Dr Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---January '09 Edition--- (current subscribers: 21,245)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--------SECTION ONE: TEACHING TIPS ------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Teacher Tip # 1: For flashcards / daily messages, use yellow paper if
you are using black ink. This is easier on the eyes to read.
Silvia Alcaraz, Sun Valley Elem. SWIDS.

Teacher Tip #2: In my math class, I read a literature book each week for
the students. It covers some topic related to what we are learning. It
may seem elementary, but they LOVE being read to. Amanda Stark,
Driscoll MS, San Antonio, TX.

Send your favorite teaching tip to me at Kathie@brains.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------SECTION TWO: HOT TOPICS------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HOT TOPIC # 1: While no one wishes poverty on their children, the other
end of the spectrum is not much fun either. New research from
across the psychology spectrum show that children from affluent
(incomes over $120,000) families are more likely to be depressed and
abuse substances. Affluent families tend to overemphasize children's
accomplishments, grades and ivy-league chances. These factors
increase anxiety and depression in adolescents.
Novotany, A. (2009). Monitor on Psychology, Vol 40(1),pg 50.

HOT TOPIC #2: Parents and educators frequently debate the value of
retaining a first grader. A 4-year longitudinal study looked at the effects of
retention on subsequent math and reading achievement comparing
age-related and grade-related scores. While retaining first graders led
to a short term increase in math and reading achievement, in the long
term, the promoted children scored higher in both reading and math.
Wu, W., West, S., & Hughes, J. (2008). Journal of Educational
Psychology, Vol 100(4), 727-740.

More Hot Topics at the websites!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------SECTION THREE: WEBSITE UPDATES------
at HELP4TEACHERS.COM and BRAINS.ORG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW Layered Curriculum® Units:

New units from Arizonia. Dianna Dohm from Tempe Schools sent some
units her graduate students (elementary ed) designed.
From Kate Pawlik Helm, a 7th grade SS unit: US Imperialism Unit
From Jennifer Might, a 2nd grade American History Unit
From Amanda Dempsey, a 5th grade Earth Science Unit

===There is a new Book Study Kit to go along with my book,
Differentiating the High School Classroom. It comes with books,
a Facilitator's Guide and a Brains.org exclusive powerpoint CD
covering Layered Curriculum®. Order it online at:
http://help4teachers.com/books.htm

===There is a short downloadable (and free) video tutorial on the
homepage of Help4Teachers that addresses one of the most frequently
asked question: "Where do I start with Layered Curriculum®?" Available
for PC formats, you can find it in the right column at: http://help4teachers.com

===NEW BOOK
"THE SUCCESSFUL EDUCATOR'S GUIDE TO EARNING EXTRA INCOME".
-- A break from my usual topic of differentiation - this book addresses another
side of the educator's world. You can get more information and / or order a
copy of the book at: http://www.brains.org/teacherincome/

Recommended book bundles and book study kits are available at both
websites.

If you are looking for help in differentiating your classroom, you find
Layered Curriculum® text / workbook sets at:
http://help4teachers.com/books.htm

For recommended books on a variety of subjects specific to education, visit:
http://brains.org/store/index.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------SECTION FOUR: KATHIE'S EMAIL------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello, Kathie.
I attended a workshop you presented in Texas this last year. In your
presentation you mentioned the harmful effects of video exposure to
the young brain (under two years old). I had heard that information a
few years ago but had forgotten it. I want to approach my sister-in-law
with this but would like to be armed with the research. Can you set
me in the direction to find the research to share with her? Thanks
for any guidance/information you can provide. N. P.

===================================
N - The easiest way to get a summary of the research is just to
google "television and children under 2" or something similar and you
should get a whole list of the research as well as the American
Academy of Pediatrics recommendation. Good luck, Kathie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------SECTION FIVE: WORKSHOPS / SCHEDULE / MISC------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy New Year everyone!!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are rested and
ready to tackle the remaining school year.

We've had a rough winter already here in New England and it's only
early January. But I just throw another log on the fire and snuggle into
my new Christmas slippers.

I'm hoping to encounter warmer weather as I head back out to
Henderson, Nevada later this month to help the teachers at
Greenspun Junior High with Layered Curriculum®. From there
its back east to NYC and The Brooklyn International High
School and our day of "Differentiating the High School Classroom".

There are a few new workshops posted now on the calendar page:
http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm if you want to see when I'll
be in your area. My fall 2009 calendar is now open if you are looking
to schedule a workshop for your school or district - just send me an
email (kathie@brains.org)

As always, my best to you and yours, and again, HAPPY 2009.
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® is a trademark developed by and registered
to Dr. Kathie F Nunley. Usage information available at:
http://help4teachers.com/usage.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are receiving this newsletter because you requested to be on my
mailing list by entering your email address at one of the two websites.
I NEVER share or sell my newsletter list, nor is it used for any other
purpose other than this bi-monthly newsletter. Should you need to be
removed from the list, or need to CHANGE your email address, you
can do so by simply clicking this link:
http://s1.seffylists.com:81/guest/RemoteListSummary/nunley
Dr Kathie F Nunley
Layered Curriculum(R) . . . because every child deserves a special education (tm)
- posted by Kathie @ 4:41 PM