Multitasking is a big part of the modern world. People are constantly doing two things at once; they send emails when they are spending time with their loved ones, they work out while texting a friend and they cook while they check Facebook.
However, all of this multi-tasking is bad for your brain. Recent studies have found that multitasking increases the production of cortisol, a stress hormone, and adrenaline, which can overstimulate the brain. This can cause a “mental fog” that makes it hard for you to concentrate or focus.
I think I’ve mentioned how bad multitasking is for you before. For myself, I’m becoming a fan of the Pomodoro technique, where you have a time and focus on work for a set number of minutes. It works well for me.
In general, the time I’ve spent on professional development during the summer and other breaks has been more than made up for by the energy it’s injected into my classroom every day. Spending a few hours on professional development during the summer and other breaks is more than worth it. Source: Teaching why, not how: My…
Rogers was so meticulous in his process for translating ideas so they could be easily understood by children that a pair of writers on the show came up with a nine-step process that he used to translate from normal English into “Freddish”, the special language he used when speaking to children. Source: Freddish, the special language…
So next time you’re faced with a “data-driven” scenario do this: instead of looking for the answers the data provides, look for the questions it generates. Source: If You Want to Be Creative, Don’t Be Data Driven – Microsoft Design – Medium Data always has its purpose and reason for being collected, but blindly doing…
Should cursive writing still be taught in our schools? The old debate is back with a vengeance as schools shift resources from the intricate, painstakingly rendered script to keyboard skills. The Common Core State Standards, adopted by 42 states and the District of Columbia, call for handwriting instruction in kindergarten and first grade only, and…
“Why can’t I be more like [insert name of your favorite speaker]?” When lawyers ask this question, it usually means they’ve been on their feet in court or presenting to potential clients and it didn’t go well. They felt anxious, insecure, unsettled — far from the confidence they’d hoped to project. Source: Confidence Is Personal: Being…
Although the article is pretty technical, Building Capacity at Reclaim spells out six things that Reclaim Hosting provides to get the most out of their employees. I found the article fascinating because of what it lays out could be used in our classrooms. Especially the fun!