One Laptop per Child (OLPC) - http://laptop.media.mit.edu/
Technology is not about teaching – it is about learning. In much of the world, the schools lack well-qualified teachers. In rural areas, some teachers are lucky to have a 6th grade education. In situations like this, we need to get kids to teach themselves. Giving kids computers, rich or poor, and they act the same way – excited about learning. Communication and connection is key. Children don't have the baggage that the adults have and are willing to communicate with anyone. Mr. Negroponte related a story about building 5 schools, with laptop programs, in remote villages in Cambodia. The kids take the laptops home at night and it is the focus of the family. In addition, Maine started an initiative
These two events prompted his idea of a 100 dollar laptop – or a laptop per child. The key of the program is scale – being global is crucial to launch 5-10 million in 2007 and 50-150 million in 2008. This scale allows for large ordering of components that will be cheaper. Then, there were many partners that become involved, such as Google, eBay, AMD, News Corp, Brightstar, Marvell, Nortall, 3M, etc.
A word about laptops – getting to the 10$ laptop is not difficult. 50% of the cost is marketing. 25% is the display and 25% is the support of MSFT Windows XP. The overwhelming memory and running needs of the operating systems make it to overloaded. More is not necessarily different. Moore's Law indicates that the size will shrink, power increase which keeps the price high and stable. Instead, what about standing still and getting the cost down. To get it down to a 100$ laptop, there are no sales, marketing and distribution. The first purchase order was 5-10 million units. The computers will use Linux and reduce the display cost by using a backlight innovation. In addition, the other features would include a human powered input (crank), must have wifi with a mesh network, be rugged, shared memory, and dual mode display (to be usable indoors and in sunlight with a B&W display). The goal is to have the kids do the maintenance. When Mr. Negroponte sent 50 laptops to Cambodia, only one broke in 3 years. However, when the laptop belongs to the child, there is a sense of ownership and pride. The kids in Cambodia polished it, made little bags for them.
Prototypes
Green machine was introduce with Desmond Tuti – it has a crank for human power
Ebook – like a readers or laptop
Orange machine – with rabbit ears for the mesh network
Red machine – display is a little bigger, still with rabbit ears (for heat release)
$100 server
$10 DVD drive
$10 Hard disc
$30 printer
$50 projector
Launch – a chicken and egg problem
Can't convince the people to purchase until the laptop is made, but the makers won't make until the orders are made. However, by Christmas, there should be the first ones manufactured.
Launch countries – Brazil, Nigeria, Thailand, and Argentina for sure, but other Central American plans along with China, India, Egypt, Mexico, Bangladesh.
Why not the USA?
Don't need a $100 laptop – schools can buy the $400 intel laptop
There are other problems in poorer countries – like no power and health issues
The first trial will be in Nigeria in 2007. The initial price will be about $140, but the target price for 2010 is $50. The important thing is that the price will float, based on the cost of the components. Features will not be added that increases the price. Countries are volunteering to sponsor other countries – or people purchase and donate in another's name.
Side effects of the $100 laptop. Linux will be on the desktop. There's no caps lock key. More consciousness about using human power. No bloated software or unneeded features. Viral telecommunications. Peer to peer learning and
What can you do?
Contribute your ideas to: wiki.laptop.org
If you are personally interested or want a developer board, send e-mail to: iste@laptop.org
Three basic principles:
1)Use technology to learn learning, not to learn something. To many kids are learning Word or Excel, but not learning to use the computer as the tool it is to be used to learn other things.
2)Teaching is one but not the only way to achieve learning.
3)Leverage children's initiative
NECC06
NECC
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Blogging: Reinventing Teaching and Learning in the Information Age - Susim Munshi and Susan Switzer
According to Helen Keller, “It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.” If Helen Keller was around today, she would not have struggled as hard to be as successful as she was. To achieve the full potential for technology in education we need to change the lens that will look through – we need to be less critical and use more praise. The new fabric of life that challenges our traditions in education and many teachers feel threatened with it as education has spent the last 100 years “perfecting” the fabric of education. Jon Madonna said, “Nothing stops an organization faster than people who believe that the way you worked yesterday is the best way to work tomorrow.” (Sounds a little like Good to Great.)
The institutional visions tend to be tunnel (my space – community, school), silo (my silo – not anyone else's) or vertical (hierarchy. This type of vision limits the possibilities with technology. There is a lot of talk about the Internet 2.0 – if this is the future of the internet, we need to create Schools 2.0 that have teachers who guide the students to use the technology that is evident in every day life and prepare them for an unknown future.
