Coolcatteacher

Music has so many uses in the classroom. After being jolted awake by Dave Burgess' Teach Like a Pirate wisdom - I realized that there are so many aspects of the mood I need to use in my classroom.

Music sets the mood

I now use music for many purposes. When students are doing something a tad stressful, the Carribean calypso music is so relaxing, they just relax and get it done.

When they are brainstorming, peppy music that they like gets them thinking. If they are making - it makes them more creative.

There's a time for all types of music in my classroom. Like some choose wine for the meal, I choose music for the task. Sometimes that means the students pick. Other times it means we create a special station on Pandora and enjoy it.

Music makes a great timer

Here's what I've found that I love the most about music. I have always used a timer in my classroom to keep us on track. Otherwise, we'll just spend forever brainstorming - which isn't a bad thing - but I do have things to get accomplished with them. The problem with the timer is that no one pays attention to it. No one really knows how long 5 minutes is or 10 minutes. It isn't tangible.

Now, I say "Ok, we're going to spend 2 songs on this." Most of the songs are around 4:30 or so. The students listen but they also know that time is passing. They tend to more creatively, enthusiastically get their work done.

Music has a place in the classroom

Music not only sets mood, it marks the passage of time in a way that students understand and respond to. I love it. I've always used it, but I haven't always used it in all of my classes pretty much daily. My classrooms works better when it is on.

Set guidelines for music

I have guidelines for music when students pick it.

1. Keep it clean.

I explain that I'm accountable for the words so I have to be able to understand them. I also ask them to help me keep it acceptable for school. If they break trust with me, the person who picked the song or music can't pick again.

2. Keep it simple

Students who are put in charge of music for a day in my classroom should make a playlist. This "pick one song at a time" is a real time waster. They should make it ahead of time and have it ready to go. Quite of my students have a "computer class playlist" they have just for me.

3. Keep it low bandwidth

I prefer NOT to do youtube playlists because of the bandwidth of the video. It also tempts students to want the videos to play and I find it distracting. There are also some things in some videos that just are not OK for school and there's no way for me to watch those ahead of time.

4. Keep it at a reasonable volume

The teacher next door shouldn't hear the music. Period.

How do you use music in the classroom?

So, this is a short post and on a simple topic. But this one simple thing has made a huge difference in my classroom.

I'd love to hear what some of you do with music in your classroom.

Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad

To Foster Productivity and Creativity in Class, Ditch the Desks! | MindShift

Erin Klein has great ideas for redesigning the classroom. I'm interviewing her this week for my online show (to be posted soon) about aesthetically pleasing brain-friendly classrooms. Take a look.

tags: education news design classroom_design
Movie Maker - Microsoft Windows

The free movie program for Windows is Windows Movie Maker. This is a link to the version for Windows 7 and 8. It doesn't come loaded but you can install it for free.

tags: education news moviemaking digital storytelling

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

UK To Teach Programming Starting At Age 5 | Fluency21 – Committed Sardine Blog

Watch out Silicon Valley. You may just need to relocate to... you might guess it.. Ok - maybe not -- the UNITED KINGDOM. This country gets it. Kids will start learning programming at age 5 in the UK. This is a big deal and something visionary schools will wake up to and understand.

tags: education news tumblr

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

The Maker Movement is here.

Invent to Learn by Sylvia Martinez and Gary Stager
is the definitive book on the Maker Movement
in Schools

What do 3D printers, Rasberry pi programing units, scrapbooks and woodworking have in common? They are all part of the Maker movement a growing effort to reinvent creativity by letting kids and people create.

Libraries are incorporating maker spaces and many people are reading the book Invent To Learn by Sylvia Martinez and Gary Stager.

If you want to know more about this movement, take a listen to Sylvia Martinez (see below on how to listen). We talked about how this method can positively impact our "STEM pipeline" and how we can foster the love of problem solving in many ways in the classroom. We also discussed managing maker spaces in the classroom and the many technologies being used in the maker movement. I learned a lot and highly recommend the book.

My thoughts on the book, Invent to Learn

Don't think this is a movement that is something new. It is actually built upon some profound research into how we all learn. I think every education professor should read this book as well as principals, curriculum directors, and librarians. Innovative teachers will want to read it as well.

