Click here for 2nd page: Reader’s Digest2

Back packs, school supplies, personal care items, and gently used books are available for schools, 21st CCLC Programs, Family Resource Centers & Community Agencies that serve families in need. Please refer to the documents below for further details.

1. NAEHCY Press Release

2. Feed the Children Resource Announcement

Click here for details: MOMC Celebration.

Greetings from Mixing in Math!

Mixing in Math is a FREE set of English and Spanish resources that combine math with:

• everyday activities, like cooking and cleaning up;
• projects that involve crafts, movement, and science;
• literacy, social skills, and dramatic play;
• games for indoors and out!

You can download everything for free at http://mixinginmath.terc.edu. Please feel free to pass on this message to anyone whom you think might be interested.

Any questions or feedback? Contact us and sign up for our newsletter at mixinginmath@terc.edu.

What is Mixing in Math?

At Mixing in Math (MiM), we believe that life is full of opportunities to explore math. By building on the math around us, MiM helps children and facilitators* become more confident, comfortable and competent in math.

MiM offers over 200 English and Spanish resources that blend math with fitness, nature, cooking and other areas familiar to grades K-6 children and their facilitators. MiM resources include games, projects, movement activities, and museum-type displays. Some take five minutes to do; others an hour or more. Facilitators choose among and adapt MiM resources to use MiM in settings from story times to recreation programs to clubs to family dinner table conversations.

MiM starts with the routines, projects, and games that make up out-of-school time at centers, public programs, and homes.

MiM resources show how to mix math into all of these—and much more. Children learn that math can be part of the things they enjoy. And facilitators don’t need to set up a separate “math time.” (MiM can be a separate program—but it doesn’t have to be.)

MiM is designed to mesh with facilitators’ (and children’s) goals—which often include much more than math.

• Need a way to involve everyone in cleaning up? MiM offers activities that combine estimating, counting, and timing with clean up.
• Want to keep children occupied when they’re waiting in line? Try a MiM game in which children explore patterns and shapes around them.
• Trying to build unity among the group? Use a MiM project that requires cooperative problem-solving.

Facilitator have many competing demands on their time. MiM offers realistic ways to combine math learning with other important goals.

MiM meets the realities and constraints of today’s facilitators.

• On a limited budget? MiM is free. Activities and projects use only a few common materials, such as old paper towel tubes and scrap paper.
• No time to attend a workshop? MiM is easy to use—no training needed.
• Limited planning time? Most MiM activities require no advance prep. MiM is written at a 5th-6th grade reading level for those with low literacy or little time to read.

MiM was developed with input from hundreds of facilitators in realistic settings—from high staff turnover, to no paid prep time, to shrinking budgets.

MiM provides for learning in different social groups and alongside people with varying abilities.

• Got a mixed ability group? Lead a basic MiM activity with everyone and then direct individuals to “easy,” “medium,” or “hard” variations.
• Not sure how many people will show up? MiM offers resources for whole groups, small groups, pairs, and individuals.
• Got a group with a limited (or long) attention span? With over 200 resources to choose from, select what fits the time at hand.

MiM takes into account the variation in math, language, and motor skills that might be present in any group.

MiM resources are designed so that facilitators can customize them to fit the interests, culture(s) and language(s) of their audiences.

• Doing a MiM data-collection activity? Collect data about whatever that will intrigue your particular group— in whatever languages everyone speaks.
• Leading a MiM project with Nutrition Fact labels? Base it on boxed or canned food for next week’s Cinco de Mayo celebration.
• Running a family event—with everyone from preschoolers to grandparents? MiM has activities for those with limited mobility as well as those with energy to burn

MiM resources show facilitators how to keep the core math but change the context to engage and challenge the audience, whoever they are and wherever they’re from.

*We use “facilitators” to include anyone who supports children’s development outside of school, including parents, librarians, after-school educators, museum educators, and grandparents.

Whether your schools have additional learning time or are just starting to consider expanding learning time, it’s crucial to make sure every minute of the school day is used to maximize student learning and deepening student engagement. In this series, Ben Lummis, Vice President for the National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL) and Sarah Gallagher, Program Associate at NCTL, will present webinars on the following topics:

* Making Every Minute Count

* Three Effective Ways to Use Expanded Learning Time

* Collaborating with Stakeholders to Prioritize Extended Learning Time

* Engaging the Whole Child OR Teacher Collaboration Time (depending on a vote at the April 7th webinar)

We invite you to send any questions you have about these topics in advance to eventquestion@wested.org . While we won’t be able to answer every question, this will help inform the presentations.

