Educator Effectiveness

Teachers' Top Three from ESE - April 7, 2016

1. New Resource: Ideas for Celebrating Earth Day
   April 22 is the 46th anniversary of Earth Day, and this year's focus is trees. Learn more about this year's theme, download your on Earth Day Action Toolkit, and search for events near you online.
   
   Here are a few other web resources to consider if you're looking for Earth Day activities for your students and school communities:

   • ReadWriteThink: Celebrate Earth Day!
   • Edutopia: Earth Day: Lesson Plans, Reading Lists, and Classroom Ideas
   • National Education Association: Earth Day Curriculum Resources, Grades K–5

2. Get Involved: Upcoming Webinars from ESE's Office of Digital Learning
   The Office of Digital Learning supports the expansion of districts', students', and educators' digital learning capacity and literacy in order to advance learning for every student in the Commonwealth. The team provides polices, guidance, professional development, and support in the following areas: district technology and infrastructure capacity, classroom level instructional tools, assistive technology resources, virtual schools and online courses, and emerging digital learning trends.
   
   Check out these two upcoming webinars:

   • Digital Learning Webinar: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Initiatives — April 28, 2016, 3–4 p.m.
     Given the potential of technology to enhance teaching and learning, many districts are considering having every student use a mobile device (laptop, tablet, netbook, smartphone, graphing calculator, etc.). This webinar will share information on bring your own device initiatives in K-12. Learn more about the guest speaker and register.

   • Digital Learning Webinar: Universal Design for Learning and Ed-Tech — May 25, 2016, 2–3 p.m.
     Grounded in the learning sciences and leveraging multimedia technology, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that guides the design of instructional approaches and curricular materials that support learning for all students. Please join the Office of Digital Learning and guest speaker Sam Johnston, a research scientist at CAST and member of the state's Digital Learning Advisory Council (DLAC), to discuss UDL and educational technology.

3. The Buzz: "12 Words That Should Be in Our Educational Vocabulary"
   In an Education Week blog, author and former elementary school principal Peter DeWitt shares the 12 words he believes should be in everyone's educational vocabulary. He reminds us that the power of these words is up to us and how we use them:
   
   

   "The interesting thing about words that should be banned from… or added to… our vocabulary is that their success is dependent on how we use them in school. If they are words that are seen as pushing more compliance, then educators will want them banished. If they are words that bring people together in a positive way or foster teachers maintaining their identity, they will be used more positively."
   
   Read "12 Words that should be in our educational vocabulary"" online at EdWeek. What words would you add? Join the conversation at #Top3fromESE.