tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36854034691835558372024-03-07T16:36:42.511-06:00I Want to Teach ForeverInformation, inspiration and ideas to help teachers in and out of the classroomTom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comBlogger888125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-74590583984349868882018-12-17T20:24:00.000-06:002018-12-17T20:24:45.202-06:00All Book Prices Slashed PermanentlyMy first book <a href="http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/teachforever">Ten Cheap Lessons</a> celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, and the follow-up <a href="http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/teachforever">Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word</a> just celebrated its 8th.<br />
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I have been humbled and amazed that even years after I stopped actively updating this blog, people have still been downloading or buying physical copies of both.<br />
<br />
As a thank you and as a Christmas gift, <a href="http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/teachforever">I've permanently reduced the price of all digital versions of the books to $1.99</a>. The print versions of each book range from $5-7.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/teachforever">These prices are available now through my Lulu bookstore</a> and will be reflected on Amazon and other online outlets in the coming weeks.<br />
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Enjoy, and once again, thank you!Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-85600977061713539592017-10-08T16:33:00.000-05:002017-10-08T16:33:06.534-05:00The Hardest Time of the School YearI always felt like October was the hardest part of the school year. The honeymoon period at the beginning of the school year always seemed to peter out around this time, as students would begin to push boundaries like never before.<br />
<br />
If your school is on a six week grading period like the ones in my region, the first report cards are just being sent out, and how your kids react to them affects their behavior. If they passed without much effort and are content with it, they might slack off and goof around because things seem too easy. If they failed and have a history of struggling in school, they might already view your class as a lost cause and try to give up.<br />
<br />
For students and teachers, this is often the middle of the longest uninterrupted period in your school calendar, with no holidays or special events to break things up until Thanksgiving.<br />
<br />
If you're already seeing the signs (or already struggling), I'm with you. I've been there. My short book <i><a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/tom-derosa/teaching-is-not-a-four-letter-word-how-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-job/paperback/product-11906270.html">Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Job</a></i> was written for just this time of year.<br />
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It's a simple, straightforward collection of the best advice I could give to new and struggling teachers, and I believe you'll find help to get you through October and beyond.<br />
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It's available as a <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/tom-derosa/teaching-is-not-a-four-letter-word-how-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-job/paperback/product-11906270.html">paperback</a>, <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/tom-derosa/teaching-is-not-a-four-letter-word-how-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-job/ebook/product-17483137.html">PDF</a> or <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/tom-derosa/teaching-is-not-a-four-letter-word-how-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-job/ebook/product-20922735.html">eBook</a> from Lulu or as a Prime-eligible <a href="http://amzn.to/2xs9mJH">paperback</a> or <a href="http://amzn.to/2xskk1F">Kindle version</a> on Amazon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKEB_GNQUDveRxln7fmZdvPOEe32nU8VmrMlsg0H1YNgEBLA484MDD05t4R9tDGbeumY2xk8iJpOJvrRrvAjfRn_wWuAn-K060OLhJt4cjpHtZM8q2dD8TB3tiKZhZfVYmkMS-hTRTqM/s1600/tlwcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKEB_GNQUDveRxln7fmZdvPOEe32nU8VmrMlsg0H1YNgEBLA484MDD05t4R9tDGbeumY2xk8iJpOJvrRrvAjfRn_wWuAn-K060OLhJt4cjpHtZM8q2dD8TB3tiKZhZfVYmkMS-hTRTqM/s1600/tlwcover.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-54397010775691166252017-04-27T12:25:00.000-05:002017-04-27T12:25:04.302-05:00How To Save Shared Google Docs for EditingIt's very humbling to know that even though it's been three years since I shared something new on this blog that many, many educators are still discovering and rediscovering these resources.<br />
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I get daily reminders of this in my inbox, in the form of requests for access to various <b>Google Docs I have shared</b>. I respond to each request, but sometimes the requests come from servers that don't allow incoming messages (some school districts still do this), and I also just wanted to post a reminder to save you the trouble of waiting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSjaS4OADJ1pWmu4SjTQiGibfrLzNgQe9O8VHwsceWq_kwmMF1jnaU0-mVjNBsk6zxe_biGVQAcgIAO5xxGBH-Y-CP4N2HLPwjztk65IXd7WwSHIF0TZrpZbrywCpHc_2lKC6HN8JCww/s1600/google+docs+teachforever+request.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSjaS4OADJ1pWmu4SjTQiGibfrLzNgQe9O8VHwsceWq_kwmMF1jnaU0-mVjNBsk6zxe_biGVQAcgIAO5xxGBH-Y-CP4N2HLPwjztk65IXd7WwSHIF0TZrpZbrywCpHc_2lKC6HN8JCww/s400/google+docs+teachforever+request.png" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>When you click "Share" on a Google Doc, you're asking for permission to edit the original document, not for your own copy to edit.</b><br />
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Instead of clicking "Share", <b>you can save or download a copy to edit as you like by going to File > Save a copy or File > Download as.</b> The former saves a copy to your Google Docs, the latter lets you choose the format you like to save it on your hard drive.<br />
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Again, thank you to the many educators who continue to find useful things among these many years of ideas and resources. I'm glad to be able to contribute something to this noble profession despite no longer being in the classroom.<br />
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Best of luck with the rest of your school year!Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-12737599985385291232016-04-26T15:59:00.000-05:002016-04-26T15:59:26.925-05:00Have Students Design Their Own Probability Game (Update!)A couple of years ago I shared <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/2009/08/three-fun-probability-games-and.html">Three Fun Probability Games & Projects</a>. One of my favorites was a <a href="http://www.ridgeroadmedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Design_a_game_project.doc.docx">Design Your Own Carnival Game activity</a> I had found online. The link had been dead for quite a while, which many readers had alerted me to. <br />
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Good news: I've finally found a copy of the activity in my records. To those who wanted it, <a href="http://www.ridgeroadmedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Design_a_game_project.doc.docx">here's a Word version</a> and a <a href="http://www.ridgeroadmedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DesignYourOwnGameproject.pdf">PDF version</a>.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-49518106241206918342014-07-18T11:00:00.000-05:002014-07-18T11:00:04.505-05:00July 2014 Reader on Coding in Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8klbUuM5ZEBjNZeknTaeJrOj2By1V25K-gPJmkQH4my6uHX4lS8xiwQTwt-g0OJV4UQL2np9wrqEWZ6NLGYIh3oaWMPGUirAgMWCpovqUPLA_59QUVB4GialNj7P4UrztCKC0N8ghyTk/s1600/hello+world.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8klbUuM5ZEBjNZeknTaeJrOj2By1V25K-gPJmkQH4my6uHX4lS8xiwQTwt-g0OJV4UQL2np9wrqEWZ6NLGYIh3oaWMPGUirAgMWCpovqUPLA_59QUVB4GialNj7P4UrztCKC0N8ghyTk/s1600/hello+world.png" /></a></div>
