Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
Friday, October 22, 2010
Dr Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
---mid-October '10 Edition--- (current subscribers: 21,417)
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News and updates to Kathie Nunley's Layered Curriculum® Sites for Educators:
http://Help4Teachers.com
http://brains.org
Do you have a NEW EMAIL address? You can unsubscribe your old one and
subscribe the new one using the link at the bottom of this newsletter.
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--------SECTION ONE: TEACHING TIPS ------
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TEACHER TIP # 1:Write the unit's A layer questions on the front board at
the beginning of the unit with blank places to brainstorm more as the unit progresses:
1. Why is there so much fascination with the Titanic after all these years?
2. What technologies have allowed for the rediscovery & exploration of the wreckage?
3. ??
B. Fessenden, Amherst Middle School, NH.
TEACHER TIP # 2: For first grade students. I have them do a cheer for their word
wall words. They stand normal when calling out each regular letter such as a, c, s.;
raise their arms for tall letters such as l, b, t, and squat down for letters that go
below the line such as y, p, etc. They say a cheer by spelling each word; for
example hay would be h, arms up, a arms out front and y squat down. The jump
up and say the whole word, Hay. This engages their brain/body connection;
keeps them engaged; is great for tactile learners and is just plain fun!
Debra Zanders, Florida.
Send your favorite teaching tip to me at Kathie@brains.org
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------SECTION TWO: HOT TOPICS in Neuro & Educational Psychology------
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HOT TOPIC # 1: Gifted children must learn that to remain gifted after
school years will take a lot of work. It is estimated that it takes over
10,000 hours of study or practice to be gifted outside of the school
environment. It takes hard, hard work over time and consistent and
deliberate practice. Students need to understand that ability alone does
not make a person gifted. It takes self regulation, single-mindedness,
drive, and ability to concentrate for long periods of time and commitment.
It also requires social, cultural and financial capital. Finally, gifted
performance does not occur without an effective teacher or coach.
Frank Worrell, PhD, University of California – Berkeley. “Giftedness:
Endowment, Context, Timing, Development, or Performance?
Does it Mater?" Presented August 13, 2010 at the APA Annual
Convention, San Diego, CA.
HOT TOPIC #2: The right amygdala (RA) is responsible for recognizing
interpersonal emotions. It begins functioning around 6 months gestation.
Prenatal drug use or severe depression in the third trimester, or early
neglect can hijack the RA. A child with such a tainted RA cannot self-regulate.
They are in perpetual stress, the RA is running free and the child cannot
participate in the bonding event. They have difficulty reading others. This
creates the “attachment disorders”. Steven Gray, PhD, University
of the Rockies. “Amygdala and Attachment: Existential Implications.”
Presented August 13, 2010. APA Annual Convention, San Diego, CA.
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---SECTION THREE: WEB UPDATES ---
BRAINS.ORG & HELP4TEACHERS.COM
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Our website and our bookshop have a variety of ways to help you learn
Layered Curriculum®?
1. Watch the 4-part video mini-lesson to get you started at the website:
http://help4teachers.com/
comes with the 90 minute training video).
http://help4teachers.com/
http://help4teachers.com/
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New BOOKS in the bookshop:
=> Strategies for Learning (grades 9 - 12) by Karen Rooney.
=> Rethinking Classroom Management by Patricia Sequeira Belvel.
=> Using Humor to Maximize Learning by Mary Kay Morrison
=> Beyond Differentiated Instruction by Jodi O'Meara.
=> Robert Sylwester's BRAND NEW "A Child's Brain"
http://brains.org/store
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-----SECTION FOUR: KATHIE'S EMAIL
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Kathie - We need to post grades online for parent and student access.
How do you handle that with Layered Curriculum? Do you just tell
parents that we're working on the unit and it'll be posted at the end or
do you post each layer or what's the best way to handle it?
- Sandy W., Ohio
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Sandy,
There are many, many ways to handle the grading with Layered Curriculum®.
If you need to enter a daily grade, then simply require students to complete
one assignment per day. If the assignments are more complex, you could
issue a "progress report" type of daily grade. If you have more flexibility, you
could enter grades every couple of days or even layer by layer. I have a chapter
showing a variety of ways to handle grade logistics in my "Differentiating the
High School Classroom" book. The model is designed to be very flexible so
that it can work with any system. - Kathie
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------SECTION FIVE: WORKSHOPS / SCHEDULE / MISC CHAT------
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Happy Pumpkin Season! Is it my imagination or are the pumpkins out in
full force this year? Yesterday I was in Ohio and homes had piles of them
decorating the yards. Very nice. I just love the sights and smells of fall.
Take the time to carve a jack-o-lantern this year.
A big thanks to the teachers in the Clyde, Ohio area for the great day we had.
I also want to thank the teachers at the Moore - Norman Technology Center
for our entertaining workshop last week. My next stop will be in Lethbridge, Alberta
on Friday. I always enjoy my visits to Alberta and am sure this will be no
exception.
New workshops and conferences are in the making for St. Louis, New York
and Cape Town, South Africa. As soon as details are available, they are
posted online at: http://help4teachers.com/
spring and summer 2011. Just send me an email.
As always, my best to yours,
Kathie
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