Warm ups and Icebreakers
Thursday March 6, 2008
Arriving at a workshop recently, I watched a series of cartoons projected at the front of the room. Related to the topic of the day, the presentation advanced automatically while facilitators set up and greeted participants.
The pre-seminar show warmed us up, setting a positive tone and getting us thinking about workshop themes. A teaching and learning workshop warm-up might make use of quotes on education and learning.
For more ideas on beginning a class or workshop, see Topic Lead-ins. For advice on working with PowerPoint, I recommend PowerPoint Tutorials for Beginners.
Related:
Icebreakers: Activities for Facilitating Introductions
The pre-seminar show warmed us up, setting a positive tone and getting us thinking about workshop themes. A teaching and learning workshop warm-up might make use of quotes on education and learning.
For more ideas on beginning a class or workshop, see Topic Lead-ins. For advice on working with PowerPoint, I recommend PowerPoint Tutorials for Beginners.
Related:
Icebreakers: Activities for Facilitating Introductions
Learn About Learning Styles
Wednesday March 5, 2008
Better manage your approach to learning, or meet the varied needs of learners, by understanding learning styles.
Get started with the following:
What's Your Learning Style?
Five Ways to Enhance Your Learning
Activate Multiple Intelligences
Get started with the following:
What's Your Learning Style?
Five Ways to Enhance Your Learning
Activate Multiple Intelligences
Sometimes a little break isn't enough
Monday March 3, 2008
Weekends and college reading weeks should help students and teachers catch up and recharge, but busy adults juggling employment, family and friends may need the time to manage other commitments, and resume classes feeling exhausted.
It can be hard to say no to an engaging project at work or volunteering at your child's school, but being maxed out can certainly make it easier! I find the biggest challenge is guilt. Sharon Daugherty helps out with a series of guilt-free passes in the article, Just Say NO!
If you or someone you know is suffering a mid-term motivational slump, see Ron Gross' article on Study Restarters. He offers practical advice to help students get their groove back.
It can be hard to say no to an engaging project at work or volunteering at your child's school, but being maxed out can certainly make it easier! I find the biggest challenge is guilt. Sharon Daugherty helps out with a series of guilt-free passes in the article, Just Say NO!
If you or someone you know is suffering a mid-term motivational slump, see Ron Gross' article on Study Restarters. He offers practical advice to help students get their groove back.
Task-Based Learning Tips
Thursday February 28, 2008
As an effective approach for engaging students in communicating, negotiating and decision-making, task-based learning has spread from language teaching to other disciplines.English as a Second Language professor John Iveson inspires with this new article, sharing Ten tips for using a task-based learning approach.
Related Links
Foster Classroom Interaction
Teaching through Dialog
Vocational Training v. College Degrees
Tuesday February 26, 2008
Although vocational training can be completed in less time than it takes to finish a college degree, in some fields the earnings of vocational training grads rival those of degree holders.
In a press release for the U.S. Census Bureau, Robert Bernstein states, “Workers who held vocational certificates in engineering averaged about $3,880 a month, which is nearly the same as those with bachelor’s degrees in natural science.”
As for time commitments, "On average, students took more than a year to complete vocational programs, more than four years to complete associate’s degrees and more than five years to complete bachelor’s degrees." Source: More Education Pays Off, As Do Certain Fields of Training.
The bottom line: if you're thinking of returning to school and don't have a lot of time or money, vocational training is worth considering.
Related Links
Technical and Career Schools
Two-Year Degrees and Certificates
In a press release for the U.S. Census Bureau, Robert Bernstein states, “Workers who held vocational certificates in engineering averaged about $3,880 a month, which is nearly the same as those with bachelor’s degrees in natural science.”
As for time commitments, "On average, students took more than a year to complete vocational programs, more than four years to complete associate’s degrees and more than five years to complete bachelor’s degrees." Source: More Education Pays Off, As Do Certain Fields of Training.
The bottom line: if you're thinking of returning to school and don't have a lot of time or money, vocational training is worth considering.
Related Links
Technical and Career Schools
Two-Year Degrees and Certificates
Evaluating Workplace Basic Skills Programs
Sunday February 24, 2008
Do you wonder how effective your workplace basic skills program is? You can find out using ScorecardforSkills, a performance measurement system using the balanced scorecard approach.
Developed by The Conference Board of Canada for the U.S. Department of Education, the site offers surveys, checklists, worksheets, assessment and evaluation tools, and other resources to help measure and document the effectiveness of workplace education programs.
Related Links
Employee Training and Loyalty
New Skills for a New Economy
Developed by The Conference Board of Canada for the U.S. Department of Education, the site offers surveys, checklists, worksheets, assessment and evaluation tools, and other resources to help measure and document the effectiveness of workplace education programs.
Related Links
Employee Training and Loyalty
New Skills for a New Economy
Conversation Week 2008
Friday February 22, 2008
Imagine advancing "community, democracy and wisdom world-wide through generating millions of open, respectful public conversations." These are the aims of Conversation Cafe and Global MindShift in sponsoring Conversation Week, which takes place via face to face and online discussions from March 24-30, 2008.
