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This article shows how Early Education is underrepresented despite the need for child care. Even when the pandemic proved the need for child care centers, states and government have not supported early childhood education.

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COVID Brought Attention To Early Childhood Education. Here’s How Investors Are Responding. - EdSurge News

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One thing the pandemic has made clear, many experts say, is that families with young children need more support than they’re getting. The shuttering of ...

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I hope to gain more tips and ideas on expanding our outdoor garden. We have very little green areas in our playground and I find it important for young minds to care and have a green area.

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gardening with children: making learning visible

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gardening with children: making learning visible tickets

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Gardening With Children: Making Learning Visible

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Eventbrite - Bing Nursery School presents Gardening With Children: Making Learning Visible - Wednesday, May 25, 2022 - Find event and ticket information.

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Here is a picture of my work colleagues and a common interest is that we love to innovate things from loose materials. Here we built a vehicle.

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One challenge I had at the beginning was working with new technology apps. I overcame this challenge from learning from my peers and doing some self research. A lot of trial and error, but have felt proud of the achievements and the learning I have encountered with technology.

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Don't be selfish and work as a team to accomplish more. Be you!

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Don't be selfish and work as a team to accomplish more. Be you!

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Great photo! You can all add more if you would like!!!

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SKT International College

Shukhinthar Mayopat Road, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

Phone: 123-456-7890
Email: dongmeisi@outlook.com

Teaching Certificates

Chinese high school teaching Ceritificate

Teaching Chinese to Speakers of other language

IB DP Language A: Language and Literature

K12 Chinese teaching Certificate -DC

(in progress)

Meisi Dong

SKT International College

Shukhinthar Mayopat Road, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

​

© Meisi Dong 2022 All Rights Reserved.

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Teacher | Chinese IB Education, Meisi Dong

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SKT International College Shukhinthar Mayopat Road, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) Phone: 123-456-7890 Email: dongmeisi@outlook.com Teaching Certificates Chinese high school teaching Ceritificate Teaching Chinese to Speakers of other language IB DP Language A: Language and Literature K12 Chinese teaching Certificate -DC (in progress) Meisi Dong SKT International College Shukhinthar Mayopat Road, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) ​ © Meisi Dong 2022 All Rights Reserved.

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I have been teaching Chinese as a second language for years. I believe that practice is the best way to learn a foreign language, so I need different methods and activities to encourage the discussion during class.If you are also a language teacher, this article should be helpful.

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Listen to this post as a podcast:
When I worked with student teachers on developing effective lesson plans, one thing I always asked them to revise was the phrase "We will discuss."
We will discuss the video. We will discuss the story. We will discuss our results.
Every time I saw it in a lesson plan, I would add a note: "What format will you use? What questions will you ask? How will you ensure that all students participate?" I was pretty sure that We will discuss actually meant the teacher would do most of the talking; He would throw out a couple of questions like "So what did you think about the video?" or "What was the theme of the story?" and a few students would respond, resulting in something that looked like a discussion, but was ultimately just a conversation between the teacher and a handful of extroverted students; a classic case of Fisheye Teaching.

The problem wasn't them; in most of the classrooms where they'd sat as students, that's exactly what a class discussion looked like. They didn't know any other "formats." I have only ever been familiar with a few myself. But when teachers began contacting me recently asking for a more comprehensive list, I knew it was time to do some serious research.

So here they are: 15 formats for structuring a class discussion to make it more engaging, more organized, more equitable, and more academically challenging. If you've struggled to find effective ways to develop students' speaking and listening skills, this is your lucky day.

I've separated the strategies into three groups. The first batch contains the higher-prep strategies, formats that require teachers to do some planning or gathering of materials ahead of time. Next come the low-prep strategies, which can be used on the fly when you have a few extra minutes or just want your students to get more active. Note that these are not strict categories; it's certainly possible to simplify or add more meat to any of these structures and still make them work. The last group is the ongoing strategies. These are smaller techniques that can be integrated with other instructional strategies and don't really stand alone. For each strategy, you'll find a list of other names it sometimes goes by, a description of its basic structure, and an explanation of variations that exist, if any. To watch each strategy in action, click on its name and a new window will open with a video that demonstrates it.

Enjoy!
a.k.a. Chat Stations
Basic Structure: Stations or posters are set up around the classroom, on the walls or on tables. Small groups of students travel from station to station together, performing some kind of task or responding to a prompt, either of which will result in a conversation.

Variations: Some Gallery Walks stay true to the term gallery, where groups of students create informative posters, then act as tour guides or docents, giving other students a short presentation about their poster and conducting a Q&A about it. In Starr Sackstein's high school classroom, her stations consisted of video tutorials created by the students themselves. Before I knew the term Gallery Walk, I shared a strategy similar to it called Chat Stations, where the teacher prepares discussion prompts or content-related tasks and sets them up around the room for students to visit in small groups.
a.k.a. Values Continuum, Forced Debate, Physical Barometer, This or That
Basic Structure: A statement that has two possible responses-agree or disagree-is read out loud. Depending on whether they agree or disagree with this statement, students move to one side of the room or the other. From that spot, students take turns defending their positions.

Variations: Often a Philosophical Chairs debate will be based around a text or group of texts students have read ahead of time; students are required to cite textual evidence to support their claims and usually hold the texts in their hands during the discussion. Some teachers set up one hot seat to represent each side, and students must take turns in the seat. In less formal variations (which require less prep), a teacher may simply read provocative statements students are likely to disagree on, and a debate can occur spontaneously without a text to refer to (I call this variation This or That in my classroom icebreakers post). Teachers may also opt to offer a continuum of choices, ranging from "Strongly Agree" on one side of the room, all the way to "Strongly Disagree" on the other, and have students place themselves along that continuum based on the strength of their convictions.

Basic Structure: Students are divided into 4 groups. Three of these groups are assigned to represent specific points of view. Members of the fourth group are designated as "provocateurs," tasked with making sure the discussion keeps going and stays challenging. One person from each group (the "speaker") sits in a desk facing speakers from the other groups, so they form a square in the center of the room. Behind each speaker, the remaining group members are seated: two right behind the speaker, then three behind them, and so on, forming a kind of triangle. From above, this would look like a pinwheel. The four speakers introduce and discuss questions they prepared ahead of time (this preparation is done with their groups). After some time passes, new students rotate from the seats behind the speaker into the center seats and continue the conversation.

Variations: When high school English teacher Sarah Brown Wessling introduced this strategy in the featured video (click Pinwheel Discussion above), she used it as a device for talking about literature, where each group represented a different author, plus one provocateur group. But in the comments that follow the video, Wessling adds that she also uses the strategy with non-fiction, where students represent authors of different non-fiction texts or are assigned to take on different perspectives about an issue.
a.k.a. Socratic Circles
Basic Structure: Students prepare by reading a text or group of texts and writing some higher-order discussion questions about the text. On seminar day, students sit in a circle and an introductory, open-ended question is posed by the teacher or student discussion leader. From there, students continue the conversation, prompting one another to support their claims with textual evidence. There is no particular order to how students speak, but they are encouraged to respectfully share the floor with others. Discussion is meant to happen naturally and students do not need to raise their hands to speak. This overview of Socratic Seminar from the website Facing History and Ourselves provides a list of appropriate questions, plus more information about how to prepare for a seminar.

Variations: If students are beginners, the teacher may write the discussion questions, or the question creation can be a joint effort. For larger classes, teachers may need to set up seminars in more of a fishbowl-like arrangement, dividing students into one inner circle that will participate in the discussion, and one outer circle that silently observes, takes notes, and may eventually trade places with those in the inner circle, sometimes all at once, and sometimes by "tapping in" as the urge strikes them.
a.k.a. Affinity Diagramming
Basic Structure: Give students a broad question or problem that is likely to result in lots of different ideas, such as "What were the impacts of the Great Depression?" or "What literary works should every person read?" Have students generate responses by writing ideas on post-it notes (one idea per note) and placing them in no particular arrangement on a wall, whiteboard, or chart paper. Once lots of ideas have been generated, have students begin grouping them into similar categories, then label the categories and discuss why the ideas fit within them, how the categories relate to one another, and so on.

Variations: Some teachers have students do much of this exercise-recording their ideas and arranging them into categories- without talking at first. In other variations, participants are asked to re-combine the ideas into new, different categories after the first round of organization occurs. Often, this activity serves as a good pre-writing exercise, after which students will write some kind of analysis or position paper.
a.k.a. Speed Dating
Basic Structure: Students form two circles, one inside circle and one outside circle. Each student on the inside is paired with a student on the outside; they face each other. The teacher poses a question to the whole group and pairs discuss their responses with each other. Then the teacher signals students to rotate: Students on the outside circle move one space to the right so they are standing in front of a new person (or sitting, as they are in the video). Now the teacher poses a new question, and the process is repeated.

