Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---Mid-February '07 Edition--- (current subscribers: 18,847)
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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
Unsubscribe & 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: When asking questions, ask 3 questions before seeking
any answers. This way students can come up with an answer with less
stress. John Graversen, 5th grade, FDR, Nampa, ID

Teacher Tip # 2: Start classes or study sessions with physical activity to
maximize learning. The challenge is offering movements that match each person’s
unique vestibular system. While some people feel energized with certain
movements, others may feel dizzy, even fatigued. For that reason, it is important
to offer fine and gross-motor movement options. Jeff Haebig, PhD (via email.)

Teacher Tip # 3: Staple the front page of the newspaper every day to a bulletin
board set by the pencil sharpener or door where students line up. They at least
may have a minute to read the headlines. no name, Joliet, IL.

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: Researchers are linking sleep apnea to minor
brain damage and stuttering in childhood. Researchers in California
have found that 38% of adults with sleep apnea had problems with
stuttering during childhood and that nearly all adults with sleep apnea
have less gray matter in brain areas associated with attention and
memory. They hypothesize that the stuttering in childhood could lead
to problems in muscle development in the throat which leads to
breathing problems during sleep. Benson, (2003). Monitor on Psychology,
Vol.24, (2), 15.

HOT TOPIC #2: Depression affects about 2% of pre-adolescent children
and about 5% of adolescents. It's concerning because it is often associated
with many at-risk behaviors, poor relationships and academic problems plus
it tends to pre-dispose adolescents to depression as adults. Schools have
attempted to lessen the problem with 2 types of programs - universal prevention
programs addressed to the student body at-large and selective interventions
specifically targeted to students at risk for depression. A project designed to
evaluate the effectiveness of all these programs has found that the targeted
programs are more effective than universal programs and that programs
which viewed themselves more as "treatments" as opposed to "preventions"
were also most effective. The length of the treatment or length of follow-up did
not seem to cause a difference in effectiveness between programs.
Horowitz, J. & Garber, J. (2006). Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychiatry,
Vol. 74(3), 401-415.

More Hot Topics at the websites!

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SECTION THREE: Website updates
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****************NEW at the Help4Teachers.com********************

*** New Layered Curriculum(R)) units:
~~Elizabeth Townsend in Sarnia, Ontario sent a Mythology unit.
~~Allison Bunck in Nebraska sent a "Mendel & Heredity" unit.
~~Sid Ready in Pender, NE sent a Circulatory System unit.

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

Layered Curriculum(R) books available at:
http://help4teachers.com/books.htm

Layered Curriculum(R) Video Training Kit information is available at:
http://help4teachers.com/video.htm

****************** THE BRAINS.ORG SHOP: *******************************
Looking for recommended books? You'll find them at our Brains.org Shop.

We also offer a discounted price on the "LAYERED CURRICULUM" text
and workbook as well as our current bestseller, "Differentiating the
High School Classroom."

You can order directly online with a credit card at: http://brains.org/store/index.htm
Or fax your institutional Purchase Order to 208-979-0678.
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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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Dear Kathie:
I attended a teacher training on differentiated instruction geared for
gifted students and part of our training included watching your Layered
Curriculum video. It was fantastic and I am excited to start implementing
some of your suggestions in my 8th grade geography class. I do have one
question. How do you establish due dates for your assignments? Do you take
late work? Do you dock points on things turned in late? Our school has a
major problem with students who do not turn in work by the due date. I was
just curious how you would handle that problem. Thanks! -Karalynn Tyler

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Hi Karalynn,
Thanks for your note. If you start with a daily method of Layered Curriculum
and make sure that "something is due each day", you'll get students on the
right track. (see page 73 in the text). You certainly don't want students saving
assignments til the end, which is why you want to limit no more than one or 2
assignments to be turned in on any given day. You want to make sure that you
are marking things off each day for students too (part of the facilitation process)
Keep lots of structure and tight deadlines for things and you'll help eliminate
"late work". Remember the bulk of all this is handled right in the classroom on
a daily basis, so late work shouldn't be a major issue for anyone.
Have fun with it! -- Kathie

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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you got a hug from someone you love today.
I'm writing you this afternoon in the middle of a blizzard here in New England. My
two youngest children are of course thrilled to have our first "snow day" of
the school year. After their traditional breakfast of pink heart pancakes, they've
headed out into the snow bundled to the eyebrows.

If things settle down and the airport re-opens I'll be heading out tomorrow
morning for British Columbia and a conference in Abbotsford. My fingers are
crossed!

Next week I'll be outside of Milwaukee to work with the teachers in Waterford,
Wisconsin to finish out this month. New workshops are in the planning for
Ontario, Montana, New York and California. As details are finalized I post all
the contact and registration information on my calendar:
http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm

If you need to schedule a workshop for the 2007 - 2008 school year please
let me know so you can get on my calendar.

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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Dr Kathie F Nunley

Layered Curriculum(R) . . . because every child deserves a special education (tm)
Brains.org & Help4Teachers.com
54 Ponemah Rd
Amherst NH 03031
PH 603.249.9521
FX 208.979.0678
- posted by Kathie @ 6:17 PM