move at a brisk pace. There should not be opportunities for students to get bored or periods when they have nothing to do. The entire lesson should be an active lesson.Teachers should strive to take students to the highest level of knowledge. There are only 180 days in the school year, and a lot of the students do not come in at grade level, so we've got to move them with the 90 minutes that we have each day in the classroom.Student CenteredYour entire lesson should be student centered. The ways that we instruct our students must demonstrate that they are our focus and that what we do is centered on their success. The use of technology as a tool is a critical component of this. It provides students with 21st-century skills that are both engaging and relevant to real-world applications. It is a partnership: If you effectively and successfully plan, your students will effectively and successfully work and learn.Take a step away from the learning process to become facilitators rather than "givers of all knowledge" in the classroom.Good Time: 4 Ways to Reawaken Student EngagementStudentswantto be engaged in class. They really do -- but sometimes other things get in the way of their natural instincts. A few changes to how a teacher runs a classroom can make a huge impact on how engaged students will be in that classroom. It's an issue that every teacher has to face, but it can be addressed in some very simple ways. Here are just a few of my strategies for dealing with low levels of student engagement. They've made a major difference in my classes over the years.Shuffle SeatsI did the seat shuffle because class conversation had become stale, and students just seemed to be there but not actuallythere. It's one of the simplest ways to shake up a class and get things going again. I had all of my students pick new seats at the tables. The rules were simple. They could not sit with more than one other person they'd already sat with, and it had to be at a different table. The kids were a little annoyed at first, but the shuffle paid off immediately. For one class, it was one of their best participation days of the year. Sitting with fresh faces and bouncing new ideas off different people got them going in a different way than they were used to. It was a nice change of pace, and I look forward to doing it once a month to keep the conversations fresh.Student TakeoverOnce in a while, it can be fun to let the students take over a lesson or two in a unit. Let them become the teachers, and the teacher becomes the student. You can provide the topic they need to cover and give them some benchmarks, but the rest of the lesson should be left up to the students. They get to engage with the material in a way that is refreshing and new to them. Different student groups can be in charge of different aspects of the lesson and can teach on different days. This approach has students looking at information in a different way, and can allow the teachers to see what their students can learn when they explore information on their own. For the daring teacher, let the students choose the topic, prepare everything for the lesson, and teach the class whatever they want.Open ProjectsOpen projects have been very successful in my class. I've found that the more options I gave my students, the better the projects have been. I used to dictate every part of my project assignments. Students would ask to do things a little differently, and I'd give in, surprised that their ideas were better than mine. Since I decided to give up control on the project format, Ive received amazing presentations from students. I give them the project objective and ask for a proposal explaining how their project will demonstrate their understanding of the objective. Once I green-light them, they get to work. They create their own rubric, which I approve, and I grade their presentations. The final stipulation to my open projects is that they cannot do the same type of project more than once in a semester. This encourages students to explore other media. Giving up control was a scary thought at first, but it has paid off with some of the best work I've ever seen my students complete.Have FunSometimes teachers forget to bring the fun to the classroom. We try so hard to cover the curriculum that we work our students until they collapse. Sometimes it's good to just set things aside for a day or two and have some fun. I had noticed that my two American literature classes were getting pretty run down, so I thought we'd play a little for a couple of days at the end of a long unit. I challenged these classes to come up with the best lip-dub for the song "Good Time." They had one day in class to figure out what they wanted to do in the video, and one class period to film it. After a week, the class with the most likes would receive a prize from me. The students loved the project and came up with two very different but very awesome videos:

