Month: April 2020

No-Prep and Low-Prep Classroom Activities

We’ve all been tempted to simply throw in the towel from time to time and purchase that online lesson plan, full of classroom activities that are cookie-cutter in nature and that to rely just too heavily on worksheets.
But why not look to us at TeachHUB.com when you’re looking for those perfect that classroom activities will engage your class in kinetic learning while not breaking the bank? A perfect example is today’s centerpiece article, in which frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, who is a veteran elementary school educator on the East Coast, which spells out several no-prep and low-prep classroom activities  that are certain to liven up your days.
Janelle’s ideas include:
  • Sentence Relay
  • A-Z Reflection
  • Hungry Hippos
  • And more!


Do you have any no-prep or low-prep classroom activity ideas that you would like to share? Please share your ideas, we would love to hear what you have to say.
Get our classroom activities>>

Multimedia Podcast: Social Networking in Classrooms for Teaching & Learning

How can we use tools like Twitter and Facebook for effective learning?
Find out in this week’s podcast, from the always-free TeachHUB Magazine.
Get our podcast on social networking>>     
Relationship Building with Teacher Colleagues
Although the educational system stresses the importance of the teacher-student relationship, of equal importance are the relationships we build with our teaching colleagues.
Our colleagues are our teammates, our collaborators, our allies and our partners – and also, frequently, our biggest pains. So it’s of paramount importance that we fortify and build positive relationships with our colleagues.
With that in mind, frequent TeachHUB.com contributor Jordan Catapano, himself an English teacher in the Chicago suburbs, explains how to better build out our in-school relationships with our colleagues.
Jordan’s ideas include:
•   Ditch the e-mail
•   Connect on social media
•   Mind your manners
•   And more!
In summation, Jordan notes: “Putting yourself out there in these ways lets others know that they can trust you, you can trust them, and lays a solid foundation for respect and collaboration down the road. If you want to build relationships with others, it starts with how you treat everyone else.
“When teachers work well together, everyone in the school benefits. And since your relationships with your colleagues are long term, the benefits your school gains are long term as well. Imagine how much students stand to gain when their teachers share ideas, respect one another, work together, and contribute to a positive academic environment. It all begins with strong relationships laying the foundation for momentous achievements.”
How do you build relationships with your colleagues? What are your favorite methods, activities, or traditions?

Teaching Strategies to Build a Sense of Community

Positive relationships within the classroom often can bring about better attendance, increased achievement of goals, and better collaboration techniques, studies have shown.
But in many classrooms, teaching strategies including getting-to-know you activities often go by the wayside as the year stretches on.
With that at the forefront of many teachers’ minds, today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, who is a veteran elementary educator based in Upstate New York, takes a look at some teaching strategies you can use to build a sense of community within your classroom well past August.
Janelle’s ideas include classroom games like:
  • Mingling
  • This or That
  • Venn Again
  • And More!

Janelle sums up her article thusly: “Ultimately, building a sense of community that lasts stops happening after the first two weeks of school — it takes some time and patience. You are the one who can help to create a loving and nurturing classroom environment where your students feel safe and comfortable to learn.”

How do you build a sense of community in your classroom? Do you have any tips that you would like to share? Please leave your ideas below, we would love to hear them.
Get our teaching strategies on how to build a sense of community>>
How to Motivate Students to Learn Things That Only Make Sense in School
Also today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributor Jordan Catapano tells educators how to answer the frequently uttered, rhetorical question, “When am I going to use this?”
It’s a question that students ask when teachers seem to be “Teaching to the test.”
He notes that teachers should often note that through their teaching, educators are also getting students to:
  • Navigate the social spectrum.
  • Use new technology for academic and personal pursuits.
  • Think critically and apply new information.

In closing, Jordan says, “When we teach students that learning only provides immediate, practical application, we overlook the deeper and further reaching implications of a rich education. Let’s commit to understanding the “Why” of what we teach and explaining to students both the immediate and long-term, academic and real-world applications for what we’re pursuing.”
How do you approach the real-world and academic components of teaching? Do you see this distinction yourself, or are there other ways of looking at how students applying their learning?