Variations: Instead of two circles, students could also form two straight lines facing one another. Instead of "rotating" to switch partners, one line just slides over one spot, and the leftover person on the end comes around to the beginning of the line. Some teachers use this strategy to have students teach one piece of content to their fellow students, making it less of a discussion strategy and more of a peer teaching format. In fact, many of these protocols could be used for peer teaching as well.

Basic Structure: Another great idea from Sarah Brown Wessling, this is a small-group discussion strategy that gives students exposure to more of their peers' ideas and prevents the stagnation that can happen when a group doesn't happen to have the right chemistry. Students are placed into a few groups of 4-6 students each and are given a discussion question to talk about. After sufficient time has passed for the discussion to develop, one or two students from each group rotate to a different group, while the other group members remain where they are. Once in their new group, they will discuss a different, but related question, and they may also share some of the key points from their last group's conversation. For the next rotation, students who have not rotated before may be chosen to move, resulting in groups that are continually evolving.

Basic Structure: Two students sit facing each other in the center of the room; the remaining students sit in a circle around them. The two central students have a conversation based on a pre-determined topic and often using specific skills the class is practicing (such as asking follow-up questions, paraphrasing, or elaborating on another person's point). Students on the outside observe, take notes, or perform some other discussion-related task assigned by the teacher.

Variations: One variation of this strategy allows students in the outer circle to trade places with those in the fishbowl, doing kind of a relay-style discussion, or they may periodically "coach" the fishbowl talkers from the sidelines. Teachers may also opt to have students in the outside circle grade the participants' conversation with a rubric, then give feedback on what they saw in a debriefing afterward, as mentioned in the featured video.

Basic Structure: One student assumes the role of a book character, significant figure in history, or concept (such as a tornado, an animal, or the Titanic). Sitting in front of the rest of the class, the student responds to classmates' questions while staying in character in that role.

Variations: Give more students the opportunity to be in the hot seat while increasing everyone's participation by having students do hot seat discussions in small groups, where one person per group acts as the "character" and three or four others ask them questions. In another variation, several students could form a panel of different characters, taking questions from the class all together and interacting with one another like guests on a TV talk show.
a.k.a. Pyramid Discussion
Basic Structure: Students begin in pairs, responding to a discussion question only with a single partner. After each person has had a chance to share their ideas, the pair joins another pair, creating a group of four. Pairs share their ideas with the pair they just joined. Next, groups of four join together to form groups of eight, and so on, until the whole class is joined up in one large discussion.

Variations: This structure could simply be used to share ideas on a topic, or students could be required to reach consensus every time they join up with a new group.

Whereas the other formats in this list have a distinct shape-specific activities you do with students-the strategies in this section are more like plug-ins, working discussion into other instructional activities and improving the quality and reach of existing conversations.

One of the limitations of discussion is that rich, face-to-face conversations can only happen when all parties are available, so we're limited to the time we have in class. With a tool like Voxer, those limitations disappear. Like a private voice mailbox that you set up with just one person or a group (but SOOOO much easier), Voxer allows users to have conversations at whatever time is most convenient for each participant. So a group of four students can "discuss" a topic from 3pm until bedtime-asynchronously-each member contributing whenever they have a moment, and if the teacher makes herself part of the group, she can listen in, offer feedback, or contribute her own discussion points. Voxer is also invaluable for collaborating on projects and for having one-on-one discussions with students, parents, and your own colleagues. Like many other educators, Peter DeWitt took a while to really understand the potential of Voxer, but in this EdWeek piece, he explains what turned him around.

A backchannel is a conversation that happens right alongside another activity. The first time I saw a backchannel in action was at my first unconference: While those of us in the audience listened to presenters and watched a few short video clips, a separate screen was up beside the main screen, projecting something called TodaysMeet (update: TodaysMeet has shut down. Use YoTeach! instead.) It looked a lot like those chat rooms from back in the day, basically a blank screen where people would contribute a few lines of text, the lines stacking up one after the other, no other bells or whistles. Anyone in the room could participate in this conversation on their phone, laptop, or tablet, asking questions, offering commentary, and sharing links to related resources without ever interrupting the flow of the presentations. This kind of tool allows for a completely silent discussion, one that doesn't have to move at a super-fast pace, and it gives students who may be reluctant to speak up or who process their thoughts more slowly a chance to fully contribute. For a deeper discussion of how this kind of tool can be used, read this thoughtful overview of using backchannel discussions in the classroom by Edutopia's Beth Holland.
a.k.a. Accountable Talk
Talk moves are sentence frames we supply to our students that help them express ideas and interact with one another in respectful, academically appropriate ways. From kindergarten all the way through college, students can benefit from explicit instruction in the skills of summarizing another person's argument before presenting an alternate view, asking clarifying questions, and expressing agreement or partial agreement with the stance of another participant. Talk moves can be incorporated into any of the other discussion formats listed here.

Whole Brain Teaching is a set of teaching and classroom management methods that has grown in popularity over the past 10 years. One of WBT's foundational techniques is Teach-OK, a peer teaching strategy that begins with the teacher spending a few minutes introducing a concept to the class. Next, the teacher says Teach!, the class responds with Okay!, and pairs of students take turns re-teaching the concept to each other. It's a bit like think-pair-share, but it's faster-paced, it focuses more on re-teaching than general sharing, and students are encouraged to use gestures to animate their discussion. Although WBT is most popular in elementary schools, this featured video shows the creator of WBT, Chris Biffle, using it quite successfully with college students. I have also used Teach-OK with college students, and most of my students said they were happy for a change from the sit-and-listen they were used to in college classrooms.

An oldie but a goodie, think-pair-share can be used any time you want to plug interactivity into a lesson: Simply have students think about their response to a question, form a pair with another person, discuss their response, then share it with the larger group. Because I feel this strategy has so many uses and can be way more powerful than we give it credit for, I devoted a whole post to think-pair-share; everything you need to know about it is right there.

TWO MORE YOU'LL LOVE

Since writing this post, I have learned about two more discussion strategies that teachers are finding to be incredibly effective and powerful for getting students to talk, especially about books and other texts:

This protocol has students come up with their own Thoughts, lingering Questions, and Epiphanies from an assigned reading. Teachers who have used this method say it has generated some of the richest conversations they have ever heard from students!

This strategy places students into one-on-one conversations, getting them to learn each others' names better and create a track record of what they talked about. Excellent for classes where you want to assess for discussion and help students get more comfortable with each other.

So what else do you have? I would like to think this is a pretty complete list, but I'm sure more strategies are out there. If you use a discussion strategy that's not mentioned here, please share it below.

Come back for more.
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The Big List of Class Discussion Strategies

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Here they are: 15 formats for structuring a class discussion to make it more engaging, more organized, more equitable, and more academically challenging.

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https://tomasfletcher.wixsite.com/tomasfletcher

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This is a really interesting topic for me. I actually was looking into getting the kids to do some more PBL/problem solving in my class in general. I was looking into the world peace game, and found it very interesting, and this seem to cover something similar

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Systems Thinking in a Second Grade Curriculum: Students Engaged to Address a Statewide Drought

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Faced with issues, such as drought and climate change, educators around the world acknowledge the need for developing students’ ability to solve problems within and across contexts. A systems thinking pedagogy, which recognizes interdependence and interconnected relationships among concrete elements…

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One of the main things that I have been teaching this year is Digital media. I have to admit, at the start I was a bit out of my depth, and still don't fully grasp the entire concept, but I am working on building out the years worth of curriculum... this would really help me there.

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Screen-Time Savvy: Skills and Strategies to Deepen Digital and Media Literacy

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Screen-Time Savvy: Skills and Strategies to Deepen Digital and Media Literacy

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My partner teacher and I loved dressing up for all our school's events. Here we are at Halloween. I was a witch and she was Rei from Evangelion.

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I posted on the facebook group. If the link doesn't work, search my name!

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Moreland University Cohorts Community | Facebook

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This is an exclusive Moreland University (formerly TEACH-NOW) Cohorts Community group of enrolled candidates past and present, including alumni. Here you can share ideas, interesting weblinks,...

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Don't bring the struggles of yesterday with you in the morning. Start the day fresh, and let your students start each day with a clean slate too (when possible).

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Sports bring people together. The teachers in my school entered into a football tournament, this is our huddle before we played the Final.

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Is remote learning here to stay? I think you would agree with me that the virtual instruction thrown together overnight at the beginning of the pandemic wasn't as effective as in-person learning for most students. It has a lot of room for improvement and I'm experiencing it firsthand for the last two months of lockdown here in Shanghai. I hope this article can give you a few tips on how to make virtual lessons more effective and engaging in the post COVID world.

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One of the important lessons of the pandemic is that virtual learning is here to stay, but it has a lot of room for improvement. And teachers, principals, and district leaders should be thinking hard about how to make remote learning better, especially if they are continuing to offer it even as most students have returned to school buildings.

