A GeekyMomma's Blog

The Last Explainer Video You Will Ever Need on Cyberbullying

2017-04-04T18:31:00.003-04:00

The Last Explainer Video You Will Ever Need on Cyberbullying

Below is another great video from my favorite explainer, Lee LeFever. This one addresses cyberbullying and he does a great job encouraging students to be upstanders and to call out bullies.

Application in the Classroom

Show this to your students and ask what the video leaves out. Have your students create a "CommonCraft"-like video of their own. It's pretty easy and they can (should) do it in groups.

Real World Application

Have them posted online where others can benefit from their message.

Use Social Media for Good, Not Evil

Next, promote your students' blogs via Facebook and Twitter and Instagram. Don't be shy about asking your social media connections to take a look and leave a constructive comment or two. Here's an example of how I did this with my students a few years back (topic: weather). If those videos don't load try this direct link to one of the videos.

Try it and let me know how it goes in the comments below.

Top Ten Tips (+1) for a Fantastic FETC

2017-01-13T18:30:00.000-05:00

This post also appears on the FETC Blog.

FETC is only two weeks away and although I’ve been to many FETCs, I still get very excited about each one. I know I will meet up with longtime friends, who I only ever get to see when I go to these conferences, and I look forward to meeting interesting new people as well.

A conference as large at FETC can be overwhelming, even for a seasoned conference goer like myself. If this is your first FETC, here are a few tips for you:

On your first day, arrive early to register and look through the materials. Grab a coffee, and plan your day. Use the web-based event app à http://fetc.eventshowcase.com/LRP
It’s all about the shoes! Wear comfortable shoes/sneakers and dress in light layers. There is a lot of walking, even if just from the shuttle to the nearest breakout session or keynote.
Bring your technology, but be courteous. Turn off the WiFi on devices you aren’t using to reduce bandwidth gridlock. Each conference attendee could potentially have three devices hitting the wireless access points at one time. Think about it, most attendees have a smart phone, tablet, and laptop. Bring what you need, and remember these items start to get heavy after walking around all day. For me, I am good with my smart phone. With access to cloud services such as Google Drive, Office365, and iCloud, all of my photos and notes are with me wherever I go.
Bring an extra battery pack for your phone and a charging cable.
Dress comfortably, but professionally.

Nothing says, “I’m only here for the day off” more than wearing shorts, flipflops, and tank tops to an education conference.

Wear comfortable pants or a skirt, and save the t- shirts with political (or potentially controversial statements) for the beach.
Always carry a bottle of water. They are easy to fill at nearby stations and you WILL get dehydrated because you’ll be walking a lot and talking a lot.
Meet new people and take photos of them holding their name badges near their faces. This is
the best way to remember all your new friends. I don’t even carry business cards. If someone wants my information, I suggest they take my photo with my name badge near my face. They can then look me up later on. (Hint: Write your Twitter name on your badge in black marker.)
Speaking of Twitter, get with it. If you’re a lurker on Twitter, that’s ok. Follow the stream by searching for #FETC. Tweet what you’re doing and don’t forget to add the tag #FETC or #FETC17. I remember a great impromptu conversation that formed one year when someone Tweeted “Anyone interested in discussing FERPA and social media? Meet at 2:00 near the north end coffee kiosk.” Tweet it and people will come. Plus, join your fellow Tweeters for the 2017 #FETC Tweetup on Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 5 - 6 p.m. at LRP Booth 110 in the Expo Hall.
If you are overwhelmed with what sessions to go to, and you want to be sure to learn a lot AND be highly entertained, go to anything that the following people are presenting. Seriously, anything! You will not be disappointed. Kathy Schrock, Steve Dembo, Adam Bellow, Hall Davidson, or Rushton Hurley. You will not be disappointed.
If you are with a group, make a plan to each focus on a specific strand or theme. Each of you should then try to attend as many sessions focusing on that theme, so then when you reconvene as a group, you will have covered much more conference territory.

BONUS TIP: Cozy up to your favorite vendors in the Exhibit Hall and find out about evening or midday events they are hosting. Many large companies have fantastic presentations and have catered food in their corporate rooms. Pop in for a midday presentation and enjoy a free lunch or snack. Check out my personal favorites: Discovery Education, Microsoft, and Audio Enhancement.

Terms of Service? Didn't Read!

2017-01-10T18:00:00.000-05:00

Image Source

This post also appears on Huffington Post.

An article published yesterday on The Washington Post shines a light on the fact that most teenagers who use Instagram and other social media websites, are not aware of the Terms of Service (TOS) and have no idea to the extent they are relinquishing their privacy, or their own content. Jenny Afia, a privacy lawyer and partner at Schillings law firm in London says, “The situation is serious…Young people are unwittingly giving away personal information, with no real understanding of who is holding that information, where they are holding it and what they are going to do with it.” When Afia’s task force ran Instagram’s terms and conditions through a readability study, they found that it registered at a postgraduate reading level.

Afia was then tasked with rewriting Instagram’s TOS in plain English. She summed it all up into a single sentence:

“Don’t use anybody else’s account without their permission or try to find out their login details.”

The task force said the same message could be applied to most social media sites, but it focused on Instagram for its ubiquity and popularity among teenagers.

The article focuses on teenagers as a demographic, but I would venture to guess most people of all ages who use not only social media sites, but also apps and other services to which they must click to agree to a TOS, have no idea what they just agreed. To many, the “clickwrap” agreements are just an annoying barrier to getting to the goods. A single click, and you’re in!

For the average user, it’s not such a big deal I suppose. After all, if you don’t care about your own content, why should I? Unless of course, we are friends on Facebook and you start using an app that pulls in my information. (Check your FB privacy settings and be sure you pay special attention to “Apps Others Use” and uncheck all of the items.)

On the other hand, if you are a teacher and you are agreeing to some TOS on behalf of your students, then this becomes much more serious. Especially in US public schools, your students (and their parents), trust you to comply with FERPA at all times. So, when you open a class Twitter or Instagram account for example, and post student photos (i.e., student records), you are potentially making some decisions, and taking some risks, that go far beyond that which you do for basic educational purposes in your classroom.

Kudos to Tumblrfor adding hip language to its TOS to make it more readable.

How awesome would it be to have one resource that aggregates all the most popular web services and rewrites the TOS in plain English? If only… Oh wait, there’s TOSDR (Terms of Service Didn’t Read)! Pretty handy, indeed. In addition, rock star educator, blogger, and friend, Howard Martin, keeps a publicly available Google Doc for TOS for some popular Web 2.0 tools.

What to do?

1. Read all TOS when signing up for a new service and check back often, because almost all of them have a provision that says they can change their TOS at any time, and they don’t have to tell you.

2. If you are planning to post student records (photos, work samples, etc.), obtain explicit parental consent. This means those genericdirectory permission forms, typically found embedded in school registration forms, may not be enough. From FERPA website:

If student records are to be released…, the school or school system must obtain prior consent of the parent. Signed and dated written consent must: Specify the records that will be released; State the reason for releasing the records; and Identify the groups or individuals who will receive the records.

