Edutopia - October/November 2008 - (Page 23)

HeadofClassJHotStuff FieldTrips FactCheckEd.org Annenberg Public Policy Center; free factchecked.org This offshoot of FactCheck.org helps students become savvy media consumers. The nonpartisan site turns a critical eye toward political statements of all stripes, scrutinizes misleading advertising claims, and gives kids pointers on evaluating information found online. It also provides a dictionary. For educators, the site offers lesson plans and guides for teaching critical thinking, the proper use of sources, and how to recognize deceptive arguments. October Problem-Student Problem-Solver Workshop 13–14, Kansas City, Missouri This solutions-ﬁlled conference will equip you with strategies for dealing with troubled students. Learn how to deal with such challenges as truancy, apathy, depression, violence, and more. Innovative Learning Conference 14–16, San Jose, California Enjoy networking, problem solving, sessions on student achievement, and exhibit halls galore. Explore new ways to use technology and teaching tools in grades K–12. Closing the Gap Conference Listening First Stereo Headphone Califone; $14 ($44 for Sound Alert Monaural) califone.com Designed for young children, the Listening First Stero Headphone sports tigers, bears, or pandas on the earpieces. It offers volume control, ambient-noise reduction for hearing clarity, and a comfortable fit. Made with ABS plastic to withstand classroom wear and tear, it comes with a one-year school-use warranty. To prevent damage to a student’s hearing, Califone also offers the equally durable (and animal-free) Sound Alert Monaural Headphone, which has a red warning light to notify the user and teacher when the noise volume from the headphone exceeds the safe 85 decibels. 14–18, Minneapolis, Minnesota Hear from government ofﬁcials, people with disabilities, software developers, administrators, and others during this exploration of how technology helps students with disabilities. Technology Education Conference 17, Menomonie, Wisconsin Discuss curriculum plans with colleagues involved with technology in education at the secondary school level. T+L Conference 28–30, Seattle, Washington Presented by the National School Board Association, this year’s conference covers the latest in educational technology, including Web 2.0, social networking, open source solutions, and educational games. National Association for Gifted Children Convention October 30–November 2, Tampa, Florida Learn activities that will stimulate and challenge your high-achieving students and foster their creativity, leadership, and intellect. Jott Beta Jott Networks; service free, standard phone-usage/texting charges apply jott.com Don’t let those great ideas slip away. The next time inspiration strikes but you can’t stop what you’re doing to write it down, give Jott a call on your cell phone. Subscribers to the service can dial (866) 568-8123 and leave a thirty-second voice message. Voilà: The voice message is translated into text and emailed and/or text-messaged to you or anyone (even a group) on your list of contacts. The message can also be posted on Web sites such as Amazon, Blogger, Google Calendar, or Twitter. November HillWrite Teacher Training Workshop 5–6, Durham, North Carolina Discover new ways to track the progress of your students’ understanding of written language through this two-day workshop. Covers current research, along with techniques to put the research into action. NAEYC Conference and Expo 5–8, Dallas, Texas You’ll need a big suitcase to bring home all the materials you collect at this event. Put on by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, this conference is geared toward teachers and administrators who work with young kids. On the agenda are sessions, team-building activities, and staff-retention tips, plus a few words from the experts. Access, Analyze, Act: A Blueprint for 21st Century Civic Engagement Free pbs.org PBS gives teachers access to online tools that will inform their students about the presidential election, as well as why it’s important, and how to take action. The multimedia website offers lesson plans for digging deeper so that students can increase their media-literacy skills and analysis. Not-so-media-savvy students—and teachers—can use the site to get updated on terms and social-media tools. 2008 PDK International Summit on High-Performing Educators: What Makes a Great Teacher? 13–15, San Antonio, Texas Speaker Thomas Guskey, a professor at the University of Kentucky, discusses what makes a great teacher. The summit is bound to give you new ideas and perspectives for your classroom. GO AFIELD Find links to event Web sites at WILLIAM DUKE edutopia.org/events-oct/nov-2008 EDUTOPIA.ORG EDUTOPIA 23 http://www.FactCheckEd.org http://www.factchecked.org http://www.FactCheck.org http://www.califone.com http://www.jott.com http://www.pbs.org http://www.pbs.org http://www.edutopia.org/events-oct/nov-2008 http://www.EDUTOPIA.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Edutopia - October/November 2008

Edutopia - October/November 2008 Contents UpFront Feedback Dispatches Sage Advice Ask Ellen Head of Class Cool Schools Design: Lessons from the Mall The Bucks Start Here Go Global: Virgil Rocks Big Ideas: Powerful Learning Mapping Their Futures Heart & Soul Pop Quiz: Suze Orman

Edutopia - October/November 2008

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