# data[].attributes.body
http://celdt.csusb.edu/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do your students struggle with that time in the morning when you are taking attendance, listening to students' stories, and getting them ready for the day? If so, this 10 slide Power Point is just the thing for you!

We have created this resource so each day of the week there is a relevant task the students have to do. Here are the daily choices: Monday Memories (journal writing), Trivia Tuesday, Wednesday's Words (famous quotes), Thinking Thursday (logic puzzles), and Fact Friday (math fact practice). The great thing about this resource is that there is room to add on once you collect trivia, quotes, and logic puzzles. You could add a slide right to the Power Point that you could use for the following year!

We have found that our students look forward to these each morning and love the routine that so many students need to start their morning! Click here to find this amazing resource for FREE now!

Classroom photo credit here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Morning Routine Activities: Getting Your Students Energized for Learning - Wise Guys

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do your students struggle with that time in the morning when you are taking attendance, listening to students' stories, and getting them ready for the day? If so, this 10 slide Power Point is just the thing for you! We have created this resource so each day of the week there is a relevant task the students have to do.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You'll find articles, law and regulations, and tips about how to get quality services in your child's IEP on this page. You'll also learn how to use tactics and strategies to negotiate with the school. This page includes IEP cases, recommended books, and free publications about IEPs.

IEP FAQs

Questions and Answers On Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Evaluations, and Reevaluations from US Department of Education, IDEA 2004 Reauthorization Resources. The responses presented in this document generally are informal guidance representing the interpretation of the Department of the applicable statutory or regulatory requirements in the context of the specific facts presented and are not legally binding.

IDEA: What You Need to Know About IEPs for Children with Behavior Problems - IDEA 2004 and the special education regulations include specific requirements for IEPs of children whose behavior impedes their learning or the learning of others -- including training teachers to use positive behavioral interventions and strategies.

Children with Hearing Loss Need an Educational Audiologist on their Education Team. Educational audiology is a related service under IDEA. If your child has a hearing loss and is on an IEP, they should have access to an Educational Audiologist. To make sure this service happens, write educational audiology into your child's IEP.

Emergency Evacuation Planning for Children with Disabilities by Lori Scott RN, BSN, MS. Preplanning is imperative for medical or emergency situations at school. Emergency evacuation planning should include a comprehensive written plan individualized to meet your child's needs. Add it to the IEP or 504 Plan.

How Did IEPs Change Under IDEA 2004? New requirements for special education teachers, IEPs, and scientifically based instruction for children with disabilities.

Present Levels: The Foundation of the IEP. Until the Present Levels in your child's IEP are up to date, you will never be able to get the program, placement, or education your child needs. Indiana Advocate Pat Howey explains why parent input is so important during the IEP Team's assessment of your child's present levels of performance.

School Says, "No Advanced Classes for Kids with IEPs"? Children with IEPs receive protection from discrimination under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504). Does your child qualifies for advanced classes and the school will not enroll her because she has an IEP? That sounds like discrimination.

Must Services in the IEP be Provided by a Special Ed Teacher? The IDEA and federal special ed regs do not require that the services listed in the IEP must be provided by a special ed teacher.

Can School Attorneys Legally Attend IEP Meetings? Jeff Martin, parent of a child with a disability and law student at William & Mary, researched the question and provides some answers.

Can Parents Demand a Member of the IEP Team be Excluded? You can demand, but if you do, you set yourself up for a big fall - and you are likely to be labeled as unstable. Parents need to request the services their children need and attempt to keep things unemotional and businesslike.

How Can I Get My Child's IEP Revised? Can parents ask that the IEP be revised? Answers to questions about when and why to revise IEPs.

Is There a Limit to the Number of Goals in the IEP? Answers to questions about IEP goals and who is responsible for long-term planning.

Can a Child be Punished for Not Meeting IEP Goals? If the teacher fails to meet the instructional objective, it makes no sense to punish the child. It is the teacher's failure. She has not taught your child what he needs to be able to do in order the reach the goal.

Can an IEP Meeting be Postponed? The IEP Team can convene, and agree to re-convene after receiving the new testing results. There is no limit to the number of IEP meetings that may be needed to create an IEP that meets your child's needs.

Help! I Need Some Support at the IEP Meeting. Are you anxious about attending your IEP meeting? Would you like someone to attend with you who can help you get quality services for your child. Don't know where to start? In the beginning, this process seems overwhelming to most parents, so you are not alone.

Can More Than One Disability Be Listed in an IEP? Answer - of course. More than one disability can be documented in your child's IEP.

Should Your Child's IEP Include Extended Year Services (ESY)? Some children with disabilities require special education and related services longer than the usual school year in order to receive FAPE. Extended School Year (ESY) services are special education and/or related services provided beyond the usual school year.

Does a Child Need an IEP AND a 504 Plan? There is nothing in the law that says a child with a disability should have an IEP for some needs and a 504 plan for others. It's confusing, it's more work, and it's unnecessary.

Is There a 10 Day Timeline for IEP Meetings? IDEA, the federal law and implementing regulations do not include a timeline for an IEP meeting when parents request a meeting to review or revise their child's IEP.

When Do I Get a Copy of the IEP? You should get a copy of your child's IEP right away. There is no reason for any delay. Write a short polite letter to request a copy.

Is Your Child Making Progress in Special Ed? Is your child making acceptable progress in special ed? Is your child on track to meet the measurable annual goals in the IEP?

Parents are Not Members of the IEP Team...Say What!? Parents are and always have been members of their child's IEP team. If parents aren't involved in developing the IEP as members of the team, how would they give consent?

How Can I Correct Errors in the Record? If the school has minutes, notes, or other documentation from IEP meetings, these notes and minutes are part of your child's record and are available to you.

Tapes are "Best Evidence" in Litigation. Should we use transcripts of the meetings or use the tapes as evidence in the hearing?

What Should Be the Effective Dates on IEPs? "Effective date" means just what it says. If you write an IEP and put the "effective date" as the date of the meeting, then the IEP goes into effect on that date. If you are writing an IEP for the next academic year, the dates on the IEP should indicate that.

Can I Write on the IEP? There is no legal or commonsense reason why a parent or any other IEP team member cannot write on a child's IEP.

Does an IEP Make a Child Ineligible for Sports? Prohibiting a student from participating in a sport because he has a disability and an IEP is discrimination, and a violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Can We Write Our Parapro's Name in the IEP? You need to be careful about how you approach this issue. Much depends on your relations with other school personnel and the policies or customs in your school or school district.

Should Poor Organizational Skills be Accommodated in the IEP? Some students with disabilities need accommodations or modifications to their educational program. Even with consistent teaching of strategies, his areas of weakness will probably never be strengths. It's time for the school to identify and focus on his strengths, and help him find ways to compensate with the problem areas.

Is Your PLOP a Flop? The PLOP is known now as the PLAAFP, Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance that provide baseline information about your child's knowledge and skills. Present levels are the starting point for setting IEP goals and measuring progress toward these goals.

More articles on IEPs.

IEP Pop-Ups & Checklists

Resolving IEP Disputes. Click on the pop-up box to learn strategies to resolve disagreements, steps to take if you disagree with the school, and o ptions you have if unable to resolve disputes.

Developing Your Child's IEP. Click on the pop-up box to learn about IDEA requirements, see answers to your questions, find federal law or regulations that support these answers, and a list of additional resources.

Special Factors in IEPs. Find what special factors need to be considered by the IEP team, how the IEP must address these factors, and learn what the federal law and regulations require.

IEP Checklist: Is Your Child's IEP Individualized? What Does it Take? When you answer the questions on this IEP Checklist, you will know if your child's IEP is individualized, as the law requires.

Special Education Advocacy by Pete & Pam Wright "IDEA"

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition (FETA-2) by Pam and Pete Wright is available from Harbor House Law Press. Take a sneak preview of the book - download the Introduction, Chapter 1: Getting Started, and skim the other chapters of the book.

We built the From Emotions to Advocacy site at FetaWeb.com to supplent this book. You will find articles, checklists, resources, and sample letters at the The FetaWeb site. If you have From Emotions to Advocacy (FETA), go to FetaWeb.com to get your FETA Owner's Manual.

OSEP Dear Colleague Letter - Speech-language Pathologists at IEP Meetings. OSEP addresses concerns about speech-language services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), clarifying requirements of the IDEA related to the provision of services for children with disabilities, including children with ASD [including infants and toddlers in Part C with IFSPs]. Clarification of OSEP's concern that SLPs and other appropriate professionals may not be included in evaluation and eligibility determinations.

What You Need to Know About IEPs for Children with Behavior Problems - IDEA 2004 and the special education regulations include specific requirements for IEPs of children whose behavior impedes their learning or the learning of others -- including training teachers to use positive behavioral interventions and strategies .

Changing Schools and IEPs - 1 week, 1 month, 90 Days? When a child transfers schools, when must the new school provide services in the IEP? Find out what IDEA 2004 says about providing comparable services for children who transfer.

What You Need to Know About IEPs & IEP Meetings -
How did IEPs change under IDEA 2004? What does the law say about developing, reviewing and revising IEPs? Who may be excused from IEP meetings, when, how? When can the child's IEP be changed without an IEP meeting? What services must be provided when a child transfers to a district in the same state? A different state? What are "multi-year IEPs"?
Learn about IEP team members and IEP team attendance, when team members may be excused from a meeting, and what parents and the school district must do before a team member may be excused. Changing the Dynamics of IEP Meetings: Online Draft IEP Forms. Online IEPs have introduced a shift in perspective. As skills increase, it may get better. But we are in the 'guinea pig' phase now. I dislike what is happened with the team dynamics.

Can the IEP Team Prepare a "Draft IEP?" IDEA 2004 discourages the use of "draft IEPs" because they send a message that parental concerns and parental participation are not valued. Since some IEP teams will continue to use draft IEPs, Pat Howey describes the pros and cons and how you can turn a lemon (draft IEP) into lemonade.

What You Need to Know About IEP Team Members & IEP Team Attendance
IEPs, Highly Qualified Teachers & Research Based Instruction - Learn about new language in IDEA 2004 that is designed to ensure that children with disabilities are taught by
10 Tips: How to Use IDEA to Improve Your Child's Special Education Program - Parent attorney
Your Child's IEP & Progress in the General Curriculum - Your child's IEP should be based on information from current evaluations (present levels of educational performance) and your state's curriculum and standards. Wayne Steedman explains how IDEA 2004 creates a higher standard for a free, appropriate public education and how parents can use IDEA to obtain a better IEP for their children. Learn how to ensure how to that the IEP goals are comprehensive, specific -- and measurable. Wayne advises you about pitfalls to avoid and provides advice about how you can resolve disputes without resorting to a due process hearing - and what you should do if you cannot resolve your dispute.

Game Plan: Write SMART IEPs - From teachers to parents, it seems like everyone is confused about how to write good IEP goals and objectives. This Wrightslaw Game Plan about SMART IEPS will help you get started. highly qualified teachers and receive research based instruction. This article includes new requirements for personnel training, IEPs, and scientifically based instruction.

. This comprehensive article describes IEPs and the IEP process, including:Identifying and Meeting a Child's Language Needs. Special Factors in the IEP. If your child does not speak or understand English well, the IEP team needs to ensure that your child's language needs are identified and met.

Your Child's IEP: Practical and Legal Guidance for Parents

. Frustrated with one-size fits all IEPs that are not tailored to the child's unique needs? Feeling intimidated at IEP meetings? Dr. Barbara Bateman will teach you how to write IEPs that are educationally useful and legally correct. This article includes extensive discussion of transition and transition plans. IEPs for Success by Dr. Barbara Bateman

Accommodations and Modifications. Some children with disabilities need accommodations and modifications to their special education program. This 4 page printer-friendly article defines accommodations and modifications that may be included in the IEP; gives examples for books, curriculum, instruction, assignments, and behavior.

How Can I Write SMART IEP Goals for Behavior Problems? The process is the same for any goal - academic or behavioral. You need to clearly define the target behavior.

8 Steps to Better IEP Meetings: Play Hearts, Not Poker by Jennifer Bollero, Esq. Mother of child with autism explains that parents need to learn the rules and strategies, to reduce the risks when you negotiate for your child. "Your child's IEP should never be a gamble. Know what your goals are and work them. Many roads lead to the same place. Many different cards can win the game."

Support for School Personnel and Parent Training: Often Overlooked Keys to Success by Attorney Susan Bardet. To help children learn and succeed, IEP teams can use the tools provided by IDEA, including support for school personnel and training for parents.

To Promote or Retain. If you have a child with a disability, you may face a tough decision. Many schools offer two "solutions" to children's learning problems: retention and referral to special education - and do not offer the third "R" - remediation. Facts about Retention.

Use the Commentary as a Tool. Learn how to use the Commentary to answer questions about IEPs, IEP meetings, IEP teams, when the IEP should be revised, the parental role, transition, and other topics. Tests and Measurements for the Parent, Teacher, Advocate and Attorney. To write IEP goals and objectives that are tailored to the child's unique needs, you need to learn how to interpret educational and psychological test results. (NOTE: To ensure that you get the graphics in this article, you may want to print the article from the screen, rather than download it.)

Legal Requirements for Transition Components of the IEP. Dr. Barbara Bateman, co-author of Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives, teaches you about transition, IEPs, self-advocacy for students, confidentiality, and more.

Can a Child with an IEP Fail? The IEP does not guarantee that your child won't fail, although it is unusual for a child with an IEP to fail.

IEP Tactics & Strategies

Tactics & Strategies: IEP Goals and Objectives . How can you get good goals and objectives in your child's IEP? What can you do if the school wants to use subjective "teacher observations," not objective testing in the IEP? How can parents avoid "methodology disputes?" Pete and Pam Wright teach you to use tactics and strategies in IEPs.

Tips & Tricks for Getting Effective IEPs. Nothing is foolproof and nothing is perfect. But these tricks and tips worked well for Parent Advocate Sharon Lutz and helped her get good programs that met her children's needs.

Tactics & Strategies: How to Use a Parent IEP Attachment. Confused at IEP meetings? Do you find that your questions are not answered? In this article by advocate Judy Bonnell, you learn how to use a simple form to track your requests, the school's response, issues that were resolved and issues that are still on the table.

Tactics & Strategies: Sample Parent Agenda - A.J.'s parents sent this parent agenda. We thought it was such a good example that we decided to include it in Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy (see page 267). Tactics & Strategies: How to Use Follow-Up Letters to Get Answers to Your Questions. Advice from parent advocate Pat Howey about how to get the IEP team to answer your questions, avoid power struggles, deal with IEP meeting frustrations, and use your power wisely.

Tactics & Strategies: IEP Meetings (Or Playing 20 Questions with the Devil). Frustrated at IEP meetings? Meeting with an IEP team that will not answer your questions? Parent attorney Sonja Kerr teaches an approach for dealing with the IEP meeting quagmire. If you are preparing for an IEP meeting, read Sonja Kerr's advice.

School Attorney at IEP Meeting - Parents Walk Out. When parents walk out of a meeting and refuse to participate, some courts have held that against them. By walking out, they waived their right to participate.

How Can an IEP Team Work Together if the Key Players Won't "Play"? Have you ever attended an IEP meeting that began well, but suddenly turned to complete chaos!

I'm a Teacher and I Know IEPs Aren't Being Followed. What Do I Do? Is the administration is aware that IEPs are not being followed, and if they do know, why they haven't put a stop to it?

When Teachers Won't Provide Accommodations in the IEP? If regular education teachers are not implementing the accommodations in your child's IEP, you need to document this. A good strategy is to write short polite letters to people in authority. Begin by writing a polite letter to the principal. Describe the problem and ask for his help.

Make a Video for the IEP Meeting. "Introducing ... He's a child, not a Label". Tiffany Moody wrote this article to tell you about how she created a video about her son and the impact the video had on the IEP meeting.

