Original Valentine\’s Day Lessons for All Grades

Although it’s tempting to treat Valentine’s Day like Halloween and simply throw a party and call it a day, there are some ways that you can gear your lesson plans toward Feb. 14.

Recently we ran a piece on how to do just that – so you don’t have to give up valuable learning time to just throw a class party. Our ideas included:

Create Valentines with a Curriculum Twist
Reading & Writing Love Stories, Poems, Sonnets or Songs
Cupid & Love in Mythology
And More!

What are your go-to classroom activities for Valentine\’s Day?

Check out our Valentine’s Day lesson plans>>

Classroom Management: Solve the Hand-Raising Problem

Today, we examined the problem of the chronic hand-raiser – that student who, despite what else is going on in the classroom, keeps his or her hand in the air with an expectant question or comment.

The problem is that the chronic hand-raiser is wasting valuable amounts of time with his or her hand in the air while you are tending to other things. For instance, he or she could move ahead and study other things while waiting until you are free.

Frequent TeachHUB.com contributor Janelle Cox uses some classroom management techniques today to address the problem of the chronic hand-raiser, including:

Using signs or signals rather than hand-raising
Use craft sticks rather than hand-raising
Try the Quantum learning method
And more!

What do you do when your students raise their hands too much in class? Do you have any tricks or tips that you would like to share?

Learn how to redirect the energy of a chronic hand-raiser>>

Video: Learning Retention for the Special Education Teacher

Check out this video that we recently published on TeachHUB magazine, always available for free, in which we outline ways that ways that the special education teacher can increase their students’ rates of learning retention.

Not surprisingly, learning retention doesn’t differ that much from student to student regardless of his or her academic acumen, but there are some unique ways that a special education teacher can insure that the lessons they administer won’t be forgotten after the test is over.

Technology in the Classroom for Struggling Teachers

Although many teachers these days have embraced technology in the classroom and are using it to the full extent of its capabilities, some educators are still loathe to get on board. Perhaps they don’t fell comfortable using technology in the classroom, maybe they simply don’t have access to all the high-speed bells and whistles, or maybe they just don’t see it as a priority.

Whatever the reason, many teachers still simply don’t use available technology in the classroom, frequent TeachHUB.com contributor Jacqui Murray notes in today’s post. So Jacqui offers up 10 tips for teachers struggling with technology in the classroom, including:

Try to figure it out yourself
Ask for help
Attend webinars
And more!

Jacqui ends her article with an inspirational charge for using technology in the classroom: “By transferring knowledge, leveraging what you do know, and allowing for flexible learning paths, you can develop the habits of mind that will make yourself comfortable with the new educational paradigm.”

How have you acclimated yourself to using technology in the classroom?

Get our 10 tips for struggling teachers>>

14 Educational Websites Students Will Want to Visit

Another technologically focused article that’s been trending on TeachHUB.com recently is one that calls out our top educational websites that students will enjoy.

Of course, number one is Minecraft, the Lego-like sim world where players build homes, cultivate farms, and fend off imaginary villians.

But beyond Minecraft, there are many FREE websites that will assist you in creating an engaging curriculum for your classroom, including:

iCivics
MissionUS
Coffee Shop
And More!

What educational websites do you recommend?

Get our list of the best websites for students>>

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Once a week, the FREE newsletter is delivered straight to your inbox, packed with the latest news, free lesson plans, tech reviews, and more!

Teaching Strategies to Involve Parents

One of the best time-tested ways to build up the academic abilities of students is by creating teaching strategies that engage parents. When mom or dad (or both) gets actively involved in the classroom setting, it almost always leads to report card success. The publication School Community Journal even acknowledges, \”There is a sizable body of research literature supporting the involvement of parents in educational settings and activities.\”

Of course, getting parents involved in your class is no easy task. But today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jacqui Murray, who is also a technology teacher, outlines several ways that educators can engage parents in their classroom goings-on, including:

Create a family-friendly environment
Hold parent classes
Communicate with parents
And more!

Overall, Jacqui notes that in addition to their classroom roles and teaching strategies, teachers need to be parent resources and that they need to be accessible to them.

How do you involve parents in your classes? How successful is this effort?

Learn more teaching strategies that will engage parents>>

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

Are you fighting to keep these lessons alive in your classroom? What did we miss on the list?

