Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Dr Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---mid-March '09 Edition--- (current subscribers: 21,376)
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News and updates to http://brains.org and Kathie Nunley's
Layered Curriculum®
~~The NO-MEMBERSHIP-REQUIRED website which blends current
psychology research with education.
You can subscribe to this newsletter at: http://help4teachers.com/
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--------SECTION ONE: TEACHING TIPS ------
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Teacher Tip # 1: To call on students use a popsicle stick with students' names,
or place the names in a bag using key rounders.
Roz Tampone, Del Rey Elementary School, Del Rey, CA.
Teacher Tip #2: Dry Erase markers work great on desks. I use them to label
desks when I'm rearranging students' seats.
Lyndsay Stephens, Jubilee Academic HS., San Antonio, TX.
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: New research indicates that persons with Attention
Deficit Disorder(ADD) may have a shortened perception of the time span
of temporal events - particularly in working memory. This is suspected
to be the result of an impaired dopamine system involving the prefrontal
cortex. They tested this theory by checking what was the minimum tempo
that rhythmic movement can be sustained in both persons with and without
ADD. It turns out that those with ADD have a rhythm cut-off that was much
sooner than those without. Apparently these problems with dopamine
delivery have recalibrated the internal clock that sets the time scale for our
subjective thought process. Gilden, D. & Marusich, L. (2009).
Neuropsychology. Vol 23(2), 265-269.
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HOT TOPIC #2: Despite rumors to the contrary, there does not appear to be any
difference between the way male and female brains process words in reading.
Using over 200 subjects and MRI scans, researchers found no difference in the
involvement or asymmetry of either Broca's and Wernicke's areas.
Chiarello, C. et al. (2009). Neuropsychology. Vol 23(2), Mar 2009, 210-222.
More Hot Topics at the websites!
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------SECTION THREE: WEBSITE UPDATES------
at HELP4TEACHERS.COM and BRAINS.ORG
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===Layered Curriculum® Units:
Michelle Ballinger, Columbus, OH, sent in an Astronomy unit.
Steve Ritter, Clinton HS, Missouri sent in ELEVEN Social Studies units.
(Give the webmaster a few days to get all these posted)
Steve also sent a wonderful Layered Curriculum® Reference Sheet
which he is kind enough to share - I'll post a link to that in the next issue.
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Notes from the Bookshop
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==>COMING SOON: A Layered Curriculum® study kit for individuals. So many
have asked for a single-person Layered Curriculum® training kit, so we have one in
press right now. It should be out by the end of March. You can pre-order it now at
the bookshop. http://help4teachers.com/
A Brains.org EXCLUSIVE kit including a narrated powerpoint on
Layered Curriculum® to accompany Chapter 4 of the Facilitator's Guide.
==> Layered Curriculum® Text and Workbook Sets. (special pricing)
http://help4teachers.com/
==> My newest book, in light of the recession: "The Successful Educator's
Guide to Earning Extra Income". (Yes, a bit of a break from my usual topic
of differentiation - but there is another side to the educator's world.)
==> All sorts of recommended books on a variety of subjects specific to education.
We appreciate your business. http://www.brains.org/store
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------SECTION FOUR: KATHIE'S EMAIL------
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Dear Kathie, I realize you are very busy, but I read an article online recently
[ http://health.msn.com/
agree with the psychologist about the homework issue. I think I know
where you stand but you are always more up to date than most of us
teachers. I saw your presentation a few years ago in Peterborough, Ontario
Canada and feel your [Layered Curriculum®'] is so sensible. I was not a science
teacher, but I felt you may be one of the few presenters who had serious
science behind what you have to say. Even though I have recently retired,
I still read your newsletter each month. -Peter Abrams
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Hi Peter,
Thanks for the note and sharing the article. While I think both points the
author makes are fairly accurate, I'm not sure I agree with the way he links
them. In other words, he's correct in that research does not really
support homework in early elementary years and is "iffy" in the upper
years. And he's correct in the time frame for the development of the
prefrontal cortex. I'm just not sure that's the reason for homework's
ineffectiveness.
As you know, I think there are a lot of factors a teacher and school need
to take into consideration before "assigning" homework to any student, and
I'm certainly not a fan of school-wide or district-wide "homework for homework
sake" policies. But this certainly adds to the debate.
Thanks again for sharing. - Kathie
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Irish or not, St. Patty's Day gives us one more opportunity to appreciate
and celebrate diversity. (Of course, my deep Irish roots make this week
extra special and the smell of corned beef and cabbage is already wafting
through the air).
In other news - I had a terrific time in both Medina, Ohio and Lake Geneva,
Wisconsin last week. In Medina, not only did we have the great faculty from
buckeye schools, but 100 outside visitors who came to join us for the day.
Thank you Medina for allowing so many guests to attend.
We currently have open registration workshops in the next few weeks for
Chicago, IL; and St. Bonaventure University, NY. There are open registration
workshops coming up this fall for Allegan, MI; Cotulla, TX; and Inuvik, NWT
(that one for the adventurous travelers!). New workshops are being planned
for Las Vegas, and Edmonton. You can get information and contact information
at: http://help4teachers.com/
My fall calendar is filling but I still have a couple slots open in August and November.
If you need to schedule any of "The Why and How of Differentiated Instruction with
Layered Curriculum®" workshops, just email me. Information is available on line at:
http://help4teachers.com/
Kathie
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Workshop information is available at the website
http://help4teachers.com/
call: 603-249-9521
Email: kathie@brains.org
Brains.org and Help4Teachers is located at:
54 Ponemah Road
Amherst, NH 03031
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to Dr. Kathie F Nunley. Usage information available at:
http://help4teachers.com/
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Dr Kathie F Nunley
Layered Curriculum