I'm so glad that there's no shortage of new resources and articles on this critical subject! <br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/09/nycs-flatiron-school-raises-5-5-million-to-teach-people-to-code-for-a-living/">NYC’s Flatiron School Raises $5.5 Million To Teach People To Code For A Living</a> [TechCrunch]<br />
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<a href="http://lifehacker.com/game-maven-teaches-you-how-to-code-while-making-games-1538776085">Game Maven Teaches You How to Code While Making Games</a> [Lifehacker]<br />
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<a href="http://lifehacker.com/mozilla-webmaker-teaches-you-how-to-build-web-sites-ap-1553277374">Mozilla Webmaker Teaches You to Build Web Sites, Apps, and More</a> [Lifehacker]<br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/19/yc-backed-codecombat-wants-you-to-learn-to-code-by-playing-games/?ncid=rss">YC-Backed CodeCombat Wants You To Learn To Code By Playing Games</a> [TechCrunch] - I sense a trend.<br />
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<a href="http://www.inc.com/magazine/201406/jennifer-alsever/toys-that-teach-kids-to-innovate.html">Roominate, Play-i, Robot Turtles and Littlebits Shake Up the Toy Industry</a> [<i>Inc </i>magazine] - I'd love to see these toys in early education and elementary classrooms!Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-20125476836993729112014-05-19T11:00:00.000-05:002014-05-19T11:00:00.824-05:00New Version of Number Sense Card Game 123 Switch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpq5LEof1JT_1NZvZbKl88uP7zdKULyTMgWn4cjNcOxSbpalzXmQSd8zcNL-2iOrSwCDTuakmU85X524o8grFofhXZcVFcfnGbAqWvB2yzy6uwTR3t-ztghqlf-ofapSPv5-772EtoFRU/s1600/123switch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpq5LEof1JT_1NZvZbKl88uP7zdKULyTMgWn4cjNcOxSbpalzXmQSd8zcNL-2iOrSwCDTuakmU85X524o8grFofhXZcVFcfnGbAqWvB2yzy6uwTR3t-ztghqlf-ofapSPv5-772EtoFRU/s1600/123switch.jpg" /></a></div>
Aidil, a teacher from Singapore read about <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/2011/08/easy-new-number-sense-card-game-123.html" target="_blank">the number sense card game 123 Switch!</a> that I shared a few years ago. Like any good teacher, he tried it out with his students and when it didn't work as planned, he adjusted the rules and game play to make it easier.<br />
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Adaptation is probably any teacher's most important skill in today's ever-changing education landscape, so I am excited to share Aidil's improved version:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To prepare my students for the game, I had to go through the basic rules:<br />
Ace = 1<br />
J,Q,K = 10<br />
Joker = 0<br />
Spades, Clubs = Black (Positive Numbers)<br />
Diamond, Hearts = Red (Negative Numbers)<br />
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Rules for adding the cards:<br />
Add 2 same coloured cards together,<br />
If they are 2 diffferent coloured cards, the resulting card will take on the colour of the larger numbered card and its magnitude will be the difference of the 2 cards.<br />
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Explaining the 123 Switch game to my students took quite a while and there was a lot to digest as the combinations were quite overwhelming for them as they had to work out a proper number sentence and then decide if they are to put 1, 2 or 3 cards down.<br />
<br />
Because my students couldn't grasp the rules of the games clearly, a few students lost interest in the game.<br />
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After the lesson, I decided to see how I could simplify the game and involve more people. So I came up a variation with your game. Here is how it goes.<br />
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You can start a game with 6-9 players.<br />
Deal out all the cards with the jokers included.<br />
The player to the dealers left will start. He will put a card down on the first box.<br />
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For example:<br />
<br />
B3+ ___ = ____<br />
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The second player will put a card in the second box, for example,<br />
<br />
B3+ R6 = ____<br />
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The third player will then see if he has the card to complete the number sentence, which is R3<br />
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Then he will then start of the new number sentence by putting down the first cards.<br />
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If he does not have R3, he will choose a card from his pile and put it facing down in the third box. The fourth player will then see if he has R3 and so on. The person that completes the number sentence correctly collects all the cards on the game board and starts off a new number sentence.<br />
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The game ends when a player has no more cards left over and the last pile is won by a player. The player with the most cards in hand wins.<br />
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The game ends straightaway when a person collects all the Joker cards.<br />
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The third card on the game board must be of magnitude 10 or lower. <br />
<br />
If for example, it is a player's turn to put the second card when he has only Black cards bigger than 3 on hand, for example B4<br />
<br />
B7+ B4 = B11 (there is no B11 card)<br />
<br />
Since he can't put down a card to satisfy the condition for the third box, he will put any card facing down in the second box, forfeiting it</blockquote>
Find the original game here: <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/2011/08/easy-new-number-sense-card-game-123.html">I Want to Teach Forever: Easy New Number Sense Card Game: 123 Switch!</a>.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-33276738321235498502014-04-21T11:00:00.000-05:002014-04-21T11:00:04.719-05:00This PD Video Triggered Flashbacks of My Own PD Nightmares<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/eAy3vJn4pbs" width="500"></iframe><br />
<br />This mind-numbing video of professional development from Chicago has been making the rounds recently, and for me it brought back a flood of memories of <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/2007/07/every-professional-development-workshop.html" target="_blank">awful PD my colleagues and I endured</a>. Usually the least effective workshops were created and run internally, but that didn't necessarily mean <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/2007/10/arrested-development-how-ti-teaches-ti.html" target="_blank">external "experts"</a> were much better.<br />
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In this case, at least the expert is modeling the methods they're peddling (which would be fine if such methods were any good to begin with). I can remember several examples where new methods or technology were simply talked about, looked at and then we were left to find out how to apply them to our classrooms on our own. The resources from <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/2008/01/ti-training-our-long-regional-nightmare.html" target="_blank">that kind of PD</a> ended up stuffed into the back of a closet, never to be heard from again.<br />