One of the best time-tested ways to build up the academic abilities of students is by creating teaching strategies that engage parents. When mom or dad (or both) gets actively involved in the classroom setting, it almost always leads to report card success. The publication School Community Journal even acknowledges, “There is a sizable body of research literature supporting the involvement of parents in educational settings and activities.” Of course, getting parents involved in your class is no easy task. But today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jacqui Murray, who is also a technology teacher, outlines several ways that educators can engage parents in their classroom goings-on, including: Create a family-friendly environment Hold parent classes Communicate with parents And more! Overall, Jacqui notes that in addition to their classroom roles and teaching strategies, teachers need to be parent resources and that they need to be accessible to them. How do you involve parents in your classes? How successful is this effort? Learn more teaching strategies that will engage parents>> 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 Are you fighting to keep these lessons alive in your classroom? What did we miss on the list?

Back in the day, multitasking was a badge of honor amongst educators. The more things a teacher could handle at once—grading papers, creating a curriculum, disciplining students – the better he or she was at the educational profession.

But that mindset has been eroded over time. These days, studies have shown that concentrating on one task at a time makes humans much more effective in any working environment, not just the classroom.

Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributor Jordan Catapano spells out the downfalls of multitasking. Jordan notes several common multitasking pitfalls, including:

You’re more likely to produce errors
Your creativity is diminished
Your IQ actually decreases
And more!

All in all, Jordan notes that teachers (and all other professions) should stop honoring multitasking, and quit pretending that it works: “Technically speaking, it’s impossible for our brains to do two major tasks at once. What we’re really doing when we think we’re multitasking is “task switching,” which means we alternate between tasks,” Jordan notes.

What are your tricks to increase focus and limit multitasking with yourself and your students?

Learn about the problems with multitasking>>

Yoga Pants & the School Dress Code

Dress code debates and figuring out acceptable attire have been around since the invention of school. Today, fashionable female students are donning Yoga pants, those tight, form-fitting-yet-comfy piece of apparel that pushes the boundaries of the school dress code in many districts.

In many circles, Yoga pants, spaghetti straps, bare midriffs, and the like are viewed as being distracting to male students, a point that is well-taken by many in the education field.

Still others argue that “dictating that young women change their appearance because they are ‘distracting’ men inherently objectifies them, and it teaches girls to be ashamed of their bodies.”

So the debate rages on. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributor Jordan Catapano (also a high school English teacher) points out the arguments on both sides of the pantleg (his joke) in a great think piece that will get you to respect both debate teams. Check it out – it’s an excellent school dress code op-ed article.

Teaching Strategies: About Reader’s Theater

For the uninitiated, reader’s theater is a wonderful, creative way for teachers to bolster a sense of enthusiasm in students’ reading curriculum. Basically, reader’s theater involves students adapting a piece of literature to be “performed” in front of your class.

Frequent TeachHUB.com contributing writer Janelle Cox defines this teaching strategy as, “Reader’s theater is much more than just putting on a play. Remember that students are using the repeated reading strategy which enhances their reading fluency. It is also using cooperative learning, problem-solving skills, and not to mention the common core learning standards of speaking and listening.

At first, these types of teaching strategies might seem like they would involve a ton of classroom time. But in actuality, with just 20 minutes, a teacher can plan a beautifully engaging piece of reader’s theater.

The key is to fit your prep time into the normal part of your teaching day. Today, Janelle explains how educators can pull off some of these exciting classroom teaching strategies, including:

Use reader’s theater as part of your literacy center rotations.
Match your scripts to the learning standards of other subjects like social studies.
Have students put on their production first thing in the morning.
And more!

In closing, Janelle notes that reader’s theater is an excellent tactic to increase your kids’ listening, reading, and thinking skills in an engaging new way.

Do you do a reader’s theater in your classroom? What tips do you have that work well for your class?

Get our reader’s theater teaching strategies>>

Technology in the Classroom: 50 Ways to Use Twitter

We’re always on the lookout for new ways that technology in the classroom can be leverages to maximize student involvement, and Twitter continues to evolve as a worthwhile tool in a teacher’s arsenal to further engage kids.

At first glance, it might seem as though Twitter, with its 140-character limitation, is too shallow to be used by teachers in a meaningful way.

