Download a Free Copy of Danah Boyd's Book, It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens. Danah boyd (she doesn’t capitalize her name) is a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research and a Fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Center, where she looks at how young people use social media as part of their everyday lives.
She has a new book out called It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens, and she’s made it available as a free PDF. On her website she writes, “I didn’t write this book to make money. I wrote this book to reach as wide of an audience as I possibly could. This desire to get as many people as engaged as possible drove every decision I made throughout this process. One of the things that drew me to Yale [the publisher] was their willingness to let me put a freely downloadable CC-licensed copy of the book online on the day the book came out.” Via BoingBoing. Modeling Close Reading for Future Teachers: ELA Videos and Webinars. In my previous post, I shared how I use freely available video in my reading and literacy methods course to help my preservice teachers (PTs) understand close reading instruction at a level that could not be attained through reading and discussion alone.
Below is my curated collection of videos for general Common Core info, as well as videos to teach the close reading, text complexity and informational texts standards. General Information About the Common Core 1. Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy This 15-minute video gives a general overview of the CCSS and explains why the U.S. has moved to the Common Core. 2. This is a set of cartoon drawings that explain the different organizations and institutions involved in developing the CCSS. 3. This eight-minute video provides an opportunity for teacher educators to hear from the two individuals who are most responsible for the CCSS -- David Coleman and Sue Pimentel.
Close Reading 4. In this three-minute video, Dr. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Modeling Close Reading for Future Teachers: Why Video Works. For preservice teachers (PTs) to be able to teach well, they need to "get it" -- that aha!
Moment when they truly understand what good teaching looks like. My PTs often do not witness close reading (identified in the Common Core State Standards as a critical skill) modeled in their practicum. Fortunately, free high-quality video of this skill being taught can be found on the Internet and is among the most effective teaching tools I use. My Background For the past 30 years, I have taught reading and literacy methods in several Midwest and Rocky Mountain states where teacher candidates come from all walks of life -- from traditional undergraduates, to mothers returning to the work world after raising children, to older adults changing careers.
The Challenge The biggest single challenge for all these preservice teachers is to deeply understand what good literacy instruction looks like. Preservice teachers need to see good teaching with students and watch students' reactions. Common Application Essay Questions for 2013-2014. The people behind The Common Application have just released the new essay prompts (PDF link) for college applicants who apply in the 2013-2014 admissions season.
As noted in The Common Application Board of Directors’ announcement, these new prompts are the result of two years of discussion about where essays fit in the overall college admissions process. This is the first big change to the essays in years (including to the word counts!) , and it’s clear that the Common Application Board didn’t take the task of reworking these essays lightly.
Without further ado, here are the all-new Common Application essay prompts:Common Application Essay Questions for 2013-2014 Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. Which Essay Prompt Should You Choose? This type of reflection is often hard for young people to do well (the hardest topic to write about is usually you!) By Scott Shrum. Out of office on Friday - nhollis - Southwestern Jefferson County Schools Mail.
The Great Gatsby. TKAM.