I am looking for some new student friendly free websites for Math Games. My daughter is finishing Grade 3 and I want to ensure she has a fun way to practice over the summer.
Here are some I know of, please feel free to add a comment with any you like:
http://www.maths-games.org/times-tables-games.html
http://www.teachingtables.co.uk/
Also this site has some strategies and ideas to help understand how times tables work and ideas for memorizing them.
A place to share my experiences as a TTOC and Middle School Teacher. Resources, ideas and important issues in education.
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Are teachers more valuable to the government than previously advertised?
Are teachers more valuable to the government than previously advertised?
Union Book
Ian Weniger
June 4, 2012
Ian Weniger
June 4, 2012
Last weekend, I suggested that the BC government would
use the event of the BCTF representative assembly to further force teachers into
submission regarding the extracurricular ban accepted formally by three-quarters
of voting union members. I suspected that the Labour Relations Board would
announce that the employers' petition to declare the "bell-to-bell" actions of
teachers to be a form of strike action and therefore illegal by the terms of the
cooling-off period mandated to the end of the summer by Bill 22. And I thought
that, since the minister used the confluence of the BCTF annual general meeting
and the spring break period to introduce Bill 22, forcing teachers' delegates to
consider incurring massive fines against individual teachers, union officials
and the union itself, that the government would do it again.
Why didn't this happen at the RA? I think there are two
main reasons. The first is the general political failure of the government as it
faces the final year of its mandate before the provincial election next May. Not
only are the BC Liberals halfway behind the popularity of the opposition NDP,
but they are also neck-and-neck with the newly reborn, tiny BC Conservative
Party. The premier's major responses were to lead a trade delegation to China
and preside over a couple of dozen investment deals in BC oil and gas
development, and to formally propose a competition to change her party's name to
reflect the commitment to "free enterprise." While I thought such a dismal
situation would be solved by kicking the BCTF while they were down, the
government saw that Bill 22 didn't help them before, and more teacher-bashing
was unlikely to help them now.
Besides, if Christy Clark's priority in breaking the
teachers' union was financial, then a balanced budget at the expense of
defunding public education is probably a better re-election asset than
scapegoating the most defiant labour organization in the province.
To view the rest of the article, click
here
Primary Reading Strategy
Today I met a friend and colleague for an afterschool chat and she shared a great reading strategy she saw in a class today.
Each student had a sticky note with their own name on it.
As the teacher read a picture book, a student could at any time, come up and put their sticky note name on a page if they had thought of a connection.
After the story the teacher went through the book and when a students name was called they would say: "This remind me of...."
What a simple, but fantastic strategy to encourage listening, connecting, and sharing.
I absolutely love it and can't wait to try it!
Each student had a sticky note with their own name on it.
As the teacher read a picture book, a student could at any time, come up and put their sticky note name on a page if they had thought of a connection.
After the story the teacher went through the book and when a students name was called they would say: "This remind me of...."
What a simple, but fantastic strategy to encourage listening, connecting, and sharing.
I absolutely love it and can't wait to try it!
Zero Grade
How do you feel about issuing "zero" grades on assignments? This is an interesting discussion I have been reading a lot about lately.
Minister of Education in Alberta has said that zero is a last resort only. After an Edmonton teacher was suspended for issuing students zero.
Lynden Dorval, an Edmonton Science teacher was suspended after issuing students a zero grade for assignments not handed in.
Students get a print out of what is missing and an opportunity to hand them in. I believe in giving students an opportunity to make up missed work since some have not handed things in due to absence, illness, and so on, and to be honest, some are just being lazy or avoiding work. Either way, they are given adequate time to catch-up, make up and ensure they have submitted all assignments for a grade that reflects all their work.
But, I am in a temporary contract with one English class and one Student Services block.
I wonder, how a teacher with 4 english classes per semester, over 100 students, may handle a wave of late assignments at the end of a semester while marking end of term exams, essays and projects.
What is the purpose of a deadline? How important is formal grading? How much control do we really have over assessment and grading in high school, particularily Grade 11 and 12 as many students prepare for post-secondary education.
Giving a student a zero teaches them a lesson talks about alternative motivation and argues against giving a zero to students. It is an interesting read.
What I enjoyed about this post most were the comments. The discussion.
One talked about the fact that, until Universities stopped using grades as criteria for entrance, we can't stop using them in high school.
Another comment talks about class size and how a high school teacher can adequately give the individual attention needed with 4 full classes and over 100 students a semester.
I taught in Middle School where I used a 4 point scale for most assignments. Final grades were converted to a letter grade, but we did not focus on percentages or grades the same way high schools do. I used comments and ongoing assessment and communication to work with students on goal setting and improving.
Now, teaching in high school, it is all about the grade. Students are obsessed!
Not a single day goes by without at least one students asking me what their grade is so far.
Nevermind that somethings are not marked, or entered into the system yet, nevermind that provincial exams and finals or huge parts of their grade is not yet input, they want to know their percentage at that moment. Every moment!
Why?
Because the focus has become the grade.
As parents, we focus on the grade as well. I told myself I wouldn't, but when my daughter brings home her report card, I inadvertently look at the grades first.
I really enjoyed the Job Action this year, because there were no report cards, instead, communication, discussion, between teachers and parents on how a student was progressing. Without the letter or percentage to occupy all the attention, the details, the study habits, the OTHER parts of assessment were more important.
Have you ever seen a student with an A but an N work habit grade? What about a C- but a G work habit grade? Which would you rather see?
Far too often the letter grade is given more weight.
I enjoy professional conversation on this topic and others. I am curious what others think and what they use for their teaching practice.
Minister of Education in Alberta has said that zero is a last resort only. After an Edmonton teacher was suspended for issuing students zero.
