Did you know that in just five years from now, it is estimated that more than 10 million students will be identified as English language learners? To help these students, we must create classrooms that are inclusive, dynamic and easy to customize to fit different students needs. Pearson is at the forefront of empowering English language learning teachers and is bringing their enthusiasm for the subject to WeAreTeachers by sponsoring the “English Language Learners” microgrant. Pearson and WeAreTeachers are teaming to cash and video camera in the hands of teachers like you, just for sharing your ideas and thoughts on teaching English language learners. Got a minute? Why not apply?

In honor of this microgrant, we want to shine a light on three tips on teaching English language learners from Pearson’s stable of education experts.

Tip One: Create a Customized Classroom
As MaryEllen Vogt, Ed.D. points out in her video on differentiated instruction, students crave classrooms that adapt to fit them. Take a moment to watch the video to see how Dr. Vogt recommends using differentiated instruction to reach ELL students.

Tip Two: Celebrate Diversity
In Dr. Jim Cummins’ video for Pearson, Acknowledging Student Identity, he speaks about why it’s important to make sure to reach out to students and get to know them personally. Dr. Cummins points out the frustrations and fears ELL students often fear due to not being able to communicate things about themselves to their peers and teachers.

Tip Three: Model Good Behavior (the SIOP model, that is.)
Dr. Jana Echevarria talks about the research that supports the SIOP model of teaching in her video. If you are not already using the SIOP model, take a minute to hear Dr. Echevarria’s compelling argument for why it’s essential to the ELL classroom.

We are so grateful to Pearson for sharing their experts with us-and we can’t wait to hear your expertise as well. Take a moment to share a thought, idea, project or special challenge  in ELL and you could win $200 and a Flip Video or iPod nano with video for your classroom. The deadline to apply is June 8, so don’t wait. Apply today!

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In Brazil, it is called Dia do Professor. In Egypt it’s Eid Al Moalim. In Indonesia, it’s Hari Guru. In Jamaica it’s Teacher Day and it’s a half day. Here in the United States, we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week and you can look forward to five days worth of well deserved gifts and goodies from your students, administration and PTAs.

This year the pampering doesn’t stop at school. WeAreTeachers has partnered with some giants in the education industry to give you a “virtual goody bag” chock full of exclusive offers and freebies! To get the best deals from your favorite companies, click here.

From huge discounts on your favorite items to free resources and gifts, WeAreTeachers is bringing you the products and services you truly want from the brands you love! It’s our way of thanking you for the late nights grading papers, the early morning hall duties, the buying supplies with your own money, and most importantly, for creating a generation of leaders through your care, hard work, time, concern and love for your students. We see what you are doing and we appreciate you.

These gifts will only be available during Teacher Appreciation Week, so don’t wait-grab those hot deals now.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

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The first thing high school Speech and Debate teacher Brenda Stewart teaches her students when they begin debate class is that the phrase, “I read it on the Internet” is not a usable source in a debate. “You wouldn’t believe some of the facts these students were coming up with,” she said, laughing. “I’ve had to start out, right off the bat, by telling them to be leery of  internet sites as credible sources of information.”

This month at WeAreTeachers, we are teaming up with Encyclopedia Britannica to offer our “Quality Counts” microgrant. We want teachers to share their favorite research project they do with their students each year and their strategies for ensuring that  students are getting accurate, quality information when so much of what they read online may be misleading or false. Let us know and you could win $200 and a Flip Video camera to show how your favorite student project that supports connecting students with reliable resources for information.

In conjunction with this microgrant, we wanted to take a minute to explore misinformation on the internet and to offer a solution to screen for accurate information.

While some sites are obviously trustworthy, you might be surprised by what is being passed along as facts and are clearly fabrications.  Take a look at this video from YouTube of a kayaker being capsized by a killer whale and then emerging unscathed.

You might think that YouTube would surely offer quality information, so this video must be real. You would be wrong. Despite the fact that the description of the video reads, ” Some people out on the ocean enjoying a Kayak ride… When all of a sudden a whale capsizes one of the Kayaks! Lucky no one got hurt! Just very surprised,” a search on the urban legend debunking website Snopes reveals that the video is a fake.

“However, this clip…isn’t the real thing,” Snopes reports. “It’s part of a Korean language version of a commercial for Powerade…noted for producing commercials using a variety of tricky visual effects to depict athletes accomplishing impossible feats of strength and and skill.”