Technology in the Classroom: What Pokemon Go Means

If you’ve been wondering what that pack of pre-teens hovering near your mailbox staring at their phones is doing for the past few weeks, the answer is Pokemon Go.
Pokemon Go is the most successful app in history. In short, once you log in and start playing, your objective is to capture Pokemon monsters that are loose in the wild (well, your nieghborbood) and train them in an ongoing battle against other Pokemon monsters.
There are many educational aspects of this game that can be leveraged, and today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jordan Catapano, who is a high school English teacher based in the Chicago suburbs, takes a look at augmented reality, the type of game category that Pokemon Go falls into, and how it might affect our teaching moving into the near future.
Including a summary of what Pokemon Go is, today Jordan includes segments on augmented reality in education, what to teach about augmented reality, and appropriate uses for appropriate times, among other segments.
Encouraging us to catch on, Jordan notes, “Augmented reality is not going away. Rather, like all disruptive technologies, it will continue to impact the way we learn and interact in our environment. As teachers, it’s essential that we understand what augmented reality is, how it can be used in education, and how we can equip our students to engage in a world where such a technology plays a role.”
Jordan sums up today’s article in this manner: “Hopefully you’ll take a crack at playing Pokemon Go sometime soon. It’s fun, and definitely something you can relate to your students! More importantly, plan on using this new app for opening up important discussions with your students about how to use augmented reality in a way that is both safe and advantageous.”
Have you used augmented reality in your classroom? What do you do to help students to make the most of this exciting tool?

Teaching Strategies that Demonstrate Real-World Experiences

Anytime you use teaching strategies to deliver real-world experiences to your classroom, it’s a positive time for everyone involved – for you, the students, and even the special guest!
Likewise, studies show that when your bring in a guest to share his or her work-life stories, students are much more engaged in that day’s lessons and then they go on to be much more aware of the choices they make in society at large.
Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned elementary educator based on the East Coast, looks at some teaching strategies to bring the real world into your classroom.
Janelle intones us to:
  • Use current events/the news
  • Invite guest speakers
  • Take a field trip (even a virtual one)
  • And more!

Janelle sums up his article thusly: “Bringing real-world experiences into the classroom is a great way to give students a memorable experience that they can always take with them. Whichever approach you choose to try, remember that your goal is to create an authentic experience that will help students engage in their learning more.”

How do you bring real-world experiences into your classroom? Do you have any tips that you would like to share? Please feel free to leave your ideas in the comment section below, we would love to hear what you have to say.
Get our teaching strategies that deliver real-world experiences to your classroom>>
Professional Development: How “Teacherpreneurs” Can Save Education
Just recently, one of our frequent contributors, Meghan Mathis, went out to attend the Teachers Pay Teachers third annual conference.

Teachers Pay Teachers is the first and largest online “Community of millions of educators who come together to share their work, their insights, and their inspiration with one another.”

Meghan came away wowed and inspired, an atmosphere where teachers shared their best ideas without fear of their being stolen or lifted.
Meghan summed up her article like this: “If districts could begin to think about their teachers like the 
TpT planners thought about their teacherpreneurs, imagine how much more productive professional development could be!”

Do you have any ideas about how “Teacherpreneurs” can save education? Let us know in the comment section!

Olympics-Themed Classroom Activities

For a couple weeks in the late summer (winter, too) every few years, the Olympic games captivate the world with its inherent athleticism, along with the spirit of international cooperation it brings about. Long-simmering political rivalries are often shelved during the course of the games, setting a positive example of polite discourse — for a short while, anyway.
The Olympic games can also bring about some valuable classroom activities for you and your class to enjoy. With that at the forefront of academic minds everywhere, frequent TeachHUB.com (and TeachHUB Magazine) contributing writer Jordan Catapano today looks at several Olympic-based classroom activities that can enhance your upcoming curriculum.
Jordan’s ideas include:
  • Learn About Rio de Janeiro
  •  Follow A Country (wherein students select a country, then answer questions like Does my country specialize in any sports? How do my country’s athletes prepare for the Olympics? Who are my country’s stars and favored athletes?)
  • Inspiring Personal Goals 
  • And More!

Jordan sums up his article like this: “The Olympics are a thrilling, international experience that offers much opportunity for enhancing the way we start our school year. Consider some of these ideas to transform student excitement about the Olympics into an excitement about learning!
What would you add to this list? How do you like to take advantage of the Olympics in your classroom? Tell our TeachHUB.com community about your ideas!
Get our classroom activities based around the Olympic games>>
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?