However, one of the consistently most popular articles on TeachHUB.com recently has been our rundown of 50 ways to successfully use Twitter in an academic setting. Some examples:

Track a hash tag
Write a story
Write a poem
Engage parents
And more!

Using technology in the classroom like Twitter can create a nurturing environment for students of all ages.

Holiday Gifts for Teachers

We all have received the clunker holiday gifts, the ones that don’t even survive the holiday season before they are banished to the refuse bin. We’ve all also received that perfect gift, the one that brings tears to our eyes and that we can use again and again, even through the years.

Today on TeachHUB.com, we look at holiday gifts for teachers, and how to gift the perfect item or act to make the season that much brighter. Frequent contributing writer Jacqui Murray, who is a longtime tech teacher based in Northern California, is the author today, and she notes that some of the most-popular gift items for teachers on your list can include:

A Helping Hand
Tech Help
A Thank-You Letter
Holiday Food
And More!

But that’s not all! Jacqui also points out some not-so-good holiday gift ideas (and why they are clunkers), including:

Homemade food (lots of people worry about how well these are made. Me, I\’ve actually gotten food poisoning from homemade food).
Intimate gifts (teachers just don\’t know you enough for this).
Jewelry (what\’s beautiful to you might not be to the teacher).

Jacqui sums up her article in this manner: “Remember: You don\’t have to give gifts. Often, a heartfelt greeting or holiday card is as meaningful as a bar of expensive soap or a holiday ornament for the tree. One of my favorite gifts was a framed Thank You to me from a student. I displayed that for years, until I retired and now it has a place of honor in my home office. Whatever you give, make it from your heart, with your love, and carrying a personal meaning.”

What holiday gifts would you add to out list? Let us know in the comment section below the actual article on TeachHUB.com, we would enjoy reading your ideas!

WHAT IS A SOCIAL ATS?

If you’re thinking of changing your ATS from yesteryear for something more social what should you be looking out for?

So many of the older systems “claim” to be social but posting a job on Twitter is hardly leading edge and unlikely to close off your social recruiting strategy in one tweet.

If you think about the workplace 10 years ago when the ATS first appeared people were still getting used to using technology as part of their job; having a process seemed to be a good idea to make adoption easier. But fast forward to 2013 and everyone from delivery drivers to the CEO use some kind of desktop or hand held device to get some or all of their work done. With all the millions of users on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Xing, Viadeo, Qzone and many more, people are being “trained for free” on how to use technology to communicate, collaborate, share, like, comment etc.

With all of this free training going on, the social ATS needs to take note so if you are looking to buy one you need to consider:

Outbound messages.
Inbound candidate experience.
Leveraging your network.
Making the “process” social.

Outbound messages

Job boards have been posting their jobs to free aggregator sites such as SimplyHired and Indeed for many years but they are also now using social channels to expand their reach to connect with candidates elsewhere (not posting jobs but “talking” to candidates – Corporate Recruiters take note!).

Corporate recruiters continue to post to the job boards AND post to the social channels which has driven the ATS vendors to add this into their systems to stake their social claim. Posting jobs is all well and good but unless supplemented with some conversation it won’t get you far.

The job boards still lead the way in online job advertising but can only continue if the corporate recruiter lets them. And if you have a big enough budget.

Inbound candidate experience

So you’ve got the candidate interested via a social channel but what happens when they land on your job advert? Is it words, words and more words or is it more social?

Can the candidate see who else they know at your company?
Can they watch a video about the job?
Can they easily share the job across their network if they want to?
Can they start the application process with their social profile of choice?

Recruiters need to start creating job adverts that their marketing department would be proud of. The Internet offers so much more than just text and bullet points yet recruitment is still relying on these simple methods to convert great candidates into hires.

Imagine Facebook without photos or videos; it would be pretty dull and boring!

Making the most out of your network

Social search is not a new concept but it has generally been a separate function offered by a very small number of vendors that are disconnected from the ATS. Today when a recruiter has a job to fill they need be able to market (post) their job and leverage their hard earned network all within a single system. Such as:

Search their ATS database AND their LinkedIn network.
Share a job across their LinkedIn connections; not just any old connections but those that actually match the job!
Match the job to internal employees and ask them to share across their network; hoping for like-minded people.

Having a social contact list is great but being able to leverage it from within a single system is where you really need to be.

Many contact lists + one system = social recruiting success.

