What is an effective way to teach Character Education? I want to train other teachers so that they can bring it into their classrooms, but I don't want to offend anyone because some of my colleagues have a lot of experience, but don't use it. Any ideas?
Leah I believe modeling good character works well, but programs can be helpful. You may want to click below and on Materials to view some.
Also, you may be interested in the following reproducible articles: 52 Character Building Thoughts for Children and Building Character in Students. Just click below and on the title of your choice.
I am a Languange Arts teacher who has been trying to keep her head above water! Can anyone help?
I teach multiple grades, 8 through 12th. I am in a small charter school and was just hired before the Christmas break. My principal came to me and said that the school's philosophy is that each grade level be reading a variety of novels at the same time, for example, I have a lot of split classes so the 9th graders would have to have material for 3 novels and they rotate which one they read, and so on.
Here is my problem: my head will explode. If I have to do three novels per gradelevel all at the same time. I don't know what to do about this, as this is unfamiliar territory and right now I have all the highschoolers reading a particular novel and the middle schoolers doing another. Did I mention that half of my upperclassmen are low level readers and that I just had to teach them capitalization? And on top of that, I haven't taught much high school since by student teaching days 5 years ago. I have a lot more middle school experience.
I guess I need to figure out how to differentiate instruction between all of these different grades without my head falling off. I feel like I have no personal life, as I am always doing school work and trying to catch up!
Any advice would be so appreciated from the bottom of my heart. Today after my conversation with the principal, I felt so overwhelmed and clueless...its an awful feeling!
On 1/18/09, Emily wrote: > Meg, > > Are you familiar with Literature Circles? Google it and see if > some of the ideas make sense for your situation. Basically, it > has students reading different novels that are connected by a > theme (ex. friendship). Each group is reading a novel that is > appropriate for their reading level. The students are > responsible for reding independently (you can do this in class > time if they won't read outside of class) and discussing what > they have read. Each group member is assigned a task to > prepare for the group discussion after each chapter (ex. word > wizard searches for unfamiliar vocabulary in the chapter and > brings a list of words they have found meanings for to share > with the group). The tasks rotate with each section of the > novel and the groups work fairly independently once you have > trained them in the expectations for each task. > > I have used them in seventh grade with very good results. I > have colleagues who use them in high school and find that > having several groups working semi-independently in this manner > is a lot more teacher-friendly than any other. Plus, the > students are the ones that are doing the work, you are > facilitating. And that is really your job. > > Check out [link removed]!
On 1/19/09, suzy wrote: > > great suggestion! there is hope!! > > > On 1/18/09, Emily wrote: >> Meg, >> >> Are you familiar with Literature Circles? Google it and see if >> some of the ideas make sense for your situation. Basically, it >> has students reading different novels that are connected by a >> theme (ex. friendship). Each group is reading a novel that is >> appropriate for their reading level. The students are >> responsible for reding independently (you can do this in class >> time if they won't read outside of class) and discussing what >> they have read. Each group member is assigned a task to >> prepare for the group discussion after each chapter (ex. word >> wizard searches for unfamiliar vocabulary in the chapter and >> brings a list of words they have found meanings for to share >> with the group). The tasks rotate with each section of the >> novel and the groups work fairly independently once you have >> trained them in the expectations for each task. >> >> I have used them in seventh grade with very good results. I >> have colleagues who use them in high school and find that >> having several groups working semi-independently in this manner >> is a lot more teacher-friendly than any other. Plus, the >> students are the ones that are doing the work, you are >> facilitating. And that is really your job. >> >> Check out [link removed]!
Hello - I am really interested in getting my masters in early childhood special education. I was wondering if any knew that if I cannot get a job teaching special education could I teach in a non-special education classroom with this degree? Thanks
Elaine / ORIn Oregon, the license for special education is different from general elementary. An elementary teacher cannot teach special education without additional coursework and certification. The opposite is also true, a special education teacher cannot teach general education without additional coursework and certification.
Yes, Suzy, here a SpEd teacher can teach a Reading class, whether it be GenEd or Resource.
Sped sub
On 3/07/09, Elaine / OR wrote: > In Oregon, the license for special education is different from general > elementary. An elementary teacher cannot teach special education without > additional coursework and certification. The opposite is also true, a > special education teacher cannot teach general education without > additional coursework and certification.
Our staff reads a book during the summer (Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire, The Minds of Boys) and discusses it when we return in the fall. We are looking for a good read...elementary level.
I am wondering if your school is requiring general ed teachers to teach classes in family life and sexuality education? What type of training teachers need to have? Thanks
treetoadthis is taught at 6th grade in our system. One teacher received training and students rotate through the course on a six week basis. All parents attend the course first and sign approval for materials used.