Low-Prep Methods for Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction, or the process by which teachers craft custom lesson plans uniquely tailored to each individual student’s learning style, has been the rage of academic circles for some time now. Differentiated instruction can make all the difference when it comes to learning, but tailoring lesson plans to each individual student (or groups of students) can be a time-consuming undertaking.

However, with a little bit of planning, educators can easily differentiate their lesson plans. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a veteran elementary school educator based in Upstate New York, looks at some low-prep ways that teachers can employ methods of differentiated instruction.

Janelle’s ideas include:

Homework options
Student choice boards
Writing prompts
And more!

Janelle sums up today’s article like this: “These are a just a few of the most popular low prep ways that you differentiate instruction. Other ways include: Flexible seating, using reading buddies, think-pair-share, menus, open-ended activities, miniworkshops and lessons, explorations, games, and apps, to name a few. Remember, the payoff comes when you can see your students achieve more on your classroom than ever before, and when you see them thriving and becoming more involved in classroom discussions.”

In which ways do you differentiate learning in your classroom? Do you have any easy, low-prep ideas that work for you and your classroom? Please share with us. We would love to hear your thoughts.

Get our low-prep methods of differentiated instruction>>
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Differentiated Instruction: Developing Tiered Assignments

Differentiated instruction  has become the hot way for educators to reach the diverse learning needs of all their students. In fact, even if you haven’t head of differentiated instruction, you might already be using it. For instance, do you employ cooperative learning groups? Then you are using differentiated instruction!
Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, herself a seasoned elementary educator based in Upstate New York, spells out for us how to plan a tiered lesson.
What’s a tiered lesson? Janelle spells it out: “When you tier an assignment, you are essentially just making an adjustment within the same lesson in order to meet the needs of all students. Assignments can be adjusted in many ways: By complexity, pace, number of steps to complete the task, time allotted, or even the level of independence that is required to complete the task.”
Janelle’s three-step plan is great for beginners looking to dip their toes in the differentiated learning pool, and it’s excellent for veterans looking to brush up on the technique.
Janelle sums up her article like this: “High-quality differentiation occurs when all students’ needs are being met. Many teachers tend to think that that differentiation is giving their higher-level students more work, and their lower level, struggling students less work. However, this is not the case. Effective, high-quality differentiation hinges upon focusing on what students need to know, understand, and do. Once you have figured that out, then students will be able to recall and retrieve the information they are given.”

Do you tier assignments for differentiation in your classroom? If so, what strategies and techniques do you use? Please leave your thoughts and ideas, we would love to hear what you have to say.

Technology in the Classroom: Amazon’s Inspire Education Platform

We’ve got a real technology in the classroom treat for you on TeachHUB.com today. Recently, online shopping giant Amazon announced it would be entering the technology in the classroom foray with a new platform resource called Inspire.
We know, it’s difficult to be inspired (ha) to positively anticipate yet another technolgoical behemoth invading our classrooms with yet more expensive and difficult to understand software and/or hardware products.
But here’s where Amazon begs to differ. Amazon is prominsing the “The world’s largest open educational resources platform with Inspire. Within its cloud, teachers will use Inspire to tap into well-known educational content providers like Folger Shakespeare Library and the Department of Education’s College Scoreboard.
But here’s another kicker. Participating teachers will also have the opportunity (much like with Teacherspayteachers.com) to upload and share resources. TeachHUB.com contributing writer Jordan Catapano, himself a seasoned high school English educator based in the venerable Chicago suburbs, notes that “Creating a venue where teachers upload their own content is not a new idea, but Amazon offers size, familiarity, and convenience that current marketplaces cannot.”
Only time wil tell, of course, whether Inspire will draw a crowd of teachers to an already crowded technology in the classroom field. But with Amazon’s in-place mechanisms for instant recommendations, reviews, and ratings, the playing field could already be tipped in the company’s direction.
We’ll see how popular Inspire becomes after its official launch later this fall. But with educators everywhere strapped for resources, time, and ideas, we’re betting Amazon’s Inspire could be a whopping success. Or not, haha. We’re still encouraging teachers to give it a shot, however.  
Does Amazon’s Inspire sound like something you would use? Give it a try, and let our TeachHUB.com community know what you think!

