I'm trying out a new idea of having you, my talented readers, share tips with other educators, psychologists, and parents about ways you've had success in teaching kids. It can be as little as a new way to teach multiplication facts, what to do in the last 10 minutes of class, how you motivate your kid to study, or as complex as teaching social skills to kids with disabilities. The idea is for you to provide a tidbit of information to try out with kids to enhance learning or make our jobs as educators just a bit easier.
Mmm. I'm intrigued. Tell me more about Teaching Tips Tuesday (T3)
1. T3 is a "blog carnival" in which you all post, on Tuesdays, a little tip you've learned in working with children that has made your life easier. You post a link back here to my T3 post, and enter your link in the "Mr. Linky" form at the bottom of my post (Mr. Linky is an automated link service. No html fanciness required).
2. You do not have to ask me first before you participate in T3. Just jump right in. Remember, this is a family show. Inappropriate links will be deleted.
3. Please only leave a link if you have written a T3 post on your blog. Please mention T3 in your post, and link back to the master list on my blog for the Tuesday you are posting. I'll just delete "empty" links, or trickery links to something non-educator related.
4. Link to your T3 post, NOT to the front page of your blog. This makes browsing so much easier for everyone, especially when people browse around in the archives.
5. Please DO NOT host your own T3 "Mr. Linky" at your site. I'd like to keep Notes from the School Psychologist as the homepage for Teaching-Tips-Tuesday, for simplicity's sake.
6. I will try to answer your e-mail questions, but be aware that I am new to this too, and may not be clever enough to answer properly! First try the "Help" section in your blogging software ("How do I upload images?" or "How do I link back to you from my page?").
7. When you enter your link on Mr. Linky, it may say "delete link" next to your name. If you click on that, it will let you delete what you just posted. No one else can see it though, so don't worry about it unless you want to delete it.
8. Enter a 3-4 word description of your post, in parentheses, after you put your name. Be descriptive, be specific, and BE BRIEF.
For example, where the Mr. Linky box says "Your Name", you might put:
Rebecca (Making Studying Fun)
-OR-
Sam (Helping Shy Kids Participate)
-OR-
Malik (Teaching Phonics with Rhyming Games)
This will make it easy for others to browse through the tips. PLEASE KEEP YOUR PARENTHETICAL TITLE TO A MAXIMUM OF 4-5 WORDS. Mr. Linky freaks out sometimes when the "Your Name" portion gets too long, and it can mess up the alignment of the whole deal, making it harder to read.
9. I'll put my T3 post up no later than noon (pacific time) each Tuesday.
10. I reserve the right to delete any links that are inappropriate. This is a family show, people!
Okay, wish me luck. I'm going to try to post my first Teaching Tip Tuesday shortly...
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Why I Am Going to the Inauguration
It's no secret that I embrace our new president for the role he can play in providing hope to urban youth. I recently wrote about why I am going to DC for the inauguration for a piece on NPR's California Report. Skip ahead to 18:00 (or about halfway on the toolbar) on the streaming audio to hear why I am flying across the country to stand in a giant crowd, in what should be a balmy 20 degrees in January, to see a speck from afar that will be our new president.
Click here to hear The California Report's series on why people (and yours truly) are going to the inauguration.
Be sure to skip PAST the yiddish singers (unfortunately, not a skill in my repertoire yet) to 18:00.
Click here to hear The California Report's series on why people (and yours truly) are going to the inauguration.
Be sure to skip PAST the yiddish singers (unfortunately, not a skill in my repertoire yet) to 18:00.
Friday, 19 December 2008
Role Models
I love bad movies. I find them to be so relaxing because I know exactly what will happen in the end. Once you get the “boy-meets girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl back” formula, you can just relax and watch the predictable nonsense ensue. I always turn to my movie-goer friend during romantic comedies and sarcastically ask, “I wonder if they will end up together in the end?!” Or in any teen movie, “I wonder if the moral of the story will be to ‘be yourself!’”