It’s easy to verify viral email forwards or urban legends thanks to sites like Snopes, but what about the information that your students are using? In a time when so much information is free, how can you make sure that your students aren’t getting what they pay for? That is to say, how can you be sure that the content they are using for reference and information is credible?

The solution lies in the acronym CARS (Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonability, Support). The CARS checklist is an excellent way to help students discern between quality information online and inaccuracies parading as the truth:

Credibility: Is the information from a site considered to be an authority? That is a great starting point, but as we saw with the YouTube clip, it does not stand alone as a way to determine  quality information.

Accuracy: Was the article written recently? Remember, there is no one in charge of sifting through the internet and deleting information that is no longer relevant. Check your dates. Is the language vague, or does it offer specific information?

Reasonability: Does it just sound too good to be true? Does it sound excessive? Does it make sense? If not, tread lightly-it’s probably not true.

Support: Lastly, are there footnotes? Links? Listed sources? Contact information? Collaborating evidence? Without any evidence to back up a claim, it’s difficult to know if it is true or not.

If your fact does not meet the CARS criteria, you should probably keep looking until you find information that does.

We are looking forward to hearing your solutions for keeping information pertinent and credible. Have you applied for our microgrant yet? Don’t wait-do it now and be well on your way to earning cash and a Flip Video camera! The deadline for applications is April 6, so don’t wait-apply now!

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Is there any better way to help students understand science than by having them get their hands dirty? We don’t think so.  That’s why WeAreTeachers is offering the “ Understanding Science  Through Hands-On Interaction” science microgrant this month, sponsored by Carolina Biological. Teachers are sharing their dream interactive science project for a chance to receive $200 and a Flip or iPod nano video camera to get the project rolling! The deadline to vote for your favorite project is April 15th.

To celebrate this exciting new microgrant, we are looking at three recent headlines and hands-on ways to bring the science behind them to your students. From the recent weather patterns to a worldwide event in sports, we know these projects will help your students understand the importance of science in everyday life.

1. Making Snowflakes to Follow the “Snowmageddon” Story: This March, record amounts of snowfall were recorded across the country. This is a great time to have your students explore how snowflakes form and what exactly they are made of.  Here is a project that demonstrates how snowflakes form using pipe cleaners and Borax.

2. Analyzing Flu Vaccinations in Light of the H1N1 Pandemic: A big story this year has been the H1N1 Pandemic Flu and the need for flu shots. If your high school students wonder why they need to get a different shot each year, and how the vaccinations work, this is a great project for you.

3. Understanding the Physics Behind Human Movement in Honor of the Winter Olympics:  The 2010 Winter Olympics just took place in Vancouver and many of your students were watching and wondering how the skiers, lugers and ice skaters were able to perform such amazing feats. This project explores the physics behind sports and is a super way to reach those sports-minded middle schoolers.

There are over 100 teacher created science projects that you can check out right now. While you are there vote for your favorite and check out other great resources from the sponsor, Carolina Biological.

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Teachers, what do you think of when you hear the word “intervention?” For some, it means a guessing game of trial and error, loads of record keeping and paper work, uneasy meetings with parents, and trying to find the right method to approach a potential learning disability. But we are hearing from many of you that navigating the RTI and  intervention process can be easier-it just takes a little outside-the-box thinking. This month WeAreTeachers is teaming with Pearson for our “Measurable Improvement, Meaningful Progress” microgrant, and asking you to tell us your best intervention ideas to win cash and a Flip or iPod Nano video camera. To commemorate this exciting new microgrant, we have compiled the three best tips we have heard from you on how to run a successful intervention.

Tip One: Assess with the Best

Whether you are seeking to find the best way to reach a student with some behavioral issues or one that may have exceptional educational needs, the first step is to locate the best assessment resources.

“I had the best counselor at my school,” said Gretchen S, from Tyler TX. “She really helped me figure out why a student I had was struggling. ..I couldn’t have done it without her.”