8 Free Apps and Web Tools for Staying Organized in the New YearThe start of a new year is a great time to think back and reflect about what really worked for you and what isn't quite cutting it. When it comes to staying organized, there is no one-size-fits-all. It's really all about finding the system that works for you, picking apps or tools that you will actually use, and remembering that there are lots of options to choose from as you figure out the best fit.As you sort through the following list, don't try them all out at once. Pick one or two, put them into practice for a month, and then reflect on how well something is helping you stay organized. You may choose to add that website or app to your tool belt as you explore another resource, or you may decide to scrap that tool and try out something completely new. Here are a few apps and web tools that might help you stay organized in the New Year.30/30 (iOS- Free; upgrades available)This super useful task manager is perfect for teachers with a long to-do list. Whether that list is totally professional or a mix of personal and work items, this app lets you color-code and assign icons to different tasks. All you have to do is open the app, assign how much time you want to spend on a particular item, and the countdown clock will start. It's great for staying focused on less exciting tasks and not getting caught up in others when there's a long list of things to do.Google Docs (iOS,Android,Web Browser- Free)Google Docs are one of my favorite tools for staying organized. You can work from a Chromebook, MacBook, iPhone, or tablet, and all of your documents will stay up to date. Not only is it great for collaborating (time that can be hard to schedule), but it also gives you the flexibility to work from lots of different devices and stay on task no matter what's thrown at you. You can access Google Docs from a web browser or a dedicated app like the ones revamped for iOS devices last year. There is the option to create and share folders, making it easy to find that document you're looking for.Pocket (iOS,Android,Web Browser- Free; upgrades available)I've shared the reasonsfor why Pocket is great for keeping track of your personal learning network (PLN). With this app and website, you can also bookmark different articles to keep them organized for easy reference. You can add tags to the articles you save so that they're easy to locate or refer back to. My inbox and Twitter feed are full of articles that I don't usually have time to "drop everything and read," even though I can't wait to check them out. When I finally get that free minute to sit and read, I can use a mobile device or web browser to access the whole list of articles.Common Core (iOS,Android,Web Browser- Free)Carrying around a binder full of photocopies or flipping through pages to find exactly what you're looking for can be frustrating and time consuming. The Common Core State Standards app by MasteryConnect lets you view the standards offline right on your mobile device. You can type in keywords and search through the standards or just tap on your screen to jump between different grades or areas of study. The official website of the CCSS also makes it easy to locate information and is a great alternative to searching through a pile of papers -- especially when you're on the go.Sunrise (iOS,Android,Web Browser- Free)Sunrise is a great alternative to the calendar apps you may be using, or a new one for those of you transferring your paper scheduling books to your mobile device. It has a clean and crisp interface that integrates with lots of different platforms including Google Calendar, iCloud on iOS devices, and Microsoft Outlook. Sunrise also connects with apps like LinkedIn and Facebook, integrating information for a unique experience.And a Few More. . . Any.do: Here's a wonderful task manager that helps you keep up with your to-do list. Dropbox: This cloud sharing service integrates with lots of different apps, helping your files stay organized. Voxer: You can use this walkie-talkie app for connecting with your PLN or colleagues to quickly share information.What's missing from this list? Add your favorite apps and web tools in the comments, or share a tip for staying organized this year!

A Look Inside the Classroom of the FutureDECEMBER 22, 2014Over the next generation, whether they work for corporations, small businesses, government organizations, nonprofits, or other organizations, many U.S. employees will move from working primarily with American colleagues, bosses, and customers for American organizations in U.S. cities, to being part of global teams. As leaders, they will use technology to bridge geographic divides, build organizations that transcend borders, and work together with colleagues from around the world on issues such as climate change, food security, and population growth -- issues that require multinational teams coming together to effect change.For those whose work is closer to home, the changing demographics of the U.S. will mean that their colleagues, customers, and neighbors may look a lot less like them, and have fewer shared histories than American colleagues, customers, and neighbors have shared in the past.The challenges today's students will face as tomorrow's leaders will involve working more closely across geographic borders, and with people who have very different backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences. In short, diversity and global citizenship are our common future.Will our children be ready, and is the education they're receiving today preparing them for the world they'll inherit in a decade or two? Skills that globally competent students will require to successfully navigate college, career, and life in the 21st century include: An appreciation for cultural differences An ability to understand and consider multiple perspectives Critical and comparative thinking skills Problem-solving abilities Comfort with ambiguity and change An understanding of globally significant issues.Based on our work with more than 2,000 U.S. middle and high school educators on building global competence, following are five core strategies that we've seen educators adopt to effectively create the classroom of the future a classroom that will build the necessary skills for educating globally competent students, and truly prepare them to thrive as responsible global citizens in the 21st century.

