The Time Paradox

  What have you done to help students who are stuck in time?  Those students who say 'I can't do it,'  'I don't remember,'  'Who cares?'  Having just read Zimbardo & Boyd's The Time Paradox offered a few ideas of how to jump start those students who are stuck in the present and help them envision the future.
  1.  Supply them with a toolbox of coping strategies such as breaking tasks into smaller portions, trying, asking for help, recognizing improvement
  2.  Cultivating optimism - share examples of people who have overcome obstacles, post inspiring quotes, provide mentally stimulating exercises, visualize, simulations, affirmations
  3.  Setting goals - in increments, what do you want to achieve?, visualization
  4.  Releasing those endorphins through movement and exercise.
  Try a few of these ideas on students who are stuck.  Give them a vision for the summer break.  Here's the link to a RSA summary of the book.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oIiH7BLmg

Creativity

What do you do to inspire creativity with your students?  America has a reputation for inventiveness, patents and individuality.  Is it still possible with all the testing pressure that is narrowing the time teachers and students have?  Share you ideas!

"Your Brain on Fiction"

Since I have been promoting more non-fiction exposure for students, particularly in K-8, it was fun to read this article about the role fiction plays in our growth.  Remember all those easy books we read out loud to our children and students!  Some they knew by heart and we did too!  The article cites studies that show the relationship between identifying with fictional characters and the development of empathy, specifically 'theory of mind.'  Seems like a balanced literary diet is called for!

Responsive teaching

Remember that the teacher learns the most - so make the students teach.  Model how they can sit - side by side, facing opposite direction.  One reads and explains and then the other.  Paired students can do this and you can too! Students will love having their turn with you.  This works very effectively with content areas such as Social Studies and Science.