3. Check your school or district policies on releasing student records, and if you’re lucky enough to have a social media policy, read it carefully.

4. Understand that just because a service is free, doesn’t mean it’s OK to use. No matter how tempting, avoid uploading student names, IDs, and other personally identifying information until you’ve reviewed the service’s TOS and your district or school’s policies.

Simple Is The New Smart For Leaders (and Everyone Else, Too!)

2016-11-05T16:11:00.001-04:00

Also posted on Huffington Post and the FETC Blog.

The other day , I had the privilege of attending a very good keynote by Garrison Wynn (@garrisonwynn). He was funny, high energy and made a lot of very good points about leadership. Nothing too original, but that's ok because there's not much new to say. There will always be a market for people like Garrison Wynn who can deliver these messages in engaging ways because there are too many leaders who haven't heard, or internalized, these messages in the first place, even though both the leaders and the messages have been around a long time. Garrison made a good point about how leaders must make sure the people around them FEEL they are being heard. He said, find out what people value and you'll know what you have to work with. He said lead by example and make others feel valuable.

The biggest take away for me was his point about being clear. He says clarity is the foundation of value and If you are easy to understand, you have more influence.

SIMPLE IS THE NEW SMART

He says, most people believe if you can't simplify your message, you don't understand it well enough yourself. I am one of those people who firmly believes that. I've seen a big change in how people communicate over the last few years and you will probably start to notice it more after reading this. There's this trend towards more words, louder tone, and dominating the conversation, and … uptalk.

And these things, my friend, do not lead to more clarity.

I'm not sure when it all began, but I started noticing it with sales people and vendors, and now I see those in leadership positions and even TV pundits are starting to show this odd behavior as well. They end their sentences with a rising inflection (also known as uptalk), signaling to others that they are not finished so they continue to speak. They speak at a rapid rate, jumping from one unfinished thought to another, often repeating themselves until they run out of steam.

Most people today are consumed with being right and telling people their stories, but not listening. Early in his presentation, Garrison made a point about how most people will go down in flames just to be right. They'd rather be right, than hear good ideas. They'd rather be right, than have change. They'd rather be right... and they will keep looking for ways to make sure they keep being right.

So, if you're in a position to affect change for others, here are some tips:

Say less, listen more.
When you do speak, be clear. Would your message read well on a poster? (If you have trouble simplifying your message, keep reading because there’s a resource for you.)
Be sincere. Everyone knows when you're faking it.
Ask for 360 feedback. (Read this post first: 7 Reasons Why 360 Feedback Programs Fail)
Act on that feedback.

Need more help? Here's a great (free) resource for you:

Lee and Sachi LeFever from Commoncraft are very smart people who share their knowledge in really simple ways. They create extremely short videos that explain things in simple terms that anyone can understand. You may have seen some of their videos such as their 2 min. Twitter explanation or maybe their latest on Gamification.

Be Smart. Speak Clearly!

If you like the way these concepts are explained in simple terms, you can now enroll in their free mini-course, Explainer's Secret Weapon. The course is offered in Common Craft Style - an engaging mix of words, short animated videos, original visuals, and an exercise to try yourself. There's even a downloadable guide to take with you.

Imposter Syndrome: Equal Opportunity For All

2016-10-21T10:22:00.002-04:00

Crossposted here on my other blog at Huffington Post.

I stumbled on this blogpost about Imposter Syndrome by Melinda Briana Epler, CEO and Founder of Change Catalyst. It caught my eye not only because it is an excellent, heartfelt post on the subject, but because Imposter Syndrome is something I’ve been struggling with for years, and surprisingly I can count on one hand the number of people who shake their heads in recognition when I bring it up.

I’m not an expert on the subject, but I'm an expert on the past 53 years of being me.

Impostor syndrome (also known as impostor phenomenon or fraud syndrome) is a term coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes referring to high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a "fraud".

They often attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than to ability, and fear that others will eventually unmask them as a fraud.

Epler mentions a few famous people who also grapple with Imposter Syndrome. She mentions Maya Angelou, Jodie Foster, Tina Fey, Don Cheadle, Sheryl Sandberg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Albert Einstein. In fact, she quotes Einstein:

“The exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler.” — Albert Einstein

When I do bring it up, I’m so surprised when I’m not met with an “OMG, yes! I get it!” Because I KNOW, my high achieving friends or coworkers are met with self-doubt more often than not. I see it in their behaviors. However, here’s the thing, most people don't talk about it. Part of the experience is that they're afraid they're going to be found out, and if you talk about it you are outing yourself.

When Clance and Imes first described the impostor syndrome, they thought it was unique to women. Since then, a variety of research on the topic has revealed that men, too, can have the unenviable experience of feeling like frauds.

Imes concluded that many people who feel like impostors grew up in families that placed a big emphasis on achievement. In particular, parents who send mixed messages — alternating between over-praise and criticism — can increase the risk of future fraudulent feelings. I would venture to guess the “everyone gets a trophy” generation will grow up with its own brand of Imposter Syndrome.

How can it be that everyone is wonderful on the soccer field, gets equal playing time, all the time, but suddenly when turning 15 means learning the meaning of Pine-Time. No wonder these kids are Nervous Nellies always waiting for the other foot to drop.

I didn’t see a mention of work environment being a contributing factor, but I think there’s something to look into there. Passive aggressive comments made by “well-meaning” co-workers can needle their way into your head.

Some minority groups may be especially susceptible. A 2013 study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin surveyed ethnic-minority college students and found that Asian-Americans were more likely than African-Americans or Latino-Americans to experience impostor feelings. Most people experience some self-doubt when facing new challenges, but this is different. Even if they experience outward signs of success — getting into a selective graduate program, say, or acing test after test — they have trouble believing that they're worthy. Instead, they may chalk their success up to good luck.

I think it’s easier to understand if you think of an “imposter” as polar opposite of a narcissist. Where a narcissist would always attribute success to herself (whether earned or not), the imposter would attribute it to luck or timing.

What does it look like inside the mind of an Imposter? Take the following examples:

1. You lead a project at work to a successful completion. Your boss says to a large group, “Thank you to __insert your name __ for sort of taking this project and running with it.” (What’s “really” happening here? You’re a fraud, Girl! You didn’t really lead the project. You just sort of did it.)

2. Your work overtime, through the weekend, to get a job done. Your boss is aware of this. You make sure your boss has it first thing Monday morning. You know it’s done to perfection. No response from your boss. (“Reality” check: Not done to perfection, but he doesn’t want to tell you. In fact he’s probably handed it off to someone else to redo it. Fraud, Fraud, That’s you!)

3. It’s time for your yearly evaluation, and your boss gives you an outstanding rating on the standard measurement instrument everyone uses. He hands it to you to sign and says, “Good job this year.” That’s all he says. (What’s “really” happening here? He’s not giving you any feedback because you aren’t really so outstanding. Why would you think that anyway? You are a fraud, dear!)