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Unfortunately, this is an example of why teachers are so disengaged from PD. When I would seek out relevant PD on my own, I was usually told that I couldn't take any professional days for them. Then the days that were built into the schedule were full of drivel like this. I would laugh when an administrator would try to teach us to be more engaging and to use exciting new methods by lecturing to us off of a PowerPoint for half a day. The absurdity of it all!<br />
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Seek out your own PD and take the time you need to dive into it, if you can. If not, take advantage of what's increasingly available online (often for free) and find a way to fit it around whatever new acronym your school has chosen to follow this year. Your teaching will be better off because of it.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-6762988290343762852014-04-14T11:00:00.000-05:002014-04-14T11:00:02.858-05:00A Song About My Time in the ClassroomCreativity and problem solving were the keys to my day-to-day life as a teacher, and I poured myself so fully into that life that I had little time or energy to put into anything else. In my life outside the classroom, I still have the need to create and put that drive into a variety of projects, including writing and playing music. I started that project over a year ago, but it took until recently for me to write anything about my time in the classroom.<br />
<br />
When the inspiration came, I wanted to tell the story of my students, not any particular one but an amalgam of those I met over the years. The result is this acoustic, country-tinged ballad entitled <i>Janie's Song</i>. Lyrics are below.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/130871644&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Janie was the new girl, she had trouble making friends<br />At that age, there's no easy kind of change.<br />She was bullied every day, before we cared what that was<br />livin' with a most familiar pain </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Janie was the only child from a single parent home<br />Just her and mom alone against the world<br />She saw this as a dead end town, next generation stickin' around<br />stickin' to the same script as before </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I've been in your shoes--<br />Singing awkward off-key teenage blues<br />And your good heart my be denied<br />You'll come out stronger on the other side<br />Leave this far behind you in a couple of years<br />I guess all that I'm tryin' to say, is Janie, wipe away those tears </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One day she put her head down, wouldn't talk to anyone<br />I whispered "you can always trust in me"<br />The burdens these kids carry around would break the backs of most<br />And your heart will not allow your eyes to see </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Janie came to me and cried, said she might take her own life,<br />"Nobody here would miss me if I died"<br />I would miss what you could do with the good heart that's inside of you<br />You're just a seed and the flower's still to come </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I've been in your shoes--<br />Singing awkward off-key teenage blues<br />And your good heart my be denied<br />You'll come out stronger on the other side<br />Leave this far behind you in a couple of years<br />I guess all that I'm tryin' to say, is Janie, wipe away those tears</blockquote>
Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-31567364508186450442014-04-11T14:47:00.000-05:002014-04-11T18:31:24.718-05:00April 2014 Reader on Educational Games<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OOsqkQytHOs" width="500"></iframe>
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<a href="http://tay.kotaku.com/improving-the-world-of-educational-gaming-1470215261">Improving the World of Educational Gaming</a> [Kotaku] - I agree wholeheartedly with the author here--the simplest improvement we can make is touting the educational aspects of everyday games while doing the opposite for educational games.<br />
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<a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2014/02/trip_hawkins_s_next_act_if_you_can_a_startup_for_social_emotional_learning.2.html">Trip Hawkins’s next act: If You Can, a startup for social emotional learning games.</a> [Slate] - We have barely scratched the surface of the potential of these tools. Here's an example of a game taking a step in the right direction.<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2014/02/02/high-school-fantasy-geopolitics/">How a High School Teacher Is 'Gamifying' World News</a> [Mashable] - Holy cow, I love this idea. If I was still in the social studies classroom, I would have loved this. It's important to note that educational gaming doesn't have to mean technology or video games; in this case, it's about <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/2013/07/what-we-really-mean-when-we-talk-about.html">gamifying</a> the learning process of a While Side note: I experimented with <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/search/label/fantasy%20sports">fantasy sports in the math classroom</a> years ago.<br />
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<a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/55265/immersive-video-games-future-education">Immersive Video Games: The Future of Education?</a> [Mental Floss] - Echoes a lot of what I wrote years ago for the <a href="http://edugamesresearch.com/blog/2010/02/28/no-need-to-reinvent-the-wheel-to-revolutionize-educational-video-games/">Educational Games Research</a> blog.<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2014/04/08/kidsmap-kickstarter/">All the World's a Game: Interactive Map Gives Kids the Travel Bug</a> [Mashable] - I always wanted to get that giant Hammacher Schlemmer world map, the one that would cover most if not all of one wall in your classroom, but this is way, way better.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-46916902580202300822014-03-21T11:00:00.000-05:002014-03-21T11:00:04.811-05:00New Online Learning Resources: March 2014Whether you're using online learning for your students or yourself, the number of options is increasing by the day. Here are just a few:<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/08/06/opencourseware/">10 OpenCourseWare Sites for a Free Education</a> [Mashable]<br />
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<a href="https://glean.co/">Glean — Find the best videos in education for you</a> [via Leilani Cohen] - A long time reader sent this educational video site to me, saying it could "eventually take the place of Khan Academy" in her classroom.<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/08/20/online-tutoring-resources/">9 Dependable Destinations for Online Tutoring</a> [Mashable]<br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/09/mindsy/">Mindsy Wants To Be The Netflix Of E-Learning</a> [TechCrunch]<br />
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<a href="http://lifehacker.com/this-free-course-in-music-engineering-teaches-you-with-1453131803">This Free Course in Music Engineering Teaches You with Music You Love</a> [Lifehacker] - It could be the start of a path to serious study or just for fun. Either way, this one intrigues me.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-55788970068412660162014-03-17T11:00:00.000-05:002014-03-17T13:31:44.423-05:00Review & Giveaway: Trying Not to Try by Edward Slingerland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bk_T_gkN5_U" width="500"></iframe><br />