According to Alan November, “Blogging is the single most transformative tool.” The control of learning is shifting to more student control, there is more noise, movement, new assessments, and available constantly. The current decision making tools that students are currently using include myspace, AOL messenger and other chat programs. We must be teaching students to teach themselves, as the jobs they will fulfill may not even exist in our current world.
Ms. Switzer then highlighted some examples of weblogs that are available through their own website:
http://learn2blog.21publish.com/
Mr. Munshi encouraged the audience to go to the website to share and use any of the resources available. He also highlighted the Goochland Public schools that require the teachers to blog. He references Alan November's presentation to administrator that asked if the administrators wanted their teachers to use technology (especially wikis and blogs) the administrators MUST also use these technologies.
The handouts for the session was unique – to required the audience to input information and reflect on the information. See Bob Pike from The Bob Pike Group on giving better presentations:
http://www.bobpikegroup.com/
NECC06
NECC
The institutional visions tend to be tunnel (my space – community, school), silo (my silo – not anyone else's) or vertical (hierarchy. This type of vision limits the possibilities with technology. There is a lot of talk about the Internet 2.0 – if this is the future of the internet, we need to create Schools 2.0 that have teachers who guide the students to use the technology that is evident in every day life and prepare them for an unknown future.
According to Alan November, “Blogging is the single most transformative tool.” The control of learning is shifting to more student control, there is more noise, movement, new assessments, and available constantly. The current decision making tools that students are currently using include myspace, AOL messenger and other chat programs. We must be teaching students to teach themselves, as the jobs they will fulfill may not even exist in our current world.
Ms. Switzer then highlighted some examples of weblogs that are available through their own website:
http://learn2blog.21publish.com/
Mr. Munshi encouraged the audience to go to the website to share and use any of the resources available. He also highlighted the Goochland Public schools that require the teachers to blog. He references Alan November's presentation to administrator that asked if the administrators wanted their teachers to use technology (especially wikis and blogs) the administrators MUST also use these technologies.
The handouts for the session was unique – to required the audience to input information and reflect on the information. See Bob Pike from The Bob Pike Group on giving better presentations:
http://www.bobpikegroup.com/
NECC06
NECC
Introducing the Read/Write Web – Tim Wilson
Opportunities for the WebThe internet is the future for technology for education. It is up there with the ancient library in Alexandra and the TV. Web 2.0 is an emerging platform where the web is the platform. There will be a move from a classroom webpage to a weblog. The weblog is instantly updated and interactive – this is what makes it a read/write page. In addition, with RSS (really simple syndication) allows the subscriber to be updated when new content is posted on the weblogs you are interested in.
Compare New York Times and ohmynews. New York Times is written by professional journalists for stories that sell papers. Ohmynews is a Korean online paper with both professional and non-professional writers that brings the daily news to the public.
Encyclopedias vs Wikipedia. Most online encyclopedias are fee based and fairly static. Wikipedia is dynamic – with people who are passionate about the topic posting information. The incorrect information is quickly erased and rewritten. A recent study showed that Wikipedia is as accurate as any published encyclopedias. This would allow students to contribute to the world of knowledge. It is also available in other languages. There is also opportunities for discussion within the article.
Technorati
Tagging is a way of adding keywords for for arrogation. It allows links between blogs and on going conversation.
Audience
When students have a broader audience, they write differently and with more enthusiasm and significance.
How do we keep kids safe while working online?
Keep students on your own network and servers.
Monitor what the students are reading and writing.
Teach appropriate online behavior.
Recognize that young people will encounter unsavory things online, just like in real life.
What professional development is needed?
Avoid the “just in case” PD and look for “just in time.”
Build on the trail blazers so they can show the way for others.
Leaders have to lead – the admin must show what they want in technology.
How to assess student work?
Develop or adopt curriculum standards for information literacy.
Create uniform rubrics for use across curriculum.
De-emphasize individual assessments. (Wikis and blog are interconnected, assessing an individual would be difficult)
Equitable access is important – all students should have the opportunities to work with technology. Consider extending the hours of the school's media center and computer labs to better serve the community. Teachers can give classes on internet behavior or software lessons. Converse about the equity within your own school.
