I recently had a telling experience while sitting at a friend’s dinner table. The mother asked her son how his class was today. He answered, “It got deleted”. Let’s be honest. Unless you are living under a rock, most of us are not only reliant on our computers for daily functioning but are also involved with social media in one form or another. In this digital era, our youngsters may no longer know the difference between something getting cancelled and something getting deleted

Though I have no doubt that by the time our elementary school students graduate high school there will be many more “new and improved” digital social outlets, social media today is more than just a way to connect to friends. It has evolved into a serious tool used for education and business as well. As many of our young people are practically born with a Smartphone in hand, is bringing social media into the classroom a necessity or a distraction?

There are pros and cons on both sides of the discussion. Some feel that social media is here to stay. Therefore, teaching students the significance of having a digital footprint developed over a lifetime might save future embarrassment or worse. Social media in the classroom can be a tool for encouraging shyer students to participate is discussions without forcing them to raise their hands. Additionally, there are teachers who feel that social media can make an unattractive topic more exciting.

On the other hand, I am sure that I am not alone when I say that I find it not only sad but also frustrating and even insulting to be in a social setting only to find that most of the people around are focusing on their Smartphone rather than the activity or discussion at hand. I believe that few today feel truly listened to. What ever happened to looking a person in the eye to show engagement?

Those who argue against social media in the classroom use the same shy student example as proof that this will only increase the person’s challenges. How will the shy person be able to interview or have a voice when they have never developed it in a relatively safe environment like the classroom? We all know that cyber-bullying is a serious issue which, in my opinion, should be addressed whether social media is or is not used in the classroom. And, if we thought that ADHD was increasing before, well, take one look at a person addicted to social media and you will be wondering when was the last time he took his Ritalin-even if he doesn’t!

Like most things, I believe there is a happy balance between the inevitable of using social media in the classroom and assuring that our students have real-life people skills, can form a proper verbal statement and are able to socialize interpersonally by looking directly at people. We can incorporate specific, limited times in our school day for social media activities and keep the rest, well, actually social. Let’s face it. Most of our students have plenty of social media time outside of the classroom. It’s real socialization that is lacking.

What do you think? How have you successfully incorporated social media or socialization in your classroom?

The post Is Social Media in the Classroom a Necessity or Distraction? appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

Hertz Furniture transforms the Old Highland Kmart into a brand new charter school with active – flex seating

Watch ABC’s Channel 7 Eyewitness News video featuring Hertz Furniture’s installation of new active – flex seating in the brand new Entrepreneurship High School in Highland, California.

It doesn’t take a long to realize that this school is different. The design of the classroom tables and chairs allows for movement of antsy students according to Steve Neudorff, Hertz Furniture regional sales manager of Southern California. And check out the cool furnishings in the “Entrepreneurship Room”.  Ray Culberson, executive director of the school says that the school lends itself to creative learning. Watch the video and see for yourself!

The post Hertz Furniture Transforms Old K-mart into a Cool New School appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

It is so easy to get used to whatever classroom furniture you already have, especially if you are an experienced teacher. When we were in school, there was no such thing as collaborative desks or soft seating in the classroom, so it’s easy to get used to the idea that students don’t need these things to learn. No matter how easy it is, don’t allow yourself to get stuck in the rut of the status quo! Even if the classroom furniture you have right now is fine, why should you settle for satisfactory, when you could have fantastic? These five questions will help you evaluate what you have and how it can be improved to give your students the best learning environment possible.

1. Does the layout support different learning styles?

Some students are more traditional learners and some prefer project-based learning. Some kids do better when they are working independently, and others shine when they collaborate with a group. In the same way that we try to vary the types of learning and assignments that we give our students, we also need a layout that enables us to create the optimal setups for various kinds of learning. When thinking about a flexible layout, the sizes and shapes of the work surfaces in the classroom can have a major impact. Don’t just choose any collaborative desk that looks cool and modern, make sure that it will also be easy to move around and accommodate individual learning as well as groups of various sizes.

