Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---September 06 Edition--- (current subscribers: 17,652)
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News and updates to http://brains.org and Kathie Nunley's
Layered Curriculum (R) Site for Educators: http://help4teachers.com

~~The NO-MEMBERSHIP-REQUIRED website ~~

You can subscribe to this newsletter at:
http://help4teachers.com/newsletter.htm
Un-subscribe & EMAIL CHANGE information link at the bottom of this newsletter
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SECTION ONE: Teaching Tips -
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Teacher Tip # 1: If you crease the new paper on the edge of a bulletin board,
you can easily trim off the excess with a single staple edge.
No name, Brookings, SD.

Teacher Tip #2: If you want to remember the Great Lakes, remember,
SHO-ME (in order left to right, Superior, Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie)
no name, workshop participant, Brookings, SD.

Teacher Tip #3: When going on home visits to work with children (0-3)
I take a plastic tablecloth along. It shows the child our designated play
area, as well as, keeps me from sitting on sticky or wet spots on the floor.
Kay, South Dakota.

Send your favorite teaching tip to me at Kathie@brains.org
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SECTION TWO: Hot Topics
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In the last issue I included hot topics from this year's APA national
convention in New Orleans. I will continue with some more of those topics
here again:

HOT TOPIC #1: School violence is a hot topic across the US in
public schools. The American Psychological Association has
finished its task force examination of the issue. They have found
first, that violence has NOT been on the increase in America's
schools in the last 2 decades, despite the media portrayal of that.
And secondly, that helping students understand and realize the
difference between "snitching" and "seeing help" by reporting
what they know about planned school violence can help administration
and authorities intervene and prevent many violent events. "Snitching Versus
Seeking Help: Barriers to Preventing School Violence" a report by
Dewy G. Cornell, PhD, August 11, 2006, APA National Conference,
New Orleans.

HOT TOPIC #2: There have been 75 formal research studies on
school-based interventions for ADHD in over the last 25 years. The
studies have focused primarily on contingency / behavioral management
interventions to improve behavior and school success. The results
however show that academic interventions (changing curriculum and
teaching methodology) has been just as effective as contingency
management schemes in helping students with ADHD. "School-Based
Interventions for Children with ADHD: Twenty-Five Years of Innovation."
a report by George J DuPaul, PhD, Lehigh University on August 11, 2006,
APA National Conference, New Orleans.

(additional information on either of these hot topics can be searched at
the APA's website: apa.org)

HOT TOPIC #3: Happiness - the "holy grail" of our society. One of the
problems with happiness however is that it tends to be sort-lived. We
habituate to events that bring happiness very quickly. Happiness
researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky reported on her finding about creating
sustained feelings of happiness. Her research finds there are two
avenues which give long-term feelings of happiness: the first is a
daily accounting (on paper or reported to others) of the things we feel
appreciative of - sort of a "count your blessings" activity. The second
avenue to sustained happiness is doing good deeds for others on a
regular basis. "Is It Possible to Become Lastingly happier? Experimental
Inductions of Gratitude, Kindness, Optimism and Reflection."
Sonja Lyubomirsky, University of Calf - Riverside on August 12, 2006,
APA National Conference, New Orleans.

More Hot Topics at the websites!

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SECTION THREE: Website updates
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What's available at the Websites:

At http://Help4Teachers.com you will find:
=100's of sample Layered Curriculum(R) lesson units designed by teachers.
=Articles helping you learn how to build and implement Layered Curriculum(R).
=A sign-up form for this newsletter.
=An order page if you wish to purchase training materials on Layered Curriculum(R).
=Information on having a workshop at your school or conference.
=A Discussion forum to post a Layered Curriculum(R) question.

At http://Brains.org you will find:
=Dozens of articles on a variety of education, parenting and brain issues.
=Copyright-free articles to use in your PTA newsletters.
=A shop with recommended books on teaching and the brain as well as
music for educators and teaching aids like colored overlays.

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The Layered Curriculum(R) TEXT, workbook and video training materials
can be found at: http://help4teachers.com/books.htm
If you are using the any of our books for supplemental texts in your
college classroom, have your bookstore contact Brains.org for
order information or give them this page:
http://help4teachers.com/resellersorderform.htm

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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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Hi Kathie. I have never had a substitute since I have started using
Layered Curriculum but expect to this year. I do not expect him or her
to orally assess students but imagine the student centered approach
to be very different than what most are used to. I considered a "non-unit"
day, where the substitute runs a teacher centered lesson, although this
concept will be new to students and I would not expect behavior to be
at its best :) Aside from leaving my course information sheet, where I
spell out how the classroom is run, how should I prepare a substitute
for a day of LC? My school also requires that emergency plans be left
with on file. What do you suggest? Thanks! Lynee' Zajac Beck

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Lynee',
I've handled that a couple of different ways. If you know ahead of time
that you will be gone, schedule some interesting activity for the day and
include it on the unit sheet. Make kids aware that there is a sub that
day and it will be the only day that particular assignment will be offered
(example: an interesting video that fits the topic). Tell them if they are not
choosing that assignment then they need to let you know ahead of time
what they are going to be working on so you can leave a note for the sub.
Don't expect a sub to do your oral defense - you'll have to catch up when
you return or just have them turn things in that day and grade them
without defense. As for emergency plans - just leave something traditional.
(eg: busy work) and hope you never need the plan. But if you do - everyone
will survive the day. --Kathie

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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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Welcome back to those of you who were still on "vacation" for our
mid-August issue. I hope the new school year finds you rested, healthy
and refreshed. The school bells are ringing for us this week in New England
where our drastically cooler weather has put us in an autumn frame-of-mind.

I took some time off myself over the summer but have been back out on-the-road
since mid-August. My first stop was in South Dakota where the teachers were
gracious enough to share the teaching tips you see in this issue. I also
enjoyed my two trips to Joliet, Illinois as well as a visit to the upper
Mississippi River Valley and DeSoto, Wisconsin. And a thank you to the
teachers in Brighton, Michigan where Layered Curriculum(R) continues to grow and
grow and grow!

This month I turn even further north to Canada with two visits at opposite ends!
I'm off this week to West Vancouver, British Columbia, then across to the
other coast with a workshop in Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland.

We have a new Canada Layered Curriculum(R) workshop series in the works
for 2007 with stops in Regina, Edmonton and Calgary. Watch for details and
updates on my calendar page:
http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm

Stay in touch. And, as always, my best to you and yours,

Kathie
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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

Layered Curriculum(R) is a registered trademark owned and developed
by Dr. Kathie F Nunley. Usage information available at:
http://help4teachers.com/usage.htm
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- posted by Kathie @ 10:08 PM