REPOST FROM RE@L BLOG™: Happy-End-of-The-School-Year to All You Terrific Teachers Everywhere! Another Year Well Done! Next Fall Is Another Chance to Do It Even Better! So Rest Up

Repost of RE@L Blog:

RE@L wants to pause for a moment in our day’s occupations of teaching all those dear students out there who depend on us whether they know it or not.

Many kids do know it, of course, witness this letter we found on Facebook today, published on a great website called “Bored Teachers.” It’s a blogsite worth your bookmarking and following. Just click on the graphic to the right to see their site.

     Today’s offering on their site was written by teacher Andy McCall and is called: “Hilarious Letter From Teacher to Students On the Last Day Will Make You Laugh Out Loud.” Indeed it does, so don’t read this while you still have students in the room.

     Here’s the link to his letter. Read his entire letter to the kids he has taught and loved this year….every last one of them. You’ll see it’s true, and you’ll likely be shaking your heard up and down recalling your own similar stories.

     Here’s a few excerpts from Andy’s letter that stood out for us: 

     “We’ve spent almost 180 days together. It seems like only yesterday, I was introducing myself and trying to figure out which one was Dan and the other Don. I still mess it up, but you understand. I just wanted to give you a few words of wisdom before you leave for summer and forget pretty much everything that came out of my mouth….

“Just to clear it up, yes you still need to learn your multiplication facts and how to regroup in subtraction because I don’t have the patience much longer to stand in line for 15 minutes at Food city again because this little girl can’t figure out how to make change when the computer goes down…

“Read something. I don’t care what it is but don’t lose everything we worked for. This might help when you go to the beach and the sign says “NO SWIMMING” and you read “GO SWIMMING”…”

We thought about excerpting his #10 in the last line, but it’s so touching we thought it best if you read it on your own, just in case it brings a tear to your eyes. CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE.

Have a wonderful summer all you good and caring teachers, replete with rest, relaxation and a very occasional lesson plan idea for next year.For all those mindless folks who think you get summers off, just remind them of your many long hours, including weekends, and ensuing need to recharge the batteries. Not to hurt anyone’s feelings but most folks couldn’t and wouldn’t do your job. You’ve earned your time off.

RE@L says that: “Next to parenthood, teaching is the most important career there is!” Why? Because both callings are essential for the passing on of our culture and the sharing of our collective wisdom. It is said that teachers are there in place of the parent, and these days, far too often, you’re the last line of defense against ignorance and lassitude.

         

So, RE@L says it once again: “Happy Last Day of School!”

Be sure to “carpe” all the “diems” of summer that you can.

Be ready and rested for next fall, when, once again, you have another chance to do it even better!

We know you will do it better!

RE@L BLOG REPOST:"Look What I Built With Lego!" & "Look What I Learned From MECC Software's 'Serious Fun!' "- 40 Years Ago!!! Today's Kids Will Learn With RE@L's New STEM Tools!

Almost 40 years ago this young girl posed for a LEGO ad showing what she could do with her newly-designed home and carport…or is it a heliocopter-port? Maybe both!

We at RE@L like to think she not only knew how to build new designs, but she also liked to play with her MECC science- and math-based software on her computer.The graphic on the right, also 40 years old, shows what it looked like back then when computers sat on a desk instead of being held in your hand.

Nor did we have the word STEM, (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) back in those days. LEGO is what some kids were using to learn with back in those days. Girls, too. Not just boys. 

We’d like to believe this smart and creative young girl became a smart and creative woman and maybe even working in a STEM career. Who knows, she may now be in her prime building space-ports for weary space travelers to get some rest and relaxation. You never know.

RE@L’s new strategies are to embed the various learning activities in K12 STEM, real-world experiments.

As we learned back in our MECC days, it’s imperative to provide the teacher with all the materials needed to properly conduct the learning experiments and have students ready and able to learn. 

Nothing beats “hands-on and heads-on” learning, and that’s what RE@L does.

RE@L’s software relates to the real world. 

The sky is the limit these days for girls and boys considering STEM careers, whether or not they choose high-tech.

Our RE@L homepage uses three artistic bubbles to show how RE@L embraces three distinct and critical dimensions of Project-Based Learning (PBL):

1. -Classroom activities,

2. -Field experience,

3. -Connecting to the real world experience

RE@L’s new portal, RE@L VIEW™, uses new technologies to bring both content and resources all together for both students and teachers. Moreover, it includes sharing questions and findings with other PBL schools across the nation, and around the globe. If our students can learn together anywhere, perhaps they can work together and relate to each other, too.

The secret to RE@L VIEW™ new learning is the advanced resource-sharing of the virtual world, real-time portal. It allows teachers and learners everywhere to connect and share their work and findings. 

RE@L has harnessed the power of content and resources. We have also added newer tools that take learning to a new dimension. 

Prototypes may begin with toys and building blocks. But they can and have become far more than that. Today’s tools allow virtual realities undreamed of only a few short years ago. 

If the young girl, pictured in the LEGO poster above, had been able to choose new paths for learning and life, think of her options that would be available out there today.

Perhaps, one of those careers awaits a young, probing minds of students you know! The universe awaits their new explorations! So do we!

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