Students in San Francisco discuss global events.Photo credit: Katie DelaVaughn1. Leverage real-world case studies.It's highly empowering to middle and high school students when we ground pedagogy and curriculum in case studies of significant global issues that have local impact, and use them to encourage self-directed learning. Here are examples ofthree case studies-- one on drought and desertification in Burkina Faso, one on water issues in Bolivia, and a third on the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Leveraging this kind of material and encouraging students to think deeply and creatively about implications, parallels in their own community, and how they can affect change builds strong critical thinking skills and global context. For additional resources, check out National Geographic Education's case studies, such asthis oneon critical issues facing marine ecosystems, or itsCurrent Event Connectionpage.2. Dig into, rather than avoid, the complexity.Teachers in classrooms that actively build global competence encourage students to wrestle with the complexity of an issue, then design and implement solutions based on the students' own research. This helps students build an appreciation for the challenges of addressing both global and community issues. A teacher who challenges and encourages students to be comfortable with changing environments and circumstances simulates the realities of our deeply dynamic world. While this can be disconcerting, when coupled with helping students understand that even small actions can have a significant impact, it can be hugely empowering.3. Regularly practice empathy.An environment that places a high value on seeking out and leveraging a diversity of perspectives, particularly those with perspectives that are controversial or significantly different from the students' own, helps them build their "empathy muscles." A great resource for educators to consult isAshoka's Start Empathy program, which includes an online course and supporting materials.4. Use technology to enhance learning and empower students.Students today have the incredible benefit of using technology not only to access new ideas and global perspectives, but also to personalize and take control of their learning. Every day there are new technology resources available to help educators make their classrooms more global and connect their students to new ideas, challenges, and resources that will let them dig deeper into what they're learning in class. Sorting through all of these resources could be a full-time job, so consider these technology resources to support and challenge your students, and to build on your current curriculum: Mystery Skype Google Earth for Educators Global Classroom Twitter Chats.In addition, here's a greatEducation World blog poston learning world geography.5. Ensure that reflection is part of routine.Reflection is regularly cited as a critical and important component of classroom learning. When it becomes routinized is when educators and students see the most benefit from it. Structured and frequent reflection, which students do both on their own and with each other, helps them apply learnings to future work. Considerthese thinking and reflection routinesfrom the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero.As you consider these five strategies, how close is your classroom, or your child's classroom, to being a classroom of the future?Taking Charge: 5 Key Strategies for DIY PDJANUARY 8, 2015Ineffectiveandtotally uselessaren't exactly the buzzwords you expect to come across when discussing teacher development. However, they're not uncommon. As a member of the education community -- former teacher, current higher education professional -- more often than not, I hear friends, colleagues, and peers lamenting about their professional development obligations.Research shows that professional development helps you become a more effective teacher. There are a number of journals, such as theJournal for Research on Technology in Educationand theJournal of Education for Teaching, that cite statistical evidence to prove that, yes, engaging in professional development does increase teachers' confidence and overall teaching ability. However, the Center for Public Education believes that this research is not translating into practice.In a 2009 study, the Center for Public Education releasedTeaching the Teachers: Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability, a national research report indicating that "most professional development today is ineffective." Ninety percent of teachers reported having participated in professional development, and the majority of those teachers also reported that it was "totally useless."These shortcomings of traditional professional development have caused educators to turn to Twitter for more interactive, robust, and personalized forms of DIY PD.Power of the #HashtagTeachers are harnessing the power of Twitter and social media to shape their own professional development. TheJournal for Research on Technology in Educationrecently released two studies that explored the powerful relationship between Twitter, professional development, and teachers' self-efficacious beliefs. Visser et al's article "#TwitterforTeachers: The Implications of Twitter as a Self-Directed Professional Development Tool for K-12 Educators" investigated K-12 teachers' access to, usage of, and perceptions of Twitter. Key findings of the study indicate that teachers are using Twitter primarily for professional development and improved classroom practice. They also note that the "culture of Twitter" in teacher-based communities fosters collaboration and participation.How and Why Educators Use Twitter: A Survey in the Field(Carpenter and Krutka, 2014) investigates Twitter's power for teachers, surveying 755 K-16 educators on how and why they use this medium. The study investigated the three core uses of Twitter:1. Communication2. Classroom3. Professional DevelopmentThe results indicated that educators value Twitter's "personalized, immediate nature, and the positive and collaborative community it facilitated." Notably, 96 percent of survey respondents said that they use Twitter to share and acquire resources as a means of professional development, citing "combating isolation" and "finding community" as common themes among why educators are accessing Twitter more thoughtfully.I have seen the power that Twitter chats have on shaping professional development. As a graduate student, former special education teacher, and current community manager forTeach.com, I use Twitter and #edchat every day to shape my own learning and development in the education vertical. Whether following conference hashtags, participating in weekly #edchat conversations, or organizing my Tweetdeck to follow key influencers, I can say that Twitter has been one of the most significant media in shaping my own learning and development outside of my graduate program. It was through #edchat that I learned about SXSWedu, and I will be attending in March as part of a team with Teach.com andUSC Rossier.Hashtags are a powerful tool. They're used to organize jokes (search#NoTeacherEverfor humorous insight into the disconnect between theory and practice), to follow conferences, or to connect on a common theme or idea. Hashtags are often used as a way to organize a virtual conversation via Twitter, known as a Twitter chat. Teachers, administrators, and education professionals around the world are using Twitter chats toexpand their personal learning networks(PLNs).But What Now?The numbers and data are great, but what do they all mean? How can we use the findings of these studies (among others) to enhance our professional development? How can we translate this research into practice to better inform our own professional development, either in our schools or on our own? Here are five tips for how to be proactive in your DIY PD:1. Take ActionPlan to meet with your school principals, administrators, directors, and managers. Show them the facts. Organize a strategy where you can implement social PD into your traditional PD schedule.2. Get ConnectedJump on Twitter! If you're not already connected, signing up is easy. After you've signed up, get yourself involved in Twitter chats such as#edchat,#NTchat(new teacher chat), and other important hashtags.3. Stay ConnectedFollow key influencersin the education space.