"I am my own one-room virtual school," said Lockhart, who teaches virtual courses for the Lenoir City school district in Tennessee. Her approach calls on many of the skills she honed through years of traditional teaching, but with some new twists, including figuring out ways to help her students feel like they are part of a classroom community, even as they sit in their bedrooms on their laptops.

For her, "good virtual teaching lies where good teaching is, which is it has to have engagement," said Lockhart, who teaches multiple subjects to students in grades K-6.

Remote learning became a lifeline for K-12 schools during the height of the pandemic, even as the approach was rolled out quickly, inequitably, and in many cases without academic rigor.

Even though districts are largely back to offering classes primarily in person, most are making online learning an option for students, according to a survey of 888 teachers, principals, and district leaders conducted by the EdWeek Research Center in late January and early February.

Often, these virtual learning options are for one-off courses that would otherwise be unavailable. For instance, about a third of administrators said in the survey that students can take online versions of classes that their school doesn't offer, while 17 percent said students at their schools can enroll in post-secondary courses virtually at no cost.

In some places, students also have the option to take all their classes online. Nearly a quarter of administrators surveyed said their districts allowed students to enroll in a full-time virtual school. The providers for these programs vary: 22 percent of administrators said that their school system offers a district-run virtual academy, while 18 percent reported their district contracts with an outside organization for students who want to learn online. Only 20 percent of educators said kids in their districts do not currently have the option to enroll in virtual courses.

Despite the frustrations with remote learning during the pandemic, the survey data clearly show that schools across the country are making virtual learning an option in different ways and at different levels for the long haul. What this means is they will also have to address concerns that online-only instruction is a weak alternative to in-person learning.

Here are seven tips for making online instruction more effective:

1. Show teachers how to access their inner talk show host

It's easy for students to tune out during online instruction. So, teachers should channel their inner Oprah Winfrey, suggests Laurie Manville, an instructional coach and teacher who works for both virtual and brick-and-mortar schools in California's Anaheim Union High School District.

In a virtual learning environment, Manville asks students a lot more questions than she might in a brick-and-mortar classroom. And she amps herself up. "Your voice has to have more energy. Have fun. Laugh. Put questions out there that might be silly, but that the students would love to answer," she said. "Be a little entertaining. You need to bring them in because they're all by themselves in front of a screen."

2. Make students feel welcome and connected immediately

Getting kids to feel connected to you and each other is even more important in an online environment because students aren't sharing a physical space. That sense of community should start from the very beginning, educators say.

Once school begins, virtual classrooms should be places students feel welcome and want to hang out in, educators said. Play music at the start of class or ask kids what they've been watching on Netflix or other streaming services lately, Manville suggested. That helps get natural conversations started.

In a physical classroom, students might take on roles such as attendance taker, plant waterer, door holder, designated pencil sharpener. That can happen in a virtual class too, Manville said. She picks one student to serve as the chat-box monitor, flagging any questions their peers type in; another as the timekeeper, making sure the class stays on track; and a third as the "linker," responsible for pulling up links relevant to the class discussion and putting them in the chat box.

3. Build meaningful strategies to encourage greater collaboration

Just because students aren't in the same physical room doesn't mean they can't work together. In fact, giving kids the chance to collaborate on their learning may be even more important in a virtual context, educators said. One strategy: Whenever Manville's students need to give each other feedback, they use a set "critical friends" protocol, called "I notice, I wonder, I wish." It gives students a chance to tell each other what they observe about each other's work, ask questions, and offer constructive feedback. "It's a routine that's built into every collaborative piece," she said.

She also puts her students into writing teams and has each team come up with a "collaboration agreement"-essentially a contract that they create together that usually spells out responsibilities such as "each group member must do their fair share of the work."

In Lenoir City, Lockhart has her K-2 students read to each other aloud in pairs. "T]hey are so excited to share what they know," she said.

Interaction doesn't have to be confined to the kids enrolled in the class, either, Manville said. "Virtual learning opens the doors to global and national learning. It flattens the classroom." Her students have worked on projects or just spoken with kids across the United States and even in other countries.

4. Integrate active, hands-on learning into virtual environments

Remember that students can hold up their work to the camera. The Vail district recommends that kids taking virtual classes get a whiteboard and pen. That way, they can hold up answers for teachers to see.

They also use classroom technology to poll students on the answers to specific questions. The teacher can see who got the answers right or wrong, but the students cannot. "That keeps kids engaged and gives us instant feedback," said Kelly Pinkerton, the director of innovation and learning for the Vail schools.

Lockhart, meanwhile, has her virtual students do projects at home just like they would if they were in a school building. For instance, students created biomes-essentially tiny ecosystems of plant life-in jars. Students can hold the biome jars up to the camera and explain what is in them, just like they would in a regular classroom, she said. "I cannot think of anything that we cannot physically do," she said. "Because even if they cannot do it digitally and produce it digitally, they can produce a concrete item and share."

5. Be deliberate about how you use time

Teachers should think about the time they are with their students the same way they would if they were in a regular classroom that uses a "flipped classroom model," in which students learn new information at home, through readings, videos and more, and then spend class time processing it through discussions, one-on-one help, or group work, Cottingham suggested. It's good practice to encourage-or require-students to get their thoughts down in writing about a particular topic before the class covers it, maybe by posting questions and observations in an online message board, he said.

It's also a good idea to keep lectures and any videos short and simple, or kids will start to tune out, Cottingham warns. "What you want to avoid is that old school, watch this hour-long lecture video," he said.

Instead, consider that most people-and especially children and teenagers-are only able to truly pay attention to a video that's information-dense for about seven or eight minutes. If you want to try something longer, give students opportunities to show that they've digested some information after a relatively short chunk of time, then dive back in, he suggested.

What's more, virtual educators should consider teaching students so-called "executive functioning skills," even if they are only taking a class or two online. To be successful virtual learners, students need to be able to manage their time, stay on task when they're not being constantly monitored, and keep themselves organized. Those skills don't come naturally to many kids, Cottingham said.

6. Have a plan for determining when students can turn their videoconferencing cameras on and off

"I'm not a stickler about cameras being on," said Lockhart, noting that some students are just more comfortable not showing their faces. But she expects participation no matter what. "If I call your name just like I do in class, I expect a response," she said.

She's OK with a student answering-or asking-a question in a written chat, if they'd rather not voice it out loud. And she will follow up with anyone who doesn't participate, particularly when she's asked them a direct question and gotten silence.

The Vail school district gives students taking online courses a "citizenship grade," Pinkerton said. Students get points for participating in class, either by speaking out loud or commenting in the chat box. They can also receive extra points for turning their cameras on. The school district also offers a feature where only the teacher can see students-they can't see each other. That helps students who may not want to be on camera. Teachers check in after class with any students who didn't turn their cameras on or participate.

7. If you go with a packaged curriculum tailored for online learning, be choosy

There are a lot of low-quality virtual curriculum options out there, said Cromwell, whose school uses a packaged curriculum specifically tailored to online learning. It took her a long time to find the right one, she said, even though the state gave her a list of approved options.

One packaged curriculum option had audio lessons that sounded like "Charlie Brown's teacher," Cromwell said, a difficult-to-understand monotone that didn't exactly seem tailor-made for student engagement. Another promised to link its lessons directly to state standards and then didn't deliver.

In addition, a packaged curriculum for online learning should serve as just one teaching tool and have flexibility built into it. "It has to have that human touch to it, where if kids aren't getting it, [teachers] can make those adjustments," she said. "You still have to have a body to monitor it and to make sure it's relevant. ... You don't want [lessons where] the kids can just Google" the answers.

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Virtual Instruction Is Here to Stay. Here Are 7 Tips for Doing It Well

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One of the important lessons of the pandemic is that virtual learning is here to stay, but it has a lot of room for improvement. And teachers, principals, and district leaders should be thinking hard about how to make remote learning better, especially if they are continuing to offer it even as most students have returned to school buildings.

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To be honest, I had no idea about the concept of SEL before enrolling for the Moreland program. I feel it can certainly help my students better understand and identify their emotions, especially when they struggle to explain how they are feeling in a language that they are not fluent in. I want to learn more about SEL and how to support my students better through this webinar.

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Presented by Amy Walker, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Committee for Children; and Sherri Widen, Ph.D., Research Manager, Committee for Children

Sponsored by Second Step
Register Here Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Schools across the country are working hard to support the academic success of their students. A strong body of research shows us that implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies can help. Join us for an engaging discussion about how implementing research-based, high-quality SEL programs can support your students' academic achievement.

