Archive for April, 2009
« Previous EntriesEngaging the Whole Child: Free eBook available NOW
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Thursday, April 30th, 2009
“Do students really want to learn? Can schools and classrooms become joyful? Are there natural links between standard curriculum and what motivates students to learn? Explore these and other questions in this e-book collection of articles from Educational Leadership by renowned authors such as Carol Ann Tomlinson, Richard Sagor, Nel Noddings, Thomas R. Guskey, and Allison Zmuda.”
For the last several years the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ACSD) has led a national call to awareness and action.
Blogger Adam Fletcher http://www.bicyclingfish.com/ , who writes about “youth development and engagement, as well as the roles of young people throughout society,” is introducing “an awesome new publication” available FREE for a limited time.
Engaging the Whole Child is the first in a series of Whole Child ebooks from ASCD. According to a recent phone meeting, Fletcher had with ASCD, it’s a limited-time only offering good from April 15 to May 6.
The publication gives “educators and administrators, community workers and parents practical tools designed to engaged the whole community in a whole conversation about young people throughout society.”
Fletcher points out that “this is a huge file, and registering to receive it is a little cumbersome - but its worth it.
Download it here free, let me know what you think, and share this link with your friends. Remember to do it now, because the link is only good until May 6.
Topics: RESOURCES, Recommended Resources, Recommended reading | No Comments »
Dom Rocks!
By katelmoore | Saturday, April 25th, 2009
Messages that motivated and encouraged me were, “I see you and I like you” and “Hang on. I promise things will get better.” These were almost never directly spoken, but were conveyed through actions and feedback on my writings and my work. I still have a paper that my high school English teacher wrote on during my junior or senior year. I thought it was a light hearted piece about leaving high school and the secrets my locker had kept over the years. He saw through it to the screaming terror that I was engulfed with about the idea of leaving school, the only relatively safe haven I had growing up. On it he said, “Life is both more terrifying and more sublime that you can possibly imagine. Have courage and keep living it.” I wrote to him 25 years late when I decided to become a teacher and told him that I still pull that paper out occasionally to inspire me and calm me down. He was an extraordinary combo of foul-mouth, demanding, eternal caring that I model my practice on (mostly without the foul mouth).
Topics: Creating a Positive | 2 Comments »
Great Resource Guide for Multnomah County
By Danielle Miles | Friday, April 24th, 2009
The best compilation of resources our team of 12 Social Workers & Skills Trainers could find…
Resource Guide (everything from food to counseling) for Mid and East Multnomah County (East Portland, Gresham, Fairview, Troutdale, etc)
“Where to Turn” 2008-2009, put out by Mt Hood Community College
http://www.mhcc.edu/docs/docsHeadStart/WheretoTurn.pdf
Topics: RESOURCES, Recommended Resources, Resources for Mentor, Resources for Teacher | No Comments »
2-Way Relationships- Advice, anyone?
By Danielle Miles | Friday, April 24th, 2009
I work with a group of 30 kids. They are in Kindergarten and First Grade. They’re rad little people. I have had ups and downs with most of them, but there is one kid I have not been able to connect with all year.
When I try to discuss things with him, it is usually to help him process something he has done that hurt another kid somehow- physically or emotionally. He has sexually harassed other kids, hit other kids, or just pushed their buttons until they freaked out. When I am running “Circle Time” - a 15 minute daily group meeting- he will interrupt me so many times that I have to ask him to leave almost daily. When I ask him questions, he just shrugs and says “I don’t know. Can I have a snack?” or “I’m just kinda tired… can I go now?” I have not found any way to connect with him on a human level.
Some background info- he was adopted at an early age (his mom seems super cool), and was born drug-affected. I have worked with many “at-risk” kids, but I just haven’t been able to find a way to connect with this little guy.
Any creative ideas?
Topics: Help Wanted, Kids at Risk, Questions | 2 Comments »
A new website designed to help families and service providers
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Friday, April 24th, 2009
I found this excellent and useful resource in the Oregonian on April 23. Since it was only in the local Southwest Metro section, I am hoping this information will reach a broader audience. I think this is a valuable addition to the Making Connections resource list.
TIP: Teachers can direct parents to this site.
The Family Education and Support Network has launched a new website, designed to serve as a “one-stop parenting resource for parents and service providers in Clackamas County and surrounding areas.
The site links parents with programs and resources on parenting advice, and connects them with other parents and caregivers. It also gives organizations that provide such services a way to reach parents.