ATTENDING IRECRUIT EXPO AMSTERDAM? PETER GOLD GIVES YOU HIS TAKE

The two-day agenda for iRecruit in Amsterdam is packed full of great content. I’ve been through the different sessions and picked out the ones I want to attend and will need to somehow be in three places at the same time.
In total there are 36 sessions, 2 unconference sessions, a talent workshop, about 40 exhibitors, 5 coffee breaks and two lunch sessions plus 1 cocktail party. Phew.
So here’s my plan for the two day event.

Day One

Plenary
These all take place in the main conference room; day one is being kicked off with the good old “It’s broken” debate. I don’t necessarily agree with this viewpoint which makes it a good one for lively discussion to get the blood flowing early on.
The next key session for me is “Hiring to Win” by Jerome Ternynck of Smart Recruiters which hopefully won’t be his usual sales pitch and will instead focus as per the agenda on the latest recruiting trends and innovations.
At the end of day one the final key session for me is the panel debate “Your dream ATS.\” It will be interesting to see how far today’s ATS is from their dream.
Streams
Running from 11:15 each day are a series of streams which are smaller groups talking about a range of topics such as:
  • Social.
  • Mobile.
  • Employer branding.
There are also unconference streams a recruitment leadership lab.
With so many to choose from I’ve made a list and will flit between streams and plenary as I can. The streams I’m hoping to attend are:
  • 2013 trends, innovations and future of talent technology.
  • Pushing boundaries in the world of mobile recruitment.
  • Going mobile with an integrated recruitment strategy.
The debate will no doubt rage on late into the cocktail party as we have many opinions colliding from across the globe in the same place.

Day Two

Plenary
Second day kicks off with “PepsiCo’s Big (Recruiting) Data” followed by “Influencing Direct Sourcing Methodologies and Internal Talent Communities” from SAB Miller before I escape for some coffee.
I’ll then be back to the plenary to hear about modern Talent Acquisition models and then it’s decision time again. Stay where I am to hear Josh Bersin talk about “New Roles, New Technology, and Big Data Converge” or scoot off to the streams.
The final session for me is “Hire to Win” by Ben Van Stekelenburg from Groupon.
Streams
William Tincup is the first stream with “Building your Social Brand to Win”.
After lunch I was torn between “Social Recruitment by Deloitte” or “Creating and Managing an Exclusive Supply Chain” until I realised my stream “The Yukon Arctic Ultra – how your people make your employer brand” was at the same time. I’ll be talking about my 450 mile trek across the Yukon in February this year.
HRN do put on great events but just looking at the schedule it’s tiring me out. I do think often “less is more” as there will be so little time in-between the sessions to talk to anyone. I do know from talking to delegates that they go to conferences to not only listen but also to talk; to other delegates and of course sponsors. Let’s hope for the second day afternoon speakers people still have the stamina to continue.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Financial Planning for Those in the Teaching Profession

It’s easy, as a busy professional in the teaching profession, to ignored issues of personal finance like retirements funds or savings accounts. But within the teaching profession, its easy to overlook finances.
Today on TeachHUB.com, we talked to several people in the teaching profession to find out what their financial planning strategies were. Frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox then wrote out her findings, and today’s centerpiece article on TeachHUB.com is all about them.
In her recommendations, Janelle says to:
  • Create a Budget
  • Organize Your Finances
  • Pay Down Your Debt
  • And More!

Janelle sums up her article in this manner: “Getting your finances in order and investing in your future will not only give you a peace of mind, but it will allow you to have a wonderful retirement. All you have to do now is simply follow these financial strategies for teachers and you will be ready for a bright future.”
Do you have any financial planning strategies for those in teaching profession? Please share your tips and strategies in the comment section below, we would love to hear your ideas.
We offer up some helpful financial advice from veterans in the teaching profession>>
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Top 12 Things You Learned In School That Your Students Won’t
One of the most-commented upon articles we’ve ever published has been a rundown of the top 12 things that “older” folks learned in school that are now viewed as practically academically obsolete.
Some of these endangered classroom species include:
  • Cursive writing
  • Typing
  • Paper-based reference materials
  • And more
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

5 Tips to Write a Classroom Management Plan

SEP
19

5 Tips to Write a Classroom Management Plan

We all can use some helpful classroom management tips from time to time, some gentle ways that you can use to discover some things that are truly amazing that can energize your class
Today on TeachHUB.com, guest contributor Kevin Nelson looks at some classroom management formulas that can get your class classroom management methodology back on track.
Kevin suggets:
  • Help students set their personal goals and achieve them
  • Offer students different choices
  • Be honest
  • And more!