This edWebinar will be of interest to K-12 teachers, school and district leaders, librarians, education technology leaders, curriculum advisors, SEL advisors, and school counselors and social workers. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.
About the Presenters
A national expert on implementing systemic social-emotional learning in large school districts, Amy Walker has spoken at dozens of conferences in the United States and abroad about SEL, violence prevention, bullying prevention, and child protection. At Committee for Children, she works to develop and maintain partnerships with businesses, organizations, and individuals to help expand Committee for Children's reach and impact. Prior to joining Committee for Children in 2001, Amy taught at an elementary school and an Argentinean university, in addition to having a successful career in corporate sales. She has a bachelor's degree in international cultural studies from Western Washington University.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
With a combined background in research and intervention, Dr. Sherri Widen joined Committee for Children in 2018. As the research manager, she oversees research assistants as they help develop SEL products that are both research informed and evidence based. "We want to make sure any claims we're making, or particular things we're trying to teach kids, are supported by the research out there," she says. "We also collect our own data so we can inform people about changes in our curricula." She received a BA in psychology and an MA in developmental psychology from the University of British Columbia and went on to earn her doctorate in developmental psychology from Boston College.

Join the Social-Emotional Learning community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

Committee for Children is a global nonprofit dedicated to helping children thrive. Our Second Step® family of programs creates brighter futures for kids everywhere through social-emotional learning (SEL). We've recently expanded our curricula to include digital programs for Grades K-8, and new programs for out-of-school time and adult SEL.

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Social-Emotional Learning and Academic Success - edWeb

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Presented by Amy Walker, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Committee for Children; and Sherri Widen, Ph.D., Research Manager, Committee for Children Sponsored by Second Step Register Here Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.

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Recently I've been focusing on the leadership aspect of schools, so I was looking into some work by Ken Blanchard. He is credited with the adoption of the concept of 'Servant Leadership' in many, if not most, organizations. It's an idea I'm interested in. However, like most ideas, the definition can vary. Here are a few articles you could review https://resources.kenblanchard.com/servant-leadership/let-s-clear-up-some-misunderstandings-about-servant-leadership
https://resources.kenblanchard.com/blanchard-leaderchat/the-top-5-characteristics-of-servant-leaders
https://coaching.kenblanchard.com/public/Find_Answers/Coaching_vs_Mentoring/

There's also a more in-depth academic perspective if you want to do a deep dive - https://www.regent.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/poon.pdf

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Welcome to my E-portfolio. From an infant teacher to a preschool teacher I have grown my professional career for the past fifteen years. I thrive on creative challenges and enjoy building strong relationships along the way. Explore my work below, and contact me directly to learn more about me.

ABOUT ME

I was born in Los Angeles, California in 1990. I since then have lived in Los Angeles. I have two beautiful children who keep me working overtime. Asher 3 and Ariadnet 4. I am married to my husband Alexandro and we have been married for 5 years. My hobbies include, running, teaching, and playing with my kids.

"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work"

Thomas Edison

GET IN TOUCH

3368 Division St. Los Angeles California, 90065

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Welcome to my E-portfolio. From an infant teacher to a preschool teacher I have grown my professional career for the past fifteen years. I thrive on creative challenges and enjoy building strong relationships along the way. Explore my work below, and contact me directly to learn more about me.

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Each child shared their response to the optimism card.

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This activity was in order to build inclusion within our classroom. The objectives was for students to feel comfortable to play with whatever they wanted and the way a toy looks should not stop them from playing. Boys are able to play with what looks to be a girls to and vice versa. A color or a doll should not be the reason to indicate what gender plays with which, but children should be able to choose based on their interest.

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The importance of Physical Education - Sveta

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The importance of Physical Education - Sveta

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Having lots of experience and previous knowledge coming from my family members about Physical education I have to say that somehow along the way we forgot the true value and importance of Physical education for our students from an early stage. The benefits are almost limitless from a development point of view.   Better Academic Performance, ‍Social Skills, Physical and Mental Health are just one of many that you can read about in this article I attached above.

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It is no secret that appropriate physical activity is necessary to a student's overall well-being. The benefits of physical education in schools are far-reaching, including both increased student physical health and better academic performance. Physical education is more than just running around a track or kicking a ball. It teaches children key life skills alongside improving their health and wellbeing. Obesity continues to rocket across the globe and more people are taking on sedentary lifestyles. Promoting a positive mindset about exercise from an early age will help to keep them healthy as they get older.

OWIS students practising football drills

In recent years, many schools have cut back on their physical education programmes, placing greater emphasis on academics as they strive to prepare students for college and the workforce. Yet research shows that adults who had regular PE classes in school are more than twice as likely to be physically active as their non-PE counterparts. In fact, children who have regular Physical Education lessons at school will be likely to experience the following benefits:
Physical and Mental Health
Well-versed in child development, PE teachers ensure that the curriculum consists of age-appropriate activities that support growing minds and bodies. They will adapt lessons to make them appropriate for their groups and ensure that they do not overwhelm children with skills or requirements that may be too advanced. At the same time, they know when students are ready to be pushed. PE improves motor skills and increases muscle strength and bone density, which in turn makes students more likely to engage in healthy activity outside of school. Furthermore it educates children on the positive benefits of exercise and allows them to understand how good it can make them feel.

Participating in PE puts children on track to make regular exercise a habit-- one that can combat obesity and reduce the likelihood of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. It also helps to maintain their brain and mental health. By making exercise 'normal' from an early age this becomes ingrained in them throughout their lives.

Physical education motivates children to expand their skills, as grasping the fundamentals of one sport makes it easier to master the rules of another. Since students spend a considerable amount of time in school, it is an ideal setting to empower them to take responsibility for their health. Often a secondary benefit of physical education is that children become more aware of what they are putting in their bodies. They realise the importance of a healthy, balanced diet and that sugary snacks are not the best way to gain energy for their sport. They will often want to find out more about their bodies and this again teaches them to care for themselves and others.

Studies also suggest that students who are less active are more likely to experience sleep disorders. Regular exercise reduces stress and anxiety, contributing to healthy sleep patterns, which in turn lead to better mental health, immune system functioning, and overall well-being.

‍ Social Skills

Physical education that begins in early childhood demonstrates the value of cooperation, while being part of a team gives them a sense of identity. When PE teachers model prosocial behaviours, children gain skills that pave the way for healthy interactions and relationships throughout life. This teaches them essential communication skills and social skills. It helps them become team players, work alongside a diverse range of team mates and be able to support others.

Learning the fundamentals of popular sports also provides a constructive way for students to fit in with their peers, especially as they approach adolescence. Being able to understand a range of sports or hobbies allows them to be part of something bigger than their classroom. They may find a real passion for a particular sport, start attending sporting fixtures and they may even go on to have a career within the sporting industry. Having the opportunities to ignite this type of passion whilst developing a range of skills is hugely important.
Self-Esteem and Character Development
Playing team sports in a structured setting reinforces leadership and good sportsmanship. Playing various roles on a team and gaining new skills encourage students to respect themselves and their peers. It also teaches them to be understanding to others and support them through their difficulties.

Gestures such as a hand shake, a pat on the back or a high-five from a team-mate helps to build confidence and camaraderie, and earning praise from coaches or other players also helps to improve self-esteem. This then leads to increasing children's confidence to trust their abilities and to progress their skills within their sport. It is important for children to understand that self-esteem should not rely on winning or losing, but in the taking part and learning from every opportunity. Children who receive constructive criticism well are shown to be better at making changes to improve themselves, whether it be at school, in work or in sport.

OWIS Sports Day 2019

As they hone their abilities through individual and team sports, children learn self-discipline and goal-setting. They learn that there will always be winners and losers but that it is important to accept this and to get back up when needed, or in turn to encourage those around us to carry on.

Discipline is essential for sport and this can be both mental and physical. In sport, children need to follow rules and take orders from their coaches. Sometimes they must accept decisions that they may not agree with. This teaches them an important life skill that will help them throughout their life and careers. According to the International Platform on Sport and Development, "Sport has been used as a practical tool to engage young people in their communities through volunteering, resulting in higher levels of leadership, community engagement and altruism among young people."
Better Academic Performance
The many benefits of PE carry over from the playing field or gymnasium into the classroom, leading to better academic performance. Research reveals that children who take part in physical education are better able to regulate their behaviour and stay focused in class. Often sport gives children the opportunity to take their minds off their academic studies. It offers the chance for them to relax, release pent up emotions and to spend time having fun with their friends.

At OWIS, PE is a critical component of a well-rounded curriculum. To learn more, visit our Sports Programme page.

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It is no secret that appropriate physical activity is necessary to a student's overall well-being. The benefits of physical education in schools are far-reaching, including both increased student physical health and better academic performance. Physical education is more than just running around a track or kicking a ball.

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The IECA 2022 Spring Conference will be held in Philadelphia, PA, May 16-18, 2022, with school, college, and program tours for IECA member consultants taking place prior to and after the conference. While I will not be able to attend the conference in person, I hope to attend virtually or to join the Fall 2022 Conference with the main goals of networking with other independent college counselors and learning more about best practices and trends within the college consulting industry.

