I Want to Teach Forever

Win $1000 in Classroom Supplies from ClassWish & Citgo

2013-06-17T11:00:00.001-05:00

ClassWh, an alternative to DonorsChoose where teachers can help get classroom resources, just launched a big giveaway:

109 teachers will each win $1,000 of classroom supplies.

Entering is really quick and easy:

Visit ClassWish.org/FuelingEducation

Find your school

Simply join the site as a teacher

Click the link in the activation email you receive

Then just follow the easy instructions to opt in for a chance to win.

Create a Wish List, opt in to the contest and that will help attract tax-deductible donations for classroom resources from people who care about kids. Also, many companies match employees’ donations, which can double their funding.

Many teachers on the site have already received hundreds of dollars of donations, and some have received as much as $2,000 of supplies. You can get books, computers, art supplies, musical instruments, science equipment, sports equipment, or whatever you want.

Teachers can enter until July 7th. Good luck!

Weekend Reader on Bullying in Schools

2013-06-14T11:00:00.000-05:00

Click to enlarge

A Must-See Anti-Bullying Poster Perfect For Classrooms [Edudemic] - More info about the poster below.

School Bullying Prevention Task Force Wants Less Talk, More Action [The Educated Reporter] - I think we all do.

The Next Step to Stop Bullying [Blackboard] - This is a step in the right direction. I think this can be done without a dedicated app, though, if we think the problem through.

Bully: An Action Plan for Teachers, Parents, and Communities to Combat the Bullying Crisis - This acclaimed book is a companion to the documentary of the same name.

At Work: Cyberbullies graduate to workplace [USA Today] - Finally, to hammer home the importance of tackling this problem before kids turn into adults, let's realize that bullying doesn't stop when students are done with school.

An Adaptable iPad Project Idea

2013-06-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

Last year was a pilot year with iPads in my district, and my students were part of the first lucky group to get them. Teachers were mostly left to their own imaginations to dream up ways to incorporate them into our instruction. For this simple project, my students used their iPads to produce content instead of consume it.

In this example, we were working on factoring expressions, but you could do this project with any topic you are working on. Students simply had to either make a video or presentation where they both visually and verbally explained how to solve example problem drawn from workbooks we used regularly (you could use any convenient source).

FACTORING iPAD PROJECT
MMA 11th
Mr. DeRosa

In this project you will show how to solve 4 types of factoring problems (choosing examples from the given pages):

Factoring by GCF (workbook pg 55)

Factoring x² + bx + c (pg 56)

Factoring ax² + bx + c (pg 57)

Factoring Special Products (pg 58)

Because you have to explain how to do the problems and show the steps involved, you have two options:

Option 1: Make videos of you working out the problem on paper or on a whiteboard (you can use the one in the classroom). How to submit:

Submit the videos by sending via message

Send it directly to me via message on Facebook.

Option 2: Download the free Educreations app from the App Store to record yourself explaining the example. How to submit:

Create an Educreations account, then send me a link to your presentation by email or text message.

Email for submission is thomas.derosa@myschooldistrict.net.

Educreations works like a virtual whiteboard on your tablet, recording what you see as well as audio. You can start with a blank slate or add content before recording, such as an image you might want to draw on. Creating and sharing presentations is simple, and for camera-shy students, it's better than requiring a video.

This might seem a bit too simple, but that's the point. This small scale project can replace tedious independent practice that might involve them doing problems out of a workbook or worksheet. The creativity involved is a way to engage your kids and get them to use their tablets for learning.

Have you used iPads or other tablets in similar ways? Share your ideas in the comments.

Beyond Facebook & Twitter: Using New Social Networks in Schools

2013-06-07T11:00:00.000-05:00

It seems Facebook is losing it's grip on young people as new (and less parent-filled) social networks pop-up. Twitter has certainly become very popular among young people in my area, to the point where schools are paying close attention. I've shared lots of resources for using these networks, but it's time to give a serious look at how to use other social platforms in schools:

5 Best Tips For Using Pinterest In The Classroom [HowToLearn.com]

Using Instagram in an Educational Context [Emerging Education Technology]

How To Use Vine In The Classroom [Edudemic] - Vine is made by the people behind Twitter, but the bite-sized video app can be used independently.