Can School Attorneys Legally Attend IEP Meetings? Jeff Martin, parent of a child with a disability and law student in the PELE Clinic. Jeff found information that supported his position that, in general, parent and school attorneys should not attend IEP meetings. Read IEP Law and Regulations more discussion...

Most parents and teachers get information about the law from training sessions, articles, advice on list serves, and informal discussions with others. Your knowledge can rise no higher than your source! You must read the law - this is the only way to understand legal rights, responsibilities, and issues. Download
IDEA 2004: Section 1414 - Evaluations, Reevaluations and IEPs
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004: Overview, Explanation and Comparison of IDEA 2004 & IDEA 97 by Peter W. D. Wright, Esq. describes the substantive changes to the five key statutes of IDEA 2004 by section and subsection. Text added to IDEA 2004 is in IDEA 2004: Overview, Explanation & Comparison (56 pages) italics. Text deleted from IDEA 97 has been struck through. Overview, Explanation and Comparison of IDEA 2004 and IDEA 97

Special Education Cases Board of Ed. of Hendrick Hudson Central School Dist. v. Rowley 458 U.S. 176 (1982) - First decision in a special education case by the U. S. Supreme Court; defined "free appropriate public education" (FAPE) and discusses IEPs.Shannon Carter v. Florence County School District IV. Tuition reimbursement case that was appealed to the U. S. Supreme Court. Decision focuses on an appropriate program and IEP for Shannon, a child with dyslexia.

Burlington Sch. Committee v. Mass. Bd. of Ed., 471 U. S. 359 (1985). Decision clarifies procedural safeguards, parent role in educational decision-making; tuition reimbursement for private placement; child's placement during dispute about FAPE.

Amanda C. v. Clark County Sch. Dist. and Nevada Dept. of Ed , U. S. Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuit issues strong decision for child with autism. Court cites research about ABA/Lovaas treatment; describes purposes of the IDEA; IEPs and procedural safeguards.

Evans v. Rhinebeck New York tuition reimbursement case; judge discusses components of an appropriate IEP for a child with dyslexia; vague subjective IEP goals and objectives.

T. H. v. Palatine Decision focuses on an appropriate program for a young child with autism; includes excellent discussion of vague subjective IEP goals and objectives. (in pdf)

Kanawha v. Michael M. Court analyzes"appropriate" in the context of Rowley; discussed educational benefit; provided guidelines to determine if an IEP is appropriate.Kanawha v. Michael M. is one of Pete's favorite cases "not because it has great precedence, but because it does an excellent job of describing difficulties in the legal definition of 'appropriate' and how to use 'appropriate 'in developing an IEP."

Good Books about IEPs

The heart of the law is the child's written Individualized Educational Program (IEP). Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives by Barbara Bateman and Cynthia Herr. Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives teaches educators and parents how to write IEPs that are legally correct and educationally useful.

IEP and Inclusion Tips by Anne Treimanis and Kathleen Whitbread - Learn how to prepare for IEP meetings, create legally correct and educationally sound IEPs, ensure access to the general curriculum, track educational progress, and form effective parent-school partnerships. Features more than 100 tips to help parents, teachers and administrators share goals and develop healthy working relationships.

How Well Does Your IEP Measure Up? by Diane Twachtman-Cullen. Step-by-step guide to writing IEPs; includes sample goal & objective templates for areas of functioning typically neglected in IEPs. Includes recommendations for teaching strategies, educational programming formats & useful resources.
The Complete IEP Guide: How to Advocate for Your Special Ed Child. This useful book by attorney Lawrence Siegel is filled with organization and planning tips, sample letters and forms; information about IEPs. More info Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition

Preparing Instructional Objectives teaches you to identify, select, and write educational objectives. You learn how to describe the performances you expect to achieve, identify the conditions under which you expect the performance to occur, and set criteria for acceptable performance.

Measuring Educational Results by Robert Mager. How do you know if a child is learning and making progress? You measure the results of instruction to determine if objectives and benchmarks have been achieved. This easy-to-read book gives you tools to measure instructional results. Learn more about Measuring Instructional Results.

For more good books about IEPs and special ed advocacy, visit the Advocate's Bookstore.

Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition (ISBN: 978-1-892320-16-2, 456 pages, 8 1/2" x 11", perfect bound) by Peter Wright and Pamela Wright, published in 2007, is available in two formats: a print book and a print & e-book combo. The book includes:

Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition is available in two versions: as a print book and as a print book & e-book combo.
Print book (456 pages, 8 1/2" x 11", perfect bound, $29.95 plus shipping) Order
Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition is designed to meet the needs of parents, teachers, advocates, attorneys, related services providers, school psychologists, administrators, college professors, hearing officers, and employees of district and state departments of education.

Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind [OUT OF PRINT]

Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind.(ISBN: 1-892320-12-6) by Peter W. D. Wright, Pamela Darr Wright and Suzanne Whitney Heath is published by Harbor House Law Press and includes the No Child Left Behind CD-ROM.
Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition Order

E-book and Print Book Combo (456 pages, 8 1/2" x 11", perfect bound, $44.95 plus shipping) When you order the Special Education Law E-book and Print Book Combo, you'll receive a link to the E-book (3.8 mgs) immediately. The text in the Special Education Law E-book is identical to the print version. The E-book has bookmarks, page thumbnails, hyperlinks to hundreds of references, and is designed to help you find information on specific topics quickly and easily (Value: $15.00) .
Surviving Due Process: When Parents and the School Board Disagree

Jeffers v. School Board is based on the true story of a young child with autism. With different evidence and witnesses, this could easily be a case about a child with a different disability or a different legal issue. (DVD, 2 hours, $19.95) l l Surviving Due Process: When Parents and the School Board Disagree - Stephen Jeffers v. School Board . Takes you through a special education due process hearing, from initial preparations to testimony by the final witness.
Internet Orders Mail, Phone & Fax Orders Exam Copies l Discounts

Free Pubs & Resources

Accommodations Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate Use of Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment of Students with Disabilities. (in html) Developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards Assessing Special Education Students.

The Accommodations Manual presents a five-step process for individualized educational program teams, 504 plan committees, general and special education teachers, administrators, and district-level assessment staff to use in the selection, administration, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of instructional and assessment accommodations by students with disabilities. The guidance in the manual pertains to students with disabilities who participate in large-scale assessments and the instruction they receive.

Learn how to write IEPs that improve teaching, learning, and educational results. Article includes contents of the IEP; IEP team members; writing the IEP; placement decisions; implementing the IEP; revising and revising the IEP; resolving disagreements about the IEP; sample IEP form, information and resources, the federal regulations for IEPs, and guidance about IEPs. A Guide to the Individualized Education Program published by the U. S. Department of Education. Download PDF

Designing Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Plans from ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to prepare students with disabilities for employment and independent living. Transition planning that involves students and their families leads to post-school success and independence. Article describes how to design quality IEP transition plans. Download

Questions and Answers On Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Evaluations, and Reevaluations from US Department of Education, Building the Legacy of IDEA 2004. The responses presented in this document generally are informal guidance representing the interpretation of the Department of the applicable statutory or regulatory requirements in the context of the specific facts presented and are not legally binding.

Developing Your Child's IEP. Learn about IDEA 2004 and the steps to writing an IEP from the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR).
Introduction
A. The IEP Process
B. The IEP Document
C. Deciding Your Child's Placement
D. Participating in the IEP Process<
Endnotes

More Topics

Last Revised: 10/18/21

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) - Articles, Law, Regulations, Cases, Frequently Asked Questions about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) from Wrightslaw

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You'll find articles, law and regulations, and tips about how to get quality services in your child's IEP on this page. You'll also learn how to use tactics and strategies to negotiate with the school. This page includes IEP cases, recommended books, and free publications about IEPs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
WJU Lesson Plan for Field Experience Final

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.ctc.ca.gov/
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/certificate+of+clearance/15b1f84bf4c09fe8

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Ways to Incorporate Music into Your Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A teacher librarian shares her best practices for tuneful teaching By Shannon McClintock Miller "Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." ~Plato One of the most important gifts we can give to our young children is a healthy foundation for lifelong learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When I first started teaching in 1998, I believed fervently that music education was as vital to each student's development as math, reading, science, English and history were, and I stand by that even more today. The constant drumbeat of "high-stakes testing, Common Core State Standards and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)" resounds off the educational walls of America. We are inundated with reports of America's failing education system and how we are slipping in the ranks of worldwide scholastic ratings. We demand that our educators prepare students to be independent thinkers, life-long learners and educated members of a democratic society who can work collaboratively, think creatively and live successfully in a fast-paced changing world in which 65% of the jobs these students will pursue have yet to be created.

Then we take students out of the classroom and we test them. And we test them again. And we test them yet again. We focus on aligning our lessons to the standards and to the test.

We strive to make sure our students score "Proficient." In doing so, I believe we lose our focus on what our students truly need. Yes, they must be prepared to problem solve, but they must also be independent thinkers capable of going beyond book learning to reach out and make contact with humanity. They must be prepared to adjust to life in an ever-changing world where tomorrow's discoveries will influence their lives greatly. They must understand the power of collaboration and realize that by working together they can achieve so much more. They need to feel that their contributions are worthy, and that they have the skills necessary to navigate through an unknown future.

In the micro-culture of my band room, however, today's current assessment-centered interpretation of education is altered. Students walk in, put cell phones away and take out instruments.

They discuss with their peers how their evening went last night and what the day might bring. They interact with each other on a human level. They sit down to warm up and they randomly get into groups to play songs together. Then rehearsal begins. We collaborate. We increase our literacy skills. We build upon our listening skills. We make musical decisions as an ensemble by studying the history of a piece and interpreting the many notes and symbols we see. We analyze phrases, melodies, harmonies and structures. We play and make mistakes. We fix them and we play again, and again, and again. We practice and dedicate ourselves to the team and not just to what notes are on the page, but to making music. My ensemble takes great pride in rehearsing the "slow pieces." Their goal, each and every time, is to make music more "musical." They want to reach out and touch the humanity in their audience and themselves. Therefore every day, they strive to do all of this better than the day before.

They understand that this does not happen by magic. They see that the strongest players are there because they have practiced repeatedly. They know that they have to learn their notes, rhythms and scales in order to be technically prepared to undertake whatever piece of music may be placed in front of them next. They know that they are leaders. They believe that as they build their own skills, they have a responsibility to share what they have learned with others around them. It is not unusual to have an upperclassmen request to work with a younger student in a practice room to help them learn a part. It's common to see older students assist the younger ones in cleaning the room after a rehearsal or performance. It is not surprising to see one student celebrate another pupil after a job well done, or give a high five after they finally are able to play that difficult passage. It is perfectly normal to see students preparing challenging music in order to pass an audition for a community or state-level ensemble. They want to make themselves and their world better.

Is this not what we strive for in our communities? Is this not what we wish our students to do throughout their lives? We want them to work hard, to become passionate, to always thirst for knowledge, to be diligent about constant improvement, to be human. We want them to contribute to the welfare of those around them-to recognize a need and step up to help. We wish for them to pursue their passion, share their joy and reach their goals.

This is why I believe that music education in our schools is so important.

If we continue forward with a focus on testing and noble, but misguided education reform, we will produce generations of children that can complete math problems and science labs but have no creative thinking skills, collaborative abilities or joy. Music MUST be a valued part of every child's education.

This is why I continue to teach in the manner I do. Why I arrange for master musicians to come and work with my students and why I guest teach at other schools. This is why I spend hours on researching music, ordering equipment and running rehearsals. I believe that the work I do pushes students to move beyond testing, math problems and science labs. I believe that what I do encourages students to connect to those subjects, their peers and the world around them in ways that will never be assessed on any test. I believe that music education-and for that matter, arts education-fills the gaps that our students fall into. I believe that through hands-on learning, through hard work, practice, repetition and passion that we can truly provide a child with all he or she needs to be successful.

As a nation, we have the responsibility to make sure our future generations are prepared for any opportunity that life may hand them. By keeping music education in our public schools, we continue to prepare students for these prospects. It is important that we remember this need as we strive to reform our schools, increase our standards and raise the goals for learning across the nation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When I first started teaching in 1998, I believed fervently that music education was as vital to each student's development as math, reading, science, English and history were, and I stand by that even more today. The constant drumbeat of "high-stakes testing, Common Core State Standards and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)" resounds off the educational walls of America.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Infusion of the Arts Appears to be Gaining a Stronger Foothold at a Time When Advocates Are Struggling to Ensure Time and Support for Their Disciplines

Photosynthesis may be an unlikely topic to inspire an opera or ballet, but in a 2nd grade classroom here recently, the children were asked to use dance to help them learn about that process.

"Do you think you're ready to use your whole body?" teacher Katie Wright-Sabbatino asked near the start of the lesson, which featured learning objectives in both science and dance.

Small groups of pupils in this class at Fort Garrison Elementary School brainstormed to come up with dance movements to convey elements of photosynthesis, including water, sunlight, carbon dioxide, and chlorophyll. They leaned, they reached, they flowed, sometimes with surprising grace.

The idea of integrating the arts, including dance, into the broader curriculum is not new, but it appears to be gaining a stronger foothold in public schools, proponents say, though national data are not available.

The growth comes as arts education advocates struggle to ensure adequate time and support for the arts in schools-whether music, visual arts, theater, or dance-amid the financial straits facing many districts and other challenges, such as pressure to boost test scores in core subjects like reading and math.

"It's a way of keeping arts in the classroom," said Laura M. Smyth, a senior associate at the Washington-based nonprofit Arts Education Partnership.

Instances of integrating dance, though apparently still quite limited, are scattered across the country, from public schools in Los Angeles and Reno, Nev., to suburban Minneapolis and the Baltimore County, Md., district, which includes Fort Garrison Elementary. And they span the curriculum, from science and math to social studies and English.

The lesson this month at Fort Garrison came out of a small, new program, dubbed Teaching Science with Dance in Mind, that provides professional development and support for several classroom teachers and dance specialists. The program was launched with the help of a $36,000 grant from Hands On Science Outreach, a Maryland-based nonprofit organization that recently closed its doors.

"We're addressing the science curriculum as required by the county and meeting the standards for dance education in a mutual learning experience," said Rima Faber, a longtime dance education expert who secured the private grant and directs the program. "The more we teach through dance integration, the more we realize how dynamically it brings deep and complex learning to children."

But Ms. Faber cautions that the growth of dance integration in schools is a long process.

"The impact of dance integration is gradually gaining recognition," she said, "but it has been a slow climb."

There's long been a concern among arts advocates about whether the disciplines that fall under their umbrella get enough time and attention in schools.

In an April speech, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan echoed the point.

"For decades, arts education has been treated as though it was the novice teacher at school-the last hired and first fired when times get tough," he said.

The issue seems especially pronounced in dance.

"We're the smallest of the four art forms," said Jane Bonbright, the executive director of the National Dance Education Organization, a nonprofit group based in Silver Spring, Md., that promotes education in the art of dance. "We're underfunded, and we are probably the least understood."

The most recent national data on dance education, dating back a decade, suggest that it's far less likely than music and the visual arts to be taught as an art form in schools.

A federal survey of public schools conducted in the 1999-2000 academic year found that dance instruction (not counting what takes place in physical education classes) was offered in only 14 percent of secondary schools, compared with 90 percent for music and 93 percent for visual arts. At the elementary level, dance was offered in 20 percent of public schools, according to the study from the National Center for Education Statistics.

New NCES data on the issue are expected out next year.

Movement for Meaning

Ms. Bonbright points to gains on the policy front for dance, especially the vast growth over the past two decades in the number of states, now 36, that offer a K-12 teaching credential in dance.

Another change, she said, is that dance, first introduced in schools mainly through P.E. programs, appears to be increasingly taught as an art form, which she argues is an important distinction.

"They are both valuable, but they must not be misunderstood one for the other," she said.

