Ideas Worth Spreading Over the Summer

We’ve shared TED:  Ideas Worth Sharing with you before, most recently when WGBY aired PBS’s TED Talks Education on May 7^th.  TED — not a name but an acronym for technology, engineering and design — offers talks that now span a world of subjects.

Because we’re so inspired by these talks and summer’s a great time to renew, we’ll regularly feature TED talks, some specifically on education and all about learning, teaching and passing on great ideas.

Here are a few suggestions to start off your summer:

Kiran Bir Sethi teaches kids to take charge (9 mins, 32 sec.): This empowering educator reveals how her Riverside School in India teaches students how to think and act with an “I can” attitude that ‘s infectious. You’ll see how they take issues with real-world relevance and change their world and the people in it.

Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education (20  mins, 27 secs.):  The founder and faculty of the Khan Academy talks about how and why he created what has become a wildly successful series of educational videos offering courses in math and other subjects. He shows how powerful interactive exercises can be and asks teachers to consider flipping the traditional classroom, giving students video lectures as home assignments and traditional  ”homework” in class — where the teacher can help as needed.

Inspire us.  Let us know what you think, and please pass on those ideas you find worth spreading.

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“WordWorld” DVD for PreK-2 Learners Builds Vocabulary

Here is an hour long DVD that’s broken into four easy-to-watch segments by young learners that builds vocabulary, phonics, spelling, cognitive, letter knowledge and language development. Episodes include “Happy Birthday Dog!”, “Sh-Sh-Shark”, “The Mystery of the Disappearing Pie” and “Snug as a Bug”. Borrow WordWorld (I.D. 2111) for a month by clicking here

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Boosting Student Performance — It’s About Relationships

By Meris Stansbury, Associate Editor, eSchool News, May 8, 2013 — “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like,” says Rita Pierson, a veteran educator and recent TED Talks Education speaker. According to Pierson, connecting with students on a real, human level is the key to improving student performance.

Pierson, who’s been a professional educator for 40 years, has worked at every level of the public school spectrum from elementary through high school. Having been in education for such a long time, she says she’s witnessed many changes, all aimed at school improvement and boosting student performance.

Read the entire article by clicking here

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New teacher survey shows digital resources support classroom learning

PBS LearningMedia’s new survey of teachers found that teachers are embracing digital resources to propel learning in the classroom.  Check out this inforgraphic with some really interesting findings.

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Seven elements for effective community-school partnerships

By Meris Stansbury, Associate Editor, eSchool News, February 3, 2013 — According to the Harvard Family Research Project report, “Partnerships for Learning: Community Support for Youth Success,” data collected from a community schools initiative called Elve 8 show what successful partnerships for learning look like—and the effects these can have on learning.

When partners work together to combine resources strategically, aligning their goals with the curriculum, a “seamless web of supports” is created that provides children with a “holistic learning experience,” says the report.

According to the report, by offering an array of combined services, community schools are able to create five “conditions” that research indicates are necessary for youth to succeed:

1. A shared vision of learning: Partners share a common understanding of the goals and resources needed to support children’s learning.

2. Shared leadership and governance: Partners have an equal say in leading efforts to support children and families

3. Complementary partnerships: Partners share complementary skills and areas of expertise to create a seamless and comprehensive set of learning supports for children.

4. Effective communication: Partners communicate effectively and frequently to ensure they are aligning their activities and are working in harmony with one another.

5. Regular and consistent sharing of information about youth progress: Partners have access to crucial data that help them better understand the youth they serve.

6. Family engagement: Families serve as key partners to help address the complex conditions and varied environments where children learn and grow.

7. Collaborative staffing models: Schools and community organizations create staffing structures that intentionally blend roles across partners, so that staff work in multiple settings to provide adult support spanning school and non-school hours.

Read the entire story here.

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Happy Valentine’s Day from WGBY and PBS KIDS!

Happy Valentine’s Day from WGBY!

Today at 11:00am -11:30am, WGBY will air the national premiere of “You Are Special,” an all-new Valentine’s Day episode on Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, the new, highly rated pre-school series inspired by the original Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.  Known to be a great fan of Fred Rogers, singer-songwriter Jason Mraz will sing the opening and closing songs – “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” and “It’s Such a Good Feeling” – with their messages of happiness, love and acceptance.  At Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood website you can find games, video and printables, and at the teachers’ site, more about early childhood activities and the show’s learning goals.

