How to Make Reading Instruction Much, Much More Efficient

 

  • Intensive, sustained, systematic phonics. We could substantially accelerate students’ mastery of the phonetic code in K-1—and still have time for kids to read and listen to far more fiction and nonfiction texts.
  • Reading/general knowledge. If most students have mastered decoding in the 1st grade, they could spend record amounts of time in 2nd and 3rd grade reading literature, history, and science texts to build their knowledge base and vocabulary, which are critical to effective comprehension.
  • Vocabulary instruction. Most of a rich vocabulary is acquired through abundant reading. But research also shows that we can reliably supplement this with targeted, embedded vocabulary instruction.
  • Discussion. To become confident, articulate speakers, students must engage in frequent, purposeful discussions about what they read. We could multiply the length and frequency of such discussions, which animate an appreciation of reading and are excellent preparation for writing.
  • Writing and writing instruction. Writing has an unsurpassed capacity to help us think logically, express ourselves clearly, and understand, analyze, and retain content. It often promotes dramatic, measurable improvements across the curriculum and is crucial to success in innumerable careers.

Reference: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-how-to-make-reading-instruction-much-much-more-efficient/2019/11?fbclid=IwAR3ofm_AIUyphUKQBQTvOJwKUWYMZBvol4vzzLcNqWP4puVAQxvY7rkFT20

Know your worth and ask for it

Your customers probably aren’t paying you what you’re worth — instead, they’re paying you what they think you’re worth. Take the time to learn how to shape their thinking. Pricing consultant Casey Brown shares helpful stories and learnings that can help you better communicate your value and get paid for your excellence.

Teacher girls bravery, not perfection

We’re raising our girls to be perfect, and we’re raising our boys to be brave, says Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code. Saujani has taken up the charge to socialize young girls to take risks and learn to program — two skills they need to move society forward. To truly innovate, we cannot leave behind half of our population, she says. “I need each of you to tell every young woman you know to be comfortable with imperfection.”

·  An HP report found that men will apply for a job if they meet only 60 percent of the qualifications, but women, women will apply only if they meet 100 percent of the qualifications. 100 percent. 

·  When the guys are struggling with an assignment, they’ll come in and they’ll say, “Professor, there’s something wrong with my code.” The girls will come in and say, “Professor, there’s something wrong with me.” 

·  We have to socialize our girls to be comfortable with imperfection, and we’ve got to do it now. We cannot wait for them to learn how to be brave like I did when I was 33 years old. We have to teach them to be brave in schools and early in their careers, when it has the most potential to impact their lives and the lives of others, and we have to show them that they will be loved and accepted not for being perfect but for being courageous.

Everything You Need to Know About Chroma Key and Green Screen Footage

Have you ever wondered why when recording a video, most people use green screen (Chroma Key)?

Green Screen: Technically, this term refers to the colored background you want to make transparent and remove from your shot. This is usually a single colored backdrop, which can be any color, but is usually bright green because it is the color furthest away from human skin tones. (Blue screens were frequently used in the early days with film, and might still be used in certain cases.) Sometimes the term is used as a fit-all for the entire process of keying (see below).

Chroma Key: This popular term goes hand-in-hand with green screen. It’s the actual technique of layering, or compositing two images based on color hues. Every color has a chroma range, hence where the terminology comes from.

Keying: This term is used to describe the process of removing the green screen background in post-production using video editing software. When the green screen background has been keyed, it will be fully transparent. Then you can fill in that transparent area with a different image or video. The goal is to get the cleanest key possible, meaning there are no digital artifacts left on your image where the green screen was original.

Spill: This often refers to the colored light that reflects back onto your subject from the green screen. When a green screen is brightly lit, the light can actually reflect that color back onto your subject. There are a number of steps you can take to prevent spill.

DIY Green Screen

Just slap some fluorescent green paint on a wall and you’re done, right? No, but that’s not far off from your DIY options for green screen. When you’re taking the hand-made approach, it’s all about getting the right material for the backdrop. There’s paint, muslin, nylon, poster board, and more. Think about factors like:

  • Portability – Do you plan to make a studio space, or do you want options on the go? Light, stretchy fabrics are the best for movers and shakers.
  • Patience – Do you have the patience (or time) to spend ironing or steaming out wrinkles from fabric? If so, you can opt for a heavier fabric that wrinkles easily but provides great coverage.
  • Coverage – Are you filming a whole scene, or an up-close subject? The amount of coverage you need will dictate how much material you need. If you just want to cover a small space, a poster board could fit the bill.

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