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July 2010

Dazed and Confused

Submitted by Joann on Sat, 2010-07-31 08:01


According to a recent CDC survey, one in five U.S. high school students say that they have taken prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription. The survey also found that 72% of high schoolers had used alcohol in the past year, while 37% had used marijuana. Clearly, drugs and alcohol continue to be attractive to teens, despite various drug education programs and public service announcements to alert them to the dangers of such behavior.

Resources mentioned in this post: 
People We Trust
Peer Pressure
It's My Life - Dangers of Drug Abuse

Pod People

Submitted by Joann on Sat, 2010-07-24 09:00


Summer may be in full swing, but many educators are already planning for the start of classes in the fall. In addition to reviewing classroom layouts and revamping lessons, some teachers use the “downtime” of summer to investigate new technologies and more effective ways of delivering information to their students.

Resources mentioned in this post: 
Podcasting to Learn
Magic in Real Life
La Semana Pasada

Storytime

Submitted by Joann on Sun, 2010-07-18 22:40


Once upon a time, there was a fabulous storyteller – which, alas, is not me. My grandmother, however, was a superb storyteller; her ability to keep scores of cousins engrossed in her tales was legendary. Her gift of timing, as well as her ability to use different accents and intonations kept us all enthralled. The oral tradition of storytelling is ancient; Homer’s numerous repetitions of the “wine-dark sea” in The Iliad and The Odyssey, for example, illustrate how the stories were memorized and passed down over the years until they were finally transcribed into print. Storytelling in the oral tradition is both a craft and an art, and something that deserves a resurgence in popularity.

Resources mentioned in this post: 
Ghosts and Fear in Language Arts: Exploring the Ways Writers Scare Readers
Round Robin Writing

Word to the PEEPs

Submitted by Joann on Mon, 2010-07-12 09:54


As most educators and parents know, finding quality TV shows for young children can be quite a challenge. While there are a number of engaging and even educational shows for kids on cable TV, the numerous commercials are often inappropriate for young viewers. This is one of the reasons why I’m a big fan of PBS Kids. It’s a safe haven where children can watch educational television without being exhorted to buy the latest toy or being subjected to trailers for TV shows or films aimed at a much older audience.

Stress and Anxiety Picks

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2010-07-02 15:00


Although it’s now summer, I know that many teachers are already planning for the coming school year, and thinking about ways to improve their classes. At an end of the year event last month, I overheard an elementary school teacher talking about how students in her class handled stress, and how over the summer she planned to do some research on students and stress management. That got me thinking.

Resources mentioned in this post: 
Do you Have Math Anxiety? A Self Test
All Stressed Out