The implications of not getting technology use correctly in school. Change is happening so fast that we can't keep up. We are in a relevance race with our students. The social sites feeds the students' passion – we need to understand what this passion is and how to harness it for education. We should not divide students' “real life” outside of school and what happens within in the classroom. Our “digital immigrant” accent is clear to many students. We need to consider what the job market will look like in the next 10-20-50 years. Students need to communicate across cultures, without time lag for jobs that don't exist yet. There is the potential that students may move on to private tutors rather then public schools.
Tim Wilson's site - http://technosavvy.org/
NECC06
NECC
Compare New York Times and ohmynews. New York Times is written by professional journalists for stories that sell papers. Ohmynews is a Korean online paper with both professional and non-professional writers that brings the daily news to the public.
Encyclopedias vs Wikipedia. Most online encyclopedias are fee based and fairly static. Wikipedia is dynamic – with people who are passionate about the topic posting information. The incorrect information is quickly erased and rewritten. A recent study showed that Wikipedia is as accurate as any published encyclopedias. This would allow students to contribute to the world of knowledge. It is also available in other languages. There is also opportunities for discussion within the article.
Technorati
Tagging is a way of adding keywords for for arrogation. It allows links between blogs and on going conversation.
Audience
When students have a broader audience, they write differently and with more enthusiasm and significance.
How do we keep kids safe while working online?
Keep students on your own network and servers.
Monitor what the students are reading and writing.
Teach appropriate online behavior.
Recognize that young people will encounter unsavory things online, just like in real life.
What professional development is needed?
Avoid the “just in case” PD and look for “just in time.”
Build on the trail blazers so they can show the way for others.
Leaders have to lead – the admin must show what they want in technology.
How to assess student work?
Develop or adopt curriculum standards for information literacy.
Create uniform rubrics for use across curriculum.
De-emphasize individual assessments. (Wikis and blog are interconnected, assessing an individual would be difficult)
Equitable access is important – all students should have the opportunities to work with technology. Consider extending the hours of the school's media center and computer labs to better serve the community. Teachers can give classes on internet behavior or software lessons. Converse about the equity within your own school.
The implications of not getting technology use correctly in school. Change is happening so fast that we can't keep up. We are in a relevance race with our students. The social sites feeds the students' passion – we need to understand what this passion is and how to harness it for education. We should not divide students' “real life” outside of school and what happens within in the classroom. Our “digital immigrant” accent is clear to many students. We need to consider what the job market will look like in the next 10-20-50 years. Students need to communicate across cultures, without time lag for jobs that don't exist yet. There is the potential that students may move on to private tutors rather then public schools.
Tim Wilson's site - http://technosavvy.org/
NECC06
NECC
Extraordinary Visions - Dewitt Jones
Vision, passion, purpose and creativity – the four words that sum up how great things happen, whether it is art, business, or education.
His father told him a story – two guys breaking stone. One feels he is just chipping stone, the other feels he is building a cathedral. Our vision of a task, project, idea etc is influenced by our attitude toward it. Dreaming and imagining is an important part of creating passion for the task.
Mr. Jones related the story of how he became a film maker. He was suppose to go to Harvard Business school, but a night of dreaming and talking led him to withdraw his application and go to California to learn how to make films. He, and his friends, envisioned a kayak trip up the coast of Japan. He wrote a proposal to National Geographic, went for an interview with a quickly made demo film. They offered to follow him on the trip and make the film thermselves. He refused this offer. Rewriting his proposal, the president saw Mr. Jones's vision and hired him. When vision and passion combine, anything is possible.
Mr. Jones then shared his photos of the wonderful people and places he saw throughout the world. His narration was a celebration of the very best that this world has to offer.
He started to question the slogans and philosophies that people try to live their lives with. Nature is beauty and passion, not competition, win/lose. There are so many possibilities. There is more than one right answer, which is the key to creativity. There are several right answers, you just have to look at the different perspective. Don't stop at the first right answer. Look for the next right answer. Do so not in terror, but with comfort.
Problems are truly opportunities.
The average National Geographic article uses over 400 rolls of film to get the 30 pictures that are used.
The professional question is “did you get the shot” – not how many good ones do you get in a roll of 36.
Train your technique.
Place yourself where there in the place of most potential
Open yourself to possibilities – things wyou wold never even dream off
Focus the vision by celebrating what is right in the situation
By celebrating the right, we have the energy to fix the wrong.
I saw an angel in the stone and just carved to set it free – Michelangelo
Life is about continually finding the next right answer – keeping the vision.