2. Is the furniture easy to move around?

Flexible layouts are wonderful, but not if it takes ten minutes to rearrange the classroom when moving between activities. Whether you have collaborative desks or more traditional rectangular work surfaces, being able to move them around easily is ultimately what makes a space truly flexible. Locking casters are ultimately the ideal facilitator for flexibility. When the chairs and desks are on wheels, it’s easy for the students themselves to just glide them from place to place, even in the middle of a lesson. You can even choose to put wheels on only two of the legs, and then the desks can be moved around wheelbarrow-style.

3. What kind of seating choices are you offering?

The great thing about offering a variety of seating is that you don’t necessarily have to say goodbye to what you already have. You can still keep the traditional school chairs for those students who prefer them, and just add some more options. Wobble stools  are making a big difference for students who have a hard time focusing, because their gentle movement allows kids to release energy, thereby increasing focus on the lesson. Soft seating is another option you might want to consider. Soft seating is comfortable, colorful and flexible. It allows students to relax a bit in the classroom. Some classes are even using cafe-height stools with the cafe tables to go along with them.

4. Is this furniture functional?

If you are just used to what you have, you may never take the time to consider whether you really need everything that you have in your learning space. For example, you might have some file cabinets or shelving that really aren’t necessary but have always been in your classroom. And the same goes for thinking about new and exciting things that you want to add to your space. Don’t choose things just because they have a modern flair, make sure to invest in things that you actually need, which will change the way your students learn, for the better. If you find some items that don’t necessarily need to be in your learning space, you can move them somewhere else and then enjoy the flexibility that the extra space provides.

 5. Is this comfortable and healthy?

Consider all of the people in your classroom community, including students, teachers and support staff. Everyone should have a healthy place to sit and work, and that includes the educators. Nobody can work well when they are uncomfortable all day. No matter how cool your seating looks, what really matters is how supportive and ergonomic it is. The same goes for work surfaces. The most important thing about desks is their height. If you are using standing desks, they need to be adjusted to keep hands properly positioned while working. Students should not be bending over or reaching up when they are writing. The same goes for teachers. Even if you have a more traditional arrangement with chairs and desks, making sure that the heights are adjusted to support each student in the best way possible is extremely important.

Don’t take anything for granted when it comes to classroom furniture. Make sure to ask the right questions that will help you support your students’ learning. The arrangement of the classroom, and the quality and style of the furniture you fill it with will have a tremendous influence on how your students learn.

The post 5 Questions Every Teacher Should Be Asking About Classroom Furniture appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

It seems like fidget spinners are everywhere I turn. I walk into a lesson, and instead of seeing faces, I just see small propellers spinning all over my classroom. While some teachers have chosen to ban spinners because they have become more of a distraction than a tool to enhance focus, I think that they can actually be helpful in the classroom, when used with the right guidelines.

Personally, I have never been so bothered by students doing small things on the side in my lessons. I don’t even mind when students eat in class, as long as they don’t make a mess or distract their friends, and they can still write and pay attention. So allowing fidget spinners in my classroom is a logical rule, as I have seen that they actually can help certain students focus, or at least zone out for a minute or two in a non-distracting way. As long as the students are writing and reading when they are supposed to, spinners offer a great way to take a mental break for a minute or two.

Like I said, though, there must be clear guidelines. I do not allow students to share spinners, or to spin them on the desk. Sharing makes too much of a commotion, and creates a distraction as spinners are passed from one student to another. Spinning on the desk is also a problem, because the buzz that is created is loud enough to distract me. However, when a student is just holding a fidget spinner in their hand, there is a slight buzzing sound, but I haven’t found it to be particularly distracting to myself or the other students.

I teach boys and girls, but in separate classes, and I have noticed a marked difference in the way that they use fidget spinners. Girls tend to just hold the spinner in their hands and use it in the most obvious way: spinning it. Boys, on the other hand, mostly take the spinners apart, trade parts, and put them back together. The deconstruction and reconstruction can become a huge distraction, especially when pieces clatter noisily to the floor and then the students have to run around looking for them under everyone else’s feet. So that is another rule that I think should be added to the book: no taking spinners apart.