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This activity asked our students (all Chinese) to find an example of an outspoken Asian person. Ideally, this person would be seen speaking in English as opposed to his/her native language. One student found Yilong Ma, who has recently gone virally for doing the "impossible" by imitating his idol, Elon Musk, after Musk himself said China could never copy him. The goal of this activity was to help our students overcome the stereotype of Asian students being quiet and reserved.

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Treating some of our foreign exchange students to a nice mechanical rub down.

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By far one of me and my coworkers favorite activities. Limited chatting, unlimited chair time (generally 60 minutes or less).

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Teaching Elementary School in the Pandemic (Cerise)

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Teaching Elementary School in the Pandemic (Cerise)

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This article talks about the struggles of teaching Elementary school (in America) during the pandemic. Some of these struggles are ones I didn't even think about. I worry now about the academic gap between students pre-pandemic and students now coming into this strange system. What can be done to help them, and help the teachers?

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Joy Harrison, a second grade teacher in Oakland, California, helps a student. Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP

As the omicron wave spikes across the United States, K-12 education is one of many systems buckling under the weight of expanding needs. Recent headlines highlight staff and busing shortages, parental anxieties about both in-person and distance schooling and disputes between unions and districts. Yet teachers' experiences in their classrooms can be overlooked in these conversations.

As part of our research into teaching, since March 2020, we have been following the experiences of a group of elementary school teachers in one suburban school district in the Midwest.

We've seen variations in teachers' experiences and well-being over the course of the pandemic, yet our research suggests their situation continues to be incredibly challenging.

In January 2022 - halfway through the school year that was supposed to be a return to normal - teachers tell us they are barely hanging on.

'Trying to make up for the great divide'

Teachers tell us they are more worried about student learning than ever before, and their job duties keep expanding while resources dwindle.

Struggling with the omicron surge, many previously hopeful teachers describe being utterly overwhelmed, overworked and exhausted.

Now in their third disrupted school year, students in the same grade have even more widely varied academic achievement levels than usual.

Elementary school teachers in our study report needing to address up to nine different academic levels in a single classroom, when they may address two to three in a typical year. Yet they tell us they are not getting the time, support or resources to develop appropriately different lessons.

Teachers are constantly having to figure out how to teach material in appropriate sequences while accommodating student absences. One teacher told us, "It's just hard when students are gone and I don't know how much new content to teach when they're away, and how to get them caught up afterwards."

Teachers say learning gaps, already wide before the 2021-2022 school year, are expanding even further.

'It's actually a nightmare right now'

Beyond academics, teachers report having to reteach basic school readiness skills, such as raising hands, standing in line and taking turns.

Rachel, a fifth grade teacher in our study, described the challenges as follows: "It feels like the beginning of the year. So many unexpected behaviors and responses to redirection. I see a lot of social gaps - not knowing how to cooperate and problem-solve. Self-control needs to be retaught."

Teachers say serious behavior issues like emotional dysregulation, disruption and defiance are more common than they used to be. Even in historically calm schools, physical fights and verbal outbursts are becoming routine. One teacher shared with us that a student spit in her eye right after returning from winter break. The next day, that student tested positive for COVID-19.

Teachers are thus forced to spend time restoring order before they can teach. One said, "I realize that so little of my day is spent on true, high-quality instruction."

Worries about students' mental health keep teachers up at night. They tell us they see more kids than ever who are anxious, depressed and despondent, and suicidal thoughts are appearing at younger ages. Katie, a first grade teacher, shared with us: "There are many kids whose families face issues of food scarcity, job challenges, family relationships that are unstable, several who have suffered losses."

'Our systems cannot support this reality'

In the face of mounting crises, teachers would typically partner with school-based social workers, counselors and other support staff. Yet many counselors, administrators, behavior support staff, paraprofessionals and other specialists are being redeployed to classrooms with teachers out sick. Teachers report students in crisis are left waiting.

Teachers describe giving up prep time to substitute for sick colleagues and keeping obviously sick kids in class when the nurse's office is full. With the lack of time and training to teach the multiple levels in one class, teachers are scrambling to find ways to catch kids up. A fifth grade teacher shared that, after being denied funds from the district, her team used field-trip funds to purchase an online extension of their math curriculum to support differentiated learning.

Although teachers are used to getting by in underresourced systems, the teachers in our study tell us no amount of creativity will soon overcome the current crisis. As one teacher explained, "There were similar problems before, however with the added stressors of the pandemic, we're at a breaking point and feel like saying no more."

'I wonder what it's all for'

While the pandemic has always posed significant challenges, it used to be that even struggling teachers expressed optimism that things would eventually improve.

Now, as they contend with years of ever-increasing, cumulative needs colliding with the acute pressures of the omicron wave, teachers are left staggering and overwhelmed.

Rachel, the fifth grade teacher, explained: "We entered the year feeling depleted, and now so little is left. I wonder what it's all for."

Yet despite the scale of the challenges and the steep personal toll of this work, the teachers in our study and around the country keep showing up for students and families. We wonder how long they can continue. Moreover, we wonder about what will happen to those students and families if, or perhaps when, they can't.

[ Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.]

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'Teaching has always been hard, but it's never been like this' - elementary school teachers talk about managing their classrooms during a pandemic

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As the omicron wave spikes across the United States, K-12 education is one of many systems buckling under the weight of expanding needs. Recent headlines highlight staff and busing shortages, parental anxieties about both in-person and distance schooling and disputes between unions and districts. Yet teachers' experiences in their classrooms can be overlooked in these conversations.

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3rd International Conference on Information Technology and Education Technology (ITET 2022) (Cerise)

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3rd International Conference on Information Technology and Education Technology (ITET 2022) (Cerise)

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This conference will introduce ideas on how to use computers to improve instruction. It's a topic I'm currently very interested in. Due to the pandemic it is now a fully digital conference and if I can, I'll try and attend one of the meetings

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2022 3rd International Conference on Information Technology and Education Technology (ITET 2022)

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Publication? All papers accepted will be included and published in conference proceedings, and be submitted for Ei Compendex, Scopus, etc. index.

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I've been struggling to get students to turn their cameras on for class (they're 5th graders). By announcing my norms at the beginning of each class, however, I think I've gotten a few more cameras on each lesson! I think my bell ringers are catching on too, the kids seem engaged and excited to participate!

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https://www.ibo.org/professional-development/find-events-and-workshops/

In order to make myself more well rounded and an educator, I'd like to learn more about the IB model as I already have experience with IPC and Cambridge.

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If there's one thing I can be most proud of this year, it's being productive. I began this course a year ago, at which point I was in the second semester of a regular Homeroom position. During the Masters portion (which I did first) I was lucky enough to still have a relaxed enough schedule that I was even able to carve out a few hours during the working day to do some of my assignments.
After the summer I has moved into a Head of English role and the schedule started to fill out, by Semester 2 I was confirmed as the Head of Primary for next year and my schedule went into overdrive. That, combined with a desire to keep a reasonably active life outside of work with my football team, has meant there are some days where every waking minute is scheduled.
I haven't always keep on top of things, sometimes assignments were later than I wanted, but I'm confident that I've done as well as I could.

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Don't avoid conversation or cancel meetings after a conflict. If marketing is struggling or a budget is going over we spend more time on it, not less. Do the same with valuable relationships: if there has been a disagreement, address it.

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Expertise and profession (cognitive) skills are threshold skills that allow you to do an average job. 80% of what it takes to be a great leader or teacher is the Emotional Intelligence applied once you've passed the threshold.

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Never let the things that are in your control hold you back (because things that are not in your control do that already)
e.g. being tardy

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MYP PE AND HEALTH EDUCATION WORKSHOPS - Sveta

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MYP PE AND HEALTH EDUCATION WORKSHOPS - Sveta

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Like I mention in my PD plan, I am very interested to explore more and give myself the opportunity to improve in my area and stay in the loop with everything new from PE and Health education. I think this workshops are very useful and i will try to attend this one too if i can find time.

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About the workshop

This workshop is designed for MYP teachers with at least one year experience.

In order to actively participate and collaborate, all category 2 participants are encouraged to have previously created, taught, and assessed at least one MYP unit.

Category 2 MYP workshops encourage you to:

explore and align your practices with the IB standards and practices

refine and continue to develop a collaborative and collegial approach to the structures and principles of your subject group aims and objectives

deepen your understanding and capabilities for delivering your content through concepts, context, and approaches to learning skills

evaluate, strengthen, and design new tasks that will support the implementation of your subject group expectations

reflect upon the relevance, innovation, and rigour of the student-centred environments that you have created

discover and create opportunities to make your content more accessible to a broader range of students.

Workshop Leader(s)

About your booking

Once you have made your booking, you will receive an automatically generated BOOKING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and an invoice (or a receipted invoice if you have paid by credit card). Shortly after that, once we have processed your booking, you will receive an email from us with further information.

Once we have confirmed that the workshop will go ahead we will send you a confirmation email and an information pack which tells you everything that you need to know about joining your sessions. The links to join your sessions will be sent to you by email around 2 days before your sessions start.

