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Dr. Anael Alston talks about what really turns schools around From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Today we’re talking to Dr. Anael Alston about specific issues with high-poverty schools . In a refreshing take on dramatic school change, Anael does not recommend that we assign blame. Instead, he recommends an approach that focuses on teacher expectations and several other things. As a turnaround principal himself, Anael has insights into how to help teachers change their attitude about how students can perform. I think his principles apply to all teachers, because we all have students who struggle. We all have students who need us to believe in them. I think perhaps the greatest challenge is what Anael tells teachers who just don’t believe the kids can do it. It’s actually genius. Take a listen. (Oh, and there were so many great quotes, I’ve included them in graphics at the bottom for those listeners who love to pin great quotes to Pint...

a Talk with Tony Vincent From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter A secret to great teaching is to understand what students know. I’ve had times when one or two students begged me to move on because what I was teaching was “so easy” or they were “bored. When I did, I would discover that the rest of the class did not master the material and I had moved on too quickly! We all struggle to know what students know “in the moment” so we can adjust our teaching. We need them to master the material. We need to teach it. But how can we know what they know without depending on hand raising and verbal feedback from just a few students? Formative assessment is the answer. Formative assessment can supercharge your classroom learning. Technology can make formative assessment easier for you. Lesson flow. Formative assessment gives us the ability to quiz every single student in the class. Every teacher should have one or two formative assessment too...

Use technology to help you teach math From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Use the real world to teach without the mess of physical manipulatives. In brief, virtual math manipulatives are powerful tools for math teachers everywhere. On the whole, many teachers don’t understand how to use them. So, today, you’ll get a simple tour of virtual math manipulatives from expert David Wees. In light of the fact that NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) and other organizations highly recommend manipulatives in the math classroom, today’s topic is essential for math teachers. At this point, pretty much every standard out there has math manipulatives you can use to teach it. Despite what some may think, virtual math manipulatives AREN’T videos — they are tools that allow students to interact and manipulate objects as they learn.   Listen to this show on: BAM Radio Network | iTunes Today’s Sponsor Matific Virtual math ...

Ideas from the "The Reading Strategies Book" From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Do you want to help students love writing? In this segment, we talk about a new book including 300 strategies to get students excited about writing. So, if you’re struggling to teach writing and get students engaged, listen to Jennifer Seravallo’s ideas. From peer review across the entire process to engaging students in writing, Jennifer is full of high-impact ideas to improve classroom writing. Listen to this show on: BAM Radio Network | iTunes | Stitcher Today’s Sponsor, Write the World Write the World is a fantastic free tool to encourage writing in your classroom. Not only can teachers run writing contests but they can also assign classroom writing prompts. Also, students can join the monthly contests and global writing prompts with other students around the world. Furthermore, Write the World has a  schedule of their writing prompt s fo...

Level Up to Teach Classic Literature Like a Pro From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Classic literature can be exciting. You can teach classic literature like a pro with today’s insight from Starr Sackstein. What do Rodney Dangerfield, Alfred Hitchcock, and Harry Potter have to do with teaching students about classical literature? You’ll have to listen to find out. (I can’t believe all of them came up in one episode!) This wide-ranging conversation hits at the heart of teaching literature. Just because a piece was written hundreds of years ago doesn’t mean that it be irrelevant to the students who read the text. From making annotations to making the book relevant, to finding the “right answer,” Starr talks about the pitfalls and successful strategies she has used to teach kids about classical literature. Listen to this show on  BAM Radio Network | iTunes | Stitcher Today’s Sponsor, Owl Eyes If you teach classical literature, y...

Tuesday, September 6, 2016 7pm EDT From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter I’m continuing the Education Technology Series that I’ve been running this fall. Tomorrow night, Tuesday, September 6 at 7pm, EDT I’ll host 8 Steps to Global Collaboration in Every Classroom . In this 1-hour and 15-minute class I’ll share: 5 reasons most teachers fail to consistently bring global collaboration into their classroom How to connect and build projects that transform learning and thinking. The top 4 reasons to connect your students globally. The 8 simple steps to creating and continuing engaging global collaborative experiences for your classroom. Register now You’ll receive a workbook for notetaking once you register and some free materials if you attend the class. If you cannot attend, you can pre-order this class at the Cool Cat Teacher Store . You’ll get the workbook, PDF copies of the slides, and a link to download the video.   The pos...