4. Your friends tell you you’re being ridiculous and list all the reasons why you deserve your success. Some of them know you at work. (In your head: They are your friends, so of course they are going to tell you what you want to hear. Listen here, Fraud, they don’t really know all the ins and outs of what you do at work, so they don’t know how much of a fraud you really are. Keep telling them. Fraud!)

5. You’re nominated for an award. It requires you to write a brief essay explaining how you use technology in innovative ways for standards-based instruction. You think about all the amazing projects you’ve done with your students over the years and you start to write. Then you sit there staring at a blank screen. (You’re thinking: What I do isn’t really so special. Even with some lessons that were awesome, they just started out as small tweaks from lessons that were provided to us. In fact, someone will see that I didn’t create them from scratch. Thinking about one lesson in particular, even if I did add in a video conference with a scientist from another state, and a science experiment with digital probes, and every student blogged their science journals…I don’t know that anyone will really think those pieces are so special. FRAUD!) So you don’t apply for the award.

So, what to do? Epler recommends learning to outsmart your fears, really listening to those who tell you how you’ve changed their lives, meditation, and keeping at your work. I recommend reading her full post here. The American Psychology Association (APA) recommends talking to your mentors, recognizing your expertise, remembering what you do well, realizing no one is perfect, changing your thinking, and talking to someone who can help. Read more here.

I find, the older I get, the less this is an issue for me. I’ve learned to recognize where my strengths are, and where they are not. Let’s face it, I will never be a mathematician and I will always need help with Excel formulas. Thank goodness for Google.

I also acknowledge that just because something is not a strength of mine, does not make it a weakness.

I’ve made choices lately in my personal and professional life that I’m extremely proud of. If I were a true fraud, I would not have been able to successfully see those choices through. I know that now.

After reading a lot this summer, I also have come to realize that all who rise to leadership are not in a position to judge your worthiness. They may hold certain cards in your career deck, but that doesn’t mean you give them all your cards. I’ve learned that leadership comes in many forms and you don’t have to let someone else’s words resonate in your head if they don’t have value. The choice is always yours.

Do you struggle with Imposter Syndrome? Share your story in the comments.

Source: http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2013/11/fraud.aspx

Another Email, Another Victim

2016-09-12T19:05:00.000-04:00

Image Source: Common Craft

Almost every week I get an email from someone I know and it's pretty clear their email account has been hacked. How does this happen to intelligent people? It happens all the time and in a variety of ways, but one of the most frequent ways is through phishing scams. Here are a few attempts that came through my inbox this week that prompted this post. Take a moment to read and hopefully next time you receive one of these, and you will, you'll be smarter.

You receive an email from your bank, Google, Apple, or another business that you do business with. Although logic tells you there's no good reason for them to be contacting you, you read on. Almost all of these emails have a few if not all of these flags.

Action Required
You are asked to log in
Look for grammatical mistakes in the email.
Check the link, but NOT BY CLICKING ON IT.
Even if you do click on the link, it's not usually the end of the world. The damage is usually only done when you enter your logon credentials, that's what they are after.
Even if you see the name of the bank or legitimate site in the URL, that does not mean it is legitimate.

Below is one email I received from a not real "Bank of America." The next graphic is an email I found in my SPAM folder. It is from a not real "Apple Store." It is exactly the same.

Image Source: CommonCraft.com

Now that you know how it important it is not to fall for these scams, it is also important for you to use different passwords for different sites. Here's why its important. Let's say I'm a scammer and I send you a Phishing email from Google telling you your Google email account has had a suspicious login attempt and your account will be frozen unless you login and confirm your identity within the next 24 hours... and I provide you a convenient link to do so. When you click the link, you go to a page that looks just like the Google login page (easy enough to create) and you enter your Google username and password. Once you do, you realize you were not on the real Google site, but you aren't sure what to do, so you take a few minutes to figure it out. You even go get a cup of coffee while you search for how to change your password in Google. While you enjoy your latte, I've got your username and password to Google Mail. I also now have access to your address book, so I'm sending all your friends phishing emails, that look like they are coming from you. Because they trust you, most are opening the emails. Now, since I'm really smart, I don't need to do all this myself at a computer, instead I've programmed software to take your username and password and start trying to log in to sites like Apple, banks, Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks, Sears, etc. because I know you are using that same username and password on other sites. By now, you've probably changed your Google password. Good job! But, what about all those other sites, that I've probably already hit? I do this with hundreds of thousands of users and I only need to hit the jackpot a handful of times.

Don't be a victim.

Understand how to identify phishing emails.
Use complex passwords (P@$$w0rds @r3 e@sy 2 Cr3@t3 1F yu0 u2e PhR@s3$)
Enable 2-step authentication ("Send me a text message with a unique code anytime I try to login).
Use a password manager like Lastpass to securely store all your passwords. You can access Lastpass on your phone or from any computer.

It is HE With the Tie Who I Shall Follow

2016-09-08T18:47:00.000-04:00

Walking through the halls of a few elementary schools recently reminded me of the very adorable things young children say and do.

However, there was one interesting occurrence that made me say, "Hmmmm."

I was with a group of five or six other women and one man,, all dressed professionally. The women were dressed in various business attire, from a business suit with skirts and slacks with jackets, to dresses with heels. The man was wearing a shirt and tie (no jacket).

In both schools, there was a little girl who pointed to the man in our group and asked if he was the boss.

Stereotypes start early, don't they?

Zero

2016-08-30T19:17:00.000-04:00

Source:Flickr user duncan

I work in a seriously progressive district and yet when I walk the halls of excellent schools, and sit in excellent classrooms with excellent teaching going on, I see ZERO technology being used. I see less today than I saw 5 years ago. I see $3000 projectors being used to display a worksheet. If there is any technology, it is rarely in the hands of students. What is going on? #seriousquestionpeople

How to Better Engage Students in Science Education

2016-06-07T19:00:00.000-04:00

This came across my email this morning and after not posting on my blog for what feels like years, it stirred me to want to share again.

The Amgen Foundation, in partnership with Change the Equation, released results of a new survey examining what motivates U.S. high school students to pursue a STEM education. The survey findings, titled, “Students on STEM: More Hands-on, Real-World Experiences” shares some key perceptions that teens have of STEM education.

Based on the survey of 1,569 U.S. students ages 14 to 18, in addition to the critical role teachers’ play in stimulating students’ interest in STEM, students also need hands-on, real-world experiences to inspire them to explore careers in scientific fields. Specifically, below are some key findings:

· Among teens who are interested in biology careers, teachers (85 percent) and classes (86 percent) rank right alongside their parents or guardians (87 percent) as the biggest influences on their career decisions.

· Eighty-one percent of students are interested in science, but only 37 percent of teens said they like their science classes “a lot.”

· Two-way, hands-on learning, like experiments and field trips, are most likely to engage students in biology, followed by tools that help them relate biology to real life. Methods such as class discussions or teaching straight from the book are least interesting, but among the most common.

· In fact, roughly half (51 percent) would sooner help a famous scientist run a biology experiment than try out the latest smartphone.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, there is a projected significant increase in STEM jobs that will need to be filled by 2020. For example, biomedical engineering jobs are projected to increase by 62 percent from 2010 to 2020. Given these figures, it is imperative that students get the right opportunities and experiences to encourage them in the STEM fields.