On its website, Ms. Bonbright's group says the "art of dance uses movement to create meaning about the human experience. It is far more than exercise or entertainment."

Arts education proponents suggest that studying the arts provides a variety of academic and social benefits to young people and can enhance students' ability to learn other subjects, including the development of skills in reading, language development, and math. It's seen as a powerful way to promote creativity and critical thinking, among other skills.

That said, the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, has found the overall research base regarding the impact of arts education on student outcomes in other subjects to be "inconclusive."

Research examining the effect specifically of arts integration on student achievement appears to show mixed results as well. For example, a 2007 research overview of studies from 2000 to 2005 suggested that while there are "many advantages" to arts integration, there was a "lack of strong empirical research" to support the notion that it boosts student achievement.

At the same time, the study in the International Handbook of Research in Arts Education, argued that focusing chiefly on standardized-test data is "misguided" and fails to fully capture cognitive gains and other benefits, such as improved student motivation.

The study said that for arts integration to succeed, it requires a strong commitment from classroom teachers and close collaboration with arts specialists, a point made by many dance advocates.

"You really need to have a dance specialist who knows what they're doing," said Ms. Bonbright. Effective integration, she said, should be done with "mutual support of both disciplines."

Ms. Bonbright points to a 2003 study of a program used in the Chicago public schools as a powerful example of integrated dance education's promise. The program, Basic Reading Through Dance, used visual and kinesthetic imagery to develop 1st graders' phonetic abilities, such as physically representing the alphabet symbols for sound combinations.

The study included a control group of pupils who did not participate, and it found "overwhelmingly positive" results for the participants' reading abilities.

'How Learning Should Be'

The lesson earlier this month at Fort Garrison Elementary School certainly appeared to engage pupils. The teachers involved were fired up afterwards.

"Seeing how it all jelled together, you could see the light bulbs going off," said teacher Jodi B. Cohen.

Principal Karen Harris also was enthusiastic. "This is how learning should be," she said. "It should be active, it should be engaging. It should use a variety of modalities. That's how we all learn."

Both new and long-standing examples of dance integration are also evident elsewhere.

In Minnesota, the Perpich Center for Arts Education, a state agency, has long promoted education in and through the arts, including dance. At a public school outside Minneapolis this month, an integrated dance program run by the center helped bring a lesson about the Underground Railroad to life.

"They're beginning to look at the idea of obstacles, how they can be represented metaphorically with the body," said Diane Aldis, the state dance education coordinator at the Perpich Center. "What is an obstacle [to freedom] the slaves might have encountered?"

An arts-integration initiative recently launched in Nevada's 63,000-student Washoe County district contains a dance strand. The Arts Infusion Project is backed by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Arts in Education program.

The goal was to create a "model program" for professional development in which classroom teachers are trained and coached by teaching artists to integrate standards based arts into other academic areas, said Rick Southerland, a visiting dance professor at Goucher College, in Baltimore, who is involved with the Nevada project.

Mr. Southerland said some teachers were a bit leery at first.

"Teachers are so stressed, adding one more thing" can be troubling, he said, "but once they got in there, they were just so excited."

The 672,000-student Los Angeles Unified School District has long offered dance both on its own and integrated across the curriculum as part of a larger arts focus, said Shana L. Habel, who works on dance programs in the district.

But dance recently took a hit as part of budget cuts.

"Last year, we had 60 full-time dance teachers," Ms. Habel said. "This year, we cut back to 43 teachers."

Ms. Habel said she sees integrated dance education as a powerful tool, but said she worries how it's used in some places.

"My concern is that integration doesn't just mean you can use surface connections. That's not true, authentic integration," she said. As an example, she cited "doing the Mexican hat dance ... during Latino heritage month."

"I would like to see the integration with dance become so rich and so deep that administrators ... say, 'Wow, we need that; we see what it's doing,' " Ms. Habel said.

Some dance education advocates confess to having mixed feelings about integrating dance with other subjects, as opposed to simply promoting its study as a discrete discipline.

But Mr. Southerland said that, given the pressures facing schools, flexibility is vital to help dance and other art forms get in the schoolhouse door or keep them there.

"If we want support, we have to get outside our own molds," he said, "talk to other educators, show them, 'This is how the arts help,' and support them."

Published in Print: November 17, 2010, as Schools Integrate Dance Into Lessons

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
Back to Top

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Schools Integrate Dance Into Core Academics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Photosynthesis may be an unlikely topic to inspire an opera or ballet, but in a 2nd grade classroom here recently, the children were asked to use dance to help them learn about that process. "Do you think you're ready to use your whole body?"

# data[].attributes.headline
Strategies for Effective Lesson Planning

# data[].attributes.subject
Strategies for Effective Lesson Planning

# data[].attributes.headline
10 Reasons the Arts are Important in Education

# data[].attributes.subject
10 Reasons the Arts are Important in Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Where have the arts in education gone? Over the past several years, we've all seen the trend of schools cutting the arts from their curriculum. Music, art, theater-gone for so many.

There's no doubt that the arts are fun for kids. Diving into those finger paints and making a beautiful picture to hang on the fridge is awesome. Acting in a play is exhilarating. But the arts also help kids develop on many fundamental levels.

Here are the top ten ways that the arts help kids learn and develop important characteristics they will need as adults:

1. Creativity. This may seem like a no-brainer, but the arts allow kids to express themselves better than math or science. As the Washington Post says: In an arts program, your child will be asked to recite a monologue in six different ways, create a painting that represents a memory, or compose a new rhythm to enhance a piece of music. If children have practice thinking creatively, it will come naturally to them now and in their future career.

2. Improved Academic Performance. The arts don't just develop a child's creativity-the skills they learn because of them spill over into academic achievement. PBS says, "A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate."

3. Motor Skills. This applies mostly to younger kids who do art or play an instrument. Simple things like holding a paintbrush and scribbling with a crayon are an important element to developing a child's fine motor skills. According to the National Institutes of Health, developmental milestones around age three should include drawing a circle and beginning to use safety scissors. Around age four, children may be able to draw a square and begin cutting straight lines with scissors.

4. Confidence. While mastering a subject certainly builds a student's confidence, there is something special about participating in the arts. Getting up on a stage and singing gives kids a chance to step outside their comfort zone. As they improve and see their own progress, their self-confidence will continue to grow.

5. Visual Learning. Especially for young kids, drawing, painting, and sculpting in art class help develop visual-spatial skills. Dr. Kerry Freedman, Head of Art and Design Education at Northern Illinois University says, Children need to know more about the world than just what they can learn through text and numbers. Art education teaches students how to interpret, criticize, and use visual information, and how to make choices based on it.

6. Decision Making. The arts strengthen problem solving and critical thinking skills. How do I express this feeling through my dance? How should I play this character? Learning how to make choices and decisions will certainly carry over into their education and other parts of life-as this is certainly a valuable skill in adulthood.

7. Perseverance. I know from personal experience that the arts can be challenging. When I was trying to learn and master the clarinet, there were many times when I became so frustrated that I wanted to quit. But I didn't. After practicing hard, I learned that hard work and perseverance pay off. This mindset will certainly matter as they grow-especially during their career where they will likely be asked to continually develop new skills and work through difficult projects.

8. Focus. As you persevere through painting or singing or learning a part in a play, focus is imperative. And certainly focus is vital for studying and learning in class as well as doing a job later in life.

9. Collaboration. Many of the arts such as band, choir, and theater require kids to work together. They must share responsibility and compromise to achieve their common goal. Kids learn that their contribution to the group is integral to its success-even if they don't have the solo or lead role.

10. Accountability. Just like collaboration, kids in the arts learn that they are accountable for their contributions to the group. If they drop the ball or mess up, they realize that it's important to take responsibility for what they did. Mistakes are a part of life, and learning to accept them, fix them, and move on will serve kids well as they grow older.

Is your student looking to become more involved in the arts? Not only do K12 online public schools offer their students art and music courses, K12 has individual art classes for purchase. For more information on K12 and our programs that encourage student involvement in the arts, you can contact our enrollment team at 877.895.1754 or request to receive more information online.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Reasons Why Arts in Education Is so Important for Kids - Learning Liftoff

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Where have the arts in education gone? Over the past several years, we've all seen the trend of schools cutting the arts from their curriculum. Music, art, theater-gone for so many. There's no doubt that the arts are fun for kids. Diving into those finger paints and making a beautiful picture to hang on the fridge is awesome.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
IAA is still a public school, but now parents from outside the North End can choose to send their kids there. "Parents are interested in the arts model, interested in a different approach," Riley said. The first year most kids still came from the neighborhood, but gradually the socioeconomic levels have evened out. Wealthier families are choosing to send their kids to IAA because of its program. Riley says the majority of students still walk to school -- it hasn't lost its sense of place in the community -- but now only about half the students qualify for lunch programs.

The program is also helping connect parents from immigrant communities to the school. "Art is a big part of many of their cultures, so I think they appreciate that experience," Riley said. "I think they like the community vibe of the school."
ART IS NOT EXTRA, IT'S INTEGRAL
Art is not a second thought at the Integrated Arts Academy (IAA). Instead, artistic learning goals are held up as equals to academic standards and teachers work hard to design lessons that highlight content through art.

"If you pick a subject area like science, social studies, math or literacy and you integrate it with an art form, what you do is connect the two and find ways to really integrate the two so they lean on each other," said Judy Klima, an integrated arts coach at IAA. An arts specialist co-plans and co-teaches alongside the general education teacher to help ensure academic learning is happening through an art form and visa versa.

For example, one third-grade science unit on leaf classification integrated visual arts into science. The teaching team used the close observation of leaves in science to teach about realistic versus abstract art. Students drew realistic drawings based on a leaf's edge pattern. Then they made abstract art based on the scientific qualities of the leaf.

"When you engage hands-on and you are creating your own learning, you are deepening your level of understanding about a specific topic," Klima said. In this case, students thought differently both about classification and characteristics, as well as about the differences between art forms.

Teachers rotate through visual art forms, music, dance and theater. One fifth-grade class came up with dramatic renditions of the Revolutionary War. They used the facts in their social studies curriculum to build scripts and then discussed the dramatic connections through volume, tone of voice and perspective.
TRANSITIONING TO AN ARTS FOCUS
The Integrated Arts Academy's success has come with a lot of hard work. "If you taught in a traditional method and then you come to arts integration, you have to change everything," Klima said. "You really have to understand creativity and that it's critical to students' understanding." While all IAA teachers were given the option to stay at the school when it became a magnet, some chose to leave.

"The classroom is a teacher's island," Riley said. "They have their students and their curriculum, teaching the way they teach. The arts integration really pushed us to collaborate. Opening up our practice and reflecting on it is a big part of what we do." He said that's not the norm at many U.S. schools. And that's why he knows the collaboration necessary to integrate arts into academics doesn't necessarily come naturally to many people.

In his role as school leader, Riley has focused on building up educators' capacity to effectively collaborate. "You can't just tell people to collaborate," he said. "You have to put the structures and skill-building in place." IAA has two teacher retreats a year where teachers create art and try out lessons together. It's a time for community-building and collaboration, a space for teachers to stretch themselves as artists, too.

The school has also formed strong partnerships with the arts community in Burlington, taking advantage of its expertise through artist-in-residency programs and in turn helping to create a more vibrant arts scene. They've even started bringing graduate students in from across the state interested to learn and practice arts-integration strategies. While only in its second year, Riley hopes the Art Connect program can help spread these ideas to schools where participating teachers land.
ART AS DIFFERENTIATING TACTIC
At Cashman Elementary School in Amesbury, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Peterson doesn't have the benefit of a schoolwide focus on arts integration to bolster her commitment to the practice. But she perseveres because she sees the approach making a difference for her fourth-grade students.

"I have to keep remembering and reminding myself that this is one of the best avenues to take. Because when kids are learning through the arts, they end up getting a deeper understanding and the concepts end up sticking much better," Peterson said. Her strong suit is music -- she used to teach piano. When she went back to the general education classroom, she thought music could bring some joy and creativity to the academics she taught.

Peterson might ask her students to listen to "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khachaturian several times, often during snacks or at another transition time. As a class they talk about the dynamics of the music, its tempo and instrumentation. Then students draw cartoons illustrating a story they've developed based on their interpretation of the music. Peterson asks students to develop a setting, plot and storyline, ultimately having them write out their story.

"They're definitely more invested because they're pulling from their own experience and it's their own interpretation," Peterson said. They write elaborate stories and then talk about the differences in each student's interpretation of the music.

"Arts integration seems to be the best form of differentiation out there because it taps into so many different interests and abilities and forms of learning," Peterson said. In the writing example, kids who hate writing happily develop complicated storylines and write pages upon pages of their own ideas.
WHY ISN'T ARTS INTEGRATION MORE POPULAR?
As with most deviations from what has been done in schools for hundreds of years, many teachers see art as secondary to the academic standards they must get through. Even Peterson said she feels that pressure, but she knows she can teach the standards through art in a way that also gives students some independence to stretch their creativity.

Arts integration can also be a hard model for teachers to buy into if they don't feel like they themselves are competent artists. "Art scares people who are not in the arts," said Michelle Baldwin, a lead teacher at the private Anastasis Academy, where art is central to everything done in the classroom. "If they don't have a lot of experience or don't feel like they are good at anything in the arts, it becomes a personal insecurity issue."

But she points out that teachers don't have to be experts to open up the door for students. There are experts willing to share their knowledge online, not to mention collaborations with local and state arts organizations to support this kind of work.

Elizabeth Peterson often feels out of her depth in visual arts, but that doesn't mean she discourages it in her class. "I'm not a very good illustrator, but if you bring it into your classroom, some of your students might be," she said. "Having an atmosphere of being open to various art forms is all your students need."

Despite calls for more art in schools, artistic ability often isn't recognized as a skill equal to computer coding or engineering by society. Many parents want their kids to study something that clearly leads to a stable job. Until the arts are held in high esteem, they will always come second in traditional schools, Baldwin said.

"Even if parents say they value the arts, they still have that ingrained industrial method of education that people have a hard time letting go of," Baldwin said. And, in her opinion, it's very hard to be creative within the narrow limitations of what traditional school and its standards ask kids to do. "You can't be creative when you are in a box, when you have no way to make your own choices and decisions," she said.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Integrating Arts Into Other Subjects Makes Learning Come Alive | KQED

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Several schools, including ones in high-poverty areas, are making art critical to the learning of more academic subjects. They're seeing remarkable student improvement as a result of arts integration.

# data[].attributes.headline
20 Formative Assessments to Use in Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
20 Formative Assessments to Use in Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We are always looking for a better glimpse inside our students brains. While we are never going to figure out the mysteries of the pre-teen or kindergarten mind, there are some tools to help us understand where they are in their learning journey. Below are 20 simple, quick, effective ways to check on your students and get some real information to plan instruction. As a bonus, kids get in on their own learning and goal setting!

1. Outcome Sentences - Use when you want to prompt a student to respond in a specific way (I learned..., I wondered..., etc.).

2. Conga Line - a great way to share ideas with different partners; two lines of students face each other, one line moves with same question or a new one.

3. Inner/Outer Circle - same as Conga Line except with circles, better for limited spaces

4. Headlines - after a lesson or lesson segment, have the student write a headline for an article about it. Distills lessons to main ideas and concepts.

5. PMI: Plus, Minus, Interesting - a matrix graphic organizer to chart class or individual thoughts

6. Pair-Share - activates prior knowledge or shares learned concepts with partners, can be timed

7. Paired-Squared - take two Pair-Share partners and share with another group of two

8. Jigsaw/Experts in Residence - each group becomes an expert on a certain part of the lesson, then debriefs the whole group

9. Modified Jigsaw/EiR - each group gets a topic within the whole, then has to compile everything they can on that one topic within the whole lesson

10. Affirmations - turn to a partners and give a positive statement, "I knew that!" or "Now I know!"

11. 3-2-1 - good closer: three points to remember, two things you liked, one question you still have. -MY FAVORITE!!!