Paying attention in class is a challenge, even with a dynamic teacher. A teacher might be explaining something that is too difficult or too easy for a particular student, or a student may just be distracted by something that is happening in their personal life. Whatever the reason is for boredom or lack of focus during a lesson, it is important to give students outlets when they are having difficulty focusing. Demanding 100% attention throughout every lesson is simply unreasonable. I probably wouldn’t recommend fidget spinners to students who have no problem focusing, but I think it can be a great outlet for someone who just needs a little something to do on the side. It’s certainly better than turning and chatting with friends, moving restlessly around in your seat, or getting up to walk out of the classroom.

Based on my experiences in the classroom in the past few weeks, so far I am in favor of fidget spinners. I think it’s always better to give clear guidelines about how to use something, rather than banning it, when possible and relevant. I think students appreciate teachers who understand how difficult it is to sit through class, and try not to be stricter than they have to be. If following your rules means that students are allowed to have spinners, you may just find that they are suddenly motivated to behave better in class altogether. By turning spinner use into an incentive, and giving students a minimally-distracting outlet in the classroom, we might just be able to help the whole class focus better.

What have your experiences been with fidget spinners in the classroom? Do you think we should allow this latest trend into our learning spaces? Please leave your answers in the comments below.

The post Allowing Fidget Spinners in the Classroom is the Right Choice appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

Angella Hall, of Bullhead City Elementary School in Bullhead City, Arizona is the winner of the 2017 New Year’s Success in the Classroom Contest

To enter the contest, teachers shared their goals and plans for success in the school year on social media attaching #hertzfurniture.  Angella Hall’s upbeat winning response was :

“…in 2017 my students and I will enjoy learning, being a part of a fun, loving and caring classroom environment together.” 

Ms. Hall will receive 1 Kore Executive Stool for herself and 4 Kore Wobble Chairs for her students! These wobble chairs are the perfect addition to her 21st century classroom.

“These chairs will help my wiggly students focus better and become more successful in this goal for learning,”

Wobble chairs allow students to have the ability to move around and constantly shift their weight, maintaining focus while releasing excess energy.  Hertz Furniture hopes that Ms. Hall can use these wonderful stools to accomplish her educational goals for years to come.

We at Hertz Furniture are truly inspired by the  dedication of  our country’s teachers  to being successful in 2017.   We would like to extend an honorable mention to teachers Lyssa Turner from Georgia, Jaime Yanesh from Sumter, South Carolina, and Lauren Carnevale from Illinois for their creative and inspiring plans this school year.

Angella, we hope you enjoy your prize! Kore offers a complete line of wobble chairs that are used by students, artists, musicians, office workers, doctors and anyone looking for a more enjoyable sitting experience. We’ll help you find the one that’s right for you.”

The post Hertz Furniture Announces Winner of 2017 New Year’s Success in the Classroom Contest appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

New Year’s has finally arrived and at Hertz Furniture we made a resolution to start off the year by giving back to some of our favorite heroes, classroom teachers! We are giving away 1 Kore Executive Stool and 4 Kore Wobble Chairs to whomever has the best ending to this sentence.

“In 2017 my students and I will be successful because __________”

Tell us how you will be a better teacher in 2017.  Why?  Because doing so can win you 1 Kore Executive Stool and 4 Kore Student Wobble Chairs for your students! Use your brand new Kore stool and wobble chairs to focus your most active students, as a center for a collaborative activity or as a prize for well-behaving students.

All you need to do is post the end of the sentence to your Facebook, Twitter, orInstagram and tag #hertzfurniture.  It’s really simple, make a new year’s resolution, write it on your social, add tag #hertzfurniture and you can win.

 More good news is that every social channel you post to will be counted as another entry. So, for example, if  you post to Twitter and then again to Facebook that would be counted as 2 entries. Go do it. Now.

Contest Sponsored by Kore. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Contest open to residents of the United States only. If the winner does not respond to winner notification in 24 hours, we reserve the right to choose a new winner.

The post Hertz Furniture 2017 New Year’s Contest appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

In a world where click-bait rules supreme and anyone can publish what they want, it is downright difficult to separate the truth from fiction. The internet is full of people manipulating the truth to serve their own agendas, at best. At worst, there are those who are deliberately lying to sensationalize people or events. If, as adults, it is difficult for us to know where to get reliable information, and when stories are blown out of proportion, how can we possibly expect our students to beat these challenges? If educators don’t make information literacy a priority, we run the risk of allowing precious minds to be contaminated unknowingly with all manner of falsehood and lies.