It is a book full of research and citations. The authors don't write something without backing it up in research. I do admit that I'm halfway through and have sometimes flipped to the back -- I'm totally sold, I'm just getting into the "how" now and am sure I'll be sharing more as I build my own maker spaces in my classroom. In many ways, I already have these spaces but need to utilize them better. This fits very well with Genius Hour work, in my opinion.

Listen to the show:
If you need help getting started with listening to the show or are having problems, see the Podcast page for a tutorial.

Listen in your web browser (Internet Explorer is best)
Listen on iTunes (Click "Learning by Doing")

—–

Show Notes

Here are some notes and resources that will help you understand and discuss the concepts discussed in this show.

Invent To Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom
by Sylvia Martinez & Gary Stager

Invent to Learn Book Authors

Sylvia Martinez:

Blog: http://blog.genyes.org/

Twitter: @smartinez

Gary Stager:

Blog: http://stager.tv/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/garystager

Invent to Learn Book Resources:

Intent to Learn Website: http://www.inventtolearn.com/

Resource Page : http://www.inventtolearn.com/resources/ (a useful chapter by chapter set of hyperlinks. I wish every book did this.)

8 Big Ideas of the Constructionist Learning Lab by Sylvia Martinez

Important Aspects of the Maker Movement mentioned on the show

Raspberry Pi (See Rasberry Pi Teaching and Learning Resources)
Physical Computing
Programming
3D printing

Hashtags for the Maker Movement that Sylvia Recommends

(I've linked to the searches below on Twitter):

Make Do: https://mymakedo.com/

Maker Faire Information: http://makerfaire.com/

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link (for the book mentioned) and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and I believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"

Premium Polling-Creating Quizzes with Celly - YouTube

I'm testing cel.ly right now. Here's the instructions about how to use cel.ly for creating quizzes. Of course, all of your students will need access to a phone to test this, but it does have basic information on how to do this. This is cool.

tags: education news
Premium Polling-Creating Quizzes with Celly - YouTube

I'm testing cel.ly right now. Here's the instructions about how to use cel.ly for creating quizzes. Of course, all of your students will need access to a phone to test this, but it does have basic information on how to do this. This is cool.

tags: education news
[Windows 8] How to add Google Calendar to Windows 8 Calendar app [2nd Edition] | Reviews, news, tips, and tricks | dotTech

This is the only way I've found to access Google calendar on Windows 8. The two companies, Microsoft and Google, aren't working together. This is not smart for either of them, I think, but I'll work around it for now.

tags: education news productivity

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

What is markdown?

With this post, I’m learning about markdown language and teaching you at the same time. I am a beginner at using markdown. I’ve found that the blog posts I write when I’m a beginner are more helpful to other beginners because there are things that more advanced people forget. This is going to be true because markdown requires spacing rules that I will forget once I’m an expert and they become second nature.

Here are some markdown notes from class yesterday. These notes will
end up exported to Evernote. If you notice the black background and white
words - that isn't a big deal - I chose that format because I've found it is
easier on my eyes and doesn't wake me up if I'm writing at night.
Let's see how this works - don't be scared, especially if you need fast ways
to type and format at the same time.

Markdown is a simple way to format. When the Internet began, some of us geekier types wrote in html or the language of the web. This was hard because if you forgot one bracket, your code wouldn’t show or it would mess everything up. Markdown is forgiving and pretty simple if you play with it.

Now that the web is maturing and many are moving to tablet devices, we’ve realized that it really is more efficient to keep your hands on the keyboard. It is funny that we moved from the keyboard to the mouse because it was easier to use the mouse. Then we moved from the mouse to touching the screen because it was easier. Now, we’ve found that for some things - particularly text-rich activities like typing this post - keeping your hand on the keyboard really makes sense.

Don’t get stressed. If you want to be more productive and you use Evernote or Blog or you write anything, you might want to use this. If you’re not there yet, just be aware that Markdown language exists and know that it is just a special way of formatting.

What apps use markdown?

I’m using Byword. It is an app that lets you type without any toolbars or headers. I use it on my ipad. I use the markdown language to type adding the symbols as needed. If you pay for the premium version then you can post directly to Evernote , Dropbox, Blogger, or Tumblr.
There are other apps that use markdown. It is writing for smart people… you don’t have to be geek, just able to learn a few keys.

