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"Defeat Insecurity"
I feel that this statement bests describes my everyday efforts when I teach math. Many of my students come in to my class with a low self esteem regarding their level of understanding of math. It has been my job and passion to change how those students feel about the subject. I don't want my students to move on from my class feeling like they hate the subject and do not have any confidence in themselves whatsoever. So I am willing to do whatever it takes to enhance their confidence and teach them that math is not so bad.
What I love to do before a test or  a review is show movie clips, inspirational videos, classic songs, etc. One of my favorite is from the Rocky movies!!! This is the music video of "Eye of the Tiger"!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4
A lot of my kids get excited to see what I am going to play before the next test!!!

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"Expand Your Students' Worlds"
The following quote by Alvin Toffler speaks of the necessity to change our teaching, " The Illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write. The illiterate will be those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." Just the other day I was talking to my colleagues during lunch, and I was explaining how I taught vocabulary by acting it out. Catapulting threw the air, leaping over garbage cans, suspending from the tree, etc. One of my colleagues asked, "Aren't you afraid someone might get hurt?" My simple answer was, "No!" Those students learned the vocabulary because they experiences and lived it!
This section of Part 1 explained how easily we can learn by using digital resources.  Last week I tried to repair a leaky faucet.  This ended very badly as I did not turn off the main water supply.  Hence, water sprung everywhere and leaked through the floor vents into the basement.  When I told my son about this, he said, "Mom, you should always Youtube it first.  That would not have happened if you only did the research!"  Sure could have used this video.
http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-a-Leaky-Shower-Faucet
Lastly, as the elementary district media specialist I utilize digital resources to expand my students' worlds daily.  We research various settings and places of interests when reading novels.  It is amazing how engaged the kids become.  It is also perfect for comparing written text with those available on-line.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28BwwIsUj9M

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"Employers are looking for communication, digital literacy, problem-solving, and creative-thinking skills" In my math classroom we are problem solvers. I challenge students to share their ways of problem solving and we discuss the variety of strategies we can use to problem solve! (I use the analogy of students coming to school in various ways, but all arriving together at the same school to different ways of problem solving to arrive at the same solution.) Students actively listen to other ideas and share their own in an environment that welcomes mistakes as opportunities to learn. In my classroom we talk about "what went wrong" and solve the math problems together. They use technology to learn, share and show math concepts and are placed within their learning style groups to collaborate with others who share the same learning style.  I encourage them to use those strengths while listening to others respectfully and open mindedly. Even though this is a 9-12 school, this is a great (short!) video showing how students collaborate in both Math and ELA

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"Employers are looking for communication, digital literacy, problem-solving, and creative-thinking skills" In my math classroom we are problem solvers. I challenge students to share their ways of problem solving and we discuss the variety of strategies we can use to problem solve! (I use the analogy of students coming to school in various ways, but all arriving together at the same school to different ways of problem solving to arrive at the same solution.) Students actively listen to other ideas and share their own in an environment that welcomes mistakes as opportunities to learn. In my classroom we talk about "what went wrong" and solve the math problems together. They use technology to learn, share and show math concepts and are placed within their learning style groups to collaborate with others who share the same learning style.  I encourage them to use those strengths while listening to others respectfully and open mindedly. Even though this is a 9-12 school, this is a great (short!) video showing how students collaborate in both Math and ELA

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Collaborative Learning Leads to Student Success

Even though the College Preparatory School is an elite school, schools with fewer resources can replicate College Prep's collaboration practices. The collaborative-learning style incorporated into the fabric of the school helps students to be resilient by aiding them with identifying their resources (peers) and testing their theories to see if they are on the right track all while developing habits of mind that form the foundation of scholarship.

To make this approach work, teachers must be willing to "cede the floor" to the students. Other things to consider are the need to create an effective classroom geography, focus on the process, build accountability, let students teach one another, and encourage students to be in tune with one another.

Building Strong Collaborative Learning

Teachers at the College Preparatory School encourage classroom collaboration by assigning students to groups to review their homework, do daily class worksheets, participate in moderated discussions, and complete hands-on projects. Often, teachers give students group tests, which, like the class worksheets, are designed to be harder than the individual assignments. Students quickly realize that they are able to solve problems as a group that they would not be able to solve as individuals. Some of the other ways teachers foster a collaborative-learning environment follow:

Creating an Effective Classroom Geography

In math classes, the students sit face-to-face in groups of four tables to collaborate. In English classes, students sit around a Harkness table (a large wooden table capable of seating the entire class), which allows every student to see the teacher and all the members of the class as they speak. The foundation is that students come prepared to discuss and collaborate.