12. Quick Write/Draw - Given a topic, students write and/or draw freely during a timed period

13. Gallery Walk - stations with information, participants can write on post-its or directly on the poster with thoughts, comments, or questions

14. Think-Write-Share - Same as pair-share, but gives students more time to organize their thoughts

15. Red Card/Green Card - Using red, yellow, and green cards, students can indicate their understanding of the presented material as it happens. (When presenting a particularly challenging technique or concept, I use these cards at each table for students to let me know if they are understanding. They can use them on their own at any time, or I might stop after a key point and ask them to use a card to represent their level or understanding.)

16. Beach Ball - Concepts are written on a beach ball. As a student catches it, they give a thought or clarify the concept closest to one of their thumbs

17. Admit/Exit tickets -Students demonstrate understanding in an appropriate way immediately upon entering or before exiting the room. "You exit ticket today is to write the title of your piece on the back." Or "Your admit ticket to our lesson today is to list three warm colors on the notecard at your table."

18. SOS- Students write a quick Statement, an Opinion based on the statement, and finally a Supporting piece of factual evidence.

19. Poll the Class- Use a simple show of hands, white boards, or even a clicker program, poll the class on foundational knowledge, opinions, or even where they are in their learning.

20. Grade Yourself- Have students give themselves an in-progress grade, then explain why their work is earning that grade. Give them explicit standards and relevant vocab to use in their explanation.

Is 'Formative Assessment' a buzzword at your school?
Name a few other formative assessments you've done to quickly check for understanding in the art room. We can't wait to hear your ideas!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Quick Formative Assessments You Can Use TODAY - The Art of Ed

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are always looking for a better glimpse inside our students brains. While we are never going to figure out the mysteries of the pre-teen or kindergarten mind, there are some tools to help us understand where they are in their learning journey. Below are 20 simple, quick, effective ways to check on your students ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By: National Center for Technology Innovation and Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd)

Adding creativity into students' daily schoolwork can sometimes seem like a daunting task. However, the synergy between the arts and academic learning is one that can be harnessed by students with disabilities, their teachers, and their schools as a way to integrate the arts into curricula to enhance student motivation, engagement, and learning. It is also an effective alternative mean of increasing academic achievement.

The arts offer important benefits for children with disabilities, including access to the general curriculum required by IDEA 2004, as alternative assessments for children with cognitive disabilities, and as alternative learning methods for English language learners (Sclafani, 2002; Hutinger, et al., 2005).

Through the arts, students gain self-confidence and self-esteem by expressing and exploring their identities, as well as communicating issues and personal reflections through alternative mediums of expression. Research has found that students at-risk for dropping out of school who participate in arts programs gain a more positive attitude about themselves and their future, increase academic achievement, and decrease delinquency. For students with disabilities in particular, the opportunity to be self-expressive and successful in an artistic medium can often diffuse or transcend the sense of isolation and frustration they may feel when working with their disability in daily life.

Today's technologies offer multiple ways to accomplish this in the classroom alongside already established curricula. This Information Brief will summarize some of the research pointing to the benefits of the arts for students with disabilities and offer a number of technology resources teachers, families and students can explore.

Benefits of the arts for students with disabilities

Schools that integrate the arts into their curriculum have discovered that the arts capture the attention of students and teachers alike. Research by The Lab School, a school that specializes serving children with learning disabilities, has found that the arts continually engage students with disabilities in observation, rehearsing, weighing, and judging - all of which are essential meta-cognitive tools for learning with which students with learning, behavior and attention disabilities often struggle. The arts also help students grasp concepts and make connections between academic subjects, such as math, English, and science. Research has made connections between the arts and academic achievement, particularly when it comes to three areas: listening to music and spatial-temporal reasoning; learning to play music and spatial reasoning; and classroom drama and verbal skills (Mason, Steedly, & Thormann, 2005). Teachers have noted that the arts provide a platform for individualized instruction, a key element in meeting the needs of diverse learners, as well as a way for teachers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of students to incorporate that knowledge into their teaching and classroom planning.

In both general education and special education populations, the arts have been found to:

Reach students in ways that they are not otherwise being reached;

Connect students to themselves and each other;

Transform the environment for learning;

Provide learning opportunities for the adults in the lives of young people;

Provide new challenges for those students already considered successful;

Connect learning experiences to the world of real work;

Enable young people to have direct involvement with the arts and artists (through "artists-in-residence" programs); and

Support extended engagement in the artistic process (Fiske, 1999).

These benefits, however, are only reaped when teachers are provided the professional development and support to learn how to integrate and fully involve the arts in the classroom (Fiske, 1999).

There are additional considerations for the role the arts play in influencing students' academic and social development. In a compendium of 64 educational studies, Critical Links (Deasy, 2002), several studies make the connection between the impact the arts have on academics for students with disabilities:

Drama develops higher order language and literacy skills as students act out historical or literary figures, they immerse themselves in a theme and can explore and learn about it in a personal way.

Music enhances language learning by teaching students about rhythm, pitch, and sound. Rhythm helps students learn rhymes and develop phonological awareness - components of reading. Repetitive songs help teach academic facts to be memorized (like the multiplication tables) and help make the learning experience easier and more enjoyable.

Fine Art experiences develop literacy, numeracy, and writing skills. Drawing and painting reinforce motor skills and can also be a way of learning shapes, contrasts, boundaries, spatial relationships, size and other math concepts. See the Learning Disabilities and the Arts article.

Implementing arts-oriented classroom technology is no different than working in any other kind of technology into the classroom. It is extremely important to involve knowledgeable teachers who can adapt their teaching to a learner-centered, creative process with other teachers, students, and families, and provide a classroom environment that has access to technology. In using technology for creative pursuits, teachers can introduce and reinforce concepts that have been previously introduced by more traditional teaching methods, and in doing so adapt the concepts to the various needs of all their students.

Many students with learning disabilities struggle to communicate their thoughts and feelings. They may have trouble finding the words or using language effectively. The visual arts, such as painting, drawing, music, and computer graphics, can give them a non-verbal way to express themselves and interact with other people. Computer graphics programs in particular can provide alternative avenues for creative expression, and when coupled with overall classroom software application, use and retention of knowledge and skills (through repetitive movement and software training, for example), can result in students retaining the ability and knowledge to use alternative input devices - often up to two full years after initial use, according to one study (Hutinger, 1998).

Combining the arts with technology can create new and exciting ways to keep students motivated and engaged in the learning process and the world around them. Teachers can help reduce learning barriers by working arts curriculum and technology into students' individualized education programs (IEPs) and the general curriculum.

As with all technology, it is of utmost importance that students with disabilities get the support they need to learn to use the tools and features of the technology. Many sites have tutorials that a teacher or parent can use to structure learning how to use the program. Other advice can be found on blogs and wiki's found by searching on the name of the program plus the word "help."

One of the benefits of digital or digitally-recorded art of all types is its ability to be shared far and wide. The literacy and language of critique that are involved in sharing with peers is valuable for students. A new report from the MacArthur Foundation on students' learning online demonstrates that the time youth invest in online collaborations of all types is time spent learning to communicate in the digital 21st century - that is, time well spent. (See this article on how new media can support students' writing and communication skills.)

Tools for integrating the arts with technology

So how do you integrate technology into the arts to positively influence student learning? There are many software programs available to families and schools to promote this kind of creative growth and which can be used to meet individual needs. Existing computer operating system may have programs that you have not tried yet such as Paint (Windows). Look for what you can do in your system with digital photographs to provide students a multimedia start with their art, check out MovieMaker in Windows and iMovie in MacOS iLife suite. Explore the popular GarageBand in Mac OS's iLife suite which includes a tutorial for learning guitar and piano as well as a recording and mixing studio.

There are also a host of free programs to explore. Find more by searching for your topic plus the words "free programs." Here are some to get you started:

Music

JamStudio (online)
With JamStudio, users can mix and create digital audio tracks to create their own music; the user interface is geared toward the rock and youth set.

Rock Our World
This online international project connects students from all over the globe to compose music, make movies and interact with each other in live video conferences.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kid's Site
This site, geared for elementary students, has a section for music teachers and for students. There are games and activities in music theory, history, and virtual instruments.

Fine Arts

ArtRage (Windows and Macintosh)
This is a fun, easy-to-learn program for experimenting with digital art with an easy-to-use interface.

ArtWeaver (Windows)
ArtWeaver features a number of natural media brushes and tools such as chalk, pencils, charcoal, oil paint, felt markers, crayons, airbrushes, acrylic, sponges, and pastels.

Deleter CG illust (Windows)
If you have a student who is into the Anime and Manga illustration style of Japanese comics, check out this program. There is a library of users' Event files to watch how the steps of an illustration become animation.

Destination Modern Art (online)
From the Museum of Modern Art, this interactive online website speaks to students about art - literally reading out the instructions, a help for students who do not read well. Students of all abilities can explore and use this site to learn about different interpretive ideas, practice vocabulary, learn how art is created, and much more.

SketchUp7 (online)
A free download from Google, this 3D design program allows users to create imaginary cities, buildings, or recreate existing ones. First created for architects, it is a powerful educational tool students can use as well.

The Art Zone (online)
Sponsored by the National Gallery of Art, this interactive site currently hosts 16 art programs that educate and engage students of all ages. Check out the new Photo Op program that teaches users about digital photography and photo manipulation tools.

TuxPaint (Windows, Macintosh, Linux)
This open source drawing program is a free download that works well on nearly all platforms, including slower or thinner (with less memory) machines.

Sites Devoted to Individuals with Disabilities in the Arts

Art Partners focuses on addressing learning needs through the arts for children with disabilities in urban schools in New York.

VSA Arts provides resources, materials, and events for people with disabilities who want to participate in the arts.
References
References

Deasy, R. (2002). Critical Links: Learning In The Arts And Student Academic And Social Development. Washington, D.C.: Arts Education Partnership.

Fiske, E.B., Ed. (1999). Champions Of Change: The Impact Of The Arts On Learning. Washington, DC: Arts Education Partnership. Retrieved from http://www.aep-arts.org/files/publications/ChampsReport.pdf?PHPSESSID=0e4f7a26023faf49c947b4e0403553bf

Hutinger, P., Johanson, J., Potter, J., & Schneider, C. (2005, March). Final Report: The Expressive Arts Outreach Project (2000 - 2003). Macomb, IL: Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood. Retrieved from http://www.wiu.edu/thecenter/finalreports/ArtFinalReport.pdf

Hutinger, P.L. (Ed.). (1998). The Expressive Arts Project. A Final Report For The Project Period October 1, 1992-November 30, 1997. (Research Rep. No. 1992-1997). Moline, IL: Western Illinois University, Macomb College of Education and Human Resources.

Ito, M., Horst, H., Bittanti, M., Boyd, D., Herr-Stephenson, B., Lange, P. G., Pascoe, C. J., & Robinson, L. (November, 2008). Living And Learning With New Media: Summary Of Findings From The Digital Youth Project. Chicago, IL: The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning. Retrieved from http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.4773437/k.3CE6/New_Study_Shows_Time_Spent_Online_Important_for_Teen_Development.htm

Mason, C., Steedly, K., & Thormann, M. (2005). The Impact Of Arts Integration: Voice, Choice And Access. Washington, DC: VSA Arts.

National Center for Learning Disabilities. (n.d.). Learning Disabilities And The Arts. New York, NY: Author. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Disabilities_Arts/

Sclafani, S. (2002, June). The "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB): A Review Of The New Federal Legislation And Its Implications For Arts Education. Presented at the meeting of the Arts Education Partnership, Chicago, IL.

A "Tech Works" brief from the National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) and the Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Integrating the Arts with Technology: Inspiring Creativity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By: National Center for Technology Innovation and Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd) Adding creativity into students' daily schoolwork can sometimes seem like a daunting task. However, the synergy between the arts and academic learning is one that can be harnessed by students with disabilities, their teachers, and their schools as a way to integrate the arts into curricula to enhance student motivation, engagement, and learning.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Balance of Technology in the Art Room

# data[].attributes.subject
The Balance of Technology in the Art Room

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Integrating the Arts with Technology: Inspiring Creativity | LD Topics | LD OnLine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn how art helps students with disabilities, and find resources to include art in the content areas you teach.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
technological pedagogical and content knowledge  tpack tpck

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn – any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!

# data[].attributes.headline
Technology in the Classroom Presentation

# data[].attributes.subject
Technology in the Classroom Presentation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
1-ESS1-1 Earth's Place in the Universe | Next Generation Science Standards

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted. [Clarification Statement: Examples of patterns could include that the sun and moon appear to rise in one part of the sky, move across the sky, and set; and stars other than our sun are visible at night but not during the day.]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Philosophies of Education: 2 Types of Teacher-Centered Philosophies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Spread the loveTeacher-Centered Philosophies are essential for the longevity of education and the continued influence of teachers in the classroom. In this article two teacher-centered philosophies will be reviewed which are essentialism and perennialism. Teacher-centered philosophies are those that transfer knowledge from one generation of teachers to the next.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Philosophies of Education: 3 Types of Student-Centered Philosophies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Spread the loveStudent-centered philosophies are another essential philosophy that educators should be aware of. By focusing on the needs of students, teachers are able to assist and teach students within the classroom ensuring a higher level of student success. In this article three types of student-centered philosophies will be discussed which are progressivism, social reconstructionism, and existentialism.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rubric Maker - Create custom assessments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create rubrics for your classroom projects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dan Finkel: 5 ways to share math with kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mathematics is not about following rules, it's about playing-and exploring, fighting, looking for clues, and sometimes even breaking things, according to Dan Finkel. In this playful, inspiring talk, the founder of Math for Love offers teachers and parents alike a five-step guide to sharing the beauty and playfulness of mathematical thinking with children.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) computer-based test will be administered as three separate subtests beginning June 7, 2021. Learn more about this update at the CBEST Assessment web page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) computer-based test will be administered as three separate subtests beginning June 7, 2021. Learn more about this update at the CBEST Assessment web page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
CalTPA is offered in the following credential areas*:

and the following Single Subjects:

Industrial and Technology Education

Mathematics

Music

Physical Education

Science

Social Science

Performance assessment consisting of two instructional cycles:

Instructional Cycle 1: Learning About Students and Planning Instruction

Instructional Cycle 2: Assessment-Driven Instruction

*Translations are NOT required for the following:

concurrent Bilingual Authorization candidates who are in a placement where a language other than English is exclusively used for instruction, or who are in a placement where both English and another language are used for instruction
NOTE: Analysis and reflection narratives must be primarily in English

candidates registered for the World Languages assessment

candidates using American Sign Language (ASL) in a classroom setting with students who are deaf or hard of hearing

For all other candidates who are not in a Bilingual Authorization placement, any evidence in a language other than English must be accompanied by a translation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CalTPA is offered in the following credential areas*: and the following Single Subjects: Industrial and Technology Education Mathematics Music Physical Education Science Social Science Performance assessment consisting of two instructional cycles: Instructional Cycle 1: Learning About Students and Planning Instruction Instructional Cycle 2: Assessment-Driven Instruction *Translations are NOT required for

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Candidates will access the CalTPA Assessment Guides, including directions, rubrics, templates, and a glossary, as well as the Assessment Materials Updates document, via their educator preparation programs. Candidates will also be able to download these materials in the ePortfolio system after they register for a cycle.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to our amazing Classroom Timer Section! We've decided to put our new fun timers, and timers for classrooms into a nice sub-section. These are great timers for children, or maybe meetings, or anything really.

They just add some extra fun to the usual countdown timers :-)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A range of fun timers! Great for the classroom, or meetings. Bookmark some new educational materials today! All Free, all for download.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When it's time for math facts practice, do you automatically reach for the flash cards? That's one classic way to learn, but it's not very exciting, and some kids just don't respond to it. That's why we're big fans of these new ways to get in some math facts practice. The games, activities, and crafts here are ideal for reluctant learners and lots of fun for everyone!

