Pass It On!

As I was driving home from the airport the other day, a very cool billboard caught my eye. The image was simple – members of a little league team sitting in the dugout cheering on their team with the phrase, “Unity: Pass It On” written in the bottom corner. By now, you have likely seen these billboards near your community too. They are the work of a group called The Foundation for a Better Life.

The nationwide billboard campaign launched in 2001 and has grown ever since. Today, there are “Pass It On” messages on the Internet, Television, in Theaters and now available through Podcasts. The Foundation’s mission is simple – “to encourage adherence to a set of quality values through personal accountability and by raising the level of expectations of performance for all individuals.” (The Foundation for a Better Life Web site).


Strong values and leadership go hand-in-hand. Here are some simple ways you can “pass it on” in your classroom:

  • Choose a value per week or month. During that period introduce the value, what it means and identify real-world examples of people who embody that particular value.
  • Send students on a mission to notice a certain value in themselves, their classmates, the school and the surrounding community. During bell-work, have students share where they’ve noticed the value displayed. Encourage students to identify ways they can embody the value too.
  • Reward individual students when you notice them demonstrating a particular value. Make sure you label the value for them and highlight the example publicly to providing a learning opportunity for all students.
  • Have students listen to a Podcast on one of the values highlighted at http://www.forbetterlife.org/be-inspired/podcasts.asp Then ask students to choose a value and create their own pod- or vod-cast about the value. There are a number of free resources available to help them begin on The Foundation for a Better Life Web site.

Inspire your students to pass it on!


Leadership Development Tip for 9.25.08

Piecing Together a Career Portfolio

Developing and maintaining a professional portfolio is a useful experience for students as they begin their careers.

A career exploration portfolio is a “beginning” version of the student’s professional portfolio. A career exploration portfolio should help students actively reflect upon their career exploration as it unfolds throughout middle and high school. In addition, a career exploration portfolio should help students practice the same skills associated with the creation and use of a professional portfolio. Here are four easy steps to help you guide students in setting up a career exploration portfolio:


Step 1:
Outline the criteria for a career exploration portfolio. Some criteria we suggest:

1. Store your artifacts in a common location. Some places to call "home" include:

  • A file folder
  • An electronic file folder on the student’s school workspace
  • A Web page created by the student to host the files
  • A three-ring binder with sheet protectors and dividers

2. Include up to 6 artifacts that show others:
  • …your current career interests and,
  • …relevant skills you have that will help you be successful in a career.

3. Include a paragraph about each item that summarizes:

  • What is the item?
  • Why did you select the item for your portfolio?
  • How did you improve the item before including it in the portfolio?

Step 2: Help students select artifacts to include in a career exploration portfolio. Some potential artifacts to create and include are:

  • Personal Mission Statement
  • Presentation about a Career Cluster that interests you
  • 6-8 year career and education plan
  • Results from a career interest inventory
  • A journal entry or reflection on career interest inventory results
  • A self-rating sheet showing how you rate yourself on career skills with a paragraph reflecting on how you have grown since you completed the self-rating sheet.
  • Picture or map of the local community showing where the 16 career clusters are found locally
  • Summary of an interview with an individual who has a career that interests you

Step 3: Have students create the portfolio, evaluate the artifacts and then present it for assessment. For example, you may have students present their portfolio to their parents, a counselor or an adult mentor. U
se this as an opportunity to continue the conversation between the student and parents about the student’s interests, desires and plans.

It's that easy! Engage your students in starting a career exploration portfolio today!

Are you looking for more career exploration resources? Our middle school career exploration curriculum, Engage!, offers a project based approach to career exploration. In fact, the project described here is adapted from the detailed plan included in Engage! For more information check out Engage! at www.relevantclassroom.com.

Career Development Tip for 9.25.08

Readability Matters!

Have you ever paused to assess the reading level for materials in your classroom?

As our team creates educational materials, one thing we keep in mind is reading level. Readability describes the ease with which a passage or document can be read. Selecting and/or preparing materials that are written at an appropriate reading level is one way to differentiate instruction to “meet students where they are at” when they enter your classroom. The bottom line – matching the reading level of texts in your classroom to your students promotes understanding and learning. (Click here to check out the most current research on readability.)

You may be asking yourself, “How do I assess reading level?” Most classroom textbook publishers will identify the reading level in either the teacher’s manual for the textbook or the introductory section of the textbook itself. You can also contact the publisher or go-online and find readability information for most textbooks.