Well this past week, I dragged my fiancé to “Role Models” starring Paul Rudd. It’s a classic tale of buffoonery in which two loser guys are court-ordered to volunteer in a mentoring program. I convinced him that I needed to go for work purposes. You know, I need to know about role models and such. I have to say, as a purveyor of fine bad movies, this one gets my Best Of 2008 vote. I actually laughed out loud on multiple occasions; I’m ashamed to say. In one such scene, the two loser “adults” begin smacking each other in the car and then two seconds later, their two kids they’re supposed to be role models for start smacking each other around for no reason.
Now it’s common knowledge that kids learn by observing and model the behaviors of those around them. But how important are “role models” anyway? Does it really make that big of a difference? I am thinking specifically of my young African American students who now have an African American President-elect. How big of a difference can Obama really make?
The research on social learning (learning by observing others) would say that the higher status the role model, the more kids will try to emulate them. That is the reason that advertisers use Michael Jordan to sell absolutely everything, including underwear, and not Michael Jenkins, your neighbor.* So will Obama’s high status job get kids interested in politics or someday running for office? Maybe, maybe not, but it will certainly give more options in role models to emulate, and that is a good thing.
*Plus, “Be like Jenkins!” is just not catchy.
Well this past week, I dragged my fiancé to “Role Models” starring Paul Rudd. It’s a classic tale of buffoonery in which two loser guys are court-ordered to volunteer in a mentoring program. I convinced him that I needed to go for work purposes. You know, I need to know about role models and such. I have to say, as a purveyor of fine bad movies, this one gets my Best Of 2008 vote. I actually laughed out loud on multiple occasions; I’m ashamed to say. In one such scene, the two loser “adults” begin smacking each other in the car and then two seconds later, their two kids they’re supposed to be role models for start smacking each other around for no reason.
Now it’s common knowledge that kids learn by observing and model the behaviors of those around them. But how important are “role models” anyway? Does it really make that big of a difference? I am thinking specifically of my young African American students who now have an African American President-elect. How big of a difference can Obama really make?
The research on social learning (learning by observing others) would say that the higher status the role model, the more kids will try to emulate them. That is the reason that advertisers use Michael Jordan to sell absolutely everything, including underwear, and not Michael Jenkins, your neighbor.* So will Obama’s high status job get kids interested in politics or someday running for office? Maybe, maybe not, but it will certainly give more options in role models to emulate, and that is a good thing.
*Plus, “Be like Jenkins!” is just not catchy.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!
You know what is lacking in urban schools sometimes? Happy people. Now I recently discovered that happiness is contagious and I would really like some people at work to get infected with a serious case.
I entered one of my schools to find that someone had gotten all festive on me and put up holiday lights, a Christmas tree (I know, I know, separation of church and state), and even a whole family of moving-light-up-reindeer. The reindeer were all awkwardly grazing on fluffy white "snow" made of quilting batting that had some extra sparkle in it for good measure. There was a sweet little tree with fake packages under it and everything. Despite the clear Christmas bias over other holidays, I thought that it was nice for someone to try to spruce (get it?) up the foyer for the holidays, and I commented on it to a co-worker.
Me: Wow! This place is all festive!
CW: Festive. At this school? Ha. (Snorts)
Me: Um, I was referring not to the school in general, but to all the lights and the cute animatronic rein…
CW: (Walks away before I can finish)
Me: (to self, quietly) Reindeer.
Sheesh! There’s only a week left until break! ‘Tis the season? No? Okay fine, I’ll go hang out with happy people then. Please excuse me while I look for the reindeer lover and thank him or her for making me happy today.