How do I use Markdown?

I intentially waited to post this blog for a week to make sure it is something I use. I do use it. In fact, I'm using it daily to take notes (see the notes above from some student brainstorming we did this week) to draft emails, and to draft blog posts. All of the blog posts from this past week were drafted in Byword.

Quick Markdown Guide for Beginners

What are the markdown tags?

Let’s learn the code now.

This is what I typed at the top of this post.
When you see the ` - that character means "block text" the indented type of text.

Basic Formatting

If you you use an app that uses markdown and type:

**Bold** uses 2 asterisks *italics* uses 1 asterisk

When you look at the final document it will look like this:

Bold - 2 asterisks
Italics - 1 asterisk

Tips for Basic Formatting:

You can also use the underscore or underline instead of asterisks.

The text I used to type this. You could just type this in your Markdown editor and preview it to see how it works.
You really should DO this to get it.

Lists

Bulleted Lists

If you want a bulleted list, then all you have to do is use one asterisk starting the line:

* One bullet
* Another bullet

This is what it looks like:

One bullet
Another bullet

Bullet Tips for beginners

You have to have a space betweeen the bullet and the first words in each line. If not, it might think you’re doing italics.
You need to have a blank line before you start the bulleted list or it might not work.
Press enter between bullets.
You can use a plus + or minus - instead of the asterisk in some programs

Numbered Lists

Numbered lists are very simple, just press enter and type a number and a period.

Markdown will make you more productive when you use it.
We all learn things to be more productive including things like touch typing.
Mark down takes far less time to learn than touch typing.

Numbered List tips for beginners

Once an app sees you’re typing numbers, it will automatically put them at the beginning of each line when you press enter.
Just press backspace and get rid of the numbers when you’re done.
You can mix numbered lists and bullets together any way you wish.
You can’t format the numbers to be Roman numerals - it is just simple 123.

Hyperlinks are a bit tricky. NOtice that there are NO spaces between the first bracket [] and the parenthesis ().
This is important.

Hyperlinks

Now, you can do hyperlinks 2 ways. An easy way and a way for people who really are geeks.

Basic Hyperlink (The Easy Way)

Basic hyperlink is like I did above is like this:

[My Tumblr Blog](http://www.vickidavis.me)

It looks like this in the final document:

My Tumblr Blog

Tips for the Basic Hyperlink for beginners:

The first part in the brackets are the words you want to hyperlink
Second you put the hyperlink in parentheses.
DO NOT put a space between the brackets and the parentheses – it won’t work. This took me 10 minutes to figure out. I automatically space between everything. I almost chucked it all for this one reason. Learn from my mistake.

Time saving hyperlinks (Advanced)

Let’s say that you are going to do a blog post or something longer with many hyperlinks. This is for advanced users but it works. If you’re a beginner, SKIP this section! Trust me.
So, if you have a hyperlink that you’re going to use and reuse, let’s say a Twitter handle or two. Here’s how you can do that.

Type in the words you want to hyperlink in brackets.
Then, type the letter you want to use to refer to it. (This is called a variable for those who get into programming.) So, the code for my Twitter handle looks like this: [@coolcatteacher][t]
Then, later on, like at the bottom, you define the link like this:

[t]: http://www.twitter.com/#/coolcatteacher

Where the first thing in brackets is the letter you want to use, then the colon and then the hyperlink you want to use.

Any time you want to use that link just put the letter in brackets behind it.

[Follow me][t] on Twitter [@coolcatteacher][t]

looks like:

Follow me on Twitter @coolcatteacher

See how I wrote the words above in the original draft.

Tips for Repeating Hyperlinks for “Advanced” Beginners ;-)

Note you typically want to only use something the first time it is mentioned to prevent clutter unless absolutely necessary.
If you are using an ipad and know you’ll use things like your Twitter handle a lot, you could use autotext and paste your links at the bottom of each post and then just use the letter. This is a big time saver. Autotext lets you automate text you use a lot.
If you do not have the hyperlink typed at the bottom, it won’t work at all and the text will look just like you typed it. You must do Step 4 above or it doesn’t work.
Don’t repeat letters in a document.
You start over in a new document and have to retype the definitions at the bottom. This means you can reuse the letters in the new document.