It features a searchable directory of resources on parent education, health care, emergency services and more. Listings can be searched by city, child’s age group and by language, including English and six others.
The network encourages organizations that provide services to post their information to the directory. In addition, the site features a calendar of up-to-date information on classes, play groups and other events for parents and providers. Organizations can submit events to the online calendar.
Topics: RESOURCES, Resources for Mentor, Resources for Teacher | No Comments »
One-way relationships- reflection
By Danielle Miles | Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
When I was in high school, I dated this boy from three years. We ‘broke up’ my Senior year, and it was really hard for me to figure out how to deal with the intense emotions- the strong feeling of loss and identity confusion- that arose. I didn’t have the skills (or resources) to know how to cope with what I was feeling. I lost a lot of weight, was having a hard time getting any sleep at night, and was becoming less engaged in my classes. My grades were starting to fall.
My Political Science teacher one day called me up to his desk. He was an older guy, in his late 60’s, with thick glasses. When I sat down across from him at his desk, he looked truly concerned, and I saw a human side of him I had never seen. He asked me if I was doing alright. I told him I was having some difficulty in my personal life, but that it was okay. He asked me a few questions- such as if I was safe at home, if I was getting enough food, etc. I admitted that I hadn’t had an appetite and had been having difficulty sleeping. We talked for a while, and he explained how often, when people feel a loss of control over situations in their life, they will attempt to exert extra control other areas of their lives- in this case, eating. I listened to his advice and I wasn’t sure if I had been purposely denying myself food or if I had just lost my desire to eat, but what mattered here was not that he had the right advice for me. What mattered was that he had showed concern for my well being, not just my classroom performance.
A few days later, my dad mentioned that my teacher had called home, saying he had been concerned about me, that I had “lost some of my feistiness” in his class. This surprised me because I had been pretty sassy to that teacher for as long as I had known him, yet it had not stopped him from caring about my life and well being.
I have never exactly told him that I appreciated his concern for me during that confusing time; but after that event, we had a deeper connection and would talk after class frequently.
Topics: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Lend a Hand: 2009 Comcast/Hands On Greater Portland Cares Day
By Tobi Kibel Piatek | Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
Volunteering, especially participating in volunteer projects with kids is a perfect opportunity for teachers and mentors and parents to involve kids in community service. It’s a way to spend time with kids, provide opportunities for you and the kids you work with to learn about your community and at the same time, help to meet some of the critical needs within our city.
So, get ready for April 25th - “one of the biggest days of service in the Pacific Northwest” when Hands On Greater Portland teams up with Comcast to connect more than 1,600 volunteers to critical community needs. There is still time to sign up to volunteer your time and energy.
According to the Hands On Greater Portland website, more than 1,600 people across Portland are expected to volunteer with nonprofit agencies in their communities. They will “participate in projects that include beautifying schools, revitalizing natural areas, and supporting programs for low-income and homeless families.”
To find out how you can take part in this project, and to register, visit the website
Click here to see a list of project planned for this day.
As I always like to say, when we work together, everybody benefits. Tell us how. Please, share your experience: If you take part in this event, please tell us about your day, on this blog.
Topics: Community Service, How to Help, Quality Time, Things to do | No Comments »
Creating a Positive School Climate
By nadege7 | Sunday, April 19th, 2009
1. Genuinely ask them how their day at school was. Just by asking about their day and showing that you care can go a long way.
2. Get to know what subjects they are lcurrently learning, which are their favorite subject as well as which are their least favorite and why.
3. For the subjects they don’t like, try and make relevance by incorporateing something that they do like into it.
4. I would ask to see any projects or homework assignments that they were excited about doing. I think that me getting excited about something they did will further their excitement for not only that homework or assignment, but for future work too.
5. Having lunch with them, getting the tour of their classroom and meeting their teacher.
Topics: Creating a Positive | 1 Comment »
What I’ve learned…
By nadege7 | Sunday, April 19th, 2009
think what surprised me the most when comparing my list with the reasons from this lesson is that kids are dropping out of school to have kids! It’s crazy to think how times have changed since I was in school. I seriously cannot think of anyone I went to school with that got pregnant and dropped out, and now after reading this lesson, they make it sound like it’s so common.
Topics: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
5 Reasons Kids Drop Out of School
By nadege7 | Sunday, April 19th, 2009
1) Kids aren’t interested in going to class and learning/they feel it’s a wast of time
2) Parental support/motivation and guidance is lacking at home
3) Kids are into gangs
4) Kids are failing classes and think the easy way out is to drop out
5) Pregnancy
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
« Previous Entries