Worthwhile Links for Teachers

Teacher actions impact how and to what extent students are invested, which directly correlates to student achievement. Our personal history and sociocultural background can really impact what we teach our students. How Much Do You Know About:  Martin Luther King, Jr Cesar Chavez Harvey Milk Japenese Internment Hispanic Heritage Month The Feminine Mystique 

Taylor Mali, spoken word poet, empowers teachers one word at a time to keep doing what we do for this country.  We don't get the respect we deserve in this country! And yet we teach on.

The full article: New Approach to Discipline that Really Works This article is about so much more than discipline.  It is about a revolution from punishment to compassion.  We need to be aware of t the trauma that exists in the majority of our students' lives. From the article--these things made me nod vigorously: -" Their future is more important than their past." -" Many education experts say that kids wouldn’t have problems if their parents would just get involved. But the parents of most of the students at Lincoln HIgh are themselves are struggling with the effects of their own childhood trauma, and many are passing the trauma on to their children." -" One of the keys has been a staff that embraces two basic concepts: toxic stress prevents kids from learning, and moving from a punitive approach to a supportive, educational approach changes behavior." This chunk of the article may be one of the most important.  But, as an educator, espec

Some great things to say that are No-Nonsense and Nurturing at the same time: 1. I care way too much about you to allow you to act that way. 2. You are too important to this world to waste your time misbehaving. 3. I care about you, so I am not going to allow you to put your head down in this classroom. 4. I demand that you act in a way that will get you to college because I know you can 5. No time for foolishness, scholars!  We've got important work to do. BMC quick re-cap: 1. Have the attention of all students (wait for 100%) 2. Check for understanding 3. Cue students to start Have an extraordinary classroom! Tell them to be above ordinary.

so...what does this even mean?? Let's start from the beginning. What else? What can we do about it? Informed and resilient teachers who know their strengths and weaknesses are most effective for tapping into the mindsets of those you perceive as different or the same as yourself. Source: TFA, Atlanta Institute Diversity Competencies session

Firm but motivational is the way to go.   Be unrelenting, uncompromising, and consistent without a cruel tone of voice or unjust punishment.

Yasmin TFA Literacy Specialist

Camika Royal speaks on the challenges and role of teachers in today's education system.  This is a powerful, uplifting and, above all, REAL assessment of the current situation.  It is also a call to arms, a call for action, that gives me tingles every time I watch it.  Her rhythmic syntax and precise diction makes for a wild ride.  Her raw observation is a must-see not only for all educators, but all adults who care about the future of America. Watch it.  Watch it again.  And then watch it a week later when your students frustrate you. Camika Royal: Reflection Click to open in a new tab. To find out more, visit her website here: http://camikaroyal.com

Visit this site for a great plethora of literacy sources for teachers: ReadingRockets You'll also find the site caters to parents, principals and librarians. " Being at risk does not mean that the child is doomed to be a poor reader, but it does indicate that he or she may need especially close monitoring and prompt intervention to prevent reading difficulties. That's where good teachers come in!" Source:  http://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/atrisk/

"Textual evidence is support lifted directly from text to support inferences, claims, and assertions. Textual evidence is a student supporting how they know something. There is a lot of buzz about text dependent questions and requiring students to refer to the text, but isn’t that what good readers do already? Textual evidence does not want to keep the text a secret when students discuss or answer questions about their reading. Textual evidence demands that readers engage with the text and share what specific aspects of the text influences their thinking. Instead of asking what the central idea is, teachers may want to rely on the addition of four words: How do you know? How do you know what the central idea of the text is? What proof do you have? This is where textual evidence pushes students to." —Dr. Roz Linder Dr. Roz Linder is the author of the Common Core Guidebook.  Check out her website at:  www.rozlinder.com

I Do. We Do. You Do. These diagrams expand upon building independent students. All lessons should be aligned--what you talk about and what graphic organizers you use in the beginning should be exactly what the scholars work on in small groups, what they practice independently, and what they are assessed on at the end. What should your goal ultimately look like? Diagram Source: Yasmin, TFA, literacy specialist

Follow these steps to developing a quality lesson plan.  These steps are geared toward literacy competency.  No matter your content area, you ARE a literacy teacher. There is a palpable connection between literacy and a career path.  I will talk to my students like they are all going to college and therefore all will have to write a college essay.  Vocabulary development is key for every subject.  In math, literacy helps with word problems, with reading and understanding directions, and for any question that asks students to ‘explain more.’  Literacy is vital for the social sciences for the copious amount of reading it entails, for the required essays and synthesizing skills that are key to understanding the importance of events.  Literacy is crucial for science because it is full of new vocabulary terms.  Students need to develop the necessary skills to learn and master scientific terminology and can do so through learning and mastering English vocabulary words.

"People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." --Simon Sinek This is a great TED Talks that breaks down the importance of explaining WHY you do what you do first.  This should happen even before explaining how, finally followed by the what.  WHAT you're teaching in the classroom loses its significance if students don't know WHY they're learning it.  By emphasizing the long-term importance of mastering concepts, students themselves can begin to think in long-term goals.  All of you students are going to college.  Talk to them and teach them like they are.  If you raise your expectations, students will understand they can push themselves to meet the new, raised bar. If you're looking to be an inspirational leader in the classroom, here is a fantastic video to watch. Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action Click the link to open in a new tab.

This website has test scores, rankings, school and district boundaries, student/teacher ratios, demographics and other useful information for schools in the United States. When drafting your vision for your class this school year, it is important to factor in the external factors of the school's environment.  Things like Free and Reduced Lunch rates can help you to determine what's at stake for your students.  These factors are not limitations, but they do provide crucial background context so we can better understand our students. SchoolDigger.com Click to open in a new window.