Focusing on the Process, Not Right Answers

In math, four times a year, each student is given a set of values or codes to substitute in the equations so that even though the students are working together, they have to focus on the mathematical process and not just the "right answer." In English, the discussions are open-ended, allowing for multiple right answers.

Building Accountability

In math classes, students frequently take group tests and can consult with one another on the answers, but the teacher chooses only one test at random to grade for the group. Because the group work is intentionally more difficult, this process keeps individual students accountable for full participation in group work. To measure how well the groups work together, the teacher also gives out a group-collaboration grade for each unit, which is worth 10 percent of a student's grade.

While students participate in the group discussions around the Harkness table in English, the teacher selects one student to be the moderator and another to be the discussion tracker who records the flow of the conversations. The moderator can look at the discussion tracker's notes and see which students he should invite to chime in.

Letting Students Teach One Another

In math and English, teachers cede the floor to students so they can teach one another. In math class, students are given challenging class problems that encourage them to seek ideas and advice from their group members.

In English, juniors are grouped with seniors, which helps the younger students learn how the process works by watching and learning from the older students. Additionally, pairs of students are invited to lead the discussions. The English discussions are also held online, and students are required to participate and comment on at least two other student comments.

Encouraging Students to Be In Tune With One Another

In math classes, students are grouped intentionally to provide a mix of skill levels, which helps them to be more sensitive to group members' needs. The teacher provides feedback on helping the groups interact well, which helps the more vocal students to step back and let the other students participate more.

Every English class starts with a moment of quiet after which students are asked to share their energy and stress levels. Often teachers assign different roles that allow students to focus on the discussion: the scribe takes notes for the entire class, the moderator ensures a smooth discussion, and the discussion tracker maps the flow of the discussion.

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Even though the College Preparatory School is an elite school, schools with fewer resources can replicate College Prep's collaboration practices. The collaborative-learning style incorporated into the fabric of the school helps students to be resilient by aiding them with identifying their resources (peers) and testing their theories to see if they are on the right track all while developing habits of mind that form the foundation of scholarship.

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"Empower Students to Find Their Passions"

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"Empower Students to Find Their Passions"

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This statement really speaks to me. My sister, brother, and I were always reminded to choose a profession we truly loved. My dad gave us this advice on a regular basis because he wanted us to be happy in our adult lives. This link http://www.teachhub.com/empower-student-to-take-ownership-of-learning shares the various options teachers can provide for students. The 8th-grade ELA teachers have provided students with the element of choice with reading. However, the article connected to the link provides choice for homework and assessments as well. The element of choice relates to the chapter. Providing students with choices helps them make meaningful connections.

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"Spark a fire." Fire is, itself, oxymoronic. It is both good and bad, positive and negative, at the same time. It is vital for life---to stay warm, to properly cook food to nourish our bodies, to provide the ability to see at night, etc. On the other hand, fire is devastating and deadly (or at least has the potential to be so). Fire has been revered as Godly but has also been feared as wicked. Fire has been used for good (as is seen at cookouts and bonfires) and for evil (as was seen in the Holocaust). In the above passage, the spark is most important---or, at least what is done with it once it is created. If left unattended or misused, the spark has the potential to be fatal; if guided and used well, the spark has the potential to be empowering. In this way, I see the passage "spark a fire" connecting quite nicely to two others on the list:  "be a guide, not a gatekeeper" and "empower students to find their passions."

How can I live out this idea in my high school ELA classroom? How can I spark a fire? Well, I could assign 30+ pages of reading per night, along with corresponding study guide questions to be answered, and I could administer multiple choice reading quizzes at the beginning of each class period to ensure my students read (questions developed after reading Cliffs Notes myself to be sure they did not skip reading the actual text). I could give vocabulary quizzes each Friday, requiring students to memorize terms from the 6-8 novels they read per year. BUT---that would only spark the wrong kind of fire...one which turns kids off from reading and dies out rather than ignites a passion. Instead, I could allow students to select their own books to read---based on their personal interests. I could ask students to develop their own questions as they read their self-selected books and to develop their own vocabulary lists, based on words they personally struggled with during reading. Instead of teacher-directed lectures, I could have students participate in literature circles or in Socratic seminars. And, at the end of the unit, instead of having students complete a scantron-type test with text-specific questions on it, again, to determine whether or not they read the book and how well they ingested the information I spat at them during lectures, I could have students complete a creative project which reveals what they learned FROM reading the book---not what they learned ABOUT the book. One resource which empowers students to independently document their learning and which provides an audience for their work is the following: web.seesaw.me. I have used it with sophomores in the past and it was excellent!

