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Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Assessment Accommodations

This is very difficult issue in my class structure. With the grades being primarily based on written work (discussions and papers), a weak command of the English language greatly impacts a student's ability to convey logical arguments. While I try to take into consideration what the student may have intended to say, it is difficulty to know for sure what they were thinking. I do try to identify which students may be ELL in the beginning so I can offer advice, recommend learning aids, and suggest library resourses that may aid them in formulating ideas.

Learning Environment

Describe the learning environment you create for your ELL students. How does that contribute to their learning?

Social/Affective Strategies

In what situations do you think social/affective strategies are most helpful to your ELL students?

Assessment Accommodations

What assessment accommodations do you use in your classroom for your ELL students?

Critical Thinking Skills

As an instructor in Allied Health I have found that many of my students do not have critical thinking skills especially when it comes to medical ethics. I have some scenarios that I use to provoke discussion as to 'what are the issues and what is the best course of action'. They do not do well at first only speaking from emotion but as the course continues they begin to think things through more before offering an opinion.

Internet Videos

AS an instructor in Allied Health I have found that using videos found on the internet to demonstrate procedures can be very effective.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Several terms ago I had a student who was very argumentative, defiant, and often lost his temper outside the classroom. He had been in the Marine Corp and had two tours of duty in Iraq. I thought he may be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. However, after reading and studying the material in the course. I now look at the Oppositional Defiant Disorder as a possibly. Are the two related or can PTSD cause ODD?

New Student with Dyslexia

At the start of the current term in a computer class, I had a student tell me she was Dyslexia. I asked her, “If she could follow simple directions in a textbook,” she answered probably.” I told her, ‘If she had any problems to ask me for help.” We are into the second week of the term. She has asked me questions. I have guided her through the steps where needed. She has turned in work and she seems to be doing OK. I have given her some leeway on her grades. When I lecture, she seems to follow OK.… >>>

"special snowflake" syndrome

I am currently teaching the Wedding Cake module of my school's curriculum. I've spent the past 3 weeks showing them (and them reproducing my demos) various techniques that would qualify as approved techniques for the practical. They are to sketch a wedding cake and reproduce it. I seem to get a lot of resistence from the students when I give them advice using my past experiences. When giving Gen Yers creative license they get very offended (hurt?) if I don't appreciate their vision and are even surprised when their grade doesn't represent what they feel they deserve. I have even… >>>

Thoughts from an Old School person

Is social media changing the human contact that people need to be able to interact? No longer do you send a card or call someone on a special occasion, no just send an e-mail or post something. Yes it's much easier especially if you are out of touch with the needs to call, send a card or stop by and say Hi. There are places that are so remote you can't get to a store to buy a card or stop by and wish them whatever. I think we are losing the personnal contact needed in some cases to stay… >>>

Showing different styles work

As a boomer instructor I can show my students how things were done and how modern technology works hand in hand. Reasoning helps when you try to convience Y students they need to diversify the way they think and work. First the why, to get knowledge, and then the how; jobs, money, etc. With the introduction of computers into the classroom the how can be researched faster and with a greater variety of sources.

Boomer teaching X & Y students

What a difference in teaching styles from when I was in school and how school is taught now. The thing that drives me crazy is how the school is blamed for everything. The parents and students don't want to take responsibility for failure. This country spends way to much on education to be turning out so many inept graduates. Just push Johnny along so he doesn't feel bad and what ever you do don't fail him. It might hinder his development. I'm an instructor at a tech school and people here are always blaming the public schools for the poor… >>>

The Investigative Reporter

I have been working on a collaborative learning experience for my students. I want them to think of themselves as hot newspaper reporters breaking the latest news in print. The newspaper format stems from my "Boomer" perspective, but also from a desire to help them develop the ability to write an article (or research paper) well. I wanted them to utilize the Who/What/When/Where & Why format. Interesting how this MaxKnowledge course has brought my idea into more fruition. Now I can see the importance of incorporating technology into the experience for my Gen Yers. Anyone else been thinking of doing… >>>

Performance Contracts

We use a modified version of this for the research component of some of our courses. The students have the ability to develop their own project, within our parameters. Once their plan has been approved, the instructor and student both sign.

Gen Y Students Multi-Tasking with Technology in the Classroom

Our campus policy strictly forbids use of electronics in the classroom = no cell phone or laptop use. This makes me think of "...throwing the baby out with the bath water" with respect to the Gen Yers preferred method of learning. What ways can we as instructors incorporate multi-tasking with technology in the classroom without disrupting the learning process for all students? Namaste, Shelia

Classroom suggestions

I would like to know how you manage to create new things/ice breakers, so your students with learning disabilities don't feel like they have been in theory for 45min. Would love some ideas for my class.

Experiential Learning for Gen Yers

This gives the student another "way" to learn. If a student doesn't understand. Try a different method. Something they can relate to

Using Social Networks

in our technical school social networks are only used on a limited basis, to keep students informed of up coming events and such. No real place in our classroom.

Gen Y'ers

I find in a technical school that the gen y'ers are easily distracted during lecture. but during a hands on lab situation they are much more attentive.

Critical Thinking

Be more creative with CT papers,have them research in groups and take responsibilty for each others work. Present to class as a project.