January 2024 Newsletter
Happy 2024 to everyone! The Next Vista team hopes the year has started off strong, and that you’ve already found something to inspire you. If not, perhaps one of the shares this month will do so.
So you know, we’ll also share the last contest finalists in the February newsletter in a few weeks!
Powerful Prompts
To start with, we’ll look at the two NVIV posts we’ve done this month. These are short but very cool videos with questions you can use to prompt discussion or writing.
The first is Why Fly, which explores how a company is marketing its jet pack. Even if you’re just in for the scenery of the English Lake District, this is time well spent.
The second is Food and Culture, focusing on a project by a University of Maryland undergraduate research project a few years back. Quite the feast for the eyes, this is.
You can find almost a hundred more great videos and associated prompts at the Next Vista Inspiring Video page.
Wildfire and Grants
It is rare for teachers to understand how many resources are available to them for the interesting things they want to do. This year, we welcome those who want to learn how to pitch grant possibilities by getting involved in a project that can highlight students’ talents and perhaps even save lives.
It’s called the Wildfire Science And Prevention Project, and it’s a great way to help students better understand issues facing everyone (yes, everyone), while also helping you better tell the stories of your students’ successes to those who will support your school.
To connect with us about having your students get involved (it’s free!), go to our Contact Us page and in the comments field mention the wildfire project.
image by Tengyart from Unsplash (license)
Super Sips
One of the fun pieces (we hope there are many) of this newsletter is the chance you have as a reader to win a cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or similar just by exploring some portion of the offerings!
For this month, take a look at the Worth the Watch videos below, and let us know which of the seven most stands out to you. Perhaps you’ll be the one to get a $6 Starbucks gift for having taken the time!
image by Clay Banks from Unsplash (license)
Cool Quotes
Communication is not about saying what we think. Communication is about ensuring others hear what we mean.
– Simon Sinek
I got this from the short daily mailing from Warm Demanders. Find gems of quotes for yourself by clicking on this link.
First Finish
January brings plenty of hope that the new term or new school year can be a great one for everyone in your orbit – your students, your colleagues, and you! If you have wanted an opportunity to push “reset” on a relationship that could stand some improvement, this is a good time to be inspired to give it a try.
And as always, we hope you will inspire and be inspired, each and every day!
In service,
Rushton and the Next Vista team
Muchas Freebies
We love sharing cool free stuff, and invite you to help us out. You can find the best of what we’ve gathered over the years on the Next Vista Resources pages, but if there is something free and powerful you love that you don’t find there, let us know about it using our resources submission form.
Images in the freebies section are screenshots from videos or web pages unless otherwise noted.
Worth the Watch
* We’ll start this month’s videos with a Gundam-inspired robot suit. In the video, they share some of the possibilities associated with the technology developed by the Japanese company, Tsubame Industries. How many more uses can you think of? (2:20)
* Can you imagine yourself living in an unusual place? What if it were a lighthouse? In this story, you’ll get a firsthand look at what it’s like to live in a lighthouse, courtesy of the folks at NBC. (5:14)
* It’s always cool to celebrate student insight, and science fairs are one of the traditional avenues for doing so. In this short video from the Society for Science, you’ll meet middle schooler Shanya Gill and learn a little about her thermal imaging fire detection system. Thanks to my friend Shags for spotting this cool story! (1:23)
* The Edutopia folks have a series of videos called 60-Second Strategy, and here, you’ll learn about the “teacher queue.” It’s a clever way of encouraging help without giving too much attention to the most outgoing students. (1:00)
* You have likely seen, and may already have an image in your head, of Johannes Vermeer’s painting, “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” In this video from the company Hirox, they will describe how they used 3D scanning technology on this (2D) painting and why. (6:39)
* A video titled “This Video is not in Reverse” is certainly one poised to capture my attention. For a great filler activity, use this to get your students to try and explain elements of what’s happening. Encourage them to do this without watching the associated video explaining how they did it. Shout-out to SS for this one! (2:00)
* And finally, we’ll include a particularly cool video we posted in the newsletter a year ago this month. Those of you who study really unusual learning settings might already know about the Green School. This eco-friendly private option in Bali is built mainly from bamboo, mud, and grass, and is celebrated in this video both for its academic approach and its stunning architecture. (7:20)
Worth the Read
* Here’s an EdSurge piece on the challenge of shifting approaches to grading, titled As Schools Move to Change How Kids Are Graded, Some Families Push Back. It may make more sense to give grades based on the degree to which students have mastered material (instead of for completing homework, for example), but if that’s different than what the parents experienced when they were in school…
* Do you have strategies ready to go when you can’t seem to write what you need? The Edutopia post Things Professional Writers Do That Students Should Too has thoughts and techniques that may help you and your students address this all-too-common issue.
* Without (firm) guidance on what to do when there’s a problem, approaching the teacher can end up being the first choice for students who want to get past the challenge of the moment. This obviously runs the risk that the student learns not to overcome the challenge, but to rely too much on the teacher. Here’s How To Handle Students Who Need Your Attention from Michael Linsin.
* Another clever item from Linsin is this piece, called How To Handle A Bossy Colleague. We’ve all been “blessed” with such co-workers, and knowing how you can deal with the awkward moments they cause is a great thing.
* It is no secret that the political divide in the United States seeps into spheres that shouldn’t be controversial at all, such as promoting possibilities for early childhood education. This EdSurge piece by Emily Tate Sullivan showcases how an effort across Idaho manages to help the students and their families without running afoul of political sensitivities.
* Also from EdSurge and also at the intersection of education and politics is a piece on a cost-sharing program in Michigan for child care. If your district is looking for new ways to work with the community to attract teachers with young children, this is a useful read.
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Last Bit
As we started with a nod to the Lake District in England, let’s finish this month with a stunning photo of the same.
photo by Maria Ilves
from Unsplash
(license)
See you next month!
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