Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---November 2006 Edition--- (current subscribers: 18,126)
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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: I use marker stamps to check my student's
understanding. If they are able to complete a problem without any
extra help, I use 1 stamp (green apple). If I give 1 additional instruction
I use a different stamp (purple fish). If I give more help I use a different
stamp. This allows me to go back later and see which student understood
or mastered the concept. Robin Taylor, Deubrook School, Toronto, SD.

Teacher Tip #2: I use soothing music (ocean waves) - no words- to calm
students down after lunch. It seems to help make them clear thinkers
and I get more participation from them. No name, Derfelt Elementary, NV.

Teacher Tip #3: Get several shoe boxes and put all supplies in it. (markers,
glue, colored pencils, rulers, etc) that are needed for projects. When the
students are in their groups, they can come up and grab a box with
everything in it. Jackie James, Ellicottville Central School, NY.

Send your favorite teaching tip to me at Kathie@brains.org
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SECTION TWO: Hot Topics
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HOT TOPIC #1: Carleton University in Ottawa has been looking at dyslexia
and the possibility that some dyslexia may stem from inefficient inter-
hemispheric communication, as has been suggested by many researchers.
They found however, no real difference between children with and without
dyslexia in their ability to communicate efficiently between brain
hemispheres. Instead they found significant delays in word retrieval
processing from long term memory. Sotozaki, H. & Parlow, S. (2006).
Brain and Language, Vol 98(1), 89-101.

HOT TOPIC #2: Also out of Ottawa - researchers are looking at the factors
of "amotivation" in high school students. What factors are involved in students
lacking academic motivation, what are the social antecedents and what can
be done to improve the situation? New research indicates there are four
different reasons (or categories) for academic amotivation: (1)a student's belief
about their ability, (2)beliefs about their ability to sustain sufficient effort, (3)value
places on the academic task, and (4)the specific characteristics of the task.
(I'll be covering this study in detail on the website in the near future.)
Legault, L., Green-Demers, I. & Pelletier, L (2006). Journal of Educational
Psychology, Vol 98(3), 567-582.

More Hot Topics at the websites!

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SECTION THREE: Website updates
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**New Layered Curriculum(R) units at Help4Teachers.com**

New units continue to arrive. Thank you all!

Steve Hill, from Brigham City, Utah sent middle school
units on "Cell Functions" and "Metrics", and Sid Ready in Pender,
Nebraska sent units on "Human Anatomy", "Biology", and "Earth Science".

You'll find all the units at: http://help4teachers.com/samples.htm
Email YOUR units to me at: kathie@brains.org

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GUIDE TO OUR WEB PAGES & FAQ:

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

Need a copy of the Layered Curriculum(R) TEXT or workbook?
Discounted copies are available at: http://help4teachers.com/books.htm

If your school's accounting department needs a W-9, sole source letter, or
other vendor information from our bookstore, just email BOOKS (@brains.org)
with your fax number.

Looking for recommended reading on Brain-based teaching and learning?
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. We now have a new discounted
bundle of books specifically for High School teachers. Yes, the shop
accepts school Purchase Orders.

Where are we located?
We're at 54 Ponemah Road in Amherst, NH. You can reach the shop
electronically at BOOKS (@brains.org) or fax: 208-979-0678.

Need to change your email address for this newsletter?
Unsubscribe your old address and add your new one at:
http://s1.seffylists.com:81/guest/RemoteListSummary/nunley

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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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Hello Kathie! I've put together a couple of Layered Curriculum for metrics and
cells/cell functions. They are not totally original. I got copies of other
units and modified them for my specific curriculum needs. Thanks for a
great program! I found out about it from an e-mail list I'm on this summer
and my professional teaching goal this year is to convert my entire
6th/7th grade science curriculum to layered curriculum activities.
Steve Hill, Adele C. Young Intermediate School, Brigham City, UT

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Thanks Steve for the units. That's what the website if for - generating ideas
which you can then modify to fit your population, so I'm glad you found it
useful. We'll anxiously await more from you as the year progresses.
Let us know if you meet your goal!
Kathie

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[Note: Bryan sent me a unit earlier this month for feedback. As many new
Layered Curriculum teachers feel, Bryan was overwhelmed with grading. My
suggestion was to cut back on the number of assignments he offered - perhaps
combine them, make each worth more points, etc). It sounds like things are
going better for him.

Kathie -
Thanks for the ideas and the pep talk/encouragement. I have modified this
latest unit to include some more labs and only 4 graded assignments
spaced out. I doubled up on the assignments making them worth more points.
As for the other ideas I will try to work in some of them into the next few units.
On a side note I would like to let you know that I am really enjoying teaching
using this new method. The students have not complained much at all and I
feel my students are receiving a better education than what I was able to give
them before. Thanks again, Bryan Skrzyniecki, Science Educator ,Assistant
Soccer and Wrestling Coach, Perrysburg High School, OH.

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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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Happy November to you all!! Hope you had a safe and fun Halloween, and
now it's time to "batten down the hatches" for winter. (At least here in my
neck of North America). Winter preparations here on my little New England
farm mean we've closed up the bee hives and reduced their entrances to
help them make it through til Spring, turned the lights on to the hen house
to keep them laying through the dark spell, and stacked 3,000 pounds of
hay for the milk cow to survive til the spring thaw.

It's time to prepare the classrooms for winter too. Extra calories are needed to
keep bodies warm, extra incandescent (regular home-type light bulbs as opposed
to florescent) lights may help ward off those winter blues, and make
sure the kids get outside on the days they can - sunlight is so important as our
days shorten.

Thank you again to those of you sending in units sheets. Mike Schlomer was
kind enough to send a traditional Math unit from his Algebra 2 class so that
I can show you how to easily convert Math units to Layered Curriculum. Mike,
I know you think I've forgotten you, but the unit is on my laptop and will get done
this week on my plane ride to San Antonio! I'll post both the traditional and the
LC version of the unit on the discussion forum as promised.

Those of you attending the Corwin Press, "Differentiating and the Brain-Friendly
Classroom" conference in San Antonio next week, remember to stop and say
hello. I'll be presenting "Differentiating the High School Classroom" on Tuesday
afternoon and Wednesday morning and "Layered Curriculum" on Wednesday afternoon.

Later this month I'll be heading to La Crosse Wisconsin for a presentation on
differentiating for Gifted and Talented students at the University of Wisconsin,
then back to Pinckney, Michigan for what has become an annual (and very
enjoyable) workshop for their school system.

As new workshops are confirmed, I'll post them on my calendar:
http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm

As always, my best to you and yours and please keep in touch.

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 @ 5:26 PM