At an older and much beloved program, Arthur, what better way to open children’s eyes to a celebration of love than poetry?  There’s a Valentine’s Day poem by Eloise entitled It’s Valentine’s Day at Fern’s Poetry Nook as well as Happy Valentine’s Day episodes and fun activities .  And Arthur’s Poetry Club has even more with poetry videos, poems and activities for writing poems.

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Cyber-Bullying, Communication and Cultural Diversity

Help students to recognize bullying and respond to conflict thoughtfully by integrating any of the following featured resources into your lesson plans:

In the Mix: Conflict Resolution
Grades 7-13+ | Video | Communication Skills
Observe a group of high school students as they discuss ways in which they deal with conflict. Consider using this resource as a class conversation starter.

Cyber-Bullying
Grades 7-12 | Video | Types of Bullying
Show students how bullies use text messages and the Internet to threaten others, and discuss the steps that they can take to address this form of harassment.

The Teenage Brain
Grades 6-8 | Video | Biology & Behavior
Gain insight into the development of the teenage brain. Ask students to consider how natural changes in the brain play a role in the way teens relate to one another.

Succeeding in School
Grades 5-12 | Video | Story of Success
Inspire students with the personal story of Omarina, a student who faced overwhelming odds but was able to succeed with support from her school community and a supportive learning environment.

Martha Speaks: Martha Walks the Dog
Grades K-1, 4-5 | Video
There’s a new, mean dog in town. Use this resource to show young students that first impressions can sometimes be deceiving.

If you’ve yet to take advantage of free PBS TeacherLine enrollment, you can register today for additional content.

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Celebrating 50 Years of Clifford and His Big Ideas

To celebrate Clifford the Big Red Dog’s 50^th anniversary, WGBY held a January birthday party for 80 Clifford fans at the YMCA of Greater Springfield.  Before the celebration, children helped to make a BIG Clifford birthday card that you can view for a while on WGBY’s website.  Among the party festivities, children wore red Clifford ears that they made, listened to a story about Clifford and his owner, Emily Elizabeth, and danced to his lively theme song.  The pre-schoolers also viewed an episode of the big, red, loveable dog that helped them learn the importance of how to “Work Together,” one of Clifford’s 10 Big Ideas.

At Clifford’s parent and educator site, you’ll find lots of activities, many built around his big ideas, such as a Heart Stamp to learn how to “Be a Good Friend,” a Handy Reminder to remember to “Be Responsible,”and Share-a-Sock Puppets to practice how to  “Share.”  In addition, a Guide to Online Activities provides printable hints for each activity and game on the Clifford site to help you help a child get the most from the experience!

All children can celebrate Clifford’s birthday with their families by watching “Clifford’s Really Big Movie,” which will air on WGBY in February!

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Careers in Science

What better time to discuss careers and goal setting with your students than on the cusp of a new year? This month, PBS LearningMedia features a collection of resources focused on STEM careers that’s both motivating and insightful.  Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find from PBS’s digital media library for preK-13+ educators:

I Want to Be A Scientist!  (PreK-1, Video Group) Inspire curiosity around careers in science as your early learners follow Sid and his classmates on a trip to the Science Center where they meet a real-world biologist, a chemist, an engineer, and an astronaut.

Scientist Profiles (Grades 4-6, Videos): Robotic Life Scientist Inspired by “Star Wars,” this MIT professor works on the development of robots that display personality. Take a look at this fun, high-tech career (Spanish version also available.)  Game Designer:  Do your students love video games and sports? So does David Ortiz. Show them how computer science, design, and math influence his work as a video game designer.

 Designing a Roller Coaster  (Grades 5-12, Video and Discussion)  Introduce your students to roller coaster designer, Chris Gray. Learn how the forces of gravity and potential energy impact his work as an engineer and help him manufacture a thrilling roller coaster experience.

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Sneak Peek at Enhanced Version of PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia is your destination for easy, instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos and interactives perfect for the Interactive Whiteboard, plus audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans. You can search, save and share and, best of all, this digital media content library is free for educators!

PBS LearningMedia is launching an enhanced version of the site in a few weeks, and you can get a sneak peek of the preview site now. We hope you like the new look and feel of the PBS LearningMedia site and suggest that, if possible, you try viewing it on your tablet for an optimized experience. Explore great new content collections like these:

• Environmental Public Health
• Freedom Riders
• American Masters
• Martha Speaks
• From the Top at Carnegie Hall

While you may notice bugs in this preview site, PBS is working hard to fix them as they’re discovered, and we thank you for your patience as PBS LearningMedia is improved.

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