When we believe it – we see it.
In our lives, there is an edge between success and significance. Not just the best in the world, but the best for the world. It takes us past being good professionally into our personal lives.
You take it all in and then give it all back. Take the very best that you are and publish it in your daily life.
Can we find the balance between what we do and who we are? Be able to take it all in and give it all back with grace and humility.
“My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight” (Robert Frost)
NECC06
NECC
His father told him a story – two guys breaking stone. One feels he is just chipping stone, the other feels he is building a cathedral. Our vision of a task, project, idea etc is influenced by our attitude toward it. Dreaming and imagining is an important part of creating passion for the task.
Mr. Jones related the story of how he became a film maker. He was suppose to go to Harvard Business school, but a night of dreaming and talking led him to withdraw his application and go to California to learn how to make films. He, and his friends, envisioned a kayak trip up the coast of Japan. He wrote a proposal to National Geographic, went for an interview with a quickly made demo film. They offered to follow him on the trip and make the film thermselves. He refused this offer. Rewriting his proposal, the president saw Mr. Jones's vision and hired him. When vision and passion combine, anything is possible.
Mr. Jones then shared his photos of the wonderful people and places he saw throughout the world. His narration was a celebration of the very best that this world has to offer.
He started to question the slogans and philosophies that people try to live their lives with. Nature is beauty and passion, not competition, win/lose. There are so many possibilities. There is more than one right answer, which is the key to creativity. There are several right answers, you just have to look at the different perspective. Don't stop at the first right answer. Look for the next right answer. Do so not in terror, but with comfort.
Problems are truly opportunities.
The average National Geographic article uses over 400 rolls of film to get the 30 pictures that are used.
The professional question is “did you get the shot” – not how many good ones do you get in a roll of 36.
Train your technique.
Place yourself where there in the place of most potential
Open yourself to possibilities – things wyou wold never even dream off
Focus the vision by celebrating what is right in the situation
By celebrating the right, we have the energy to fix the wrong.
I saw an angel in the stone and just carved to set it free – Michelangelo
Life is about continually finding the next right answer – keeping the vision.
When we believe it – we see it.
In our lives, there is an edge between success and significance. Not just the best in the world, but the best for the world. It takes us past being good professionally into our personal lives.
You take it all in and then give it all back. Take the very best that you are and publish it in your daily life.
Can we find the balance between what we do and who we are? Be able to take it all in and give it all back with grace and humility.
“My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight” (Robert Frost)
NECC06
NECC
Podcasting & Podcatching for the Absolute Beginner – Larry S. Anderson
A Panel of PodcastingTed Lai – from Los Angeles County Office of Education
David Warlick – Landmark Project
Lucy Gray – University of Chicago University Schools
Tim Wilson – Savvy Technologist
National Center for Technology Planning
http://www.nctp.com/
How-to section:
A podcast allows people to subscribe to podasts through RSS that give the person the auto-download of the subscription. It can then be played on iPods, computers and MP3 players.
Podcasting – a term that describes, in a fresh way, the teechnology used to puch (share) audio content from websites down to consumers )clients) of that content, who usually listen to it whenever and wherever they want.
You don't need an iPod, it is narrowcasting (specific), not platform specific, and available from and to everyone. It allows internet users to be more of producers, not just consumers.
The Lucy Gray walked through the process of downloading and subscribing to a podcast. Ted Lai spoke about how podcasting can be used in education. Podcasts can :
Gather content to enhance learning
Provide school and classroom updates
Find or produce “Soundseeing” tours
Dramatize or re-enact key moments in the topic
Produce radio shows
Podcasts can be used for both learning from and sharing knowledge.
Provide school and classroom updates
Find or produce “Soundseeing” tours
Dramatize or re-enact key moments in the topic
Produce radio shows
Podcasts can be used for both learning from and sharing knowledge.
Equipment
need a recording devise – either a microphone on the MP3 player/computer or a digital recorder
a mixer would be handy to help edit the recording
need a recording devise – either a microphone on the MP3 player/computer or a digital recorder
a mixer would be handy to help edit the recording
Tim suggests starting simply, then you can purchase more advanced equipment on Ebay.
Software
Most of the good podcasting software is through Mac. So, it may be worth looking at getting a Mac for podcasts, if your school is really interested in podcasting
GarbageBand – easy to use
Podcast Maker
If people have questions, please use the wiki currently being produced, or email Larry, who will pass them on to the panel.
