Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---Mid-April '08 Edition--- (current subscribers: 20,412)
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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 which blends current
psychology research with education.

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: On every assessment that affects student grades, I
always put their current grade in the bottom left corner of their paper.
This way they get immediate feedback on how this affected their
grade and know their status in the course. Heather Netland, Parkers
Prairie High School, MN

Teacher Tip # 2: Use Hip-Hop to teach poetry and figurative language.
Nora Kings, Four Directions Charter School, Minneapolis, MN.

Teacher Tip # 3: Use large, "rich" words to encourage students to
ask, "What's that mean?". Jane Bartlett, Parkers Prairie Elem., MN

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: Teachers are constantly warned against using sarcasm
with students due to the ease with which it can be misinterpreted. New
research on how the brain processes sarcasm shows just how complex
it is. While the left hemisphere is primarily responsible for the literal
interpretation of what you hear, the right hemisphere, along with areas
of the frontal lobes interpret the social and emotional aspects of what
you hear. A specific region in the right ventromedial area of the prefrontal
cortex puts these two pieces together. Damage to any of these areas
affects a person's ability to understand sarcasm. Shamay-Tsoory, S.
& Tomer, R.(2005). Neuropsychology, Vol 19(3)

HOT TOPIC #2: Feel like your memory just isn't what it used to be? Most of
us know that memory is affected by age and one of the earliest signs of
mental decline that we notice. But learning and memory can be improved
at any age. According to experiments done on other animals, young brains
can improve learning and memory by physical exercise alone. Middle-
aged brains can improve by combining physical exercise with mental exercises.
Older brains can improve through either physical or mental exercise alone.
Harburger, L, et al. (2007). Behavioral Neuroscience, Vol 121(4).

More Hot Topics at the websites!

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------SECTION THREE: WEBSITE UPDATES------
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**From HELP4TEACHERS.COM***

A new video tutorial titled "How do I begin Layered Curriculum®" is available
to download (no cost) on the homepage, http://help4teachers.com

Sample units are available at:
http://Help4Teachers.com/samples.htm
If you have any Layered Curriculum® units you have designed, please share
them with us! Just email them to kathie@brains.org.
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*******From BRAINS.ORG: ***********

Our Brains.org Shop has a selection of my most recommended
books and teaching aids. New selections this month include "A Guide
to Graphic Organizers" and Marilee Springer's new book: "The
Developing Brain: birth to age eight". http://brains.org/store/index.htm

Our shop always carries Layered Curriculum® texts and workbooks at our
exclusive direct discounted price. Each order is charged and processed
individually by a real human - and yes, we do take Purchase Orders.
We appreciate your business.
http://brains.org/store/index.htm

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------SECTION FOUR: KATHIE'S EMAIL------
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Kathie, With all the emphasis on standards and all the options available to
students in the various layers (in Layered Curriculum®), how do I guarantee
that every student is exposed to every element of every standard? Do I set it
up so that every element of a standard has several choices of assignments?
--LaRee F, Georgia.

===================================
LaRee,

Exactly! - The standards remain the same - you just offer students choice
in how they learn or meet those. (there's a new video tutorial online at the
website which may help get you started). - Kathie


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------SECTION FIVE: WORKSHOPS / SCHEDULE / MISC------
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Happy Spring. It's a beautiful week in New England. The last few remaining
snow piles are just about gone, replaced by daffodils fighting their way to
freedom. This morning was just picture perfect from my vantage point on my
milk stool. The rising sun warmed my back as I sat milking Dixie, listening to
my current rooster, Frank, heralding in the new day, and watching the new calf
chasing the hens out the door when they came in looking for new nesting sites.
These are the days that I secret away into my memory to be savored again and
again on those "other" kinds of days.

I had a wonderful time this past week working with teachers at the College of
New Jersey in Ewing, and Lower Canada College in Montreal, and all the
Northwest Region middle school teachers in Las Vegas. Thank you so
much for the opportunity to visit with you all. I look forward to seeing some
new units from all three of those sites!

We have new workshops in the making for Chicago, the Dallas-Fort Worth
area (Keller), 2 spots in Alberta (Lethbridge and Edmonton), and we're still
getting something together for Bristol, England. As usual, I post details
and registration information as soon as we have it on my calendar page
at the website: http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm

And finally, I'm looking forward to our first online Layered Curriculum® trainers
session this weekend. We've got a great new groups of trainers coming
on board who should add a whole new dimension to Layered Curriculum®.
Enjoy the rest of your week!

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® is a trademark developed by and registered
to 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)
- posted by Kathie @ 6:02 PM