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                   Halloween Flash Freebie from now until?

Flash Freebie! 

Meet us at the Boney Fingers Salon! In Halloween Fact or Opinion, learners review fact and opinion concepts with little to no prep.These 30 fun task cards can be used as

• a class game
• in cooperative groups
• an ELA center
• an intervention
• an early finisher assignment
• extra credit

Halloween Fact or Opinion includes...

• 30 task cards
• teaching tips
• key
• a cat themed worksheet exercise
• awards cards
• student recording sheet

Your feedback is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Do's and Don'ts of Distance Learning and the Components of Teaching

  

   For those that are new to Distance Learning, it's important to know what is expected. 

 A clear picture clarifies the work tasks, and makes the teaching and learning process much easier. In order to do this, an instructor must first implement the essential components of learning that they use in daily face-to-face instruction. 

This seems as simple common sense, but some of us have been tossed into a Distance Learning instruction world with little or no time to spare. It can take years of training and study to become proficient in this form of teaching.

So, why are the components of learning important to Distance Learning? 

The components of learning are commonly accepted methods of teaching. It is important to abide by them as there is less confusion. The subject matter is made easier for students to understand, thus a better instruction level is achieved.

What should teachers be addressing first in a Distance Learning class? 

The first thing that teachers should be doing is an assessment of what the student knows now in the specific subject matter. This can be done in many formats such as a general test, a mini pretest, an essay format, or asking verbal questions in online meetings using websites such as Zoom or gotomeeting. The teacher can then plan activities better for all of the students. If a student needs extra support in a certain area, then the child's needs can be addressed with additional activities or help and support from an assistant.

What's Next?

The very next thing that teachers should be explaining is how student grades will be calculated.

Do
Create a rubric or syllabus for the semester and explain what is expected. This can be done in a brief 10 to 15 minute teacher video presentation.

Don't
Simply start instruction.

Introduction to Class

Have introductory activities that engage students. For example, if beginning a class in algebra, why not begin with learning about some math pioneers such as Diophantus of Alexandria, Aryabhata and Joseph Fourier.

Background Knowledge and Review

The next task is to level the playing field of learning. Some students may have more knowledge than others in a particular subject, as most learners remember the subjects that they enjoy or do well in. But, a good lesson plan helps all learners. Giving supplemental background knowledge of the subject leads to better understanding of the content.

Do

Engage students in a brief formal review or fundamental steps needed for the content to be studied. 

 For example, it's high school and most of your 9th grade students did not fare too well on the grammar portion of the assessment. They've explained that grammar was not taught since elementary school. Give review mini lessons of the 8 parts of speech and later host a grammar game in online conferencing.

Don't

   Simply start instruction.

Activities to Build Knowledge

Teachers relay the content matter in various forms such as lectures, pages to read, videos or PowerPoints to watch, read-a-longs, sing-alongs, worksheets to fill in, Venn diagrams and web-quests.

Do

Invite students to ask questions, parlay or debate in an online conferencing format.

Don't

Give assignments for students to read excessive pages and give vague instructions. 

   For example, "Read the first 50 pages of Treasure Island and take notes."

Student Practice

Before any evaluation is done on what the student knows, give an opportunity for students to show what they have learned.

Do

Give feedback. Students can then improve upon the subject at a hand, rework the problem or study the needed terminology.

Don't

Give grades to student practice work, but rather give completion credits.

                                                              or

 Ask students to take snapshots of their work. The writing will almost always be fuzzy and unreadable. Instead use documents for students to fill in and send back in an email.

Review

Do

Give feedback and allow for questions. Give study guides on the topic of everything that will be covered on the quiz or test.

Don't

Start a new topic or discuss a new way to solve.

                                                             

Formal Assessment

At this point, after students have practiced and studied the tasks, a graded quiz can be given. As in school or face to face learning, this can be done in a variety of formats such as student PowerPoints, projects, traditional tests, student videos, worksheet fill-ins and video conferencing.

Do

 Give your students feedback. Students can then improve upon the subject at hand for the final test.

Don't

Simply end instruction.

Cumulative Assessment

A cumulative assessment is a test on the work done during the semester. 

Do

Remember to give a review several days before this test to prepare students in their quest of achievement. Go over the cumulative test after they are graded for even more student feedback. 

Do

Ask straight forward questions on your exams. Any questions poised that are very vague or rarely discussed often confuses students.

Distance Learning has been a university degree for at least the past twenty-five years. Students have been learning in this format for even hundred of years through the mail system. But, it takes training and study to become successful in this form of teaching.