This panel was eye-opening for me. I finally learned how to get a podcast. I definitely need to spend more time exploring the possibilities with what's available.
NECC06
NECC
One Year of QuestGardening: A Crop Report – Bernie Dodge, PhD
PowerPoint Available - http://webquest.sdsu.edu/necc06/questgarden/
QuestGarden is a website that Bernie Dodge has worked on for the last 1 ½ and was debuted at NECC 2005. He created the site because Mr. Dodge noticed that creating WebQuests took a lot of time, too many technical skills, and resources that most teachers and school do not have access to. In addition, a good WebQuest should include strong pedagogical skills including constructivism, using higher level thinking, and coherence within a lesson. Most teacher also teach, and create Webquests, in isolation and peer feedback helps the Quest be better. Finally, teachers need to store the pages.
Some symptoms of these problems include: Webquests that are uploaded and not updates, many teachers found that the first one was too difficult and won't make a second one, and that fact that excellent teachers may feel that WebQuesting is too difficult and won't ever make one, which is a loss for all teachers.
What is QuestGarden? The metaphor comes from a community garden, where master gardeners work with novice gardeners to create an overflowing garden. Mr. Dodge debuted this website in Feb. 2005 and tested it throughout the spring and summer. He announced it at NECC 2005. There are now over 30,000 users from all over the world. Over 14,000 new WebQuests are available.
Mr. Dodge built into QuestGarden what he would talk about in a workshop, including prompted guidance with each step. It is browser based, so no software is needed. The advantage to this site is that fact that there is an emphasis on sharing resources and aadvice – feedback is easy even when using it as a workshop. It is WYSIWYG and able to upload pics. The basic patterns of WebQuests are available to help ease the design factor.
QuestGarden is available at: www.webquest.org
After a quick demo of the site, Mr. Dodge highlighted some of the best WebQuests accessible on the site. He is especially interested in the new developments within the WebQuest structure – using wikis and podcasts. He also looked at the kid-created WebQuests. At first is thought it was a bad idea, then, thinking about the structure of QuestGarden, it might be viable, however, after examining the kid-created ones Mr. Dodge has found that overall, the deep thinking needed is not happening. He is pondering how to deal with this situation, maybe including a student section with a different set of resources.
However, despite some of the problems, Mr. Dodge feels that QuestGarden is fulfilling its purpose – make it easy to create WebQuests, that are truly WebQuests. An activity that helps students to use the internet to get kids to think deeply, evaluate and analyze and apply information.
The future of QuestGarden is promising. It will continue to be free until September 1, 2006. There will be a charge in the future because the amount of information flowing requires server space and bandwith. He is considering 20USD for a 2 year subscription – to encourage people to use and revise their webquests. For teacher prep classes, there will be a 30 day free trial.
There will also be new features. He hopes to allow the WebQuests to be exported into other sites. Many people would like to translate the site into other languages. There will also be more options for peer ratings and feedback, including a mentoring type program. Scaffolding extras (such as art viewing worksheets) and integrated quizzes will be built in too. Finally, there will be the ability to download other's WebQuests to your own space to update and change it to fit your situation.
In addition, the current SDSU.edu WebQuest site will be merged with QuestGarden. RSS feeds will be available. There are new design patterns that are and will emerge as technology changes.
Inspiration-like concept map open source site - http://www.gliffy.com/
Timeliner-like open source site Simile by MIT - http://simile.mit.edu/timeline/
NECC06
NECC
QuestGarden is a website that Bernie Dodge has worked on for the last 1 ½ and was debuted at NECC 2005. He created the site because Mr. Dodge noticed that creating WebQuests took a lot of time, too many technical skills, and resources that most teachers and school do not have access to. In addition, a good WebQuest should include strong pedagogical skills including constructivism, using higher level thinking, and coherence within a lesson. Most teacher also teach, and create Webquests, in isolation and peer feedback helps the Quest be better. Finally, teachers need to store the pages.
Some symptoms of these problems include: Webquests that are uploaded and not updates, many teachers found that the first one was too difficult and won't make a second one, and that fact that excellent teachers may feel that WebQuesting is too difficult and won't ever make one, which is a loss for all teachers.
