Lesson 19 — Enhancing Creativity « Wisdom 101 Being deeply involved in creative activity is one of the most enjoyable experiences we human beings can have. What’s more, it allows us to put something back into the pot of life, to give something of value to others. For many people, though, creativity seems mysterious and out of reach — a gift given to some people and not to others. The truth is that it is not a rare gift, but a quite understandable process — one that any of us can use to enhance our enjoyment of life. Different writers have different views about what creativity is, and about how the creative process works. One is production-related creativity: the production of something novel or unique that has value.The other is discovery-related creativity: the discovery, through human insight, of some new fact, law, or feature of the world. By production-related creativity I don’t mean just novel inventions and product designs, though that is part of it. Discovery-related creativity is a little harder to pin down. Preparation.
SMART Goal Setting: A Surefire Way To Achieve Your Goals I encourage you to pick up a pen and a piece of paper and jot down the goals you want to reach. Look at each goal and evaluate it. Make any changes necessary to ensure it meets the criteria for a SMART goals: S = SpecificM = MeasurableA = AttainableR = RealisticT = Timely Specific Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to happen. Specific is the What, Why, and How of the SMART model. WHAT are you going to do? Ensure the goals you set is very specific, clear and easy. Measurable If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Choose a goal with measurable progress, so you can see the change occur. Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. Attainable When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. Goals you set which are too far out of your reach, you probably won’t commit to doing. The feeling of success which this brings helps you to remain motivated.
The 8 Types Of Imagination It has been said that imagination is more important than knowledge, and for any experienced classroom teacher it is easy to see daily evidence of this. In the June issue of Edudemic Magazine for iPad , we’re going to take a look at the role of imagination (and curiosity) in the learning process, and strategies for leveraging each. In doing research, I happened across an article published over at the international news blog IntoEastAfrica on the different types of imagination, and it occurred to me that though I often think of intelligence and understanding as fluid and diverse, I hadn’t thought of imagination that way. Our Imaginations In the blog post, Dr. “Imagination is a manifestation of our memory and enables us to scrutinize our past and construct hypothetical future scenarios that do not yet, but could exist. 8 Types of Imagination 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. More Info Requisite Carl Sagan And no mention of imagination would be complete without Carl Sagan.
Yes, You Can Teach and Assess Creativity! A recent blog by Grant Wiggins affirmed what I have long believed about creativity: it is a 21st-century skill we can teach and assess. Creativity fosters deeper learning, builds confidence and creates a student ready for college and career. However, many teachers don't know how to implement the teaching and assessment of creativity in their classrooms. While we may have the tools to teach and assess content, creativity is another matter, especially if we want to be intentional about teaching it as a 21st-century skill. In a PBL project, some teachers focus on just one skill, while others focus on many. Here are some strategies educators can use tomorrow to get started teaching and assessing creativity -- just one more highly necessary skill in that 21st-century toolkit. Quality Indicators If you and your students don't unpack and understand what creativity looks like, then teaching and assessing it will be very difficult. Activities Targeted to Quality Indicators Model Thinking Skills
The Engineering Design Process The engineering design process is a series of steps that engineering teams use to guide them as they solve problems. Anyone can do it! To determine how to build something (skyscraper, amusement park ride, bicycle, music player), engineers gather information and conduct research to understand the needs of the challenge to be addressed. Engineers design and build all types of structures, systems and products that are important in our everyday lives. Understand the need: What is the problem? Engineers use their science and math knowledge to explore all possible options and compare many design ideas. The use of prototypes, or early versions of the design (or a model or mock-up) helps move the design process forward by improving your team's understanding of the problem, identifying missing requirements, evaluating design objectives and product features, and getting feedback from others. Using the engineering design process with your students
8 Tips and Tricks to Redesign Your Classroom Remake Your Class is a 3-part video series that covers how one educator transformed his classroom with the help of his students, some community volunteers, and design experts. Editor's Note: Author David Bill is a designer and educator who consulted with The Third Teacher+ on the Remake Your Class project highlighted in the videos below. The tips in this post go along with the companion video. We are excited by the simplicity (and low price tag!) of this great redesign. Hope you'll share any of your own tips in the comments area below. If you're thinking of completing your own classroom remake project, good for you. The tips below can be used for smaller scale remakes right way. Whether you are looking to reorganize one corner or redesign the entire room, here are eight tips that may help you throughout the process. 1. Students are your primary users and should be at the center of such a remake process. Create Visual Inspiration Students Define Pain Points 10x10x10 Student Helpers 2. 3. 4.