@Teachdotcom,@USCTeacher,@cybraryman1, and@tomwhitbyare great places to start.4. Become an ExpertSocially-driven conferences and seminars are a great place to connect with innovative educators and learn more about how you can charge of your own learning. For starters, look intoSXSWeduandEdcampsin your area.5. Read!The best advice for becoming well-versed in any area, especially innovative teaching practices, is to read up on key trends. Follow blogs such asEdweek,The Atlantic Education, andNPR Education. For starters, create afeedlyaccount, a personalized RSS-feed reader that allows you to collect all of your key resources in one easy-to-read place.Research Center for Public Education.Teaching the Teachers: Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability(PDF, 631KB). National School Boards Association. Visser, R., Calvert Evering, L., & Barrett, D. (2014). "#TwitterforTeachers: The Implications of Twitter as a Self-Directed Professional Development Tool for K-12 Teachers."Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 46(4), 396-413. Carpenter, J., & Krutka, D. (2014). "How and Why Educators Use Twitter: A Survey of the Field."Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 46(4), 414-434.MICHELLE MANNO'S PROFILE

DIY Professional Development: Resource RoundupWhy wait for a formal workshop environment to start improving your teaching craft, when there are so many opportunities to build your network and learn new skills on your own? We've compiled a list of the best resources for do-it-yourself PD to get you started.By Edutopia, Ashley CroninORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 13, 2012 | UPDATED: APRIL 2, 2014

With our current school structure, it's no wonder teachers are creating our own PDs outside of whatever our school districts offer us. Not only do we lack a real sense of what professional teachers need / want, but we're still under an archaic model where we believe student learning is linear instead of jagged, oft scattered progressions. If they progress at all.In school structures today, we have slots for different types of days off. Besides the summers and holidays, we can take sick leaves or personal days, each with their own set of regulations we must absolutely and utterly adhere to, including doctor's notes and the like. Professional development comes in many forms, but schools have often had to find ways to provide it, whether through scheduling teaching experts in their own schools or letting a set of teachers go to a "paid" professional development session somewhere out there. Big conferences and small meetings all technically go towards the same goal, and that is to help teachers develop skills and transfer it to their students, perhaps sharing things from those meetings.Yet, there's a new type of professional development that's arisen from connected educators. I'm calling it a third-rail professional development, a hybrid of tech saavvy and a healthy dose of networking can make for professional development that neither stagnates nor overbears. The thing with PD right now is that, no matter how creative central offices try to be, teachers still come out of them feeling like they learned nothing of substance when they hoped for at least a nugget of information. Principals want something tangible to come from these meetings, often choosing only a select group of people to attend these things and expecting a boost of some nature from kids.Yet, those of us who see this third possibility, the hybrid, aren't always given either the professional respect or the space to pursue this. Being at the forefront of any movement is tough, but we have to push an agenda that validates our efforts as teachers.Of course, the question is, "Vilson, so if that's the case, don't students suffer when teachers are out of the building for an extended period of time? Shouldn't students always have the teacher in front of them in order to learn?" This philosophy has plenty of holes, but I'll only address one: why do we have school structures that allow teachers to follow a prescribed set of PD sessions and miss as many days as they please, but doesn't allow for teachers to create their individualized PD plan at no additional cost to the school?It's bizarre, and perhaps you all can help me think this through. In the meantime, the wedge I sit in between teaching and leading continues to wax and wane by the day ...

Money Triple Venn Diagramrasp. Not only do you have to memorize how much each coin is worth, you also have to learn how the various coins relate to each other. Before any of this can happen, you have to learn to tell the individual coins apart. Help this process along with our pocket changetriple Venn diagram activity.What You Need: Paper Marker Coinsa penny, a nickel, a dime and a quarterWhat You Do:1. Draw the Venndiagramusing the example in our photo to help you align the three circles. 2. Now hand your child thepenny, the dime, and the quarter. Help her label the diagram accordingly with one circle titled penny, another dime, and the third quarter. 3. First, compare the penny and the dime. How are they alike?Your child should write these traits in the portion of the diagram where the penny circle and the dime circle overlap. How is the penny unique? Write that in the part of the penny circle that does not overlap with the dime circle.Repeat this process with the dime, recording how it is unique.4. Now compare the penny and quarter,writingout how they are similar and how the quarter is unique. This will be similar to the comparison between the penny and the dime.5. Now compare the dime and the quarter.They will have more traits in common than either had with the penny.6. As you work, you may want to cross out some of the things written in the unique portion of each circle. The dime has ridged edges but so does the quarter.Thus this is a trait they have in common and not something that makes them completely unique.7. This is thetrickypart for a triple Venn diagram. How are all three coins similar? Write the coins shared qualities in the area where all three circles overlap.Expand on this activity by comparing a dime, nickel, and quarter. What goes in the central space now?BySue BradfordEdwardsUpdated onSep 17, 2014