Making the process social

Of course there is no process with social. People choose how they work and flit around without a care in the world. By removing any real process social has made it easier but also more complex. So it’s a double edged sword.

Drop off rates of candidates viewing jobs vs. applying are notoriously high but by making the experience from “job to hire” easier can only be a good thing. Assuming of course that everyone does their bit to ensure the right person is hired and the ATS can sift through and find the best applicants quickly and easily.

The Line Manager is critical so the easier it is for them to comment, like (or not), share with their team etc. the more likely the Recruiter will get a quick response and make that hire before the competition do.

The type of organisation that has an ATS is likely to use an internal social platform such as Salesforce Chatter or Yammer. If the ATS does not follow suit the Recruiter will find themselves struggling to get the Line Manager to jump through hoops to download a candidate CV that can’t be read on their mobile!

Talking social at iRecruit

So there are some of my views on the social ATS but if you have your own please come and see us at iRecruit on June 20 and 21 in Amsterdam. We’d love to hear what you think.

You can also read my previous post on the Cornerstone Blog: The Story of the Corporate Applicant Tracking System.

Anti-Bullying Strategies to Advocate for Students

Too frequently, bullied students are stuck battling their bullies and the ancillary issues related to it on their own.

So today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, using a cue for the National Education Association, takes a look at some ways that teachers can be passionate advocates for their bullied students.

Janelle’s ideas include:

Always be available
Let your voice be heard
Develop specific strategies
And more!

Janelle sums up her essay like this: “Remember, your job as an advocate for bullied students can make a huge impact on how schools deal with bullying. Don’t be afraid to take a stand for what you believe in, and know that you are making a difference.”

How do you advocate for bullied students in your school? Do you have any specific ways that you found work well?

Get our anti-bullying strategies that advocated for the bullied students>>

10 Teaching Strategies to Improve Writing

Written communication is perhaps the important cornerstone of contemporary education. Teachers cannot emphasize enough the importance of students being able to demonstrate what they have learned via the written word.

Yet oftentimes, teachers her the common refrain of, “I can’t think of anything to write!”

Writer, educator and frequent TeachHUB.com contributor Janelle Cox recently offered up some helpful teaching strategies to make writing interesting and fun for all ages of learners, including:

Peer talks
Audio transcription
Story starters
And more

How do you get your students writing? Do you have any tips or tricks that you would like to share?

Get our teaching strategies to improve writing>>

Laws, Policies for Using Social Media in the Classroom

Once upon a time, using social media like Twitter and Facebook in the classroom was a no-no.

But now, the cultural landscape has been fundamentally altered, and districts that once banned social media are figuring out how to us it in a safe, effective, and even educational manner.

Today, we outline some uses and limits for teachers to abide by when utilizing social media in the classroom.

Interview Questions for Teachers: Preparing, Rethinking

One of TeachHUB.com’s most-popular topics through the years has been getting a teaching job – whether it’s interviewing, interview questions for teachers, or simply preparing a cover letter.

Most of us can still remember the horror that accompanies job interviews and their accompanying interview questions for teachers, and how we answered them. But those questions (and your answers) are worth revisiting, time and again, throughout the course of your teaching career.

With this revisionist mindset in place, today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jordan Catapano, a seasoned English teacher in the Chicago suburbs, takes a look at preparing for, and executing, that elusive job interview.

Jordan’s tips for preparation include:

· Find top-notch examples of assignments, activities, student work, and contributions to the school community.

· Describe our personality, style, accolades, and contributions via a résumé.

· Create a physical or digital portfolio showcasing work.

His tips for the self-interview, also an important component of preparation, include:

· Take one of your “best” methods and find one way you can incorporate this more.

· Examine one weakness you had trouble talking about and do something that you’d be proud to talk about in an interview.

You should also take on a certain amount of self-reflection during the interview preparation process, including remembering success with certain assignments and/or curriculum additions.

In summation, Jordan notes: “Whether on your own or with colleagues, it’s important to continually reflect on who we are and who we’re becoming as educators. One way is to put yourself back in an interview situation, project who it is you’d be as the perfect teacher, and then take small steps towards realizing that vision. Try it out and have fun!”

What questions would you ask yourself if you were considering hiring you? What would you struggle or rejoice to answer?

Teacher Appreciation Ideas for Parents

Parents, when was the last time you showed some appreciation for your kids’ teachers? Not recently, we bet.

