Free online resources

Do you love to spend money? Most Americans do. I recently read that about 43% of American families spend more money than they earn each year. That’s a horrifying statistic, and one that obviously deserves attention. The ability to understand money, and how to make informed decisions regarding money management, is the basis of financial literacy. The current economic recession has also spurred lawmakers to re-examine the importance of early intervention, and the need to beef up financial literacy courses in American schools. The following resources are a sampling of financial literacy lesson plans by Thirteen Ed Online, the educational Web component of WNET, PBS’s leading station in New York.

In previous posts, Joann and I have advocated the use of Web 2.0 tools and other emerging technologies in the classroom. We have tossed around ideas about using cell phones, wikis, and social networking in class. Teachers are using these tools to help students understand, summarize, collaborate, and present ideas in subjects from art to math and everything in between. Many of these tools allow for a greater level of interactive communication among students and between students and teachers. With this increased interactive communication, there is a new platform for the age-old problem of bullying.

Remember Nelson Muntz from “The Simpsons”? He’s the bully with the simian brow and Cro-Magnon build. In many ways, he represents the stereotypical bully in our collective consciousness – physically intimidating, not very bright, and a social outcast. Recent studies, however, have found that most bullies – boys and girls – are self-assured, often popular kids that crave power, and who will use just about any means to secure and flaunt it. The Internet and cell phones have become frequently used venues in which to conduct aggressive behavior, and many schools struggle with how to effectively combat online bullying.

We cooked our green eggs and ham and walked around school in red and white striped hats, all in the name of the love of reading. Our students were able to hear different adults reading some of their favorite stories aloud. NEA’s Read Across America was a success, but let’s not let our focus on literacy, a core 21st century skill, waver just because Dr. Seuss’s birthday celebration is over. A firm grasp on reading and writing is essential for our students success in many other important 21st century skills.

I decided to expand on last week’s Read Across America column by featuring a few more resources from Reading Rockets. The Reading Rockets project is an educational initiative of WETA, the flagship PBS television and radio station in Washington, DC. The project is comprised of PBS television programs, available on videotape and DVD; online services, including the Websites ReadingRockets.org and ColorinColorado.org; and professional development opportunities.

Elkonin Boxes
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2010-02-24.5270491171
Subjects: Reading, Spelling
Grade: K-3

In thinking about the importance of NEA’s Read Across America Day, I am reminded of The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Theador Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss). As teachers, we all wear many hats, and sometimes we don’t realize how many hats we are wearing and the sheer scope of what we are trying to teach to our students. No matter what “hat” we are wearing or what subject we are teaching at the time, reading is the fundamental skill for our students’ success in that subject. Reading is the most basic of the 21st century skills our students need today to excel in “The School of Life” after graduation. This March, let’s allow Dr. Seuss to inspire us all to bring the kind of fun and imagination into our classrooms that he brings into his stories.

March 2, 2010 marks the 12th year of Read Across America, the innovative reading awareness program created by the National Education Association. Schools, libraries, community centers, and other organizations celebrate the day by hosting events that promote children’s reading. March 2 was chosen as the annual date as a way to honor beloved children’s author Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. At our local schools, students (and many teachers) dress up, don striped Cat in the Hat head gear, listen to visiting authors, hold readers’ theaters, and otherwise fete the sheer joy of reading.

While browsing through the resources Joann highlighted this week in her post, I was struck by two things. First, there is a huge amount of free technology available to educators who want to bring 21st century tools into their classrooms. Second, I will need to do some serious research to figure out some of the terminology associated with these great technologies. If you are already incorporating some web-based tools in your class, good for you! Bear with me as I dedicate this column to the tech-newbie’s among us who still have a little (or a lot) to learn to keep up with our students. The internet is quickly becoming a big part of our everyday lives. Our students are using it outside of school, and web-based technology can keep our daily classroom routines fresh and relevant.

Teachers are very aware that education in the 21st century demands time-honored practices coupled with the innovative use of technology. The Internet and the abundance of digital tools available can help facilitate learning in a way that was unimaginable to earlier generations. This week’s picks focus on digital tools sites created by educators who are passionate about using new forms of technology creatively in the classroom. So, tap into your (virtual) inner MacGyver with the arsenal of tech tools offered through these sites, and enjoy the ride.

WSD’s eToolBox: Choosing the Right Tools
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2010-02-04.5092649244/
Subjects: Teaching, Technology

One of my favorite aspects of teaching is seeing how creative my students can be. So often, I teach my students a specific process that they need to follow. If they stick to that process, they will come up with the answer I am looking for. This is a very important skill for them, since they need to understand the procedure for working through problems. I am always glad when they can do this, but there is an “aha!” moment as a teacher when they solve problems in new ways. To create the next generation of innovators and inventors, we are going to have to stress the importance of creative thinking and problem solving in our classrooms.