WHAT HOLLYWOOD CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL REDESIGN

Hollywood can teach you a surprising amount about running your business.
When a blockbuster film is produced, a team comes together to go all-in on the project—and then they move onto separate projects after it’s finished. While it may seem disjointed, this approach actually allows producers to create the ideal team based on skill, working style and interest. And the shared sense of purpose and energy enable the team to create a great final product.
Software developers have been following this “agile working practice” for years. Developers work in small teams, potentially with people dotted the world over, in a series of sprints with short-term targets that build towards an end goal. When the project ends, the team disbands and members join other teams and projects.
According to Josh Bersin, principal of Bersin by Deloitte, this model is closer to the way we actually work today. A combination of digitization, globalization and increasing VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) in the world are driving the need for greater innovation, better performance and the ability to become more customer-centric to stay competitive. Rather than fixed, hierarchical silos and departments, companies are increasingly operating in what Bersin calls a “network of teams,” each of which is small, nimble and productive.
SOURCE: BERSIN
But such a shift in existing organizational structures won’t happen overnight. Deloitte’s 2017 Human Capital Trends report finds that just 11 percent of respondents feel confident that they know how to build the organization of the future. Here are three key areas of business HR leaders will need to rethink when designing for the organization of the future.

Recruiting

In a traditional company, job descriptions are static and clearly defined: someone is hired for a specific role with specific responsibilities. But in this team-based world, employees will not stick in one role, but move between teams, requiring HR leaders to rethink who and how they recruit. So when it comes to recruitment, HR needs to create job titles and descriptions that are much broader to reflect the fact that people may work across different teams.

Leadership Competencies

The traditional command-and-control leadership style, where leaders set goals and standards for staff, doesn’t fit within this new framework. Instead, organizations have to create room for decisions and goals to be made at the employee and team level. This could mean creating two streams of managers, suggests Bersin: traditional style managers who focus on an individual’s career and development, and a project manager who oversees and develops them for that particular mission.

Performance Reviews

Assessing performance and rewarding staff are also changing: yearly reviews are being scrapped for a culture of continuous feedback and evaluation. People are measured according to how they perform in their teams in addition to more standard individual feedback. In this team-centric organization, companies need to target their performance reviews around not just what the manager thinks, but also how their peers’ view their work and attitude.
Bersin’s ideas about the new way of working in networks of teams will no doubt take time to implement , but it’s also compelling. The organizational change is highly disruptive and exciting—just like the best Hollywood films.

Teaching Strategies: Qualities of Effective Educators

When you look back at the teachers you had growing up, what qualities did the better educators exhibit?
Chances are that the most memorable teachers from your youth, according to TeachHUB.com writer Janelle Cox, demonstrated a combination of the following traits and teaching strategies:
Personal traits:
  • Caring
  • Respectful
  • Fair
  • And more

With regards to qualities for instruction, Janelle points out several more characteristics of an effective teacher:
  • Employs strategies
  • Utilizes technology
  • Has high expectations
  • And more!

Janelle also lists out some classroom management characteristics that engaging educators employ.
Janelle sums up her article thusly: “An effective teacher has a true understanding of the content that they teach. They challenge their students and push them to work hard and be successful. The most effective teachers are the ones who are usually the students least favorite, but are later remembered as the ones who prepared them for their future. Being an effective teacher is not always easy, you may not always be liked or the student’s favorite, but you will be the one that they will want to thank later in life.”
What qualities do you think effective teachers should displa

5 Tips to Get a Summer Teaching Job

Although most of you are enjoying summer break, quite a few of you might be looking for a way to earn some extra money by obtaining a summer teaching job. It’s a great way to earn some extra cash, and it’s great experience to call out on your resume!

But how do you go about finding a summer teaching job? It’s not as easy as you think.
With that in mind, today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned elementary educator based in Upstate New York, takes a look at five ways to get a coveted summer teaching job.

Janelle’s ideas include:

  • Update Your Resume and Teaching Portfolio
  • Where to Search for a Teaching Job
  • Consider the Alternatives
  • And More!