Press Release:

NEW NATIONAL SURVEY SHEDS LIGHT ON HOW TO BETTER ENGAGE STUDENTS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

American Students Want More Hands-on, Real-World Experiences

Teachers Are Critical to Inspiring a Lasting Interest in Science

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. and WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 7, 2016) – The Amgen Foundation and Change the Equation (CTEq) today announced results of a survey conducted to better understand what motivates U.S. high school students to study science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The report, titled “Students on STEM: More Hands-on, Real-World Experiences,” shows that students want additional opportunities that will inspire them to explore careers in scientific fields, and teachers are uniquely positioned to stimulate students’ interest in STEM.

The survey found that large majorities of teenagers like science and understand its value, but common teaching methods, such as teaching straight from the textbook, do not bring the subject matter to life in the same way hands-on, real-life experiences do. Several results reveal an opportunity to better engage students in the classroom. For example:

· Eighty-one percent of students are interested in science, and 73 percent expressed interest in biology. However, only 37 percent of teenagers said they like their science classes “a lot.” By contrast, 48 percent reported liking non-science classes “a lot.”

· Among teenagers who are interested in biology careers, teachers (85 percent) and classes (86 percent) rank right alongside their parents or guardians (87 percent) as the biggest influences on their career decisions.

· Two-way, hands-on learning, like experiments and field trips, are most likely to engage teenage students in biology, followed by tools that help them relate biology to real life. One-way communication, such as class discussions or teaching straight from the book, are least interesting, but among the most common.

“We are in an era where scientific advances provide the opportunity to make meaningful progress against some of the world’s most serious diseases,” said Raymond C. Jordan, senior vice president of Corporate Affairs at Amgen and Amgen Foundation Board of Directors member. “To sustain this momentum, we must inspire the next generation of innovators. Through this study, we have seen that teachers are critical catalysts to inspiring a love of science in students.”

The survey also looked beyond the classroom, revealing that most teenagers lack access to additional resources and opportunities to learn more about scientific careers and engage with science professionals—experiences that are critical to developing a lifelong love of science. For example:

· Most survey respondents believe knowing an adult in their field of interest would be helpful, but only 32 percent actually know an adult in a science-based career. And just 22 percent know someone with a job involving biology.

· Only 33 percent of teenagers have ever been involved in a science club or group, either in or out of school. Low-income teenagers are especially unlikely to have been involved, and are more likely to be unaware of extracurricular science offerings.

· Low-income students also have the fewest pathways to science careers. They are less likely to know someone who works in biology (19 percent versus 25 percent of higher-income students) and not as likely to have access to career-planning resources.

“Students who pursue a STEM education today are the innovators who will solve the world’s greatest problemstomorrow, whether or not they become scientists or engineers,” said Linda P. Rosen, chief executive officer of Change the Equation. “Change the Equation is pleased to partner with the Amgen Foundation to help uncover how we can ensure all U.S. students, regardless of income level or location, have access to the right resources.”

To expand youth access to the nation’s best STEM education opportunities, CTEq maintains the STEMworks honor roll of programs that have proven their impact through rigorous third-party review. Over the past two years, CTEq’s state and corporate partners, including the Amgen Foundation, have rallied around STEMworks programs, bringing them to almost 1 million more youth nationwide.

To help science teachers give their students more hands-on learning experiences and insight into career options in and out of the classroom, the Amgen Foundation created the Amgen Biotech Experience. This program provides professional development training to teachers and state-of-the-art equipment to schools, bringing real-life biotech experiments into the classroom.

For more information about the survey, visit amgeninspires.com/studentsonstem and join the conversation using#TeensTalkSci. Visit AmgenInspires.com and follow @AmgenFoundation to learn more about our commitment to inspire the next generation of scientists. For more on CTEq, visit changetheequation.org and follow@changeequation.

About the survey

The research was commissioned by the Amgen Foundation and Change the Equation and conducted by C+R Research Services, a national marketing research firm that specializes in research with youth. A total of 1,569 online surveys were completed by students ages 14-18 years old. Participants were high school students (sophomore, junior and senior levels) currently attending public and private schools in the U.S. Hispanics and Blacks/African Americans were oversampled to ensure adequate representation, and the data was weighted by ethnicity and region to mirror the U.S. population. Data collection took place November 2015. For the full methodology, visit changetheequation.org/students-on-stem.

About the Amgen Foundation

The Amgen Foundation seeks to advance excellence in science education to inspire the next generation of innovators, and invest in strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work. Since 1991, the Foundation has donated more than $250 million in grants to local, regional and international nonprofit organizations that impact society in inspiring and innovative ways. The Amgen Foundation brings the excitement of discovery to the scientists of tomorrow through several signature programs, including Amgen Scholars, Amgen Biotech Experience, and Amgen Teach. For more information, visit AmgenInspires.com and follow us on Twitter@AmgenFoundation.

About Change the Equation

Since 2010, Change the Equation has been championing the value of a good start through K-12 STEM education as a means to build and inspire the next generation of America’s workforce. The nonprofit CEO coalition works at the intersection of business and education to ensure that all students are STEM literate by collaborating with schools, communities and states to adopt and implement excellent STEM policies and programs. For more information, visit changetheequation.org and follow us on Twitter @changeequation.

Images: http://www.amgeninspires.com/

Using JotForm to Increase Efficiency in the Classroom, & Save Paper!

2015-11-21T09:41:00.000-05:00

As a classroom teacher and in all of my professional roles, I've always turned to JotForm when I wanted to create forms. Although Google Forms is nice, it is extremely limited. Having the ability to add digital signatures, upload files right into the form, and use conditions (in addition to so many other great features) makes JotForm the most powerful form creator I've seen. I've been a user of JotForm since they were just getting started and were in Beta. I'm proud to be an advocate for this product and happy to share a guest post with you from Chad Reid, Director of Communications at JotForm. ~Lee

People will argue whether technology has done more to help or hurt the classroom overall. On one hand, students didn’t have cell phones when we were in school (and we all managed just fine). On the other hand, teachers have so many tools at their disposal to make the classroom more efficient and enjoyable, its difficult to deny the increase in efficiency, motivation, and additional learning that takes place when properly using technology.

JotForm does all of those things.

JotForm is a do-it-yourself form building platform that’s free, EASY, and fun to use for collecting assignments, retrieving parent signatures, or even used as a self-grading quiz. Below are a few of the most common ways JotForm is used in the classroom:

Field Trips Simplified

You could do it the old fashioned way, and no one would blame you. But sending kids home with printed permission slips has a myriad of drawbacks: delayed returned slips, lost slips, forged signatures, and lots of wasted paper. But alas, there’s an easier way!

Creating a permission slip form online and emailing it to the parents is the best way to ensure it’s delivered and signed by an actual adult. Best of all, add an "upload" button to your form and you get all of your returned forms instantly, and neatly organized, in the cloud. In addition, you will find all of your form responses conveniently in your email.