What if I want to link to an image?

This is a bit tricky because the image should already be up on the web. I would hold off on this unless you’re advanced. If you are, instead of a hyperlink, you paste the link to the image second. Remember, if you want a repeating image, it will work the same way as above.
So, I’ll do a simple image like this (sorry the link is so long). I found an image I wanted to show and copied the image link. You get there on an ipad by opening the image in a new tab by itself. Usually it ends in .jpg called a “j-peg.” !

[Inspirational Quote](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AXXuDO8u1hwZFn6b6gNtccaXWDvejyleZFpPG-i-cPm6O6yTvHQvtj3E61ov2adtUWvMqknSZR45uTbmSk401ozE68N8YuFFxclCexO9NV7-12Qy23zpcgT9kUR_dCa-ZvTqhpSwrm7n/s1600/greatness-of-a-teacher.jpg "Quote from an image I'm using to demo")

Block Quotes

You can quote people just by using the right pointing caret (just above the period.) >"Innovate or depreciate" Vicki Davis looks like

“Innovate or depreciate.” Vicki Davis.

When do we use blockquotes?

We use blockquotes when we are quoting another source. This is good netiquette and more ethical than not using them. It is just something that developed as bloggers wrote.

Can we combine this with what we’ve already learned?

Yes! You can mix these things together. So.

>"Innovate or depreciate." [Vicki Davis][t]

Turns into

“Innovate or depreciate.” Vicki Davis

Headings

Headings are simple

#Heading 1 ##Heading 2 ###Heading 3 ####Heading 4 #####Heading 5 ######Heading 6

This looks like:

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5

Heading 6

Heading Tips

There are 6 levels of headings.
How those headings look are determined by the blog or software you’re using. Your headings will NOT look like my headings. They also won’t look like they do in preview.
TEST TEST TEST YOUR HEADINGS! - That is why an experimental post like this makes sense. I’m helping you and learning the code while being transparent that I might (and will) mess up the first time this post goes live!
Some people put the number signs at the beginning and end of the heading but it is not necessary.
Think of headings as outlines.
If you are blogging, Headings are important parts of SEO or “search engine optimization.” This means that you should put your most important words in headings.
If you’re taking notes, processing the notes by making lists (or even mind maps) is shown [by research] (http://wac.colostate.edu/journal/vol16/boch.pdf) to improve the use of notes. This is why I like to use headings, bullets, and numbers when I take my notes into Evernote.

Showing Code

I’ve been showing you the code I’m typing by using the ‘backtick’. located to the left of the 1. I can’t show the backtick because this is the one thing that won’t show this way. But you can see it in the screenshots above.

Horizontal lines

You can do underlines several ways but you should use 3 or more dashes or asterisks

- - - or ***

It shows like this:

Tip for horizontal lines
*If you don’t have a blank line in front of the horizontal line, it might not show and it will mess up the heading or items in front of it. Another hard lesson learned.

Manual Breaks

When you have 2 or more spaces at the end of the line and press enter it makes a manual break. A manual break means one line in front of the other.

Tips for manual breaksIf you want a full line in between, make sure that you press enter twice.
I used the Markdown syntax guide from github to test and make this work.

So, how will someone use this?

Again, if you are already writing a lot - including blog posts, Evernote notes, books, and more… this can save you time.

Why markdown makes sense

Any time your hand leaves the keyboard to do something whether it is swipe or click a mouse, you slow yourself down. When time is money and you’re working to draft or keep your wordcount up, typing in an app like Byword and using markdown can save you time.

Do I recommend markdown?

I’m still learning markdown and will share how I keep using it. As with all productivity tips, time will tell. However, many productivity gurus I trust are using this type of app and for me, that means it is time to take a try.

For now, after about a week of learning it, I'm using it more than three times daily, at least. Emails that are longer than a few sentences and longer notes for Evernote, I'm typing them in Byword first. It syncs to Dropbox as well. It is a bit interesting if you forget to export it and want to do that on Windows 8, but I've found an app that will do it there as well.

