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Identifying Effective Models and Practices for Postsecondary Transition
The report, “Systematic Reviews of Research on Postsecondary Transitions: Identifying Effective Models and Practices” focuses on transition programs for youth to postsecondary education. It’s from the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE). To access the report, go to http://tinyurl.com/yftk7z2.
PIRC K-12 Family Fun Calendar
The Florida Parental Information and Resource Center (PIRC) has created monthly Family Fun Calendars to promote parent involvement specifically for children K-12. These calendars are available in English at http://www.floridapartnership.usf.edu/documents/Newsletter%20and%20Calendar/K12/2010_03_K12_cal_ENG.pdf and in Spanish at http://www.floridapartnership.usf.edu/documents/Newsletter%20and%20Calendar/K12/2010_03_K12_cal_SPN.pdf. Please use and share as appropriate.
PIRC Early Childhood Family Fun Calendar
The Florida Parental Information and Resource Center (PIRC) has created monthly Family Fun Calendars to promote parent involvement specifically for young children. This month’s calendar is available in English at http://www.floridapartnership.usf.edu/documents/Newsletter%20and%20Calendar/EC/2010_03_EC_cal_ENG.pdf and in Spanish at http://www.floridapartnership.usf.edu/documents/Newsletter%20and%20Calendar/EC/2010_03_EC_cal_ENG.pdf. Please use and share as appropriate.
Why We Invest in Young Children
Since 1982, the Ounce of Prevention Fund has persistently pursued a single goal: that all American children – particularly those born into poverty – have quality early childhood experiences in the crucial first five years of life. In this powerful video about the importance of early childhood experiences, the Ounce of Prevention Fund asks: If we invest in programs that promote learning beginning at birth, the statistics will change, the stories will change, the future will change. View this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbSp88PBe9E and learn more about the Ounce of Prevention Fund at http://www.ounceofprevention.org/home/index.php.
Colorín Colorado
This research-based website for teachers and parents offers educators a variety of practical resources to support English Language Learners. Visit this website at http://www.ColorinColorado.org.
Getty Resources Updated
The education department at the J. Paul Getty Museum offers a range of educational programs and resources for a variety of audiences at both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa. The department is active in documenting and assessing the effectiveness of its programs and projects and has recently updated the following sections.
Resources for the Classroom—This area has been enhanced so you can easily find out which lesson plans connect to ancient art and which lessons are most popular.
Resources for Students—This new area points you to interactive Web pages, online games, activities, and videos that can enhance students’ understanding of artists, art history, materials, and techniques.
VSA Exhibitions Available for Tour
VSA has several art exhibitions that are available for tour.
All Kids Can…CREATE!
Available:
July 2010 – December 2010
Celebrating Who I Am
Available:
September 2010 – December 2011
Accelerate
Available:
April – May 2010
September – October 2010
January – August 2011
November – December 2011
Venues are responsible for the costs of one-way shipping to their location and providing insurance coverage while the artworks are in transit and on site. All exhibitions come ready to hang with introductory text, artwork labels, catalogues, and alternative formats. For more information please contact Jennifer Wexler, Visual Arts Manager, at jcwexler@vsarts.org
REL Northeast report: Challenges in Identifying Learning Disabilities Among English Language Learners
To help districts accurately identify students who are English language learners and also have learning disabilities, this REL Northeast study, Processes and Challenges in Identifying Learning Disabilities Among Students Who are English Language Learners in Three New York State Districts, cites eight challenges in identifying learning disabilities in English language learner students. These challenges range from inconsistent guidelines in referring students for services, to problems in monitoring struggling students. The report suggests elements that could lessen the chance of misidentifying learning disabilities among these students. To view the report, please visit http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?projectID=116.
Check Out Resources for New Teachers
TeachersFirst is a rich collection of lessons, units, and web resources designed to save teachers time by delivering just what they need in a practical, user-friendly, and ad-free format. We offer our own professional and classroom-ready content along with thousands of reviewed web resources, including practical ideas for classroom use and safe classroom use of Web 2.0. Busy teachers, parents, and students can find resources using our subject/grade level search, keyword search, or extensive menus. Explore more at http://www.teachersfirst.com/newtch.cfm. The following are my favorites!
The Differentiator Grade K to 12
http://www.teachersfirst.com/20/getsource.cfm?id=10219Struggling to create the best objectives for your lessons? Use this free tool created by an educator to create great objectives for differentiated instruction. Based upon the new (1990s) Bloom’s Taxonomy, click on the action verb; enter your content, resources to be used, final product, and group size. You will see your objective created across the top of your screen. Be aware this site does include some “click me” advertisements for contests and more. And the review team did notice one typo. However, we still felt this site would be helpful to many teachers out there “in the trenches.”
In the Classroom:
For example, use a verb from Bloom’ taxonomy such as “evaluate.” Click on the portion of the sentence at the top to enter your content such as “patterns of environmental issues.” Choose the resource to be used, final product to be made, and number of students in group from the appropriate tabs. Example objective: Students will evaluate the patterns of environmental issues using websites to create a news report in groups of two. Save your objective by copying and pasting into any document or online tool. This site will give you many project ideas that you may not have thought of yourself. Although this site is deceivingly quick and simple, it could be very useful when writing detailed, powerful lesson plans.Icebreakers, Games, and Fun Group Activities Grade K to 12
http://www.teachersfirst.com/20/getsource.cfm?id=8552Start the first day of school or a new marking period with a getting-to-know you activity from this great, searchable collection. The activities are designed for all ages, so some will not work well with very young ones (such as writing things on slips of paper). The site is easy to navigate and sorts ideas by group size and activity level for easy retrieval. You are also invited to submit your own ideas. Since the site is designed for general use, not for schools, some ideas may be impractical in a classroom setting but could be easily adapted.
In the Classroom:
New or veteran teachers who want students get to know each other as they enter a new school (starting middle school, for example), want to observe them so YOU get to know them, or need to build better team skills with a challenging class or club, will find ideas to try. Mark this one as a Favorite so you can find it again, since “first day” activities tend to get lost in the flurry —and in the fading memory– during the year.2010 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Sample Test Materials
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) posted the 2010 FCAT Sample Test Materials, including the FCAT Sample Answers (formerly “Sample Answer Keys”), to the FDOE Web site at http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcatsmpl.asp. The Sample Answers accompany the hard copy 2010 FCAT Sample Questions (formerly “Sample Test Books”), which were delivered to districts between January 4 and January 8, 2010. This year, for the first time, the Sample Answers are available only on the FDOE Web site.
