The Story of Movies

In today’s world, being able to interpret, analyze and discuss moving images may be as important as knowing how to read. And having an opportunity to practice these skills in a classroom environment is one way that students could gain access to one of the most American art forms: movies. But many students are never explicitly taught these skills. As a part of popular culture, kids are assumed to “get” movies just by seeing them. That is why The Film Foundation has created The Story of Movies, a free middle school curriculum that teaches literacy in moving images.

What Do Kids Lea…

 

Common Misunderstandings of Educators who Fear Technology

Education is currently at a crossroads as traditional methods and tools are changing as a result of advances in technology and learning theory. We are beginning to see some schools across the country take the lead in merging sound pedagogy with the effective integration of technology. These schools and educators, whether they realize it or not, are not only enhancing the teaching and learning process, but they are also providing their learners with essential skill sets pivotal for success in today’s society. These skill sets include critical thinking/problem solving, media literacy, collaboration, creativity, technological proficiency and global awareness. The ultimate result with this shift has been increases in engagement as well as a sense of relevancy and meaning amongst learners, all of which are foundations for improving achievement.

Even as we are seeing more schools and educators transform the way they teach and learn with technology, many more are not.  Technol…

 

Super Base and All I Do is Solve: Parody Raps That Teach You Math

The Westerville South High School math department has been creating a stir on the Internet with their autotuned math raps.  Last year, math teacher Tracey Kearnes created a parody to Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" with the help of her students from Westerville South High School in Westerville, OH which has gotten over 200,000 views. The parody's revised lyrics highlight the basic algebraic principles behind exponents and how to calculate them. The video features visuals that reinforce these rul…

Interview with Taylor Mali

What do poetry and the recruitment of 1,000 new teachers have in common? Taylor Mali. After working as a teacher for nine years, Mali decided to step out of the classroom to make his living as a full-time poet and performance artist. He is a vocal advocate for teachers and for the nobility of the teaching profession. Drawing on his experience in the poetry slam movement, Mali has combined perseverance, eloquent powers of persuasion and a passion for education to motivate at least 1,000 people to embark on the adventure of teaching.

In 2000, Mali committed himself to what he called The New Teacher Project (since renamed the Quest for 1,000 Teachers). Why does Taylor Mali want to bring so many people into the te…

MathAlive!

Math is all around us. It is in everything we do, from sports and exercise to video games and design concepts.

MathAlive! is an exhibit designed with that principal in mind. It aims to show students just how fundamental math is and how fun it can be. MathAlive! brings mathematics education to kids in interactive, imaginative and enjoyable ways. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (known as STEM) all come together in MathAlive! exhibits: 40 unique interactive experiences for children of all ages. Visitors will be able to ride snowboards, program robotic arms, design and play with their own video came characters, toy with camera lenses and design a ska…

Cell Phones in School: Contraband or a Classroom Tool

Text messaging has become one the fastest and most popular forms of communication. Just a few years ago, cell phones were seen as the newest teenage addiction. Today, however, they can be an important classroom tool, although some schools regard them as disruptive, distracting, and have implemented policies that prohibit using them on school grounds. Most parents are okay with cell phone use, the students are more than okay with cell phone use, yet schools have adopted zero tolerance policies. The reality is that students still use cell phones in school even if they are banned. According to the PEW Internet and American Life Research Project, 58% of teens from schools that forbid cell phones, use them during class anyway.

Some teachers worry that cell phones will increase cheating, lead to sexting, decrease use of proper grammar, and be a distraction to learning. While I can't disprove these concerns, I …

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