Vicki A. Davis's Blog, page 140
January 28, 2016
Would You Want to Be a Student in Your Own Classroom?
Every Classroom Matters episode 207
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Teachers go into professional development and they complain. This is boring! There’s nothing here I can use! I don’t have time to learn anything new! But these same teachers who have such high demands of those who teach them — go into the classroom and deliver a lesson that could bore the ticks off a hound dog. No pizzaz! No joy! No intrigue! WE CAN DO BETTER. Listen now.
Georg...
January 27, 2016
10 Things Google Classroom Makes Easier
Every Classroom Matters episode 208
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Google Classroom makes sharing Google Docs, Presentations, and Spreadsheets easier. While it is not a learning management system, it is a handy tool for any teacher using GAFE (Google Apps for Education.) In today’s episode Alice Keeler, author of 50 Things You Can Do with Google Classroom updates us on the newest features. Alice says you can get set up in 12 minutes! From math...
January 25, 2016
7 Productivity Secrets for Educators
Every Classroom Matters episode 206
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Productivity expert Dr. Frank Buck teaches us how to select the productivity tools to stay organized. Learn these seven productivity secrets to getting organized. Face it, educators have unique challenges and needs. In this show, Frank shares his “Magnificent 7” or the seven questions you should ask before you pick an electronic tool.
Listen In
Productivity is a passion and ho...
Mattering Secret #1: “I See You”
Mattering Mondays with Angela Maiers
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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How can you help kids know that they matter and are important? Success in life and the world begins not just with self-esteem but with kids knowing that they matter. Angela Maiers is our guest today to talk about Mattering. Listen Now
In 2016 we will have a few guests who will be part of an ongoing series. Angela Maiers will star on “Mattering Mondays” on Every Classroom Matte...
January 22, 2016
The 7 Devices of Transformation in Education
What Most People Don't Realize About Change
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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I’m in the airport heading home from Miami Device as I draft this post. I learned so much; I’m exhausted. But some of the biggest things I appreciate are the people. Back in May, I purchased a Mac to use at home, and there are tons of tricks I still don’t know. When I plugged my computer into the projector, I saw something I didn’t know how to fix. Tony Vincent jumped up...
January 21, 2016
MAD about Mattering: A New Global Collaborative App Project #steam
The Next Step in Global Collaboration
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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MAD about Mattering is a new project that is a dream come true for me! Last year, my students learned to program apps using MAD-Learn and released two apps onto the app store. Students were highly engaged but also pushed to new levels of knowledge and achievement in Computer Science as they developed their own apps. But we are ready to collaborate.
This year, it is time to lev...
January 20, 2016
5 Lessons Video Games Can Teach Edtech Developers
How Can We Move Education Forward
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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In the movieWar Games, the computer asked: “Shall we play a game?” Matthew Broderick was the actor who played the high school student. I’ll never forget how his eyes lit up! That look — of curiosity and wonder and excitement — we need to seethaton every child’s face in every classroom in the world.
Education technology developers have a major challenge. They have two very differen...
January 19, 2016
The BBC Microbit and other UK Edtech News #bett
Every Classroom Matters episode 205
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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The BBC Microbit is making its way into the hands of 1 million UK students. With BETT kicking up this week in the UK, learn the UK edtech news from teacher Mark Martin. From tools that he’s excited about, to the new Computer Science curriculum in the UK, Mark shares his views on edtech. Listen now.
Helping Students Write Beautiful Words
or "How I Fell in Love in a Graveyard."
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Writing that people choose to read. That is what I’m after. Is it perfect? Grammatically, often not. Sometimes incomplete sentences. Sometimes an awkward word. But riveting, oh yes. Great writing is riveting.
I was arrested by this comment in Peter Elbow’s book Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process. Elbow says,
“Much “excellent” school and college...
January 18, 2016
Game Mechanics in the Classroom to Engage Learners
Every Classroom Matters Episode 204
From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis
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Game mechanics are elements of gaming that you can design into your lesson plans to engage learners. Teacher Michael Matera shows us how to use them. We can engage students, even going up to year-long junior high version of “Game of Thrones” like teacher Michael Matera has done. (OK, Game of Thrones fans, don’t worry, there are white walkers or red weddings. Just fun, learning,...
