Eclectic Technology

If you were to put together 12 rules that make a teacher a great teacher what would they include? Sit back and think about that, and then look at this post by Terry Heick, where he shares the rules he has come up with as well as the reasons for the rule. A few are listed above, and three more are below.

* Start small.

* In learning, curiosity is everything.

* Help students ask great questions.

Click through to the post to read through all his rules and find a bonus of three additional rules that you may want to add. You will also find links for resources for three of the rules.

Digital devices are in our classrooms. Some may find this a blessing and others a curse. This post states:

"The question is not, “Should we allow digital devices in the classroom?”, it’s “Now that they’re here, how can we prevent digital devices from becoming a distraction?”

Seven suggestions are provided. Each is thoughtful and six provides links to additional information. What are the suggestions?

* Destroy the Multitasking Myth

* Rethink Smartphone Bans

* Write How They Read

* Use Their Unique Distraction Styles to Spark Learning

* Don't Post Everything Online

* Create Opportunities for Curiosity Outside the Digital Space

* Teach Grit

Take the time to explore some of the links. For example, in the Destroying the multitasking myth you might want to view the video The Monkey Business Illusion. In fact, you may want to share this with your students.

What do creative people do that may be different from others. This post explores this stating:

'While there's no "typical" creative type, there are some tell-tale characteristics and behaviors of highly creative people.

The post shares 18 ideas, each of which are explained in detail if you click through...but five are listed below.
* They daydream

* They observe everything

* They turn life's obstacles around

* They ask the big questions

* They constantly shake things up

You may find that some of the ideas presented make you think of specific students in your classroom. As teachers are we recognizing that some of our students are more creative in their learning and may improve if we differentiate the instruction to help them engage their creativity?

Jackie Gerstein has written quite a number of posts that look at The Other 21st Century Skills and Attributes. This post provides an infographic that includes two or three questions that you should ask yourself to see if you are 'facilitating these skills and attributes in the learning environment.

Gerstein also includes links to previous posts where she discusses the specific skills and attributes in more detail.

As we work with our students are we "killing a learner's natural curiosity" based on what happens in our classroom? This post looks at 12 ways we may be "killing curiosity" in our classrooms, often based on what we are being told to do with our students.
Each of these ideas in explored more fully in the text that follows the image that lists the 12 ways.

As you read through this think about what you might shift, to allow your students to be more curious.

Teaching students how to ask good questions is important. Great quotes about questions may help them learn. This page provides quotes about questioning, quotes from a diverse group, including George Carlin, Frank Llyod Wright, Anne Frank, Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein and many more.

The images may be saved and you could print them out and use them as small posters in your classroom. Challenge your students to come up with a quote about questioning, curiousity and inquiry and consider making an infographic to share.

This post focuses on work published by Tony Wagner back in 2010 but the information is still relevant. Wagner interviewed CEOs of 100 major businesses and was able to come up with seven essential skills students should have for the 21st century (and yes, we are in this century). The skills are listed below and more information may be found in this post, which lists the skill and then discusses how to prepare students to meet this skill.

* Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

* Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence

* Agility and Adaptability

* Initiative and Entrepreneurship

* Effective Oral and Written Communication

* Accessing and Analyzing Information

* Curiosity and Imagination