Associated Colleges of Illinois: Mentor Online

Please read this article about the Baltimore school system contracting with an outside company to run a school for special-education students.  The schools are required to restructure under the federal No Child Left Behind Act because they have failed to meet targets on annual standardized tests for several consecutive years.  Hmmmmm.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.ci.schools29may29,0,1428281.story

Christy

As the school year winds down, you may want to consider changes for next year.  Consider a writing prompt to ellicit some feedback for direction for the coming year.  Some ideas are:

a. Advice that you would give a friend taking this course next term.   

b. Write on “The 2007-2008 Chapter of My Mathematics Autobiography” as if you were talking to an interviewer at your 10^th year reunion.  Be sure to include your answers to the following:         
                   1.  What was the final mathematics course you completed in school?
             2.  What did you learn?
             3.  What is mathematics good for?

             4.  Where have you used the mathematics that you learned this year?

             5.  Particular events, activities, etc. that stand out in your mind.

Guide to Grammar and Writing http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

Hidden within the main page, you will find some wonderful inter-active quizzes, grammar rules, sample writings,  and resources lists for students of both middle and high school level.  Click on one of the drop down menus and enjoy!

Roots and Shoots http://www.rootsandshoots.org/ 

Run by the Jane Goodall Institute, Roots and Shoots aims to engage students in community, animals and the environment.  This is a great website full of ideas of how students can change the world in which we live.  The organization’s mission is  “To foster respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for people, animals and the environment.”  Visit the site to find out their global goals and how you can make a difference too!

Check out this month’s online discussion from the Family Center on Technology and Disability.  They will look at AT visual supports and strategies – the current status of research and implementation, best practices, and emerging trends.  Whether to provide a voice for those on the autism spectrum without speech, or a helping hand to students who need to see information rather than hear it, visual supports play a crucial role in the lives of tens of thousands of children and youth. 

http://www.fctd.info/webboard/index.php

Christy

Teacher Tube and You Tube are two really great resources you should integrate into your classroom curriculum.  Unfortunately, I have often heard from teachers that they can not use either in their classrooms because it is blocked with a filter and this is just so backwards on the part of administrations to do this.  Well, there is a work around and it is free called Zamzar http://www.zamzar.com/ which is a free file converter.  The way it works is that you save the link to Zamzar to your Mozilla bookmark tool bar and then you can click on it after you have viewed a video and it will tell you if it allows for conversion.  Next, if you find that conversion is available, you simply follow the 1,2,3, instructions and fill in your email address.  You must wait for it to download and then when the file is complete and converted they will send it to your email address and you have a day to download it.  I have used it recently and it works just fine.

I also found a great article in Edutopia on using these resources and it is definitely worth reading called Online Interactivity for Educators .  The CoolCatTeacher Blog also have a great collection of Inspirational clips from You Tube and they are also worth viewing.  And, within You Tubes there is a History Teachers Discussion Forum with tons of great clips gathered together.  Below I have links to a number of clips I love.  They are linked below.

John Adams and the Right Path http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=dea60cec264b23ad4d34 

How to Cheat Using a Coke Bottle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRgM9-n7K5E 

By: Eric SchlytterHere are four exciting exponents activities:

Exponential Expressions - Comparing: http://www.haelmedia.com/html/mc_m65_003.html

Exponents (powers) - Snap Game: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/activities/flash/snap_powers/snap_powers.shtml