1. Put together egg halves

This is a quick hands-on way to practice math facts. For more excitement, try hiding the egg halves and letting kids hunt for them before they match them up!

Learn more: Homeschool Preschool

2. Roll and multiply

This is like a simpler version of Yahtzee, and it's a cool way to practice multiplication. If you use two dice instead of one, kids can practice their facts up to 12.

Learn more: What We Do All Day

3. Compete at Multiplication Squares

If you've ever played Dots and Boxes, this will look familiar. Players roll two dice (try these polyhedral dice to expand the facts in play), and draw a line to connect two dots next to the answer. If they complete a box, they color it in with their own marker.

Learn more: Games 4 Gains/Multiplication Squares

4. Get Four in a Row

This free printable is completely editable, so you can use it for any type of math facts practice. Kids choose a problem and give the answer. If they get it right, they cover it with their marker. When they get four in a row, they win!

Learn more: Fun Learning for Kids

5. Try "Sticky Math"

Don't confuse Sticky Math with timed tests. The goal is just for kids to complete as many problems as possible in a set amount of time, then work to beat that record each time.

Learn more: Lucky Little Learners

6. Face off in Dice War

Dice games are fantastic in the classroom! With this one, kids practice their addition facts and get a little work with subitizing too. The concept is so simple: Each player rolls the dice and adds up their numbers. The highest sum wins that round. Use this game for subtraction and multiplication too.

Learn more: Miss Giraffe's Class

7. Assemble math-facts grab bags

Fill a variety of bags with collections of small objects. Kids grab a handful from two different bags, then count and add up the results. Be sure they write it all down to get practice at setting up equations. (Also, try this with subtraction and multiplication facts.)

Learn more: Susan Jones Teaching

8. Play Shut the Box

This game has been played for hundreds of years, but it's a fun and sneaky way to practice addition facts fluency! The goal is to "close" each of the numbers in the box from one to nine by rolling the dice. For instance, if a player rolls 11, they may close 1, 2, 3, and 5, as these add up to 11. If no numbers are available to add up to the dice total, play passes to the next player and continues until someone finally "shuts the box" by closing the last available number. You can play this game as people have for centuries with a specially designed box. You don't need the box, though; simply have kids write out the numbers 1 through 9 and cross them out as they play.

9. Play Math Facts War

Each student flips two cards, then adds them (or subtracts, or multiplies). The person with the highest total keeps both cards. For a tiebreaker, flip another card! See more rules at the link.

Learn more: Math Facts War/Creative Family Fun

10. Turn an egg carton into a problem generator

Using an egg carton, have students write the numbers 1 through 12 in the bottom of each depression. Place two marbles inside the egg carton and close the lid. Shake the egg carton, open the top, and then add, subtract, or multiply whichever two numbers the marbles have landed on.

Learn more: The Unlikely Homeschool

11. Assemble a domino puzzle

Dominoes are perfect for math facts practice! Keep it simple by pulling a domino from a bag, then adding, subtracting, or multiplying the two numbers.

For even more fun, print the free puzzles at the link below. Then start filling in the puzzle one piece at a time by placing a domino that adds up to the number shown in each rectangle. The trick is that regular domino rules still apply, so each number must touch another domino with the same number on that end.

Learn more: Games 4 Gains/Domino Math

12. Circle math facts in a Number Search

These number search puzzles are harder than they look! First, kids complete the addition facts. Then, they search for those equations in the puzzle. Get three free puzzles at the link, where you can purchase more if you like them.

Learn more: The Sprinkle Topped Teacher

13. Use flash cards to play Fifteen in a Row

When it comes down to it, flash cards are still one of the best ways to practice fact fluency, but a game can at least make them more fun. The goal is to lay out 15 flash cards in a row by the total of their sums (or differences, products, or dividends), from smallest to largest. Learn how it's played at the link.

Learn more: The Measured Mom

14. Make a math-facts practice wheel

All it takes is paper plates, glue, and a marker to help your students learn their math facts. Up the fun factor by having students decorate their plates any way their imagination can dream up!

Learn more: Math Facts Wheel/Creative Family Fun

15. Whack a ball to subtract

You know your elementary math students are going to love this! Build your own whack-a-mole 10-frame with a shoebox and Ping-Pong balls. Then, have kids whack the balls to practice their subtraction facts. So fun!

Learn more: Planning Playtime

16. Get a jump on your math facts practice

Lay out a grid like the one shown that has the answers to whatever set of math flash cards you're currently working with. (This teacher used masking tape; you could also do sidewalk chalk on the playground.) Two players face off, one on each side of the board. Show the flash card, and kids race to be the first to jump to the correct square with both feet inside the lines. Get all the rules at the link below.

Learn more: Teaching and Tapas

17. Run a flash card race

Tape a series of flash cards to the floor and challenge kids to see who can correctly make their way from start to finish the fastest. They can call out the answers or write them down, but they have to get it right before they move on. Kids can race side by side or work independently to beat their own best time.

Learn more: There's Just One Mommy

18. Draw Waldorf math facts flowers

This is a creative way to teach math facts. Start by drawing the center of a flower and write any number from 1 to 9 in the middle. Next, draw 12 petals around the center, labeling them 1 through 12. Last, draw another 12 petals and write the sum or product of the center number and the petal adjacent to the new petal.

Learn more: Multicultural Motherhood

19. Catch a math beach ball

Beach balls are so much fun in the classroom. Scribble numbers all over one with a Sharpie, then toss it to a student. Wherever their thumbs land, they add (or subtract, or multiply) those two numbers together before tossing the ball to the next student.

Learn more: There's Just One Mommy

20. Practice facts by stacking cups

We're not sure why, but kids simply love stacking cups. Label yours with math problems and answers, then have kids build pyramids and towers galore!

Learn more: The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

21. Design an outdoor board game

Draw a winding path and fill the spaces with math equations. Kids roll the dice and move from space to space (have them jump, skip, or twirl to mix things up). If they get the answer right, they move to the new space. If not, their turn is over. Customizable math games like this can be used at any level.

Learn more: Look! We're Learning

22. Compete at math bingo

Math facts bingo is so easy to set up and play! Give kids empty grids and ask them to write various sums, differences, products, or quotients, depending on what you're working on. Then call out math problems and have them cover the answers. First to fill in a row wins!

Learn more: Happy Go Lucky

23. Play math facts checkers

Label a checkerboard with math facts. Play checkers as usual, following the traditional rules. The twist is, you must solve the math problem you land on!

Learn more: Teach Beside Me

24. Change your students' names (temporarily)

This is so clever! Grab some name tags and write math facts on each. Give a tag to each of your students. For the remainder of the day, everyone will refer to one another by the answer to the equation on their tag (e.g., the student with the name tag that says 7×6 would be referred to as "42").

Learn more: Mr. Elementary Math

25. Match up math facts

Play Memory (also called Concentration) with math facts. Get free printable cards at the link for addition facts to get you started.

Learn more: Playdough to Plato

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
25 Easy Ways to Make Math Facts Practice Fun and Effective

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When it's time for math facts practice, do you automatically reach for the flash cards? That's one classic way to learn, but it's not very exciting, and some kids just don't respond to it. That's why we're big fans of these new ways to get in some math facts practice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The first day of school is quickly approaching for many of our Georgia school districts, and in an effort to help teachers and students overcome their first day jitters, we have added even more activities to our popular icebreaker blog!

Icebreakers may seem trivial but they can assist with building meaningful relationships with students. Jennifer Gonzalez wrote a wonderful article outlining a four-part process for getting to know your students and lists breaking the ice as the first step to creating a comfortable environment where students aren't afraid to ask questions and take academic risks. Below are some icebreakers that can help you establish an encouraging, educational environment where students thrive.

Establish a collaborative, cooperative learning environment on the first day of school with Marooned. Place students into groups of five and tell them that they are stranded on a deserted island. Explain that they must select five items from their personal belongings to help them survive and that each member of their group must contribute one thing. Give them about ten minutes to dig through their book bags, purses, or pockets to select necessary items. Then, have each group stand and explain what they selected and how each object is essential to their survival.

2. A Great Wind Blows
A Great Wind Blows may ease the fears of younger children who are anxious about starting their first day of school. Arrange your classroom chairs in an inward facing circle and have everyone sit in a chair. There should be one less chair than students. Stand outside of the circle and say the phrase "A great wind blows for everyone who..." and fill in the statement with a characteristic that students may have in common. Any student that identifies with that particular characteristic must stand up and move to a different chair. Every time someone gets up, a chair is removed. Any child that cannot find a chair will step outside of the circle and help the teacher think of phrases for the remaining players.

3. Six Word Story
Make students describe their summers in a complete sentence using only six words. Have them switch papers with a classmate that has to add a comment comprised of only six words. It may appear easy but it's a lot more difficult than it seems.
4. #I'm Awesome
Take a gigantic piece of butcher paper and tape it to the wall. Once students enter the classroom, hand them a marker and have them think of 2-3 hashtags that describe themselves. Allow them to write their hashtags on the wall and explain them to the rest of the class.
5. Blobs and Lines
This easy icebreaker from Cult of Pedagogy is sure to get everyone moving, conversing, and discovering their similarities. Simply ask students to line up in a particular order (by birthday, height, etc.) or gather in blobs based on something they have in common (favorite color, movie, number of siblings). Not only does this activity keep students engaged, you get to learn more about them. It also provides them with a sense of belonging. You can have them gather and line up as many times as you would like and you can even join in to see how much you have in common with you pupils.
6. The "What Am I?" Game
Modify the game of Pictionary by handing children sticky notes and letting them write down their favorite artist, movie, or athlete. Next, tell them to find a partner and to describe what they wrote down without using words. If their partner guesses correctly, the partner receives a point. If their partner guesses incorrectly, the actor receives a point. Have them find new companions three or four times.
7. Something's Not Quite Right
Education World has a host of icebreakers that have been tested by educators. One that aids younger students with observation skills is called Something's Not Quite Right. Before school starts, create chaos in your room by purposely misplacing a few items. This could mean that one of the numbers on your number line is out of place, a word is misspelled on the bulletin board, or that the date is incorrect. On the first day of school give students an observation sheet, place them into groups, and have them explore the room looking for abnormalities. Once they've had enough time to observe the room, discuss their findings in a whole group setting.

8. Classroom Scavenger Hunt
Instead of finding misplaced items, send children on a scavenger hunt around the room. This may help them take note of where key functional items such as the pencil sharpener are located. Make sure you require a description of the items you are asking them to find.
9. Snowball Fight
Have students write at least two identifying facts about themselves on a plain sheet of paper. Afterwards, everyone should gather in a circle, crumple their sheets of paper, and throw them in a pile inside the circle. Students should scramble to pick up a new paper and take turns reading the identifying characteristics. When someone recognizes his/her paper, they should raise their hand and elaborate on what they wrote.
10. Time Capsules
Create individualized time capsules on the first day of school. Fill them with pretests taken that week or personal letters about what they plan to accomplish throughout the school year. Letters can include expectations, clubs they would like to join, and desired grade point averages. You can even take pictures of your students on the first day, print them out, and place them inside the boxes. On the last day of school, distribute their time capsules and allow them to see how much they have learned, grown, and accomplished in one year. Younger students can complete handouts that ask about their favorite color, food, and book. It is amusing to see how their interests change over time.

Mrs. B from Texas came up with an excellent way to get her students to cooperate using index cards. First, place your students into groups of four or five and have them discuss their likes and dislikes. Then, give them each approximately 30 index cards and have them label each card with one thing they have in common. Next, have them create towers out of the index cards that are at least 10 inches in height. Challenge them to compete against the other groups in the classroom. You can even give the team with the tallest tower a prize!

Photo Courtesy of the pensivesloth.com

This STEM activity from the Growing a STEM Classroom encourages team building and critical thinking. It can also serve as an introduction to the scientific method. Explain to your students that Fred the worm is stranded on top of his boat in the middle of the ocean. Your students' job is to rescue Fred without touching him, his boat (the cup) or his life preserver (the life saver). The only things they can use to save Fred are the four paper clips provided. Mrs. Mastriana has posted an instructional guide and worksheet to accompany this activity. You can find them .

The Marshmallow Challenge works well with middle and high school students. The materials you will need include: 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. Break your students into groups of four or five and have them build the tallest structure that can support a marshmallow on top.

Getting-to-Know-You Bingo really gets students moving and learning about one another. Give each student a bingo card with different descriptive sentences in each square. Tell students to find a different individual that fits the description and have them write their name in that specific box. Once a student has collected a name in every box of their bingo card, they should call out, "Bingo!"

The Cup Challenge establishes teamwork in the classroom by requiring your students to move a group of cups from one place to another using only a rubber band and string. Jaclyn Sepp has done an excellent job of explaining the necessary materials and instructions. You can find those .

Photo courtesy of mssepp.blogspot.com

This exercise by Grahame Knox helps students learn interesting and unique facts about one another. After having your students stand in a circle, take a ball of yarn and hold on to the end of the string while throwing the ball to another student. Ask this student a question such as "If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?" Once they have answered the question, have them toss the ball of yarn to another student and ask them a question. When all of your students have gone, explain that the web they created represents the uniqueness of your classroom and that their participation makes the classroom a special place for learning and creativity.

If you are looking for a way to combine vocabulary and teambuilding, then Letter Scramble is for you. Divide your students into groups and give them letters that make-up a word or words. Then, have them figure out what word (or words) their letters create. Providing hints can give students insight on the correct word they are creating. If the words are from a book they will be reading, you may want to give them a copy of the book and direct them to the page the word can be found on as well. Rulin' The Roost takes it a step further by providing additional rules that incorporate segmenting and blending. She also provided a copy of the letters she used for her first grade class.

Another activity by Grahame Knox allows you to create your first classroom story by having all of your students participate in creating a tall tale. Begin by having all of your students stand in a circle. Next, start the story with a sentence such as "Yesterday, I went to the zoo and was passing the elephant enclosure when SUDDENLY..." Then, have all of the students add on to the story ending it with the word SUDDENLY. The story will become more and more hilarious as students add on to the previous sentence.

Combine cooperative learning and creativity by placing your students into groups and giving them "mystery bags." Give each group a bag with a description of what they are required to build using the materials found in their bag. Watch their creativity flow as they attempt to figure out how to master the challenge! Christie Burnett has put together some excellent mystery bag engineering challenges in her blog Childhood 101 . I encourage you to look at these for inspiration!

Picture courtesy of Childhood101.com

Inviting students to help decorate your room sends the message that they are welcomed and that their opinion is valued. Simply designate a wall to them, place them in groups and give them markers and a piece of chart paper. Have them come up with one common goal that they would all like to accomplish in your class and summarize it in one word. Next, have them write the word in huge letters on the chart paper. Make sure that all of the groups have different goals from one another. Once all of your students are finished, hang these on the designated wall and explain to your students that they are all responsible for making sure they all achieve their goals by the end of the school year!

Do you have any icebreakers that you like to incorporate at the beginning of the year? Share with us on Twitter or Facebook!

Have a great school year!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The first day of school is quickly approaching for many of our Georgia school districts, and in an effort to help teachers and students overcome their first day jitters, we have added even more activities to our popular icebreaker blog!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
12 Phonics Activities for Kids Learning to Read

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching your child to read can be tricky when you don’t necessarily know what to do first and phonics activities are hard to come by.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Assessing Students

Effective teachers know they need to keep their eyes on three aspects of instruction: the product, the process, and assessment. In other words, what they teach, how they teach it, and how they know whether or not students learn and understand. They design specific and unique methods of instruction depending on several factors, including student needs and curriculum objectives. They also develop differing assessments, tests, quizzes, observations, and other methods of determining what a student knows.