Then there’s the ease in which JotForm can help you collect emergency contact information for all of your students. You could include it as a part of your permission form to make sure all of your students’ critical information is collected ahead of time.

Quizzes

Quizzing your students can be as simple as having them open a form. The best part? If you’re using an online form for a multiple-choice quiz, you can leave the instant grading to JotForm, and even share the scores instantly with your students. The scores are automatically stored in your JotForm account, and you can integrate the responses into a Google Spreadsheet to make it easy to find and sort for later.

Polling and Surveying Students

No matter the subject, polling your students can create fascinating dialogue in the classroom. For social studies teachers, you can survey students about issues around elections, science teachers can poll about hypotheses and theories, and English teachers can poll for sentiments in certain works of literature. Either way, it’s made easy using JotForm, where you can create visual reports using the polling data that you can share with the class instantly.

Group Project Feedback

Group projects are always a risky proposition. Is everyone involved going to pull their weight? And are you going to get honest feedback from the students to know that everyone did their part? A simple feedback form can fix that. Consider making the form anonymous so that no student feels the pressure of having their name attached to the honest feedback they’re giving about a peer.

Sign-Ups

Without printing a single sheet of paper, sign students up for theater, sports, committees, clubs, and any other extracurricular activity. And with electronic signature capabilities, even needing a student’s signature isn’t a barrier. Just make the form available from an easily accessible site, and students will be able to submit the information they need from home or the library.

These are just a few of the ways to use JotForm to make distributing requirements and collecting information easier. The product is designed to be uncomplicated and generic, so the possibilities for using JotForm is pretty endless. The best part? It’s completely free up until 100 responses per month.

Chad Reid is the Director of Communications at JotForm, a popular platform for creating online forms. He’s also a graduate student studying communication and lives in Oakland, California with his girlfriend and three cats.

The Winners Are....

2015-08-24T05:18:00.003-04:00

In my previous post, I challenged my readers to share how their students take ownership of their learning with technology. I apologize for the delay in announcing the winner, but today I am happy to announce the two winners below:

Ellen Budish

Cheryl Arnett

Congratulations! I will be in touch to send you your Staples gift cards!

Lee

EdTech Thought Leaders: Technology is Just for Teachers? Think Again! Getting Students to Take Ownership of Their Learning With Technology

2015-08-05T22:07:00.001-04:00

As do other public school districts, we go through our accreditation review and take care to note the recommendations in the report and make strategic plans on how to move forward to make improvements in those areas. One area of focus that specifically relates to educational technology is that we need to put the ownership of learning into the hands of the students. Based on the progress assessment from the AdvanceEd Accreditation Report, we learned that we need to improve in the area of student use of technology for learning in the classroom. There are just not enough students using the technology we have. It's not that we don't have enough technology, but we've been so focused on getting teachers to use the tools, that we've failed to sufficiently engage the students in the learning process with technology.

This requires a shift in thinking for our teachers. One new thing we are trying in our district is hosting a technology mini-conference before teachers return to school. There will only be 12 sessions (plus an opening and closing keynote) but each 40 minute session is focused on showing the participants how to help students take ownership of their learning with the use of technology. We have some of our best district-level presenters showcasing mini versions of full workshops they do throughout the year. We are really excited about this conference! As of today, we have over 400 people registered to attend. Most are teachers who are still ON THEIR SUMMER VACATION!

So, that is one strategy we put into place, but we are on a quest to learn more about what works for other districts and classrooms. What are YOUR best practices and ideas for getting students to take ownership of their learning with the use of technology? I'd love to hear your ideas, and to motivate you to comment, I'm offering up TWO $50 gift cards from Staples for the best ideas.

Full Disclosure:

As a blogger I sometimes receive free products and offers. Last week, I received an email from Staples® (excerpt below). I responded that I'd love to participate and so they sent me a few packages of pens and markers, and a gift card for $50 for me to keep, along with a promise for me to be able to give away another gift card to a reader on my blog. I'll keep the pens and markers, thank you, but I'm going to give my gift card away here on this blog, in addition to the extra one to another reader.

So, I have TWO $50. gift cards to give away. Here's how YOU CAN WIN one of them:

1. In the comment section, tell me how you help your students take ownership of their learning with the use of technology. Bonus points for adding a link to some type of evidence.

2. Be sure to leave your Twitter handle, email, or other contact info in your comments so I can let you know if you win.

Winners will be announced August 17th. Based on the best ideas, I will choose two winners.

Good luck!

Excerpt from Staples email:

Hi Lee,

We’d love to work with you in promoting this special offer on your blog by sending you supplies plus a $50 Staples gift card for you plus a $50 Staples gift card to giveaway to one of your readers.

Staples is helping educators save more on classroom supplies and get ready for school with their own Teacher Appreciation Week, August 2nd through 8th. Teachers can download their 40% back in Staples Teacher Rewards coupon www.staples.com/classroom

Staples Supports Think It Up™

Staples is building on its decades-long support of teachers, students and education with a $10 million pledge to support the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s new Think It Up™ initiative.

As a lead donor, Staples has teamed up with worldwide superstar and Think It Up Ambassador Nick Jonas to help raise awareness of the need to support learning projects in classrooms across the country. Learn more at www.staplesforstudents.org.

Sorry, Not Sorry...

2015-07-11T09:45:00.001-04:00

What is it about us women, and our propensity to apologize for everything, from asking a question to just breathing? What is it about our language where it is acceptable to use words like bossy, nag, feisty, hysterical, catty, and tart to describe women, and for men we use words like leader, determined, passionate, disagreeable, and player?

Ever since I read Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, I've become more aware of the language used by both women and men. Specifically, the language used between women and men as they interact. The diagram below is the result of my non-scientific observations, over the past few years.

These observations are gleaned from my work environment, as well as from other business environments of which I've had the privilege to take part over the years. To be fair, there are certainly exceptions in every environment. The men and women who treat each other in a truly professional manner, are the superstars of most organizations. They are easy to spot and people tend to gravitate toward them. Others want to be around them, people want to learn from them, and they emit an energy of confidence, strength, and others feel safe in their presence. They are the opposite of the "energy suckers." You feel good when you are around them and you're not afraid to fail. You know if you do fail, you'll be coached to succeed in the future. Why? Because these people have confidence in your ability, and most of all, they are not threatened by your presence.

On the other hand, there are plenty of men (and women) who are threatened by the presence of strong personalities. So, those of us who are on the receiving end of this dysfunction, tend to apologize and make every effort to help everyone else save face.

So, although there are plenty of exceptions, there are not enough exceptions to water down the fact that our culture of how men treat women is sexist, and we allow it to continue. As poor as the behavior is of the men who are demeaning to women, it is the women (and other men who bear witness) who allow it to continue. We must take responsibility for allowing people to treat us as they do.

We live in a culture where we permit bad behavior to continue. Rather than address the problems head-on, we adjust our own behaviors in order to avoid the discomfort. Similar to bullying, bystanders are less likely to jump in and say something for fear that they will become a part of the situation and potential target for the bully, as well.

And that's where the misplaced apologizing usually surfaces.