Janelle sums up her article thusly: “Research shows that when teachers enrich their minds in the summertime, it will help them grow and become better educators for our children. Just as we don’t want our students to get that dreaded “Summer slide,” we, as educators, need to keep our minds as sharp as possible too. Taking on a summer job will help will help keep your mind busy while making some extra cash for your wallet.”

Do you have any tips on how to get a summer teaching job? Please share your thoughts and ideas, you never know, you may just be the person to help a fellow teacher out.

Get a Teaching Job: Common Interview Mistakes
For a while now, we’ve focused considerable effort on TeachHUB.com toward helping current and potential teachers to get a teaching job. It’s never easy, and in these days of budget cutbacks and leaner staffing trends, it can seem near impossible to get a teaching job. And if you do land that coveted interview, you can bet that those doing the hiring will be looking to pounce upon any mistake, perceived or real, to eliminate those they deem unworthy from the process.
So today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned educator based on the East Coast (specifically, New York state) tells our audience about common interview mistakes that job candidates need to avoid.
Specifically, Janelle mentions that during an interview, potential teachers should not:
  • Be Arrogant
  • Talk Excessively
  • Dress Inapprpriately
  • And More!

In summation, Janelle’s words ring true: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression. In order to land that teaching job of your dreams make sure that you dress to impress, arrive early and shake hands with each person on the interview panel, utilize your teaching portfolio when answering questions, be confident, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You have done your homework and you know that you are qualified for the job, now all you have to do is make sure that you avoid these common interview mistakes, and you will ace that interview. You’ve got this!”
What do you think are some common interview mistakes that teachers make? Do you agree with the ones that are listed above?

Osama bin Laden Killed Video Writing Prompts

6-8: Impact of 9/11
How have the 9/11 attacks impacted the way you see the world? What does it mean to you that Osama bin Laden has been killed?

9-12: Results of bin Laden’s death
How do you think the death of Osama bin Laden will affect United States citizens? Consider how this will affect public safety, the war in Afghanistan or the economy. How does it personally make you feel to see the world celebrating a man’s death?

Classroom Games to Improve Students’ Memory

We hear from many teachers who encounter lapses in short-term memory, also referred to as working memory. Kids who have stronger short-term memories are able to stay focused and on task, follow step-by-step directions, and apply their prior knowledge to new situations.
But as kids get older, their working memories can be negatively affected by distractions or information overload.
To combat this memory phenomenon, today on TeacHHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, who is a veteran teacher based on the East Coast, offers up some classroom games and strategies that will impact your kids’ memories.
Janelle’s ideas include:
  • Card Recall
  • Mix Them Up
  • Teach Students to Visualize
  • And More!

Janelle sums up her article like this, in a paragraph with the subhead Teach Students to Visualize: “Encourage students to use their visualization skills. For example, let’s say that students are learning about Rosa Parks. Have them close their eyes and visualize Rosa Parks sitting on the school bus. Tell them to come up with a picture of what they think that looks like in their head. Then have them draw the picture that they came up with on paper. Once students get used to visualizing, they will be able to use their words to describe what they are imagining instead of drawing you a picture.”

Do your students have any issues with their memory? What kinds of strategies and games to incorporate in your classroom? Please share your thoughts!

Our Top 10 Songs About School
Songs about school have been a pop culture touchstone since the early 20th century. Indeed, although the specific topics vary from song to song (love, cars, emotions about various items on the curriculum), you can bet that at any moment, there’s probably a song about school live on the airwaves right now (or on a closer friend’s playlist).
In a fun piece today, frequent TeachHUB.com contributor Jordan Catapano (who’s also a high school teacher in Illinois) calls out the most memorable tunes about school, including:
    Van Halen, “Hot for Teacher”
    The Police, “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
    The Beatles, “Getting Better”
    And More!
Overall, songs about school culture have been a staple in popular music forever. The themes these songs address are universal – perhaps that’s why songs about school are always close to the top 10.
What other songs should be on our list? What will songs of the future sing about school?

Buckle Up: Santa Claus is Coming to Your Holiday Party

Buckle up folks, it’s time for the school holiday party. And nothing is more dangerous than teachers gone wild.

