February 2008
... news for improving classroom education for teachers and students |
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In This Issue ...
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The Importance of Cross-Curricular InstructionInterdisciplinary education holistically links content in different subject areas to properly reflect the connectivity of our working world, rather than the compartmentalized nature of traditional education. Students learn by making a web of content meaning, allowing them to carve their own road maps of information retrieval. Just as students learn best when they are making conceptual connections within a particular subject area (westward expansion is directly related to the Civil War!), they can also boost academic performance by making connections among different subject areas. Probability isn't just a math idea, if students see it again in science. A number line isn't just a tool for math, if students recognize it again in a history timeline. Archimedes isn't just someone from a science world, if his ideas are also encountered in math or Ancient Greek history. Students who make connections are learning actively and deeply. We want students regularly recognizing connections, thinking beyond disciplinary boundaries. We want them to see how geometric shapes and patterns inform art and architecture. We want them to start noticing, all around them, how powerfully science and technology can drive societal change. We want them to think of mathematics—from Punnett squares to line graphs to carbon dating—as a key that unlocks scientific understanding. Visit our website, www.ignitelearning.com, to read the complete white paper about the importance and effectiveness of utilizing cross-curricular instruction strategies. Back to top. |
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New at Ignite! LearningNew at Ignite! Learning. Choose a delivery platform for the Ignite! curriculum that meets your needs; attend an Implementation WebEx; check out the Ignite! Neighborhood; and become a Teacher Ambassador! Delivery PlatformsChoose a delivery platform for the Ignite! curriculum that meets your needs! We are excited to announce two new ways educators can teach with the Ignite! curriculum. Along with the COW (Curriculum On Wheels), two additional delivery platforms, known as “The Brick” and the “ION” (Ignite! Over Network), are now available to deliver our standards-aligned, research-based curriculum to middle school classrooms. To learn more visit, www.ignitelearning.com. Call 866-464-4648 or email support@ignitelearning.com for more information about which delivery platform best meets your needs! Implementation WebExDid you know that Ignite! Learning now offers FREE WebEx sessions to help you fully integrate the Ignite! curriculum into your classroom? Each LIVE session is led by an Ignite! Learning Implementation Expert and includes:
We offer multiple sessions every week, so visit www.ignitelearning.com and click “Sign Up for WebEx” to sign up for a session that fits your schedule! Ignite! NeighborhoodHave you had a chance to check out all the resources available in the Ignite! Neighborhood?
Join the Ignite! Neighborhood today, and receive regular updates including monthly lesson recommendations! Ambassador ProgramBecome an Ignite! Learning Teacher Ambassador, and be a leader in your school!
Visit www.ignitelearning.com for more information. |
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Collaborative Group Learning Promotes Academic SuccessThe question of whether or not collaborative group learning promotes academic success is no longer debatable. Numerous respected research groups verify the impact that group learning can have when facilitated appropriately. Wondering how to integrate collaborative problem-solving into your math lessons? Researchers report that students learn best when they are actively involved in the process, regardless of the subject matter. Students working in small collaborative groups tend to learn and retain more of what is taught than when the same content is presented in other instructional formats. When you add collaboration with real world problem solving, what do you get? The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) report says you get the part of the knowledge or foundation required to find and hold a good job. In 1990, SCANS was asked to examine the demands of the workplace and whether or not today's students are capable of meeting those demands. Five competencies and a three part foundation of skills were defined as essential preparation for all students, regardless if they were going straight into the workplace or planning on furthering their education. One of the five competencies directly relates to working with others. The Interpersonal competency can be covered in all core subject areas, using cooperative learning opportunities that encourage team-work. These techniques are not solely geared toward a specific age, but rather toward lifelong problem solving strategies. Learn more about SCANS by visiting http://wdr.doleta.gov/SCANS/. The conclusions drawn in the SCANS report have spurred numerous curriculum and materials development efforts to better equip the so-called Millennial Generation of learners with stronger academic and post-academic skill sets. What better way to arm our Millennial Generation learners than to combine media, collaboration, problem-solving and reflection all into one lesson? Ignite!'s FLIPS (Future Leaders in Problem Solving) media is the main implementation of our math problem solving strand. Its goal is to instruct students in the use of flexible, repeatable methods for solving problems that will be encountered in future academic, professional, and life experience environments. FLIPS support the daily objectives that must be met by teachers at all grade levels. Visit www.ignitelearning.com to learn more about Ignite! Math. |
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Curriculum
Read about our instructional design and curriculum development
process. Professional Development Learn more about our professional development offerings. Results Hear what educators are saying about Ignite! Learning! Correlations Curricula aligned to state and national standards. Monthly Lessons Download media and student activities this month.
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