Monthly Archives: February 2011

Leaping Off The Edge

Posted on February 28, 2011 by

In 2002, gas was $1.61/gallon and Kmart Corporation was the largest retailer in the nation. The second Harry Potter movie was out (Chamber of Secrets), along with My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Chicago. The Queen Mum passed away, and the Washington D.C. area was living in fear of a sniper who killed 10 people and injured 3. The Winter Olympics were in Salt Lake City, UT. The Department of Homeland Security was created. Oasis, Avril Lavigne and Coldplay were on the radio, and Kelly Clarkson won the first American Idol contest. And Joe and Kyle were bored. Continue reading →

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Watching, Listening and Loving

Posted on February 24, 2011 by

Our job as teachers is to take the mundane, tedious routines and transform them into positive, enriching, nurturing experiences for children. Taking the time to truly listen and make eye contact with that anxious little girl who just can’t keep quiet any longer about her princess movie. Authentically praising that 4 year old boy who just learned how to zip his coat… All by himself! Continue reading →

Posted in Connecting With Students, General Education, Inspiration, Interesting, Reading and Literacy | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Who Else Wants Summer?

Posted on February 23, 2011 by

For educators, this is the most difficult of the months…if you get a spring break, you are counting down. If you aren’t lucky enough to get a spring break, you need June to get here. Now. Continue reading →

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Seeking Out On-Sites

Posted on February 22, 2011 by

Teachers know all about rules and why they need to be followed! Don’t be late!…Don’t be tardy!…Get your assignment completed on time!….Listen!…Answer!…Move!…Sit down!
Here’s what I like about my on-site courses in Omaha….We break the rules. Continue reading →

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Slow Food in School

Posted on February 17, 2011 by

My school lunches were abysmal. I can seriously still taste the peas (from high school) that were probably tinned when Sputnik orbited the Earth – preserved for the consumption of unsuspecting school children everywhere in the 1970′s. No wonder we plodded our way to a childhood obesity epidemic – even at my old school, many of my students ate muffins, chips and cookies for lunch. Continue reading →

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Social Skills and Higher Test Scores

Posted on February 15, 2011 by

…students who took part in social and emotional learning, or SEL, programs improved in grades and standardized-test scores by 11 percentile points compared with nonparticipating students. That difference, the authors say, was significant—equivalent to moving a student in the middle of the class academically to the top 40 percent of students during the course of the intervention. Continue reading →

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A Very Good Place to Start

Posted on February 10, 2011 by

What were these two guys about and what was this company they had built from the basement up? I say that with a smile, because Learner’s Edge started in the basement of Joe’s home. Two guys in a basement – who knew? Continue reading →

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Science Fair=Extinct?

Posted on February 8, 2011 by

I just hate to see the institution of the Science Fair evaporate. All sorts of skills- interpersonal, presentation, research, source differentiation, even collaboration- are utilized in events that have or had different levels of competition, even. What’s next on the axe- Spelling Bees? Continue reading →

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National School Counseling Week

Posted on February 7, 2011 by

Happy National School Counseling Week! Continue reading →

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Apps for Educators

Posted on February 4, 2011 by

Best Apps for Educators Continue reading →

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