What is QuestGarden? The metaphor comes from a community garden, where master gardeners work with novice gardeners to create an overflowing garden. Mr. Dodge debuted this website in Feb. 2005 and tested it throughout the spring and summer. He announced it at NECC 2005. There are now over 30,000 users from all over the world. Over 14,000 new WebQuests are available.
Mr. Dodge built into QuestGarden what he would talk about in a workshop, including prompted guidance with each step. It is browser based, so no software is needed. The advantage to this site is that fact that there is an emphasis on sharing resources and aadvice – feedback is easy even when using it as a workshop. It is WYSIWYG and able to upload pics. The basic patterns of WebQuests are available to help ease the design factor.
QuestGarden is available at: www.webquest.org
After a quick demo of the site, Mr. Dodge highlighted some of the best WebQuests accessible on the site. He is especially interested in the new developments within the WebQuest structure – using wikis and podcasts. He also looked at the kid-created WebQuests. At first is thought it was a bad idea, then, thinking about the structure of QuestGarden, it might be viable, however, after examining the kid-created ones Mr. Dodge has found that overall, the deep thinking needed is not happening. He is pondering how to deal with this situation, maybe including a student section with a different set of resources.
However, despite some of the problems, Mr. Dodge feels that QuestGarden is fulfilling its purpose – make it easy to create WebQuests, that are truly WebQuests. An activity that helps students to use the internet to get kids to think deeply, evaluate and analyze and apply information.
The future of QuestGarden is promising. It will continue to be free until September 1, 2006. There will be a charge in the future because the amount of information flowing requires server space and bandwith. He is considering 20USD for a 2 year subscription – to encourage people to use and revise their webquests. For teacher prep classes, there will be a 30 day free trial.
There will also be new features. He hopes to allow the WebQuests to be exported into other sites. Many people would like to translate the site into other languages. There will also be more options for peer ratings and feedback, including a mentoring type program. Scaffolding extras (such as art viewing worksheets) and integrated quizzes will be built in too. Finally, there will be the ability to download other's WebQuests to your own space to update and change it to fit your situation.
In addition, the current SDSU.edu WebQuest site will be merged with QuestGarden. RSS feeds will be available. There are new design patterns that are and will emerge as technology changes.
Inspiration-like concept map open source site - http://www.gliffy.com/
Timeliner-like open source site Simile by MIT - http://simile.mit.edu/timeline/
NECC06
NECC
Monday, July 03, 2006
San Diego - America's Finest City
I love San Diego! It is clean, friendly, easy to get around and exciting. As their slogan says, “America's finest city.” Plus, it is extremely dog friendly – which tells you a lot about the people of San Diego. Flying in to the airport was a breeze with a short 8 dollar taxi ride to the hotel – Best Western Bayside Inn, which I highly recommend for its great location (close to the trolley and walking distance to Gaslamp and Petco). Hard Rock was our first traditional dinner with a stroll down the Gaslamp section. As Chris said, “Ten years ago, (well, maybe more) that would have been me” referring to the clubbed out, slick 20-somethings waiting in long lines for the coolest clubs. We were happy to soak in the hot-tub and surf on the wireless internet before bedtime.
Old Town was interesting, though a little like Wisconsin Dells, with its reconstructed historical houses and more stores than one person can shop in a day. However, with a little dose of historic plaques, I could get a good sense of what life was like in the 1860s. I especially liked Casa de Estudillo – imagining my wealthy and historic self waltzing through the courtyard into the fantastically furnished bedroom, guitars playing softly in the background. The first public schoolhouse showed me how far teaching has come as a profession. As a woman, I'm allowed to be married, don't have to clean out the stove and lantern fumes, and get a little more than a 25 cent raise every five years.
San Diego Zoo was everything I anticipated, and more. We purchased the best value ticket, which allowed us all day access tot he skyrider and busses. Definitely worth it. We first took the airel view of the park and caught our first glimpse of the panda – wandering, off-exhibit, through its backyard. The polar bears were not swimming, but rather munching on carrots and strolling around. Finally, we stood in the 30 minute line to see the pride of the zoo – the pandas. The baby was hung up in the tree, mama was hiding in the back of the exhibit, but papa – he was happily munching on bamboo, front and center. After just reading, The Lady and the Panda by Vicki Croke I was deeply touched with this exhibit, and even more impressed with Ruth Harkness's journey to discover and protect these wonderful creatures. The other highlight, for Chris, was the two exhibits of meercats. We also stopped at the cafe by the pandas for lunch and was surprisingly impressed with the food, for a captive audience it was tasty and not too overpriced. The end of the night was capped off with the acrobatic show entitled Jewels of the Rainforest. The basic gist of the the story was to encourage humans to help protect the rainforest. The bungee birds and gymnastic butterflies were wonderful.
