| There
is always something "new" happening at FableVision! Our
What’s New page now features a web version
of FableVision’s FableFlash – our monthly
e-newsletter. Read about the latest happenings in our company,
on our website and with the FableVision team in general.
For
email updates, or to subscribe to our FableFlyer, our semi-annual
“snail mail” newsletter, simply sign our Guestbook.
To receive the most current news, check out the Flashes
below, and sign up to receive the FableFlash here! |
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| March
2007 |
FableVision's
FableFlash |
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A
FableFlash Message from Paul Reynolds |
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Spring
Greetings from FableVision! 
We've got some very exciting news to share! Peter's new book
SOMEDAY (a collaboration with author Alison
McGhee) is a New York Times #1 Best Seller Children's
book! SOMEDAY is a book that is near and dear to our
hearts ... a "storybook for all ages" that celebrates the
potential we see in our children and the yearning for them
to live life to its fullest. To get your personalized and
autographed copy of the book, hop over to The Blue Bunny
at
www.dedhambluebunny.com - the Reynolds family bookstore.
Our mission here at FableVision is to protect and nurture
that spark of potential and to help everyone (kids and grown
up kids) to navigate a meaningful journey. It's not easy
- but if we keep that mission front of mind and inspire
each other along the way, we will get there.
This issue of the FableFlash is full of stories
showing how creative educators and media/tech developers
around the world are making a difference. From learner-
centric strategies that foster instrinsic motivation to
new research that advances our understanding of learning
differences - we are seeing a new breeze blowing that is
beginning to shift and alter the testing mania. We're cheering
you on in all your efforts - and stand ready to help you
in any way.
All best,
Paul
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Using
Character Education and Writing to Share a Message |
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The
ABC’s Of Manners Within Our Community 
Inspired by the character education and community themes in
FableVision’s North Star Inspiration for the
Classroom curriculum kit, the first and second graders
at St. Patrick’s School in Lincoln Nebraska set off to determine
what makes a good citizen as they interact in their community.
Letters of the alphabet were given to the students who went
out and interviewed people in the community to determine ‘what
are good manners when interacting in each environment’. “A”
for Amigos Restaurant, “F” was for Firestation, “L” the Library,
"K" for Kindess, "G" for Gift, and more. The group used FableVision’s
Stationery Studio to write up their best manners and
create their own classroom book! Teachers Cathy Swartz
and Carol Whitehead undertook this ambitious project
and shared it with us. The end result is amazing - kudos to
all the creative educators and students at St. Patrick's!
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Ten
Years of Tubby Toast |
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FableVision
Animates Teletubbies 10th Anniversary Spots for Ragdoll UK
Ragdoll, the UK-based production company that produces
the Teletubbies, recently teamed up with FableVision
to create six animated spots for the series' 10th anniversary
this year. The spots are appearing both nationally on PBS
and internationally. Our friend Tina Waganer from
Ragdoll says, “I've always wanted to work with [Peter Reynolds].
The Teletubbies 10-year celebration gave me this opportunity;
it was a great team to work with." While Teletubbies isn't
everybody's cup of tea (unless you're about three years old)
... we applaud Ragdoll for creating safe, positive programming
in an era that sorely needs it. All we can say is, "Again!
Again!"
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Learning
Strategies & Writing Can Put Your Students On-Air |
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Kids
Talk Radio Teaches More Than Technology For After School Students
Sharing, communication, and the thrill of being on the radio
is a great motivator to the kids involved in Kids
Talk Radio. Bob Barboza and his Super School
University team help after school students create podcasts
and combine them into academic radio shows. We were pleased
to hear that Bob has students go through FableVision’s Brain
Cogs and
Essay Express to help improve in all stages of radio
producing and writing process.
After conducting a two year study on using BrainCogs in
the classroom, Bob Barboza has seen first hand the value
of learning strategies in making sure the students remember,
organize, prioritize, shift and check their work before
going live on the airwaves. These are the keys to effective
executive functioning for ALL learners, which apply in real
world, situated learning. It's great to see Bob mapping
this approach onto such a creative, constructivist experience.