Rosie-NCUnfortunately, in my state we teach abstinence only. We have high rates of teen pregnancy and STDS, including AIDS, but no one seems to think there is a correlation.
"Having a student teacher requires a delicate balance between encouragement and evaluation." (full article is linked below this message.
About Hal Porter, monthly columnist for Teachers.Net Gazette:
Portner writes, develops materials, trains mentors, facilitates the development of new teacher and peer-mentoring programs, and consults for school districts and other educational organizations and institutions. In addition to Mentoring New Teachers, he is the author of Training Mentors Is Not Enough: Everything Else Schools and Districts Need to Do (2001), Being Mentored: A Guide for Protégés (2002), Workshops that Really Work: The ABCs of Designing and Delivering Sensational Presentations (2005), and editor of Teacher Mentoring and Induction: The State of the Art and Beyond (2005) – all published by Corwin Press. He holds an MEd from the University of Michigan and a 6th-year Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in education admin¬istration from the University of Connecticut. For three years, he was with the University of Massachusetts EdD Educational Leadership Program.
Need something to read on a plane? I read Sixty Jars on a Pioneer Town. My initial reason was to preview it for my 9th graders. Anyway, it was great and I was able to finish it by the end of my flight! Very enjoyable and will certainly ask for copies to be put in the library. (I want it for my students too.) Enjoy!
I did not consult any methods textbooks in my preparation and did just fine. The only thing that was particularly difficult about the PLT 7-12 is the time limit because there are so many constructed response questions.
Good luck!
On 2/06/09, Maureen wrote: > Hi >> >> I have to take the PLTs for grades 7-12...I am a business ed >> vocational teacher that has not taken any formal education >> classes.....the study guides from ETS recommend refreshing >> yourself in preparation from method textbooks. Since I do >> not have any, can anyone recommend a good book(s) that might >> be useful in preparation for this test? Any and all help >> will be greatly appreciated.
Writer Robert Rose begins his "Teacher as an Observer" blog post:
One of a teacher's (and parent's) most important skills, as an observer, is underrated. Yet without honing this skill, he can never truly understand his students and meet their individual and group needs.
I went through WGU for my undergraduate teaching degree and certification. It is *HARD*. I found this program more rigorous than a traditional school, but very worth it, as my employer is amazed at the level of knowledge I have and has even adopted some of WGU's methods of evaluating working teachers. (My current boss was my clinical supervisor for student teaching. He was impressed and hired me for the following school year.)
It's a self-directed program. The terms are 6 months long, and you work at your own pace, but really have to keep with it if you want to get everything in. Also, the tuition is low, low, low. It's the only online NCATE accredited teaching program.
Also, they did get a Special Ed. program together for those of you that might be interested.
I am now back at WGU as a Master's student, working toward a Master's in science ed. It is tough work, but very rewarding and exciting. I think if you don't need someone breathing down your back with deadlines, it's a good fit. Also, there is a TON of writing to do, but I think you'll find that anywhere.
danaOn 4/28/09, Heather wrote: > On 2/22/09, Sarsone509 wrote: >> Has anybody gone through this program? How does student >> teaching work? > > I went through WGU for my undergraduate teaching degree and > certification. It is *HARD*. I found this program more rigorous > than a traditional school, but very worth it, as my emp...See MoreOn 4/28/09, Heather wrote: > On 2/22/09, Sarsone509 wrote: >> Has anybody gone through this program? How does student >> teaching work? > > I went through WGU for my undergraduate teaching degree and > certification. It is *HARD*. I found this program more rigorous > than a traditional school, but very worth it, as my employer is > amazed at the level of knowledge I have and has even adopted > some of WGU's methods of evaluating working teachers. (My > current boss was my clinical supervisor for student teaching. > He was impressed and hired me for the following school year.) > > > It's a self-directed program. The terms are 6 months long, and > you work at your own pace, but really have to keep with it if > you want to get everything in. Also, the tuition is low, low, > low. It's the only online NCATE accredited teaching program. > > Also, they did get a Special Ed. program together for those of > you that might be interested. > > I am now back at WGU as a Master's student, working toward a > Master's in science ed. It is tough work, but very rewarding > and exciting. I think if you don't need someone breathing down > your back with deadlines, it's a good fit. Also, there is a TON > of writing to do, but I think you'll find that anywhere. > > Good luck!
Also, you may be interested in the following reproducible articles: 52 Character Building Thoughts for Children and Building Character in Students. Just click below and on the title of your choice.