In 2012, The Women’s Media Center (WMC) which was co-founded by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem to make women visible and powerful in media, published a user-guide for members of the media to help them identify sexism and stories biased against women so that sexism doesn’t remain a barrier for women elected to office. The glossary at the end of the document is an especially interesting read.

The WMC research shows that sexist media coverage results in a drastic decrease of voter confidence in women candidates. This is similar to studies of bullying, in which people are less likely to identify with those negatively treated in public, due to the conscious or unconscious fear that such bullying or negative public characterization will then include them as bystanders and supporters. The ever-changing media landscape creates an unmonitored and often not fact-checked echo chamber, habitually allowing damaging comments to influence opinion without accountability. Name It. Change It. was launched to hold media outlets accountable for their role in our government’s gender disparity; women make up only 17 percent of Congress and 23 percent of state legislatures. Name It. Change It. identifies and publicizes sexist media coverage of women candidates and political leaders of all races. This project is also race-conscious in its understanding of stereotyping as it is used against various groups of women.

-Source: The Women's Media Center

The Pantene ad below illustrates how women typically apologize for situations where they should not be sorry. The 2nd video, hits it out of the ballpark, with Amy Schumer's parody of women apologizing for... you know.... existing.

Are you sorry? Next time you apologize, ask yourself what you are apologizing for, then consciously think of a different way you will approach that same situation next time. Because it will come up again, you can be sure of that.

Intellectual Property - What's The Big Deal?

2015-06-04T20:00:00.000-04:00

My favorite Explainers do it again. This is a terrific video that explains intellectual property. Thanks to @commoncraft

This video follows the story of a creative and talented woman named Candice who plays music, invented a new instrument, and created a new business. Using copyright, patent and trademark laws, she learned to how to protect and build a business from her creations.
It teaches:
• Why intellectual property is different from physical property
• The risk of not establishing and protecting ownership
• Why copyright law matters in selling and managing your creative works
• Why patent law matters in protecting your inventions
• Why trademark law matters in protecting your brand

Which One Are You?

2015-05-06T06:56:00.003-04:00

Successful people give compliments. pic.twitter.com/aG1mFcRUHI
— Toby Price (@jedipadmaster) May 6, 2015

Study Tips to Improve Memory

2015-02-21T18:22:00.000-05:00

The following is a (collaborative) guest post from Mentoring Minds. (See Disclosure.)

Whether studying for a spelling test in elementary school or the final examination in a college class, everyone must spend time studying at some point in their lives. Most parents are well aware how difficult it is to get children to study and, for some students, studying does not always lead to success. Test anxiety can be difficult for some students and there are some who have difficult retaining what they do study. These tips, some of which are unique, can help students improve their memory and help them improve scores.

Reward Yourself with Treats

If studying requires reading textbooks, place a small treat on each paragraph (such as Starburst, M&Ms or gummy bears). When the child finishes the paragraph, give the next treat. Place the treat so that the words in the center of the paragraph are covered to encourage the child to begin reading the next paragraph before getting the treat.

Teach Others

Experts say that the best way to know if you have learned a subject well is to try to teach it to others. College or high school students can try to teach parents or siblings some of the concepts they are learning. Set up a classroom for elementary students with stuffed animals, dolls, or other ‘students’ as well as parents and have them “teach” their spelling words, math problems, or history lessons to someone else. Blow the dust off your video camera (or just use your smartphone) and have your child make a video tutorial. Just point it at your child while he/she explains a concept. Then upload it to a video sharing site such as SchoolTube and share it with others, so they can benefit from the explanation. Here's an example of an easy way to make a video tutorial. Thanks to David Fisher and his students for this timeless example.

Create an Association

Steve Jobs often said that “Creativity is just connecting things.” When people are able to connect things they are able to retain the information more easily. When students must learn vocabulary words, connect the word to something that they will remember. For example, the word ‘arduous’ means difficult. If the child remembers it as something silly like “harduous” they may retain the information more easily.

Use Blocking Apps

There are many apps available that will allow students to block distracting websites, such as social media or email. High school and college students benefit most from apps that block sites that can easily distract them. Consider downloading a blocking app in order to keep minds from wandering. Here's a couple to get you started.

Flashcards

Although they are often considered “old school” for studying, flashcards are still an excellent way for students to learn new information or refresh information they have already learned. Use 3x5 or 4x6 index cards, write the question on one side and the answer on the other. The student views the question while someone else views the answer. Students can even use them to study alone by placing them on a table with the answer side down. If you prefer (and I do) use online flashcards. Here's a list of some great online flashcard sites where you can create, and share, your own. Thanks to Richard Byrne over at FreeTech4Teachers.com for curating the best stuff on the web.

Documentary or Mini Series

Today, many networks and studios are creating documentaries, movies, and mini-series on historical events. In addition, many networks, such as Discovery, SciFi and others like Netflix, Hulu, and other on-demand apps, often carry documentaries on educational subjects. Consider watching one in order to get a better grasp of the subject matter, whether it is Tudor England or physics. Don't stop there! Have your child recreate an historical moment and record it on video. Ask "What if" questions such as "What would the United States be like if the North did not win the Civil War?" or "What would be different about our world if people were not allowed to create art?"

These simple tips can help students increase their memory and help them improve their test scores. For more information on learning, visit Mentoring Minds online today.

Two Tips for Rebooting Your Self-Talk

2015-01-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

This may be the beginning of a series of personal and very vulnerable posts. It is the beginning of a journey for me that will be difficult, but should have started years ago. Maybe together we can figure some things out together, or maybe this one isolated blogpost will hang alone on the tree branch of my online space; dangling and just waiting for enough wind to blow it onto the ground, where it will decompose, and then turn back into earth.

Soon, there will be some big changes in my life that will be positive, but scary at the same time.

I like the idea of sharing my journey online, but I make no promises on frequency, because the thought of committing to anything right now is too overwhelming. My #1 goal is to keep overwhelming things at bay.

People tell me that they see me as confident, engaging, and smart. Some tell me they see me as attractive and funny. Often times, I don't take ownership of those things. (More on why in future posts. Maybe.) I know I need to remind myself often to step up, smile, engage, be confident, and be stronger. Mostly I need to remind myself to take deep breaths, because sometimes I find myself holding my breath.

I know there are other women and men who feel the same way, and may be going through the same things. So, I offer two "tricks" I use that are easy and helpful. I hope you will add your own ideas in the comments, so we can help and support each other.

Let your password be a mantra for you. Every time you log in to a computer, device, network, email, and hundreds of other services every day, you have to repeat something in your head. Make that "something" work for you. Consider: "5tay_P0sitiv3" or "fear.nOth1ng" Go to http://mantrapassword.com/ and create a mantra AND a secure password at the same time.
Download HotPaw Morse Code Ringtone Maker. You type in any word or phrase and it creates a ringtone or text tone in Morse Code. (Who knows Morse Code? Nobody, which is exactly the point. YOU WILL know what it says every time you get a text.)

I hope to hear from you in the comments. Let's make it a happy new year.