If you develop materials for your classroom (i.e. tests, scenarios, etc.) you likely have a readability statistic readily available. Modern versions of Microsoft Word® will produce a readability check as you conduct the built in spelling and grammar check on your document. Word™ provides you with the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level . This scale roughly translates to the number of years of education generally required to understand the text. You must find and activate this feature. In Word 2007, you can turn it on by completing the following:

  • Select the “Office” button in the top left corner of your screen >
  • Go to Word Options >
  • Select “Proofing” from the menu on the left >
  • Check the box next to “Show readability statistics on the Proofing Options page.
  • Now, run a spelling check on the document. You will receive a box showing readability statistics for the document.
  • To set this feature up in previous versions of Word™ simply go to help and search for “readability.”

Curious about the reading level of this posting? This posting is written between a 9th and 10th grade reading level. Start checking the reading level of materials you use in your classroom today. We bet you will be surprised!

Professional Development Tip for 9.25.08

Don’t Let A Blank Page Intimidate You Anymore!

Do you ever find that your students are intimidated as they begin to complete a writing assignment?

Who isn’t a little intimidated to start writing when all you have is a blank white page staring back at you? The next time you hand out a writing assignment, consider making some time for the class to collaborate and share ideas to “pre-populate” the blank page prior to sending students off to complete the assignment. Here is one way to facilitate this process:

Step 1: Present the topic for the paper to the whole class.

Step 2: Ask each student to write at least two main points they would include in a paper about the topic. If possible, have them capture each of these on a separate sticky note, index card or small slip of scrap paper.

Step 3: Place students in groups of 4-5. Ask them to share the main points they generated in step 2.

Step 4: Encourage each group to brainstorm additional main points to include in the paper. They should capture each new main point on a separate sticky note, index card or small slip of scrap paper. To encourage collaboration ask groups to appoint an ambassador. This person is responsible for selecting the group’s three best ideas and sharing those with another small group in return for that group’s best ideas.

Step 4: Direct groups to organize the slips of paper with main points into a short outline for the paper. Encourage students to use a large table or area of the classroom floor to complete the sorting activity. Depending upon the level of experience in preparing outlines, you may have to scaffold the group through this process. Encourage them to put similar points together and identify larger themes in the points they have generated to include in the paper.

Step 5: At the end of the process. Have students capture the outline their group generated. If time permits, have students conduct a gallery walk around the room to review the outlines generated by other groups. As they do, encourage them to personally collect additional ideas and revise their initial outline.

Students are sure to walk away with plenty of ideas to start writing the paper you assigned!

Classroom Engagement Tip for 9.25.08

Passport with a Purpose


You’ve just taught an incredible lesson, students’ brains are full of new ideas and they’re making connections like crazy to other concepts you’ve covered in class and they’ve learned elsewhere. You think... Why not affirm your thoughts and hold them accountable for the information they’re processing?

Sometime in the next week, pose a question at the end of class, have students answer on a slip of scratch paper (with their name for credit!) and, as they leave class, collect their answers (their passport out of class). This may sound like, “In a moment, you’ll provide your thoughts to a question I pose about today’s class. Be ready to hand it to me as you leave the room – it’s your passport out the door today. You’ll record your thoughts on a piece of scratch paper. The question is: "INSERT QUESTION HERE?" (see suggestions below)

Now you know where students stand and they’re continuing the learning process, even as they leave your room!

Some possible questions to pose for their passport entry:
· What piece of knowledge from today sticks with you most?
· What concept are you interested to know more about?
· How does what we learned today connect with our conversations last week on "INSERT IDEA HERE?"
· What concept do we need to cover more or in a different way to solidify your understanding?
This activity can become a tradition in your classroom with slight modification. Instead of having students hand you a piece of paper at the door each time, have them reserve a section of their class notebook for “passport” entries. Each time you’re looking to do a quick review like listed above, have students enter their answer in their passport section and you can “stamp” it for credit. Initials work just fine to stamp the entry. If you want to go crazy, use a fun stamp you find at the store! This version of the passport, of course, takes more time than collecting papers quickly at the door, but students are able to check back over their learning in their passport throughout the course of your class.


Classroom Engagement Tip for September 18, 2008

From the Mind of Tom Drummond

With the start of the new school year, my husband took on his first teaching assignment as a college teacher. We’ve spent many hours at the kitchen table planning classes, assignments and determining the best way for students to “get it” in each class. In some quick research to add twists and turns to class (so that he meets his goal that his history class doesn’t feel like every other history class students have ever taken), we came upon this reference-backed collection of best practices for use in the college classroom. Don’t be fooled – the strategies translate directly to middle and high school classrooms.

