How Do You Mend a Broken Teacher?

Life Lessons from Hall of Fame Teacher Kim Bearden

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

Broken. It happens. It hurts deeply. I have had days when I didn’t know how I would get out of bed and make it to school. Most teachers I respect have had periods of deep brokenness too. So has Hall of Fame Teacher Kim Bearden, co-founder of Ron Clark Academy. Today she tells all.

We need to lift one another up and encourage each other. Sometimes sharing the lessons we’ve learned on our hard-fought journey of teaching can help other teachers. I know it helps me to know I’m not alone in feeling this way sometimes.

Maybe you have a friend who needs to hear this. Share and help others in the journey. Teaching is hard but teaching is worth it, my friends! Let’s do this.

Listen to this show on: BAM Radio Network | iTunes 

Today’s Sponsor: Classtag

Parents and teachers need to be partners. Bring parents in the loop. Be intentional to help parents know how to support your classroom. That’s one of the things that caught my attention about a new app called ClassTag.

Get Support

Class Tag’s primary focus is turning parents into partners. They’ve developed a tool for strengthening and deepening the support parents give teachers from home. At the heart of the tool is a system for effortlessly showing parents how to give you the support you and your student need. I’ll tell you more about this tool in the coming weeks. Check it out now.

Show Notes:

• How do you mend a broken teacher?
• What should a teacher do when he or she feels powerless?
• How did Kim handle it when she felt hollow and didn’t know how she could make it?
• How do you reconnect with your significance?
• How do we need to see students?
• How can you connect with students in more meaningful ways?
• What do we do about the fear some teachers (and students) live in every day?
• How do you help create a culture where students don’t just comply but want to do well because it is part of the school culture?
• How do you help students make a commitment to your organization?

Who is Kim Bearden?

Kim Bearden @kimbearden is the co-founder and executive director of the Ron Clark Academy, an innovative middle school and educator training facility. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Disney Outstanding MS Humanities Teacher, and she is the author of Crash Course: the Life Lessons My Students Taught Me.

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to edit and post it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.)

The post How Do You Mend a Broken Teacher? appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

from Cool Cat Teacher BlogCool Cat Teacher Blog http://www.coolcatteacher.com/mend-broken-teacher/

3 Reasons to Bring Music into the Classroom

(Besides Improving Test Scores)

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

Why does music seem to rewire the brain for learning? Studies show a definite link between music and academic success. Then, why is music often one of the first things cut when budgets shrink?

Let’s dive into why music is so important to a child’s education. We’ll also discuss some of the ways we need to educate children about music.

Listen to this show on: BAM Radio Network | iTunes 

Today’s Sponsor: Live Music Tutor

With the Every Student Succeeds Act 2015 (ESSA)’s requirements that every student receives a “well-rounded” education, US public schools can again receive funding to help bring art and music back to classrooms!

Today’s sponsor can help. Live Music Tutor helps bring the best music instructors in the world into the classroom using technology. Live Music Tutor has partnered with musicians from places like Julliard and Berkley to create a music program that can be delivered remotely to any school. Master and individual classes can be taught for a fraction of the cost than face to face instruction.

Live Music Tutor – Get Music

In addition, they have instruction in many instruments. From piano and guitar to bagpipes  or bassoons, if a child is interested in an instrument, you can likely find a qualified music instructor on Live Music Tutor. (And if a child is busy, this might just be the best way to find a convenient time and let your child receive music instruction right there in your home or at school during the day.)

The first 100 student profiles created through this special offer will receive a 20% discount on instruction!

Show Notes:

• Why is music so important to teach in schools?
• PS 22 Chorus on Staten Island
• Musicality – finalist on America’s Got Talent
• What does the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA 2015) mean for music education in the United States?
• How does music education impact test scores? (See the research I quoted in the show.)
• What would the ideal school music program look like?
• What is the impact of having music performances in schools?
• How do we make the case to school boards and administrators to add music education back into schools?
• Does it make a difference to have someone just sing with the kids or having someone teach who is trained in musical instruction?

Who is Ann Farnsworth?

Jazz pianist and vocalist Anne Farnsworth lives in Los Angeles where she divides her time between performing, teaching, and journalism. She has toured extensively in the States and abroad both as a sideman and leader of her own trios and quartets. A 2012 Fulbright Scholar, Anne has taught at the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music in Riga, Latvia, the University of Southern California, Occidental College and Idyllwild Arts Academy. She is an international clinician and the author of JAZZ VOCAL TECHNIQUES.

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to edit and post it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.)