Kevin sums up his article like this: “Managing a whole class is not really easy, no matter how many degrees in education you have. Your students are still people with their ups and downs, and you cannot foresee all of the issues that might arise around them. But there are always ways to keep your class disciplined and organized by applying our tips and using latest technology inventions. Show genuine love and care for your class and help them achieve as much as possible – and they will offer you proper behavior and true respect in return.”
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Teaching Strategies for Remembering Names

Remembering our kids’ names is not simple, but it can go a long way toward your gaining the overall respect you need to educate and perform well as a classroom leader. It’s tough! But by employing several teaching strategies that can help you remember your kids’ names, you will become successful at it.
Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, who is a seasoned educator based in Upstate New York, looks at some teaching strategies that are time-honored in getting educators to remember names.
Janelle’s ideas include:
  • Use Students’ Names throughout the Day
  • Use a Seating Chart
  • Play the Memory Game
  • And More!

Janelle sums up her article in this dignified manner: “At the end of each day, try and take a moment to sit and think about the names and faces of your students. By going over them, it will help to input them into your long-term memory.”
Do you have any tips, tricks, or teaching strategies for remembering your students’ names quickly? Please feel free to share with us in the comment section below, we’d love to hear your ideas.
The best teaching strategies for remembering students\’ names>>
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

SIX MUSINGS FROM IRECRUIT EXPO 2013

So the first iRecruitExpo is well and truly over and post event there’s a lot to take in about the state of corporate recruiting.
There were the usual core topics such as social and mobile but employer branding got in on the conversation quite often. The opening session by corporate recruiting maestro John Vlastelica no doubt helped a number of recruiters think a bit more about what they do rather than (just) the tools they should be using. So often we forget about the basics of recruitment:
  • Candidate experience – give them what they want rather than what you want.
  • Candidate personas – know who you have and who you should be hiring. Aspirational hiring is often just that!
  • Push back – the customer (line manager) is not always right so be a partner not a slave.
  • Focus on importance – just filling jobs is not enough; you need to fill the critical roles first!
But, even with the recruiting basics in place, technology still plays a big part in every recruiter’s life. The question is to know how to get the right balance between skills and technology.

The Dream ATS

A key session of the day was full of hope, but alas, we were disappointed. The audience tweeted their questions and whilst the panel attempted to answer them the moderator seemed to miss the points. Bottom line, we didn’t get too many views on what the dream ATS looks like but based on earlier discussions, recruiters want:
  • Flexibility
  • Simple configuration
  • Easy integration with third party products if they can’t get what they want from their existing ATS
So whilst some may dream of the perfect ATS, in most cases there are some “traditional” recruiting aspects that still need to be in place with less emphasis on the (to quote John Vlastelica) “shiny stupid” stuff.
But what do you think?
Are core recruiting skills more important than tech or can tech replace a lot of the basic skills a recruiter needs? If the ATS can take a job and automagically find a shortlist of passive candidates, show who these candidates know in your company and kick off the referral process with very little effort from the recruiter, employee and candidate, would this be the dream ATS? Maybe we need a Google Hangout to discuss your ATS fantasies or just tweet them using #dreamATS to let us know what you think.

Big Data

The second day was kicked off by Chris Hoyt with a great demonstration of how they were starting to use “big data” to make better recruiting decisions. Early days for their iPad app, but it looks very promising! Although it all looked very expensive with the talk of dedicated data analysts the basic iPad app won’t require any specialist people to use it.
But does a recruiter really need to know the exact source of every hire or will it be more important to look at trends such as:
  • Which channels drive traffic?
  • What content gets the highest levels of engagement?
  • Where do candidates view content?
One argument from a marketing standpoint would be that it is almost impossible to really define the final source as the only channel of influence. Job boards, for example, will argue that a job seen on their site may result in a candidate going to the career site at a later time such as when they get home. Without the job being on the job board initially, would the candidate have thought about that employer? The same could be said about an employer presence on aggregator sites such as Indeed, having jobs optimised for search engines (SEO) or even having a page on Linkedin or Facebook. All of these “views” influence a candidate so again using a marketing approach, a candidate will need to be “touched” 5-7 times before they finally apply. Without these other touches the supposed source of hire would not be such and therefore the “exact” data may be misleading.
So do recruiters need the kind of granular data that Chris Hoyt showed us to make ultimate decisions or do they need to look at the trends and go where the candidates hangout?

