Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---Mid - July 2004 Edition--- (current subscribers: 12,563)
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New and updates to http://brains.org and Kathie Nunley's
Layered Curriculum (tm) Site for Educators: http://help4teachers.com
Subscription available at: http://help4teachers.com/newsletter.htm
UNSUBSCRIBE information/link at the bottom of this newsletter

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SECTION ONE: Teaching Tips
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Teaching Tip #1: Mount a Kleenex box (cut open the top) underneath wall-mounted
pencil sharpeners to catch stray shavings. When full either throw the whole
thing away or just empty the box and re-attach it. Cindi Roady, Abilene, TX.

Teaching Tip #2: I use a tub for students to put "found" things in. Students who lose
things know exactly where to look - no disturbing anyone for found or
lost items. Monda Thurston, Abilene, TX.

Teaching Tip #3: I teach "money" to very young children and often have a child who
may put the coins in his mouth. So I place coins in a baggie full of hair gel and staple it shut.
The coins can be counted by touch, but it is secure in the baggie to prevent
the child from swallowing the coins. Susan Langford, Wylie Elem., Abilene, TX.

Send your favorite teaching tip to:
kathie@brains.org

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SECTION TWO: Hot Topics
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HOT TOPIC #1. You may not need me to tell you that woman are better at
locating lost objects than men. Traditionally, female brains have done better
on tests for spatial location memory. Researchers in Saskatchewan have
looked at the issue in more detail by adding a more complex "dynamic"
component to the memory test. And again, in dynamic, real world
situations, the female brain has an advantage for spatial location memory.
Tottenham, L. et al. 2003. Brain & Cognition. Vol 53(2), 381-383.

HOT TOPIC #2. An article in the Journal, "Cortex" suggests that current
research may indicate many other regions of the brain are involved in
working memory and executive function besides the pre-frontal cortex.
For the last several years, we've blamed poor working memory on
that area exclusively. The article shows research that may point
to a more complex picture. While the frontal cortex may be one of
the biggest areas involved, working memory may involve links between
many brain regions which need further study. Andres, Pilar. (2003).
Cortex, Vol 39(4-5), 871-895.

HOT TOPIC #3: In a recent newsletter edition I mentioned a study about how
most of us, being right handed, concentrate dopamine more in the
right hemisphere of our brains (we spin away from that side). We also mis-judge
the midline of our bodies slightly to the left due to that as well. If you don't have
this "normal" one-sided distribution of dopamine it can cause an array of
schizophrenia related problems. Researchers in Switzerland have found
another way to check for this. Fold your arms. Undo them and now fold
your hands. Did you match? Left arm on top, left thumb on top? Or
right arm on top, right thumb on top? Most people do. The researchers found
that in people that have incongruous preferences, it was and indication of
an irregular dopamine distribution which could lead to some personality difficulties.
Mohr, C. et al. (2003). Journal of Clinical & Experimental Neuropsychology,
Vol 25(7), 1000-1010.

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SECTION THREE: Website Updates
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**** New units on the website:

There are LOTS of new units on the website!
Jon Stern in New Paltz, NY sent 6 of his units he used for
EARTH SCIENCE at his high school this year.

Maggie Culley in Milford New Jersey sent a middle school unit on
ANCIENT GREECE.

Our new Layered Curriculum trainers have a lot of new units
they've contributed as well. Pat Daniels sent in a SPANISH
unit, a Math unit on FRACTIONS AND DECIMALS, and new middle
school units on the PLANETS, LEGEND OF THE INDIAN PAINTBRUSH and
a life skills unit on CROSS STITCH.

Joan Johnson in Waxahachie Texas sent in a KINDERGARTEN MATH
unit, another elementary unit on MUSIC AND EMOTION, a 3rd grade
reading unit "MOUSE AND THE MOTORCYCLE" and a HORTICULTURE
Careers unit for junior high.

Linda Pont in Illinois sent in a TRIGONOMETRY unit, a KINDERGARTEN SEASONS
unit, a middle school unit on SPACE EXPLORATION and a 3rd grade unit on
the PLYMOUTH COLONY.

View all the sample units at: http://help4teachers.com/samples.htm


**** Books:
~~The "Layered Curriculum" text and workbook as well as my
book "A Student's Brain: The Parent/Teacher Manual" are all
available at a discounted price from the website. Orders are generally
shipped within 2 business days. We're doing a July clearance and
you're doing your July relaxing and preparation. So through July, if you
mention you are a newsletter subscriber, we'll take $5.00 off any purchase of the text
"Layered Curriculum" (just put a note in the special instructions box).
http://help4teachers.com/books.htm

**** Newsletter now posted on-line too.
Due to the increased use of email filters, many of you have asked for
an alternate way to view this newsletter. I now post every issue of
the newsletter the day it goes out, on-line at:
http://www.nunley.blogspot.com/
Bookmark the page so that if you ever have problems receiving the
newsletter via email, you can read it online.