<br />
There are moments when I am on stage, performing original music where I feel I am in "the zone." You will never convince me that I am anything more than a mediocre guitarist, singer and songwriter, but there are moments where everything seems to flow so effortlessly, I might as well be Jimi Hendrix up there. The energy in the crowd also seems to rise, at least from my perspective, as I am in "the zone." This is at the heart of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0770437613/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0770437613&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20">Trying Not to Try: The Art and Science of Spontaneity</a>.<br />
<br />
So when Edward Slingerland discusses <i>wu-wei</i> and <i>de</i>, ancient Chinese ideas about spontaneous, effortless action and a sort of charismatic energy that spurs people to follow, I knew what he was talking about. We identify it commonly in sports in America, such as when Michael Jordan would take over in critical, game-changing situations, or when Peyton Manning carves up an opponent's defense seemingly at will. As Slingerland points out, we can't explain it, precisely because it is something that seems natural.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0770437613/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0770437613&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hMRo6sCLGZduquI87Wra1FCPBmeZzvXGvuLIofoSiHMviASC4g4bwuHlcs6GQeMkmraJKHvuFO8bmB78Y-1iyGxULaC7RG3J0FgmN66wQqDGpOO5VdhG8tZt7g-3BHJP5UT7E3221GM/s1600/trying+not+to+try+cover.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
This is not a how-to book, and the suggestions about how to get closer to these states are largely buried under a heavy but interesting layer of Chinese thought, modern science and analogies. As I struggled to glean specific examples and ideas to apply to the classroom, I realized I was ironically trying too hard and losing sense of the central ideas of the book.<br />
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I would recommend this book as a lens with which to examine both ourselves and our culture, and as a not-so-subtle reminder that there's much to be gained in letting go, not trying so hard, and just going with the flow. For a hardworking teacher trying to get through the last stretch of the spring semester, that's an important lesson.<br />
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The good folks at Crown Publishers provided the review copy that I am once again giving away to one lucky reader. <b>To enter this giveaway, email teachforever@gmail.com with the subject TRYING GIVEAWAY by 11:59pm CST this Wednesday, 3/19/14</b>.<br />
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Grab your own copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0770437613/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0770437613&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20">Trying Not to Try: The Art and Science of Spontaneity</a> on Amazon.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-77655293150631173852014-03-14T11:00:00.000-05:002014-03-14T11:00:00.771-05:00Spring Break 2014 Reader on Coding in Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCxyCVcbuAd5fIBIxSzEmY30a8l8uR8seysBQ5vy6s-QLrWlYi9rw9vEPF-DtHN0kubaPanrjUHASydNul3O_OhNBD1aY3qjSE6C4VVkWTaLKC1nITuMqhMEfQbRvtmq5-oZ7g6OLN1E/s1600/hello+world.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCxyCVcbuAd5fIBIxSzEmY30a8l8uR8seysBQ5vy6s-QLrWlYi9rw9vEPF-DtHN0kubaPanrjUHASydNul3O_OhNBD1aY3qjSE6C4VVkWTaLKC1nITuMqhMEfQbRvtmq5-oZ7g6OLN1E/s1600/hello+world.png" /></a></div>
<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/04/after-11k-pre-orders-play-i-lands-8m-to-make-programming-kid-friendly-and-bring-its-interactive-toy-robots-to-tikes-near-you/">With 11K Pre-Orders, Play-i Lands $8M To Teach Kids To Code With Interactive Toy Robots</a> [TechCrunch] - Coming soon! This is an exciting development. I heard a recent TED talk adapted for NPR about how robots change the way we react to technology, including how we end up personifying and thus engaging at a more meaningful level with them than other tech. What Play-i is aiming for rings true with that in mind.<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2014/02/19/robot-turtles-board-game/">3-Year-Olds Can Learn to Code — One Robot Turtle at a Time</a> [Mashable] - The Logo programming (with its ubiquitous turtle) that I used to do on my Apple IIc had to have been part of the inspiration for this real world board game.<br />
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<a href="http://www.good.is/posts/why-we-need-coding-clubs-for-girls">Why We Need Coding Clubs for Girls</a> [GOOD]<br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/03/liukas-hello-ruby/">Getting Girls Into Programming, One Children’s Book At A Time</a> [TechCrunch]<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2014/01/17/apps-by-kids/">Proof the Next Great App Could Come From a Kid</a> [Mashable] Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-22057160981075886962014-02-12T13:19:00.003-06:002014-02-12T13:19:53.256-06:00Win $5K For Your School: Made By Milk Carton Construction Contest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KS5Y8hIjAMn2Pb8ETrTpE6a7D_Q2LGHykSJnrJYBim2-qp0rNWiib3mzoE_Qkc9QWiN95Rl1ehx14pzDInlgKuTDYhIy0Dj-s9ZltPcYIYIeIGxiL7hs1QgNQojvALdnm8bk21iCh0Q/s1600/mattarthur1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KS5Y8hIjAMn2Pb8ETrTpE6a7D_Q2LGHykSJnrJYBim2-qp0rNWiib3mzoE_Qkc9QWiN95Rl1ehx14pzDInlgKuTDYhIy0Dj-s9ZltPcYIYIeIGxiL7hs1QgNQojvALdnm8bk21iCh0Q/s1600/mattarthur1.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
I recently heard about another great contest for students: the <a href="http://www.madebymilkcontest.com/" target="_blank">Made By Milk Carton Construction Contest</a>. It's open to elementary, middle and high school students, with winning schools receiving $5,000!<br />
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Interested in participating in the upcoming Spring 2014 Made By Milk Carton Construction Contest? The program resumes with a new theme, <b>“Stories!”</b> Participants are required to use a <b>minimum of 100 cartons</b> to build a character, symbol or scene from a story. Think fairy tales, epic sagas, or science fiction! Entries will be accepted now <b>until April 16, 2014</b>. Visit <a href="http://www.madebymilkcontest.com/">www.madebymilkcontest.com</a> for official rules and upcoming contest details. </blockquote>
Last year's theme was "Transportation" and the contest's sponsor <a href="http://www.evergreenpackaging.com/" target="_blank">Evergreen Packaging</a> sent along a couple of winning entries. With this year's "Stories" theme, this would be a great project for English/Language Arts classes, art classes or for extracurricular group like National Honor Society or recycling club.<br />
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If your school participates, I'd love to see your entry! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWAps0jd3pLC9C3GAPNaFZuAQzqDsTDKrd2WmATFJp177PjMld6eokQXG266JjdYrI9MIDUlK9Q0Yd-bsunraOOD1_ENO3wZ0iSG_nT6tYRzTELsDK9gyd2yF3Ww_nfq-ECPURmeW0-c/s1600/mustang02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWAps0jd3pLC9C3GAPNaFZuAQzqDsTDKrd2WmATFJp177PjMld6eokQXG266JjdYrI9MIDUlK9Q0Yd-bsunraOOD1_ENO3wZ0iSG_nT6tYRzTELsDK9gyd2yF3Ww_nfq-ECPURmeW0-c/s1600/mustang02.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></div>
Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-46605383415858850152014-02-07T14:54:00.001-06:002014-02-07T14:54:11.733-06:00'Ten Cheap Lessons' Five Year Anniversary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNpJjgKYoAYF9TtBJxyOxl1Y4iH5s7iEf5HM_lwcpj_y2hyphenhyphenXYY7EXZnPAsIIRLCjHO-OQb_cGqXqLr5Zk61WZemq_d-VdGIrUjhil5o448EmMju5Btt9OEsdWzyxwSZ33mdiN0P6KvQU/s1600/front+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNpJjgKYoAYF9TtBJxyOxl1Y4iH5s7iEf5HM_lwcpj_y2hyphenhyphenXYY7EXZnPAsIIRLCjHO-OQb_cGqXqLr5Zk61WZemq_d-VdGIrUjhil5o448EmMju5Btt9OEsdWzyxwSZ33mdiN0P6KvQU/s1600/front+cover.jpg" /> </a></div>
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On January 31, 2008 I published my first book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1435709764/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1435709764&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">Ten Cheap Lessons: Easy, Engaging Activities for Every Secondary Classroom</a>, a collection of ten of my best lesson ideas meant to be adapted to fit different content and subject areas.<br />
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Last week was a huge milestone. I can't believe it's been five years since I fulfilled the dream of publishing and sharing my work with other teachers. I still get a kick out of walking into Barnes & Noble, typing my name in the computer and seeing my books pop up on the screen. <br />
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I just want to thank everyone that supported me over the years, both in and out of the classroom and through this website.<br />
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The original version is still out there, but I published an updated <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/tom-derosa/ten-cheap-lessons-second-edition/paperback/product-5449212.html" target="_blank">Second Edition</a> that I believe is a bit better. You can find both on <a href="http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/teachforever" target="_blank">my page on Lulu.com</a>, and you can still find <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1435709764/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1435709764&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">the original on Amazon</a>.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-14165431037078092212014-02-03T11:00:00.000-06:002014-02-03T11:00:01.884-06:00Review & Giveaway: Notes To A New Teacher by Dana Dunnan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnu_GO6f9tnx5mtK4IwtGNOXYLHEMUeJ3zA60Qvnk8NwjxPUsYguBBMWFyC9bSMvn3EpoeDnmA0JzSfrAbvlq9QHhcjCLFXGyoisTp3V6oK-NiPSDV5Rm8c928xfXhQ5wCXDqBtE3zFI/s1600/notes+to+a+new+teacher+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnu_GO6f9tnx5mtK4IwtGNOXYLHEMUeJ3zA60Qvnk8NwjxPUsYguBBMWFyC9bSMvn3EpoeDnmA0JzSfrAbvlq9QHhcjCLFXGyoisTp3V6oK-NiPSDV5Rm8c928xfXhQ5wCXDqBtE3zFI/s1600/notes+to+a+new+teacher+cover.jpg" height="320" width="198" /></a></div>
Dana Dunnan has a few years on me in the classroom--about twenty to be exact. He has taught a variety of subjects at the high school level in wealthy suburbs north of Boston for a long time. He also worked at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and on education policy at the state level in Massachusetts. On the surface, I certainly didn't see any parallels to my experiences in and out of the classroom.<br />
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Yet as I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1491297646/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1491297646&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">Notes to a New Teacher: A Not-for-Dummies Guide for Beginning Teacher</a>, I felt like I had found a kindred spirit. Dunnan's advice sounds eerily close to my own, supported with stories about his students as well as interactions with amazing people like legendary UCLA coach John Wooden. The book is written in a conversational tone, as if Dunnan was sitting down with you for a few hours to chat about teaching, not unlike <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0557567645/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0557567645&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">my own work aimed at helping young teachers</a>.<br />
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Dunnan covers the most critical topics for new teachers: the first day of school, assessments, and dealing with students, colleagues and parents. This is not new territory for books on teaching, of course, but his advice carries the weight of wide ranging experience and is delivered in a way most teachers can easily absorb.<br />
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As usual, <b>I am giving away my review copy of Notes to a New Teacher (sent to me by the author himself) to a lucky reader. Send an email with the subject "NOTES GIVEAWAY" to teachforever@gmail.com by Wednesday, February 5th at 11:59pm CST</b>, and I'll select a random reader to win.<br />
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For more information on the book and the author, <a href="http://chalkdustmemories.com/" target="_blank">visit his website</a>. If you would rather skip the contest and make sure to get yourself a copy, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1491297646/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1491297646&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">it's available on Amazon</a>.<br />
<br />Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-81312262640927362352014-01-20T11:00:00.000-06:002014-01-20T11:00:01.872-06:00Review & Giveaway: Physics: An Illustrated History of the Foundations of Science<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYGTTdy4LZTrSTzoA6YTqX2LvwFQhyphenhyphenPGP7x7_V_hoYXTVPh62eX4O2Q-9STTGn1CZ0bUle1y1cNaAWj2MxbdYT6LRzFwBmXehafkUCD703rbA8WxOvj-QMqkgWgMltAAApxHb7aOp6S8/s1600/physics+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYGTTdy4LZTrSTzoA6YTqX2LvwFQhyphenhyphenPGP7x7_V_hoYXTVPh62eX4O2Q-9STTGn1CZ0bUle1y1cNaAWj2MxbdYT6LRzFwBmXehafkUCD703rbA8WxOvj-QMqkgWgMltAAApxHb7aOp6S8/s1600/physics+cover.jpg" height="320" width="285" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098532306X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=098532306X&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">Physics: An Illustrated History of the Foundations of Science</a> doesn't have an attention-grabbing name (publishers should start hiring the people who write headlines at <a href="http://www.upworthy.com/" target="_blank">Upworthy</a> or <a href="http://gawker.com/" target="_blank">Gawker</a> to name their books), but attention-grabbing is exactly what this book is.<br />
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Part of the series "Ponderables: 100 Breakthroughs That Changed History Who Did What When" by science author Tom Jackson, breaks down the key developments in the history of physics (and, in turn, our understanding of the universe). <i>Physics</i> is overflowing with helpful illustrations and is written in digestible chapter not much longer than a typical blog post, which should help hold the attention of students and adults alike.<br />
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This is exactly the kind of engaging book I loved to have in my <a href="http://www.teachforever.com/search/label/classroom%20library" target="_blank">classroom library</a>--something a student could pick up and be quickly drawn in to, with the chance of sparking a bigger interest in the subject. It would also be a great coffee table book to have at home for young kids who are beginning to learn about the world around them<br />
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I'm giving away a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098532306X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=098532306X&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">Physics: An Illustrated History of the Foundations of Science</a> to one lucky reader.<b> To enter, email teachforever@gmail.com with the subject "Physics giveaway" by 11:59pm CST on Wednesday, January 22.</b> I'll pick a winner at random. Thanks to Shelter Harbor Press for providing the review copy.<br />