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“Defeat Insecurity”Watching the video below for 2 minutes can change your life -  Our 8th grade History Department starts the year off with this video.  All students must overcome obstacles and learn how to defeat insecurity.  In Chapter 3 of Ditch that Textbook the title is Use Technology to Defeat Insecurity.  The ending sentence states, "If we can do our part to help them manage and defeat it, we'll give them skills they'll use in real life." I would like to show this video and then use technology for the students to comment on it - That would be a great start to the year.   Using a  tech tool like TodaysMeet can let an insecure or introverted student have a voice.  I am thinking that this tech tool may be great for our social issues unit - where the topic may not be comfortable for all.  Insecure students need opportunities and should not quit.  Like the video above 10 of these celebrities failed but ended up being successful.

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“Defeat Insecurity”Watching the video below for 2 minutes can change your life -  Our 8th grade History Department starts the year off with this video.  All students must overcome obstacles and learn how to defeat insecurity.  In Chapter 3 of Ditch that Textbook the title is Use Technology to Defeat Insecurity.  The ending sentence states, "If we can do our part to help them manage and defeat it, we'll give them skills they'll use in real life." I would like to show this video and then use technology for the students to comment on it - That would be a great start to the year.   Using a  tech tool like TodaysMeet can let an insecure or introverted student have a voice.  I am thinking that this tech tool may be great for our social issues unit - where the topic may not be comfortable for all.  Insecure students need opportunities and should not quit.  Like the video above 10 of these celebrities failed but ended up being successful.

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Never Be Afraid to Fail Join My Motivational List and get Exclusive Videos, Discounts and Updates http://princeea.com/exclusive Prince EA http://www.facebook.com/princeea http://www.twitter.com/PrinceEa // @PrinceEa http://www.princeea.com http://princeea.tumblr.com Shout out to Motivating Success for Inspiring this video.

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As a music teacher I alway try to apply my lessons to something the students can use later in life. That might mean getting ready for a concert, or middle school band, or maybe preparing that student with a solid foundation of music who will go on a perform music in a band, choir, or other career. Chapter seven says 65% of todays schoolchildren eventually will be emplyed in jobs that have yet to be created. The chapter gives skills that will help students as they enter the real world. One is glamorizing hard work and another is listening and watching for new ideas. My third and fourth graders have been studying the ukulele. I used the video of Grace Vanderwaal performing on America's Got Talent (I had to edit the video deleting the scenes with the judge's poor wardrobe choice if you watch the video, before showing to students).  In class we're focusing on careers or in this case a contest that led to a career and how those people got there. In this case Grace learned how to play her instruments off YouTube videos. Students are learning to play the ukuleles through classroom time, videos, ipad apps and each other. My favorite time as a teacher is when the kids come in and share something new they found online and demonstrate the skill for the class.

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“Empower Students to Find Their Passions”
This is a phrase that I say to myself everyday! How can I empower my students? How can I find what each of my students is passionate about? If you get to know your students and learn their passions, then I truly feel you can help them learn to the best of their ability. There are so many resources out there, but if you don't know your students and don't know what drives them, then how are you going to find out the best way to teach them.
I found the article, "Empower Students: 5 Powerful Strategies" Each step is so simple, but you just have to apply it. The first step she talks about is, choices. Do we give our students enough freedom or do we consistently tell them what to do? This is one area where I need to improve. I want to give my students the option to choose, but giving up that control can be difficult.
She also talks about letting students be teachers. I love this! There are times, (I should say many times) where the students have amazing ideas! We go with it and I let the student "teach" the class. I would like to give my students more of these opportunities, because with all the technology out there. There is so much information and they know so much. We just have to find the right way to let them share it.