Well, a little bit of appreciation goes a long way. Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janell Cox lays out some simple ways parents can show their appreciation for teachers. Her ideas include:

Give a Gift Card
Boast about Them
Show them Respect
And More!

Janelle notes in summation: “As teachers, we can appreciate this list. Most teachers are parents themselves and sometimes forget how important their job really is. At the end of day, the best way to keep a teacher happy is to let them do their job, show them they are valued with a simple thank you, and respect them for who they are and what they are doing for your child.”

How do you make your child’s teacher happy? Did we leave anything out of this list?

Get our teacher appreciation ideas >>

Classroom Management: How to Regain Control of a Class

If you’re a brand-new teacher just starting out or you’re a seasoned veteran with years under your belt, you’ve certainly run into situations where you’ve lost control of your classroom.

It’s certainly a frightening situation, and it can come about via a variety of ways: Kids get distracted, they’re ready for the next period, or they are bored.

But don’t let them defeat you! Today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributor Janelle Cox lists several different methods by which an educator can regain control of a lost class, including:

Rearrange the seating chart
Share your frustration
Be confident
Lead by example

Above all, Janelle suggests that teachers be confident in their abilities to reign in an out-of-control class.

Learn some time-honored classroom management tactics to gain back control of a wild class >>

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Get a Teaching Job: Interview Advice

We’ve all been there: The nervewracking teaching job interview, filled with tough interview questions for teachers that are designed to weed out potential non-fits for the job at hand.

But today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Jordan Catapano, himself a seasoned English teacher in the Chicago suburbs, shines a light on some helpful interview advice for educators everywhere, including basics like:

· Smile. Be happy.

· Shake hands with everyone – especially everyone in the room who will be conducting the interview. Squeeze firmly, and make eye contact when you do it.

· Arrive early. This might require you to find out exactly where the school is beforehand. Anticipate traffic and driving time. Do NOT get there late, or even “On time.”

Jordan also include some practical advice for job interviewees and job seekers. These tips include:

Research the school

Be a team player

Demonstrate your learning and connectedness

And more!

Lastly, Jordan lists out some common interview questions for teachers, including:

· What have you done that shows initiative?

· Give an example of a major problem you faced and how you solved it.

· If you were to get the job, what are the first three things you would do to make yourself the best teacher?

Jordan sums up his article thusly, noting that during an interview, a school administrator might try: “To find your digital footprint. Do you have a digital footprint? Do you need to clean it up and make it more presentable? It’s practically a given that a prospective employer will search for your digital presence – make sure what they find is flattering!

What questions do you have about a teaching interview? Or what advice would you give to others? Share your thoughts with our TeachHUB.com community!

How to Motivate Students: Three Environments

Do you know how to motivate students to learn? Do you know what drives them? Or what makes them resist learning? Do you know what makes students react to academics the way they do?

Today’s think piece, the centerpiece article on TeachHUB.com, takes a look at the ways students approach learning, and how they think of themselves. Frequent TeachHUB.com (and TeachHUB Magazine) contributing writer Jordan Catapano, himself a high school English teacher in the Chicago suburbs, penned the article, which examines three environments that that examine how to motivate students, which are fixed ability, competition, and mastery.

Jordan also takes a look at how to facilitate the right environment, including:

Encourage growth
Include students in the process
Foster positivity
And more!

Jordan sums up his article like this: “As we reflect on what kind of motivations drive the school-oriented behaviors of students, we recognize that we possess a great deal of influence on how students see school. We can facilitate an environment that promotes a fixed or competition mindset, or we can facilitate an environment that promotes mastery learning. Often, it comes down to our own beliefs about students. If we believe they can learn and grow, then we can definitely produce the right elements in our classroom that serve this perception.”

How do you help promote mastery learning in your classroom? Share your ideas with our TeachHUB community!

Learn the three environments that motivate students>>

Minecraft in the Classroom Teaches Reading and More

Millions of people of all ages have been playing the sandbox-style video game Minecraft (on a variety of platforms, from the Xbox to the PlayStation to iPads and more) for ages now. But did you know that the game has man virtues that can enhance classroom experiences?

Minecraft, which is an open word game with no set goals for any player to accomplish, encourages teamwork, entices kids to read, and gets them thinking about integral classroom topics like physics and biology.