A Touch of Reality

It was refreshing to see some honesty from some of the presenters with some great examples of “failure” although I use this word carefully. Supposed failure is not a negative thing but a great learning tool (hence not really failure). Delegates told me they were looking for examples of best practice but I’d reckon they will have got as much from the examples that didn’t deliver great results as those that did.

Less Is Not Always More

There were a lot of sessions that had been planned for the day but both attending and speaking I saw plenty of delegates at most. This did mean having to make choices so to make up for any lost opportunities the organisers have added many of the presentations to Slideshare which are well worth a look.

Next Year Anyone?

I managed to talk to a number of delegates and those I spoke to found the event up to their expectations and would be back next year. With so little time and so much information available online, delegates are attending fewer conferences so those they do attend need to be:
  • Big enough to support a lot of vendors so delegates can see many in one place.
  • Lots of content so they can always find something of value.
  • Best practice examples so they can learn from others.
  • A touch of reality so they know how their own operation compares.
Leaving the conference there was still one final question yet to be answered about recruitment technology. Is one system supposed to do it all, or is it more about a Recruitment OS (operating system) with a great API that allows recruiters to install their own choice of apps?
  • Using an iPhone as an obvious example, do you accept the standard (inferior!) Apple Maps or do you install Google Maps?
  • As a recruiter do you accept the standard ATS search or do you “install” the Social Search App from XYZ Company?
An ATS as an operating system with a marketplace of Apps; now that’s a bit more like a #DreamATS. Agree or disagree? The conversation started in the Unconference session; it’ll be interesting to see where it goes.

SIX MUSINGS FROM IRECRUIT EXPO 2013

So the first iRecruitExpo is well and truly over and post event there’s a lot to take in about the state of corporate recruiting.
There were the usual core topics such as social and mobile but employer branding got in on the conversation quite often. The opening session by corporate recruiting maestro John Vlastelica no doubt helped a number of recruiters think a bit more about what they do rather than (just) the tools they should be using. So often we forget about the basics of recruitment:
  • Candidate experience – give them what they want rather than what you want.
  • Candidate personas – know who you have and who you should be hiring. Aspirational hiring is often just that!
  • Push back – the customer (line manager) is not always right so be a partner not a slave.
  • Focus on importance – just filling jobs is not enough; you need to fill the critical roles first!
But, even with the recruiting basics in place, technology still plays a big part in every recruiter’s life. The question is to know how to get the right balance between skills and technology.

The Dream ATS

A key session of the day was full of hope, but alas, we were disappointed. The audience tweeted their questions and whilst the panel attempted to answer them the moderator seemed to miss the points. Bottom line, we didn’t get too many views on what the dream ATS looks like but based on earlier discussions, recruiters want:
  • Flexibility
  • Simple configuration
  • Easy integration with third party products if they can’t get what they want from their existing ATS
So whilst some may dream of the perfect ATS, in most cases there are some “traditional” recruiting aspects that still need to be in place with less emphasis on the (to quote John Vlastelica) “shiny stupid” stuff.
But what do you think?
Are core recruiting skills more important than tech or can tech replace a lot of the basic skills a recruiter needs? If the ATS can take a job and automagically find a shortlist of passive candidates, show who these candidates know in your company and kick off the referral process with very little effort from the recruiter, employee and candidate, would this be the dream ATS? Maybe we need a Google Hangout to discuss your ATS fantasies or just tweet them using #dreamATS to let us know what you think.