Lynden Dorval, an Edmonton Science teacher was suspended after issuing students a zero grade for assignments not handed in.
The physics teacher with 35 years experience said he continued giving zeros when students failed to hand in assignments, instead of using behaviour codes such as "not completed," which the school requires under its grading and reporting practice.This got me thinking... In the high school english class I am currently teaching, I plug in an "NHI" (Not handed in) for assignments missing. This is practice continued from the previous teacher as I am in for the last month of school.
...
In Dorval's physics and science classes at Ross Sheppard High School, students who didn't turn in assignments got a printout of their marks showing them how a zero would affect their overall grade. Most times, the strategy spurred students to complete the work, he said.
Students get a print out of what is missing and an opportunity to hand them in. I believe in giving students an opportunity to make up missed work since some have not handed things in due to absence, illness, and so on, and to be honest, some are just being lazy or avoiding work. Either way, they are given adequate time to catch-up, make up and ensure they have submitted all assignments for a grade that reflects all their work.
But, I am in a temporary contract with one English class and one Student Services block.
I wonder, how a teacher with 4 english classes per semester, over 100 students, may handle a wave of late assignments at the end of a semester while marking end of term exams, essays and projects.
What is the purpose of a deadline? How important is formal grading? How much control do we really have over assessment and grading in high school, particularily Grade 11 and 12 as many students prepare for post-secondary education.
Giving a student a zero teaches them a lesson talks about alternative motivation and argues against giving a zero to students. It is an interesting read.
What I enjoyed about this post most were the comments. The discussion.
One talked about the fact that, until Universities stopped using grades as criteria for entrance, we can't stop using them in high school.
Another comment talks about class size and how a high school teacher can adequately give the individual attention needed with 4 full classes and over 100 students a semester.
I taught in Middle School where I used a 4 point scale for most assignments. Final grades were converted to a letter grade, but we did not focus on percentages or grades the same way high schools do. I used comments and ongoing assessment and communication to work with students on goal setting and improving.
Now, teaching in high school, it is all about the grade. Students are obsessed!
Not a single day goes by without at least one students asking me what their grade is so far.
Nevermind that somethings are not marked, or entered into the system yet, nevermind that provincial exams and finals or huge parts of their grade is not yet input, they want to know their percentage at that moment. Every moment!
Why?
Because the focus has become the grade.
As parents, we focus on the grade as well. I told myself I wouldn't, but when my daughter brings home her report card, I inadvertently look at the grades first.
I really enjoyed the Job Action this year, because there were no report cards, instead, communication, discussion, between teachers and parents on how a student was progressing. Without the letter or percentage to occupy all the attention, the details, the study habits, the OTHER parts of assessment were more important.
Have you ever seen a student with an A but an N work habit grade? What about a C- but a G work habit grade? Which would you rather see?
Far too often the letter grade is given more weight.
I enjoy professional conversation on this topic and others. I am curious what others think and what they use for their teaching practice.
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Letter to the Editor - Column missed the issues
Column missed the issues
Coquitlam Now - Letter to the Editor
Brad Edginton
June 5, 2012
Re: My View - 'School Dispute is Hurting Students', Wednesday May 30
Jameel Aziz, the president of the B.C. Principals and Vice-Principals Association, attempts to weave a narrative that is not only in stark contrast to my experiences as a teacher this year, but also lacks any hint of vision for or perspective on public education.
Given that Aziz is in a position of educational leadership, this is profoundly disappointing.
Aziz's method of research appears to be an informal collating of a few subjective anecdotes and observations, acknowledging no specific sources. Although he admits his "illustrasources. Although he admits his "illu tions" are "not representative of all schools," he claims they are "examples of the real challenges that many schools, students and parents have faced this year."
I challenge the method and validity of his claims because they are so contrary to my experience.
Read more: http://www.thenownews.com/news/Column+missed+issues/6737168/story.html#ixzz1x3Bmr6Ul
Brad Edginton
June 5, 2012
Re: My View - 'School Dispute is Hurting Students', Wednesday May 30
Jameel Aziz, the president of the B.C. Principals and Vice-Principals Association, attempts to weave a narrative that is not only in stark contrast to my experiences as a teacher this year, but also lacks any hint of vision for or perspective on public education.
Given that Aziz is in a position of educational leadership, this is profoundly disappointing.
Aziz's method of research appears to be an informal collating of a few subjective anecdotes and observations, acknowledging no specific sources. Although he admits his "illustrasources. Although he admits his "illu tions" are "not representative of all schools," he claims they are "examples of the real challenges that many schools, students and parents have faced this year."
I challenge the method and validity of his claims because they are so contrary to my experience.
Read more: http://www.thenownews.com/news/Column+missed+issues/6737168/story.html#ixzz1x3Bmr6Ul
Monday, 4 June 2012
Flocabulary for Grads
I love Flocabulary. They use rap to teach numerous things. They have some free resources as well as subscriptions available for more content.
This is a cool video that recaps the last 18 years for 2012 graduates. There is also some lesson plans and activities.
http://flocabulary.com/18-years-in-rap-2012/
http://flocabulary.s3.amazonaws.com/pdfs/18-years-in-rap-2012-activities.pdf
This is a cool video that recaps the last 18 years for 2012 graduates. There is also some lesson plans and activities.
http://flocabulary.com/18-years-in-rap-2012/
http://flocabulary.s3.amazonaws.com/pdfs/18-years-in-rap-2012-activities.pdf
Taylor Mali on "What Teachers Make"
I was looking for some inspirational, positive, slam poetry videos to share with my highschoolers this week .... This one caught my eye, I have heard it before, but wanted to share it with you.
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