Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---Mid-November 2006 Edition--- (current subscribers: 18,226)
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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: Collect cereal boxes or have each student bring in
one. Cut the cereal box and use it as a journal cover, portfolios or
anything else as a folder. They work great and are very sturdy!
Michelle Zlomek, Genesee Valley School, Belmont, NY.

Teacher Tip #2: To organize the kid's day, we make laminated terms
for their schedule and put magnets on them. Then it is easy to put the
schedule for each day on the board by moving the little words. It
saves writing each day and it gives the students a reference during
the day as to what is next. No name, workshop participant, western NY.

Teacher Tip #3: I've found a great way to reuse all those card stock
political and retail adds I get in the mail. Instead of just throwing them
out and putting more trash into our landfills, I cut them into one inch
strips for my students to use as bookmarks.
Gina Juliano, Hartford Juvenile Detention Center Schools


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: Elementary schools which serve low-income families and
communities should aim to increase parent involvement as a way of increasing
literacy. So says research released this month out of Harvard University and
Boston College. Students in grades K- 5 in ethnically diverse, low-income
areas showed significantly improved literacy rates when parental involvement
increased. Dearing, E et al. (2006). Journal of Educational Psychology,
Vol 98(4), 653-664.

HOT TOPIC #2: "Tracking" students, based on academic performance is the
source of much political debate here in the US and other industrialized countries.
Australian researchers looked at the issue around the globe using 9th grade student's
math self-concept as a guide. Their findings: overall students in "upper level"
tracks were more negatively effected by tracking than students in "lower level"
tracks as students tend to compare themselves in their own immediate
surroundings as opposed to across age-group. Trautwein, U., et al (2006)
Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol 98(4), 788-806.

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**

Michelle Gibson at Nute High School in Milton, NH sent in 5 science
units for Biology and promises a few more in Oceanography and Physical Science.

Stephanie Ritter at De Soto Middle School in Wisconsin sent in a 7th grade
unit for Charlotte Doyle.

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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BRAINS.ORG SHOP UPDATES
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David Sousa's ever-popular "How the Brain Learns" is now
out in it's 3rd edition and we have it in stock.
Our best seller this month is our "Differentiated Instruction" bundle
of books. You can visit all our brain-based learning departments at:
http://brains.org/store/index.htm

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

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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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Hi Kathie, As a parent of a child in a Layered Curriculum class, I have a
question for you. My daughter received a "70" for her "C Section", then an
"85" for her "B Section", and (unfortunately) a "0" for her "A Section". Would
her final grade be a "B" because she achieved a number grade of 85? Your
response to this question is extremely important and very much appreciated.
Thank you, (A concerned Mom)

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Dear Concerned Mom,
Thanks for your note. While I appreciate your concern for your
daughter (I have 4 children myself) it's really impossible for me
to guess at how your daughter's teacher grades Layered Curriculum
units. Some teachers weigh all layers equally, some average all
layers, some add formal testing scores to the end, etc. There
really is no standard way to grade Layered Curriculum any more
than any other teaching methodology - it's pretty much up to
teacher's or school's discretion as to how they set grading scales.

The only criteria for Layered Curriculum is :
1. have some student choice
2. require more complex thinking to improve the grade
3. increase student accountability by emphasizing learning over "doing" of assignments.

As you can see, that leaves things pretty wide open for teacher style. You'll
need to check with the teacher to see what his or her criteria is.
I hope that helps somewhat. --Kathie

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[From the discussion forum: http://help4teachers.com/forum.htm ]

I've been working on slowly incorporating Layered Curriculum into
my Freshman Biology Class. Right now I am usually giving students
daily choices rather than a full unit. As a part of these choices I
have been trying to assess the students using interviews as the
key method of assessing their understanding. I find that I can
barely get done with half a class on the simpler assignments like
vocabulary. When I try to interview students about more complex
assignments that number is cut in half. I have found the interviews
to be very effective in terms of learning what the students
understand, but the time thing is just killing me. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your time. David M.

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David -
Oral Defense is rather tricky in the beginning. The time "thing" can
seem overwhelming at first. . Here are some suggestions:
1. If the biggest problem is that students just are not prepared for their
defense, then require them to have a student "pre-quiz" them on things
and that buddy student will tell you when they are ready for you.
2. If the problem is really just with time, cut down on the number of
questions you ask and up the points. In other words, rather than ask 5
vocab terms and award 2 point each, just ask 2 words each worth 5 points.
They still have to study them all.
3. You can try "group quizzes" if you can group kids together who
have worked on a similar assignment. Do a quick Q & A and ask each
to make an additional comment on the student's response before them.
4. DO "buddy discussions", "jig-saw", or "homework discussion groups"
as an alternate to oral defense on some assignments.
5. Have students complete 2 assignments, you choose one at random to
grade orally, and one to grade "the old fashioned way" (eg: you take it home)

Try some of those. What I tell teachers in the beginning is to not try to grade
every kid, every day, on every assignment. That's a bit overwhelming. Look for
other ways to improve the accountability. - Kathie

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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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Can you believe it's mid-November already! My goodness, where did the
time go? Those of us in the United States are now preparing for our Thanksgiving
holiday which is the kick-off to our month-long winter holiday season. Good luck
everyone!

I had a wonderful time last week in San Antonio at the Corwin "Differentiation and
the Brain-Friendly Classroom" conference. It was great to meet so many of you.
Later this month I'll be back in Michigan and Wisconsin with more Layered Curriculum,
Brain, and Parent workshops. We have new workshops in the making for California
and North Carolina. Keep checking the calendar for locations and dates that work for
you. Most schools will open workshops to outside participants. Let me know if you
need contact information.
As new workshops are confirmed, I'll post them on my calendar:
http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm
My 2006 - 2007 school year calendar is just about filled now, but I am booking workshops
for late summer / fall 2007 so let me know if I can check a date for you.

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 @ 10:00 PM