The Great Lip Dub Battle of the Year #Comments4Kids

Here are three videos created by my three Honors American Literature. They were created in one class only and are filmed in one continuous take. Please take a moment and watch them and give a thumbs up to your favorite. Leave a comment if you have time. Thanks!

Smiling As My Students Fail #edchat

I love the smell of failure in the morning. I think that is how the line goes from that famous movie.

To the untrained eye, I might seem like a terrible teacher, but I argue that teachers that do not let their students fail from time to time are doing them a major disservice. 

One of the things I have learned as I have gained more experience in the classroom that it is more than just ok to let students struggle, it is often a good thing. Our students learn more when they have to strive to accomplish something instead of having it spoon fed to them or when they have the teacher hold their hand during the entire process. 

Some of my fondest memories of school were those times I triumphed over adversity. Studying for the math test and earning that C was a huge accomplishment. I earned that grade and felt good about it because it was not easy. I struggled, I stressed and I overcame. That is how I learned and I want my students to have the same experiences in class. 

What I am not saying is that teachers should leave students on their own to figure everything out and sit back and watch them fail on exams or essays. Teachers still need to guide their students and let them explore learning, but you have to let them try new things and learn through trial and error. The error part is the thing people are starting to forget. In the rush to get through content, it's easier to give students the answers instead of letting them discover them on their own through hard work. 

As you work in your class this year, try to take a step back when a student fails the first time. Assure them they can come up with the right answer on their own if they try a couple of times. Offer them strategies on how to approach problems in different ways to get new outcomes. Fight the urge to solve the problem for them. Finally, sit back and watch them accomplish the task on their own and see the biggest smile of the day come across their face as they realize that they finally did it. Then, you can smile at their failure knowing it has given the students much more than just the right answer. 

Thug Notes - A Different Approach to Literary Analysis #EngChat

I wasn't sure what to think when I saw my first Thug Notes. It was interesting, weird and accurate.

Thug Notes plays on the preconceived bias of people. When you see the narrator and hear the way he speaks, do you expect him to drop some knowledge on you? Probably not, but you will listen to see what he has to say about To Kill a Mockingbird or Of Mice and Men. That interest is what grabs the viewer and allows Thug Notes to provide an entertaining recap of a famous novel that students can enjoy and teachers could show in class or provide links to on their website. Here is one of many videos worth exploring on Thug Notes. (Warning: These are designed for high school and might contain some language not intended for younger audiences.)

I really enjoyed this video on Of Mice and Men and it even made me think about the biblical connection in the story that I had not realized before. I've taught this book for a number of years and that is something I never considered. I always love exploring literature in different ways and Thug Notes takes a fun new approach to the standard pieces of literature at the high school level.

The one word of caution I have for teachers is to make sure to watch all of the video before you show it in class. Some of the language might be bothersome in some schools, so use your best judgement when showing these, or any video, in the classroom. I think they are funny and could show them, but that might not be true for you in your building or district.

+Jacob Salamon does an awesome job putting these together and the collection of videos they have uploaded is very diverse and would be a great spice to add to the lesson plans.

Take a minute and look over the collection of videos, leave a comment and share with your friends who might want to show these in class or need a refresher course on some great pieces of literature. 

Welcome to Science Class #SciChat

If you were ever looking for a different way to introduce Science ideas to students, look no further than +Tom McFadden and his YouTube channel. Here is an introductory video that you have to watch to appreciate the awesomeness that is Tom.

I met and had a chance to hang out with Tom while I was in San Francisco visiting YouTube a couple of months back and I was blown away by what Tom was doing. He was taking something he enjoyed and turning it into something amazing for his students. What I like most about these videos is that the students are involved in them and get to share in the process of creating and learning with others. These are the things students will remember years from now and might be the example that provides a spark to their curiosity in Science. 

Check out this video his students created discussing the people involved in the discovery of the Double Helix. 

There is something captivating about watching students share what they know with other students. This video works and it worth sharing with your students. Maybe it will encourage your students to attempt their own videos to explain Science topics to the class. 

We need more +Tom McFadden type teachers going out on a limb to do something different to engage students. If you have a minute, watch the videos, share them with Science teachers and leave Tom a comment. He is another example of an amazing teacher going beyond the bubble test to engage his students.

PS:

Here is Tom doing an impromptu Rap at YouTube