Sunday, May 26, 2013
Great critical thinking map for your classroom
You ask any teacher today about the skills they want their students to develop and you will get critical thinking skills as an obvious answer; of course together with other skills. With the advance of technology and the educational paradigmatic shift that ensued , critical thinking skills have occupied a central part in the literature of teaching and learning pedagogy, not that these skills were not important before but I would say they came to the foreground now more than in any time before.
There is a great graphic that illustrates some elements of critical thinking process. Have a look and as always share with us you feedback. Enjoy
The best 8 tools to create posters for your classroom
Posters are great educational tools to use with your students. Their importance stems from the fact that they present information, facts, and data not only in a visually attractive way but also using a multi-modal system that combines signs, images, charts..........and texts. They are probably like infographics except that they are smaller and neater.
recommended : The Best Free Web Tools to Create Educational Infographics.
You might have noticed that I have been posting several posters here either done by me or created by other educational bloggers and I have even devoted an entire section here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning toeducational posters. I am planning to create a free repository of some of the best educational posters for teachers to use in their classroom and I am doing a great job in my selections so far. However, today, I am sharing with you great web tools that you can use to create your own posters and customize them the way you want. Check out the list below and share with us what you think of them . Enjoy
1- Poster My Wall
This is one of the most popular web tools out there. It allows you to create awesome posters using either your own images or from the selection provided there. You can also make posters of different sizes.
2- Befunky
This is basically a photo editor that allows users to create posters. You can upload your own images and add text and several other effects to them
3- Picassa
This is a powerful free image hosting and editing tool. It can also enable you to create your own posters , just head over to "Create", Make a Poster and you will be provided with different image and text editing tools to create your own posters.
4- Art Skills
You can use the poster making wizard of Arts Skills to create engaging posters. Just like the other tools mentioned above this one too provides a variety of easy and simple to use features.
5- Muzy Thoughts
This is a really cool web tool to use to create posters for your classroom. Muzy provides you with already made backgrounds and all you have to do is type in your text and you are ready to go.
6- Posterini
This is an online web tool that lets you create posters with WYSIWYC interface. You can upload your own images and use them as backgrounds.
7- Smore
This is an ideal web tool for those interested in creating flyers. It is very easy to use and has a user friendly interface.
8- Zeen
Zeen is another great tool you should consider when thinking about creating engaging posters to use with your students. It allows for a combination of words, images, maps, links, videos and many more.
recommended : The Best Free Web Tools to Create Educational Infographics.
You might have noticed that I have been posting several posters here either done by me or created by other educational bloggers and I have even devoted an entire section here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning toeducational posters. I am planning to create a free repository of some of the best educational posters for teachers to use in their classroom and I am doing a great job in my selections so far. However, today, I am sharing with you great web tools that you can use to create your own posters and customize them the way you want. Check out the list below and share with us what you think of them . Enjoy
1- Poster My Wall
This is one of the most popular web tools out there. It allows you to create awesome posters using either your own images or from the selection provided there. You can also make posters of different sizes.
2- Befunky
This is basically a photo editor that allows users to create posters. You can upload your own images and add text and several other effects to them
3- Picassa
This is a powerful free image hosting and editing tool. It can also enable you to create your own posters , just head over to "Create", Make a Poster and you will be provided with different image and text editing tools to create your own posters.
4- Art Skills
You can use the poster making wizard of Arts Skills to create engaging posters. Just like the other tools mentioned above this one too provides a variety of easy and simple to use features.
5- Muzy Thoughts
This is a really cool web tool to use to create posters for your classroom. Muzy provides you with already made backgrounds and all you have to do is type in your text and you are ready to go.
6- Posterini
This is an online web tool that lets you create posters with WYSIWYC interface. You can upload your own images and use them as backgrounds.
7- Smore
This is an ideal web tool for those interested in creating flyers. It is very easy to use and has a user friendly interface.
