Vicki A. Davis's Blog, page 14
March 4, 2024
Empowering New Teachers: Insights from Alex Kajitani, the Rapping Mathematician
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Today, I interview Alex Kajitani, known as the “Rapping Mathmetician.” He's the 2009 California Teacher of the Year, a Top-4 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year, and author of the book “You're a Teacher Now, What's Next?” In this podcast, we offer encouragement for new and old teachers, emphasizing those in their first year of teaching and how it feels to be at this...
March 1, 2024
5 Simple Ways to Give a Genuine Compliment
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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In today's episode, we're celebrating World Compliment Day; I find myself reflecting on the profound impact that giving compliments can have—not just on the recipients but on us as givers. It's a journey of noticing the beauty in everyday interactions, whether the strength we see in others, like the resilience Johnny Cash found through June Carter's encouragement or the w...
February 29, 2024
From Challenge to Triumph: The Learning Pit Concept Explained
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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What is the Learning Pit metaphor? How can this illustration be used with students to help them learn? On today's episode, fifth-grade teacher James Nottingham, author of Teach Brilliantly, explains how he uses this example with his students, discusses misconceptions, and explains to students how the learning process works helps them grow and be more successful. With insi...February 28, 2024
Money Matters: How to Equip Students for Financial Success
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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In this episode, we're diving deep into a crucial topic for every student but often overlooked in the curriculum: financial literacy. Brian Curcio joins us from Rapunzl, an organization dedicated to providing financial literacy resources for students and educators.
If you've ever wondered how to prepare your students for the real-world challenges of budgeting, investing, a...
February 27, 2024
Unlock Your Second Brain: A Guide to Choosing the Best Digital Notetaking App
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Today, I'll share six apps fo
r digital note-taking and my experiences with each. I'll also give you a peek at my first testing of Google NotebookLM. I'll also give you tips on creating a workflow that works for you.
The Notetaking Apps I'll Cover
The apps I'm covering in today's “Tech Tool Tuesday” include Evernote, Notion, OneNote, LogSeq, Apple Notes, and Google Keep as w...
February 26, 2024
The First Professional Athlete To Go From Illiteracy To A Master’s Degree
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Today's message is one our sports-obsessed nation needs to hear. In this episode we dive into the extraordinary life of Dean Tolson, a man whose life changed from dribbling basketballs to championing education. Deanat age 32 and went from the high-flying courts of professional basketball to the halls of academics where he not only learned to read but achieved the unimagin...
February 23, 2024
5 Ingredients For Student Well Being: Help Students Be Healthy
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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In a world where the mental health of our youth is becoming an increasingly pressing concern, Dr. Brian Smith's podcast couldn't come at a more critical time. His enlightening discussion on ‘The Recipe for Student Well-Being' offers a beacon of hope, laying out a clear, actionable plan for schools eager to make a positive impact on their students' lives. But what exactly ...
February 22, 2024
Simple Ways to Put More Rigor in Your Lesson Plans
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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In today’s show, Barbara Blackburn shares the concept of rigor in education. We discuss how rigor is not about making things harder for students but about setting high expectations and providing support to help students achieve those expectations.
Barbara also explores specific examples of rigor in math, literature, writing, science, and history, emphasizing the importanc...
February 21, 2024
7 Ways to Make Worksheets Engaging and Effective: The Ultimate Guide
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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In this episode, we tackle a topic that's often whispered in the hallways of schools everywhere with a mix of disdain and necessity: worksheets. I'll admit that I have often expressed my own dislike of worksheets, so much so that I rarely use them myself.
However, we can all take the worksheets we do have and transform them from mere busywork as we reimagine them into dyna...
February 20, 2024
10+ Ways to Use Adobe Express in the Classroom
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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In this episode, Jesse Lubinsky, a former classroom teacher and education evangelist for Adobe, shares 10 awesome free ways that teachers can use Adobe Express in their classrooms. From using Animate from Audio to create animated reflections to using Text to Image to create generative AI art, Jesse provides practical tips and ideas for teachers to empower their students t...
