Blogs on Student Engagement

OK kids, we are going to be learning in groups today! Each group needs a math checker, a presenter, a writer/editor, and an illustrator. You decide who does what. You will be reviewing the best ways to solve polynomial problems.

Please pull out the instructions and the rubric for this assignment. As a group, your task is to create a one page, step-by-step process that some one could follow to arrive at a solution...

Learning progresses primarily from prior knowledge, and only secondarily from the materials we present to students, studies show. Think about that. We teachers spend so much time gathering materials -- important and necessary for good instruction -- but are we often enough using the greatest tools right there at our fingertips? All of those young minds, ready to go!

Jon Schwartz teaches fourth grade in Oceanside, CA. He is also a writer and a professional photographer. You can learn more about his blogging program at Kids Like Blogs.

"Robbie doesn't write," his mom told me. When he first came into my fourth grade class, asking him for 20 words was like pulling teeth. He actually scribbled a number on top of each word to keep track so he wouldn't write any more than the absolute minimum. Four months after I introduced him to blogging, he's consistently writing more than 100 words per post. Not only that, Robbie turned from a shy, introverted kid to a source of inspiration and information for his peers. He sees himself as a writer.

Unless your students are living on a desert island, they're getting bombarded daily with headlines from around the globe. As a teacher, should you try to tune out the world -- whether it's abuzz with news about natural disasters, social upheaval, or politicians behaving badly -- and stick to your lesson plan? Or can you use headlines to focus student attention on relevant, real-world projects that meet your instructional goals?