If you have any queries regarding your booking, please contact us at admin@ibicus.org.uk

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Virtual Workshops MYP Physical and health education

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About the workshop This workshop is designed for MYP teachers with at least one year experience. In order to actively participate and collaborate, all category 2 participants are encouraged to have previously created, taught, and assessed at least one MYP unit.

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How to promote gender equality using Sports - Sveta

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How to promote gender equality using Sports - Sveta

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Unfortunately this is still a huge problem in many societies and even in educational systems which is completely unacceptable Here is how sports can contribute on the path of solving this global problem. Sport was always good answer and response to this sensitive issues.

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Observatory | Institute for the Future of Education

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Five Mixed Sports to Teach Gender Equality — Observatory | Institute for the Future of Education

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Team sports are an excellent opportunity to teach cooperation, fair play, and equity.

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Among many sports that we play like basketball and football, Badminton has a special place for us. I have to admit that I never saw myself playing this sport on this level and scale but since I came to China that has changed completely. Badminton is a great game and very physically and mentally demanding and represents a real challenge for everyone who enjoys sports.

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I can't say that I had huge problems with it but for me the biggest challenge was to go through the program using English on the level I have never used it. I never had an academic challenge of this sort and to use English on this level. I have to say that I am very pleased with how I managed it. The biggest takeaway is that I can see huge improvement in my English on every level and I am very grateful for that.

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Be punctual at work and especially in life - Sveta

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Be punctual at work and especially in life - Sveta

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For me this is one of core values that I have  followed all of my life. I simply can't do it differently because if I maybe be late or someone will have to wait for me I have a feeling of severe discomfort. "if you don't like to wait for something or someone then you also have to be there on time".

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It doesn't matter how smart, capable and competent you are. If you're habitually late, be it to work or on deadlines, you run the risk of undermining your professional reputation.

Chronic lateness is frowned upon in the Gulf and it was apparent when His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, recently made surprise visits to local government offices. The Shaikh is known for his early-morning excursions to get up to speed firsthand on whether the offices are working up to Dubai's globally-admired standards.

As his office tweeted later: "Timeliness starts at the top and we won't go after employees when their bosses aren't there."

Punctuality isn't a courtesy; it's a must at the workplace. We give you seven reasons for being on time, every time:

It makes you synonymous with integrity
In the dog-eat-dog world being punctual singles you out as someone with a plethora of positives. It shows that you're dedicated to the job, interested in your work and keen to take on more. Over time, it also improves your work ethic.

Late Again: 7 Cures for the Punctually Challenged, writes that managers are less likely to promote employees who are perennially late.
It can help you get ahead
Your performance and skills do matter but punctuality may also help you scale the ladder of career advancement. Diana DeLonzor, author of Never Be

A few minutes here and there may not seem like much but in the long run they could add up and affect your job. Majority of the respondents in a York College of Pennsylvania study titled Professionalism in the Workplace said that the best way to get dismissed from a job is to have poor attendance and "a lack of punctuality".

We would do well to remember Shakespeare: Better three hours too soon than a minute too late !

Which kind of unpunctual personality are you?

Diana DeLonzor, author of Never Be Late Again: 7 Cures for the Punctually Challenged, classifies "late" people into seven types:
The Deadliner Enjoys the rush of the last minute
The Producer Loves to get as much done in as little time as possible
The Absent-Minded Professor Gets easily distracted and shifts focus
The Rationalizer Never fully admits to her lateness
The Indulger Lacks discipline and self-control
The Evader Attempts to control feelings of anxiety, low self-esteem by being late
The Rebel Is always late to assert power

Find more advice on how to be efficient at work, click here

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7 reasons why punctuality at the workplace is priceless - Monstergulf.com

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It doesn't matter how smart, capable and competent you are. If you're habitually late, be it to work or on deadlines, you run the risk of undermining your professional reputation. Chronic lateness is frowned upon in the Gulf and it was apparent when His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, recently made surprise visits to local government offices.

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Given that most of my teaching experience has come via the test prep field, I probably should have been paying closer attention to standards from the beginning. After a couple of videos, however, I realized that my attitude towards standards being more of a draconian bar or idealistic notion was not going to help me pass this program nor help future students achieve their goals. I came to see that meeting/exceeding standards does not mean becoming rigid nor just "teaching to the standard" and that standards provide sound, objective evaluation criteria.

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Our former drill sergent-turned-special-teams-coach reminded us of this everyday and I have since lived by the simple rule: always Have A Plan (for when stuff hits the fan). This has helped me prepare for the odd/unpredictable situations that seem to occur more frequently than expected.

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This is actually a video, The reason I want to share this with you is because I was really struggling with differentiation. Before I thought I must spend extra time and effort to create every individual curriculum or activity and make this happen in order to support my students. This video shows me that all I need to do are building a strong relationship with my students, knowing their strength, making positive learning environment and letting my students to create the products that shows me that they achieve the learning targets.

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Differentiating Instruction: It’s Not as Hard as You Think

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(a work in progress)

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Family, fun, and flexibility have been the three guiding principles in not only building my family-centered life, but also our family-like company atmosphere. Like any compelling family, our ties were forged largely via and remain strong by allowing for as much flexibility as dutifully possible.

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Foreign student enrollment declines at U.S. universities - Zach

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Foreign student enrollment declines at U.S. universities - Zach

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Fewer than 1 million foreign students enrolled for either online or in-person classes at U.S. universities in the 2020-21 school year. This number is the lowest since 2014-15 and represents a 15% year-over-year decrease from the 2019-20 school year. How will foreign student enrollment rebound post-COVID? Will changing socio-economic factors lead to further declines in foreign student enrollment? As someone heavily invested in Chinese students applying to the USA, will I need to be looking for a new niche sooner than later?

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American universities are generally held in high esteem around the world, according to a spring Pew Research Center survey in 16 advanced economies. A median of 59% of adults across these societies describe American universities as either the best in the world or above average relative to those in other developed nations.

Even so, the number of foreign students studying in the United States fell sharply during the 2020-21 academic year according to recently released data from the Institute of International Education, likely reflecting the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Fewer than 1 million foreign students enrolled for either online or in-person classes at U.S. universities in the 2020-21 school year, comprising 4.6% of total enrollment at American higher educational institutions. That not only marks a 15% year-over-year decrease from the 2019-20 school year, but also marks the first time since 2014-15 that fewer than a million international students have enrolled at U.S. institutions.

China remained the leading place of origin for international students, with 35% of all international students in the 2020-21 school year hailing from the country. The second most common place of origin was India (18%), followed by South Korea (4%) and Canada (3%). Some of these countries also experienced the largest year-over-year decreases in the number of students who enrolled at U.S. institutions. The largest such percentage decreases occurred in South Korea (-21%), China (-15%) and India (-13%).

The overall decrease in the number of foreign students in the U.S. in 2020-21 was driven by sizable reductions in first-time students coming from abroad - in many cases due to border closings, flight cancellations or other challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even before pandemic, increase in Chinese students had slowed

While the number of Chinese students studying in the U.S. fell sharply in the 2020-21 school year, their growth rate had slowed dramatically even before the pandemic. The slowdown followed years of sharp growth.

Though the exact reasons for the slowdown in Chinese students are unclear, some may find the U.S. a less desirable place to study abroad. Some observers, including the president of Columbia University, have raised concerns that tense bilateral relations between the U.S. and China are damaging American universities' ability to attract top academic talent, particularly from China. Still others have pointed to policies put in place during the Trump administration to restrict Chinese students studying in certain fields or even revoke their visas.

Chinese students paid an estimated $15 billion in tuition at U.S. colleges in the 2018-19 year. Still, the American public is open to limiting their presence in U.S. academia. A majority of Americans (55%) support limiting Chinese students studying in the U.S., even as a broad majority (80%) say it's good for U.S. colleges and universities to accept international students in general, according to a February Pew Research Center survey.

Only around a third (31%) of Americans under the age of 30 support limiting Chinese students in the U.S., but the share rises to around half (49%) among those ages 30 to 49 and to around seven-in-ten (69%) of those 50 and older.

There are also differences in views by Americans' educational attainment. A 59% majority of those without a college degree support limiting Chinese students, while those with a college degree are about evenly split: 47% favor limiting Chinese students in the U.S. and 52% oppose the idea.

Partisan differences are pronounced, too. A majority of Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party (69%) support limiting Chinese students while 56% of Democrats and Democratic leaners are opposed.
Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses. Visit our methodology database for more information about the survey methods outside the U.S. For respondents in the U.S., read more about the ATP's methodology.

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Amid pandemic, international student enrollment at U.S. universities fell 15% in the 2020-21 school year

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Fewer than 1 million foreign students enrolled for either online or in-person classes at U.S. universities in the 2020-21 school year.