Photo Credit: Lee Kolbert 2015 (Central Park NYC 2015)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Another Chance to Win Big and Teach Fiscal Responsibility At The Same Time

2014-12-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

Disclosure Statement

H&R Block thinks personal finance education is so important, They're paying people to learn.

You may recall a previous post of mine from early September 2014, where I shared a terrific program put out by H&R Block. Well, another session is coming up and I want to remind my readers about this great opportunity.

Everyone knows money doesn't grow on trees. At least they will if H&R Block has any say in it. By learning strong budgeting skills and fiscal discipline early, kids can gain the knowledge and confidence to manage their own financial future. The free H&R Block Budget Challenge encourages students to learn personal finance in a fun, engaging way while competing against other classrooms and students for $3 million in classroom grants and student scholarships.

Money smarts + classroom grants + student scholarships = 1 challenge worth taking

THE H&R BLOCK BUDGET CHALLENGEIs fun, free, and students love it. Participants encounter real-world personal budgeting situations, problem-solving, and decision-making through an online simulation and accompanying lessons that meet national standards. With sessions October through April, teachers have six opportunities to participate.

The Budget Challenge is open to students 14 years of age or older and enrolled full-time in grades 9 through 12.

Teachers must register classrooms to play The Budget Challenge. Teachers simply visit hrbds.org to begin the classroom registration process. Registration closes one week before the simulation start date, so be sure to sign up before it's too late. Read the FAQs here!

Quotes from teachers who previously participated:

"My kids love this challenge. Everyday they are engaged and want to learn more about personal finance—and, more importantly, they are becoming more financially literate."

"I must thank you for the wonderful resource this simulation is and how useful I'm sure it is going to be for their future financial success. They are checking on their status in class all the time, even when it isn't our scheduled activity. Those who have downloaded the app have found it incredibly useful and convenient as well."

My Juniors and Seniors do this for a Project grade every Wed. and Fri. We have a good time with this "bonding" experience and there is great laughter as well as dread when they have late fees! I really appreciate the people who put this challenge together. It is wonderful to witness them learning about "real life!"

"The Personal Finance teachers at our school have incorporated this simulation into our daily class procedures. The students (and teachers) love the real-world components and valuable lessons to be learned. We are very grateful to have this free resource to help students better understand financial responsibility."

"I am so thankful that you guys have put together such a wonderful curriculum for teens. Every time I am out and someone asks what I do and I tell them I teach financial literacy to teenagers they all say "I wish they had that class when I was growing up." Thank you for everything you do!"

I hope you will participate and share the information with others who may be interested as well.

Disclosure Statement

A Short Film to Keep Testing in Proper Perspective

2014-12-09T21:07:00.003-05:00

Something to keep testing in proper perspective from Peter H. Reynolds

“This is my gift to educators to remind them to follow their instincts and remember why they got into teaching in the first place: to see the potential in every child, to nurture those emerging gifts and talents, and to change lives,” Reynolds shared.

The film is being released on the web free of charge by FableVision Learning. Educators, learning communities, parents and caregivers are urged to share The Testing Camera to begin or enhance constructive conversations on how to better support authentic learning in the classroom and beyond.

The film was produced by FableVision, the transmedia studio in Boston founded by Peter and his twin brother, Paul Reynolds, author of Going Places and the Sydney & Simon series. The Testing Camera was directed by John Lechner with music by Tony Lechner, and animated by a team of young animators interning at FableVision for the summer. Broadway actor Chester Gregory lends his voice to the project.

The Vilification of Class Dojo and Other Ways To Avoid Taking Responsibility For Yourself

2014-11-22T13:42:00.000-05:00

This is likely to be an unpopular post, much like my I'm Not Who You Think I Am post from 2010. The reason for its unpopularity will be that I am once again, going against the popular grain. Those of you who read this blog and/or who know me, know that I sometimes have a tendency to do that.

There's been a lot of talk lately about student data, privacy, "the cloud," FERPA, and classroom management. The latest "evil empire" to be held up as toxic to children is Class Dojo. Much like blaming cellphones for cheating on tests, social media for bullying, McDonald's for spilling our own coffee, and sugary soft drinks for our obesity problems, Class Dojo is being held responsible for punitive classroom management and violating FERPA. It doesn't matter that the TOS state that parental permission is required, schools and teachers apparently aren't to be trusted to read and abide by the TOS.

Is there anyone left who is willing to accept responsibility for his own actions?

In case you've been living under a rock, Class Dojo gives teachers an easy (and more fair) way to track student behaviors. It helps teachers spend more time teaching and less time on managing their classroom behaviors. I've been following Class Dojo since they won the Innovation Challenge at Education Nation in 2011. I was there in NYC at the event and it was very exciting to hear their pitch, participate in the vote, and see them win the $75K for them to startup. With Class Dojo, teachers decide what to track, what to share, whether the behaviors are positive or negative, etc. Once a teacher and class establishes a class set of rules, she can give points (or subtract points) as she is teaching without interrupting the flow of the lesson. This is similar to checks on the board, stickers on a chart, words of encouragement, pat on the back, wink of the eye, smile, etc. Understandably, people are concerned when it comes to 3rd party companies holding information on our students. Unfortunately, there has been some recent articles where Class Dojo was misrepresented, most recently a NY Times post where even the teachers quoted were mischaracterized. Class Dojo has responded admirably here and here.

While any tool in the wrong hands can be dangerous, I am still a firm believer in giving teachers some autonomy and subjectivity in running their classrooms. A well-trained teacher will not be punitive and will use explanation, logical consequences, positive reinforcement, behavior tracking, and anything and everything to keep the flow of teaching and learning happening. It is not practical to think that every time a student does something that needs correction, a teacher will stop what she is doing and have a conversation with the child to the point that she understands what she did wrong and what she can do better next time. In an ideal world, yes that would be nice. But, in today's teaching world of too much curriculum to cover, not enough time, and trying to keep up with which students are in the classroom at any given moment, it is just not practical.

1984

I began my teaching career in 1984. In my first year teaching, my first graders earned stickers to put on their cards. A full card at the end of the week earned a visit to the treasure chest. From there I learned to put checks on the board without interrupting the flow of the lesson, then clothes pins on a chart, and dolphins on a chart, and red-yellow-green cards on a street light, and so on. They all accomplished the same thing; I was able to let students know they needed to put the skids on what they were doing (they KNEW what they were doing was wrong) and they had some leeway before I got their parents involved. I still see my students today (as old as 36) and they appear to be happy, well-adjusted adults, who are successful citizens who contribute to society. Although a few have landed in jail, I'm not sure I can specifically tie those results to their sticker cards. My students often tell me of their fond memories of our class. I've not received a single complaint, nor therapy bill due to damage caused by below sea level dolphins or red lights.

As for using Class Dojo for keeping parents informed of every little infraction, I would not do that. I would use it (privately) for classroom management and only reach out to parents as needed. Just as I had done since 1984. Students should not be worried that their parents are breathing down their necks and are going to question every mark. In many cases, that would be the case. For example, I would have a student constantly interrupting a lesson. After a few gentle reminders, the student would have to move her dolphin, or clothespin, or turn her card, or whatever. The student would get hysterical because she wouldn't want her parents to find out. If she knew her parents wouldn't find out unless she moved her dolphin two more times that day, it was a lot less stressful for her and she corrected her behavior the rest of the day. And the business of learning continued...