Ten Steps to Better Student Engagement Tristan de Frondeville As a teacher, my goal was to go home at the end of each day with more energy than I had at the beginning of the day. Seriously. Now, as I travel the country coaching teachers on how to successfully use project learning, my goal remains the same. A teacher in one of my workshops said, "When my students and I are in the flow, then I don't feel like I have to work as hard." Project-based classrooms with an active-learning environment make such in-the-flow moments more common. The good news is that the strategies for creating and managing high-quality project-learning environments are productive in any classroom, whether project learning is a central part of the curriculum or not. Create an Emotionally Safe Classroom Students who have been shamed or belittled by the teacher or another student will not effectively engage in challenging tasks. Create an Intellectually Safe Classroom Begin every activity with a task that 95 percent of the class can do without your help.
Desmos | Beautiful, Free Math Strategy List: 35 Dimensions of Critical Thought S-1 Thinking Independently Principle: Critical thinking is independent thinking, thinking for oneself. Many of our beliefs are acquired at an early age, when we have a strong tendency to form beliefs for irrational reasons (because we want to believe, because we are praised or rewarded for believing). Critical thinkers use critical skills and insights to reveal and reject beliefs that are irrational. In forming new beliefs, critical thinkers do not passively accept the beliefs of others; rather, they try to figure things out for themselves, reject unjustified authorities, and recognize the contributions of genuine authorities. They thoughtfully form principles of thought and action; they do not mindlessly accept those presented to them. If they find that a set of categories or distinctions is more appropriate than that used by another, they will use it. Independent thinkers strive to incorporate all known relevant knowledge and insight into their thought and behavior. Go to top
Product | Naiku Better Assessment, Better Learning Know if students “got it” before they even step out of the room. Accelerate Learning with Formative Assessment Stop waiting days or weeks to know if your students know (or don’t know) critical concepts! Use Naiku to identify student knowledge gaps and address them immediately with informed instruction. Automatic Scoring Student assignments are scored automatically for a variety of item types, including T/F, multiple choice, matching, and short answer. Built-in Reports Reports are immediately available illustrating class and student performance by standard. Gradebook Integration Scores can be directly sent to your gradebook, when you wish. Instant Student Response With Quick Question, teachers can check for understanding anytime with real-time polling – no item preparation is required! Collaborate on Common Assessment Don’t live on an island – with Naiku, teacher collaboration is fundamental. Share Search Common Assessments Engage with Better Assessment No problem!
Six Strategies for Differentiated Instruction in Project-Based Learning Project-based learning (PBL) naturally lends itself to differentiated instruction. By design, it is student-centered, student-driven, and gives space for teachers to meet the needs of students in a variety of ways. PBL can allow for effective differentiation in assessment as well as daily management and instruction. 1. We all know that heterogeneous grouping works, but sometimes homogenous grouping can be an effective way to differentiate in a project. 2. Reflection is an essential component of PBL. 3. This is probably one of my favorites. 4. Another essential component of PBL is student voice and choice, both in terms of what students produce and how they use their time. 5. Formative assessments can look the same for all students. 6. Teamwork and collaboration occur regularly in a PBL project. As you master the PBL process in your classroom, you will intuitively find ways to differentiate instruction for your students. Please share some of your successful strategies with us!
Edmodo November 2016 Sometimes it is easier to annotate an Assignment to give your feedback rather than writing lengthy comments. It is now possible to Annotate a Student Assignment through Office Online. September 2016 You can now add Spotlight Apps to your App Launcher. July 2016 Notes that you send to your Groups will automatically populate in the Posts sections of the Parent account! June 2016 Students and Teachers can now add attachments to replies! The Edmodo Store has moved into Spotlight. May 2016 Threaded replies and Likes to replies! April 2016 Quiz Sharing! Collaboration on Edmodo just keeps getting better! March 2016 Topics Interested in following a specific Topic? February 2016 Sign up or Log In with Office 365 and Google You can now use either your Office 365 for business account, or your Google account to sign up or log in to Edmodo. January 2016 Updates to Assignments: Request an Assignment Resubmission: Did one of your Students forget to attach a file to his or her Assignment? Library 2.0
Brainstorming What this handout is about This handout discusses techniques that will help you start writing a paper and continue writing through the challenges of the revising process. Brainstorming can help you choose a topic, develop an approach to a topic, or deepen your understanding of the topic’s potential. Introduction If you consciously take advantage of your natural thinking processes by gathering your brain’s energies into a “storm,” you can transform these energies into written words or diagrams that will lead to lively, vibrant writing. Below you will find a brief discussion of what brainstorming is, why you might brainstorm, and suggestions for how you might brainstorm. Whether you are starting with too much information or not enough, brainstorming can help you to put a new writing task in motion or revive a project that hasn’t reached completion. When you’ve got too much: There are times when you have too much chaos in your brain and need to bring in some conscious order. Freewriting Cubing
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