What Are The Best Times To Post To Your Blog & To Send A Tweet?
If you’ve ever wondered when the “best” times were to post to your blog and to send a tweet in order to maximize your readership, here’s the info you need: When’s the Best Time to Blog & Share? is from … Continue reading →
Thoughtful Video On Use Of Value-Added Measures — From The Wall Street Journal?
The Wall Street Journal has just published a surprisingly thoughtful video on the use of Value-Added Measures to evaluate teachers in New York City and elsewhere. I’ll be adding it to The Best Posts & Articles About The New York … Continue reading →
More On The New York Fiasco Of Making Teacher Ratings Public
Here are the newest additions to The Best Posts & Articles About The New York Court Decision Releasing Teacher Ratings: Teacher Quality Widely Diffused, Ratings Indicate is from The New York Times. That paper is publishing the ratings, despite the … Continue reading →
February’s Best Tweets — Part Two
Every month I make a short list highlighting my choices of the best resources I shared through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. Now and then, in order to make it … Continue reading →
“The Artistifier” Might Be One Of The Best YouTube Apps Ever!
Grab the url address of any YouTube video, paste it into the Artistifier, type in your name and title, and the site will “artistify” the video in the manner of the Oscar-nominated silent movie “The Artist.” As the video plays … Continue reading →
New York Teacher Ratings Released — “At Best Unwise, At Worst Absurd”
Teacher ratings were released to the media this morning in New York for thousands of teachers — see The New York Times article City Teacher Data Reports Are Released. The quote is the headline is from that article: The release … Continue reading →
What Students Hear Is Sometimes Different From What Teachers Say
Lots of lessons here for teachers and parents in this Zits comic strip:
Cool New Word Visualization Tool!
I’ve posted — and used — Google’s cool Ngram Viewer (see The Best Posts To Help Understand Google’s New “Books Ngram Viewer”). It lets you easily analyze “the 500 billion words contained in books published between 1500 and 2008 in … Continue reading →
Subversive Graphic Organizers
“Venn Diagrams (Under The Spotlight)” is a piece of art by Argentinian artist Amelia Pica. It’s been making the rounds in the blogosphere (including at Brain Pickings), and you can see it below. This is how Ms. Pica describes it: … Continue reading →
This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Good School Reform Posts & Articles
Here are some recent good articles and posts on education policy issues: Higher Dropout Age May Not Lead To More Diplomas is from NPR. I’m adding it to The Best Commentaries On The President’s Proposal For Students To Stay In … Continue reading →
“Ways to Help Our Students Become Better Readers – Part Four”
Ways to Help Our Students Become Better Readers – Part Four is the latest in my five part Education Week Teacher on reading. It includes contributions from Kelly Young, Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey and Carol Jago.
A Few Last Carnival Resources
Here are a few last additions to The Best Sites To Learn About Mardi Gras & Carnivals: More From Carnival 2012 is a photo gallery from The Atlantic. Carnival 2012 is a photo gallery from The Boston Globe. Mardi Gras … Continue reading →
Nice Way To Connect Photos To Metacognition
I’ve previously written how I used photos of my students in class to promote their metacognition. It’s always gone well. Today, Alison Anderson wrote a guest post in Richard Byrne’s blog that I think took that concept a step further … Continue reading →
The Importance Of Stories
I’m adding these resources to The Best Digital Storytelling Resources. Event though they don’t focus on the “digital” part of things, they share important information on the value of stories. That list includes other similar links: Lincoln Tells a Story … Continue reading →
Join Me At My Next Webinar….
Eye On School Success looks like a pretty darn good online conference in March, and it will include a Webinar led by me on Helping Students Motivate Themselves. It’s sponsored by education publisher Eye On Education. The two day conference … Continue reading →
Bill Gates — Yes, Bill Gates — Calls Making Teacher Ratings Public “A Big Mistake”
I have little confidence in Bill Gates judgment on education issues, including on how to evaluate teachers. However, he did get one thing right in today’s guest column in The New York Times, which is headlined “Shame Is Not the … Continue reading →
Magisto Is A Lot Of Fun
Magisto is an amazing video editor that is an app on its own and is also available as a YouTube editing tool. It was on The Best Web 2.0 Applications For Education In 2011 list. I’ve just started using it. … Continue reading →
“Parent Trigger Fails (Again) In California”
Parent Trigger Fails (Again) In California is the headline of the latest post at my other blog, Engaging Parents In School. A Southern California School Board announced tonight that the petition didn’t have enough valid signatures, and that many parents … Continue reading →
Even More On Mardi Gras & Carnivals
Here are the newest additions to The Best Sites To Learn About Mardi Gras & Carnivals: Nothin’ But A Party In New Orleans is a CNN video: Brazil Carnival 2012 is a photo gallery from The Sacramento Bee. Fat Tuesday … Continue reading →
Excellent Short Video On The Brain And Learning
This is a very good short video on how our brain learns. It also reinforces the importance of deliberative practice. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Showing Students That They Make Their Brain Stronger By Learning.