You can help make Conversation Week a success by voting on the Ten Most Important Questions in the World Today (by February 27!), volunteering to host a conversation, and locating and participating in Conversation Week conversations.
Regular About.com lifelong learning writer Ron Gross will be hosting a series of conversation events in New York city, including Socratic conversations and a lecture titled, "Stop Boring Yourself to Death: Getting from Small Talk to Exhilarating Conversation - Anywhere, Anytime, with Anyone." For more information, contact Ron Gross at grossassoc@aol.com.
Related Links
A Philosopher's Cafe
Teaching through Dialog
You can help make Conversation Week a success by voting on the Ten Most Important Questions in the World Today (by February 27!), volunteering to host a conversation, and locating and participating in Conversation Week conversations.
Regular About.com lifelong learning writer Ron Gross will be hosting a series of conversation events in New York city, including Socratic conversations and a lecture titled, "Stop Boring Yourself to Death: Getting from Small Talk to Exhilarating Conversation - Anywhere, Anytime, with Anyone." For more information, contact Ron Gross at grossassoc@aol.com.
Related Links
A Philosopher's Cafe
Teaching through Dialog
Coaching for Personal and Professional Success
Wednesday February 20, 2008
As I advance in my teaching career, assuming leadership roles as mentor and teacher trainer, I find that more of my professional development needs revolve around human interactions. Last week I encountered one-on-one and group issues that left me pondering communications, conflict and group dynamics... and I needed help processing them.
I turned to a close friend who happens to also be a leadership coach -- Sheila Goldgrab, of Goldgrab Leadership Coaching for advice and direction. In a half hour telephone session, she employed professional coaching skills to help me identify essential issues and plan my next steps... for my follow-up interactions and my personal / professional growth, too. For me, the coach approach helped me tap my inner resources to provide the sort of fast, customized, just-in-time learning I needed.
If you'd like to learn more about coaching, check out a model coaching session and browse the following FAQs: How can a coach help? | How do I find a coach? | How do I work with a coach? | How much does a coach cost?
I turned to a close friend who happens to also be a leadership coach -- Sheila Goldgrab, of Goldgrab Leadership Coaching for advice and direction. In a half hour telephone session, she employed professional coaching skills to help me identify essential issues and plan my next steps... for my follow-up interactions and my personal / professional growth, too. For me, the coach approach helped me tap my inner resources to provide the sort of fast, customized, just-in-time learning I needed.
If you'd like to learn more about coaching, check out a model coaching session and browse the following FAQs: How can a coach help? | How do I find a coach? | How do I work with a coach? | How much does a coach cost?
Tax Time
Sunday February 17, 2008
As I stash tax-related receipts I've received recently in a tax prep folder, I'm starting to think about my 2007 income tax return. How about you?
If you're filing in America, visit the Internal Revenue Service site for tax information and forms. Students of higher education and their families can claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for qualified tuition and related expenses. Also check out About.com's comprehensive Tax Time resource which covers budgeting and planning, preparing and filing, problems and issues, tips and tricks.
If, like me, you're filing in Canada, go to the Canada Revenue Agency site. There is a section specifically for students, which includes information on the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) (which permits you to finance formal education by withdrawing from your RRSPs), and more. Strangely, there are no direct links from this page to information on Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs).
Related Links
Coping with College Costs
Student Discounts
If you're filing in America, visit the Internal Revenue Service site for tax information and forms. Students of higher education and their families can claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for qualified tuition and related expenses. Also check out About.com's comprehensive Tax Time resource which covers budgeting and planning, preparing and filing, problems and issues, tips and tricks.
If, like me, you're filing in Canada, go to the Canada Revenue Agency site. There is a section specifically for students, which includes information on the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) (which permits you to finance formal education by withdrawing from your RRSPs), and more. Strangely, there are no direct links from this page to information on Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs).
Related Links
Coping with College Costs
Student Discounts
Off-line, Family Time
Thursday February 14, 2008
Family Day will be celebrated for the first time this year in my province of Ontario, Canada and I'm looking forward to spending a long weekend with extended family. Adhering to an "off-line, family time" policy is one way to keep the focus on my husband and children.
What this means for me is that from Friday afternoon until Sunday night, I avoid working on my computer and checking email. If I do get online, it's for family-oriented activities, like getting information for an excursion, playing online videos or games, looking up a recipe, etc.
If staying off-line for an entire weekend isn't realistic for you, consider practicing it for a shorter period, like a day or an evening. Work can wait!
Related Links
Mom's in the Classroom
Time Management: Top 10 Reasons to Stay on Campus
What this means for me is that from Friday afternoon until Sunday night, I avoid working on my computer and checking email. If I do get online, it's for family-oriented activities, like getting information for an excursion, playing online videos or games, looking up a recipe, etc.
If staying off-line for an entire weekend isn't realistic for you, consider practicing it for a shorter period, like a day or an evening. Work can wait!
Related Links
Mom's in the Classroom
Time Management: Top 10 Reasons to Stay on Campus