                       
glitter-graphics.com

Please Welcome Thomas Durwood an Award Winning Teacher

  

                                                   

                                        About Mr. Thomas Durwood

   I most recently taught English Composition, World Literature, Business Writing and Public Speaking at Valley Forge Military College, where I was named Teacher of the Year five times. My cadets were perpetually tired from their military duties, so there was huge premium on classroom engagement. From this challenge sprang the attention-getting lesson plans in "Kid Lit." I was usually able to connect these building-block assignments to larger ideas and to critical thinking on a number of topics which the cadets found useful. I am also a children's author and father who loves thoughtful discussions with my kids!

                                 A Pathway to Critical Thinking

   Looking for topics to talk about with your kids? I promise that your kids have lots to say about the stories they have seen and heard. Kids have seen hundreds of versions of the coming-of-age story. They are well-versed in its conventions, and will surprise you with detailed and passionate opinions about everything from the powers of characters, to key roles and parenting. 

                                      Basic Rules of Literary Criticism 

    If learners can understand the basic components of their favorite children’s stories, this worthy skill can lead to a lifetime of critical thinking. Kid Lit: An Introduction to Literary Criticism shows young readers and general readers alike how to recognize class, gender, story structure, Orientalism and trauma in children’s narratives. 

                                           Kid Lit: An Introduction to Literary Criticism  

 The Kid Lit text offers techniques of new scholarship in children’s literature. Kid Lit includes 28 pages of lesson plans to help teachers leverage this idea-rich material into productive classroom sessions.

Readers will discover:

• what story points have in common

• a breakdown of Afrofuturism 

• different villain categories

• recurring literary characters such as the failed adult, savage conquest, and dream manic girl

• what scholars of the family consider important

• vital connection between movies and war  

• social Darwinian structure supporting children's films  

• similar story lines and movies

 

                                         How to Use “Kid Lit”

   “Kid Lit: An Introduction to Literary Criticism” is meant to be a practical guide to literature, as practiced in a classroom for a fifteen-minute in-class writing exercise comparing sidekicks and common story points.

   Teachers can use the ideas in “Kid Lit” as an introduction to the world of critical thinking, using the stories the students already know so well. I hope you enjoy these lessons!    

 

                                                  Regards,

                                          Thomas Durwood

Kid Lit: An Introduction to Literary Criticism
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53379483-kid-lit

 

Kid Lit: An Introduction to Literary Criticism Lesson Plans

https://kidlitcrit.com/teacher-resource/

 

Extra Bonus Sale on TPT

Please Welcome Mme Sutherland

 

Laying the Basis for a Love of French Language Learning

 

  Hello everyone! I am very excited and grateful for the opportunity to be featured on TiePlay Educational Resource and share my love for French Language Learning. Today, I will highlight a few of my favorite ways to create a positive and supportive French language environment and share one of my favorite teaching resources, which provides an opportunity for young learners to snuggle up with family and share their love of language learning.

                                                About Me

 I am a French Immersion teacher currently residing in the Ottawa area. I completed my Bachelor of Education in New Brunswick and have been teaching in the Ottawa area for 4 years now. I have taught French Immersion from Kindergarten to Gr. 8 as well as Core French in various elementary grades. I am currently LOVING teaching French Immersion in Kindergarten, where learning opportunities can be found anywhere and each new experience is beyond exciting. My Kinders have taught me so much and have brought many rewarding experiences to my teaching portfolio.

                               Creating a Love for French Language Learning

   I am often asked by parents if their child should remain in French Immersion. My belief is that a child who enjoys taking part in our French learning activities and feels accomplished in some way in their French Language learning journey is a child who will succeed. Creating a positive and supportive French Language learning environment is the basis to building confident language learners who will succeed with a growth mindset, and are engaged in learning activities. Here are a few of my favorite ways to create a positive and supportive French Language learning environment:

                                              Games Based Learning

   Games are a fun and engaging way to motivate students in the French Language classroom. Games are fun and create an easily relatable objective to a young learner. The mindset of a game creates an environment where everyone gets a turn, it is OK to make a mistake and we can always restart the game and play again! A great outdoor colours game for Kindergarten where students learn, run and have fun can be found at IDELLO, “Le marchand de couleurs”

 

https://www.idello.org/en/resource/1816-Le-Marchand-De-Couleurs?navcontext=7450

                                         Sharing Successes

 Finding the opportunity to share a success of each student is a great way to build confidence and community within learners. I love ending the day with a closing circle, where I ask students to share something, such as, how a friend helped them that day. It is a rewarding opportunity to see each student light up when being recognized for their kind actions – it is even more rewarding when it is for helping them with French related learning, “P helped me find les crayons” or “K helped me write the word chat”. 