8- Zeen
Zeen is another great tool you should consider when thinking about creating engaging posters to use with your students. It allows for a combination of words, images, maps, links, videos and many more.
Classroom management
One of the daunting challenges that face up newly fledged teachers ( and sometimes experienced ones too) is classroom management issues. Not every teacher is lucky enough to get the wheel turning smoothly right from the start. Disruptive behaviour can pose a real threat to the learning and teaching process and often times it turns a teacher's life into a living nightmare leading , in most cases, to giving up the job as a whole.
As an experienced teacher who have taught in different countries and as a researcher in the field of pedagogy and methodology ( in connection with technology ) I can comfortably confirm that if classroom management issues are not dealt with seriously they can backfire and destroy what we are trying to build. healthy learning milieu is not feasible without a well managed classroom and this latter requires a set of techniques that every ( new ) teacher should know of.
After digging through the pedagogy books I have assembled and read during my teaching career I came across one that is of paramount importance to new teachers. The book is called " Psychology for Teachers (Psychology for Professional Groups)
" by David Fontana which I highly recommend for you. The book touches upon some key notions including : learning styles, psychology of kids, creativity, motivation...........and classroom management.
I am going to brief you on the most important techniques in classroom management which David recommended for teachers and which I myself have been using for 9 years now.
Classroom Management Techniques :
1- Interest The Class
In genral a class that is absorbed in its work does not want to cause problems.The class members will act disapprovingly towards any of their members who try to distract their attention
2- Avoid Personal Mannerisms
Mannerisms of specch, dress, gesture on the part of the teacher can be intensely irritating or comic to children who have to sit and watch them, and may well lead to negative behaviour on the part of the class.
3- Be Fair
Real or imagined injustices can breed resentment and hostility in children. Fairness means ensuring that any loss of priviliges,etc, is appropriate to the original misdeed, it means behaving towards children consistently so that they know what to expect, and it means keeping one's word. Interestingly, children of all ages rate " fairness" as one of the most desirable qualities in a teacher.
4- Be Humorous
This does not mean that teachers try to be knock-about comedian, but simply that they are prepared to laugh with the class( though not when the joke is on some unfortunate individual member of it), and to introduce humour into teaching material where suitable.
5- Avoid Unnecessary Threats
When threats are uttered they must be carried out. Constant offers of ' one last chance ' soon weaken the teacher's standing in the eyes of the class.
6- Be Punctual
A teacher who arrives late for a class not only sets the children a bad example but also may have to quell a riot before the lesson can begin. Punctuality at the end of the lesson is of equal importance. Children soon resent being constantly late out for break or last in the lunch queue or late for the next lesson
7- Avoid Anger
Teachers who lose their temper may say and do things in the heat of the moment that they come to regret later. Certainly all teachers on accasions will feel the need to speak sharply to children, but this quite different from heated outbursts in the schools or for the state of his or her physical health
8- Avoid Over-familiarity
The line between friendliness and over-familiarity can be a narrow one, but it is better to start off rather formally with a class and become more intimate as one gets to know them better, to behave, indeed, much as one does when making any new friends.
9- Offer Opportunities for responsibility
If all responsibility rests with the teacher, then it is not surprising that children behave irresponsibly when not under difrect supervision. Offering children responsibility not only shows them they have the teacher's confidence, it also leads them to realize that what happens in the class is their concern just as much as it is the teacher's.
10-Focus Attention
General appeals for quiet or order in a classroom are of much less value than calling out the name of the child or children most directly involved, and thus focusing the attention of the class.In the silence that follows, the teacher can then issue further instructions.
11- Avoid Humiliating children
Quite apart from the potential psychological damage to the child or children concerned, humiliation attacks a child's status in the eyes of the rest of the class, and he or she may well use various strategies, all aimed at the teacher's authority , in order to re-establish it.
