Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---Mid-September 06 Edition--- (current subscribers: 17, 845)
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News and updates to http://brains.org and Kathie Nunley's
Layered Curriculum (R) Site for Educators: http://help4teachers.com

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SECTION ONE: Teaching Tips -
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Teacher Tip # 1: When I've had trouble with tardy students, I started writing a
simple question on the board before class. When the bell rings, I erase it and
collect the answers. Students get extra credit for these - an easy way to reward
punctuality. (no name - workshop participant), Brookings, SD.

Teacher Tip #2: I use a bright plastic "apple" table cloth over my desk. It's
easy to clean up and adds a lot to my room. I change it with the seasons.
Kimberly A Cypher, Flandreau, SD.

Teacher Tip #3: My students sign themselves in. Each class has a bucket
with clothespins on the rim. The clothespins have their name on it. They take
their pin off and put it in the bucket as they arrive. Less time on record keeping!
Pam Petersen, York, NE.

Send your favorite teaching tip to me at Kathie@brains.org
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SECTION TWO: Hot Topics
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IHOT TOPIC #1: Although our main job as classroom teachers is
to educate, not entertain, research shows that when used effectively,
humor in the classroom reduces anxiety, improves student participation
and helps students retain the material. The humor should be
appropriate, not over-done, and fit the topic where possible. Some
suggestions are to (1) use humor in your syllabus (2) use hypothetical
humorous situations as examples (3) use punch-line questions
during class discussion (4) make questions and examples
outrageous, ridiculous or exaggerated. Stambor, Z (2006). Monitor
on Psychology, Vol 37(6), 62-64.

HOT TOPIC #2: While most research on ADD/ ADHD in recent years
has focused on the role of the pre-frontal cortex and the disorganization
of it's neural systems, researchers in New York are suggesting that a
more closer look at data on ADHD may indicate that is not a problem of
the pre-frontal cortex at all. The pre-frontal cortex may only be
responsible for the symptoms of the disability. In fact, they suggest
ADHD may be completely sub-cortical in nature, manifest itself very early
on in the brain's development and remain completely unchanged in nature
throughout a person's life. Halperin, J & Schulz, K. (2006). Psychological
Bulletin, Vol132(4), 560 - 581.

More Hot Topics at the websites!

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SECTION THREE: Website updates
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We apologize for the Help4Teacher website problems that we experienced
earlier this month. The entire website should be functioning now, including
the book shop and the missing unit sheets.

You can find sample Layered Curriculum unit sheets at:
http://help4teachers.com/samples.htm

The Layered Curriculum(R) TEXT, workbook and video training
materials can be found at: http://help4teachers.com/books.htm

Have a question about Layered Curriculum(R) ???
You can post your questions at: http://help4teachers.com/forum.htm

If you are looking for suggested books on teaching and learning you
may want to visit our online shop: http://brains.org/store/index.htm
We carry a wide range of books on brain-based learning, including our
very popular "Differentiated Instruction" bundle of books, as well as
those hard-to-find colored overlays.

Yes, the shop accepts school Purchase Orders and we work with
campus bookstores and other resellers on textbook orders.

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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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Kathie - As a teacher from Buffalo NY, situated on Lake Erie, I am appalled
at the Teaching Tip # 2!! [Sept 06 issue]. What a BAD tip! Left to right,
they are: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario. Hardly a SHO-ME!
To simply recall their names, HOMES is a MUCH easier way to recall them.
Thank you for your other useful tips! - Theresa.

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Hi Theresa,
Thanks for your note. The "SHO-ME" mnemonic only works if you see the Great Lakes
in two lines (one north of the other). I guess for clarity, it should read:
S H O -
M E
I appreciate the heads-up on the confusion. - Kathie

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Dr. Nunley, I have been teaching 10 years and have been inundated with new
techniques and ideas since I entered the classroom. Differentiated instruction
and Layered Curriculum are great ideas, but I am having trouble applying them
to my Algebra 2 course. That seems to be the trouble with most if not all the ideas
that have come my way. Every speaker I have listened to gets stumped when I
ask them how to apply this to Algebra 2. So I am posing the same question to
you: How can I apply the Layered Curriculum to the Algebra 2 classroom?
I am very interested in your response and I look forward to reading your book
(a gift from our Upper School Director). Thank you for your input.
Yours truly, Mike S. Department of Mathematics Summit Country Day School
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Hi Mike,

Thanks for your note. Yes, Layered Curriculum DOES work at all level of
math. Most Layered Curriculum math teachers have found it works best when
you leave the C layer fairly "traditional" - eg: lots of "whole class instruction",
direct instruction and practice. You can add some choice in the C layer where
possible, but don't be afraid to leave it looking like your traditional math class.
The B and A layers are where you can use more student choice. You may
also want to group units together for A layer questions as it's not always
possible to find a current event / debatable issue for every concept of
algebra - but there certainly are issues that pertain to groups of concepts.
If you send me a lesson plan you are using, I'll try to show you how to convert it
to a Layered Curriculum unit - and I'll post it at the discussion forum. -Kathie

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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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HAPPY AUTUMN!!!! Yes, autumn has arrived in New England. Our days are
cool, our nights are almost cold, and the leaves in the bog are red. We harvested
the last of the summer honey crop this weekend and we're putting the hives "to bed"
for the winter. I love this time of year. I think most of us enjoy the sights and sounds
and smells that come in the fall. I hope you take some time today to enjoy it.

Tomorrow I'm heading further north to Newfoundland, Canada for a full day
workshop in Grand Falls - Windsor. We were supposed to meet last Thursday
but that darn-ol' Hurricane Florence decided to visit on the same day. So, we'll
try again tomorrow. After that I'll be heading to the Risky Business Conference in
Des Moines, Iowa to keynote their annual educator's conference. October will then
take me to Michigan and North Carolina.

We are negotiating several new Layered Curriculum(R) workshops for 2007 and
I will hopefully get them on my calendar this week as we get details finalized.
http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm
If you need a workshop or conference keynote for summer or fall 2007 please let
me know.

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 @ 7:00 PM