________________________________

Making Every Minute Count: http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/view/e/4965?allSMU0321

Thursday, April 7, 2011

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

This webinar will introduce a framework for effectively expanding learning time and share strategies for making every minute count in your school and district.

To sign up for this webinar, please visit: http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/webinars/time http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/view/e/4965?allSMU0321

________________________________

Three Effective Ways to Use Expanded Learning Time: http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/view/e/4966?allSMU0321

Thursday, April 28, 2011

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

This webinar will focus on effective uses of additional learning time, both in and outside of the school day, to offer additional blocks of time for academic support, tiered interventions for struggling students, and additional supports before the school year, after school, and on Saturdays.

To sign up for this webinar, please visit: http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/webinars/time2http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/view/e/4966?allSMU0321

For subsequent webinars in this series, click here: http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/print/htdocs/smu/webinars/upcoming.htm and scroll down to our May webinars.

________________________________

Unable to attend?

You can view the archived webinar http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/smu/print/htdocs/smu/webinars/past.htm at any time. Our archives enable you to watch and listen to the presentation; read the participant questions and discussion; and access the accompanying resource materials. Our archive technology allows you to navigate to specific parts of the presentation and pause the presentation. This is an excellent way to view the presentation with a group. [Archives are available one day after the live webinar. Even if you do not plan to participate in the live webinar, we recommend that you register to receive notification about and instructions for the archive.]

Contact

We look forward to your participation. For more information, email schoolsmovingup@wested.org or call 510.302.4248.

The webinar is scheduled on Wednesday, March 30th at 2:00pm EST. To access the call, dial 1-888-324-8125, passcode: OAH. Join the webinar directly at https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW1880291&p=OAH&t=c.

Click here for more information: Healthy Relationships Flyer.

The OAH Team

I. Spotlight on the “Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0” Program, which started in Portland, taking a multi-sector approach to sustainable environmental policy change to reduce childhood obesity, and is now a nationally-recognized model – available to afterschool programs through Emily Walters at WALTEE@mmc.org . Website to check out is http://letsgo.org for wonderful resources and all free!!!

II. “Cooking Matters – Maine” Program through the Good Shepherd Food Bank and Share Our Strength. Cooking Matters partners with host agencies such as local family and community centers and food pantries to offer four to six week classes to the agency’s clients. Classes are free to participants and host agencies. At each class, participants receive a bag of groceries and recipes to try at home. For more info contact Kristen Miale at (207)423-5166 or kmiale@gsfb.org. Laura Riggs-Mitchell, director of RSU 72′s 21st grants can give you more information., including how you might be able to get free gift certificates for food, etc. Sounded fantastic! 3 websites to check out:

1. http://raisingmaine.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=49951

2. http://umaine.edu/food-health/blog/2010/11/04/cooking-matters-for-maine

3. http://gsfb.org/about_us/cooking-matters-to-maine.php

Joan Martay
Maine DOE 21stCCLC Program Consultant
49 Wellington Road, Portland, Me 04103
Phone: 207-773-1995
Cell: 207-838-5871
E-mail: maines21st@aol.com
Website: http://www.maineafterschool.net

I wonder if one variable that makes the difference is that these students owned their own mobile phones, and thus could get _fluent_ with texting.

I also wonder why, since most adult learners may already have their own cell/mobile phones, texting isn’t a more frequent practice in adult education classes. I wonder if reading and writing fluency may be more important than the content of what read or written, or how it is spelled.

http://topnews.us/content/234147-kids-improve-their-literacy-skills-texting

http://www.coventry.ac.uk/latestnewsandevents/a/5695

David J. Rosen
djrosen123@gmail.com

April 8, 2011
8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

*****

Crowne Plaza Hotel
1284 Strongtown Road
Southbury, CT

Free Registration ~ Free Classroom Resources

Leave with new ideas on how best to teach Personal Finance and a variety of free resources.

Keynote Speaker: Scott Guild, Director of Economic Education, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Workshops will include:

• What works! Teachers share their best practices
• Teaching Financial Literacy through iPhone, iPod and iPad apps
• Personal Finance and Connecticut Curriculum Standards
• Drawing on Business and other Community Resources
• Free or low cost Classroom Resources
• Internet Tools for Teaching Personal Finance

Click here for registration info: Personal Finance Conference.