Math Tips from Google (and a comment about Algebra 2)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/30/google-search-tricks_n_5338470.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular


I love this comment about Algebra 2:

Click here to see more tips on Google

Let's skip Algebra 2, take a course in ethics and add another course in a language.   How about visiting BIBPenpals.com?

ip to Teachers: Start a program called "AVID" to provide support to students

Here's the text from a press release:

During a ceremony at the White House where President Obama honored McComb and the 2014 state teachers of the year, McComb expressed his passion for the teaching profession: “I became a teacher because I had incredible teachers who were able to shine a light of hope and possibility into a dark time in my life. Teaching is my calling to do that for others, and an opportunity to spend my career living purposefully—helping children fulfill the promise of their lives.”

McComb works toward that purpose daily by mentoring students in a college-readiness program called Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). He started the program at Patapsco High School in 2007 to provide students who are academically in the middle and in need of assistance with the extra push needed to succeed. Ninety-eight percent of the students in AVID's last two graduating classes were admitted to four-year colleges and earned more merit scholarship money than the rest of the school's graduating class combined.

Here's the key point:  a teacher of the future facilitates.

Dennis Littky wrote about this process in his 2004 book, The Big Picture.  See his first chapter (which is available for free download from "ASCD dennis littky big picture"  

Just having the right goals is not the answer. It is how you reach those goals—the act of teaching—that is so critical. Another example: If we say that every student in the United States should understand democracy, which I think we all agree on, most people think, “OK, well, kids learn about democracy by reading the Constitution and talking about how it was developed, and so on.” Yes, this is very cool stuff to know. But while they're learning these things, most kids are not making one democracy-inspired decision throughout their entire 12 years of schooling. Most kids either aren't allowed to or don't believe they have the right to make decisions about anything significant during the years they are in school. So, to me, if we're trying to teach kids about the importance of democracy and being good citizens and about voting and all that comes with it, we really should be giving kids the opportunities to make real decisions and take real responsibility for what is going on around them. They should actually be voting, not just talking about it.

The act of being a teacher is the act of taking the goals I've described and then using your skills and love for kids to figure out how to create the best environment to help your students reach those goals. At the same time, you have to remember that every kid approaches learning in an individual way and will meet those goals in that individual way. And every kid is coming to you with his own personal baggage that may have to be worked through before he can even begin to learn what you are trying to teach him. The teacher's role is to find what that way is for each kid. Teaching becomes figuring out how to see and listen to each kid, one kid at a time, so that the kid can reach the goals for himself or herself. It is about finding the right relationship between the student and the adult, the relationship that works well for both of them. And, most importantly, teaching cannot happen in a vacuum. The community and the child's family must be included in every way possible. Parents are the student's first and most important teachers and they cannot, and must not, be left out of the education equation—not even when there are “professionals” around.

I hope you are inspired to read Littky's first chapter. 

Tips from the Interview box

I went into an interview today and there was my envelope, addressed to the language arts teacher. "Oh, I heard about your from your emai message sent through teachers-teachers.com," said the principal.

TIP:  Send the resume to teachers, but also send an email.
TIP:  Put "Teacher Vacancy" or "Response to your teaching opportunity" on the outside of the envelope.

When the principal asks, "What would be your ideal job," don't describe anything other than the position that you are applying for.  I told the fellow about my dream of teaching the 25 worst-academic performers, in a project-based classroom for three years, without a worry about testing, and the response was, "You should talk with my friend who wants to start a school.  You would be an excellent assistnat princiapl in charge of curriculumm."   Ugh.   TIP:  Don't talk about the future.  Describe the ideal job for the very near future.

How to get more clicks on your Youtube account: Copy Charlotte

Look at this string of translated requests:

Clever person...  I found this message in the inbox in my youtube account.

Please give your comments on my first video. 
Charlotte 


Merci de laisser vos commentaires sur ma première vidéo. 
Charlotte 


Terlassen Sie bitte Ihre Kommentare auf meine erste video hin. 
Charlotte 


Graag uw kommentaar op mijn eerste video. 
Charlotte 


Podaj komentarze na moim pierwszym wideo. 
Charlotte 


Приведите Ваши комментарии на мой первый видео. 
Шарлотта 



私の最初のビデオ、コメントを指定してください。 
シャーロット 



请我的第一个视频，提出您的意见。 
夏洛特

Do some of your students have a difficult time starting to write? How about FILL IN THE BLANKS? An example from National Geographic Magazine and tips from my mentor Cary Elcome in Japan

Look at the style of this blog.   The blog's owner, National Geographic magazine, has some stock phrases (in BOLD) and the guest is invited to complete the sentences.