If Secret Santa exchanges are the sunny side of holiday celebrations in New York City Public schools, regular ole’ dirty little Secrets come out at night. Over the course of three annual Christmas parties, I’ve heard more inappropriate stories, seen more compromising positions on the dance floor and taken down more green and red colored beers than I (in accordance with my union contract) would like to admi

Cashing In: Selling Public Schooling to International Students

How much do you think a spot in a small town public school classroom costs? Try around $15,000 a year.

Many rural schools are struggling to stay afloat due to tax cuts and a drop in enrollment. With fewer students enrolled in the school, less money is being provided by the government. To drive more money to these small-scale public schools, administrators are putting classroom seats up for sale.

According to a Yahoo News article, rural schools from states like New York, Arkansas, Maine, and Pennsylvania are recruiting international students in hopes of providing financial security to the schools.

Helping the Children of Haiti Writing Prompts

Helping the Children of Haiti

9-12: How is the aftermath from the Haitian earthquake different than other recent disasters (the Asian Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, etc)? Is a country’s wealth and international relationships a cause of those differences? Why or why not?

Academic Leadership – Journal

Academic Leadership Journal (ISSN 1533-7812): is a peer-reviewed refereed monthly journal that publishes papers on diverse areas of management such as Human Resource Management, Organizational Behaviour and Organizational Management, International Business, Knowledge Management, Environmental Management, Data Analysis and Decision Making, Technology and Operations Management, Strategic Decision Making, Negotiations and Competitive Decision Making, Ethics in Management, Corporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility, Public Management, Rural Management, General Management, Hotel Management, Intellectual Property Rights, Education Management, Communication Management, Lifecycle Management, Spiritual Management, Tourism Management, Hospitality Management, Leisure Management, Inventory Management, Waste Management, Hospital Management, among others.
The objective of the Academic Leadership Journal is to disseminate knowledge, which ensures good practice of professional management and its focal point is on research and reflections relevant to academicians and practicing managers. The Journal enjoys a pan India reach and a discernible international subscriber and readership base.
Send papers for publication in this journal to editor@academicleadership.org

Teaching Strategies to Help Students Plan Writing

Teaching the art of writing can be tricky, and getting kids started in the writing process might be the trickiest part of the whole shebang.

It falls upon educators to illuminate the various teaching strategies that kids use to begin the writing process.  Luckily, there are several of these teaching strategies readily available to teachers to choose from. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jacqui Murray, herself a seasoned tech teacher on the West Coast, points out some of these time-tested ways we can use when teaching writing. Jacqui’s ideas include:

  • Brainstorm/Mindmap
  • Digital Note-Taking
  • Outline
  • And More!

Jacqui sums up her article thusly: “Whichever pre-writing tool you start with, make sure it ends with writing. Digital Quick Writes are a quick, effective approach to make sure that happens. Spend five to 10  minutes (no more than that) writing prose based on the plan developed with one of the above methods. If the pre-writing tool fits the student, his/her writing should flow easily. If it doesn’t, try a different one.”

Do you employ any of these pre-writing techniques? Which works for you?


Teaching Strategies to Build Student Confidence
Some confident learners know how to speak their minds and, therefore, know how to get their point across.
But other students who aren’t as confident can feel isolated with their lack of self-confidence, and they might find themselves plagued by thoughts of academic insufficiency.
Today on TeachHUB.com, writer Janelle Cox informs us on different tactics we can use to help those students feel more confident and proud of themselves and their accomplishments.
Some strategies Janelle outlines:
    Try not to correct every single thing the student says wrong.
    Give students the opportunity to choose what they learn.
    Encourage students to do better than they did before.
What do you do to help build your students’ self-confidence?

WHAT HOLLYWOOD CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL REDESIGN

Hollywood can teach you a surprising amount about running your business.
When a blockbuster film is produced, a team comes together to go all-in on the project—and then they move onto separate projects after it\’s finished. While it may seem disjointed, this approach actually allows producers to create the ideal team based on skill, working style and interest. And the shared sense of purpose and energy enable the team to create a great final product.
Software developers have been following this \”agile working practice\” for years. Developers work in small teams, potentially with people dotted the world over, in a series of sprints with short-term targets that build towards an end goal. When the project ends, the team disbands and members join other teams and projects.
According to Josh Bersin, principal of Bersin by Deloitte, this model is closer to the way we actually work today. A combination of digitization, globalization and increasing VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) in the world are driving the need for greater innovation, better performance and the ability to become more customer-centric to stay competitive. Rather than fixed, hierarchical silos and departments, companies are increasingly operating in what Bersin calls a \”network of teams,\” each of which is small, nimble and productive.
SOURCE: BERSIN
But such a shift in existing organizational structures won\’t happen overnight. Deloitte\’s 2017 Human Capital Trends report finds that just 11 percent of respondents feel confident that they know how to build the organization of the future. Here are three key areas of business HR leaders will need to rethink when designing for the organization of the future.

Recruiting

In a traditional company, job descriptions are static and clearly defined: someone is hired for a specific role with specific responsibilities. But in this team-based world, employees will not stick in one role, but move between teams, requiring HR leaders to rethink who and how they recruit. So when it comes to recruitment, HR needs to create job titles and descriptions that are much broader to reflect the fact that people may work across different teams.

Leadership Competencies

The traditional command-and-control leadership style, where leaders set goals and standards for staff, doesn\’t fit within this new framework. Instead, organizations have to create room for decisions and goals to be made at the employee and team level. This could mean creating two streams of managers, suggests Bersin: traditional style managers who focus on an individual\’s career and development, and a project manager who oversees and develops them for that particular mission.

Performance Reviews

Assessing performance and rewarding staff are also changing: yearly reviews are being scrapped for a culture of continuous feedback and evaluation. People are measured according to how they perform in their teams in addition to more standard individual feedback. In this team-centric organization, companies need to target their performance reviews around not just what the manager thinks, but also how their peers\’ view their work and attitude.
Bersin\’s ideas about the new way of working in networks of teams will no doubt take time to implement , but it\’s also compelling. The organizational change is highly disruptive and exciting—just like the best Hollywood films.

Good Impact of Lockdown

by: Janvi Joshi

The nationwide lockdown that brought 1.35 billion people to a stop has apparently caused positive impact on the environment, we can say at least temporarily. From cleaner air to liberated wildlife, corona virus lockdowns across the world appear to have had a number of positive effects on the environment.

Below, we take a look at some of the notable impacts of corona virus lockdowns our surroundings.

Cleaner air has perhaps been the single greatest positive effect of the lockdowns on the environment.

ganga river
ganga river

The lockdown has also led to better air quality. According to the World Air Quality, the average concentration of PM 2.5 in New Delhi came down by 71 per cent for a week last month. Nitrogen Dioxide, a pollutant, has also witnessed a decline of 71 per cent.

Visuals of a cleaner River Ganga have emerged from Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur as well as Varanasi. The clear water is a result of the shutdown of most industries.

In a rare sighting, fishes can be seen near the Varanasi ghaat steps. This seems to have happened because of absence or crowds and clean water.

One of Aam Aadmi Party MLA and Delhi Jal Board Vice-Chairman Raghav Chadha said absence of people has made the Yamuna cleaner.

Many industries and offices are closed due to the lockdown these days and therefore the Yamuna is looking cleaner. The stoppage of industrial pollutants and industrial waste has definitely had a positive effect on water quality.

 

The Magic Phrase as a Teaching Strategy

All too often, educators fall into a rut of “Don’ts” when attempting to carry out a lesson plan: “Don’t use commas there. Don’t bore your audience with that intro. Don’t settle for a three-point thesis. Don’t use that quotation there.”
But veteran teacher and frequent TeachHUB.com contributor Jordan Catapano notes that a better way to achieve the desired outcome is to use the phrase “next time” when providing feedback: “Don’t write a generic introduction, write a personal story next time. Don’t put commas there, but use Comma Rule we discussed in class next time. Don’t shout out the answer, but please raise your hand when you think of something next time and I’ll call on you.”
Catapano intones that by giving students a solid idea of what their next behavior expectation is, they will have something definitive to strive toward.
How to Stay Motivated as a Teacher
The role of a teacher now includes the teacher being a mother, nurse and coach, roles for which many teachers have had little instruction. So it’s no secret that teachers are burning out more than ever before.
With a little bit of encouragement, however, some teachers are learning how to stay motivated and productive throughout the course of their careers.
Today, TeachHUB.com writer Janelle Cox takes a look at some various ways that educators can learn how to stay motivated, including:
  • Value Each and Every Teacher
  • Give Teachers a Voice
  • Consider Teachers’ Needs