Only A Few Days Left To Contribute To Next ESL/EFL/ELL Blog Carnival!
The March 1st edition will be hosted by Adam Simpson. You can read about his plans for it at his post, Introducing the 27th Blog Carnival. Instead of using the submission form we’ve used in the past, just send the … Continue reading →
“More Ways to Help Our Students Become Better Readers – Choice & Access”
More Ways to Help Our Students Become Better Readers – Choice & Access is my newest column at Education Week Teachers. It features contributions from Laura Robb, Regie Routman, and Kylene Beers.
The Best Resource Sites For Scholarship Information
It’s an on-going challenge for our students to be able to afford college. Here are a some of the best sites out there to help them. Feel free to provide additional suggestions: ScholarPro is a new site that matches students … Continue reading →
The New Atlanta Superintendent Appears To Be Saying & Doing Many Of The Right Things
Today, The New York Times published an article about the new Superintendent of the Atlanta schools, Erroll Davis. He’s replaced Beverly Hall after the publicized cheating scandal (see The Best Posts & Articles About The Atlanta Testing Scandal). Based on … Continue reading →
Lots More Carnival Resources
Here are tons more additions to The Best Sites To Learn About Mardi Gras & Carnivals: Rio Carnival 2012: costumes and celebrations is a slideshow from The Guardian. In pictures: Rio de Janeiro carnival is from The BBC. Rio de … Continue reading →
““Parent Trigger Divides Families” Says L.A. Times”
“Parent Trigger Divides Families” Says L.A. Times is the title of the newest post over at my other blog, Engaging Parents In School. The L.A. Times has just run a story about the disastrous second effort at using the flawed … Continue reading →
David B. Cohen Interviews….Me
My Teacher Leaders Network David B. Cohen has just published an interview with me over at the Accomplished California Teachers blog. You might find it useful/interesting. Here’s one short excerpt: When you think about public education in Sacramento, in California, … Continue reading →
Using Google Forms To Create “Choose Your Own Adventure Games”
The Best Places To Read & Write “Choose Your Own Adventure” Stories is one of my more popular “Best” lists, and I’m adding several links that describe how you can use Google Forms to create one of them: Google Forms … Continue reading →
Tuesday Is Mardi Gras!
Tuesday is Mardi Gras! Here are the newest additions The Best Sites To Learn About Mardi Gras & Carnivals: Carnival season: costumed revellers parade in Trinidad, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venice is a slideshow from The Telegraph. Here’s a video from … Continue reading →
Teacher Assessment Insanity In New York
What is going on in New York? First, several days ago a court ruled that the “ratings” of thousands of New York City teachers must be made public. A couple of days later a deal with struck for an insane … Continue reading →
“Executive Order 9066: Japanese American internment in World War II”
Seventy years ago today, Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which was used to remove all Japanese and Japanese-Americans from the U.S. West Coast. Here are new additions to The Best Resources On Japanese Internment In World War II: … Continue reading →
Fifth Anniversary Of This Blog — What Have Been My Most Popular Posts?
I began this blog five years ago. Writing it has made me a better teacher for my students, and I hope it’s been helpful to others. It’s been an incredible gift to be able to connect with so many talented … Continue reading →
Students Planning Virtual Trips
I’ve just revised and updated The Best Sites Where Students Can Plan Virtual Trips. Additional suggestions are welcome…
Kwiqpoll Lets You Easily Create…Polls
Kwiqpoll lets you easily create a poll — and no registration is required. You’re give the poll’s url address, but it’s not embeddable. It has no frills, but it’s easy as pie. I’m adding it to The Best Sites For … Continue reading →
What Can Teachers Learn From Target?