The post 3 Reasons to Bring Music into the Classroom appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

from Cool Cat Teacher BlogCool Cat Teacher Blog http://www.coolcatteacher.com/3-reasons-bring-music-classroom/

Must-See October Events in Vancouver

Must-See October Events in Toronto

It’s time to say goodbye to the summertime and welcome all the new and exciting activities fall brings! From incredible shows to Halloween celebrations, there’s something on our Must-See October Events in Toronto list for you!

1. Nuit Blanche Toronto 2016: October 1^st

The streets of Downtown Toronto will turn into a city-wide art exhibition from sunset to sunrise, displaying contemporary art pieces by approximately 4,600 local and international artists. Enjoy the all-night TTC service and explore the different exhibitions across the city Nuit Blanche Toronto brings this year!

For more information, click here.

2. Thanksgiving Brunch Cruise: October 9^th

Give the typical thanksgiving celebration a twist by having delicious brunch while navigating the Toronto Harbour, with a breathtaking view of the Toronto skyline aboard one of the luxury Mariposa Cruises! If you want to keep it traditional, take a look at our Thanksgiving Guide for International Students!

For tickets and more information, click here.

3. Cirque Du Soleil’s “LUZIA”: Last ILAC Trip October 12^th

Experience the beauty and magic of the Cirque Du Soleil’s latest show: LUZIA, a Waking Dream of Mexico. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to discover this surreal production, which will transport you to another land with its performances and music.

Visit the ILAC Activities Department for more information and tickets.

4. Toronto Chocolate Festival: October 15^th to November 6^th

The dream of all chocolate lovers has come true! For 23 days, the Roy Thomson Hall in Downtown Toronto will turn into chocolate heaven for the Toronto Chocolate Festival 2016, with vendors from local restaurants, pastry shops and chocolatiers displaying their most delicious creations, all made with chocolate!

Enjoy special presentations, free tastings, contests and more while pleasing your sweet tooth.

For tickets and more information, click here.

5. Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland: ILAC Trips October 15^th and 29^th

Are you brave enough to welcome the Halloween spirit at Canada’s Wonderland Halloween Haunt? If so, terrifying themed mazes, scare zones, frightening rides, and much more will be waiting for you!

Visit the ILAC Activities Department for more information and tickets.

Don’t forget to share your photos from these fun events with the hashtag #iloveilac !

The post Must-See October Events in Toronto appeared first on ILAC.

from Blog – ILAC http://www.ilac.com/must-see-october-events-in-toronto-2/

If Some High-Poverty Schools Do Well, Can All?

Dr. Anael Alston talks about what really turns schools around

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

Today we’re talking to Dr. Anael Alston about specific issues with high-poverty schools. In a refreshing take on dramatic school change, Anael does not recommend that we assign blame. Instead, he recommends an approach that focuses on teacher expectations and several other things. As a turnaround principal himself, Anael has insights into how to help teachers change their attitude about how students can perform.

I think his principles apply to all teachers, because we all have students who struggle. We all have students who need us to believe in them. I think perhaps the greatest challenge is what Anael tells teachers who just don’t believe the kids can do it. It’s actually genius. Take a listen.

(Oh, and there were so many great quotes, I’ve included them in graphics at the bottom for those listeners who love to pin great quotes to Pinterest!)

Listen to this show on: BAM Radio Network | iTunes 

Today’s Sponsor: Bloomz

Bloomz is your one-stop solution for parent-teacher communications. More than just connecting with their cell phones, you can send long or short messages. You can share pictures and links. You can even coordinate volunteer schedules, donations, and parent-teacher conferences. I’m using Bloomz in my classroom.

Get the Bloomz App

Show Notes:

• How do you get started with change in high-needs schools?
• What should principals do when teachers just don’t believe the kids can do it?
• How do you help teachers reframe their expectations?
• What kinds of things did Anael do to help teachers change their attitudes in the high-needs schools that he has helped turn around?
• Why does the blame game accomplish nothing? What do you do instead?
• What can teachers in high-needs, high-poverty schools do to adjust their own attitude when they feel like they’re not getting leadership from the top?

Who is Dr. Anael Alston?

Born and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn, Dr. Anael Alston @DrAAlston is the Superintendent of the Hamilton Central School District. Dr. Alston has written political commentary for Newsday, written nationally for EdWeek, has presented at national and statewide conferences on school change and curriculum reform, testified for Governor Cuomo’s Education reform Commission, and occasionally does radio as an education expert.

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above.