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Can't wait to flip through it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098532306X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=098532306X&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">Get it on Amazon today</a>.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-74724286849336139542014-01-17T11:00:00.000-06:002014-01-17T11:00:10.882-06:00January Weekend Reader on Social Media and Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-ycEGvsBYFgNwokqvTPtLb-VR0ZMN5WhgktESZbrr3sw32BXQY2vv-2BMx20EV6dmB0GPMJ52si-AukHuSyj_tnM4JmdH7kVnO3c2uMpEmZbvRnMVUGnB5_VoUngX2grbnUIXif3Ma4/s1600/2014-01-15+14.40.10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-ycEGvsBYFgNwokqvTPtLb-VR0ZMN5WhgktESZbrr3sw32BXQY2vv-2BMx20EV6dmB0GPMJ52si-AukHuSyj_tnM4JmdH7kVnO3c2uMpEmZbvRnMVUGnB5_VoUngX2grbnUIXif3Ma4/s1600/2014-01-15+14.40.10.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/business/they-loved-your-gpa-then-they-saw-your-tweets.html">They Loved Your G.P.A. Then They Saw Your Tweets.</a> [NYTimes.com] - This is one of the most important things we can ever teach our students about social media. They must understand what's public and what's not, how that's not always easy to figure out, and how that could potentially be viewed by potential colleges or employers.<br />
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<a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/12/should-schools-teach-social-media-skills/">Should Schools Teach Social Media Skills?</a> [MindShift] - YES.<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/09/25/ca-geo-listening/">School District Starts Monitoring Students' Social Media Behavior</a> [Mashable] - Not a fan of this.<br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/06/nickelodeon-vets-debut-batterypop-a-kid-safe-kid-programmed-online-network/">Nickelodeon Vets Debut BatteryPOP, A Kid-Safe, Kid-Programmed Online Network</a> [TechCrunch]<br />
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<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140114005604/en/K-12-Teachers-Uncertain-Connect-Students-Parents-Social#.UtbwLLSkvad" target="_blank">Survey: K-12 Teachers Unsure How To Use Social Media With Students and Parents</a> [Business Wire] - Nothing that surprising here. Teachers cannot be afraid to use this as a tool in their vast arsenal. <br />
<br />Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-90456946536738217872014-01-13T11:00:00.000-06:002014-01-13T11:00:05.841-06:00Review & Giveaway: How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2UaPDt3uxOlqkGVdXb3Ngml5ATdVnykPZ7rNXO-lGQ32h0tJVkedYZMG5BhY-Td0EV2P5dlHZLtbnchocvUezS7hXsPcTPanz6wTYqEc01_queGMLI3A4NB50iVUAHqgx14QFT03OwU/s1600/2013-07-08-ludwigshakespearecover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2UaPDt3uxOlqkGVdXb3Ngml5ATdVnykPZ7rNXO-lGQ32h0tJVkedYZMG5BhY-Td0EV2P5dlHZLtbnchocvUezS7hXsPcTPanz6wTYqEc01_queGMLI3A4NB50iVUAHqgx14QFT03OwU/s1600/2013-07-08-ludwigshakespearecover.jpeg" height="320" width="216" /></a></div>
I've never met him, nor have I even seen him in action, but Ken Ludwig is a great teacher. Before I looked through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307951499/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307951499&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20" target="_blank">How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare</a>, his new book on exactly that, it would have been difficult for you to convince me that I could believe it simply by reading the first chapter.<br />
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Yet there I was, following his directions to memorize and then understand a single line of poetry from <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i> ("I know a bank where the wild thyme grows"). As actor John Lithgow notes in his foreword, Ludwig's enthusiasm radiates from these pages. I could hear him speaking to me, as if I was sitting in a workshop learning from him in person. That's hard to do on the written page.<br />
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Ludwig frames the book around twenty-five key passages from The Bard's plays. You'll find out how to convey the literary, historical and cultural significance as well as teach the meaning behind words that will often be unfamiliar to kids. Ludwig correctly pushes you to model passages out loud, as any English teacher will tell you is key for the literacy of struggling and still learning readers. Even the beautiful rhythm of this poetry is a part of his course-in-a-book. <i>How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare</i> is thorough and detailed, but wholly accessible.<br />
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This is a book for teacher or parents interested in imparting this timeless knowledge to kids (or even adults). This would be an incredibly awesome giveaway if it was simply a copy of the book, but this copy is signed by Mr. Ludwig himself!<br />
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<b>As always, I'm giving this book away to a lucky reader. Email teachforever@gmail.com with the subject "Shakespeare" by 11:59pm CST on Wednesday 1/15/14</b>, and I'll pick a winner from that lot at random. Thanks to Crown, Broadway, and Hogarth and Random House, Inc. for providing a copy for the review and giveaway.<br />
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If you can't wait, you can pick up <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307951499/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307951499&linkCode=as2&tag=iwatotefo-20">How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare</a> on Amazon today.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-62338484059399706612014-01-10T11:00:00.000-06:002014-01-10T11:00:01.097-06:00Weekend Reader on Video Games in Education: January 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/11/07/video-games-brain-growth/">Video Games Make Your Brain Bigger, Study Says</a> [Mashable] - This is why I keep focusing on this topic.<br />
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<a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/53544/simcityedu-gaming-classroom">SimCityEDU: Gaming in the Classroom</a> [Mental Floss] - It's no surprise to see the newest generation of one of my favorite video games being used as a learning tool. I learned to think creativity and solve problems from the earlier, less complex versions, and the skills involved in creating a city in this iterations is much more complex. Bravo to GlassLab and EA.<br />
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<a href="http://the21stcenturyprincipal.blogspot.com/2013/12/opened-free-open-source-edtech-video.html">OpenEd: Free, Open Source EdTech Video and Games Resource for Teachers</a> [The 21st Century Principal]<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/catriona-wallis/video-games-are-teaching-our-kids_b_4209621.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003">Video Games Are Teaching Our Kids to Succeed in the 21st Century | Catriona Wallis</a> [HuffPo]<br />
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<a href="http://www.good.is/posts/five-ways-that-games-are-more-than-just-fun">Five Ways that Games are More than Just Fun</a> [GOOD]Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-64239343561229745262014-01-03T15:25:00.000-06:002014-01-03T15:25:00.021-06:00Weekend Reader on Coding in Education: January 2013<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NqkAaLp4MFs" width="500"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-12-10/news/ct-cps-computer-science-plan-met-1210-20131210_1_computer-science-ceo-barbara-byrd-bennett-code-org">CPS to make computer science a core subject</a>
