Blogs

It’s finally here! The very first Gateway Resource Treasure Hunt. Don’t miss out on the fun to find some great resources for the classroom while having a chance to win some cool prizes as well. It is easy to participate. Participants in this treasure hunt find specific resources on the Gateway based off a series of weekly clues. At the end of the treasure hunt, participants who’ve found the most resources are eligible to win one of three prizes offered. Anyone can join the treasure hunt at any time, even on the very last week if desired. Use each week’s clues to find the correct resources. That is all there is to it.

"It seems that for success in science or art, a dash of autism is essential" - Dr. Hans Asberger

Increased awareness of autism combined with a rising number of people identified on the autism spectrum has brought attention to the benefits and challenges of mainstream education of students with autism. People with Asberger Syndrome or High Functioning Autism (both on the autism spectrum) can be very intelligent and are often outperforming their peers academically. This academic success can be overshadowed by the social problems and “awkwardness” that frequently accompany the disorders. If teachers can help these students overcome social obstacles, these students will be in a much better place to succeed.

Social relationships can be difficult for any child. Cliques, "frenemies," and the "one-day-you’re-in-the-next-day-you're-out" revolving door of friendships is a common occurrence on the playground and in school halls. Yet while many students learn to navigate the tricky social waters at school relatively painlessly, others have a much harder time of it. For some kids, social skills are not intuitive, and their lack of social dexterity can result in misunderstandings, lost opportunities, and isolation. Students on the autism spectrum, for example, often lag behind their peers in social skills development, which can make their learning environment even more fraught with challenges.

April 15, 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the fabled ocean liner that held such great promise in the early 20th century. Constructed over the course of three years, and at a cost of $7.5 million (over $170 million in today’s dollars), the ship was heralded as an emblem of the modern age – fast, outsized, and unsinkable.

Although the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic is a perfect reason to bring the topic into your classroom, doing so is easier said than done. As spring arrives, many teachers are scrambling to cover all the topics they are required to cover by the end of the year. Breaks and standardized testing take up even more class time, so adding in an entirely new and unrelated topic is a luxury most teachers can’t afford. In a perfect world, teachers would be able to intertwine the topic within the subjects they are trying to teach before the end of the year. In the real world, it takes a long time to integrate a new topic into tried and true lessons, and it’s easier to stick to the lessons from previous years.

April is National Autism Awareness Month. National Autism Awareness Month focuses attention on Autism Spectrum Disorders and the resources and support systems available to families affected by this disorder. The Gateway has many resources to support teachers, parents, and students around Autism.

As I sat here choosing resources about real world math, I thought about "the" question students ask every year: "When will I ever use this math in my life?" As a student, I’m sure I wondered the same thing, but when I think about it now, I have a hard time thinking of a part of life that is not touched by one form of math or another. Math has a funny way of sneaking into every corner and crevice of life, and good math teachers make sure their students can recognize the math in the world around them.

"I’m not good at math."

"I hate math."

"When in life will I ever use this stuff?"

Sound familiar? Teachers in other subjects sometimes hear the same litany from students, but none so frequently as the much-maligned math teacher. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics once mused that "One of the curious aspects of our society is that it is socially acceptable to take pride in not being good in mathematics." While I don’t think that most students take pride in being less than proficient in math, the NCTM statement still rings true for many adults that I know. Could it be time for a cultural shift in attitude?

What wonderful model of diffusion can send your students into gales of laughter, can be released from anywhere in the classroom, and can be supplied by each student around 15 times a day? If you haven’t guessed yet, contemplate these two literary greats: The Gas We Pass by Shinta Cho and Walter the Farting Dog by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray. Flatulence is hardly a topic you think about when planning what to teach. It’s a topic that can come up…er…unexpectedly, and this week’s featured resources will help prepare you to take full advantage of this and other gross topics that may come up unexpectedly in your classroom.

Curiosity is natural to the soul of man, and interesting objects have a powerful influence on our affections.
– Daniel Boone

Ever since the beginning of time, humans have been trying to make sense of the world around us. Curiosity prompts us to question why things are the way they are, and how things work. It’s the eternal quest of human beings to want to really know, to understand how to unlock the secrets of the universe. As the above quote by Daniel Boone illustrates, objects and ideas that fire our imaginations can become potent interests, or even passions.