I entered one of my schools to find that someone had gotten all festive on me and put up holiday lights, a Christmas tree (I know, I know, separation of church and state), and even a whole family of moving-light-up-reindeer. The reindeer were all awkwardly grazing on fluffy white "snow" made of quilting batting that had some extra sparkle in it for good measure. There was a sweet little tree with fake packages under it and everything. Despite the clear Christmas bias over other holidays, I thought that it was nice for someone to try to spruce (get it?) up the foyer for the holidays, and I commented on it to a co-worker.
Me: Wow! This place is all festive!
CW: Festive. At this school? Ha. (Snorts)
Me: Um, I was referring not to the school in general, but to all the lights and the cute animatronic rein…
CW: (Walks away before I can finish)
Me: (to self, quietly) Reindeer.
Sheesh! There’s only a week left until break! ‘Tis the season? No? Okay fine, I’ll go hang out with happy people then. Please excuse me while I look for the reindeer lover and thank him or her for making me happy today.
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Works for Me Wednesday: Making Studying Fun
Hi Moms from "Rocks in My Dryer!" I have just discovered your "Works for Me" links and I hope you'll enjoy a few tips from a school psychologist on how to make studying for a test with your child more fun. These two links are geared for teachers, but are easily adapted to homework sessions at home.
SWATTERS!
DINGERS!
For everyone else, go on and enjoy them a second time. New Study Skill Tip on the way for Friday's post. Stay tuned!
SWATTERS!
DINGERS!
For everyone else, go on and enjoy them a second time. New Study Skill Tip on the way for Friday's post. Stay tuned!
Sunday, 7 December 2008
Obama on Climate Control
My fiancé and I have a tradition of watching Meet The Press every Sunday to catch up on the state of our nation.* It is mandatory that I have at least one cup of coffee in hand prior to activating the TiVo. The TiVo is necessary for when we want to pause to jump in on the commentary, because we take our MTP very seriously and do not want to miss anything. We do fast forward through haters and Negative Neds/Nancys, through lately I like to hear what they have to say, so I can throw pillow and whatnot at the tele. It really jump-starts my Sunday.
Today, Obama was on, and I told fiancé that he better at least say one thing about Education to give me some hope.** After 55 minutes of his plans to save the world economy, fix our global climate crisis, and end all wars, (all perfectly reasonable goals), I nearly spilled my coffee when he also said he would make it a priority to rebuild our schools. Now this wasn’t metaphorical rebuilding, but actual rebuilding the schools to be more energy efficient, etc. On the heels of a discussion on Ms. Mimi’s blog about the ludicrous “The heat is either on or off” policy of most urban schools, I was delighted.
Presently, my school has opted for the “The heat is off” policy, which in December is not the best choice, even in California. Northern California is not the California of the sunny post card, by the way. Then again, some of my colleagues in snowy areas are in short sleeve shirts, sweltering in December, so I’m not sure which is worse. I will tell you that I feel like I’m lying to kids when I say that my office is a space where they can come to relax when it feels not unlike the arctic tundra. “Yes, it a degree back here, but doesn’t it make you feel warm inside to talk to me? No? Okay.”
Now, I am a problem-solver. I got a space heater the other day and was so excited that I was going to be able to feel my fingers as I typed, but alas, I was foiled again by 1940s building plans, because there is no electrical outlet in my office. The nearest outlet is at least an extension cord or two away. The good news is, no one will be able to sneak up on me in my office, what with my new trip-wire in place.
Fourty-four days and counting…c’mon Obama, don’t let us down.
*Oh how we miss Tim Russert. In case anyone was wondering, we approve of David Gregory as a replacement. I realize no one was wondering. I just wanted to put it out there.
**Hope. So hot right now.
Today, Obama was on, and I told fiancé that he better at least say one thing about Education to give me some hope.** After 55 minutes of his plans to save the world economy, fix our global climate crisis, and end all wars, (all perfectly reasonable goals), I nearly spilled my coffee when he also said he would make it a priority to rebuild our schools. Now this wasn’t metaphorical rebuilding, but actual rebuilding the schools to be more energy efficient, etc. On the heels of a discussion on Ms. Mimi’s blog about the ludicrous “The heat is either on or off” policy of most urban schools, I was delighted.