How do they do this? You probably remember taking tests and quizzes when you were a student and still encounter them today. Whether it's an online quiz to determine insurance eligibility or an end-of-chapter test for a course, assessments are tools to determine understanding of specific criteria. Classroom teachers use several methods to assess students, including one called direct observation. Ever hear of it? Let's take a closer look.

Defining Direct Observation

Teachers use two methods to assess students: formal and informal. Formal assessments, such as paper-pencil tests, standardized tests, and classroom quizzes all have specific criteria to determine student understanding and use data to report results. When a student takes a social studies test, the teacher knows the correct answer for each question and scores the answer right or wrong. The overall grade is then used to determine student understanding.

Informal assessments do not use data and are meant to assess process as well as content. They are typically completed by teachers watching students performing a task, such as reading a book, asking questions, or working on a problem. If a teacher wants to understand what strategies a student is using to decode and comprehend, a running record can be taken, observing the student reading and recording strategies and the results of using them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
using direct observation to assess student learning - video & lesson transcript | study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using Direct Observation to Assess Student Learning - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Effective teachers know they need to keep their eyes on three aspects of instruction: the product, the process, and assessment. In other words, what they teach, how they teach it, and how they know whether or not students learn and understand. They design specific and unique methods of instruction depending on several factors, including student needs and curriculum objectives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
formative assessment examples - - Yahoo Image Search Results

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sometimes it's all about the little things. And every teachers know a little thing like no-name papers sure can be a pesky timewaster.

When this question came up in our Christian Teachers' Lounge Facebook group, I knew these ideas needed to be shared.

Some ideas may work better than others depending on your situation. So find an idea or two that resonate with you & go for it!

13 Ways to Get Students to Write Their Names on Their Papers

Ask students to touch their name. About two minutes into an assignment, stop and ask students to touch where they wrote their name on their paper. - Jennifer F.

Alternate ideas:

*Have students put a star (or other symbol) by their name. Change the symbol each time so they have to stop & check for their name. - Nicole C.

*Ask students to raise their hand if their table mate has their name on their paper. - Sara B.

1. Have students circle their name in green, yellow, or red. Andrea B. recommends having students circle their name in green if they understand the concept and are confident about it, yellow if the assignment was hard but they're pretty sure they got it, and red if they need help or struggled. (I love this idea! It totally kills two birds with one stone because you not only ensure their name is on the paper but you can also quickly see who needs help.)

2. Have students highlight their name before turning their paper in. Simple, effective, but I love the previous idea more. 🙂

3. Deduct points. Simply deduct a point or two if there is no name on the paper. - Catelyn M.

4. Give stickers. In primary grades, walk around the room and give each student a sticker when their name is on their paper. - Lisa M.

5. Throw away no-name papers. Elizabeth M. says that she simply throws away any no-name papers. Students can find their paper in the recycle can or redo the assignment. (At first this sounded a bit harsh to me, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to expect older students to be responsible in this area. It's a natural consequence.)
Halyna M. has a fun twist to this. When she finds a no-name paper she announces "I've found another paper for the recycle bin - one less for me to grade!" Typically the kid hurries to fish it out and correct the mistake.

1. Record a zero in the gradebook and keep a file of no-name papers. If the last idea seemed too harsh, then try this: record a 0 in the gradebook then put the no-name paper in a file. Students who notice they've received a 0 can find their paper in the file & turn it in for credit (or partial credit). - Catelyn M.

2. Post a sign where students turn in papers. Post an obvious sign that says "STOP! Did you write your name on your paper?" - Catelyn M.

3. Post no-name papers on the wall. Students must walk over & claim their papers. - Heather W.

4. Use a "name check" call-and-response. If you use whole brain teaching, your students will totally get this one. Say "name check" and have the students repeat it back to you out loud three times while they check for their name. - Hannah S.

5. Ask a student to check for names. When passing in papers, have a student check papers for names before the stack goes on your desk. Charlotte H. takes this technique one step further by assigning team captains who collect papers, check for names, and turn in papers to her. She immediately checks for no-name papers & hands any back to the team captain to find who them belongs to.

6. Walk around and check. Simply walk around the room while students are working on an assignment and check for missing names. (This might be especially worthwhile during tests or quizzes.)

7. Emphasize name AND date. Elizabeth H. notes that since she spent time at the start of the year teaching students to write the name and date on their paper, she has fewer students forget to write their name.

So try these tomorrow & you'll never have to deal with a no-name paper again (that's a realistic promise, right? 😉

But, seriously, if you want more procedure ideas, check out our newest training: 50 Classroom Procedures that Will Save Your Sanity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
13 Smart Ways to Eliminate No Name Papers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Subscribe to the Teach 4 ﻿the﻿ Heart Podcast. Sometimes it's all about the little things. And every teachers know a little thing like no-name papers sure can be a pesky timewaster. When this question came up in our Christian Teachers' Lounge Facebook group, I knew these ideas needed to be shared.

# data[].attributes.headline
Questions to Help You Get to Know Your Students

# data[].attributes.subject
Questions to Help You Get to Know Your Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wish you understood your students better? Here's twenty questions that will help you get to know them.

We all know how important strong relationships are to successful teaching. But in order to build strong relationships, we need to understand how our students thinkand why they make the choices that they do.

Often we think we know what student's going on in our students' heads, but we could be way off. And when we're off, students can tell. They bemoan that we don't get them (because, let's be honest, we don't!), and any advice we give tends to fall flat.

We get frustrated. Our students get frustrated. And it all becomes a big mess.

So how do we remedy this? By actively seeking to understand our students. By getting to know not just their school persona but who they really are. This includes their background and home life, but possibly more importantly, their innermost thoughts and feelings that include their hopes, dreams, fears, and anxieties.

Because when we start to understand what drives them, we begin to appreciate them as a unique individual, and our relationships blossom.

And when challenges arise, we can talk about the real issues and address their true thoughts, motivations, and fears, rather than the ones we thought they had.

hOW TO GET TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS

So we're back to the question of how. How do we get to know our students' innermost thoughts and feelings? Things they might not even quite be able to put into words themselves.

As we discuss in Beyond Classroom Management, the key is to be intentional. Look for opportunities to observe, notice, and ask good questions. And always be seeking to understand how your students think, what motivates them, what frustrates them, what they're worried about, etc.

But while observing and casual conversations are important, they're also easy to forget about in the busyness of the day. That's why a more intentional approach can be immensely helpful.

And that intentional approach could be writing.

`Now, no, I don't care if you teach math. Student writing can enrich both your classroom and curriculum, no matter what you teach.

I share some of my favorite ways to incorporate writing here, but one of the easiest forms is exit slips. Rather than wasting the last couple minutes of class, have your students answer a quick question and turn it in on their way out.

These exit slips can often include academic questions like "tell me one thing you learned today" or "what's one thing you're still wondering about today's topic?" But you can also intersperse questions that help you better understand how your students think. Questions like these....

WRITING PROMPTS TO HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR STUDENTS

1. What's one thing you wish you could change about this class? Why?

2. Describe one thing that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment. Explain why.

3. What was your first impression of this class?

4. What's your least favorite part of school? Why?

5. Share a favorite memory you made with a family member.

6. What's one thing you wish I knew about you?

7. What's your biggest dream in life?

8. What's one thing you wish you could change about our school? Why?

9. What's one thing that you worry about?

10. What's the best book you've ever read? Why did you like it?

11. What's your family's religious background? Does it match your personal beliefs?

12. If you could pick one person (dead or alive) to have lunch with, who would it be? Why?

13. Describe your relationship with your parents/guardians.

14. Describe a lesson you learned when you faced something difficult.

15. What's one thing that makes you feel happy?

16. Describe something that annoys you.

17. Who is someone you consider a hero in your life? Why?

18. If you could live anywhere, where would you live? Why?

19. Who is someone you consider a friend? What do you like most about him/her?

20. Describe one of your favorite [insert holiday] traditions.

BONUS: The Student Opinion section of The New York Times' website offers thought-provoking prompts based on current articles. Some of them are pretty great! Check back regularly for current topics here: ​ www.nytimes.com/column/learning-student-opinion

And if you'd like to discover more strategies for how to connect with your students and build stronger relationships consider joining us in Beyond Classroom Management. In this course, you'll learn strategies to help you create a classroom culture where, rather than constantly butting heads, you and your students actually work together to accomplish amazing things. Click here for more details about our Beyond Classroom Management course.

spread the word!

Did you find this post helpful? Clue in your fellow teachers by sharing the post directly (just copy the URL) or by clicking one of the buttons to automatically share on social media.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Questions to Help You Get to Know Your Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wish you understood your students better? Here's twenty questions that will help you get to know them. Subscribe to the Teach 4 ﻿the﻿ Heart Podcast. We all know how important strong relationships are to successful teaching. But in order to build strong relationships, we need to understand how our students think and why they make [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Social-emotional learning has taken on a new level of importance as schools and districts adapt to meet the increasingly complex needs of students. SEL informs how educators approach culture, climate, management and discipline, and how they deliver the supports needed across schools and districts. There are many aspects to creating a robust system of supports that ensures schools and programs in the district not only speak the same language, but also have a shared understanding of resources and expectations for success.

The community contributes

A year ago, our district partnered with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health to train staff on trauma-informed practices. Small teams of educators from seven schools learned to better understand the impact that adverse childhood experiences have on students. We now recognize the impact that trauma and certain disciplinary actions have on students' decision-making.
This training now includes all 52 schools in the district. School-based teams have served as leads in providing hands-on support for their colleagues.

Another partnership in the tiered support system is telehealth services for parents and students in a rural area of the district. In the district's urban center, the United Way provides health services, job training and related assistance to families to help boost student attendance and academic success.

Each school has created a mentoring or support program for students who may need additional interactions with positive, caring adults. One of the most important resources for assisting schools with this work is the partnership with community and state agencies, as some issues can be greater than districts and schools alone can handle.

We recognize the impact of trauma not only in students' decision-making and actions, but also the impact certain disciplinary actions may have.

New views on behavior

As a district with a poverty index over 74 percent, we needed to equip all of our certified staff with classroom strategies to cope with the neurological impacts of poverty and the associated trauma. Administrators and teachers now understand the science behind certain student behaviors, and how educators can create a healthier social landscape.

Over the past two years, the district has aligned programming and other activities in a tiered and strategic approach to SEL. School communities are different, but their ultimate goals are engaging students and staff, maintaining a positive school climate with high expectations, and ensuring that students know that caring adults work in every building.

That said, we had to look systemically at the approach to certain aspects of SEL. We revised the student code of conduct so that level 1 offenses (minor infractions) now lead to activities such as mediation, community service and restorative justice, as well as training and information sessions for parents. At the elementary and secondary levels, schools now have the ability to tailor level 1 interventions to meet the needs and circumstances of the student.

A big difference

We are in the early stages of aligning the many steps and activities required to be a trauma-informed district, as it relates to meeting the social-emotional needs of our students. Trauma-informed practices are an important tool embedded in our SEL activities and our tiered support mode of operation. We find that these activities and training make a big difference as we strive to improve outcomes, options and opportunities for all students in the district.

Craig Witherspoon is the superintendent of Richland County School District One in Columbia, South Carolina.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DA Op-Ed: SEL takes center stage | District Administration

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social-emotional learning has taken on a new level of importance as schools and districts adapt to meet the increasingly complex needs of students. SEL informs how educators approach culture, climate, management and discipline, and how they deliver the supports needed across schools and districts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A question popped up in one of my classes last week about cultural accommodation: "Dr. L, how much should we acknowledge or accommodate our students' cultures in our classroom or school? How do ELLs learn to function in the new culture if they're constantly living in the old one?"

This must be on the minds of many teachers, because I came across two different studies via Education Week: one about how prior school experience is one of the largest predictors of the success that refugees will (or will not) encounter in a school setting, and the other about how important it is that teachers adapt to the culture of their newcomer students. Fellow TESOL blogger Nathan Hall also provided some ideas for helping ELL students acculturate to a new context, as well. While not every ELL is a refugee or a newcomer, both of these studies and Nathan's blog support the answer that I gave in class, which supported the necessity of including culture in the language classroom for both students and teachers. For TESOL teacher educators, though, I think there is one more step that teachers should take, and that is to go so far as to integrate students' culture and background knowledge into your instruction to be more effective.

In one approach to culturally-inclusive education, González, Moll, and Amanti (2013) stress the importance of using students' , which are created by the out-of-school life experiences that students have. For example, it may be tough for a beginning ELL to express his knowledge of fractions, but he may be well-versed in portions and ratios as he helps his parents cook. Thus, it isn't that he doesn't understand fractions; he might not understand them as presented in a book, but is well aware of the concept in real-life. A math teacher who is aware of this would try to incorporate more of the familiar context to support the classroom learning.

It seems the more we know about the role of students' funds of knowledge, the more important they seem to be. Even if you are working with English learners in a foreign language, rather than a second language environment, drawing upon your learners' life and cultural experiences as they learn language can strongly impact their language learning. In addition, if you're a teacher trainer or teacher educator, teachers' life experiences and beliefs should also be taken into account, as Johnson (2006) put forth in her discussion of the sociocultural turn in L2 teacher education. Teachers who are learning how to teach in a preservice university setting, as well as in-service teachers with their own career experiences, have their own funds of knowledge that effective teacher educators will account for as they facilitate coursework, professional development, and reflection.

Some practical ways of beginning to learn more about your students' cultures and funds of knowledge, in addition to web-based research, are:

conduct home visits;

have students create photo essays of a typical day or weekend in their home/family life;

have students create a collage of hobbies/pastimes;

interview your students/students' families;

invite guest speakers from various linguistic communities to share traditions, celebrations, or slices of daily life;

attend public events in your students' communities;

host an event at your school where students and families can contribute food and/or music; and

advertise events from your cultural community that students/families might enjoy.

Then, don't stop there-challenge yourself or the teachers that you work with to take that cultural knowledge and integrate it into teaching via texts and activities that place language and content in contexts that tap into those valuable funds of knowledge.

Feel free to add ways that you've integrated funds of knowledge into your language teaching in the comments below!
Reference
González, N., Moll, L. C., & Amanti, C. (Eds.). (2013). Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms. Routledge.

Johnson, K. E. (2006). The sociocultural turn and its challenges for second language teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 40, 235-257.

About Kristen Lindahl

Kristen Lindahl holds a PhD in linguistics with a specialization in L2 teacher education from the University of Utah. She is currently assistant professor of bicultural-bilingual studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she teaches pre-service ESL/TESOL educators at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Dr. Lindahl has taught K-12 and college ESL, and actively pursues consulting and coaching teachers of English learners in public and English language schools around the globe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A question popped up in one of my classes last week about cultural accommodation: "Dr. L, how much should we acknowledge or accommodate our students' cultures in our classroom or school? How do ELLs learn to function in the new culture if they're constantly living in the old one?"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Please [contact us](https://www.ted.com/contact) and let us know what happened.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) computer-based test will be administered as three separate subtests beginning June 7, 2021. Learn more about this update at the CBEST Assessment web page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) computer-based test will be administered as three separate subtests beginning June 7, 2021. Learn more about this update at the CBEST Assessment web page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Educators have long recognized the importance and applicability of critical reflection across a wide range of educational settings, yet in practice it remains a challenging and nebulous concept for many to firmly grasp. In education, the concept of reflection dates back to the work of John Dewey (1933), who defined it as "active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusion to which it tends" (p. 9). Dewey was the first to point out that experience alone does not constitute learning; instead, a conscious realization must occur for the experience to become a source of learning.

In examining the depth of reflection, Rogers (2001) made an influential and careful study and synthesis, while Peltier, Hay, and Drago (2005) put forward a way to evaluate different levels of reflective thinking, which include habitual actions, understanding, reflection, and critical reflection (refer to Weimer, 2012). Yet the void of ecologically valid classroom-based research on incorporating reflection to improve student learning has left teachers largely on their own when it comes to creating opportunities for reflection in their courses.