In his song “Waiting on the World to Change,” John Mayer says “when they own the information, oh they can bend it all they want,” referring to news broadcasts on TV. According to the song, this is one of the reasons we need to wait for the world to change. And change it has. When this song was released ten years ago, no one could have imagined just how much information can be bent when everyone owns it. Rather than news sources becoming more truthful and presenting information accurately, private citizens are taking matters into their own hands, publishing unchecked and false information all over the internet, where impressionable minds will absorb and believe it.

Facebook is one of the main tools that fake news sites use to spread false information. Clicking “share” is all too easy when you see a catchy headline. In fact, the overwhelming majority of articles shared on Facebook were never even read by the people who shared them . At the same time, Facebook is afraid of using filters because the site has been accused in the past of biased filtering practices.

The recent US presidential election is what really brought out this issue. People were so excited by the extreme statements of President-Elect Donald J. Trump, that many were publishing false or exaggerated statements of his to gain clicks and traffic on their sites. This is a big problem for today’s students who don’t go to credible publications to find out what is going on in the world. Rather, our students are relying on social media to help them stay informed. With all of the fake news out there, that is a frightening thought.

So what is an educator to do? By making information literacy a top priority, we can hope to help our students stay informed and discerning when it comes to news. We can teach them to distinguish credible sites from private blogs and rants by bringing all of the sources into our lessons and pointing out the differences. We can also teach them to double-check when they read information online, before they go ahead and formulate opinions based on what they have read. In general, by teaching our students not to believe everything they read, we will be giving them one of the most important life lessons for the 21st century.

Of course, teachers of virtually any subject can work on information literacy, especially when it comes to research projects and current events. Another option is to go through the school librarian, and create a required course where students really delve into the matter and learn how to approach and weed out fake news. Librarians are supposed to teach students how to “locate and evaluate information”. That responsibility means something entirely different today than it ever has in the past. Librarian Julie Danielson believes that information literacy is exactly what this responsibility entails for today’s school librarians.

No matter how you slice it, if we really want to prepare our students for the 21st century, we absolutely must include information literacy in the curriculum. Whether it comes from the school librarian or history teacher, administrators should be making sure that no student graduates high school without learning how to weed out fake news and determine credibility. If we don’t invest in information literacy, we simply have too much to lose.

What steps has your school taken to promote information literacy? How do you approach the challenge of fake news in the classroom?

The post Information Literacy: How to Combat Fake News appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

Administrators, Department Heads and Facilities Managers: Section 1: Setting Up Ideal Learning Conditions for Millennial College Students
Professors, Lecturers, Instructors, and Teachers: Section 2: Using Your Learning Space to Be a Better 21st Century College Teacher

The best practices in higher education spaces have evolved. University education isn’t what it used to be. Enormous lecture halls with hard seating and tablet-arm chairs, professors speaking with a monotone from printed notes, and standard library tables with old-fashioned seating are out. They have been replaced by collaboration, project-based learning and modern technology. If you want to stay in the game of higher education, you must update your space and learn how to utilize 21st century learning tools.

Setting Up Ideal Learning Conditions for Millennial College Students

If you want to keep your institution of higher education relevant for college-bound millennials, here are some important design tips to keep in mind.

1. Offer plenty of electrical outlets and recharging stations wherever possible.

Whether they are in the library, cafeteria or lecture hall, college students expect to be plugged into multiple devices at all times. That means you need charging stations in study spaces and break areas, as well as plenty of accessible USB power outlets in all classrooms. Almost all of today’s students are taking notes on laptops or tablets, which means that they need to have consistent access to reliable power sources.

2. Ensure that you have a reliable wireless network throughout the campus.

Nothing is more frustrating to a college student who has to hand in an assignment by midnight than realizing that the internet is down at 11:30 PM. Students and professors expect to use the internet to complete assignments, practice problems and simulations, and access information about grades and lecture notes. An unreliable wireless network or some weak spots on the campus can lead to intense frustration for everyone in your higher education community.

