What teachers make...

Another kinetic typography poem by Taylor Mali...

screenshot of the video below

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Thank a Teacher Today

An Apple a Day...

If I weren't a Teacher...

... I wouldn't be given APPLES!

I have already written about teachers being given apples when, once, a student asked me in class the reason why students used to offer their teachers that fruit. Two weeks ago, I was given an apple for the first in about eighteen years of teaching... Is this student an 'apple-polisher'? I am not a cynical, so, NO, definitely not!... Experience helps us to distinguish when a student is simply being nice to us, due to the relationship established in our classes, or when he is faking kindness... Anyway, as a result of this gesture, I decided to look up for more information on this matter, and I found some very interesting theories:

According to Ask.yahoo.com, "kids who really want good grades should consider giving their teachers Apple computers or iPods. If that's not possible, however, fruit remains a tasty option. Apples have a long history of greasing the wheels of education. Giving an apple to a teacher is also the origin for the term 'apple-polisher', which was first recorded in the late 1920s. Apple-polishers, also referred to as bootlickers or toadies (among other, even worse nicknames), aren't always favorably looked upon by other students. We suggest hanging onto the fruit, and using it to keep certain health professionals at bay."

Answers.yahoo.com says that "people used to have apple trees in their yards right near the kids' walking past on their way to school. They got ripe about the time school starts. Once, in 5th grade, one girl brought a big, shiny red apple. Others followed suit, and it became a little joke. We polished them up good so they would be nice and shiny. We got the biggest ones we could find. First red ones and then someone brought a yellow one, or a green. We had them lined up on the edge of her desk. The teacher thanked us and said she was going to start making pies with them. Kids liked to get on their teacher's good side and at the beginning of the year, kind of a little bribe."

I must admit that the answer I found the most interesting was the one that follows:

"Why are apples associated with teachers? People commonly see the fruit as a symbol of variety, change and growth. It symbolizes change and variety because it comes in different colors such as green, yellow and red. Additionally, the fruit has various tastes like sweet, sour as well as tangy. Moreover, apple symbolizes growth since the strongest branch and grove of the plant sprout from the seeds of the fruit. However, people should know that without love or support, the fruit could become undesirable and bitter. Educators serve as inspirations to students who want to enhance their understanding on different fields of studies. Teachers play important roles to the emotional, mental as well as physical growth of students. If educators do not receive support from other people like the parents of students and school administrators, there is a big chance that they will be unable to offer guidance to young people and children. Some people associate apples with teachers because of the special story in the Bible, which says that Eve ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Even if apple is not stated or mentioned in the first book of the Old Testament, there are people who still believe that apple is the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Since teachers offer knowledge to students, individuals associate apple with them."

In, WhyGuides.com (abridged and adapted)

photo credit: MrPhilDog via photo pin cc

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Teacher Appreciation Week

An Apple a Day...

                                                                 ... does NOT keep the doctor away???

photo credit: Taboada Testa. via photo pin cc

'An Apple a Day Is Not Enough' is a powerful poem written and performed by Taylor Mali (a well-known spoken word artist and teacher) about the importance of health education. It's done in the style of kinetic typography. We must get the word out about the importance of health education and its ability to get USA's health back on track - but teachers can't do it alone. 

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What Teachers make...

Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Week was celebrated between 7th to 11th May, in the US!... According to Edudemic, «it shouldn't be a single week of the year. It should be every week. We're going to lobby the federal government to try and make this dream a reality (...)» However, instead of doing so, Edudemic decided to do, as they call it, «the next best thing!»... They created a fun printable graphic that has some of their favourite teacher-related quotes. Even though the list is quite long, it is filled with inspirational and insightful quips and quotes. If you want to download it, Edudemic allows you to grab the PDF version right here!... They just ask us to share it with our fellow teachers and administrators to remind everyone why WE do what we DO. Here are some screenshots of the banner:

                                                    

  

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Give your Teacher an Apple

Rebranding Teachers

Homework Assignments that Work

According Busy Teacher...