Go Bob!
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Get
A Clue Begins 5th Year at Fairfax County Public Schools |
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Gaming
Style Interface Gets an A+ from Students 
FableVision’s web-based vocabulary and critical thinking program,
Get A Clue®, has been selected for the fifth year running
for inclusion in the Fairfax County Public Schools
(FCPS) curriculum in all 25 high schools as well as the various
alternative schools to support students of all learning levels
and abilities. Exploring derivations first rather than jumping
to rote memorization of definitions, students can uncover
the meaning of the word through a series of clues. (See the
Spotlight Word of the Month at the end of this FableFlash
for a sample derivation.) Get A Clue’s completely online,
game-like experience has kids tuning in and staying tuned
in a way that is turning heads around the country.
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Caregivers
Can Help Kids ‘Grow Right, Grow Bright’ |
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FableVision
Creates PSAs for Maryland Statewide Outreach Effort 
Our good friends at Maryland Public Television (MPT), recently
called on the team at FableVision to co-produce three 30 second
animated broadcast spots for Maryland Public Television. The
spots are to bring awareness to an initiative called Grow
Right Grow Bright, which provides educational outreach
and support to informal child caregivers such as grandparents,
neighbors, relatives, and friends. The spots for Grow Right
Grow Bright focus on SIDS, Asthma, and Lead Poisoning to encourage
caregivers to participate in free workshops and receive tools
and tips to keep kids safe.
The FableVision team loves working on "stories that matter"
- ones that help bring the world to a better place. This
project really fulfills that mission.
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Got
Executive Functioning? |
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New
Book Helps Present Frameworks and Support For Student Education
FableVision’s co-developer, ResearchILD has just published a book on a very important topic, “Executive Function
in Education: From Theory to Practice”, by Lynn Meltzer,
Ph.D. (Editor). This book brings together leading researchers
and practitioners from education, neuroscience, and psychology,
and includes chapters by leading experts like Dr. Howard Gardner
and more. Authors present a theoretical framework for understanding
executive function difficulties together with a range of effective
approaches to assessment and instruction. Scholarly and authoritative
yet highly practical, the book provides guidelines for intervening
at the level of the individual child, the classroom, and the
entire school. Executive Function in Education is available
through www.amazon.com
or Guilford
Press.
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FableVision
At-a-Glance Calendar of Events |
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The
Road Tour Continues, complete with Podcasts 
The past month has been exciting for FableVision and team,
from the national
Entrepreneurship Week USA Big Dot launch event in Boston
(download the Shaping The Course Civic Engagement Poster
below), to both California and Michigan’s Computer
Using Educators Conferences. Peter H. Reynolds’ keynote
to 2,100 educators at Michigan’s MACUL event sparked
many blog entries and great emails from new friends we met.
Chris Walsh from WestEd and the traveling podcasters at California
CUE have put an interview with Peter on Creativity
In a Flash online in the CUE LIVE section at
www.CUE.org
Here's what the FableVision team is up to in the coming
weeks . . .
April 11-13 - NCEA:
National Catholic Education Association's Annual Expo,
'Anchor of Faith, Harbor of Light'. Visit Carol Donahue,
Jane Reynolds, and Margaret Jennings at the FableVision
Booth #2057. Baltimore, MD.
April 29 - The Ninth Annual
North Star Children's Ramble Race in Dedham, MA
- Peter H. Reynolds will serve as the Grand Marshal. 8:30
am to 10:30 am.
May 4-5 - Reach
Out and Read National Conference: Pediatrics and Early Literacy
~ Toronto, Canada Peter H. Reynolds will keynote
at Reach Out and Read, which is a national non-profit organization
that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children
and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud
in pediatric exam rooms across the nation.
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FableFlash
Editorial Group
phone: 617-956-5700, x5701
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Archives
Click the links
below to read past issues.
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New
Main Page
April
2007
March
2007
February
2007
December
2006
October
2006
September
2006
August
2006
July
2006
June
2006
May
2006
April
2006
March
2006
February
2006
January
2006
And
earlier... |
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