Reflection is, however, intrinsically linked to metacognition and self-regulation, where there is ample evidence as to their importance to learning (e.g., Bartimote-Aufflick, Bridgeman, Walker, Sharma, & Smith, 2016; Chen, Chavez, Ong, & Gunderson, 2017; Lang, 2012). Through reflection, learners develop their ability to integrate the insights they gain into their learning/life experience so that they can make better choices and improve their learning (Rogers, 2001). The end goal, self-regulated learning, as defined by Hadwin (2008), involves "the deliberate planning, monitoring and regulating of cognitive, behavioral and affective or motivational processes towards completion of an academic task" (p. 179).
Overcoming student resistance
As educators, many of us have probably been asked to reflect in writing on our learning experiences or have asked our students to engage in written reflection. Reflection has been one of the most commonly used pedagogical tools by teachers and teacher-educators across a wide variety of disciplines ever since the ancient Greek philosophers first identified it as a way of learning. Yet anyone who has attempted to implement reflection in his or her teaching will have encountered learner resistance.

Prior to a reflection task, I have often asked my students to candidly share their thoughts about engaging in reflection. While few are naturally reflective or drawn to such thinking processes, most learners have expressed that they feel genuinely uncomfortable talking about themselves and/or are reflecting simply to fulfill an assigned task. Some also confess that they are inclined to overstate their learning in order to cast a positive light on what they got out of a particular learning episode. In most cases, learners rarely move beyond the tip of the iceberg; instead they tend simply to describe habitual activities or what they did in a task or course. This is also common across disciplines, more perceptible in some than in others.

Presented here are three simple ideas you might like to consider that have worked well for me during my years of researching learner reflection and integrating it into my classrooms. Hopefully they may prompt your students to move beyond surface-level "reflection" to a position where they don't consider integrating the reflection component a waste of time.

1. Begin reflection where the learners are. Have a quick open discussion to clarify assumptions and expectations about how learners perceive reflection so that you can minimize a likely potential mismatch between your expectations and your students' preconceived notions about what engaging in reflection entails. If you intend to encourage your students to engage in regular reflection, their first few entries will usually provide some clues about their individual depth of reflection. Make use of their experiences in the learning process to help them anticipate the reflective process and see the benefits of reflection beyond learning; this can encourage openness and engagement in the reflection task. Remember that reflection tasks do not have to be onerous (Anderson, 2017)-attend to individual needs and preferences (see points 2 and 3) and make them manageable (e.g., assign shorter tasks, with guidance if needed), goal specific (i.e., focus on the purpose of the reflection), and time-based (i.e., ensure a narrow time lapse between the event and the reflection) for optimal reflection.

2. Provide scaffolding to suit your learners' reflective continuum. Some of your students will naturally be more adept than others at engaging in reflection. For those who need some guidance, use a few guiding questions drawing on the 5 Rs: recalling (e.g., recalling an episode/event), recapturing (e.g., capturing the emotions, accomplishments, and challenges), relating (e.g., relating what was recalled to previous personal experiences), rationalizing (e.g., understanding the patterns or learning from experiences to create meaning from past events), and redirecting (e.g., engaging in purposeful thinking directed towards future actions).

Alternatively, I have used in my teaching and research the following simple figure, which builds on the revised Bloom's taxonomy (Anderson et al., 2013) to help learners explore beyond the tip of the iceberg and develop depth of reflection. Having learners use their first reflective entry to analyze the level(s) of reflection they engaged in, using either method, is also a great awareness-raising activity.

3. Give learners the freedom to experiment with different modalities of reflection. Over the years, I have received some of the most amazingly thoughtful and critical reflections from learners who used mediational means other than writing. Be open to other modalities of reflection; my students' audio recordings of individual or pair/triadic spoken reflections, video recordings of individual or pair/triadic spoken reflections, and video-stimulated individual or pair reflections (i.e., videotaping an activity and then replaying the recording as a stimulus to elicit thoughts regarding the task performance) have led to some of the most moving, memorable, and insightful personal discoveries.

Alternative modalities have provided my students distinct dialogical pathways to thoughts and feelings that might have been difficult to identify via the traditional means of individual written reflection. The commonly held perception that reflection must be done in solitude or in writing merits reconsideration. Over the past nearly two decades, I have discovered there is no single path for learners and instructors to achieving the goal of reflective learning. The process of reflection must take account of individual preferences and affective variables.

Reflecting on our own thoughts is an integral part of human existence, but the inductive nature of reflection means that the outcomes of learning through reflection are often not immediately discernable to learners. Critical reflection takes time and much hard work, but seeking methods that foster learning how to learn through reflection is key to self-regulated learning. As Rogers (2001) once said: "Perhaps no other concept offers . . . as much potential for engendering lasting and effective change in the lives of students as that of reflection" (p. 55).
References
Anderson, J. (2017). A Stanford researcher's 15-minute study hack lifts B+ students into the As. Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/978273

Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., Airasian, P., Cruikshank, K. A., Mayer, R. E., Pintrich, P. R., . . . & Wittrock, M. C. (2013). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives (abridged edition). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education.

Bartimote-Afflick, K., Bridgeman, A., Walker, R., Sharma, M., & Smith, L. (2016). The study, evaluation, and improvement of university student self-efficacy. Studies in Higher Education, 41(11), 1918-1942.

Chen, P., Chavez, O., Ong, D. C., & Gunderson, B. (2017). Strategic resource use for learning: A self-administered intervention that guides self-reflection on effective resource use enhances academic performance. Psychology Science, 28(6), 774-785.

Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the education process. Boston, MA: D. C. Heath.

Hadwin, A. F. (2008). Self-regulated learning. In T. L. Good (Ed.), 21st century education: A reference handbook (pp. 175-183). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Lang, J. M. (2012, January 17). Metacognition and student learning. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/sclBC

Peltier, J. W., Hay, A., & Drago, W. (2005). The reflective learning continuum: Reflection on reflection. Journal of Marketing Education, 27, 250-263.

Rogers, R. R. (2001). Reflection in higher education: A concept analysis. Innovative Higher Education, 26(1), 37-57.

Weimer, M. (2012). Four levels of student reflection. Faculty Focus. Retrieved from http://www.facultyfocus.com/?p=31829
Dr. Li-Shih Huang, Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, Department of Linguistics, University of Victoria, BC, Canada. She is also the recipient of the 2014 Humanities Teaching Excellence Award.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Three Ideas for Implementing Learner Reflection

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Educators have long recognized the importance and applicability of critical reflection across a wide range of educational settings, yet in practice it remains a challenging and nebulous concept for many to firmly grasp.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Hillary H. Steiner, PhD, and Stephanie M. Foote, PhD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using Metacognition to Reframe our Thinking about Learning Styles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Helping students discover who they are as learners and how learning works can create opportunities for deeper and more integrative learning to occur.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On the first day of class, I often say something like this to my students: "Nothing floats my boat more than great discussion. Nothing promotes great discussion like having completed the readings. And nothing promotes completing the readings like having points attached to it."

Encouraging students to complete the course readings is an age-old problem. When I was a graduate student, Douglas Sprenkle, now a professor emeritus at Purdue University, used a primary and secondary reaction discussion format that inspired thrilling class discussions. Years before discussion boards, Professor Sprenkle divided the class into two groups that alternated between serving as primary and secondary reactors to weekly readings. Primary reactors were the conversation starters, required to e-mail the class a critical reaction to weekly readings (what we liked, did not like, agreed with, and disagreed with) no later than 24 hours prior to class time. Secondary reactors were to read the readings and the primary reactions and then come to class prepared to continue the conversation with statements like these: "In their primary reactions, Beth and Miguel both mentioned X. My thoughts are this ____ but a question I have for the group is ____ ."

I have since used Sprenkle's primary and secondary reaction format via discussion boards in dozens of small (i.e., with fewer than 20 students) on-campus and online courses-simply adjusting the length and complexity of the readings and the primary reaction (250-400 words) to suit the course level. Sometimes students alternate being primary and secondary reactors for each set of readings; sometimes they are both primary and secondary reactors for the readings-meaning that they must all post online before class, read each other's postings, and then continue the conversation in class.

However, making this approach work in large classes was much more challenging. How could I use the primary and secondary format in classes of 100 students? With the help of some excellent teaching assistants, I now have a reaction discussion format that I have used in more than 25 large classes. Here's how I do it:

1. First, I divide the class into discussion groups of 5-7 members and assign 2-4 relevant readings for each reaction discussion, with 6-8 reaction discussions over the course of the semester.

2. In their groups, students sign up for two primary and two secondary reactions. If there are eight reaction discussions over the course of the semester, students earn points for four of them and simply participate in the other four. For each reaction, the discussion groups typically have two members who post primary reactions that week and two members who are secondary reactors that colead the small-group discussion. Not all students in the group are motivated by points to do the readings each week, but I find that if more than half complete the reading, this is enough to create a rich, small-group discussion.

3. Primary reactors are charged with beginning the conversation by posting their critical thinking about the readings no later than 24 hours before class (this is guided by the questions that I post for each reading). Primary reactors are also asked to post questions they would like the secondary reactors to consider bringing to the small-group discussion. Secondary reactors are asked to use their own thinking about the readings, as well as questions and ideas from the primary reactors, to develop a written outline of at least seven key points or questions that they use to lead or co-lead their 15-20 minute small-group discussions. During the in-class discussion time, teaching assistants visit each group to ensure that secondary reactors have written outlines in front of them, which they then turn in at the end of the discussion.

4. Once the small-group discussion is complete, I ask one secondary reactor from each group (or I randomly pick half of the groups) to share one interesting thing their group discussed. Thus, in a class of 100, I typically have 10-15 speakers sharing questions or thoughts that arose in their small-group discussions. As each secondary reactor stands and shares with the class, I paraphrase what he or she says and tie it into other related comments that I have read in the primary reactions or heard in class discussion groups. I also may extend the comments shared by the secondary reactors with related research. If my previously posted questions for the readings are not fully covered by large-group discussion, I pose them to the class and offer my own thoughts.

5. Last, we send frequent reminders. Prior to each reaction, a teaching assistant sends out three e-mails. The first goes to the entire class, reminding them of the reaction readings and my questions to consider for each reading. The second is sent to the assigned primary reactors, reminding them to post on the course website no later than 24 hours prior to class. A final e-mail goes to the secondary reactors, reminding them to come to class with an outline and prepared to lead a discussion on the readings.

In addition to promoting critical thinking and motivating students to complete the readings, this approach enables students form deeper connections with the material and one another, despite the large class size. An added bonus for me is that I am more aware of students' preexisting knowledge and can tailor my lectures as needed.
Ashley Harvey is an associate professor and a senior teaching faculty member in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Colorado State University.
© Magna Publications. All rights reserved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
An Activity That Promotes Engagement with Required Readings, Even in Large Classes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On the first day of class, I often say something like this to my students: "Nothing floats my boat more than great discussion. Nothing promotes great discussion like having completed the readings. And nothing promotes completing the readings like having points attached to it." Encouraging students to complete the course readings is an age-old problem.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"To love the past may easily be an expression of the nostalgic romanticism of old men and old societies, a symptom of loss of faith and interest in the present or future."
- E. H. Carr, What is History?

When I walk into a college classroom these days it is as quiet as libraries used to be. Every head is bowed and every thumb is scrolling away on a screen. There are few, if any, conversations between students. No one looks up until I take attendance. When the class is over the students depart as silently as they came. Even if they are drifting in the same direction, they rarely talk to one another. It's almost impossible to catch the eye of a student walking toward me and, if I break the spell with a cheery "Hello!", there is a startle reflex that reveals the depth of the self-isolation.

In one of his most famous essays, Michel Montaigne says, "To my taste the most fruitful and most natural exercise of our minds is conversation. I find the practice of it the most delightful activity in our lives." He likens a good conversation to vigorous sparring, his "strong and solid opponent will attack me on the flanks, stick his lance in me right and left; his ideas send mine soaring." There is joy in the friction of ideas, a closeness made possible by an unspoken willingness to play up and higher than one's own level of thought. "In conversation," says Montaigne, "the most painful quality is perfect harmony."

Montaigne's essay, "The Art of Conversation," is a primer for civilized and vigorous conversation. It should be read and reread, taught at the high school level, and carried about in one's pocket. I would be delighted if it were read into the Congressional Record, but its good-natured guidelines would be obliterated or simply ignored. We don't know how to talk with one another about things that matter.

"You cannot teach a man that which he thinks he already knows," said Epictetus, a Stoic philosopher who taught humility as a prerequisite to learning. Epictetus (55-135 A.D.) was striking at the arrogance that prevents us from even considering unfamiliar ideas. Today his words would be shrugged off: we make no claim to know but we know where to look it up-and that's the end of it. No need to look elsewhere; the goal of education has become to simply tag what comes up in response to a query. Decades of teaching to the test and demanding quantifiable results have taught our students to take the quickest route to the first answer that presents itself on Google.

Montaigne, who positively reveled in being contradicted by another because "he is instructing me," wouldn't have known what to do with humility in conversation. "My thought so often contradicts and condemns itself that it is all one to me if someone else does so, seeing that I give to his refutation only such authority as I please." Montaigne didn't need to give up anything in order to learn from another, especially not pride, because what mattered to him in conversation was the diligence in finding the truth, no matter where it came from.

If Montaigne were here today, I would take issue with him about conversation and communication. Especially as it concerns conversation in schools and universities, I would ask him to look farther back and deeper down to the seed of learning, which is curiosity. Actually, come to think of it, Epictetus' call for humility first could be set aside if only the student had curiosity.

In learning through curiosity, there is no need to curb one's arrogance first. If we are truly curious, then arrogance plays no part in thwarting us in the pursuit of truth. Curiosity is the engine of learning: without it we wouldn't be clothed, sitting at our computers, able to tap into the world's knowledge at the touch of a screen. But finding the facts is only the beginning for the curious learner. Curiosity isn't satisfied with just the facts, but hungers for meaning, context, and application beyond the immediate problem. Curiosity is the air that the sciences breathe, but it's the heart that beats within the humanities.

I suspect that what generates even the briefest conversation among strangers is curiosity about what another is experiencing and feeling and thinking. Surely, it's curiosity that could break through our ear-budded walls and lure us into conversation about . . . anything. Within the classroom, it's curiosity that would go beyond the facts to ask not only how and where, but when-and most importantly-why. I do not see that kind of curiosity very often.

Recently, as I left a class in which the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the life's work of one of his mentors, Myles Horton, was the subject of discussion, and in which only one student commented, asked questions, and generally showed the fire of curiosity, I decided I was not angry or frustrated or wounded or even nostalgic. I was wistful for the leap and thrust and joyful friction of real conversation.
Barry Casey teaches philosophy and ethics at Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C. He also teaches public speaking at Stevenson University in Maryland.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"To love the past may easily be an expression of the nostalgic romanticism of old men and old societies, a symptom of loss of faith and interest in the present or future." - E. H. Carr, What is History? When I walk into a college classroom these days it is as quiet as libraries used to be.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There's a lot to be gained from considering ideas and arguments at odds with current practice. In higher education, many instructional practices are accepted and replicated with little thought. Fortunately, there are a few scholars who keep asking tough questions and challenging conventional thinking. Australian D. Royce Sadler is one of them. His views on feedback and assessment are at odds with the mainstream, but his scholarship is impeccable, well-researched, and logically coherent. His ideas merit our attention, make for rich discussion, and should motivate us to delve into the assumptions that ground current policies and practices.