Teachers, Youth, and Social Media: Experiments [DMLcentral] - Food for thought on using private social networks for just teachers and students, with some ideas that should carry across to other networks.

It’s a ‘like’: The IGGY networking site for smart pupils is a hit [The Independent UK] - A new social media network is aimed at "smart" teens, or more precisely, teens who want to talk about important issues and not waste away their time online. While I'm not usually an advocate for reinventing the wheel, there's a lot to think about here.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Perfect Teacher Coach

2013-06-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

The Perfect Teacher Coach by Jackie Beer and Terri Broughton is a concise, thoughtful guide to becoming an effective instructional coach. The two UK-based experts draw on years of teaching and coaching in a variety of settings, providing a clear blueprint of what coaching is and isn't.

I found their framework for coaching very similar to what I learned both from Teach For America and in graduate school, In short, coaching is not about telling teachers what is wrong and how to fix it, but giving them the tools and encouragement to do so themselves. Coaches are great listeners who ask the right questions and provide a positive, unwavering belief that teachers can find the right answers within.

It should come as no surprise that the elements that make a great coach of teachers also make a great classroom teacher. I was always taught to constantly reflect on my practice, get feedback from my students and outside observers, identify weaknesses and find solutions. When I did a good job of all of those things, my classroom was at its peak effectiveness. This is also the message of The Perfect Teacher Coach.

Whether you already coach teachers, have such a role on the horizon for next year or beyond, or are still just trying to improve in your own classroom, there's a lot to learn from this new guide. I highly recommend it.

As usual, I'm holding a giveaway of my copy of the book! The book will not be released until July 16, so one lucky reader will be one of the first to get their hands on it. If you're interested in the book, send an email to teachforever@gmail.com with the subject "The Perfect Teacher Coach" by 11:59pm CST this Wednesday, June 5. I'll pick a winner at random. Good luck!

Pre-order The Perfect Teacher Coach on Amazon.

New Resources for Teaching Kids Financial Literacy

2013-05-31T11:00:00.000-05:00

OSU gives students a lesson on debt [The Columbus Dispatch via The Quick and the Ed] - No reason you can't do this in some form for K-12.

Free Credit Lesson Plans for Middle School and High School Teachers - Financial education is both a necessity and a no-brainer as far as making math more relevant for our kids.

Elementary Math, Reading Skills At Age 7 Linked To Financial Success At Midlife, According To Study [HuffPo] - Perhaps the best financial literacy we can teach is indirect: making sure our children can read and write fluently in elementary school.

Use This "Bank Ledger" to Manage Your Kids' Allowance [Lifehacker] - This one is meant to be used at home, but I think it could be adapted to an early elementary classroom using play money or something of the sort.

7 Places Teens (and Adults) Can Learn About Money [Wise Bread]

New Resources for Teaching Math: May 2013

2013-05-24T11:00:00.000-05:00

How math-phobic parents can teach kids to love math [Explore]

Math Worksheets Land - Tons of Printable Math Worksheets From All Grade Levels - A new, free resource created by a retired math teacher.

Balancing the Equation for Boys and Girls in Math [The Educated Reporter] - Research to apply to your classroom practice.

13 ways to make your kid a math genius [Holy Kaw!] - This echoes a lot of things I wrote about in Toys & Games Every Kid Should Play With Growing Up.

Math Games and Videos for the Common Core [PBS LearningMedia] - The free service recently added tons of new educational content, including this outlet.

Weekend Reader on Using Music in the Classroom

2013-05-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

How Music Can Become A Bigger Part Of Your Classroom [Edudemic via Twitter]

Spitting Rhymes and Firing Synapses: Freestyle Rap Battles Could Boost Student Creativity [GOOD]

Swapping C.R.E.A.M. for STEM: Wu-Tang's GZA Helps Kids Learn Science With Hip Hop [GOOD]
Jake Scott on YouTube [via The Educated Reporter] - This high school math teacher has been combining rapping with instruction.

VIDEO: Why Music Moves Us [Explore] - A little more on the science behind the power of music.

Using music in the classroom also happens to be one of the lessons in my book Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word. You might like it.