12- Be Alert
An important characteristic of teachers with good class control is that they appear to know at all times exactly what is going on in the classroom. They move frequently around the room . and insist children wait in their places when they have difficulties with their work rather than besieging the teacher who became isolated from the main action by a detachment of hand-waving children.
13- Use Positive Language
The emphasis should always be upon what we want children to do rather than upon what they refrain from doing. Thus we say " come in quietly " rather than " don't make so much noise ", " look at your books " rather than " stop turning around "
14- Be Confident
Teachers who go into the class with a hesitant, tentative manner suggest to children that they are expecting trouble and are probably accustomed to being disobeyed. Very well, the class think to themselves, the teacher will not be disappointed. If, on the other hand, teachers are able to give the impression they are used to getting on well with children, then once again the children will be included to take this at face value and offer co-operation. So even if the teacher is feeling inexperienced and apprehensive, the moral is not to show it.
15- Be Well-organized
Good classroom organization means :
A- making clear to children exactly what is expected of them in the way of getting out or putting away apparatus and equipment before they start to do it
B- Children know where things are kept and they each have clear duties and responsibilities, both to deal with the normal running of the classroom and with the sudden emergencies when things get split or broken.
C- Planning lessons carefully so that the practical activities are within the scope and the competence of both teacher and class and never threaten to get out of hand.
D- A well-organized lesson with adequate material carefully prepared and with all equipment to hand and in goood working order is way better than one that even the teacher concedes bears a certain resemblance to a shambles.
16- Show that one likes children
Many people , recalling their schooldays, have stories of ogres of whom they were in awe, and of kindly, well-meaning souls whose lives they made a torment, but these stories are only remembered because they are unusual.For the most part, teahers who relate satisfactorily to children have the gift of conveying to them sympathy, understanding, and a personal delight in the job of teaching. They indicate to the class that they want children to succeed not because this demonstrates their own competence but because success is important to children. Once the class is convinced they have the teacher's support, they will respond, as in any relartionship, with co-operation and esteem.
As an experienced teacher who have taught in different countries and as a researcher in the field of pedagogy and methodology ( in connection with technology ) I can comfortably confirm that if classroom management issues are not dealt with seriously they can backfire and destroy what we are trying to build. healthy learning milieu is not feasible without a well managed classroom and this latter requires a set of techniques that every ( new ) teacher should know of.
After digging through the pedagogy books I have assembled and read during my teaching career I came across one that is of paramount importance to new teachers. The book is called " Psychology for Teachers (Psychology for Professional Groups)
" by David Fontana which I highly recommend for you. The book touches upon some key notions including : learning styles, psychology of kids, creativity, motivation...........and classroom management.I am going to brief you on the most important techniques in classroom management which David recommended for teachers and which I myself have been using for 9 years now.
Classroom Management Techniques :
1- Interest The Class
In genral a class that is absorbed in its work does not want to cause problems.The class members will act disapprovingly towards any of their members who try to distract their attention
2- Avoid Personal Mannerisms
Mannerisms of specch, dress, gesture on the part of the teacher can be intensely irritating or comic to children who have to sit and watch them, and may well lead to negative behaviour on the part of the class.
3- Be Fair
Real or imagined injustices can breed resentment and hostility in children. Fairness means ensuring that any loss of priviliges,etc, is appropriate to the original misdeed, it means behaving towards children consistently so that they know what to expect, and it means keeping one's word. Interestingly, children of all ages rate " fairness" as one of the most desirable qualities in a teacher.
4- Be Humorous
This does not mean that teachers try to be knock-about comedian, but simply that they are prepared to laugh with the class( though not when the joke is on some unfortunate individual member of it), and to introduce humour into teaching material where suitable.
5- Avoid Unnecessary Threats
When threats are uttered they must be carried out. Constant offers of ' one last chance ' soon weaken the teacher's standing in the eyes of the class.