[Chicago Tribune] - This is revolutionary, far more so than putting
tablets or laptops in the hands of every child, and it's only the
beginning.<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/11/16/finland-tech-education-schools/">Finland Eyes Programming Classes for Elementary School Students</a> [Mashable] - I find this shift both wonderful and hilarious: in high school, Algebra 2 Honors students were required to take a computer science class as well (we were ahead of the curve) where we did programming in Pascal. At that time, most of my classmates wanted nothing to do with it. Nowadays, I think most students growing up in this digital generation would embrace coding courses.<br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/24/primo/">Primo Is An Arduino Robot That Teaches Kids Programming Logic Through Play</a> [TechCrunch]<br />
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<a href="http://www.good.is/posts/for-low-income-youth-learning-to-code-s-about-more-than-jobs">For Low-Income Youth, Learning to Code's About More Than Jobs</a> [GOOD]<br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/14/code-literacy/">Code Literacy Doesn’t Need To Come At The Expense Of Other Skills</a> [TechCrunch]Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-64081144710272325772013-12-13T11:00:00.000-06:002013-12-13T11:00:01.342-06:00Weekend Reader on Bullying<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Gq7ZgXz_YLc" width="500"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://laughingsquid.com/5th-grade-football-team-rallys-around-their-1st-grade-waterboy-who-was-being-bullied/">5th Grade Football Team Rallys Around Their 1st Grade Waterboy Who Was Being Bullied</a> [Laughing Squid]<br />
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<a href="http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/thisweekineducation/2013/10/bruno-bullying-is-bad-but-do-we-know-how-to-stop-it.html">Bruno: Bullying Is Bad, But Do We Know How To Stop It?</a> [This Week In Education]<br />
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<a href="http://www.good.is/posts/want-to-squash-bullying-c-mon-let-kids-play">Want to Squash Bullying? C'mon, Let Kids Play</a> [GOOD]<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/10/31/whisper/">Is Anonymous Social Media the Answer to Cyberbullying?</a> [Mashable] - The headline of this article is both misleading and preposterous. It's actually a feature/review of a new app called Whisper, which sounds exactly like the scrapped PostSecret app (yet somehow this is never mentioned) in that people anonymously post secrets. In any case, let's think about that headline: social media is getting more personal and less private by the day. If anything, recent trends point to near transparency and the end of privacy as we once defined it. Facebook, Twitter, and other major networks are not going to make a huge left turn towards anonymity. Instead of posing pointless questions like this, let's ask questions that get us closer to real solutions.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/yes-your-school-watching-you/">Yes, Your School is Watching You - The Takeaway</a> [via The Quick and the Ed] - A debate on monitoring social media as a way to prevent cyberbullying and other online harassment by students.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-78450612835902539072013-12-09T11:00:00.000-06:002013-12-09T11:00:04.123-06:00Review & Giveaway: That's Baloney!, Educational App<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCe3rP8uRb6gETSTDcgo8pz1fIWGU3qGRqcKoe6qOpyM5X_LjMrCeG4UU2TsHnBIdT_agPLDEmJNZTg0JLdkxxdf-fEn1633onpwnDtxVzK1F_mvg7-E0Ik3xVMmWIGon1iq7XMO-f_A/s1600/That's+Baloney!+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCe3rP8uRb6gETSTDcgo8pz1fIWGU3qGRqcKoe6qOpyM5X_LjMrCeG4UU2TsHnBIdT_agPLDEmJNZTg0JLdkxxdf-fEn1633onpwnDtxVzK1F_mvg7-E0Ik3xVMmWIGon1iq7XMO-f_A/s320/That's+Baloney!+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
One of my favorite PC games growing up was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_in_Time_Is_Carmen_Sandiego%3F_%281989%29" target="_blank"><i>Where In Time Is Carmen Sandiego?</i></a>. As you traveled through time and around the world, you had to follow clues to figure out where to head next to catch Carmen and her gang.<br />
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The historical clues mentioned tons of things I had not learned in school yet and at first, I was making no progress. I wanted to beat the game so badly, I started looking everything up in our set of encyclopedias (these were pre-Google days, of course).<br />
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I learned a lot of history this way, and I discovered a love for the subject that followed me through college, where I majored in the subject. Without <i>Carmen Sandiego</i>, I may never have been set on that path.<br />
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<a href="http://evancedgames.com/games/#baloney" target="_blank">That's Baloney!</a>, a new iOS/Android app by <a href="http://evancedgames.com/" target="_blank">Evanced Games</a> that I recently had the chance to try out, reminded me of the challenge of <i>Carmen Sandiego</i>. Players are presented with statements in a variety of subjects in grade levels 2-6 and have to decide whether each is true or just baloney.<br />
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Before I played the game, I thought it would be too simple: you have a 50-50 chance of judging each statement correctly even if you guess, and you can make several mistakes and still complete a round successfully. Instead, I found <i>That's Baloney!</i> inspired the same desire to learn what was wrong about a particular statement when I guessed correctly that it was "baloney."<br />
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When you answer incorrectly, you are given a "pickle" that tells you why you were wrong. When you answer correctly, the game continues as you slowly eat your way through a stack of baloney. If you answer correctly that something <i>is</i> baloney, you aren't told immediately what was wrong with the statement, but at the end of the round you can read explanations of what exactly was wrong.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnYzzyy3GEPzA1DRqm6_0AaVnnh6fmT-XTlBudD9PnyXOUeJR9I-VaqK3eAENwcqss8oHkDUrV_Cvt_MLltKEj4h47vgiFsDT0HwM4bOHtNOqfAdR_PSnd_s_pZAOy5e6JiJy06nfPRY/s1600/That's+Baloney+Screen+Shot2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnYzzyy3GEPzA1DRqm6_0AaVnnh6fmT-XTlBudD9PnyXOUeJR9I-VaqK3eAENwcqss8oHkDUrV_Cvt_MLltKEj4h47vgiFsDT0HwM4bOHtNOqfAdR_PSnd_s_pZAOy5e6JiJy06nfPRY/s400/That's+Baloney+Screen+Shot2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
As you successfully complete rounds, snacks and sandwiches begin to fill your virtual fridge (where players keep track of what they've done). With over 500 unique questions for each subject at each grade level, there is a lot of food to be collected.<br />
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The questions are challenging, written at a level that might intimidate struggling readers at first but are short enough to push them to succeed. The game is untimed, so kids can take their time reading and considering each statement thoughtfully. When I spoke with the game's designers last week, they told me that the statements are based on <a href="http://www.corestandards.org/" target="_blank">Common Core</a> standards and are aimed at building reading comprehension as much as anything else. <i>That's Baloney!</i> is actually an adaptation of an award-winning card game with the same premise.<br />