Finally, here's the now infamous Domain & Range Song that I adapted a few years ago:

Weekend Reader on School Lunches & Student Health

2013-05-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

How a $50 School Lunchroom Makeover Could Help Fight Childhood Obesity [Parade.com]

How the Food Industry Exploits Students’ Cravings for Sugar, Salt, and Fat [Edvoices] - Mr. Nast makes great points about the need to teach our kids media literacy, especially the power of advertising, as well as the science behind junk food.

What NOT to do: Lunch Ladies Teach Middle Schoolers About Debt, Trash Their Lunches If They Owe Money [Consumerist]

Action for Healthy Kids - This advocacy group has a lot of information on model school lunch and health programs.

USDA Rolls Out New School Brunch Program For Wealthier School Districts [The Onion] - A little satire that makes real life calls for better lunches for everyone seem much more reasonable.

New Online Resources for Math Teachers

2013-04-19T11:00:00.000-05:00

JsTIfied is a Pixel-Perfect Graphing Calculator Emulator [Lifehacker] - I'm not sure if this is the best solution in terms of bringing obsolete technology into the smartphone age, but it's progress.

The Best Way to Teach Kids About Money? Slip It Into Math and English Classes [TIME.com] - This seems common sense to me, but it's only now becoming a national priority. Here's an example I came up with not too long ago: Math in the Real World: Should I Take This Loan Offer?.

IXL Math - A new website with math practice for nearly all K-12 grade levels and subjects. Your students can create accounts, track progress and get feedback and help on specific skill sets.

Murals and Math: One School's Solution to Graffiti [GOOD] - This could be done online or offline. Beautiful, smart and engaging.

Curriki Announces New Online Project-BASED Geometry Course Available Free to Teachers & Students [Curriki]

A Brief Collection of Critical Topics Missing From Most Curricula, Part 2

2013-04-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

Entrepreneurship: Rise of the Mini-Preneurs: A Kid-Run Virtual Lemonade Stand To Teach Entrepreneurship [GOOD]

Independence: Hacking the Classroom to Encourage Student Independence [THE Journal]

Financial literacy: Moneythink: Giving a Handup (Not a Handout) With Financial Literacy Skills [GOOD]

Basic electronics: How to Get Started with DIY Electronics Projects [Lifehacker]

Coding: A Videogame That Teaches Kids To Code [Fast Company Co:Design] - See the game's trailer below.

See the original post, A Brief Collection of Critical Topics Missing From Most Curricula.

Weekend Reader on Gaming in the Classroom: April 2013

2013-04-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

Ten Surprising Truths about Video Games and Learning [KQED MindShift]

Bringing Gaming to the Classroom [Cisco]

Free Tools to Incorporate Game-Based Learning [Edutopia]

Can Video Games Make Us Better People? [Annie Murphy Paul via Twitter]

Math, Physic, Languages: Minecraft is the Teachers’ Ultimate Multi-Tool [KQED MindShift]

5 Awesome Articles to Share With Your Students

2013-03-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

How I used to share awesome articles with my students.

10 Amazing Jobs You Could Land With the Right STEM Education [Mashable!] - Discuss this one in class and watch their eyes light up!

MIT’s Free Creative Learning Class Teaches You How to Learn Almost Anything [Lifehacker] - Discuss question: What would you want to learn, if you could do it for free?

What if students designed their own schools? [GOOD] - Ask your students what their school might look like. You can use the short video as the kickoff for your discussion.

Mark Hyman, MD: Why Cooking Can Save Your Life [Huffington Post] - Home Economics isn't too easy to find these days, but that doesn't mean the skills are unneeded for your student's long term health.

How to Self-Publish Your Very Own Children's Book [Wired:GeekDad] - In the digital age, anyone can do this. I would suggest to use Lulu.com for the self-publishing, since they have done right by me with my two books, but otherwise, there's nothing stopping your students from being able to do this. You could do this as a very low tech in class project, but if you have access to tablets or similar tech, why not create the physical product? Your students would be much more invested if they were creating something not only tangible but that could actually make them some money.

What Will It Take For "Zero Tolerance" Policies To End?

2013-03-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

It's not too surprising that as a nation, we're all out of outrage for stories like Boy Suspended From School For Making “Gun” Out Of A Pop-Tart and Florida high school hero gets suspended AFTER preventing school bus shooting. It seems that in recent years, stories like this have become as much of a media cliche as "local boy makes good." They still illicit some sort of reaction, but it's not sustained or strong enough for us to make a serious change to the now standard "zero tolerance" policies in school districts across the country.

An artifact from my earliest teaching experience

"Zero tolerance" sounds great when the most common school story seems to be about mass shootings. Of course, that's why we have these policies to begin with. The reality is that "zero tolerance" runs counter to anti-bullying efforts as well as common sense that every good teacher uses within their classroom.

Bullying is nothing new. I was bullied in middle school (this was years before Columbine), and when I stood up for myself and it inevitably led to a "fight", we were both punished equally. This was wrong then, and it's wrong now--if a student is bullied and stands up for themselves, or someone defends themselves after someone else starts a fight, it should not result in both students being suspended or otherwise punished. Obviously, a student intervening to prevent a Columbine-like tragedy should be honored, not punished.

In short, "zero tolerance" discourages anyone from intervening and preventing bullying or other violence--including bystanders--because the consequences are doled out so thoughtlessly.

This brings us to the second problem: great teachers follow the main theme of Teaching with Love & Logic, the best book ever written about teaching. Great teachers know that the ladder of consequences or any other rigid system simply doesn't work. Every incident should be considered on a case-by-case basis, like it is in exemplary classrooms. This idea hasn't spread to the school or district level, like many common sense ideas that come from the classroom, but that's because it's easier to follow mindless, blanket policies.

The solution to this problem is very simple: districts and ultimately principals consider each case on it's merits and hand out appropriate consequences accordingly. This would end the practice that led to the Florida teen and any kid that makes a mere gesture of a gun getting suspended. Keeping "zero tolerance" in place not only fails to protect innocent kids, but also adds to the list of reasons why students are so increasingly disengaged with the entire school system.

Our students deserve a system grounded in reality, like the rest of the world around them.

Have You Read One Of My Books? If So, I Need Your Help

2013-03-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

I know a lot of people have read one or both my books on teaching, Ten Cheap Lessons and Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Job. Between the number sold and those I've given away, there's roughly a thousand of you out there. Here's my problem:

0 reviews for Ten Cheap Lessons on Amazon, only 1 on Lulu.com.

2 reviews for Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word on Amazon and 0 on Lulu.com.

I don't know about you, but I rarely buy anything online that has few or no reviews. So no matter where you got your copy of my books, you can help me out by logging in to either site and posting a brief review.

Positive or negative, I'd like you to share your thoughts with others who might be interested. Any feedback I receive will help me reflect, improve and hopefully be able to publish better work in the future.

Ten Cheap Lessons: Lulu.com, Amazon.com.
Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word: Lulu.com, Amazon.com

What Leaders Can Learn From Spike TV's Bar Rescue

2013-03-11T11:00:00.001-05:00

Jon Taffer would make a pretty good principal. In the Spike TV reality series Bar Rescue, the bar expert takes failing bars and turns them around. How that might qualify him for a principal role requires looking closely at this great show and finding the very practical lessons that apply to any successful organization.

The problems facing each bar vary, of course, but the overarching problem in nearly all of the businesses is a failure of leadership. At first, the owner usually refuses to take responsibility for bad practices, poorly trained managers and employees, or failing to meet the needs and wants of their clientele. Of course, when no one takes responsibility, nothing ever gets better--especially if the lack of accountability starts at the top.

Does that sound much different than a school or classroom that's being run poorly? You can only fix problems when you agree to own them.

The show follows a procedure of collecting information, history and observations and then using that data to make improvements. Taffer brings in experts to retrain staff, fix menus and improve the entire concept behind the bar. He uses tons of research and science to get the owner and staff on board with changes and to show us, the viewer, why it works.

The process of reflecting on relevant data is something every successful teacher and school leader does. Poor leaders can sometimes put on a good enough show to convince you they're seriously, objectively looking at what's right and wrong in their schools.

There's also some great examples of what not to do on the show. Owners, managers and employees display the whole gamut of poor decisions, from laziness to ignorance. Taffer himself does a lot of yelling and insulting that should never fly in any school or classroom.

Most importantly, there is always resistance to change--it doesn't matter that these places are failing and what they are doing is clearly not working, there's always someone fighting Taffer on making improvements.

We see all of these things in schools, and we must continually strive to do better.

There are many other shows like this on television, and they follow the same formula--Restaurant Impossible, Tattoo Rescue, and many other makeover shows. If you watch a lot of them, like me, you see these same lessons come up almost without fail. That's how you know it's something you can learn from as an educator.

Weekend Reader on Video in the Classroom: March 2013

2013-03-08T11:18:00.000-06:00

19 Videos That Make Learning Fun [Mental Floss] - Covering everything from women's suffrage to calculus.

Kids Will Create Masterpieces With the Tabletop Moviemaking Studio [Wired:GeekDad]

THNKR - CHANGE YOUR MIND [YouTube via Twitter] - Described as TED talks for high school and college students "but better".

Making Math Meaningful with Online Games and Videos [KQED/Mindshift]

8 Videos That Prove Math Is Awesome [Mashable!]

Weekend Reader on Social Media & Education: March 2013

2013-03-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

Why Public School Leaders Must Embrace Social Media Now [Forbes]

The Teacher's Guide to Facebook [Mashable!]

BEING SOCIAL: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN TRANSFORM YOUR SCHOOL CLASSROOMS [Tech & Learning]

It's vital we teach social networking skills in school [The Independent]

Teen Takes Educators to Twitter School [Mashable!]

Don't Click 'Share' To Save A Copy of My Shared Google Docs

2013-02-24T13:12:00.000-06:00

It's good to know many teachers are getting use out of the documents I've shared on Google Drive. I know this because I get an email every time someone clicks Share, because that button is a bit misleading.

When you click Share, Google thinks you want to make a collaborative document, not save a copy to your own Google Drive or hard drive. If I approved all of these requests, each one of those people would be able to edit the original document I shared however they want, and it would be saved that way for everyone else in the future.

Since I want to preserve my original documents and you want simply to have your own editable copy, you don't want to click Share. The image above should be pretty clear, but if you're not sure, follow the easy directions I posted last spring:

I Want to Teach Forever: How to Make a Copy of Google Docs I've Shared UPDATE 2/28: Some of my Google Drive settings were messed up and things were not being shared properly. I fixed them this morning and you should be able to access any and all files that I've shared here on the blog.

5 More Ideas for Using iPads in Schools

2013-02-22T11:00:00.001-06:00

A Free Interactive iPad App To Teach Algebra [Edudemic]

Build your Wild Self Stories : 6th graders collaboratively create Avatars w/ Pages [via @Artsedtech]

17 ways iPads will be used in schools in 2013 [Education Dive via Twitter] - I like the many ways that tablets, while often expensive up front, will ultimately result in lots of savings in terms of money and waste. Hopefully it will also toll the bell for traditional textbooks.

iPad Poster for Primary School [Apps in Education] - Love this simple poster!

iOS 6 Tip: Lock children out of exiting an app on iPad / iPhone [SpeechBox] - i06 has a built in feature called Guided Access that does exactly what it sounds like it does.

Weekend Reader on Tech in the Classroom: February 2013

2013-02-15T11:00:00.000-06:00

Hands-On Learning in School Just Got Very Real [Mashable!] - Microsoft Surface + giant Promethean-built touchscreen = an interesting new development in technology for schools.

How Portal 2 Developers Became The Best 6th Grade Physics Teachers Ever [Fast Company]

Handing Out Laptops in School Isn't Enough—Teachers Need Training, Too [GOOD]

5 Ways Schools or Districts Can Immediately Use Technology to Engage in Authentic Learning [The 21st Century Principal]

SimCityEDU Teaches Students STEM Subjects in a Virtual Environment [Mashable!]