We Can Help You Earn a Graduate Degree
Let TeachHUB be your turnkey resource to earn that graduate degree, the one that will propel your career into the academic stratosphere!
With our help, you can find a convenient, affordable graduate program designed for a busy, working teacher just like you. There are local and online options for master’s and doctoral program available for educators throughout the country.
If you’re looking for an online degree, meanwhile, our selections for online master’s programs offer the same high-quality education you\’d receive on campus with the convenience to work at home when it best fits your schedule.
Our solutions have helped thousands of teachers already, and you could be next

Teaching Strategies to Deal with a Poorly Designed Textbook

We’ve all been there: The school district or school administration saddles us with a clunker of a textbook that we must utilize. Maybe it’s poorly written, maybe it’s outdated, maybe its ancillary materials like quizzes or websites are sub-par.
Whatever the case, you’re stuck with it. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox looks at some teaching strategies designed to help you through that terrible tome.
Janelle, who is a seasoned elementary school educator based in Upstate New York, includes the following helpful teaching strategies for overcoming bad textbooks:
  • Have Students Do a Walk-Through of the Textbook
  • Look for Additional Online Resources
  • Use the Textbook Only as a Resource
  • Develop Students’ Ability to Analyze and Critique the Book
  • And More!

Janelle sums up her article like this: “Poorly designed textbooks or ones that are out of date can be utilized as long as you think of them as just one of the many resources you are using to have students gain knowledge about a topic. With a little forethought and creativity, these “Awful” textbooks can actually provide a useful guide for learning.”
Have you ever had to use a poorly designed textbook? How did you use teaching strategies to make it work? Please share your thoughts in the comment section, we would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.
Subscribe to the TeacHHUB.com Newsletter
You’re a busy educator, and as such, it probably can be difficult to keep up with the ever-evolving trends an topics currently aswirl in the academic realm.
One way to keep up with these trends is by subscribing to the FREE TeachHUB.com newsletter. Disseminated weekly, the TeachHUB.com newsletter is your weekly dose of what you need to be a successful, 21st century educator.

Classroom Games Involving Math

Students love classroom games, even as they might detest math. But math is an integral component of society, so its importance can never be underestimated. But by combining elements of games with math, students’ interest in mathematics can be cultivated.
Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributor Janelle Cox notes several math games that can excite students about math, including:
  • Math Baseball
  • Exchange Change
  • And More!

Math games are a time-honored and effective way to reinforce and strengthen your kids’ skills. Read up on how to incorporate classroom games about math today!
Do you play any math games with your students in your classroom? Which games do find students like the best?
Classroom Management: Bringing Art, Music Back
Budget cuts have historically leveled arts and music programs in schools first. It’s too bad, because for many kids, art and music are two of the subjects that are favorites.
Beyond that, research has shown that art and music curriculums help kids with language development and IQ, they help students visualize elements like solving math problems, and they help improve test scores.
If your district has slashed arts and music programs, we’re sorry. But with a little outside-the-box thinking, you can use return music and art to your own classroom in creative ways. Frequent TeachHUB.com contributor Janelle Cox recently outlined some easy ways that teachers can do just that.
Download TeachHUB Magazine for FREE Today!
In the December issue of TeachHUB magazine, learn some GREAT gift ideas for your teaching colleagues for under $5 – but our ideas are NOT the typical coffee mug fare.
Likewise, we take a look at three smart boards you may want to incorporate into your classroom, and offer up some tasty holiday treats guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of your guests.
Did you know TeachHUB magazine is FREE? It is, and it’s a wonderful resource designed to help you become a better educator.