Just remember, it is just a fast way to format and type designed for writers who are willing to try something new. If it freaks you out, don't do it.

How I’ll start using markdown

I’ll experiment with markdown for taking Evernote notes and for writing. I’ll let you know what I think. Right now I’m syncing with Dropbox for this blog post and I’ll generate the HTML and paste it into Blogger.

If I like it, I’ll pay the $4.99 for the premium version of Byword so I can publish to Blogger, Tumblr, and Evernote. (I did this after a day - it is worth it. I do admit that I do not like to publish straight to blogger because it won't let me do a draft - I export the HTML and copy it into Blogger and add pictures, etc.)

How are you using markdown?

I would love to hear from those of you who’ve beat me to this trend and are already using it.
Do you mind leaving your thoughts in the comments or sharing links to blog posts you’ve written about why you like (or don’t like) markdown?

As always, thank you for helping disseminate best practices. We all become more productive when we learn and share together!

This is a tad geeky for some but sometimes the most useful things are. Enjoy and, as always, please help others by leaving comments below or a link to your own blog post to help others learn about this handy method of writing.

My youngest has moved up into sixth grade. My how time flies. When I talked with him on Thursday about his week his first response was:

"I'm so happy. I think all my teachers seem to like me ok."

Do students think you "like" them?

This seems odd but students really want to know if you like them. Are you going to be fair? Are you going to give them a chance?

They love you if you express an interest in something they love

Then, he said:

"I already have one teacher who loves me! I know it because she let me talk about Minecraft."

This teacher had the kids do their coat of arms and on the coat of arms, they put things they enjoyed and liked. (I do Dave Burgess' Play dough activity from Teach Like a Pirate which does something similar.)

Under the pirate bandanas were small jars of play dough. I do an activity from Dave Burgess' book "Teach Like a Pirate" to get to know the students on the first day

But when we say "talk" - after asking his teacher, it was a passing mention. But it was enough to trigger a powerful positive response from my son.

When you fish, you try to predict the bait the fish will like. It is based upon what they like to eat anyway.

Sweet reminder from our PTO. It made me smile.

When you teach, you learn from the kids about what will hook them into your learning. Every child is different. (This is why genius hour projects are so fantastic-- the hook is built in.)

Their like or dislike of your subject has a lot to do with their feelings about you

We're not teaching robots. We're working with humans. I've had students who say they aren't good with technology but have a good relationship with me and end up good with technology. It happens every year.

Every child won't "love me" but I can promise you I'm going to do my best to love every child. I won't necessarily be the popular teacher but I will be memorable and one they thank when they come back. We will laugh and we will have fun. Their eyes will open wide with surprise when they realize how much they've learned.

Back to School

It is the beginning of a new school year and a tough one for me (see my earlier posts) yet I believe in the first two days that my students know I'm interested in them and helping them reach their full potential. I've expressed an interest in their interests. I've shared with them how I teach and what I expect from them.

I hope they feel about me like my son feels about his fine teachers in sixth grade. I hope they are open minded, excited, and that deep down they feel liked and perhaps even they already feel the love I have for them. I don't fake it - I don't have to. It is how I feel and how most good teachers feel about their kids.

It is upon this feeling of mutual respect that we will build some powerful learning experiences. It is Saturday and except for my tiredness, I honestly wish it was Monday. (I actually wish it was Tuesday because that is when my air conditioner is fixed, but that, my dear friends is another story.)

A teacher's heart speaks on the first day of school

Back to school is always sweet
for the good, loving teachers you meet.
They stand at door with book in hand
welcoming kids to the learning land.
Hoping & planning that before they go,
more about this subject they'll know.
Giggling, talking, a happy sound
for a teacher whose purpose in life she's found.
This is a school and this is my time
to encourage, teach, and inspire the mind.
I am a teacher and I'll stick like glue
to learning & living until I reach you.
You precious children, I adore you all
As you sit in my classroom and traipse down the hall.
All will learn here to your own ability.
As we find talent, you'll find I'm quiet nobility.
I'm here to serve, I'm here to care
I'm here to help you learn to share.
I'm here to inspire, I'm here to reach
but most of all I'm here to teach!
Vicki Davis

Let's go!

Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad