Ending the year well
5 end-of-the-year activities to help you and your students reflect on the year of learning

Let them use fingers!
The latest research re-emphasizes that students who have well-developed visual thinking will be poised for success in the world’s new workplace . . . and it starts with lifting the ban on the use of fingers in math class

In the spirit of inquiry
Inductive learning engages students in higher-level thinking by having them analyze examples before being introduced to overarching theories or rules

Fun-filled formative assessment
10 ways to help spice up how you check for understanding in the classroom

Bending the rules of light
Pixar’s director of photography, Danielle Feinberg, reveals how she creates stories with soul and wonder using math, science and code . . . inspiration for students imagining their future

Power of podcasts
Using podcasts in the classroom can help build students’ creative potential, prompt them to draw more novel pictures, think up more unique questions, and solve problems in more imaginative ways . . . Don’t miss these 2 great ones:  Brains On and Tumble

Seesaw
An easy-to-use digital tool that empowers students to independently document what they are learning at school

Poem of the day
4 good reasons to start class with a poem each day in April in honor of National Poetry Month . . . or as a regular practice 

Wait, wait, wait . . .
5 things teachers can do to improve student learning and development in the classroom . . . by waiting

What can people do to get better at learning?
A brief video highlighting responses from a group of esteemed professors, engineers, and journalists at the Aspen Ideas Festival

The happiness factor
Dr. Emma Seppala, author of The Happiness Track, explains how and why happiness is not something we can afford to lose in our classrooms . . . it is crucial to building the foundation of deep, meaningful learning

Beautiful questions in the classroom
5 ways to help our students become deep questioners who solve real problems 

Worth a listen!
A KQED Forum interview with Stanford professor, Jo Boaler, who calls on educators to shift thinking and revolutionize the way Math is taught

Which one doesn’t belong?
A site dedicated to providing thought-provoking math-y puzzles for teachers and students . . . many right answers possible . . . good discussions inevitable
(don’t miss this related link for younger kids, too)

Being a Human in the Classroom
Carol Ann Tomlinson reminds us it’s possible to live and work in a way that makes both teachers and students more fully human

“The camera doesn’t lie”
Deepen practice by using video to reflect on teaching and learning

Vintage has value
John Spencer’s interesting view on the value of expertly combining old and new tools in our classrooms today . . . how and why it benefits students

Artists, poets, scientists . . . oh my!
An impressive collection of picture books celebrating the lives of great artists, writers, and scientists . . . useful to spark ideas in any classroom

Howtosmile
A free online collection of high quality hands-on math and science activities (provided by a partnership between Lawrence Hall of Science, the Exploratorium, the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Children’s Museum of Houston and the New York Hall of Science)

Exits and entries
6 quick strategies to help find out what students know and understand

Getting out of creative ruts
3 unique ideas to push students’ creative thinking and point them in new directions

 

SEED Panel & Showcase Day
Peggy McIntosh & Friends: Conversations on white privilege, gender equity and diversity
First Congregational Church of Oakland
March 11, 2016  7:00-9:00 p.m.
March 12, 2016 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$25 for each or $45 for both

Coastal Systems Teacher Institute (Grades 3-5)
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Educator Programs
June 20-24, 2016 (follow up sessions 10/29/16, 1/21/17, 4/7/17)   NO FEE
(application process; registration open to teacher teams)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doodling has purpose
Inspired by Sunni Brown’s TED talk (embedded in article), here’s a look at how doodling (sometimes known as sketchnoting) can help us all synthesize information and make memories stick

Conver-stations
A brief video illustrating an efficient and effective discussion strategy that involves moving students during small group discussions to deepen conversations

Hidden Brain
An impressive and thought-provoking podcast that examines the way our brains work (and sometimes trick us); Note: Episode 4 focuses on relationships between teachers and students, Episode 5 focuses on compassion

No more “not a math person”
More from Stanford’s Jo Boaler on how we can help remove obstacles to learning math for all students . . . and why we must

SOLE
A view into one school’s way of posing “messy questions,” then setting students off on self-directed inquiry journeys

Happy secret to better work
A fast-moving, entertaining talk by psychologist Shawn Achor about how happiness makes us more productive

Using GAMIFICATION to Strengthen Student Learning
and Engagement in the Content Areas
Holiday Inn Express, Elk Grove (Sacramento)
Jan. 22, 2016, 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.   $239

Cool Tools 2016 @ Carondolet
East Bay CUE
Carondolet High School, Concord
Jan. 23, 2016, 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $80

CA Conditions of Learning Symposium: Engage, Teach, Lead
San Ramon Valley Conference Center
Jan. 28, 2016, 7:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. $140

Learning and the Brain Conference
Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco
Feb. 11-13, 2016   $459

Coastal Systems Teacher Institute (Grades 3-5)
Monterey Bay Aquarium
June 20-24, 2016 (follow up sessions 10/29/16, 1/21/17, 4/7/17)   NO FEE
(application process; registration open to teacher teams)

Grateful . . .
From the Greater Good Science Center . . . a re-published group of ideas to help cultivate an “attitude of gratitude” in the classroom

Rethinking learning potential
An instructional focus on brain plasticity, intelligence and metacognition can help students better understand intelligence and take charge of their learning

Active learning
10 effective strategies to help students retain information and exercise critical thinking . . . learn how to learn

Power of clear explanations
Using a short video on an unexpected topic, instructional coach Jim Knight points out 4 simple strategies that can help more people remember what we say

Embrace uncertainty, spark curiosity
When ambiguity is welcomed and questions are encouraged students are more apt to be curious and innovative in their thinking

Learning from mistakes
Helping students take ownership of their own learning can be a challenge . . . why good questioning and these 5 useful strategies work

10-2-2 Protocol
A simple, research-based instructional strategy to help students process information in small chunks

STEAM Carnival
Pier 48, AT&T Park, San Francisco
Nov. 6-8, 2015, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.   $30

Connecting Conservation and Technology Workshop
Educator Programs, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Dec. 5, 2015, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,   FREE for accepted applicants
Open only to educators, application deadline Nov. 13
(Limited to 100 participants)

CA Conditions of Learning Symposium: Engage, Teach, Lead
San Ramon Valley Conference Center
Jan. 28, 2016, 7:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. $140

Learning and the Brain Conference
Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco
Feb. 11-13, 2016   $459

Revisiting growth mindset
Mindset author, Carol Dweck, offers more ideas on how educators can adopt a deeper, true growth mindset that will show up in their classroom practices

Introverts at school
Group work and collaboration can be challenging for introverted students who often feel most alive and switched on when they are in quieter, low-key environments

Teaching the quiet child
7 strategies to help quiet students find their voice in class

Found Poem
A short video outlining this strategy that provides a structured way for students to review material and synthesize learning; useful for all ages and subjects

CrashCourse Kids and SciShow Kids
Created by Hank and John Green (VlogBrothers) these YouTube channels are brimming with educational information; organized in “courses” of short videos on a variety of high interest topics

The power of personal stories
A TEDblog post on how telling stories can help students and teachers inspire each other . . . and develop a sense of empathy along the way

Hattie’s 8 Mindframes
A brief video scribe animation outlines a set of mind frames that author/educator John Hattie (Visible Learning) says underpin our every action and decision in a school

Illuminate Your Thinking: An Introduction to Paper Circuitry
(and 21st Century Notebooking)
Design Challenge Learning Institute, The San Jose Tech Museum, San Jose, CA
Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to Noon   $35
Click here to LEARN MORE!

Designing Making Experiences workshop
Lighthouse Creativity Lab, Lighthouse Community Charter School, Oakland, CA
Oct. 29-30, 2015, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.  $300

CA Conditions of Learning Symposium: Engage, Teach, Lead
San Ramon Valley Conference Center, San Ramon, CA
Jan. 28, 2016, 7:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.  $140

Switch questioning around
Cris Tovani urges us to spend time helping students hone their questioning skills and ignite learning by having them do more of the question-asking in class

Importance of questions
A quick video on how we must prepare our students for the future

Deeper learning
From Grant Lichtman . . . a summary list of three key elements teachers can use to answer the question “what should I do to transform my classroom?”

Thinking like Einstein and Edison
The solutions of this century (and beyond) will come from creative people who are willing to look at doing things differently . . . here are two easy ideas to help us teach our kids to be creative

Wonderopolis
A useful site to help keep wonderment alive in the classroom; use the “Daily Wonder” to jumpstart critical thinking and support natural curiosity or check out the collection of “Wonders” for content specific themes

Importance of creativity
A short video that helps us understand why creativity matters, why we must foster it and why we need to make sure it is at the center of learning

Start Empathy
A resource-packed site about Start Empathy, an initiative of Ashoka, “a community of individuals and institutions dedicated to building a future in which every child masters empathy” . . . don’t miss the Stop Bullying video created by three 8-year old friends

5th Annual Bay Area Science Festival
October 22–November 7, 2015. Largest science education event in the Bay Area for adults and children. Two weeks. 50 events. Unleash your inner scientist.

Week of Inspirational Math
YouCubed and Jo Boaler offer a free week of open-ended math tasks for teachers to use with grades 3-9 students . . . includes a full teacher’s guide

Long-term flourishing . . .
. . . is the point of schooling

Hands-off teaching
A few simple things teachers can do to get students thinking as much as possible during class

Trashy toys
Science educator Arvind Gupta’s TED talk on turning trash into well-designed toys kids can build themselves . . . and learn basic principles of science and design in the process

Cool Tool: Pear Deck
A simple presentation tool to fully engage your class, enhance student learning and check for understanding