To continue reading, you must be a Teaching Professor Subscriber.
Please log in or sign up for full access.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Challenge to Current Grading Practices

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There's a lot to be gained from considering ideas and arguments at odds with current practice. In higher education, many instructional practices are accepted and replicated with little thought. Fortunately, there are a few scholars who keep asking tough questions and challenging conventional thinking. Australian D. Royce Sadler is one of them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I discovered some good literature on the student entitlement topic while preparing for the Magna Online Seminar program I'm presenting later today. Among the content areas addressed in the literature are: what entitlement is, what attitudes and beliefs are indicative of it, what's causing it, whether it's a recent phenomenon, how it can be measured, and what those measurements reveal. But something crucial is missing: how should faculty respond. Some sources offer hints, but I did not find any good, substantive advice. This post then is an attempt to start the conversation and to invite your insights and suggestions for dealing with these troublesome attitudes and beliefs.

To continue reading, you must be a Teaching Professor Subscriber.
Please log in or sign up for full access.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Should We Respond to Student Entitlement?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I discovered some good literature on the student entitlement topic while preparing for the Magna Online Seminar program I'm presenting later today. Among the content areas addressed in the literature are: what entitlement is, what attitudes and beliefs are indicative of it, what's causing it, whether it's a recent phenomenon, how it can be measured, and what those measurements reveal.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As I contemplate my syllabi for a new semester, I possess renewed hope for students eager to discuss anything at 8 a.m., yet I have taught long enough to know that I will simply appreciate clean clothes and brushed teeth. As reality sets in, I add to my grading criteria an element that I hope will encourage engagement from even the most timid learners.

Often labeled "participation points," this topic has been explored from myriad perspectives in any number of books and articles published in the last 20 years. Some approaches to participation include using discussion to facilitate teaching and learning, implementing standard-based grading to eliminate participation points, or creating rubrics for participation to make standards visible to the students.

Here I must acknowledge that my 8 a.m. courses are usually populated by freshmen; many of these students, educated during the NCLB era and fresh from standardized tests and state-mandated EOCTs here in Georgia, struggle to adjust to rigorous college expectations. Most can't comprehend or articulate our expectations for participation and thus often don't participate fully.

And here's the rub-first-year students often don't know why engagement is important either in their classroom or their learning. They've yet to learn that participation is an investment in themselves. We know that engaged learners are active learners, but how do we help our students shift from grade seekers to knowledge seekers? Even college students need to be reminded that they are building intellectual and personal skills that will serve them well in all future professional and personal endeavors.

In order to help students become aware of the need for a new level of academic performance, let's change our own strategies concerning participation points.

Use a new moniker

Instead of participation points, call them engagement points

The goal is to move students from grade seekers (passive regurgitation of information-written or verbal) to knowledge seekers (independent, engaged learners who see, reflect on, and share their thoughts on the complexity of problems/situations)

Balance preparation and participation

Engagement = Preparation + Participation

Create opportunities for students to share homework or research

Make homework vital to class conversation and student learning, not simply a formative check preceding a summative assessment

Share and review your Engagement Rubric from Day 1 (below is a version of the rubric I created for my 2000- and 3000-level students)

Make the balance of preparation and participation part of your classroom routine in independent daily writing or group work by encouraging students to reference their notes and research.

Students must score themselves against the Engagement Rubric

Metacognitive exercises help students understand their responsibility in their own learning

Make this a quick two minute monthly activity

Repetition allows students to reacquaint themselves with the desired behavior

A monthly check allows you to praise, schedule conferences, or recommend tutoring while the semester is still salvageable.

Engagement Rubric

Exemplary Preparation

I read carefully and research background information on the author/topic ahead of time.

I research social, cultural, historic, economic, political connections to the text/topic.

I consider the course's Essential Questions as I prepare.

Animated Participation

I attend class and I speak daily.

I try to advance the conversation by presenting evidence to support my ideas.

I present related research, implications, or complexities in the text/situation/topic.

I am occasionally engaged

Novice Preparation

I read assignments ahead of time.

I do basic research to understand the material, but I do not go beyond the obvious.

Sometimes I consider the course's Essential Questions as I prepare.

Occasional Participation
I attend class daily.
I speak occasionally-mainly when called upon by the professor.
Sometimes I present general evidence to support my position.

I'm not sure how to be engaged; I need some direction

Inadequate preparation

Sometimes I do the reading.

I don't research to understand the material, nor do I go beyond the obvious.

Inadequate participation

My attendance is inconsistent.

I participate only when prompted.

No Preparation

I neither read nor research before class.

No Participation

My attendance is inconsistent.

I do not speak in class.

Recognize quiet learners (during and after class)

Accept e-mail responses from quiet students

Accept reflective e-mails-after class discussion has occurred

Ask permission to share their ideas (with attribution) in the next class session

Re-direct garrulous students who don't full engage with the content

Reinforce preparation by encouraging "talkers" to support their ideas with research, articles, quotations from the text as hand, homework, etc.

Engaged students are agents in their own education. Of course, the sole responsibility for engagement mustn't fall squarely on the students' shoulders; professors can prepare the classroom and create daily activities to support knowledge-seeking, engaged students. Take a look at your syllabi and lesson plans to ensure that you provide opportunities for students to share their preparation, research, and new knowledge gleaned, even early in the morning.
Dr. Stephanie Almagno is a professor of English at Piedmont College, Demorest, GA.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Participation Points: Making Student Engagement Visible

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As I contemplate my syllabi for a new semester, I possess renewed hope for students eager to discuss anything at 8 a.m., yet I have taught long enough to know that I will simply appreciate clean clothes and brushed teeth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Student success should be a teacher's number one priority. For some students, success will be getting a good grade. For others, it might mean increased involvement in class. You can help all of your students attain their full potential, regardless of the way they measure success. Following are eight strategies that you can employ to help students succeed.

Set High Expectations

Cultivate an academic environment in your classroom by setting high, but not impossible, expectations for your students. Push students to achieve higher standards and they will eventually get there-and along the way, offer lots of praise. Some may take more time than others, but all students want to be told, "You're smart and you're doing a good job." Give high school students college material to read and tell them, "This story/book/math concept is taught in first-year colleges around the country." Once the students tackle and master the material, tell them, "Good job students-I knew you could do it."

Establish a Classroom Routine

One of the key ways to help young children behave at home is to create an effective and consistent schedule for them to follow. Without this type of structure, young children often end up misbehaving. Secondary school students are no different. While classroom procedures often take a bit of time and effort to implement at the beginning of the school year, once established, they create a structure that will allow you to focus on teaching rather than handling disruptive issues.

Classroom management should also become a part of the daily routine. If rules have been made clear from day one, rules and consequences are posted throughout the classroom, and you consistently tackle any and all problems as they arise, students will fall in line and your classroom will run like a well-oiled machine.

Practice the 'Daily Fives'

Do the same opening activity during the first five minutes of class and the same closing activity the last five minutes so that students know, "OK, it's time to start class, or, "It's time to get ready to leave." It could be something as simple as having students get out their classroom materials and sit at their desks ready to begin at the start of class and putting away their materials, sitting down and waiting for the bell to ring at the end of class.

If you are consistent with your daily fives, it will become second nature to your students. Establishing routines like this will also help when you need to get a substitute. Students don't like to deviate from the established norms and will become advocates in your classroom to make sure things run smoothly.

Continually Grow in Your Profession

New ideas and research that can enhance your day-to-day teaching become available yearly. Keeping up with the latest information through online forums, workshops and professional journals can make you a better teacher. This will lead to increased student interest and greater success. In addition, teaching the same lessons each school year can become monotonous over time. This can result in uninspired teaching. Students will definitely pick up on this and become bored and distracted. Including new ideas and teaching methods can make a huge difference.

Help Students Climb Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid

Bloom's taxonomy provides teachers with a great tool that they can use to measure the complexity of homework assignments and exams. Moving students up Bloom's taxonomy pyramid and requiring them to apply, analyze, evaluate and synthesize information will result in an increased use of critical thinking skills and a greater chance for authentic learning.

Bloom's Taxonomy can also help you move students from a basic understanding of concepts to asking more complex questions like: "What happens if?" Students need to learn how to go beyond the basic facts: who, what, where and when and question the world around them. They should be able to explain their answers as to why they feel a certain way about a concept, posit changes they would make and explain why. Climbing the Bloom's Taxonomy ladder can help students do just that.

Vary Your Instruction

When you vary teaching methods, you provide students with a greater opportunity to learn. Every student has different strengths and weaknesses. Instead of just focusing on one method that only appeals to a single learning style, varying your teaching techniques allows you to cater your lessons to different learning styles. Students will be more successful if they are not bored.

For example, instead of lecturing for an entire 90-minute class, do 30 minutes of lecture, 30 minutes of work-involving as much music, videos and kinesthetic movement as possible-and then 30 minutes of discussion. Students like it when you change things up and they're not doing the exact same thing every class period.

Show That You Care About Every Student

This might seem obvious, but every year, do a gut check concerning the students in your class. Are there any students you have written off? Are there students who are difficult to reach or who just don't seem to care? Students can sense your feelings about them, so be very careful with your own beliefs.

Regardless of your personal feelings, it is important that you work with each of your students to ensure their success. Be excited with them. Act like you want to be at work and you're happy to be there and see them. Find out what their hobbies are, take an interest in their personal lives and try to incorporate some of that into your lessons.

Be Transparent and Ready to Help

How to succeed in your class should be easy for all students to understand. Provide students with a syllabus at the beginning of the year that explains your grading policies. If you assign a complicated or subjective assignment such as an essay or a research paper, give students a copy of your rubric beforehand. If students participate in science labs, ensure that they understand exactly how you will be grading their participation and their work.

For example, if you just toss a C- on an essay but you haven't edited it or explained why the student got that grade, your student has no buy-in and will likely put little effort into the next assignment. Make students check their grades frequently, or provide them with printouts so they're constantly aware of where they stand in your class. If they've fallen behind, meet with them and create a plan to usher them toward success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Teaching Practices That Can Help Students Succeed

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Helping students grow and succeed is the goal of every teacher. This article looks at 8 things that you can do to foster student success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A question popped up in one of my classes last week about cultural accommodation: "Dr. L, how much should we acknowledge or accommodate our students' cultures in our classroom or school? How do ELLs learn to function in the new culture if they're constantly living in the old one?"

This must be on the minds of many teachers, because I came across two different studies via Education Week: one about how prior school experience is one of the largest predictors of the success that refugees will (or will not) encounter in a school setting, and the other about how important it is that teachers adapt to the culture of their newcomer students. Fellow TESOL blogger Nathan Hall also provided some ideas for helping ELL students acculturate to a new context, as well. While not every ELL is a refugee or a newcomer, both of these studies and Nathan's blog support the answer that I gave in class, which supported the necessity of including culture in the language classroom for both students and teachers. For TESOL teacher educators, though, I think there is one more step that teachers should take, and that is to go so far as to integrate students' culture and background knowledge into your instruction to be more effective.

In one approach to culturally-inclusive education, González, Moll, and Amanti (2013) stress the importance of using students' , which are created by the out-of-school life experiences that students have. For example, it may be tough for a beginning ELL to express his knowledge of fractions, but he may be well-versed in portions and ratios as he helps his parents cook. Thus, it isn't that he doesn't understand fractions; he might not understand them as presented in a book, but is well aware of the concept in real-life. A math teacher who is aware of this would try to incorporate more of the familiar context to support the classroom learning.

It seems the more we know about the role of students' funds of knowledge, the more important they seem to be. Even if you are working with English learners in a foreign language, rather than a second language environment, drawing upon your learners' life and cultural experiences as they learn language can strongly impact their language learning. In addition, if you're a teacher trainer or teacher educator, teachers' life experiences and beliefs should also be taken into account, as Johnson (2006) put forth in her discussion of the sociocultural turn in L2 teacher education. Teachers who are learning how to teach in a preservice university setting, as well as in-service teachers with their own career experiences, have their own funds of knowledge that effective teacher educators will account for as they facilitate coursework, professional development, and reflection.

Some practical ways of beginning to learn more about your students' cultures and funds of knowledge, in addition to web-based research, are:

conduct home visits;

have students create photo essays of a typical day or weekend in their home/family life;

have students create a collage of hobbies/pastimes;

interview your students/students' families;

invite guest speakers from various linguistic communities to share traditions, celebrations, or slices of daily life;

attend public events in your students' communities;

host an event at your school where students and families can contribute food and/or music; and

advertise events from your cultural community that students/families might enjoy.

Then, don't stop there-challenge yourself or the teachers that you work with to take that cultural knowledge and integrate it into teaching via texts and activities that place language and content in contexts that tap into those valuable funds of knowledge.

Feel free to add ways that you've integrated funds of knowledge into your language teaching in the comments below!
Reference
González, N., Moll, L. C., & Amanti, C. (Eds.). (2013). Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms. Routledge.

Johnson, K. E. (2006). The sociocultural turn and its challenges for second language teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 40, 235-257.

About Kristen Lindahl

Kristen Lindahl holds a PhD in linguistics with a specialization in L2 teacher education from the University of Utah. She is currently assistant professor of bicultural-bilingual studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she teaches pre-service ESL/TESOL educators at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Dr. Lindahl has taught K-12 and college ESL, and actively pursues consulting and coaching teachers of English learners in public and English language schools around the globe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A question popped up in one of my classes last week about cultural accommodation: "Dr. L, how much should we acknowledge or accommodate our students' cultures in our classroom or school? How do ELLs learn to function in the new culture if they're constantly living in the old one?"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why building a culturally responsive classroom matters for the success of ALL students

Posted:

Have you ever watched a movie with the sound off? If you were lucky, you could perhaps grasp the plot, but a lot of the details were lost so you probably didn't enjoy or relate to the film as much as you could have if you had been able to hear it.

Being in a classroom that does not take into consideration the various identities of its students means some students aren't able to fully engage with the content even with the best teaching practices. This inability to fully engage hurts these students.

When this happens, every student in the class loses out. Culturally responsive classrooms help all students because the practices of such a classroom expand all students' views of the world and broaden their cultural understandings.

I have taught AVID, a college readiness class, for eight years at a large suburban middle school in Hawaiʻi. Through these years teaching students from multiple backgrounds, I have found there are few ways to go about creating a culturally responsive classroom.

Probably the most important step, is to step back and carefully examine your own biases and stereotypes. If you want to take it a step further, you can ask your students to tell if you're biased in some ways and try to truly hear them out. Students can help you identify your implicit bias, which you aren't even aware that you hold.

For example, one of my students told me that I don't select boys to hand out papers or stamp planners. The comment really surprised me because I didn't even know I never called on boys to help me with these tasks. The thing is, I had not even considered that this might be something a student would notice.

I thought about why I was doing this. I examined my own stereotype that girls are helpers and more agreeable and eager to take on tasks than boys. I have since allowed students to volunteer to do these tasks.

Another student pointed out that I say, "Listen up, boys and girls," when I want to get their attention or that at times I'd have them get into gendered groupings. "But what if we don't fit in either category?" the student questioned me.

I realized I wasn't taking into account my non-binary, intersex, or transgender students when I gave only two options for gender so I've made a conscious effort to say, "Students" when I address the class. So now when I want to separate them into two groups, I avoid saying "boys vs girls." I choose something arbitrary like the color of their shoes.

Some dos and don'ts for building culturally responsive classrooms:

Other actions you might try are getting to know your students' cultures and families, facilitating learning by allowing student choice, using different cultural references throughout lessons, and teaching social justice and code switching.

I've seen a shift in my students since I've made an effort to have a more culturally responsive classroom. I see more engagement from all my students. My room has become a place where students feel like, no matter who they are, it's normal and accepted to be themselves.

Do you have strategies that you've found successful in creating a culturally responsive and inclusive classroom? Share them below-I'd love to hear them!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Building A Culturally Responsive Classroom - Achieve the Core Aligned Materials

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Have you ever watched a movie with the sound off? If you were lucky, you could perhaps grasp the plot, but a lot of the details were lost so you probably didn't enjoy or relate to the film as much as you could have if you had been able to hear it.