Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
Monday, April 13, 2009
Dr Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---mid-April '09 Edition--- (current subscribers: 21,402)
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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: We have implemented a "house" system in our
high school (think Harry Potter). It's been great. Kids always want
and ask for points for good performance.
James Hamric, Brooks Academy, San Antonio, TX
Teacher Tip #2: Use play-dough for students to describe vocabulary
words. - Emily Petkus, Fennville H.S., MI.
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: A new study investigated middle school (grades 6 - 8)
student's perception of the social support they receive in all aspects of
their lives (teachers, friends, parents). Using various measures,
researchers found significant gender differences. Girls perceive quite a
bit more support from friends and classmates than boys do. In fact, while
girls report that friends provide the most social support, boys report that
they get less support from their friends than any other source. Since there
is a strong relationship between student's perception of social support and
student adjustment, schools may want to consider this new research in
planning support systems. Rueger, S. et al. (2008). School Psychology
Quarterly, Vol 23(4), 496-514.
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HOT TOPIC #2: Girls born to teenage mothers are at greater risk for
becoming teenage mothers themselves. A new study tracked 1500
young adolescent girls (some born to teenage mothers and some to older
mothers) for 6 years. The results - girls born to teenage mothers were 66%
more likely to also become a teenage mother, even after factoring out
other influences such as school performance, family status, and race.
The risk factors associated with teenage mothers include deviant peer
norms, low parental monitoring, Hispanic race and poverty.
Meade, C. et al (2008). Health Psychology. Vol 27(4), 419-429.
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:
There are several new secondary level Social Studies units and
elementary Math units at the website.
http://help4teachers.com/
Notes from the Bookshops (Brains.org & Help4Teachers.com)
==============================
==>NEW April 09:
A Layered Curriculum® study kit for individuals. So many
have asked for a single-person Layered Curriculum® training kit,
so here it is!! I've made a narrated DVD of slides designed to
accompany the texts and workbook. The first one (using HS
Science examples) is now available. You can order it now at
http://help4teachers.com/
Help4Teachers.com and Brains.org are happy to announce a
new humanitarian commitment to the Springs Alive school near
Kampala, Uganda. The school serves the most underprivileged of
the region, providing clothing, food and lessons by teachers who
frequently do not have food themselves. There is no water or
electricity at the school. All lessons are done orally or written on
the primitive blackboard and recited. We are looking to aid them
with teacher and student resource material. Read about the
school at: http://help4teachers.com/
and let us know if your class or school would like to help us!
WHAT'S AT THE Brains.org BOOKSHOP???
http://www.brains.org/store
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)
==> Layered Curriculum® Video Training Kits
==> 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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Hi Kathie, What a delightful presentation. I do not believe that educators
are doing well IDing the ADD student. Would you have a good resource
for ADD? What criteria should we use as teachers? Checklists? Is
medicine the only treatment? Omega 3's? Neurological tests?
Thanks for any help. MJ. Ohio
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Dear Ohio,
Identifying students with ADD can be challenging and diagnosis is always
done by doctors rather than by teachers. Certainly though, teachers may
want to suggest that parents talk to their doctor about any school concerns.
Traditionally, doctors have used behavioral checklists and then gone with
sort of the "treat it and see if it goes away" method of diagnosis. Despite
how that may seem to most of us, the research actually supports it as being
a fairly reliable and inexpensive way to diagnose the disorder.
There are behavioral interventions that can be used with ADD, so
pharmaceuticals are not your only option. What is clear though is that
you do need to make some kind of intervention. Most of the time extensive
neurological tests are not needed. While I personally love diets rich in
Omega-3 for joint care (must be my age!) , I have never seen anything
showing it has any benefit for ADD. I do agree that teachers and support
personnel need to have a better understanding of the condition and definitely
need strategies to help these students be more successful in our schools.
Best, Kathie
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having a great time working with teachers on both sides of the border on
differentiation strategies. I'll be back in my office next week though before
heading to St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York for May day.
I believe there are still openings in that workshop. (details on the website
calendar page). http://help4teachers.com/
the individual Layered Curriculum® training kit and you'll find that at both
bookshops. Also, we've taken on a new humanitarian effort with a village
school in Uganda. We hope to provide teaching material for the school,
and increase public awareness here in North America in hopes some
others may find their cause worthy too.
In workshop news, there are new workshops in the making for Ohio,
Wisconsin and Alberta. My Spring 2010 calendar is now open if you
need to schedule a workshop for this upcoming school year. 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