Then, somewhere along the way, someone decided we shouldn't tell students they are doing anything wrong, so their cards should only stay on green, dolphins should only be above the water and sticker cards should always end up full. All kids should get an award. So, teachers started spending more time calling out students who were doing things RIGHT and ignoring students who were doing things WRONG for fear of violating FERPA. Problem was the students who were doing things wrong, weren't getting the message. They were just being ignored and were starting to hate the kids who were always doing things right. We've become a feel-good society where we don't tell our kids anything that might make them feel badly about themselves.

Look at our youth sports teams. All kids play the same regardless of skill. Everyone gets a medal. I was cleaning out my kids' bedrooms (ages 24 and 21) and I asked them what I should throw away. My 24 year old told me I could throw away all the ice hockey trophies he won throughout the years, except for the ones where they actually won a championship. You see, getting a trophy for participating in the season doesn't mean anything to the kids either.

Then, someone decided that these systems violated FERPA, so they must be private. Other students must not be privy to the dolphin-status, board checks, or how many stickers other students have. So, now the teachers do not publicly acknowledge students' behaviors right or wrong. Rather, they keep on teaching and if a student is disruptive, the teacher makes a private note and speaks to the student later on, in private. The other students MAY see the private conversation and surmise what it is about. Often, rumors will begin and circulate; rumors that are distortions of the truth. It would be unprofessional and against FERPA to clear the air.

Soon, more FERPA complaints ensue: Students raise their hands to answer questions in class, and some students get the answers right and some get them wrong, and all the students in the class are privy to that information. Some students finish their work more quickly than others, and students are privy to that information. A student leaves to go to the clinic, and other students are aware.

Have we gone too far? How long before this political correctness gets out of hand? I think we are dangerously close.

Some people have asked why we would use a behavior tracking system with students if we wouldn't use them with adults, for example in a faculty meeting or team meeting?

There are a lot of things we do with children we don't do with adults. Children are works in progress. Children, for example, are expected to raise their hands to speak in class. We don't usually do this with adults.
I think many people would actually welcome some behavior tracking in their work environment, if it were done privately. Negative behaviors are often discussed from an emotional point of view rather than a quantitative point of view. Wouldn't you welcome the opportunity to have a conversation about what you are doing right and what you could improve on?

We really need to take back parenting and teaching. We need to stop letting kids interrupt into adult conversations and asking their permission before we make adult decisions. I'm afraid we've created a generation of youth who do not understand their place in the world. They don't understand patience, respect, courtesy, manners, or authority.

What will it take to turn things around?

Thought Leader's Summit: Who's Leading The Thought?

2014-11-07T13:38:00.004-05:00

I'm excited to have been invited to attend the Thought Leader's Summit next week hosted by the National Education Initiative as a part of National Education Week. I'm a little concerned though with the lineup of speakers because I don't see enough representation of active public school classroom teachers.

So, what exactly is a "Thought Leader?" I will have the opportunity to set up interviews with the speakers... er, I mean thought leaders.

If you were in my place, who would you want to speak with, and what conversation would you want to have? http://www.nationaleducationweek.com/presenters/

Students Learn Money Doesn't Grow on Trees

2014-09-08T15:36:00.000-04:00

Disclosure Statement

Here is a great opportunity to involve your high school students in a fun competition where they can learn finance and earn REAL money. When tested on general financial knowledge, nearly 50% of high school seniors fail. H&R Block working on changing that and is committed to helping teens learn how to manage finances.

The H&R Block Budget Challenge is a simulation and interactive competition for high school students. Teens act as recent college graduates who've started their first job. They receive regular paychecks and have to make decisions about cell phone plans, where to live, credit card offers, etc. They must pay their bills on time and earn points for making smart financial decisions. The H&R Block Budget Challenge is free to play and H&R Block is offering both classroom grants and student scholarships to the winning students.

Click to Tweet This!

Over $3 million will be awarded in total prizes:

60 opportunities for classroom grants up to $5K
132 opportunities for student scholarships of $20K
Grand prize scholarship of $100K
Student incentive during game play

When teachers sign up they will receive a free print kit to get them started, including a classroom poster and lesson plans. They have also developed videos that teachers can use to teach some of the financial concepts. This is a great opportunity to dip your toes into a "Flipped Classroom" concept. Kids can play "Would You Rather?" with Justin Long Play the Would You Rather game by texting START to 38383. You'll answer outrageous questions and learn real tips to stack your cash. Then challenge your friends to play and see their answers.

Parents and Students:
H&R Block Budget Challenge is free to all teachers and students, but since Budget Challenge is limited to those students playing in a classroom registered by their teacher, be sure to tell your teachers to enroll your class for the chance to win some big bucks to put towards your future. Just copy the text below and send your teacher this message:

Dear _________,

I learned about this great competition where we can learn about finance and earn real money at the same time. There is even an opportunity for you to win a classroom grant of $5000. My classmates and I would really love to participate but you must register our class first. It's time-sensitive and I'll be happy to assist, so please let me know how I can help get this going. Thank you for considering this. To learn more, check out: http://www.hrblockdollarsandsense.com/what-were-doing/budget-challenge

Respectfully,

__________________

I'd love to hear what you think about this challenge. Please let me know if you participate. I look forward to your comments.

How To Study: An Infographic

2014-08-10T09:12:00.000-04:00

Photo Credit: Amy Dunayevich

As the new school year begins, many students bring along old, and sometimes bad, study habits. Spend some time with your students sharing study tips and strategies. Most students do not know HOW to study and have never been taught. It will be time well-spent.

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EdTech Jargon BINGO

2014-08-05T10:15:00.000-04:00

Here's a game to play at your next conference session, meeting, webinar, or sales pitch. You can even play in the comfort of your home while reading educational blogs, Facebook posts, or Tweets by educators.

You may find it interesting to know that it took me less than 15 minutes to create these BINGO cards using words off the top of my head.

Why do these words annoy me so much? Because they are being used as FLUFF. When used correctly, they are fine. Here's how I define "correctly:"

There is other contextual information to support the use of the word or phrase. Don't just tell me your program transforms education. Tell me what you mean by "transform" and then show me an example. Hint: using an iPad to create videos is not transformational, and neither is using technology to engage students. Teachers have been engaging students for years.

What words would you add?

BINGO: Overused EdTech Jargon from Lee Kolbert

One More Thing…Please, No Worksheets

2014-07-31T19:30:00.000-04:00

A must-read!

http://www.kindergartenworksheets.net/

"Based on what I’ve learned over the past 18 years in the field, I have to tell you, I don’t care if he walks out of your room at the end of the year and he can’t write numbers up to 20. He will pick that skill up as his life requires it."

Read the entire Open Letter To My Son's Kindergarten Teacher by Phillip Kovacs

If you were his son's kindergarten teacher, how would you respond?