The practices include ideas for lecture, group discussion, questioning, reflection, active learning, group assignments, aligning course goals and grading, modeling, giving feedback, establishing the “state” of the classroom and helping students take responsibility for their learning. Great work, Tom Drummond!

Professional Development Tip for September 18, 2008

Decoding a Job Description



We often hear that many applicants for jobs aren’t qualified and their applications are thrown out. My best guess tells me that part of those that aren’t qualified are in desperate need of a job and are fishing for an interview. The other side of my guess says that part of that group simply couldn’t decode the job description/announcement so that they could put together a rock star application.

Have your students search online, in a local or major newspaper, at their favorite company, in the local government/university listings, etc. to find a job description that contains details about the duties of the job, minimum qualifications and preferred qualifications. It’s an added bonus if the job description is one they’re interested in applying for in the future. In small groups, have students identify key phrases and words that describe the job and qualities/qualifications the ideal applicant would possess. Once those components are identified, have students create a “translation” of the job description: What are priorities for this position? What skills are necessary? What experience would lend well in applying for this job? What kind of education is required to apply for this position? What qualifications would the company like to see in the applicant, but aren’t absolutely necessary? Talking through advanced job applications like this will be of benefit even as students apply for hourly jobs throughout high school and their post-secondary education.

To extend the learning, challenge students to identify workplace qualifications they already possess. What specifically have they done that shows valuable skill in terms of the job market? For ideas about how to detail qualifications, even from seemingly simple experiences check out Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist blog (specifically the section titled “Every line must quantify success").



Career Development Tip for September 18, 2008



Rule the School: Learning the Art of Constructive Feedback


Hopefully we’re all settled into the new school year and have our routines down again. Students, whether new to the district or established in the culture, certainly have opinions about the environment they’re required to live in throughout the day. Next time you have 10 minutes left in class, harness that knowledge to help improve the school and share some insight with your class on giving constructive feedback. Your teaching team, counselor(s), administration and others will appreciate knowing students’ thoughts and students will have a better understanding of an invaluable life skill!

Context to Provide Students (from Giving Feedback for Dummies):
·Let your students know up front that all the feedback they provide will be anonymous (as long as they leave their name off their paper) and will be shared with staff in the school so they can work to make it a better place.

·Constructive feedback should be specific, centered on issues and based on observations they’ve made.

·When sharing their feedback, they must clearly identify the topic or issue for the feedback and then provide details to back it up.

·Their feedback should be shared by starting out with “I.” Example: “I have noticed…”

Possible Questions to Ask:
·If you could change one thing about the environment at this school, what would it be?

·Do you feel safe at school? Why or why not?

·What specifically would make this school a better place to be?What’s your favorite thing about this school? If you don’t have an answer to that question, what keeps you from being able to respond?


Leadership Development Tip for September 18, 2008

Exploration via Case Studies


It’s fascinating to read about the ways successful companies problem solve, overcome obstacles and impact the marketplace. Your students will be making those solutions happen in the near future. Isn’t that fun to think about? Help them see themselves in those roles by diving into case studies. Check out these free resources (they have great sources for both students and teachers!): CasePlace.org and The Times 100 Business Studies Resources Centre.

CasePlace.org is designed for students and teachers in an MBA setting, but has loads of case studies available to read (via great search features) and provides teaching modules for expanded learning. The Times 100 Business Studies Resources Centre has lesson plans and quizzes in addition to the archives of case studies.

One idea to urge students to see themselves in a future career is to have them read one or two case studies of their choice. As they read, have them think about the problem that was overcome or the new way the company was able to influence their market. From there, start a discussion on what types of people or specific jobs were involved in the study. It may open students’ eyes to career possibilities they never knew existed.


Career Development Tip for September 11, 2008

Judging a Book Completely by Its Cover


As a teacher, you wear a million different hats. Not the least of which is that of marketing professional. You have content that your students need for their life experiences and you work to fulfill that need by engaging them in a learning adventure. Marketing 101.

