Hey all!
You may be wondering why I’ve been MIA for about a month. Continue reading
Find a formula that works, and then work the formula
– by Ray Penner
For all you teachers entering the Christmas break, let’s all let out a collective “Ahhhhhh…” (If you’re not a teacher, this is for you as well!)
Time to relax, kick back, and lay low for two weeks.
I guess this is assuming you haven’t filled your break with things to do.
In any case, now is a great time to reflect on the first part of the school year and ask yourself a few questions:
Continue reading
Do you know what it’s like to feel like you’re right where you need to be?
Ray Penner, writer at Things You Like to Know
Have you had that moment where you realize that you are exactly where you need to be right now? Have you reflected recently on your current position in life and realized how amazing that position really is? I had one of those moments today, and I’d like to share it with you. Continue reading
Feeling a lack of purpose in life? Take it from the train
by Ray Penner
We all desire to make a contribution in life, but some of us just don’t know how. We all seek to live a life that’s significant, yet many of us find ourselves stuck in our day-to-day routine.
Have you ever felt like you have nothing to offer in this world? Maybe you felt like no one would notice if you just disappeared one day. Do you feel like there are other people in the world who can do what you do better, so what’s the point of even trying? Have you ever been depressed? Then you may be suffering from what I call the “lack of contribution.” When this happens, life really does start to suck.
Why enthusiasm makes you a better teacher
by Ray Penner
Imagine a class full of enthusiastic students. Copyright: ximagination / 123RF Stock Photo
I think we can all agree we need to go no further than the day-to-day in our class to realize how true this statement is: Enthusiasm makes you a better teacher. Enthusiasm can make all the difference.
Okay, that was two statements. You can choose which one you like better. Continue reading
Have a hard time getting things done?
How can you tell it’s been a long day.
Do you have a hard time getting things done?
So do I.
In fact, I consider that one of my biggest flaws.
Before I go further, I should mention this: I don’t seem to have a hard time getting things done for others.
Random moment #1 (and 1st comment of ignorance): Groups of four
So I’m making groups for one of my classes using the age-old “1-2-3-4” method, to make groups of four (of course). Once the groups had assembled and sat in their areas, I made the comment, “Hey, the girls are evenly split up among the groups.” Well, of course they’re split up! Most of the girls sit in one section of your class, which means they’ll all have different numbers. Of course they’re going to be split up. Thankfully none of the students noticed my comment of ignorance. Or maybe they just chose to ignore it so I wouldn’t look bad. Or maybe they’re secretly sharing it on all their social networks. Like that’s going to happen!
This initial post on my ignorance has inspired me to write a series on my comments of ignorance and the random moments that happen in my class. Feel free to click the tags below to see more (in the future, because this is my first one).
Have you had moments of ignorance in your classroom? Or moments of randomness? Please feel free to share! I won’t tell anybody 😉
My philosophy on being successful, marketing yourself, and living a life of significance
Have you ever felt that everyone else has found a way to be successful in life except for you? Like there’s some life secret you are missing out on, or some person you need to connect with?
Getting rid of the clutter in your life Pt. 2
I’m loving this post. It’s so true: when you get rid of the extra things in your life that don’t really matter, you can focus more of your time and energy on the things in your life that DO really matter. Well said! 🙂
I was thinking about the post I wrote about getting rid of excess and I realized that that whole process has had a bigger impact on me than I thought.
For far too long, I’ve been basing my value on the quantity and quality of the things I own. For far too long, I’ve found my self-worth in my things rather than in myself and my faith and most importantly, how God sees me.
As a result of getting rid of so much excess in my life, you could say I’ve been ridding myself of self-excess. Since getting rid of things I don’t need anymore, I’ve started valuing other things more like:
- relationships with friends and family
- seeking out and spending quality time with friends
- actually enjoying the little moments and seconds that make up the minutes and hours of each day
- spending less time thinking about accumulating more…
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12 Ways to Know if You’re in a Project-Based Learning Environment or Merely Having Kids Create Projects in Your Classroom
Ginger shares some great thoughts on creating “project-based learning” (more student-directed) as opposed to just having students complete projects (more teacher-directed).
Another website that may provide more insight into this area is Challenge Based Learning.
I often talk with educators (and parents and administrators) who are convinced that their students are working within Project Based Learning environments. They tell me about the wonderful projects the kids have created and how much fun the kids have. I’m always delighted to hear the kids are having fun in school! However, I find that when asked a few probing questions, it becomes clear whether or not PBL is actually happening or if the teachers are merely creating projects for students to complete.
Similarities:
Students learning about vermicomposting (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
- Projects and PBL can both be fun.
- They’re often both hands-on.
- They often ask students to work in groups.
- They often are graded with rubrics at the end.
- They are often presented to the class at the end of the learning period.
- Both are rooted in hard academic content and standards.
On the surface, both “projects” and Project…
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