Some schools or districts have a whole team devoted to RTI and intervention, while others prefer you work with the special education teacher or school psychologist. Your school has probably provided you with the detailed information to assess a student, but sometimes it can be reassuring to talk with someone who knows the ropes. Talking with another teacher or even outlining the general situation in an online forum can be helpful in giving you the support you need to press on in the intervention process. WeAreTeachers has devised a microcommunity, sponsored by Pearson, on intervention and Response to Intervention to help you communicate areas that you may be stuck in or for you to share your best practices with others.

Tip Two: Do Your Own Research

Don’t rely on anyone else to tell you what is going on with your student-go out and find the materials to help you understand. There is a wealth of RTI information on the internet and through published works. Taking time to find out as much as you can about the process will make it easier for everyone. Your student will feel like he/she has an advocate in you, you will be better able to communicate with everyone involved, and you can feel a sense of  ownership in helping your student get the resources he/she needs.

Tip Three: Get Creative!

Once your student has been assessed, it is time to deliver an intervention that is specific to his/her needs. Those helping you with the assessment may have already given you some ideas, but given that you know the student personally and have a feel for what he/she may best respond to, you might have some great ideas of your own.

“I didn’t care for the way our district handled approaching the parents for evaluation,” said Lauren G, of Oviedo FL. “It was so flat and there were so many confusing terms. RTI? How do I explain that to parents who are scared to death? So I created some aids to help and changed the dialogue to find words that they could relate to. It made the process so much easier.”

What do you love about your RTI process? Do you have a “best practice” for approaching parents to tell them you want to evaluate their child for a learning disability? Or do you have an idea you’d love to try to but you might need a little extra funding first? Why not apply for the “Measurable Improvement, Meaningful Progress” microgrant and share your idea?

Intervention can be difficult, be it can also be one of the most rewarding parts of teaching. Finding the best way to reach a struggling student can make a difference not only in your classroom, but in that student’s future as well. We want to help you make that impact with your students. Take a minute to apply for the microgrant, then shoot an email out to your colleagues, friends and family and tell them to vote for you! The ten ideas that garner the most votes will win $200 in cash and Flip Video camera.

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Look no further than a classroom full of squealing second graders, equipped with goggles and a homemade baking soda and vinegar volcano to see why it’s so exciting to bring an element of wonder into your classroom. You probably have found that the lessons you remember most from your days as a student were the ones that best illustrated the magic of the living world: creating a  butterfly habitat or growing a plant from a seed.

It may have been years since you made that memory, but we are all still on the look out for one thing: that elusive “x-factor” that will bring a lesson to life for our students, that will have them sitting up in their seats, totally engaged and enthralled by what is going on in front of them. Music teachers are able to do it by doling out instruments and letting their students get creative, art teachers can use clay and paint, but what about those teachers that are charged with showing the workings of the world around us, what can they use to create special, exciting lessons for their students? How can natural and social science teachers reach their students in new and innovative ways?

That is the very question we are asking this month with our new “Worlds of Wonder” microgrant, sponsored by KIDS DISCOVER. We want to hear your best ideas for bringing wonder into the classroom, and in exchange, we will provide the top five submissions with $200 and a Flip Video camera or iPod nano with video to show the idea or project in action.

After you’ve applied for a microgrant, the real fun can begin as you rally your own students (and colleagues, friends and family) to vote for your microgrant submission. We can’t wait to hear the ways you want to inspire your students, and to help you meet that goal with a microgrant.  The application deadline for this microgrant is February 16^th so don’t wait, apply now!

We would also love to hear about a special teacher or lesson that opened your eyes to the wonders of the world around us.  Here is your chance to give a “shout out” to that special teacher that went above and beyond to get you excited about the mysteries of nature or the intricacies of  the social sciences. Who knows, you may see your own name mentioned!  Simply leave us a comment letting us know the name and approximate location of your teacher and what he/she did to inspire you and give you the gift of knowledge in a fun way.  Then take a minute to fill our the quick and easy microgrant application to keep the cycle of wonder going.

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Every few years, an article comes out pointing out to the public that the average teacher spends roughly $400 each year on their classroom, with first year teachers usually spending twice that amount. Couple that with the well known fact that teachers salaries are not typically align to the value they provide, and it’s easy to get disheartened.

But fear not, loyal educators, your sacrifices are not being overlooked!  Across the country, thousands of foundations and companies have heard your pleas for funding and are standing at the ready with grant money just for you. In fact, there are so many grants out there, it can be overwhelming to find the one that is right for you.