3. Keep your university library furniture up to date.

The hard lines of classic boxy wooden library tables and chairs simply don’t appeal to today’s students. Your university library needs some flexible soft seating and modern study pods. Classic carrels are a thing of the past. Contemporary study pods with cushy seating, vibrant colors and built-in hookups are exactly what your students need, no matter what discipline they are studying. As the importance of collaboration only increases for potential employers, college students are consistently expected to work in groups. With a media center that accommodates groups of various sizes in comfortable collaborative areas, you can ensure that the learning spaces fit the teaching styles and expectations of today’s great courses.

4. Create science labs which support interdisciplinary and project-based learning.

While some institutions of higher education are still categorizing courses according to antiquated rigid categories, many colleges and universities have adopted a more interdisciplinary approach. Most of the world is not separated into defined subject areas, so a more interdisciplinary approach  is reflective of the world today, especially in STEM fields. This means that well-equipped, up-to-date science labs are essential for supporting the study of STEM fields. These spaces should have plenty of flexible work-spaces, with the proper safety precautions taken, as well as a variety of tools and materials.

5. Provide engaging learning spaces.

Color and style set the mood for the classroom, but creating an engaging space goes well beyond stylistic choices. Rethinking the higher ed classroom means paying equal attention to design and function. College students expect lectures to be engaging and interactive, which means the space needs to support these ideals. The classroom needs to be flexible to accommodate comfortable work in groups of different sizes. There needs to be a great multimedia system, or ideally even a smart-board, so teachers can create interactive presentations which are easily visible to the whole class and engaging to our multitasking millennials.

Using Your Learning Spaces to Be a Better 21st Century College Teacher

Having a space that is set up to support 21st century learning for college students is only the first step in keeping higher education relevant and enticing to millennials. Once the space is set up, professors need to make sure they are using it to its full potential. There is no point in having a smart-board or a space that is designed for project-based learning, if you don’t know how to take advantage of it. Here are some guidelines for utilizing your learning spaces to be a better 21st century college teacher.

1. Facilitate Collaborative Problem-Solving

Students aren’t just going to wake up one day and figure out how to collaborate, they need someone to push them and encourage them to hone the required skills. Whether in the library or the lab, professors should be taking advantage of flexible furniture to help students create the physical space which is most conducive to successful group work. In addition to setting up the space correctly, teachers and professors should make collaboration a mandatory component of their courses. For example, you can assign students to study groups which are responsible for figuring out a weekly problem or challenge either during or outside of class. You may even want to consider some reflection exercises afterward, so students can think about what does and doesn’t work for them in small-group learning.

2. Make Yourself Accessible to Students

Scanning the sea of faces throughout a lecture and waiting for students to drop-in during office hours will not build the kinds of connections millennial college students expect. In the age of instant access to almost everything, professors are expected to keep up. That means answering E-mails in a timely, and more informal fashion, even when they might seem trivial. Students expect everyone to be connected on a very consistent basis, so checking your E-mail once a day will simply not suffice anymore. Professors need to make a habit of answering students within a few hours of when their questions are sent (though they will likely be expecting a response already after just a few minutes!).

3. Share Digital Copies of Everything

No one buys physical textbooks anymore. If you are compiling a course reader, the individual components should be accessible in easy-to-read formats which allow for digital note taking as well. These documents should be uploaded to a course website where students can easily follow which materials they need at all times. Alternatively, find an updated online textbook which includes problems and questions which can be solved and checked digitally on the spot.

4. Encourage Digital Participation

Some college students simply refuse to speak up in class, and forcing them to do so for a participation requirement will not foster good will. By creating an online class forum where students are required to post, you can check-in on how they are processing information and ensure participation in a way that is comfortable for everyone. This is also a great way to promote collaboration, Students can be required to respond to their peers, thereby creating an open discussion in which everyone’s voice is heard.

5. Make Presentations Multimedia

Once your space is set up with reliable WiFi, plenty of hookups and a smart-board or a computer with a projector, you are ready to create multimedia lectures. This can be as simple as showing a few slides and clips to support the information that is being conveyed verbally. You can use your multimedia system to engage your millennial students through their favorite tools: smartphones. This can be done by creating short multiple-choice questions which can be answered in real-time on phones or collaborative Google Docs which are displayed during the class and can be edited by anyone in the room. There are tons of programs and Apps which enable you to create 21st century college learning activities.

