Homework case study #4: Disorganization disorder - Homework Help By Chris Colin Delicate parents, peer not into Tim Campbell's backpack. Somewhere along the way, the 13-year-old eighth-grader from Connecticut developed a habit whose roots are complex but whose consequences couldn't be clearer: utter disorganization. At its worst, Tim is as likely to produce his evening's homework assignments — forget about a finished product — as to recite War and Peace. "It was late in seventh grade that I started noticing a pattern where I could never find anything," he says. The downward spiral To hear his mother describe it, this isn't a case where the student loses his homework because secretly it's too hard. "We gave him folders, but he wasn't using them," Tim's mother says. Like so many homework problems, Tim's snowballed. "Sometimes I'd take things out of his book bag and have him put them back neatly. The diagnosis: More than carelessness Indeed, he did have his own way — it just wasn't one that worked in the context of middle school.
Balanced Literacy Framework If you're using a Balanced Literacy approach in your classroom, you'll find these materials to be helpful. The top part of the page provides a lot of information about how to use the balanced literacy framework including a written descriptions of the components. You can find six featured freebies at the top of this page; if you are interested in jumping right to the full list of printables at the bottom of the page, click this Literacy Printables link. Featured Literacy Freebies 90 Minute Literacy Block Components 1. 2. 3. Note: Some weeks I don't use a menu, especially if I want students to do specific activities on certain days. For more ideas on how to implement and manage Literacy Stations, I recommend Debbie Diller's books Literacy Work Stations and Practice with Purpose shown at right. 60 Minute Literacy Block Suggestions Featured Literacy Mini Packs Management Strategies Reliable Timing Device - My timer is indispensable! Literacy Center Activities Balanced Literacy Printables
The Case For Social Media in Schools A year after seventh grade teacher Elizabeth Delmatoff started a pilot social media program in her Portland, Oregon classroom, 20% of students school-wide were completing extra assignments for no credit, grades had gone up more than 50%, and chronic absenteeism was reduced by more than a third. For the first time in its history, the school met its adequate yearly progress goal for absenteeism. At a time when many teachers are made wary by reports of predators and bullies online, social media in the classroom is not the most popular proposition. Teachers like Delmatoff, however, are embracing it rather than banning it. What started as a Facebook-like forum where Delmatoff posted assignments has grown into a social media component for almost every subject. 1. In the early 1990s, the Internet was the topic of a similar debate in schools. Almost three-fourths of 7th through 12th graders have at least one social media profile, according to a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. 2.
Improving Executive Function: Teaching Challenges and Opportunities The High Cost of Over-Packed Curriculum Standards For 21st century success, students will need skill sets far beyond those that are mandated in the densely packed standards -- and that's evaluated on bubble tests. In the near future, success will depend on accelerated rates of information acquisition. And we need to help students develop the skill sets to analyze new information as it becomes available, to flexibly adapt when facts are revised, and to be technologically fluent (as new technology becomes available). Success will also depend upon one's ability to collaborate and communicate with others on a global playing field -- with a balance of open-mindedness, foundational knowledge, and critical analysis skills so they can make complex decisions using new and changing information. We are painfully aware that the educational model has not changed to accommodate the exponentially increasing amount of information pertinent to students.
Students, teachers and social networking by Jordan Bienstock, CNN Student-teacher interaction is a constant part of the school day. But should that interaction extend to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter? Last year, Missouri passed a bill banning any electronic communication between teachers and students, although the law was revised after concerns that it might infringe on free speech. Now, school districts across the country are working to define rules regarding student-teacher relationships as they update their social media policies. In an interview with the Sacramento Bee, high school teacher Jennifer Kennedy acknowledged that today’s students communicate via technology, and that “If you say absolutely no Facebook or texting, you are cutting off an important relationship with students.” Still, Kennedy told the newspaper that she refuses any friend requests from students. Carole Lieberman, a psychiatrist in Beverly Hills, California, believes the potential risks are too great.
Homework Hell? Part II: 7 Real Techniques That Work Many parents write in to EP about homework battles with their kids. They want to know what to do about a child who procrastinates or who just can’t seem to stay focused on the task at hand. This week James Lehman shares tried and true methods to get kids to sit down and do the work. If you threaten your child with punishments or use power to get him to comply, he will simply become more aggressive and more defensive as he digs in his heels—and resists even more. Homework becomes a power struggle as soon as you try to force your child to do his work and he pushes back. In the first part of this series, I talked about how you can establish the right environment and mindset in your home around schoolwork. Keep a Close Watch For a lot of kids, sending them to their rooms to do their homework is a mistake. All the advice I’m giving here is easier said than done, and I understand that. Comment By : Steve Comment By : michelle Comment By : Might work out for you too. Comment By : Gina
The 10 Best and Worst Ways Social Media Impacts Education Social networking communities are here to stay. Facebook has over 500 million users, while Twitter has over 200 million. That’s not even counting blogs or YouTube video blogs. There’s no doubt that students are actively engaged in online communities, but what kind of effects are these sites having and how can parents counteract the bad and bolster the positive? The Negative 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Positive 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What Next? How can parents mitigate the negative aspects of social media while improving upon the positive results? Paying attention to their academic progress and addressing any issues will go a long way towards keeping the negative aspects of social media from influencing their studies. Joseph Baker’s business experience in management and technology spans more than 15 years.
End the Nightly Homework Struggle - 5 Homework Strategies that Work for Kids Are you trapped in a nightly homework struggle with your child? The list of excuses can seem endless: “I don’t have any homework today.” “My teacher never looks at my homework anyway.” Pre-teens and teens often insist they have no homework even when they do, or tell parents that they’ve completed their assignments at school when they haven’t. Related: Tired of fighting over homework every night? Trying to convince your child that grades are important can be a losing battle. If you’re facing the rest of the school year with dread and irritation, you’re not alone. 5 Strategies to Get Homework Back On Track Schedule Daily Homework Time If your child often says they have no homework but their grades are poor, they may not be telling you accurate information, they may have completely tuned out their teacher’s instructions, or need to improve some other organizations skills, for example. It will be most effective if you choose the same time every day.