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Empower Students: 5 Powerful Strategies

Meeting students where they are is key to their social, emotional, and academic success. A piece of this puzzle is to allow them to be empowered in the learning process. We want to ensure that we are teaching the whole child and providing each student a learning experience that meets his personal needs. Who knows the child better than herself? Students are aware of their likes and dislikes, their own opinions, the things that they feel confident with, and the things that challenge them, as well as the dreams they have.

Sometimes we need to step back, let go, and empower our students to take charge of their own learning. The following five strategies will prove to be powerful when utilized with any age.

1. Choice: Do you allow students to choose the goals they work on each day? Do they choose their materials? What about their resources? Are students allowed to choose the path they take to reach their academic goals, for instance in a project-based learning environment? Do they choose where they sit to experience learning or who they work with?
All of these factors can be crucial to student's learning. Take the time to establish routines and model expectations, but then step back and offer opportunities for students to make choices. Let them be their own guides. Misfortune may ensue, but true learning occurs through mistakes and the correction of them. This is empowering in itself.

2. Reflection: Are students reflective in their learning moment to moment, or passive? Is time set aside for reflective purposes or pushed to the wayside when time runs short? Is reflection a part of the daily routine?
Students must actively engage in the learning process and reflect on their own personal contributions, knowledge, and connections. They need to be allowed time to process their learning as a step of retention. Reflection allows for closure to a situation, conversation, or lesson, empowering students to make sense of their learning.

3. Students as Teachers: Do students have opportunities to articulate their knowledge? Are they given the chance to help others understand a concept? Do they get to demonstrate their strategies and assist others with a similar learning style?
By allowing students to teach students we enlarge the learning platform. We suggest to them that there are other experts present in the learning environment. Teaching empowers students to demonstrate and share knowledge, deeping their own understanding.

4. Self-Assessment: Are students aware of their individual goals? Do they have the ability to assess themselves according to specific criteria? Can they provide effective feedback to others? Are they an integral part of the assessment process?
When given opportunities to self-assess their own progress towards specific goals, students' growth will soar. They can also be given the chance to positively impact others' learning by offering feedback. Peer conversations regarding student work is a powerful thing. Again, it provides the clear message their are other experts in the learning environment. Allowing students to engage in these conversations expands their academic awareness. Students clearly understanding their own strengths and challenges is empowering.

5. Student Voice: Do you ask the students for their opinion often? Is their voice used to make decisions in the classroom? Do you allow them to provide you feedback? Is their feedback honored?
The most valuable voice in the learning environment is that of the student. They are the consumer of the knowledge and can provide feedback regarding their needs being met. It is important to ask for input on a regular basis regarding structure, routine, systems, rules, responsibilities, etc. Taking their ideas into account for lesson planning/design and instructional strategies can also prove beneficial. You never know the possibilities unless you ask. Seek out their voice, you may be surprised. Honoring their ideas builds trust and empowers them to think critically.

These strategies can be integrated into any classroom, as they are all simply built upon conversations. Empowering learners begins with discussion and the building of a student learning community. Students and teachers working together creates a powerful learning environment that fosters the success of all. We want our students to be engaged, challenged, and supported everyday they are with us. Empowering our students to take charge of their learning opens doors in all directions.

Celina Brennan is a 3/4/5 multiage teacher at Salnave Elementary School in the Cheney (Wash.) Public Schools district and recipient of Washington State ASCD's 2011 Outstanding Young Educator Award. She is a district leader in literacy and has opened her classroom to educators as a model of differentiated instruction that meets the social, emotional, and academic needs of all learners. Connect with Brennan on the ASCD EDge® social network and on her blog, written with her teaching partner Ann Ottmar.

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Empower Students: 5 Powerful Strategies - Whole Child Education

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Meeting students where they are is key to their social, emotional, and academic success. A piece of this puzzle is to allow them to be empowered in the learning process. We want to ensure that we are teaching the whole child and providing each student a learning experience that meets his personal needs.