We recently took a look at the ways that Minecraft can help your students’ day-to-day academic trajectories.

Have you successfully utilized the video phenomenon Minecraft in class? If so, how have you used it?

WHAT IS A SOCIAL ATS?

If you’re thinking of changing your ATS from yesteryear for something more social what should you be looking out for?

So many of the older systems “claim” to be social but posting a job on Twitter is hardly leading edge and unlikely to close off your social recruiting strategy in one tweet.

With all of this free training going on, the social ATS needs to take note so if you are looking to buy one you need to consider:

Outbound messages.
Inbound candidate experience.
Leveraging your network.
Making the “process” social.

Outbound messages

The job boards still lead the way in online job advertising but can only continue if the corporate recruiter lets them. And if you have a big enough budget.

Inbound candidate experience

So you’ve got the candidate interested via a social channel but what happens when they land on your job advert? Is it words, words and more words or is it more social?

Can the candidate see who else they know at your company?
Can they watch a video about the job?
Can they easily share the job across their network if they want to?
Can they start the application process with their social profile of choice?

Imagine Facebook without photos or videos; it would be pretty dull and boring!

Making the most out of your network

Search their ATS database AND their LinkedIn network.
Share a job across their LinkedIn connections; not just any old connections but those that actually match the job!
Match the job to internal employees and ask them to share across their network; hoping for like-minded people.

Having a social contact list is great but being able to leverage it from within a single system is where you really need to be.

Many contact lists + one system = social recruiting success.

Making the process social

Talking social at iRecruit

So there are some of my views on the social ATS but if you have your own please come and see us at iRecruit on June 20 and 21 in Amsterdam. We’d love to hear what you think.

You can also read my previous post on the Cornerstone Blog: The Story of the Corporate Applicant Tracking System.

Teaching Strategies to Run a Successful Literacy Night

Family literacy nights have slowly become one of the hottest nights in public education, wherein a school puts on an evening of fun with the hopes of encouraging reading. Whether it’s held at school, or at (one of the few remaining) bookstores, literacy nights empower parents to get their kids to read at home, using attainable teaching strategies, that will help kids succeed in school, will build a family/school connection, and encourage a sense of school spirit.

Today on TeachHUB.com, therefore, we take a look at some teaching strategies designed to help your school pull off a successful literacy night. Writer Janelle Cox, who spent many years as an elementary school educator and is now based in Upstate New York, looks at these Teaching Strategies, which include planning and how to get parents to attend.

Here’s how Janelle suggests you get parents involved:

Market the Event
Choose the right date
Offer Incentives
And More!

Janelle sums up today’s article like this: “Make sure that parents walk away from this event with knowledge in their back pocket. Many parents know their children should read more, but are unsure on how to make it happen. So make sure that you provide parents with a take-home packet that is filled with tips and strategies that will promote reading at home.”

Do you have a family literacy night at your school? What is your favorite theme and activities for the event? Please share your teaching strategies with us in the comment section below, we would love to hear what you do in your school district.

Get our teaching strategies designed to help you pull off an effective literacy night>>

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Pros, Cons of Technology in the Classroom

Technology in the classroom is now the linchpin of the educational system, no matter what skeptics may say. But a lot of educators are still on the fence about technology in the classroom – unsure about its benefits and cynical about its ubiquity.

So today on TeachHUB.com, frequent contributing writer Janelle Cox, who is a seasoned elementary school educator based in Upstate New York, looks at the pros and cons of technology in the classroom.

Janelle’s pros include:

Customized Learning

And

Access to an Infinite Amount of Information

Janelle’s cons include:

Loss of Human Connection
Promotes Inequality

Janelle sums up her article thusly: “Whether you’re “For” or “Against” educational technology in the classroom, it’s important to consider all of the pros and the cons. In the end, it’s up to you to decide what or how much to use technology in your classroom. At the end of the day, you need to make the best choice for your students.”

What is your position on this topic? Are you for or against the use of technology in the classroom? Please share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section below the actual article on TeachHUB.com, we’d love to hear what you have to say.

We break down the pros and cons of technology in the classroom>>

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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.

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Outbound messages

Inbound candidate experience

Making the most out of your network

Making the process social

Talking social at iRecruit

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Outbound messages

Inbound candidate experience

Making the most out of your network

Making the process social

Talking social at iRecruit

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