British newspaper The Guardian has put together some terrific tips for using current technologies to teach languages. In an article by Emma Durry, teachers can see how everything from cutting edge tech like QR codes to antiquated tools like music videos can be used to help students master a foreign language.
While the tips and techniques outlined here are specific to language classes, many if not all of them, can easily be adapted for any classroom situation.
(Note: The following is the first installment of a three-part series based on my upcoming book, Calming Student Stress in K-12 Classrooms: Mindfulness, Meditation, and Other Strategies to Reduce Anxiety and Enhance Learning, due out by Rowman & Littlefield in early 2024).
Despite coming out of the pandemic and returning to in-person learning, stress, anxiety, and trauma remain prevalent in the classroom. For example, according to a...
The Samurai were fierce warriors of Feudal Japan (we’re talking 1100 to 1800s). They lived during times of constant fighting, whether between warring lords in Japan or against invading enemies, such as the Mongols.
Samurai had to be incredibly sharp, focused, centered, calm, and ready to leap into action at any moment. This explains why they were drawn to the practice of Zen Buddhism and training the mind through meditation.
Today, the enemy or constant threat isn’t so much...
Mindfulness in the k-12 classroom has been shown to improve school-related skills, such as executive functioning, social-emotional skills, working memory, sustained attention, and self-regulation (see Mindfulness in the Classroom).
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Educators, you have probably heard the term, mindfulness, thrown around a lot at this point. You...
I have recently retired as a school administrator after 51 plus in education. I have been reading about a lot of new administrators who are all ready burning out, feel overwhelmed, overworked, and under compensated. I was fortunate to have worked in more than a dozen schools and similar number of other educational positions. I worked in seven states and two countries. My point in saying this as I changed jobs, I had to thoroughly investigate each one before accepting the new assignment. ...
Back to school—it's here!
There are many emotions and thoughts about returning to school: excitement, joy, pressure, sadness, and anxiety, to name a few. How you feel depends on your role—whether you're a first-year teacher, a veteran teacher, or maybe it's your last year; a new student in a district; a graduating senior; or a parent dropping your child off for the first time. Returning to school means...
As you begin your new school year, I wanted to share with you something that I did to involve, engaging and build relationships with families----I call them “Family Forums”. I decided that Family Forums would not only become a normal part of building a successful reciprocal relationship with the families in my classroom but also a time to teach and learn from one another. My forums were a party for my families, not a meeting but a place to come and have fellowship with others. It was also a...
As we begin the new school year, stop and reflect on what new things you want to try. Ask yourself how you can make your lessons more engaging or hands-on. Do you need to try new ways of differentiation? What about researching engaging ideas online or observing colleagues? Is there a professional development you have been wanting to attend?
At the beginning of each new year and after each teaching day, I...