Reading: A Position Statement of the International Reading Association

"Most children can, and do, learn to read and write.  But too many children read and write poorly. When schools fail to teach any child to read and write, they fail all of us.  We must ensure that all children receive the excellent instruction and support they need to learn to read and write.  In this document, the International Reading Association reviews the challenges schools face and outlines support children need to become competent readers and writers."

Click on the link below for the full version.
Children's Rights position statement (full-text PDF)

Discovery Education

Discovery Education digital media content for the classroom.  All content is aligned to state standards, can be aligned to custom curriculum, and supports classroom instruction.

Discovery Education also offers real-time assessment services and a variety of professional development to ensure effective implementation in the classroom.

This resource gives students opportunities to soar beyond the traditional.

Click HERE to log-on to your account today and learn more about:

Interactive digital textbooks

Engaging standards-aligned content

Comprehensive professional development

Assessment Services

Virtual Experiences

Learning Communities

PBS Learning Media

PBS LearningMedia™ is a great site that allows for easy, instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos, audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans.  Great visuals that could be incorporated into your IWB flipcharts or Smartboard notebooks.  You can search, save, and share with ease. Best of all, PBS LearningMedia™ is free for educators. Check it out today, you can click here to get SNEAK PEEK of this preview site!

Just Click Play - Student Text in Audio

Students can listen to the TCI text!  If you have a student that is struggling to read grade-level materials, TCI online subscriptions make it easy for your students to listen to the text while reading along.  This means that they can access the audio version to preview or review content.

You can check it out by logging on to your TCI account or you can watch the screencast I created.

Watch screencast click HERE.

TCI Teacher Subscription Updates - 12/26/12

Subscription updates to TCI Teacher Subscriptionis coming on December 26, 2012.

These changes include:  A new look to the Home Page, A Pacing and Assignement Calendar, More Control of Teacher and Student Settings, and Changes in Navigation.
TCI has put together 2 short videos that might be helpful to you.

The first is a 3 minute video that give a tour of the new features for the Teacher Subscription.

The second is a 1 minute video tour of the Student Subscription.

TCI is also offering Webinars:

iObservation

Grand Forks Public Schools has begun to use iObservation! 

We hope iObservation will be a valuable tool to:

• Develop a common language of instruction

• Establish clear and consistent expectations for walkthroughs and observations

• Engage in conversations with teachers around professional practice

• Provide relevant and specific feedback to teachers

• Cultivate a professional learning community

• Plan for professional development

• Use data to determine student and teacher needs

• Support the growth of every teacher in your school

Follow these directions to successfully get started

in iObservation.

1. Open an internet browser.

2. Type www.effectiveeducators.com in the address bar.

3. Click the Click Here link next to ‘First Time User?’

4. Type your email address in the Email Address box.

5. Click Submit.

6. Go to your school email account to find an email from noreply@

EffectiveEducators.com containing your username and password.

Note: 

Check your spam/junk email folder if you do not see the email.

Click on "Mail Summary" in your email in box or go to http://401b-lightspeed.grand-forks.k12.nd.us/Spam/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fSpam%2fReports%2fsmSpamMailUser.aspx

Then, Find the email from iObservation and check the box for "Not Spam?" and click "Execute Checked Actions". The link to set a password for iObservation should be sent to your email inbox.

(See link to video tutorial below)

7. Click the link in the email or copy and paste the link into an internet browser.

8. Verify that the first name, last name, and email address displayed are correct.

9. Type a password in the Change Password box.

11. Retype the password in the Confirm Password box.

12. Click Save.

Mail Summary video tutorial:  http://screencast.com/t/8FukMHUh6Z4H

Improved History Assessments - Darin King's Blog

It is my goal to click through the blogs I follow at least once a week.  One of my favorite blogs to "check-in" on is the blog written by someone familiar to most of us, Mr. Darin King.  

Again, Darin has shared a very interesting and engaging resource.  Beyond the Bubble is developed by the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG).  SHEG is an award-winning group that provides outreach to educators in California and across the nation.  

SHEG draws on over twenty years of research-based experience working at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to find the most effective ways to convey knowledge and love of history to students and teachers of all ages.  

Beyond the Bubble unlocks the vast digital archive of the Library of Congress to create a new generation of history assessments using Primary Sources.  SHEG created easy-to-use assessments that capture students’ knowledge in action; rather than their recall of discrete facts.  The program attempts to contribute to the quality of education by helping teachers use the Library’s digitized primary sources to engage students, develop their critical thinking skills and construct knowledge.

Check out Darin's Blog:  Darin King's Blog  

Or go explore Beyond the Bubble:  http://beyondthebubble.stanford.edu/our-approach