Notes on Teaching: A Short Guide to an Essential Skill [Giveaway]

2013-02-05T14:01:00.001-06:00

I'm no conspiracy nut, but I think the authors of Notes on Teaching: A Short Guide to an Essential Skill, Shellee Hendricks and Russell Reich, must be somehow reading my thoughts. They've managed to put together a book that's one of the best companion pieces to this blog that I've ever read, including my own books. There are 184 "notes" in Notes on Teaching, grouped by topic and with each going into detail without being too long winded or overwhelming.

A few examples that I particularly loved:

174. Put away the jargon. We rightly try to use the correct language and vocabulary to teach concepts, but we often get lost in it and forget to actually teach the concept and develop the vocabulary along the way.

159. Open your door. In a world where separate offices and cubicles are being replaced by more open concepts across industries, this is an important lesson to you can teach your students by example.

114. Notice what they [students] want you to notice. In other words, pay attention to your kids. I've been reflecting on my career for a while now, and showing your students you care in as many ways as you can is one of the best ways to get them engaged and on the right track in and out of your classroom.

172. Be an eternal student. Perhaps the best advice she (and I) could give you for any career.

Of course, I didn't agree with everything (Never use sarcasm), nor did I think everything was particularly realistic for everyone (Clean the slate daily). Yet I found little to quibble with, and came away thinking Notes on Teaching is a more explicit version of my own book, Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word. We both offer straightforward advice culled from years of practice, observation and professional learning, but there's enough to compare and contrast that you will certainly get a lot out of Hendricks and Reich's work.

RCR Creative Press sent me a review copy that I want to give away to a teacher (or future teacher) that wants it. If you're interested, email teachforever@gmail.com with the subject "Notes on Teaching giveaway" by 11:59pm CST on Wednesday. I'll pick a random winner and send them the book! Good luck and thanks for reading.

More Free Online Courses For You & Your Students

2013-01-25T11:00:00.000-06:00

Drop In! Top Schools From Berkeley to Yale Now Offer Free Online Courses [Mashable!]

Stanford Offers Free Game Theory Course [Wired:GeekDad]

Thanks to This Free Class, Every Educator Can Learn Design Thinking [GOOD]

Top UK universities launch free online courses [The Guardian]

Hack Design Delivers Design Lessons to Your Inbox Each Week [Lifehacker]

"No Excuses" Is a Powerful Idea in Education

2013-01-16T14:31:00.000-06:00

Student rendition of my classroom, circa 06-07

Today on This Week in Education, Paul Bruno declared "No Excuses," the mantra made popular by KIPP and others in the charter school movement, a meaningless education phrase. He was responding in part to reports of Washington, D.C. charter schools having high expulsion rates, implying that "No Excuses" is mainly used as a reason to kick out kids who cause problems.

Many charter schools and organizations have adopted the "No Excuses" idea from KIPP and used it for a number of reasons. It is translated into very high expectations for teachers, staff, students and parents on all fronts. It is sometimes (and in my admittedly narrow experience, very rarely) used as a reason to expel students.

Bruno is missing the most important meaning behind "No Excuses," the one that drives teachers and leaders at every one of these schools.

"No Excuses" means that poverty, race, the neighborhood you live in, and the innumerable issues challenging low-income students and their families should not be accepted by society as excuses for why they can't succeed. Those factors should not stand in the way of a great education and a path towards a better life. We've come a long way towards getting past the idea that certain students "can't learn," but we're not there yet. Indeed, those of us that have worked in low-income communities will tell you how much we have to fight this idea among our own students, parents and teachers.

"No Excuses" stands in defiance of that lingering fallacy.

To paraphrase my friend JoAnn Gama, Co-Founder of IDEA Public Schools and member of President Obama's White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, being born into a low-income community should not be a guarantee that every successive generation will live in poverty. Education is a gateway out of poverty, and we should be making "No Excuses" as we push our students and ourselves on that path.

Weekend Reader on Sleep & Your Health

2013-01-11T11:00:00.000-06:00

Eating Earlier in the Day May Make You Healthier and Sleep Better [Lifehacker]

Use a "Sleep Diet" to Ward Off Weight Gain [Lifehacker]

Do Some Math If You Have Trouble Falling Asleep [Lifehacker]

Students Who Stay Awake to Study Do Worse in School the Next Day [Wired:GeekDad]

Bruno: Sleep, Don't Study [This Week in Education]