To that end, the WeAreTeachers team has ten foundations or companies to share with you that offer grant money for teachers like you. These foundations were chosen by our team for their innovative nature, their pool of resources, and the ease of the application process.

1. WeAreTeachers’ Microgrants

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our fantastic (and fantasically easy)  microgrant program, which allow teachers to submit their best ideas on a given topic (currently there are two on literacy and professional development) and then compete for online votes to be one of the ten teachers awarded $200 and a flip video camera or iPod nano with video to document your project. (And, every idea is available online to inspire you!) New microgrants are available all the time, so check back regularly!

2. Digital Wish

If you are looking for a list of grants, this non profit is the place to start. Sponsored by Olympus and Flip Video, Digital Wish provides a long list of grants for various subjects.

3.  Kids In Need Foundation

This is an excellent organization that promotes creativity and innovation in the classroom through grants. According to their website, “Kids In Need Teacher Grants provide K-12 educators with funding to provide innovative learning opportunities for their students. The Kids In Need Foundation helps to engage students in the learning process by supporting our most creative and important educational resource — our nation’s teachers.”

4. Sprint Character Education Grant Program

Last year, Sprint gave out more than $450,000 in grant money to support character education initiatives in the classroom.  Grants are open to all US public school (K-12) and school districts nationwide.

5. P. Buckley Moss Foundation

This foundation awards five $1,000 grants to teachers who need money to keep their program goals afloat, with preferred emphasis on helping students with learning disabilities.

6. Toyota TAPESTRY Grant Program

Each year, Toyota supports innovative student projects by awarding fifty large grants and twenty small scale grants for projects that focus on science education.

7.  ING Unsung Heroes Grant Program

Since 1995, the Unsung Heroes program has been awarding 100 innovative, forward thinking teachers with $2000 each, usually with at least one winner from each state. Additionally, the top three winners win between $5000 and $25,000.

8. American Honda Foundation

Not to be outdone by Toyota, the American Honda Foundation has awarded $25 million dollars in grant money for science based projects since it’s inception.

9. Inspiration Software Inspired Teachers Scholarships

Twenty five teachers are awarded with $1000 towards professional development or new technology for their classroom through Inspired Teacher Scholarships.

10. Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams Grant

If you’ve got a group of inventive students and a great idea, look no further than the Lemelson-MIT grant program for a little prestige and a lot of dough. InvenTeams receive up to $10,000 for their best inventions.

Have you had any experience with these foundations? Know of an awesome grant that you think we missed? We want to know about it! Let us know your best grant secrets and don’t forget to apply for our microgrants for a quick and easy way to get yourself a little extra money!

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Regardless of what subject or grade they teach, the goal of teachers is basically the same: to put their students on the road to being successful adults. But in the world of the special education teacher, that road can be paved with potholes, speed bumps and outright road blocks. Everyday, special education teachers around the world strive to peel the ”disabled” sticker that society can sometimes place on their students and reprogram them to see themselves not as “disabled” but “differently-abled.”

WeAreTeachers and our partner, PCI Education, a leader in special education learning, see the groundbreaking work taking place in classrooms all over the world and we want to inspire more of it.

We are now accepting submissions for our “Individual Attention, Collective Impact” microgrant, which enables special education teachers to share their best practices for reaching individual students. Additionally, all of the ideas will be posted in an online gallery to educate and inspire other teachers.

Kim G., a special education teacher in Arlington, TX feels her heart swell with pride every time she shops at her local grocery store where David, a former student with Downs Syndrome, works as a bagger. Friendly and affable, David is well known and liked amongst store patrons as well as one of the store’s most valued employees for his reliability and positive attitude. Kim remembers when David was one of her students, he was sweet and gentle, but frightened and sometimes picked on by the mainstream students.  “David was scared to talk to anyone because he wasn’t sure how he would be treated,” Kim explained, “it was heartbreaking because you knew he wanted to engage people, but he had some bad experiences and now was very leery and withdrawn.”

David’s parents were also afraid to encourage their son to shine, they themselves were so traumatized from hearing David tearfully, desperately recount the day a boy had frightened him in the school cafeteria with a lit match that they had curbed their urging that David participate in regular school functions.

Kim and her special education colleagues worked hard with David and his parents to draw him out and make him more assertive and self-determined and lo and behold, after years of gentle pushing and inspiring, David applied at the grocery store where he has worked since he finished school.