Did you realize the colors you use in your classroom and on the materials you provide play a key role in their connection to the content that you share? It’s a big conversation in the book publishing industry now – What colors do we use on a book cover to entice customers? What color will best connect with our target audience? Check out this reference chart. It’s written, based on research conducted by publishers, for those who design book covers, but the concepts apply in the classroom as we design handouts, bulletin boards and learning centers. Do you often run content outlines or handouts on yellow paper (or green, blue, salmon, goldenrod, etc.)? Who in your class does that most connect with? Who could you better connect with if you used a different color on your next copy job? What messages could you send your classes with the predominant color that’s up on your bulletin board right now? How about the PowerPoint you put together for an upcoming unit opener? Color can do so much to impact the messages we send our students!

For more detail, check out the expanded report.

Classroom Engagement Tip for September 11, 2008

A Glimpse at another Side of Life…

One of the hardest things about connecting and relating with students is understanding their life at home and where they get their point of view. So many have such different experiences than our own! For insight on what it’s like to be a parent of a drug addict, check out David Sheff’s book Beautiful Boy. He reveals unforgettable and painful experiences from his journey to help his addicted son, Nic, in a breathtaking and compulsory way.

Nic also wrote a haunting memoir on his experiences with drugs and alcohol, Tweak. If you don’t have time for the full book, check out his blog. Beware: it’s very honest and raw. You’ll definitely get a better perspective of the feelings some of your students may have, but it’s not easy to stomach.


Professional Development Tip for September 11, 2008

So that’s what they meant!


Quotes from famous folks or those who impacted the world in some way resonate with many of us. Often our students cling to the words of others even more than we do as they look for descriptors for their dynamic, changing lives. So, take the opportunity to bring context to what your students are reading and hearing!

If you’re a music teacher, have students find a quote that resonates with them from a famous musician. What was the musician referring to when she said it? What was happening in the world at that time? What is the underlying message? Why does that particular quote stick? Does it still mean as much after learning more about the events surrounding it? If you’re teaching biology, search out the words of scientists. Quotations by noted historians abound. Have fun! Sneaking in learning is perfectly legal in all 50 states.


Leadership Development Tip for September 11, 2008

Show Off!

That’s right, take a little time show-off the great things happening in your classroom. Now is the perfect time of year to start a file of student work, great lesson plans and a few photos for your brag book. It’s something you can share with administrators and will certainly come in handy should you decide you may want to transfer schools next spring. Student work samples really give you good talking points and physical proof of your skills. Consider saving back a few tests over the course of the year to show student improvement as well. There are a million ways to organize your brag book/portfolio. I purchased a fancy report cover with tabs and a clip and sorted items into the following categories:



  1. Teaching Philosophy

  2. Classroom Procedures

  3. Sample Unit Lesson Plan

  4. Sample Unit Assessment

  5. Student Work Samples

  6. Student Assessment Samples

Professional Development Tip for September 4, 2008

Dots

One of my favorite review games for those days when some students are finished with assignments and others need a little catch-up time is “dots.” You’ve probably played the original game at some point. It’s simply a grid of dots that you take turns connecting; the object is to create squares. The game easily transfers to a vocabulary review by writing words inside the boxes. When a student makes a box around one of the vocabulary words, he or she must define the word to earn a point. I usually make boxes with words worth two points as well. You can get really crafty and require students to use the word in a sentence or act it out. It’s a really handy last-minute activity. The trick is to keep a few blank grids handy so you can fill in and copy at a moment’s notice. Even better, have students design their own game boards by providing the blank grid and having them add the words before playing. Click here for a blank template.




Classroom Engagement Tip for September 4, 2008

You Must Be Your Own Advisor

As I helped my sister register for classes this fall, I was again reminded of a lesson my high school biology teacher shared. “When you go to college, you must be your own advisor.” He shared that there are good college advisors out there, but in the end, the responsibility to look out for yourself is your own. Not looking out for yourself can easily cost you an extra semester (maybe even two) and big bucks.

Help pass the message onto your upperclassmen. Engage your school counselor in the process by asking him or her to bring in college catalogs. Ask students to choose a major and list the requirements needed. Have them note any prerequisites for each class. Send them to the college or university web-site of their choice to make a mock class schedule for the semester. Share extra tips with your students on registering early and how to ask permission to join a class listed as full.


Career Development Tip for September 4, 2008

Leadership Challenge Card: Communication Line Up

Here's a sample of one of our products from Relevant Classroom. The Leadership Challenge cards are a set of 40 activities. Thirty of the activities are 10-15 minutes in length and ten are a bit longer. All activities are very low material. The activities focus on leaderships skills ranging from time management and goal setting to decision making, morals and self respect. Click on the images below for a larger copy of the text.









Leadership Development Tip September 4, 2008