I love the idea of teachers having access to professional development online. It is a way for teachers who want to reach out and LEARN to be able to! Today I watched to previously recorded sessions, and though I hate hate hate the boring slide format of both of them, I pulled tons of information from them.
The first online PD I participated in was How to Fund Your Classroom Projects. This webinar coached teachers on how to use DonorsChoose.org. I liked it so much that you can access my own donorschoose.org proposal here.
The second online PD I participated in was Breaking the Cycle of Underachievement, which is a topic near and dear to my heart. Because I teach in a school district who has lots of at risk or low SES kids, I found all of the information presented to be highly useful, and I recommend any teacher venturing into a title 1 School to look it up. I also recommend you read to completion Ruby Payne's book The Frame Work of Poverty. It really hits the nail on the head when it come to students from struggling backgrounds.
I accessed my online PD from searching Pinterest... but I will post links to these two awesome opportunities!
Breaking the Cycle of Underachievement and loads more...
Getting Money for Your Classroom Projects!
Sunday, June 16, 2013
PLN's and Why the Are SO Important
PLNs, or professional learning networks are one awesome tool for teachers, especially during those times of year where we begin feeling a little tired/burnout/undermotivated/overworked. This happens to even the best of us.
Sometimes teachers need a breath of fresh air. New Ideas. Some one else who understands! Professional learning networks can be all this and more. Now that summer has started, I am missing my classroom, my kids, and my routine. I am taking advantage of my awesome PLNs so I can begin planning out my next year. This helps build some excitement and can help ease the omg-so-much-to-do time of the beginning of August.
If you are wondering how to access a PLN, I can safely say you are already SURROUNDED! Twitter using the hashtag #educhat is a great way to start. Checking out blogs, (like this one) can also give you tons of new ideas!
Dive in, fear not, and build yourself and PLN!
Sometimes teachers need a breath of fresh air. New Ideas. Some one else who understands! Professional learning networks can be all this and more. Now that summer has started, I am missing my classroom, my kids, and my routine. I am taking advantage of my awesome PLNs so I can begin planning out my next year. This helps build some excitement and can help ease the omg-so-much-to-do time of the beginning of August.
If you are wondering how to access a PLN, I can safely say you are already SURROUNDED! Twitter using the hashtag #educhat is a great way to start. Checking out blogs, (like this one) can also give you tons of new ideas!
Dive in, fear not, and build yourself and PLN!
Friday, June 7, 2013
What Teachers Learn.....
Teachers learn some of the strangest lessons.
This year, I have learned more from my students than I ever thought was possible! I have learned that students, no matter how they feel about school, will respond positively if you show them love and give them some where to belong! I have learned that if you have a rubber snake hidden in your desk, they will eventually stop opening your desk drawers! I learned if you give students a chance to help you decorate your room, they are less likely to help destroy it! I learned students love to surprise their teachers, like the time one of my boys hid in my cabinet before class. He then preceded to make me think they had hidden a squirrel in my room, because he was SO very good at mimicking one!
If you give students ownership of their school they will have more pride. If you let students help choose what they learn, they get to learn they will be more likely to stay engaged. They want to feel responsible for their own futures, and they want to feel respected!
They just want to belong. They want to have purpose.
I also learned how to sound exactly like a squirrel.
This year, I have learned more from my students than I ever thought was possible! I have learned that students, no matter how they feel about school, will respond positively if you show them love and give them some where to belong! I have learned that if you have a rubber snake hidden in your desk, they will eventually stop opening your desk drawers! I learned if you give students a chance to help you decorate your room, they are less likely to help destroy it! I learned students love to surprise their teachers, like the time one of my boys hid in my cabinet before class. He then preceded to make me think they had hidden a squirrel in my room, because he was SO very good at mimicking one!
If you give students ownership of their school they will have more pride. If you let students help choose what they learn, they get to learn they will be more likely to stay engaged. They want to feel responsible for their own futures, and they want to feel respected!
They just want to belong. They want to have purpose.
I also learned how to sound exactly like a squirrel.
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