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"Be a Guide, Not a Gatekeeper"
I was struck by this section the most. When Matt Miller said that "The education of our students' dreams- no and education beyond their wildest dreams - awaits them online", it spoke volumes to me. Now that I have the ability to let students use their Chromebooks exclusively I have had to change my mindset about them entirely. I started with Google Classroom, TenMarks and Edcite but now more often than not, the students are often using them to find things out that they are curious about and need to know more about. I have had to adjust to the fact that I am not delivering the information as fast as the internet can. These Chromebooks are the gate to so much more and I need to focus on helping them through it into a new land.
I have been starting Book Clubs in ELA where students are in groups of 4-5 students reading a chapter book and engaging in discussion and response journals. I thought after reading this section, we could have our discussions online! I want to try TodaysMeet.com to allow them to post their response logs and also comment on the contributions of their group members.  This may help those students who have a more difficult time expressing thoughts or opinions "live,  get the wait time they need to thoughtfully engage.  I also want to try Google Forms for all my students to use in place of the "fish bowl rating sheet" that we currently fill out when we observe one groups discussions. This way we get live discussions and virtual ones to meet the diverse needs of my co-teaching classroom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7abqnDEKFmw is also a resource video kids could watch in class on their own time to see what a book club discussion looks like as an introduction

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USE TECHNOLOGY TO DEFEAT INSECURITY
When I was a student, I did not like to participate in class discussions. I always thought what if I am wrong? Or what if my idea is different from everyone else? I always had an answer/thought in my mind, but was too quiet to say it out loud. Backchannels would have been the perfect outlet for me. Now that I have chromebooks in my classroom, this is a perfect outlet for my students. I like the idea that everyone participates and no one is singled out. I also like the idea that students can respond back to get instant answers. Students can feel comfortable sharing their thoughts with out having to feel like everyone is staring at them. This is a great way to engage the students. It also allows students to work at their pace. If a student has a difficult time processing information, they may not be able to keep up with a class discussion. Now they have an opportunity to work at their pace.
Chapter 3 mentions using TodaysMeet.com as a very easy-to-use backchannel. I also found other free platforms that can be used for backchannel chats such as chatzy, edmodo, and Present.ly. I also found a cool graphic organizer to help you plan out your backchannel discussion.

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Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

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April 14, 2014
There are a wide variety of free web tools that teachers can use to create backchannels and hold synchronous conversations and discussions in the classroom. Over the last couple of years I had the chance to experiment with and review some of the best of these backchanneling tools. TodaysMeet and Socrative are my favourite of them all, but there are also some other good options to choose from. Integrating backchannels in your teaching can positively impact your students learning and increase their engagement in learning activities. Here are some ways you can use backchannels in your classroom:

1. Poll students on a particular classroom event or on a decision regarding their learning

2. Crowdsource feedback on learning activities and use this input to inform your future instructional strategies.

3. Backchanneling empowers students voice and make them feel they are real participants in the knowledge building taking place in the class.

4. Conduct informat assessments .

5. Assess students prior knowledge about a given topic.

6. Brainstorm ideas for a writing project.

7. Encourage students to ask questions about anything they did not understand.

8. Hold synchronous discussions of video content shared in class

9. Organize real time discussions in class.

10. Backchanneling is a good way to engage introverts and shy students in classroom conversations.

Check out this wonderful guide from Langwitches to learn more about backchanneling.

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10 Ways to Use Backchannels in Your Classroom

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April 14, 2014 There are a wide variety of free web tools that teachers can use to create backchannels and hold synchronous conversations and discussions in the classroom. Over the last couple of years I had the chance to experiment with and review some of the best of these backchanneling tools.

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"Maybe we need to focus less on asking the right questions and start asking the relevant questions (44)." I loved this section of the reading that talked about connecting with questions.  Getting kids to see themselves in the subject matter is key to getting kids to learn. If we want kids to be as excited to learn as we are to teach them, then we need to make connections. By asking the right questions, we are connecting and gaining important background information to drive future instruction.  Kids are making connections globally and across social media ALL THE TIME.  Why not reach out and make better connections as their teacher.  Building rapport with students is the biggest defense we have as teachers in getting kids to want to learn. Asking the right questions at the right time can be a powerful tool for learning.

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3 Ways to Make Meaningful Connections With Your Students

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Edutopia blogger Nick Provenzano believes there’s more to teaching than dispensing curriculum, and he shares three practices that lead students and their families to trust him on a personal level.