Today’s New York Times Magazine has a pretty scary article about how the retail giant Target tracks what’s going on in the lives of customers and uses that information to get us to buy more stuff from them. It’s definitely … Continue reading →
Excellent Introduction To Online Learning
I’ve previously posted about the numerous online learning charlatans out there trying to use it to privatize education (see A Beginning “The Best…” List On The Dangers Of Privatizing Public Education). The California Educator, a publication of the California Teacher’s … Continue reading →
Fascinating Study On What Learning From Mistakes Does To The Brain
I’ve written a lot about my classroom experiences with students on both helping them learn from mistakes (see The Best Posts, Articles & Videos About Learning From Mistakes & Failures) and helping them learn that their intelligence is not “fixed” … Continue reading →
One Thousand “Theory Of Knowledge” Links — Help Me Find More
I now have about one thousand categorized links for my IB Theory of Knowledge class. I use them in my teaching, and students use them in the weekly lesson they prepare and teach. Of course, anyone in the world is … Continue reading →
Just Updated “Best Bookmarking” List
I’ve just updated The Best Social Bookmarking Applications For English Language Learners & Other Students. Additional suggestions are welcome.
You Can Now Pre-Order My Next Book!
My next book, The ESL/ELL Teacher’s Survival Guide — co-authored with my colleague Katie Hull Sypnieski — is now available for pre-order on Amazon and on Jossey-Bass’ website. It will be published in early August, and has nearly 100,000 words. … Continue reading →
“Campaign for Adelanto charter school falls short”
Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 3 days ago
Campaign for Adelanto charter school falls short is the headline in a Los Angeles Times article about failed efforts to use the so-called “parent trigger” in Southern California.
Parent Trigger Fails (Again) In California
Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 3 days ago
A local newspaper tweeted tonight’s School Board Meeting in Southern California where the parent trigger petition was rejected. You can learn more about the parent trigger at The Best Resources For Learning Why The Parent Trigger Isn’t Good For Parents, Kids Or Schools. [View the story "Parent Trigger Fails (Again) In California" on Storify]
Parent Involvement In South Africa
Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 4 days ago
Collaboration and communication as effective strategies for parent involvement in public schools is an interesting research paper from South Africa. Thanks to Steve Constantino for the tip. I’m adding it to The Best Resources On Parent Engagement In Countries Other Than The U.S.
Irony Alert – NY Times Announces Parent Trigger Movie The Same Day LA Times Calls It A Disaster
Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 4 days ago
The same day the Los Angeles Times details the disaster of the parent trigger, The New York Times runs an article about an upcoming Hollywood movie about….the parent trigger. Financed and produced by the same people who did “Waiting For Superman,” the movie takes place in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania doesn’t have such a law). One major [...]
“Parent Trigger Divides Families” Says L.A. Times
Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 4 days ago
The Los Angeles Times, which certainly can’t be described as an opponent of the so-called Parent Trigger, has just published an article headlined “‘Parent trigger’ campaign divides families at troubled Adelanto elementary school.” After having failed at their first effort in Compton (and dividing the school in the process), the Parent Revolution is at it [...]
“Program to Bridge the Gap With Parents Draws Fire”
Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 6 days ago
Program to Bridge the Gap With Parents Draws Fire is the headline on a New York Times article today about issues in Chicago. It’s not surprising, considering Mayor Emanuel’s perspective on parent engagement. See: Schools, And Parent Engagement, Don’t Seem To Be Rahm Emanuel’s Strong Suit Rahm Emanuel’s “Transactional” Perspective On Parent Involvement/Engagement
February’s Parent Engagement Highlights From Twitter
Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 6 days ago
I’m starting a new monthly feature highlighting tweets that use the #parentengagement hashtag on Twitter. I thought readers might find it useful. I’ll be using Storify to collect and publish them: [View the story "February's Parent Engagement Highlights From Twitter " on Storify]
Parent Leadership Is Often “Missing Link” In Community Schools
Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 6 days ago
I’m a big supporter of community schools — where schools provide many programs and services to students and the community beyond traditional classes — and have previously published many posts about them. The San Francisco Chronicle this morning published a front page story about a big community schools effort in Oakland. One issue, though, that [...]