Special education teachers everywhere can relate to David’s story. Along with their special learning needs, students often come in with a special set of concerns: ridicule, fear, and uncertainty about the future. But special education teachers face these needs each day with a bold determination to help students, and sometimes parents, get to a place where they can be appreciated for their individual skills and talents.

The following video talks about how teachers at the O’Hearn School of Massachusetts are working towards this goal through the technique of full inclusion teaching.

Just as the O’Hearn School is using innovative techniques, teachers all over the world are finding and tailoring special solutions to their students individual needs.

Do you have a great special education idea that you would love to share? It’s not too late! The deadline for submissions is November 13th, so apply now! You could win $200 in cash and a flip video camera to capture the implementation of your idea and share with the WeAreTeachers community. And don’t forget to sign up to be a part of our Special Education microcommunity to stay connected with important news, blogs, and people in the special education field.

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Look no further than remnants of dried leaves dragged in  by your students for evidence that fall has arrived, bringing with it excitement over things to come (Thanksgiving break, perhaps!) and cherished memories of times past.

This month at WeAreTeachers, we are getting nostalgic. We’ve partnered with Teaching Strategies to create the “Memorable Moments” video contest, asking teachers to share with us their earliest memories of learning and how it has impacted their teaching style now. Watching the outstanding videos that have been submitted so far has caused the WeAreTeachers team to reminisce about our first learning memories.

Sandy Fivecoat, CEO of WeAreTeachers, shared a poignant memory of the lesson of kindness she learned from her mother. “ I was six and ready to go into first grade. My dad had just been involved in a major car accident. He got better eventually, but at that time, my whole family was in a tail spin, and here I was ready to head off to school for the first time,” Sandy remembered, “I remember feeling afraid, alone, somewhat confused and even a bit neglected. Then, my mom presented me with a dress she had made me for the first day! I remember it still. It had a black background, with pictures of crayons all over it, and a white collar. Something about that dress made me feel loved, remembered and special. So my first ‘lesson’ was that my family loved me and cared about me, even in the midst of crisis!”

Donnine Souhrada, VP of marketing at WeAreTeachers, remembered a valuable lesson on the power of connection and networking. “My most memorable moment that still impacts me today is from an experience I had from Miss Hoppock, my 6th grade teacher at Magnolia Elementary in Carlsbad, CA,” Donnine recalled, “ I never will forget the day she was going around the room asking what we would like to be when we grew up or what we wanted to get better at doing. One boy named Brian Schafer answered he wanted to be a Muppeteer. Ms. Hoppock said, ‘Brian, do you know the principal of our school is trained in this and uses Muppets for educating students?‘ She immediately called the principal over the loud speaker from the classroom to the principal’s office. The principal replied in a loud voice over our classroom speaker. Miss Hoppock explained, ‘I have a student sitting in my class that wants to be a Muppeteer and I wanted him to get an appointment with you so you can provide him with  next steps he should do on his journey. Can he come up right now and meet with you?’ The principal agreed and Brian left the classroom. I was in total awe. It was so powerful how one person can fuel the desire or dream of another with a simple connection. When someone shares a goal or desire with me, I always try to think, ‘Who do I know that can help make this happen?’”

Malcolm St. Romain, VP of Business at WeAreTeachers, recalled working on a special school project with his mother, We were asked to ‘recreate’ Abe Lincoln’s log cabin,” Malcolm said, “ My mother worked with me to roll newspapers into “logs” and cut cardboard for the roof.  We used doll house furniture for the insides.  I remember being so proud to turn in my log cabin. Thanks, Mom!”

It’s evident from our own memories and from the videos that have been submitted that these first memories were critical in forming the types of people and educators we would grow to be, and reinforced just how powerful the role of the educator is in creating kind, thoughtful, successful adults. Have you taken a moment to watch all of the inspirational, funny, or touching videos submitted by your fellow teachers? Have you shared your memory and entered the contest? If not, it’s not too late! We want to hear your story. Just grab a camera and get that video in by November 23, 2009, and then be sure to encourage all of your friends and colleagues to vote for your video. The submissions that receive the most votes are awarded with a flip video camera and a fantastic Teaching Strategies gift certificate! Don’t wait, get those videos in today!

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