Coaching Connection
Keeping Classroom Learning Alive
"On what else should education be centered if not on the children who are being educated?" Sir Ken Robinson
As we come back from break with New Year's resolutions in tow, perhaps both personally and professionally, or maybe not at all I challenge you to use this time to refocus and refresh yourself in some way for the remainder of the year. Maybe it starts with the simple question, "Do my students know I am here for them each day? In what ways do I show them that?" Watch the video below for a simple, yet profound way that this teacher lets all students know each day, "I am here for you. You matter in this classroom."
Learning Lens
This portion will provide you with information that can enhance the learning in your classroom with new ideas or approaches to instruction.
Critical Thinking: Why Is It So Hard to Teach? by Daniel Willingham
In this powerful article (link provided below) by cognitive scientist and writer, Daniel Willingham, the reader learns what it looks like to truly engage someone in a way that requires critical thinking, something that is defined by self-direction, seeking, doubting, considering and contemplating. Willingham poses the question: "Why are students able to think critically in one situation, but not another?" Then spends the rest of the article delving deeply into this from the angle of problem solving.
"Critical thinking is not a set of skills that can be deployed at any time, in any context. It is a type of thought that even 3-year-olds can engage in--and even trained scientists can fail in."
http://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Crit_Thinking.pdf
Photos from Classrooms Around the World
I always love an article that can offer great worldly perspective, and what better time to focus on that than the New Year? We are very fortunate in PH to have an abundance of resources to teach to the diversity of the students we embody. How do we use them to make learning powerful and meaningful for our kids?
The Complexities of Publishing Writing Across All Grades
The post below provides practical tips and elements to think through as students of all ages publish their writing and teachers work to effectively communicate progress.
Tech Try
Check out this blog to see how to set up digital writing portfolios and make them a powerful learning tool for students and parents alike!
Contact Information
Please feel free to reach out in any of the following ways:
Email: fuemmelerm@parkhill.k12.mo.us
Website: http://mfuemmeler.wordpress.com/
Location: Park Hill School District, Platte County, MO, United States
Phone: 816-359-6963
Twitter: @mfuemm