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VT's FREE Newsletter for Educators - Insight, Inspiration and Ideas that Work!
The WIZARDS of AHA!
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Hello Everyone,
Great learning starts with a Great Prompt that makes you curious, intrigues you, amazes you, makes you wonder and ask questions. And gives you AHA! moments.
In fact research shows that curiosity, amazement and WOW! are all emotions; the brain releases chemicals when we are curious, amazed and WOWed that make learning faster and last.
This newsletter contains some amazing prompts, so be prepared to be intrigues, get curious and WOWed with the HOVERBOARD, NUMBERFILE & MR UG.
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There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.
Leo Tolstoy, novelist and philosopher (1828-1910)
There are two possible outcomes: If the result confirms the hypothesis,
then you've made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the
hypothesis, then you've made a discovery.
Enrico Fermi, physicist and
Nobel laureate (1901-1954)
Once you have learned how to ask relevant and appropriate questions, you have learned how to learn and no one can keep you from learning whatever you want or need to know.
Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner "Teaching as a Subversive Activity"
I am always ready to learn although I am not always ready to be taught.
Winston Churchill
The object of teaching a child is to enable them to get along without their teacher.
Elbert Hubbard
World War III. The US has succeeded in building a computer able to solve any strategic or tactical problem. Military leaders are assembled in front of the new machine and instructed to feed a difficult tactical problem into it. They describe a hypothetical situation to the computer and then ask the pivotal question: ATTACK OR RETREAT?
The computer hums away for an hour and then comes up with the answer: YES.
The generals look at each other, somewhat stupefied.
Finally one of them submits a second request to the computer: YES WHAT?
Instantly the computer responded: YES SIR.
Be curious always! For knowledge will not acquire you: you must acquire it.
Sudie Back
All my life I said I wanted to be somebody...I can see now that I should have been more specific.
Lily Tomlin
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HOVERBOARD
Here is a a great learning prompt.
It stimulates a range of emotions, delight, disbelief, intrigue, suspicion and amazement. Is this real or not, fantasy or reality? Take a look does the physics work?
This is a great promo video - a "Back to the Future" star to add credibility, personal interviews to add to credibility. Is this just internet shenanigans, or is it actually true. Research the nay sayers, research the website. What do you think?
WHAT THE BEST EDUCATION SYSTEMS ARE DOING RIGHT
Deep respect to teachers and teaching read about it here. I still love the Finland system. Can you believe: TEACHERS IN FINLAND TEACH 600 HOURS A YEAR, SPENDING THE REST OF TIME IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
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NUMBERFILE
Numberphile is a quirky exploration of the world of mathematics and numbers. Each video explores strange facts, properties and curious stories about different numbers - from zero to infinity (and a few outside this range). The films feature experts across a range of sciences and are produced by independent video journalist Brady Haran.Check out the Yahtzee videos - great for working out probablities. These amazing videos stimulate curiousity, intrigue and fascinate.
Googol and Googolplex We're talking pretty big numbers here... And an interesting idea about what
it'd be like traveling in a Googolplex-sized Universe!
Why do YouTube views freeze at 301? Numberphile pays a visit to YouTube and learns the secret
behind one of the website's famous idiosyncrasies - why view counts on new videos often freeze at 301.
Probability - The Monty Hall Problem
The folks at Numberphile explore the famous problem which posits if a contestant should switch
doors in order to find the car amongst the goats.
This is great one to act out with your students.
fghhg. What it means to ME(the teacher)
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Online iPad Sites
Here are some online educational games that can be played using the iPad.
NO APPS to download. No waiting for weeks for IT department permission to download.
MULTIPLICATION.com This is a great site for multiplication and the online iPad friendly games are great. ASkyou students to try them out - describe them and rate them.
TOPMARKS are increasing there iPad friendly online options. These are listed by age and subject. I love these games and whiteboard interactives. HIT THE BUTTON is Fabulous. AND I LOVED THE INTERACTIVE EAR linked from this site.
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SIX ALTERNATIVES TO BOOK REPORTSSome visual writing ideas that are alternatives to the standard book report from John Spencer.
Wind and Mr. Ug - Mobius strip
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I do answer all emails so send them along with your questions ideas and great sites.
I am a mature age 3rd year teacher training student. I regularly receive your newsletter. I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful project, which keeps me enthused and looking forward to the many exciting resources you make available to educators.
Thanks
Emily
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Hi Emily,
Thanks for that. At the moment I am working on a seminar on Filmmaking - and how to make it actually work in the classroom. Called - 'the Attack of the 50 ft chicken and other
filmmaking stuff'. No educational jargon here. Stay tuned.
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The opinions expressed here are purely those of the editor, Cathy Brown. All other small print clauses apply. Such as: Use at your own risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed. If it doesn't work for you send an email or tweet me.
Editor: Cathy Brown cathy@virtualteacher.com.au
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