«Most teachers agree that homework assignments are an absolute must in an ESL course. But ESL students, on the other hand, may disagree. Adult learners will argue that they have busy schedules and a life outside the classroom, which translates into “no time for homework”. Young learners and teens may come to terms with the fact that they have to do homework, but do we want them to do it because they are compelled to do it... or do we want them to do it because they are excited to do it? Which would you prefer? The only way to get young students excited about doing homework, and get adults to set aside some time for it, is through highly creative and thoroughly engaging homework assignments. And here are 5 examples: (1) A Word Book (2) Do My Research (3) In the News (4) Email Writing (5) Watch It

  by  4-6 

Another great way to get students actively engaged in their homework assignments is to ask them to come up with some ideas for creative assignments on their own and share them with the class.»

Read more @5 Most Creative Homework Assignments

 (abridged and adapted)

To a student of mine who's suffered a major loss

found it @ fotolog.com

Being a teacher @PineTree is not just about teaching, learning, getting involved in the annual planning activities, giving a ride to my students on their way to school or even having lunch with some of them... It is also about being there for them in the saddest moment of their lives... Yesterday, it was one of those moments!... A student of mine lost her father in a tragic and unexpected way!... Together with some other teachers and most of her classmates, I went to the funeral and attended both the religious service and the burial... The principal of our school, as well as her team, were also there, which made it all even more meaningful!... I felt an overwhelming energy was generated in that place. As part of a school community, all of us were there to give our support, trying to lessen her pain...

What do teachers NEED?

found it @piccsy

Would you add anything else to this list?

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Inspirational thought

Rebranding teachers

A campaign that aims to rebrand teachers...

Studio 360 and its design teams were commissioned to address a unique design challenge. Recently they reached out to Brooklyn-based design firm, Hyperakt, to rebrand the concept of teaching. Education is the key to human progress, therefore teaching is among the most important professions for humanity. Our new visual vocabulary should capture the excitement and magic of activating the potential that is innate in every student. It should celebrate the process of developing ideas, reflect the collaborative nature of teaching and pay homage to existing visual tools used in teaching.

                                                  

Connecting the dots: visual maps, like teachers, help learners brainstorm ideas, reveal relationships, explain processes, tell stories and much more. 

Found both text and pictures at:
  Rebranding teachers (abridged and adapted)

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Valentine's Day @PineTree

'Love was in the air' @PineTree School, last tuesday...

To be more accurate, love was online!... Students wrote their messages on the web wiki, as asked! And so did the teachers, at the teachers' room, on a spot provided for the writing of messages, love quotes or funny poems. Love was in the air and so were many smiles... For each smile I saw in the members of the school community, I felt this was an activity worth doing!

                                                                              photo credits: Céu Leça

My deepest thanks to all the students and fellow workers that have made this day a very special day!...  And to our 'EVT' teachers Jaques, Sandy and Elisabete, I can only say:

'Roses are red, violets are blue
Your Art is Impressive
and so are You!'...

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St. Valentine's Countdown

PineTree School is getting ready for Saint Valentine's Day!...

photo credit: n!ck. via photopin cc

This year, the GR330 teachers have decided to create a web wiki, in which students are asked to write their valentine messages to the one(s) they love and appreciate!... 

Students may either create their own message, or access any quotations page and choose the one they think best fits their purpose!...

'Come live in my heart and pay no rent', by Samuel Lover, is one of my favourite love quotes!...

You can read more @ ILoveYouQuote.

This one is also so cute: 'In school they taught me that
                                      1 hour = 60 minutes
                                      1 min = 60 seconds
                                      But they never told me that
                                      1 second without you = 100 years'  

Read more @Valentine's Day SMS

Let's see how creative, or how in love, our students are!... 

Digital Learning Day

Did you know that...
                               ... February 1st is the Digital Learning Day?

Source: www.digitallearning.org

                                                                                       Read more @ Edudemic.com