Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---Mid August 07 Edition--- (current subscribers: 19,404)
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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
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SECTION ONE: Teaching Tips -
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Teacher Tip # 1: In my first grade classroom, pencil sharpening was
a time waster and a mess maker. So at the beginning of the year, I
have a large coffee can full of sharpened pencils, sitting next to an
empty can labeled "needs sharpening." We have no pencil sharpener
in my classroom. If kids need a sharp pencil, they drop their dull one in
the right can and pick up a fresh one from the left can. On Fridays I take
the can home and sharpen them all with an electric sharpener while
watching television. Deborah Shea, Farmers Branch, TX.

Teacher Tip #2: A good family policy for the upcoming school year might
be to establish a "screens down" time. This would be a time in the evening
(say, 9pm or 10pm, depending on your children's age) when all electronic
screens are powered off - all tv, internet, video games and cell phones. Helps
establish a better sleep routine for the family. Shana Blakenship, Barrow, AK.

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: Regular exercise improves cognitive function, improves
blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, improves attention and reduces
depression. Exercise can also undo much of the damage done to the
hippocampus by cortisol as a result of chronic stress. Bruce McEwen,PhD.
Rockefeller University. "Of Molecules and Mind:Integrating the psychology
and biology of stress and adaptation. Address presented at the APA
convention, August 18, 2007, San Francisco.

HOT TOPIC #2: Bad deeds are not necessarily performed by bad people.
Bad deeds can be performed by anyone, given the right specific situation.
In fact, it is argued that most horrific deeds are done by basically good
people who have been put in a specific situation. This "Lucifer Effect", is
a new, hot theory put forth by Dr Phil Zimbardo (you may remember him as the
researcher responsible for the Stanford Prison Experiment). Zimbardo proposes
that there are no "bad apples" but rather "bad apple barrels.".
Philip Zimbardo, PhD. Stanford University. "Psychology of Evil: The Lucifer
Effect in action." Address presented at the APA convention August 18, 2007,
San Francisco.

More Hot Topics at the websites!

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SECTION THREE: Website updates
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******** NEW Edition of the Layered Curriculum® WORKBOOK.*********
The 2nd edition Layered Curriculum® Workbook was released this month.
Twice the material of the 1st edition, I've added significant details for step-
by-step building of traditional Layered Curriculum® units as well as added
examples and directions for project-based units, texts that spiral, heavy
B-layer units, early elementary and units for course that need a lot of
direct instruction. I've also expanded the section on grading scales.
You can order the workbook alone or with the text at:
http://help4teachers.com/books.htm

***NEW at the Help4Teachers.com****:
Julie King in Iron County, Utah just sent 3 new LAYERED CURRICULUM (R)
UNITS that should be posted this week on Lord of the Flies, Merchant of Venice,
and Night. You can view all the units at:
http://help4teachers.com/samples.htm

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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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Kathie, I am working through the Layered Curriculum Workbook and having
trouble developing my points for the units and assignments. I would like for
the units to total to 100 points and my unit assessments to be 50 points.
For my layers I have assigned the C Layer 80 points, B Layer 10 points, and
the A Layer 10 points. This seems to make many of my C Layer assignments
worth more points than the A and B Layers. I am concerned the students
will not take the B Layer assignments seriously when I give them 4 or 5 choices
to choose 2 from (which would make each worth 5 points). Any suggestions
to get the students to take the work more seriously? Thanks for any help/thoughts
you can provide. Gary B, Science Teacher, Union, KY

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Hi Gary, It sounds like you're feeling uncomfortable with a "bottom-layer
heavy" format. That's certainly appropriate for many subjects. I'm not sure
if you're working with the first or 2nd edition of the workbook, but if you
have the 2nd edition - look in the section for "heavy B layer units".
Otherwise, just consider re-vamping your point scale. Maybe your C layer
should only be worth 40 points, the B layer, 40 and the A layer 20. You
really can play with the numbers anyway you want.

Now if you're concerned that students will confuse a score of "40 = C" with
the more traditional percentage grade scale (where at least 70% would have
been considered a C) then, really disguise the points. Such as: "The Unit is
worth 26,000 points. Each C layer is worth between 500 and 3000 points, a
couple B layer assignments each worth 5000 points, etc. Then offer a
conversion chart: 6,000 - 10,0000 points is a C. etc. A rather extreme
example, but my point here is that if grading on a 100 point scales makes
everyone uncomfortable because it's too tied to that percentage scale we
grew up with, just move outside the box. Really, they could be collecting gold
stars even. The points are just tally marks to help move them through the layers.
I hope that helps. Good luck with it. -- Kathie

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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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Greetings from the APA convention in San Francisco. My head is just
swimming with new information! Besides being able to attend 2 sessions
by legendary psychologist Albert Bandura, I was inspired by Phil Zimbardo's
talk on his new book, "The Lucifer Effect." In addition, I heard many researchers
discuss their latest work on attention, aging and memory, stress and anxiety,
school bullying prevention and more. I'll be including snippets of the research
in the next few newsletter issues.

I also want to tell you what a wonderful experience I had earlier in the week some
320 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Barrow, Alaska. Beside the nice cool
(30's & 40's) weather, I met so many wonderful teachers working in Barrow and
in the outlying village schools which serve the Inupiat(Alaskan Eskimo). If you
are looking for something truly meaningful to do after your "first retirement," you
may want to consider working in the North Slope Borough School District. It's an
absolutely fascinating place full of unique experiences. I think I learned more
from them than they learned from me. (Did you know that Polar Bear tastes a
bit like "a cow that eats sushi"? or that school bus tires turn square when the
temperature drops lower than 40 below zero? or that one whale can feed 75 people
through the winter) Thank you again to all the people in Barrow for their warm welcome.

Today I'm off to Paramus, New Jersey, followed by San Juan Capistrano and then will
finish the week out in Miles City, Montana. You'll find my complete calendar of
workshops at http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm

I still have workshops openings in my winter/ spring 2008 calendar and have
opened my summer calendar as well. Please email if you are looking for a
workshop on differentiating instruction with Layered Curriculum(R) for your school
or district. Workshop information is also available at the website:
http://help4teachers.com/workshops.htm

Best wishes in the new school year.
As always, my best to you and yours,

Kathie
=================================================
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
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