With the ideal of a techy, flexible, interdisciplinary learning environment in mind, today’s colleges and universities should be striving to engage the minds of their millennial students and prepare them for the future. When the spaces themselves support collaboration and tech-based teaching and learning, teachers and students are more likely to take advantage of the setup. From outlets to flexible seating and everything in between, keeping your higher education institution up-to-date will make a big difference in the lives of your current and future students. Once the space is set up for collaboration and tech-based instruction, professors should be taking advantage of all the tools they have to engage and relate to their students.

Even with all of the tech in the world, nothing can replace a real life professor who can relate personally to students and keep their content relevant. Whether inside the classroom or after hours, it’s worth investing the time to become the 21st century college teacher your millennial students dream of.

The post Designing and Optimizing Your 21st Century Higher Ed Learning Space For Millenials appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

The odds are that you will find cell phones in the classroom no matter where you are, unless you are in a school enforcing a zero-tolerance policy. Kids in elementary school are already engaged on an almost constant basis with personal devices. While the initial reaction to smartphones in the world of education was to eliminate phones from lessons, today there are so many ways to promote productive cell phone use in class. With the right tools and the right attitude, an educator can transform cell phones from a constant distraction into one of the coolest educational tools.

There are some great apps for education which are designed specifically for cell phones. One of my favorites is Kahoot. With the motto “make learning awesome” Kahoot allows teachers to create multiple-choice games based on the information they are learning in class. The games can include images, text, videos and diagrams. Students answer questions on their cell phones and the results are recorded in real-time on the teacher’s main device. Kids thrive on challenge and competition, and Kahoot encourages them to relate to the material in a fun, interactive, technological platform.

Another great app for productive cell phone use in class is Remind. This app does exactly what it sound like: remind students and parents about upcoming assignments, projects, due dates and events. Unlike E-mails which can be tedious to compose and easily get lost, Remind messages pop up just like a text message, on the screen of a cell phone, where they are sure to be seen. Remind messages are even compatible with non-smart phones which can only receive SMS messages.

In addition to all of the specific apps which actively engage students on their cell phones in class, there are lots of more general ways to take advantage of these cool tools. Dictionary apps are great for language classrooms, and much more realistic for students. Lets face it, no one walks around today with a paper dictionary in their pocket, but students are likely to look things up on their phones. By training them in proper use of dictionary apps, and pointing out which ones are the most accurate and useful, educators are giving students a convenient tool and life skill. You can even compare a few different translation apps to teach a whole lesson about language accuracy in translation and why all translations are not created equal.

Sometimes it can even be helpful to let students play music on their phones.Playing music out loud can keep the energy level up and help the students stay alert while collaborating or working on individual assignments. By creating guidelines for playing music during work time in class, the teacher can establish herself as a realistic educator who is in touch with the students’ needs, but still in control of the class. You may even want to consider assigning a designated dj for the day who is responsible for putting together a pre-set playlist of approved songs. This gives the students a sense of responsibility and eliminates the complication of arguments over music tastes.

Let’s face it, cell phone use in class is on the rise and as educators we can either choose to embrace the revolution or fight a constant uphill battle. Simple acceptance of the reality is not enough, the best thing we can do for our students is take full advantage of all the amazing tools cell phones have to offer to our classrooms.

How have your classroom cell phone policies evolved (or not) over the years? What exciting and innovative tools have helped you engage students with their smartphones in the classroom? What challenges have you faced? We would love to hear from you. Please share your input in the comments below.

The post Can Cell Phones in the Classroom Be Educational Tools? appeared first on A Blog for Principals and Teachers - School Matters.

Hertz Furniture is proud to present the Designing The Ideal Classroom Infographic detailing what today’s educators think our classrooms should and should not look like.  We surveyed a cross- section of educators including school principals, ed tech specialists, consultants, designers, and administrators.  They responded to questions about the most important components of a classroom, what ideal classrooms should and should not look like, what color scheme the ideal classroom would incorporate and more.

If you haven’t already participated, take our survey now!

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