Lesson Plans for Summer School
Teachers...still getting ready for summer session? Keep it fun and effective by planning lessons in short segments and including interaction. Get people on their feet when they start to fade.
Today I Learned...About Rose-Colored Glasses
Have you ever looked at the world through rose-colored glasses? I'm not talking about being Pollyanna for a day. We all know what the idiom means: to see something as better than it really is.
I wondered where this idiom originated. It's difficult to pin down. And then I put on a pair of rose-colored glasses. I was stunned.
I added my experience to our Today I Learned... collection: Today I Learned...About Rose-Colored Glasses.
What did you learn today? Share it with us: A Place to Share Your Lifelong Learnings
Curious about our series? Read all of the entries: Today I Learned...Random Acts of Learning
Make Your Summer Goal a Reality
Do you have a goal for the summer? Something you want to learn? We're here to say, "You can do it."
And here's some help:
- Make your goals SMAART
- Remember that are what you think
- Know that you can create the life you want
Have fun out there!
Inspirational Quotations
Sometimes it's easier to express ourselves using someone else's language. That's why quotations are so popular. Include one in your graduation or thank you card this spring. We have a few collections that will get your wheels turning. Just what is it you want to say?
Alternatives to GED Testing Service
My newsletter this week featured a blog I wrote about an email Nicole Chestang, executive vice president of the GED Testing Service, sent recently saying that states are not dropping the GED test.
I heard from David Adcock, GED program coordinator at Heritage College in Little Rock, pointing out that some states are seeking alternatives to the GED Testing Service. He cited an article written by Heather Hollingsworth of the Associated Press and published in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
"According to this article," Adcock says, "three states have made the change and others, such as California, are looking to do the same. It further states that 40 states have formed a "working group" to consider what is available.
"Two companies, McGaw-Hill and Educational Testing Service, have products that are available to take the place of the GED. Those are McGraw-Hill's 'TASC' and ETS's 'HiSet'."
In Arkansas, Adcock says, "there were two bills passed in the recent legislature that could have an effect on the GED program. House bill 2201 provides for the Dept. of Career Education to charge fees for the GED test and other assessments.
"Currently, as I'm sure you're aware, there is no charge for the GED in Arkansas. The other bill, HB 2134 provides for one free "assessment" per student.
"Because of the demographic that is most effected by all of these changes that are coming to the GED program, cost and technology may very well have a very profound affect."
The GED test is scheduled to change significantly in 2014, including becoming computer based. Watch for more news about GED very soon.
Get a Better English Grade
Understanding the hero's journey won't help you with grammar or spelling, but it will help you get a better grade in composition and all aspects of literature.
Do you know the elements of a satisfying story? Do you recognize archetypes? They're in every memorable, successful story, from the Simpsons to the Wizard of Oz.
Understand the hero's journey, and I can almost promise you will get a better English grade: The Hero's Journey
Are You a Good Listener?
Say what?
I said, "Are you a good listener?"
Most of us are terrible listeners. We hear what we want to hear. We are so busy planning what we want to say next, we aren't listening to the whole conversation. Terrible.
It isn't much better sitting in the classroom. We think about what we need to pick up for dinner on the way home. We plan the weekend. We quietly judge the outfit on the person in front of us. We're not listening.
It's not that hard to be an active listener: How to Be a Good Listener
There's a listening test at the end of the article. Test yourself.
What Scares You About Going Back to School as an Adult?
Poll time! I want to know what scares you about the thought of going back to school as an adult. Is it the practical issue of finding the money? Worries that your skills aren't up to par? Maybe it's as simple as not fitting in with students half your age. Talk to me. You can choose more than one answer.
8 Places to Find Free Educational Videos
It's so easy to learn just about anything on the Internet. What did we ever do without it?
If your learning style is visual, the Internet is full of treasures for you in the form of educational videos. We chose our top eight in 8 Places to Find Free Educational Videos.
Have fun. Come back and tell us what you learned.
10 Steps to Conflict Resolution
At a conflict resolution seminar in a past life, I thought it curious that the presenter admitted he can't always resolve his own conflicts. He could resolve everyone else's, but not always his own. When I started teaching it myself, I understood.
Conflict is difficult, especially when you have an emotional stake in it. But it's a little easier when you have some tools that help. Whether the conflict is in the classroom or in your personal life, try these steps: 10 Steps to Conflict Resolution