Albuquerque is My City 

When someone comes to visit me, the first place I take them is ______________

Fall is the best time to visit my city because ______________

You can see my city best from  ______________

Locals know to skip  ______________ and check out  ______________ instead. ______________

 ______________ is the place to buy authentic, local souvenirs.  ______________

In the past, notable people like  ______________ have called my city home.

My city’s best museum is  ______________

If there’s one thing you should know about getting around my city, it’s that Albuquerque’s not a place you’d want to rely on public transportation. But there are wonderful bike paths and trails.

The best place to spend time outdoors in my city is at one of the city’s many golf courses, including the high-end Sandia Resort course. Or at Tiguex Park downtown on a summer night when live music is being played next door at the Albuquerque Museum.

My city really knows how to celebrate beer at our awesome Beer Week festival.

You can tell if someone is from my city if they finish sentences with “eh” and everything they say sounds like a question.

For a fancy night out, Iprefer the Bien Shurrestaurant at the Sandia Casino for drinks and food, followed by a concert at the casino’s spectacular outdoor amphitheater.

Just outside my city, you can visit    ______________

My city is known for beingt     ______________  , but it’s really    ______________

 ______________ are my favorite places to grab breakfast, and  ______________ is the spot for late-night eats   ______________

To find out what’s going on at night and on the weekends, read  ______________

My city’s biggest sports event is  ______________ Watch it at   ______________

When I’m feeling cash-strapped, I   ______________

To escape the crowds, I  ______________

If my city were a celebrity it’d be  ______________

The dish that represents my city best is  ______________  ,and  ______________is my city’s signature drink.

 ______________ is my favorite building in town because  ______________

The most random thing about my city is ______________

 ______________ is the best place to see live music. If you’re in the mood to dance, check out    ______________

In the spring you should    ______________

In the summer you should     ______________

In the fall you should  ______________

In the winter you should     ______________

If you have kids (or are a kid at heart), you won’t want to miss  ______________

The best book about my city is  ______________   

When I think about my city, the song that comes to mind is     ______________

In 140 characters or less, the world should heart my city because    ______________    Keywords:    ______________

To see how this could look, visit this blog.

http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2013/05/22/i-heart-my-city-claytons-albuquerque/

REPLY BY Cary Elcome in Japan

--------------------------------------------

I've been doing things like this in small chunks with my once-a-week older students here. 

My starting point is:

"I cannot read Japanese. Please tell me what this is all about"

OR

"Can you give me the major points from this?"

OR

"What's this line / symbol / name / picture?"

OR

"A foreigner is looking lost, but has this [map, guidebook] in his/her hand. Can you help him/her?"

OR

"You have volunteered to help non-Japanese-speaking tourists in your home town. Can you prepare a short talk using this leaflet?"

OR

"I'm thinking about going to (place). I've got these leaflets. Can you put together a programme for me?"

etc...

In fact, I collect all kinds of tourist fliers, train timetables, menus and other free bumf and distribute them either individually or in groups (for instant on-the-spot work or as homework preparation) get them to tell me about them (as I cannot read Japanese, this is an authentic exercise!!) I can isolate a grammar point or two and practise it/them, plus the students gain real, practical, LOCAL vocabulary. They also have to explain and/or translate... that's a useful skill!

If you have ENGLISH fliers, and you don't want to waste paper and photcopying, here's a way to develop your use of this material:

you need some fliers and post-it strips to hide certain expressions. Students write (on a piece of scrap) the missing words they hear when you read the text to them, then peel off the post-its. Another way (if you have an OverHead Projector) is to make an acetate of the original, then Tippex out certain words and phrases from ANOTHER copy and make an acetate of it. You're set up for life!

This all leads on to an essential feature of (language) teaching in a poor country. 

a) DON'T bombard (children) or learners with global coursebooks full of European / American / "White" faces, kids with mobiles, smart cars, houses with TVs and AC. We immorally introduce a nasty, insidious Western bias into a fragile cultuure which may be very ancient and interesting, deserving of our attention and usefully practised (tourism, commerce, school). 

b) Let's take our cue from LOCAL circumstances and lifestyles and base our lessons on what is immediate and relevant, at hand in the area, rather than arrogantly assuming that our learners should implicitly learn about our nonsensical accoutrements and time-wasters! 

(I have used this approach quite successfully in Laos. I believe it's crucial.)

Cheers,

Cary

M. A. Education (Applied Linguistics)

Editor / proofreader of theses, dissertations and reports, e.g: financial & business subjects; technical  documents; social anthropology, health and medical texts. 

University tutor in English for Academic Purposes.

Consultant in English language teaching to adults.

Course designer / instructor for professionals - total confidentiality guaranteed. 

Expert in presentations and conference techniques.

Private, customised teaching (individuals, small groups). 

E-mail me for details  bradstow2@yahoo.co.uk