                             Creating Opportunities to Share French Language

   In the play-based learning classroom dominated by Anglophone learners, creating opportunities to speak French can sometimes be challenging. A fun and relatable way to encourage authentic French language learning is at the snack table! After recognizing the amazing conversations happening at our open snack table, I wondered how I could direct those conversations to French language learning. As a group, we had learned food vocabulary and how to say “Can you open this”. I began encouraging French conversation at the snack table by asking friends “Qu’est-ce que tu manges?” and if a student asked me to open a snack for them I would ask if anyone at the snack table could help our friend. There was always an eager handful of students willing to help another! So the question “Peux-tu ouvrir ceci” (Can you open this?) would be asked around the snack table, encouraging more student led French language learning.

 

               My Resources - Inspiring French Language Learning at Home

   Many Kindergarten classes have an at home reading program where students take home an alphabet book or easy reader and share this book with their family at home. I believe this creates an amazing opportunity for young readers to cuddle up with family members and share their reading journey and achievements. I wanted to offer this same opportunity to my French Immersion Kindergarten class but could not find simple alphabet readers in French. That is what inspired me to make this resource, a set of 24 Alphabet readers in French, which begin with just one word per page, building the confidence of the reader. Each alphabet book then repeats the vocabulary in a simple, repetitive sentence, helping young readers recognize French sight words. I also offer these Alphabet Books in an online, interactive BOOM Cards version which includes audio for independent reading and for parents who may have questions about pronunciation. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!!

 

French Alphabet Books + Interactive BOOM Cards https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FRENCH-Alphabet-Books-BOOM-Cards-Emergent-Reader-Livres-de-lalphabet-5923381

 

 

Let’s Stay Connected 😀

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspiringfrenchimmersion/

My Instagram page features helpful tips, resources and activities for French Immersion Parents and Teachers!

 

Teacher’s Pay Teachers – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Inspiring-French-Immersion

If you liked this resource and would like to stay up to date with other fun and interactive resources I;m creating, click the link above to follow my store.

 

Looking forward to connecting with all of you!

Mme Sutherland

 

 

Back to School Distance Learning Linky Party

Add up to 3 distance learning products here, and 1 free product of any kind.

Happy linking!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Welcome Back to School and Distance Learning

Many students and teachers are heading back to school and in a distance learning situation. How should students and parents prepare for this new environment? Here are some helpful tips that may help your children to succeed. 

 1. Organize a study place. 

 The place of study at home could be a nook in a room with a bean bag chair, a traditional desk, yoga mat or all three. Whatever makes your child comfortable in the 6 hour long work day. You might even decide to have several study locations available for a change of pace. Add his or her school work schedule in a prominent location. Provide shelving or designate a place for reference materials, books, craft materials and other electronic devices. You and your child can craft decorations for the study place, add a colorful plant and provide inspirational posters. Scented plug ins for the room will give a nice aroma, such as lavender, pumpkin spice or vanilla. 

 2. Create a checklist of daily work for the week.

After creating the checklist, have your learner check off the assignments as they go. 

 3. Highlight due dates. 

Some work may not be due until the end of the week. Have your child work on the assignment daily or as required, so that the work will be completed in the best possible way and not all at once. 

 4. Create a distance learning work routine that includes breaks. 

 Some classes might be at a certain time of day where your child will need to be present online to contribute to the topic. Plan around these times and offer a time to relax, and off of the computer device. What does your child like to do? It may be time to make a craft, ride a bike, fiddle around in a garden, or draw and play some music. Try to limit computer or online games in favor of physical activities.

 5. Decide if you want to monitor the daily work or use a trust system. 

Make sure the assignments are completed or if your child is mature, use the trust system. Having a student learn to develop ownership of his or her learning is so important. But, sometimes when children are not ready to take on such a large task, parents need to check the work. Last year, a math teacher called the day before the end of the quarter to say not all work had been completed in my child's math class. This led to a race to the finish for my child to complete the work. How much real learning can be done in this manner? 

 6. Reward, reward, reward. 

Noted, work is not always rewarded in the regular work world. But, a child is not in the traditional work world yet. So, when your child has checked off all the work for the day or week, allow them to choose a reward. Having a treasure box or goody bag at home filled with small toys, crafts, squishy or slime and clay can make the end of the school week more fun. Also, playing family board games such as bingo or chess, having an indoor or outdoor picnic, or family movie with popcorn can provide something to look forward to for your learners during the week.

Stay safe!

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