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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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[a note from the on-line discussion forum]
I am a first year teacher (high school ESE). I've been spending a lot of time
researching different aspects of instructional methodologies and recently ran
into Layered Curriculum. I think the ideas behind LC are outstanding and
am eager to try it.

One of my concerns though is with grading. I understand the three layers with
Layered Curriculum grading, but this seems so very different from the current,
traditional and widespread use of traditional letter grades (A=100-90 (Outstanding),
B=89-80 (Above Avg), C=79-70 (Avg)). A student receiving a grade of C under the
LC system does not mean that the student did Average work --- it means that
the student completed work at the basic, knowledge level.

Bottomline, the two grading systems are different. My main concern here is
with the school and/or school district. How can a teacher, who's school/district
uses the traditional letter grading system, get away with using the LC system?
Thanks for any clarification. Shelley

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Shelley,
Yes, the grading system requires a bit of a paradigm shift. However, let's think
about the "traditional" scale you mention. If a C means the students does
average work - how do we operationally define that? Is "average" the same in
everyone's class? It's a very subjective term. Sometimes it means they can
remember 70% of a standardized test. Sometimes it means they remembered
100% of a test but only did 50% of the homework. The variations are endless.

With the Layered Curriculum system, we can get closer to an operational definition
for the letter grades. A C means the student gathered some reasonable amount of
new knowledge on this topic, a B means they can apply that knowledge and an A
means they can do all of the above plus have developed some leadership skills
through critical analysis and response.

Best of luck with your new profession! - Kathie

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Kathie: My son is 9 years old. Last year (3rd grade), his school and I had his
eyes checked, hearing checked, several testings and several meetings to
find that he may have Irlen Syndrome. I have had several opinions to retain
him back to the 3rd grade and/or to advance him forward to the 4th grade.
I have enrolled him into the library club and between my older son and I, we
are working constantly to help him get caught up on reading skills before school
begins again. We have checked books out to buying phonics workbooks to
anything we can acquire. I'm at a point where I'm not sure what to do or how
to go about doing it. Whether to retain him or advance him is a big question.
He is very smart. You read a book to him and he is able to answer any
questions. But, if he reads a book, at some point it seems he loses the
information and does not know what he has just read. I'm not sure on
how to continue to help. Do you have any suggestions?
Sincerely, "a Mom"

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Dear "a Mom" -
What you are describing is very common in children with dyslexia and other
learning disabilities. Besides having a hard time seeing the words on the page, he
may have problems with "working memory" which can make it difficult for him to
comprehend information as he reads it. If he is in public school, they should be
evaluating him for learning disabilities and can offer you accommodations for him
to be more successful in school.
Holding him back may not make much difference if he is indeed a bright boy. He may
not need to repeat it all, he just needs to have the learning offered differently. Work closely
with your school system. If you have difficulties knowing how to work with your school
system, there are advocates who can help you. Keep me posted.
Kathie

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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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Happy Mid - Summer.

I'm off to Las Vegas this week-end for the Differentiated Instruction Conference.
I hear that many of you will also be attending. I'll be presenting Layered Curriculum
there on Tuesday morning and again that afternoon. I will also be doing a lunchtime
book signing at SDE's Crystal Springs bookstore in the exhibit area. Please
stop by and say hello.

From there I'll head back east to Kentucky for another opportunity to work with the teachers
in Whitley City. After that, I'll take a little R & R with my kids before the August
workshops begin.

Things are great here in New England. We're enjoying a rather cool and rainy summer, but
after many, many years of living in the south, you will never hear me complain about
a cool summer!!! I hope you are finding time to relax, cool-off or warm up, and mentally
re-charge for another great school year will soon be upon us.

Keep in touch. As usual, my best to you and yours.
Kathie
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Dr. Kathie F. Nunley
http://help4teachers.com
http://brains.org
Layered Curriculum (tm) - because every student deserves a special education (tm)
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Workshop information is available at the website
http://help4teachers.com/workshops.htm
or
call: 603-249-9521
email: kathie@brains.org
Brains.org and Help4Teachers is located at:
54 Ponemah Road
Amherst, NH 03031
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- posted by Kathie @ 8:50 AM