The post If Some High-Poverty Schools Do Well, Can All? appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

from Cool Cat Teacher BlogCool Cat Teacher Blog http://www.coolcatteacher.com/high-poverty-schools-well-can/

ILAC Vancouver is now an Official IELTS Testing Venue

We are very proud to announce ILAC Vancouver is now certified as an official IELTS testing venue, along with our Toronto campus!

Students will now be able to conveniently take the General and Academic IELTS tests at our Vancouver campus, a location they are already familiar with.

Along with the test, students will receive a FREE information session with an IELTS expert prior to the exam, and 30 days of FREE online test preparation upon registration.

To see available test dates, more information, and to register,  please visit ilac.com/ieltstest or email us at vanielts@ilac.com

About IELTS

IELTS is a test developed by the world’s leading experts in language assessment for people who aim to study, work, immigrate and integrate an English-speaking environment. IELTS is trusted by over 350 Canadian organizations.

Download Promotional Flyer

The post ILAC Vancouver is now an Official IELTS Testing Venue appeared first on ILAC.

from Blog – ILAC http://www.ilac.com/ilac-vancouver-now-official-ielts-testing-venue/

Top Tips, Tools and Techniques for Easy Formative Assessment

a Talk with Tony Vincent

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter

A secret to great teaching is to understand what students know. I’ve had times when one or two students begged me to move on because what I was teaching was “so easy” or they were “bored. When I did, I would discover that the rest of the class did not master the material and I had moved on too quickly! We all struggle to know what students know “in the moment” so we can adjust our teaching. We need them to master the material. We need to teach it. But how can we know what they know without depending on hand raising and verbal feedback from just a few students? Formative assessment is the answer. Formative assessment can supercharge your classroom learning. Technology can make formative assessment easier for you. Lesson flow.

Formative assessment gives us the ability to quiz every single student in the class. Every teacher should have one or two formative assessment tools that are part of their lesson flow. In today’s show, you’ll get lots of options. Find one or two that work for you and start using them.

I would go so far to say that formative assessment is one of the greatest gifts of education technology to the classroom. A teacher with a smartphone has amazing tools in hand. Used properly, they can save time and help you understand students better.

My question is why more teachers don’t use these tools. I guess they don’t realize the time savings. One of our biggest problems as teachers is not having enough time.

Here’s how I saved time using these tools. When I used to teach binary numbers, it used to take me 2-3 hours a night to grade the quizzes. (After all, binary numbers is all 1’s and 0’s. That is it. So, I also made mistakes.) Now, the moment a student hits a button on the last question, the quiz is graded, and I can go over what they missed with them! It is fantastic.

Let’s dive deeper into formative assessment in today’s show! I challenge you to find ONE tool and try it out. (Listen to the show and check out the links at the bottom of this post.)

Listen to this show on BAM Radio Network | iTunes 

Easy Grading

Gradecam – Today’s Sponsor

Formative assessment options can save you time. GradeCam is a quick grading tool for formative AND summative assessment. You get instant feedback on what students know. Gradecam lets you print out forms. You can take a quick picture of their answers. It grades in a snap using your smartphone.  If you are taking the grade for the quiz or test, you can send those grades to your Gradebook software in a snap.

If you visit Gradecam from this blog post, you can get a 60-day free trial. You can also listen to a bonus episode I recorded about the “Biggest Formative Assessment Mistake that People Make” with Tony Vincent. 

Show Notes:

• What is formative assessment?
• How can technology empower a teacher to ask the whole class a question and get their answer?
• How does a formative assessment fit in the moment of teaching?
• What are some examples of technology and formative assessment in the classroom?
• What mistakes do many teachers make when they use Plickers in the classroom?
• How can teachers collect open ended questions from students?
• How can word clouds help you visualize data at the beginning of a unit of study?
• How does formative assessment give every student voice?
• How can students share using drawings and images?
• How can we have evidence of learning in the moment?

Formative Assessment Tools and Blog Posts Mentioned in this Show:

• Tony Vincent’s Formative Assessment blog post
• Gradecam – they are giving a 60 day free trial
• Socrative
• Plickers
• Kahoot
• Google Forms
• Poll Everywhere
• GoFormative
• Nearpod
• ClassKick
• Time Magazine Article mentioned in the show

Who is Tony Vincent?

Tony Vincent likes to learn, teach, and make things. Since 1998 Tony been a pioneer in digital learning, and he continues to help educators use technology for teaching and learning. @tonyvincent

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above.

The post Top Tips, Tools and Techniques for Easy Formative Assessment appeared first on Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher helping educators be excellent every day. Meow!

from Cool Cat Teacher BlogCool Cat Teacher Blog http://www.coolcatteacher.com/easy-formative-assessment/