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Helping Students Feel Valued - Amber Chin

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Helping Students Feel Valued - Amber Chin

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When I was writing the reflection of the case study, the process reminded me my very beginning purpose of becoming a teacher. I want to be an educator who can create the learning environment that students can learn with confidence and without limits. I am interested in this workshop that helps develop strategies to help make people feel noticed, valued and needed every single day.

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Students created their presentation and shared the traditional food from their own country with their class. This activity helped everyone learn different cultures from each other. Students will not have the stereotype that Korea food is all about Kimchi, American food is all about pizza pizza or Vietnamese food is all about spring roll. Due to COVID, we were not able to bring food to the classroom and taste it, but everyone's presentation was with multiple food pictures that made us really want to try those food in the future!

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Not mention that both of our name is Amber, we also like to travel! This photo was taken when we were traveling during spring break to the north coast in Taiwan.

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Ever since I started this program, there are always many assignments that need to be done every week. When life is overload with work, studying , and playing different roles for family, friends and work, or there was some major situation happening, I forgot to take care of myself first. There was a period, I got lost and did not have any intension to do anything in life. I lost focus on everything including this learning journey with Moreland. I was procrastinating and just wanted to be alone. One day, I was walking in the mall, my tear came out without any reason, then I realized that there was something serious happened to me and I must fix it. Anyway, make the long story short, I got diagnosed depression. My doctor gave me medicine and suggestions of how to take care of my mental health. Now, I make sure I sleep well, eat well, make time for myself to do things I enjoy, learn to say NO so I won't spend time on things not that important and direct myself back to things that really important to me. I am now gaining the passion of learning back and trying my best to contribute the quality work for this program.

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Keep Learning and Our Curiosity - Amber Chin

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Keep Learning and Our Curiosity - Amber Chin

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Never stop learning and keep our curiosity, I believe this is the key to help us grow and help students grow.

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For years I have been trying to find ways to implement inquiry process in PE lessons, which are typically seen as 'just play some sports' activity. There is much more to it and this article helps discover more and provides nice guidance for all the PE lovers.

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What is Inquiry-Based Learning

"Inquiry-based learning is a process where students are involved in their learning, formulating questions, investigate widely and then build new understandings, meanings and knowledge. That knowledge is new to the students and may be used to answer a question, to develop a solution or to support a position or point of view. The knowledge is usually presented to others and may result in some sort of action."

Central to the Inquiry-based learning approach are the following key concepts:

The process is grounded in the curriculum.

The process provides the opportunity to extend learning.

The process is recursive.

The student is involved in the construction of knowledge.

The process starts with questions/wonderings.

Higher-order thinking is involved.

Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning

Students engaged in inquiry-based learning develop higher-order thinking skills such as analysing, synthesizing, evaluating, and reflecting, and they become more independent as they take responsibility for their own learning. As students pose their own questions their curiosity is piqued and as a result they are more engaged in the learning process. Throughout the inquiry process students also learn and practise collaboration and communication skills.

Inquiry Framework for Health and Physical Education

Adapted from the Ontario Social Studies, History, Geography, and Canadian and World Studies Curriculum the Inquiry Framework for Health and Physical Education (H&PE) illustrated in Figure 1 consists of six components that can be applied to student learning in the areas of both health and physical education.

Inquiry as a process for student learning can be considered in three stages: launching, facilitating, and making sense of inquiry, with the components of an inquiry process included throughout each stage. As part of launching their inquiry, students formulate questions to explore and investigate their topic. Educators facilitate the gather and organize component as students interpret and analyse what they've collected within the inquiry. Once students have collected appropriate information and evidence related to their question(s) they can move forward to making sense of their evidence-they evaluate and draw conclusions; communicate what they have learned; and reflect on what, why, and how they have learned. While the stages are progressive, educators can begin the process at any stage (see Figure 5).

Figure 1: Inquiry Framework for Health and Physical Education: Six Components of Inquiry-Based Learning

Stage 1: Launching

Formulate Questions: Students formulate questions or make predictions about concepts, strategies, and/or the relationships between topics or skills, and plan investigations to answer the questions as they take an active role in their learning.

Stage 2: Facilitating

Gather and Organize: Students collect, organize, and record relevant data, evidence, and/or information from appropriate primary or secondary sources. They focus and clarify ideas, concepts, strategies, or relationships between topics or skills.

Interpret and Analyse: Students interpret and assess data, evidence, and/or information, and analyse in order to identify patterns, relationships, currency, and bias; make connections; and potentially construct new knowledge.

Stage 3: Making Sense Of

Evaluate and Draw Conclusions: Students synthesize data, evidence, results, and/or information in order to make informed, critical judgments based on the reliability of the information and to explain the decision, choice, goal, or solution and its impact on themselves, others, and the world around them.

Communicate: Students consolidate and communicate observations, decisions, conclusions, goals, choices, strategies, and/or solutions clearly, logically, and effectively by using correct terminology and expressing information/results orally, in writing, or through demonstration or performance tailored to audience needs. They collaborate with others to deepen learning.

Reflect: Students reflect on initial questions, what they learned, what else they could investigate or try and what they could have done differently. They transfer learning to new situations and plan next steps.

It is important for educators to understand that the inquiry process is not a linear process. Learners may have to revise questions or develop additional questions based on what information they find during the gather and organize component or the interpret and analyse component. Students may need to gather more resources once they begin to evaluate or draw conclusions. Reflection can be performed during any stage, not only at the end of an inquiry. As educators guide students through the inquiry process, the curriculum expectations within Health and Physical Education must continue to drive student learning and assessment.

Adopting an Inquiry Stance with the Ontario Health and Physical Education (H&PE) Curriculum

In Health and Physical Education, students have the opportunity to develop inquiry skills in the Active Living, Movement Competence, Healthy Living strands and within the expectations of the Living Skills. The 2015 Health and Physical Education Curriculum embeds "critical thinking skills such as questioning, predicting, analysing, synthesizing, examining opinions, identifying values and issues, detecting bias, and distinguishing between alternatives" in the curriculum expectations. These critical-thinking skills are the same skills needed and used in inquiry-based learning.

The Living Skills expectations from the 2015 Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum are taught in an integrated manner across all strands of the curriculum. Within these specific expectations, there is expected learning related to students' knowledge of themselves, coping with challenges, interacting with others (collaboration and communication), and using a process for critical and creative thinking-all concepts reflective of the inquiry process.

The inquiry skills for formulating questions, gathering and organizing, interpreting and analysing, evaluating and drawing conclusions, communicating new knowledge, and reflecting are all found within the Living Skills expectations. Figure 2 Inquiry Components in the Living Skills: Critical and Creative Thinking Example illustrates how inquiry skills can be integrated within the Critical and Creative Thinking Living Skills. A similar approach can be taken to make connections between the other Living Skill areas and inquiry-based learning.

Figure 2: Inquiry Components in the Living Skills: Critical and Creative Thinking Example

Within the Movement Competence strand students learn about strategies connected to various games and activities by actively exploring and investigating the strategies and tactics of the game or activity through modified versions of the games or activities. Students interpret and analyse the game or activity structure and the results from different tactics tried in order to make connections to other games or activities determining which strategies and tactics can be transferred to other games or activities in the same games category.

The Teaching Games for Understanding methodology supports many components of inquiry-based learning in which students learn through "doing" and educators are facilitators of learning who ask open-ended questions and encourage students to ask questions in order to help them discover and experiment with tactical decisions and solutions. Students can communicate and demonstrate their new learning through a physical performance.

Figure 3: Inquiry Components in the Movement Competence: Skills, Concepts and Strategies Strand

In the Healthy Living strand there is shift from a focus on content knowledge to focusing on health literacy, which means building students' skills and understanding of how to and use health information to make healthy choices and how to make connections outside of oneself for healthy living. The inquiry process can be used as a vehicle through which students develop knowledge and skills related to the various health concepts and communicate their learning to promote healthy living with others, across their school, and in the community.

Figure 4: Inquiry Components in Healthy Living

Educator Entry Points into Inquiry-Based Learning

Inquiry is an approach to learning; educators may focus on the whole process or one or two of the components of inquiry. The educator decides at what stage of the inquiry process the inquiry is to begin and how much autonomy students are ready for, with respect to each component of the inquiry, as well as how much of the process to conduct with students.

Educators can approach inquiry from multiple entry points (refer to Figure 5). They may use a structured inquiry-based approach in which the educator guides students to practise just one component of the process (e.g., generating questions). Or they may use a guided inquiry approach in which the students practise more than one component of the inquiry process at a time. At the opposite end of the spectrum of student autonomy, educators may use an open inquiry approach in which students direct each component of the inquiry process with the educator providing feedback as students proceed through the components.

Educators may decide to use a structured approach for most parts of an inquiry combined with an open approach during specific stages, or may choose to differentiate parts of an inquiry for specific students in the class. For example, to engage a student who demonstrates strong reading abilities, the educator may have that student choose their own websites to research. For students who struggle with organizing their thoughts, the educator can provide graphic organizers for them to use when gathering their evidence. Considerations related to the entry point include:

student readiness;

educator comfort with inquiry-based learning;

prior student knowledge;

time, as some skills need to be taught explicitly; and

available resources and access to technology.