6- Be Punctual
A teacher who arrives late for a class not only sets the children a bad example but also may have to quell a riot before the lesson can begin. Punctuality at the end of the lesson is of equal importance. Children soon resent being constantly late out for break or last in the lunch queue or late for the next lesson
7- Avoid Anger
Teachers who lose their temper may say and do things in the heat of the moment that they come to regret later. Certainly all teachers on accasions will feel the need to speak sharply to children, but this quite different from heated outbursts in the schools or for the state of his or her physical health
8- Avoid Over-familiarity
The line between friendliness and over-familiarity can be a narrow one, but it is better to start off rather formally with a class and become more intimate as one gets to know them better, to behave, indeed, much as one does when making any new friends.
9- Offer Opportunities for responsibility
If all responsibility rests with the teacher, then it is not surprising that children behave irresponsibly when not under difrect supervision. Offering children responsibility not only shows them they have the teacher's confidence, it also leads them to realize that what happens in the class is their concern just as much as it is the teacher's.
10-Focus Attention
General appeals for quiet or order in a classroom are of much less value than calling out the name of the child or children most directly involved, and thus focusing the attention of the class.In the silence that follows, the teacher can then issue further instructions.
11- Avoid Humiliating children
Quite apart from the potential psychological damage to the child or children concerned, humiliation attacks a child's status in the eyes of the rest of the class, and he or she may well use various strategies, all aimed at the teacher's authority , in order to re-establish it.
12- Be Alert
An important characteristic of teachers with good class control is that they appear to know at all times exactly what is going on in the classroom. They move frequently around the room . and insist children wait in their places when they have difficulties with their work rather than besieging the teacher who became isolated from the main action by a detachment of hand-waving children.
13- Use Positive Language
The emphasis should always be upon what we want children to do rather than upon what they refrain from doing. Thus we say " come in quietly " rather than " don't make so much noise ", " look at your books " rather than " stop turning around "
14- Be Confident
Teachers who go into the class with a hesitant, tentative manner suggest to children that they are expecting trouble and are probably accustomed to being disobeyed. Very well, the class think to themselves, the teacher will not be disappointed. If, on the other hand, teachers are able to give the impression they are used to getting on well with children, then once again the children will be included to take this at face value and offer co-operation. So even if the teacher is feeling inexperienced and apprehensive, the moral is not to show it.
15- Be Well-organized
Good classroom organization means :
A- making clear to children exactly what is expected of them in the way of getting out or putting away apparatus and equipment before they start to do it
B- Children know where things are kept and they each have clear duties and responsibilities, both to deal with the normal running of the classroom and with the sudden emergencies when things get split or broken.
C- Planning lessons carefully so that the practical activities are within the scope and the competence of both teacher and class and never threaten to get out of hand.
D- A well-organized lesson with adequate material carefully prepared and with all equipment to hand and in goood working order is way better than one that even the teacher concedes bears a certain resemblance to a shambles.
16- Show that one likes children
Many people , recalling their schooldays, have stories of ogres of whom they were in awe, and of kindly, well-meaning souls whose lives they made a torment, but these stories are only remembered because they are unusual.For the most part, teahers who relate satisfactorily to children have the gift of conveying to them sympathy, understanding, and a personal delight in the job of teaching. They indicate to the class that they want children to succeed not because this demonstrates their own competence but because success is important to children. Once the class is convinced they have the teacher's support, they will respond, as in any relartionship, with co-operation and esteem.
This is why we forget things...
Our brains can easily accommodate so much information, but why is it that we remember some things vividly while forget others almost instantly? It turns out, there's a formula that describes how we forget things. Please take a look at the infographic that further breaks down the factors that impact learning and forgetting and feel free to share it with your colleagues
The 10 most important educational youtube channels for teachers
YouTube is packed full of educational stuff to share with students. It is usually our first choice when thinking about video resources online. It is true that YouTube interface is not student friendly particularly with the annoying ads and sometimes irrelevant and indecent content on the list of the featured videos but thanks to web technologies , we can now use these awesome tools to easily control the content that is displayed on YouTube and make it educationally relevant platform for our students.