Presently, my school has opted for the “The heat is off” policy, which in December is not the best choice, even in California. Northern California is not the California of the sunny post card, by the way. Then again, some of my colleagues in snowy areas are in short sleeve shirts, sweltering in December, so I’m not sure which is worse. I will tell you that I feel like I’m lying to kids when I say that my office is a space where they can come to relax when it feels not unlike the arctic tundra. “Yes, it a degree back here, but doesn’t it make you feel warm inside to talk to me? No? Okay.”
Now, I am a problem-solver. I got a space heater the other day and was so excited that I was going to be able to feel my fingers as I typed, but alas, I was foiled again by 1940s building plans, because there is no electrical outlet in my office. The nearest outlet is at least an extension cord or two away. The good news is, no one will be able to sneak up on me in my office, what with my new trip-wire in place.
Fourty-four days and counting…c’mon Obama, don’t let us down.
*Oh how we miss Tim Russert. In case anyone was wondering, we approve of David Gregory as a replacement. I realize no one was wondering. I just wanted to put it out there.
**Hope. So hot right now.
Saturday, 6 December 2008
OJ is Going to Jail
You are thinking: “How is OJ Simpson’s latest pending incarceration possibly related to educational psychology?”
WELL. This is a full-service blog, people!
As I picked up my morning paper today, I saw that OJ was going to jail for 9 years and I smiled, not because I particularly enjoy when ex-athletes get incarcerated, but because I have a fond memory of an autistic child I worked with who could not stop talking about OJ Simpson. It was one of his “things.” As many readers know, one of the characteristics that can be present in children with Autism is both restricted interests* and echolalia (repetition of words or phrases). This particular boy was into OJ. Now this was 2 full years after OJ’s acquittal, and he always repeated, in the same voice tone, “OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail!” As in:
Me: Hi, how are you today?
Him: OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail!
Me: Honey, OJ isn’t going to jail. They let him go.
Him: OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail!
Me: OJ is not going to jail.
Him: I want juice.
*ten seconds elapse*
Him (screaming and running up and down the stairs ): OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail! OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail! OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail!
I can’t help but wonder this morning if that kid feels totally vindicated today.
*Be careful before you self-diagnose your 8-year-old child or nephew as “Autistic” because he is really into trains, Bakugan Battle Toys, biking or PS2. Those are normal restricted interests. We’re talking about RESTRICTED interests that are waaaay beyond the scope and intensity of normal fads and hobbies.
WELL. This is a full-service blog, people!
As I picked up my morning paper today, I saw that OJ was going to jail for 9 years and I smiled, not because I particularly enjoy when ex-athletes get incarcerated, but because I have a fond memory of an autistic child I worked with who could not stop talking about OJ Simpson. It was one of his “things.” As many readers know, one of the characteristics that can be present in children with Autism is both restricted interests* and echolalia (repetition of words or phrases). This particular boy was into OJ. Now this was 2 full years after OJ’s acquittal, and he always repeated, in the same voice tone, “OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail!” As in:
Me: Hi, how are you today?
Him: OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail!
Me: Honey, OJ isn’t going to jail. They let him go.
Him: OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail!
Me: OJ is not going to jail.
Him: I want juice.
*ten seconds elapse*
Him (screaming and running up and down the stairs ): OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail! OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail! OJ’s going to jaaaaaaaaaaaaail!
I can’t help but wonder this morning if that kid feels totally vindicated today.
*Be careful before you self-diagnose your 8-year-old child or nephew as “Autistic” because he is really into trains, Bakugan Battle Toys, biking or PS2. Those are normal restricted interests. We’re talking about RESTRICTED interests that are waaaay beyond the scope and intensity of normal fads and hobbies.
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