Figure 5: Spectrum of Student Autonomy in Inquiry-Based Learning

Gradient of Student Autonomy

More

Less

INQUIRY COMPONENT

OPEN INQUIRY

GUIDED INQUIRY

STRUCTURED INQUIRY

Formulate Questions:

Gather and Organize:

Interpret and Analyse:

Evaluate and Draw Conclusions:

Communicate:

Reflect:

Start Where You Are

Using an inquiry stance to engage students in learning may be new to some educators and familiar to others. Most likely many educators already model or use some combination of inquiry when:

asking students questions about game strategies within the TGFU (Teaching Games for Understanding) approach,

having students track (gather) and analyse personal fitness results, and/or

having students reflect on what they could do differently the next time they are in a conflict about their choices.

Educators who adapt an inquiry stance by asking effective questions are providing students with opportunities for deepening their knowledge and developing their critical-thinking skills of analysing, evaluating, and decision making.

To begin to use inquiry in Health and Physical Education, consider:

approaching inquiry with enthusiasm and excitement,

understanding that inquiry involves the unexpected for themselves and for their students,

modeling the inquiry process in their instruction,

using the language of inquiry, and

facilitating the process through discussion, clarification, support, and monitoring.

Educators who are experienced and comfortable with inquiry may consider taking it a step further by creating a cross-curricula inquiry question that addresses a number of expectations from multiple topics/courses.

Considerations When Using Inquiry-Based Learning

The following are some factors for educators to consider when adopting an inquiry-based learning approach.

Shift in Educator Role

To successfully facilitate inquiry-based learning, educators shift from the traditional role as provider of information and content to the role of a facilitator of learning. As experience and comfort with inquiry-based and student-centred learning increases, an educator becomes more of a guide and gradually releases responsibility to students to work more independently.

Modeling and guiding the inquiry process and the information literacy skills that are needed to effectively inquire is paramount. Students need to be taught information literacy and inquiry skills to be successful. As students develop the inquiry skills and their understanding of the inquiry process, an educator gradually releases responsibility and acts more as a guide and/or mentor.

Shift in Student Role

An inquiry-based approach to learning may be new to many students in Health and Physical Education. With this approach, students move from receiving information from the educator to taking a more active role in their learning and in constructing their own knowledge. Students will need practice as they adjust to developing their "learning to learn" skills.

To be successful in gathering evidence, students need to be able to find information that they can read and understand. Often, the information students gather is too complex for their age or grade. Though many students have done "research" projects, intentional instruction and/or guidance is sometimes required to help students because some may not have the information literacy or inquiry skills to research effectively. Educators need to incorporate time to instruct and/or review information literacy skills. The librarian in your school may be able to assist students in developing some of these literacy skills for conducting an inquiry in a variety of ways, by providing the following:

an overview of the various resources available in the library/learning commons

information on how to conduct searches for various types of print or digital resources

a variety of sources (e.g., print, electronic/digital, primary, secondary)

strategies for using a table of contents and indexes, navigating web pages, and using headings and sub-headings

tips for determining validity and reliability of sources

conventions for citing sources of information

tools for keeping track of information sources

strategies for skimming and scanning

strategies for using technology in the various stages.

Safe Learning Environment

In order for students to take risks, ask questions, and share their thinking, an emotionally safe learning environment is needed. The physical set-up of the classroom or activity area and the established routines and rules are important for achieving a successful inquiry-based classroom.

When teaching health, educators may consider arranging a space in the room dedicated for learning and sharing, by placing desks in groups or in a circle. This can help create an environment conducive to student collaboration and shared learning.

Educators should also review the protocols that are established at the beginning of the year or semester. If students know what to expect and are familiar with the routines, they are more likely to feel comfortable taking risks in their learning. For example, if students understand that a regular part of the class is to stop during game play and answer a couple of questions posed by the educator, they become familiar with this routine and contribute more freely during such activities.

Educators may also consider providing opportunities for questions and reflection at various points in their lessons. Examples include having students pause and reflect about what they are learning and share their reflection with a partner; for example, they might stop and analyse game play, or strategize to achieve greater success.

Collaboration

It is important for educators to consider the group work and social skills needed by students and to take the time needed to develop group work norms and teach the skills required. "In an inquiry based classroom students make sense together" . Groups are more effective when members are being open-minded and listening attentively. Groups run more smoothly if students know what to do when conflict arises, how to disagree respectfully, and how to give and receive constructive feedback.

¹ Alberta Learning. (2004). Focus on Inquiry: A educator's guide to implementing inquiry-based learning. Edmonton, AB: Alberta Learning.

², ³ Ontario Ministry of Education, 2013. The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1 to 6: Social Studies; Grade 7 and 8: History and Geography. Retreived from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/sshg18curr2013.pdf

⁴, ⁵, ⁶, ⁷ Ontario Ministry of Education. (2015). The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1 to 8: Health and Physical Education, 2015 (Rev. ed.). Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health1to8.pdf

8, 9 Watt, J.G., & Colyer, J. (2014). IQ: A practical guide to inquiry-based learning. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

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Understanding Inquiry in Health and Physical Education

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What is Inquiry-Based Learning "Inquiry-based learning is a process where students are involved in their learning, formulating questions, investigate widely and then build new understandings, meanings and knowledge. That knowledge is new to the students and may be used to answer a question, to develop a solution or to support a position or point of view.

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Being in a fully licensed IB school I already attended IB workshops and they provide great insight on how things could and should be done and it really deepens the perspective of an emerging teacher. I would like to have more opportunities to develop my own practice by visiting more of these workshops.

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Register for professional development workshops and events with the International Baccalaureate (IB)®.

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It was one of the cultural exchange open days at our school last year. My very dear South African friend Sally offered to decorate my face (she said it was just some fine adjustments to God's work). I loved it

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Somewhere at the beginning of module 8 I had such a hard time to get motivated again, just cuz there are constant mishaps at my school that keep me away from doing my job at the optimum level and with moreland being always there, a reminder that things have to be done on time and of course, never ending COVID situation (China). Then I just said to myself that it is time to take some time off and focus on my mental health more than anything. Life is a marathon, not a sprint race.

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Always try your best to be professional to the core. I choose to do this job and therefore I can't make any excuses about anything. Be on time for your lesson, be prepared for your lesson (I can always do better), be dedicated and for the love of God, no phones during the lesson!

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Mark - This was the friendship tree, we talked about what makes a good friend, and what we can do together with our friends.

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Mark - This was the friendship tree, we talked about what makes a good friend, and what we can do together with our friends.

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This is a story about how just because you have more than someone, it doesn't mean that you are better. We read the story, talked about the important points and also did a roleplay where the kids took turns being each character. Overall it was really good, and something I would do again.

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I am on the path becoming a certified teacher in 2022. Being a teacher assistant for the past 5 years and working with a lot of fabulous teachers. I am no longer the person who only has a few passion for life but also the passion for being an educator!

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With Covid being a thing, and this being a brand new school, there has not been much of a chance for the teachers to socialize. That being said, it has been great to be able to go on excursions with the kids and other teachers in order to build a stronger bond.

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I really like a lot of the answers that my other cohort members, so I will add in something new. I have really been working on stating my objectives clearly before entering into something. This is not limited to teaching, but also in my day to day conversations. At the start of the program I was super self conscious of being long winded. I have tried to change my communication style to be more objective focused and targeted, and believe this has helped me greatly with brevity.

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You have to be signed into your Moreland account, and I am not really sure how to fix that... Here is the link regardless. https://sites.google.com/moreland.edu/mark-palcsak/home

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So I don't really use facebook, or twitter, but I will say that one of the most important things I learned during my time at Moreland has been how much I can learn from others, how teaching is a never-ending learning journey.

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Good order is the foundation of all things-Meghna Verma

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Good order is the foundation of all things-Meghna Verma

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I like everything extremely organized, be it my apartment, laundry or my son's toys. At school in my office, I have an array of colored pens, sticky notes, organizers and checklists to be on top of weekly and daily tasks. On my computer, I make sure all my work and lesson plans are in their respective folders so that I can access them easily when needed.  In the age of digital technology, google calendars, task reminders and apple notes have been a great help.

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This year has been an exceptionally busy, but productive one. I never thought I'll be able to juggle a full-time job in a brand new field of education, motherhood and a Mandarin proficiency course, all at once. I'm quite proud of myself to push my limits and making most of my time. I will feel very accomplished the day I get my teaching license. It's been a rollercoaster ride for the last nine months. But definitely got to learn so much more that I'm ready to dive into the masters program next month.

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A shoutout to fellow teachers-Meghna Verma

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A shoutout to fellow teachers-Meghna Verma