The other thing that YouTube offers for us in education and that is of high importance to teachers and educators is YouTube Channels. These are pages created around a certain topic providing different videos all related to the development of a certain cause. In this regard, I have went through some of these channels and compiled a list of some of the best ones that are useful for teachers.
Here is the list :
1- TED
This is my favourite channel for educational and inspiring videos. TED Channel shares ideas from the TED conference with the world.
2- Edutopia
This is also another of my favourite channels. It provides awesome and inspirational videos on what works in education and ideal for classroom inclusion.
3- Kahn Academy
This is a library of thousands of videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history.
4- Discovery Channel
This is another excellent educational channel for teachers and students. It offers stories and experiences from the world of science, natural history, anthropology, survival, geography, and engineering.
5- National Geographic
I think you already know the name. This channel provides great videos from people that really care about our planet.
6- Expert Village
This is one of the most popular channels on YouTube with more than a million subscribers. It provides day to day how to videos on almost any topic .
7- Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize YouTube Channel presents videos about the Nobel Prize awarded achievements and the Nobel Laureates, provided by Nobelprize.org.
8- Citizen Tube
This is YouTube channel that keeps users updated about what is happening in YouTube news, politics and trends.
9- Biography
This YouTube channel offers clips from' Biography' featuring in-depth profiles of exceptional people, with insider insights and observations.
10- Smithsonian
This YouTube Channel provides great videos on topics such as art, design, history, culture, science and technology.
The other thing that YouTube offers for us in education and that is of high importance to teachers and educators is YouTube Channels. These are pages created around a certain topic providing different videos all related to the development of a certain cause. In this regard, I have went through some of these channels and compiled a list of some of the best ones that are useful for teachers.
Here is the list :
1- TED
This is my favourite channel for educational and inspiring videos. TED Channel shares ideas from the TED conference with the world.
2- Edutopia
This is also another of my favourite channels. It provides awesome and inspirational videos on what works in education and ideal for classroom inclusion.
3- Kahn Academy
This is a library of thousands of videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history.
4- Discovery Channel
This is another excellent educational channel for teachers and students. It offers stories and experiences from the world of science, natural history, anthropology, survival, geography, and engineering.
5- National Geographic
I think you already know the name. This channel provides great videos from people that really care about our planet.
6- Expert Village
This is one of the most popular channels on YouTube with more than a million subscribers. It provides day to day how to videos on almost any topic .
7- Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize YouTube Channel presents videos about the Nobel Prize awarded achievements and the Nobel Laureates, provided by Nobelprize.org.
8- Citizen Tube
This is YouTube channel that keeps users updated about what is happening in YouTube news, politics and trends.
9- Biography
This YouTube channel offers clips from' Biography' featuring in-depth profiles of exceptional people, with insider insights and observations.
10- Smithsonian
This YouTube Channel provides great videos on topics such as art, design, history, culture, science and technology.
The 7 habits of highly effective teachers who use technology
I just came across this awesome graphic shared by our colleagues in teachthought and I found it really interesting. The graphic features 7 habits of the highly effective teachers using technology. Even though the habits mentioned are generic , they still reflect part of the digital behavior teacher should embrace when using technology in their class.
What is really interesting in this graphic is that all of these 7 habits are also the same features we find in people with " growth mindset ". If you still remember the comparison we have made between growth and fixed mindsets and we said that teachers with the growth mindset are more open to embrace change, take risks, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path for mastery , and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others.
Without any further ado, I ll let you go through these 7 habits and don't forget to let us know what you think of them. Enjoy
What is really interesting in this graphic is that all of these 7 habits are also the same features we find in people with " growth mindset ". If you still remember the comparison we have made between growth and fixed mindsets and we said that teachers with the growth mindset are more open to embrace change, take risks, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path for mastery , and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others.
Without any further ado, I ll let you go through these 7 habits and don't forget to let us know what you think of them. Enjoy
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