Big Data

The second day was kicked off by Chris Hoyt with a great demonstration of how they were starting to use “big data” to make better recruiting decisions. Early days for their iPad app, but it looks very promising! Although it all looked very expensive with the talk of dedicated data analysts the basic iPad app won’t require any specialist people to use it.
But does a recruiter really need to know the exact source of every hire or will it be more important to look at trends such as:
  • Which channels drive traffic?
  • What content gets the highest levels of engagement?
  • Where do candidates view content?
One argument from a marketing standpoint would be that it is almost impossible to really define the final source as the only channel of influence. Job boards, for example, will argue that a job seen on their site may result in a candidate going to the career site at a later time such as when they get home. Without the job being on the job board initially, would the candidate have thought about that employer? The same could be said about an employer presence on aggregator sites such as Indeed, having jobs optimised for search engines (SEO) or even having a page on Linkedin or Facebook. All of these “views” influence a candidate so again using a marketing approach, a candidate will need to be “touched” 5-7 times before they finally apply. Without these other touches the supposed source of hire would not be such and therefore the “exact” data may be misleading.
So do recruiters need the kind of granular data that Chris Hoyt showed us to make ultimate decisions or do they need to look at the trends and go where the candidates hangout?

A Touch of Reality

It was refreshing to see some honesty from some of the presenters with some great examples of “failure” although I use this word carefully. Supposed failure is not a negative thing but a great learning tool (hence not really failure). Delegates told me they were looking for examples of best practice but I’d reckon they will have got as much from the examples that didn’t deliver great results as those that did.

Less Is Not Always More

There were a lot of sessions that had been planned for the day but both attending and speaking I saw plenty of delegates at most. This did mean having to make choices so to make up for any lost opportunities the organisers have added many of the presentations to Slideshare which are well worth a look.

Next Year Anyone?

I managed to talk to a number of delegates and those I spoke to found the event up to their expectations and would be back next year. With so little time and so much information available online, delegates are attending fewer conferences so those they do attend need to be:
  • Big enough to support a lot of vendors so delegates can see many in one place.
  • Lots of content so they can always find something of value.
  • Best practice examples so they can learn from others.
  • A touch of reality so they know how their own operation compares.
Leaving the conference there was still one final question yet to be answered about recruitment technology. Is one system supposed to do it all, or is it more about a Recruitment OS (operating system) with a great API that allows recruiters to install their own choice of apps?
  • Using an iPhone as an obvious example, do you accept the standard (inferior!) Apple Maps or do you install Google Maps?
  • As a recruiter do you accept the standard ATS search or do you “install” the Social Search App from XYZ Company?
An ATS as an operating system with a marketplace of Apps; now that’s a bit more like a #DreamATS. Agree or disagree? The conversation started in the Unconference session; it’ll be interesting to see where it goes.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

5 Teaching Strategies to Transform Your Lesson Plans

Today on TeacHHUB.com, we look at some teaching strategies that are designed to transform your lesson plans.
The article, penned by frequent contributing writer (and seasoned elementary school educator) Janelle Cox, lays out five ways that teachers can positively alter their lesson plans for the better.
Janelle’s ideas include:
  • Use the Goldilocks Approach for Planning Objectives
  • Use Visual Learning Strategies
  • Give Students a Choice
  • And More!

Janelle sums up her article like this: “If your goal is to create transformational lessons, then they should focus on enriching the lives of your students. You can do this by carefully crafting your objectives so they are not too broad or too specific, but just right. In addition to that, they should be engaging and go beyond the textbook, incorporate visuals, and give students the opportunity of choice. When you do this, along with planning your assessment first, then you have ultimately transformed your lessons so that your students will be engaged and motivated to learn.”
How do you transform your lessons? Do you have any specific teaching strategies that you like to do? Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section, we would love to hear what you have to say.
Get our teaching strategies designed to transform your lesson plans>>
Classroom Activities: In Praise of Old-School Board Games
Monopoly, Risk and Chinese Checkers were staples of rainy-day activity back in the day, but did you know these popular games can also be used to spur something called executive function, or the brain’s way of being creative and utilize working memory.
Here’s how to use classic board games as inspiring classroom activities >>
Engaging Classroom Games for All Grades
One of our most popular stories in the history of TeachHUB.com has been one in which we lay out some popular classroom games. These games are time-tested, and work at just about every grade level.
Classroom games add flair and student engagement to more tedious, yet necessary tasks like teaching math facts, grammar rules and vocabulary, reviewing for tests or even completing lab experiments. Adding an element of competition motivates and energizes students.
Our list of great classroom games includes:
  • Educational Bingo
  • Memory
  • Around the World
  • And More!

We also encourage educators to implement student-created games whenever possible – after all, what student doesn’t like to show off his or her creative talents?
What educational games do you use in your classroom?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1