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I recommend this game for your tablet and smartphone-wielding children and students in the target age range (grades 2-6, ages 4-8). Honestly, I found myself feeling like I was on <i>Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?</i> as I lost a round of supposedly 5th grade statements. The same desire to learn the right answer that followed me when playing <i>Carmen Sandiego</i> followed me in <i>That's Baloney!</i>, as I read each explanation at the end of the round. <br />
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Evanced Games has given me a download code to get <i>That's Baloney!</i> for free (normally $2.99 for iOS/Android), and that's what I'm offering to one lucky reader! <b>Send an email with the subject "That's Baloney" to teachforever@gmail.com by 11:59pm CST this Tuesday to enter</b>, and I'll pick a random winner who will get the code. Good luck!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIh950MM_Ry3_32FHNLFUWURsAfv5fwYU5uREK0FZAvoYZ67Ft-FlzEh9N5JBHP5VYS4k-_piQrkTGsbmApiGrbm1x6l8LDwI3FDDEevdUX8MY86xhryXc3Io6yne4YOf21kXyDuPDC0/s1600/That's+Baloney+Screen+Shot3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIh950MM_Ry3_32FHNLFUWURsAfv5fwYU5uREK0FZAvoYZ67Ft-FlzEh9N5JBHP5VYS4k-_piQrkTGsbmApiGrbm1x6l8LDwI3FDDEevdUX8MY86xhryXc3Io6yne4YOf21kXyDuPDC0/s400/That's+Baloney+Screen+Shot3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-68450418922689316492013-11-22T11:00:00.000-06:002013-11-22T11:00:05.132-06:00Weekend Reader on Large Scale Tablet Rollouts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2013/10/l_a_school_ipad_program_students_should_hack_their_tablets.html">L.A. school iPad program: Students should hack their tablets.</a> [Slate] - A response to the news that <a href="http://consumerist.com/2013/10/02/l-a-schools-now-taking-back-ipads-from-students-who-dare-to-use-them-for-purposes-of-fun/">L.A. Schools Now Taking Back iPads From Students Who Dare To Use Them For Purposes Of Fun</a> (Consumerist).<br />
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<a href="http://scholasticadministrator.typepad.com/thisweekineducation/2013/10/cps-ipads.html">EdTech: Chicago's Slow But Steady Tablet Rollout</a> [This Week In Education]<br />
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<a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2013/10/free-thinkers/">How a Radical New Teaching Method Could Unleash a Generation of Geniuses</a> [Wired] - This is the November 2013 cover story, and it's about a border town not too far from me (Matamoros, across the Rio Grande River from Brownsville, TX).<br />
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<a href="http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/article_4bf0e45c-3220-11e3-ab78-001a4bcf6878.html">Valley becomes proving ground for innovation in educational programming</a> [The Monitor (McAllen, TX)] - A local article on tech initiatives in my home of the Rio Grande Valley, including McAllen's iPad rollout (I was a part of the pilot group two years ago) and how our region is being looked at across the nation.<br />
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<a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-24/the-ipad-goes-to-school-the-rise-of-educational-tablets">The iPad Goes to School: The Rise of Educational Tablets</a> [Businessweek] - Across all of these articles, most educators will notice a central ongoing issue with schools and technology: schools and districts rush to buy the latest and greatest technology with the promise of better results, but rarely think about how to use it effectively until later.<br />
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I watched this happen over the past ten years with calculators, "clickers", laptops, software, the Internet, smartboards, and on and on and on. I'm not saying these devices aren't useful or important, but unless schools figure out ways to use them productively (and that doesn't mean using them as glorified textbooks), they'll just end up on the school tech garbage pile.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-68755496175677749622013-11-15T11:00:00.000-06:002013-11-15T11:00:04.431-06:00Weekend Reader on Coding and Education: November 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wired.com/opinion/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/ap_code_2f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://www.wired.com/opinion/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/ap_code_2f.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teaching young kids algorithms. <i>Wired</i>, September 2013</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.good.is/posts/crushing-south-l-a-s-digital-divide-by-teaching-youth-to-code">Crushing South L.A.'s Digital Divide by Teaching Youth to Code</a> [GOOD]<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/10/28/playi/">This Robot Can Teach Programming to Your 5-Year-Old</a> [Mashable]<br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/06/with-tynkers-new-service-kids-can-learn-to-code-at-home/">With Tynker’s New Service, Kids Can Learn To Code At Home</a> [TechCrunch]<br />
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<a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/10/18/kids-learn-code-programming#awesm=~omqRGLENskyk1O">Schools Aren't Teaching Kids To Code; Here's Who Is Filling The Gap</a> [ReadWrite]<br />
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<a href="http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/09/ap_code/">Forget Foreign Languages and Music. Teach Our Kids to Code</a> [Wired] - Appeared in the the October issue of the magazine.Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685403469183555837.post-89492771259008439582013-11-08T11:00:00.000-06:002013-11-08T11:00:07.897-06:00Weekend Reader on the High School to College Transition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://reviewrantrave.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/f3e0d346ef88d7223d406be8d82a96f31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://reviewrantrave.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/f3e0d346ef88d7223d406be8d82a96f31.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/08/19/linkedin-university-pages/">LinkedIn's New University Pages Help Teens Network Before College</a> [Mashable]<br />
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<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/06/scholly-helps-students-find-their-ideal-scholarships-on-their-smartphones/">Scholly Helps Students Find Their Ideal Scholarships On Their Smartphones</a> [TechCrunch] - A useful app.<br />
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<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/08/14/freshman-year-college-high-school/">10 Differences Between Freshman Year in High School and College</a> [Mashable]<br />
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<a href="http://consumerist.com/2013/10/08/how-to-not-suck-at-first-year-college-budgets/">How To Not Suck… At First Year College Budgets</a> [Consumerist]<br />
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<a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/10/03/closing-the-financial-literacy-gap-to-combat-student-debt">Closing the Financial Literacy Gap to Combat Student Debt</a> [US News and World Report]<br />
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<a href="http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/10/28/colleges-use-fafsa-information-reject-students-and-potentially-lower-financial-aid">Colleges use FAFSA information to reject students and potentially lower financial aid packages</a> [Inside Higher Ed]Tom DeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960561773050547167noreply@blogger.com