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Leigh Johnson:                         "Be a guide, not a gate keeper"

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Leigh Johnson:                         "Be a guide, not a gate keeper"

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This phrase speaks to me because as a 5th grade teacher working with all levels of students, I think at times I give my students too much guidance/direct instruction.  I need to work on allowing my students to explore and learn by using digital resources instead of always giving them the information they need initially.  I loved the quote from the book, "To an extent, our role in education has shifted from teacher to virtual-learning, travel guides." I am currently teaching poetry and have given my students a list of poems to choose from to write. I am thinking to allow them more freedom, I should allow them to discover a new type of poem they would like to try to write.  I will provide the attached weblink for guidance , but I could also let them search the internet (with my support) to find a new type of poem they would like to write that is not on "my list."

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There are many different ways to write poems as well as lots of techniques you can learn to help you improve your writing skill. Here are many of the poetry writing lessons for children that I have created to help you become a better poet, including how to write funny poetry, poetic rhythm, poetic forms and other styles of verse, as well as lesson plans for teachers and video lessons.

How to Write Funny Poetry

Rhythm in Poetry

1. The Basics

2. You Can Scan, Man

3. I Am the Iamb

4. Okie Dokie, Here's the Trochee

5. More than Two Feet

Poetic Forms

A poetic "form" is a set of rules for writing a certain type of poem. These rules can include the number of lines or syllables the poem should have, the placement of rhymes, and so on. Here are lessons for writing several common poetic forms.

Other Poetic Styles

There are many different styles of poems. These are not "poetic forms" because they don't usually have firm rules about length, syllable counts, etc., but they are common enough that many well-known children's poets have written poems like these.

Reciting Poetry

Other Poetry Writing Lessons

Poetry Lesson Plans for Teachers

Video Poetry Lessons

Poetry Dictionaries and Rhyming Words Lists

When reading these lessons, you may come across some unfamiliar words. If you see a poetic term and don't know what it means, you can always look it up in the Poetic Terms Dictionary. Poetry4kids also has a rhyming dictionary and a list of rhyming words you can use to help you write poems.

Other Useful Poetry-Writing Lessons

There are loads of websites on the Internet that offer helpful lessons for children on how to write poems. Here are a few you may find useful:

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There are many different ways to write poems as well as lots of techniques you can learn to help you improve your writing skill. Here are many of the poetry writing lessons for children that I have created to help you become a better poet, including how to write funny poetry, poetic rhythm, poetic forms and other styles of verse, as well as lesson plans for teachers and video lessons.

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“Expand Your Students’ Worlds”
I am drawn to the idea of expanding my students' worlds because of the novel we are in the middle of reading right now. It is called "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George. While this is a very old book, I feel I can help expose my students to a world not all of them think about or have exposure to and that is the woods.

I am in the process of creating a "Tic Tac Toe" board of independent culminating activities for my students to choose from. I have a few really good ones but I thought it might be nice to give some choices that are more technically inclined. I came across a webquest that took the student on a journey through some creative activities related to the book. I also found a website with an assignment that had students make a glogster which sounds like it's an interactive digital cross between a poster and and a blog.  I'm thinking of using both ideas as choices for my "Tic Tac Toe".

So it looks like by having the intention to expand my students' worlds both digitally and naturally, I also am expanding mine. How cool is that?

My Tic Tac Toe in the works -- all of the boxes in red are in the undecided stages

Zunal for making webquests

My Side of the Mountain scavenger hunt

My Side of the Mountain Webquest

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Services provided by Glogster.com have been temporarily disabled for operational reasons. We are in the process of disabling all recurring payments, but we do recommend that you contact your bank or credit card company directly to halt them.

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"Empower students to find their passions." I find this idea to be very motivating. I realize that I need to take more time in the day to find out exactly what each of my students' passions might be, and then tailor some lessons using that information. I work with small groups of students throughout the day, so I feel like I know each of them well. I know their likes and dislikes, work habits, and personalities, but do I really know all of their passions? I'm not 100% sure. Perhaps they don't yet even know what their passions are. Matt Miller suggests that helping students find their true passions is actually empowering them to explore what drives them and opens their minds to new possibilities. The attached video describes the experience one teacher had in his classroom after he surveyed his students on their passions and posted it on the wall. He found that it not only strengthened his students' learning, but also led to stronger relationships between the students. I plan to try this!

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Teaching Kids to Discover Their Passions

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In this video I describe the "Passion Survey" I have my students complete at the beginning of each school year, and I share the wonderful academic, social, and environmental outcomes that occur once the results of the survey are posted in the classroom.