Old Town was interesting, though a little like Wisconsin Dells, with its reconstructed historical houses and more stores than one person can shop in a day. However, with a little dose of historic plaques, I could get a good sense of what life was like in the 1860s. I especially liked Casa de Estudillo – imagining my wealthy and historic self waltzing through the courtyard into the fantastically furnished bedroom, guitars playing softly in the background. The first public schoolhouse showed me how far teaching has come as a profession. As a woman, I'm allowed to be married, don't have to clean out the stove and lantern fumes, and get a little more than a 25 cent raise every five years.
San Diego Zoo was everything I anticipated, and more. We purchased the best value ticket, which allowed us all day access tot he skyrider and busses. Definitely worth it. We first took the airel view of the park and caught our first glimpse of the panda – wandering, off-exhibit, through its backyard. The polar bears were not swimming, but rather munching on carrots and strolling around. Finally, we stood in the 30 minute line to see the pride of the zoo – the pandas. The baby was hung up in the tree, mama was hiding in the back of the exhibit, but papa – he was happily munching on bamboo, front and center. After just reading, The Lady and the Panda by Vicki Croke I was deeply touched with this exhibit, and even more impressed with Ruth Harkness's journey to discover and protect these wonderful creatures. The other highlight, for Chris, was the two exhibits of meercats. We also stopped at the cafe by the pandas for lunch and was surprisingly impressed with the food, for a captive audience it was tasty and not too overpriced. The end of the night was capped off with the acrobatic show entitled Jewels of the Rainforest. The basic gist of the the story was to encourage humans to help protect the rainforest. The bungee birds and gymnastic butterflies were wonderful.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Taking Initiative
Initiative is doing the right thing without being told. ~Victor Hugo
This past month, as advisor to NHS/NJHS, I prodded the students through the process of organizing a health fair. When the day finally arrived, we had 15 exhibitors and the majority of attendees came from within our school community. The goal of the fair was to get the larger community, outside of school, to see what health, fitness and wellness resources were available. Overall, for the first health fair at school, it was successful. The exhibitors stated that they enjoyed the opportunity to network with each other and our own students learned a lot. However, as a NHS/NJHS activity, I was frustrated by the lack of initiative exhibited by the students, which set me pondering – how do we teach initiative?
One of the four pillars of NHS/NJHS is leadership, which does include demonstrating initiative in promoting school activities. But what does that mean? According to dictionary.com the definition of initiative is: The power or ability to begin or to follow through energetically with a plan or task; enterprise and determination.
Let's look at follow through. In the classroom, teachers give assignments and a due date, students turn in work and the teacher grades it. Once the grade is given, the assignment is over. This is the typical cycle of education. So if there are mistakes, are students expected to follow through on their learning - to make correctly, enhance their learning and truly take the assignment to its completion? In my experience, most students don't even bother to read my commentary on an assignment unless I specifically assign revision with a due date.
The next part is energetically. That would indicate that someone is doing something with passion or interest. Again, quite often students complete work because they have to, it may be on the test, or its for a grade. Many students don't feel they need to complete work if “it doesn't count” towards the grade. Why has the grade become the goal rather than the learning?
So, the big question is, how do we “teach” initiative? Mark Twain said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” This sounds more like it needs modeling rather than teaching.
"Do it right - Do it now" by SmartLeadership.com
This past month, as advisor to NHS/NJHS, I prodded the students through the process of organizing a health fair. When the day finally arrived, we had 15 exhibitors and the majority of attendees came from within our school community. The goal of the fair was to get the larger community, outside of school, to see what health, fitness and wellness resources were available. Overall, for the first health fair at school, it was successful. The exhibitors stated that they enjoyed the opportunity to network with each other and our own students learned a lot. However, as a NHS/NJHS activity, I was frustrated by the lack of initiative exhibited by the students, which set me pondering – how do we teach initiative?
One of the four pillars of NHS/NJHS is leadership, which does include demonstrating initiative in promoting school activities. But what does that mean? According to dictionary.com the definition of initiative is: The power or ability to begin or to follow through energetically with a plan or task; enterprise and determination.
Let's look at follow through. In the classroom, teachers give assignments and a due date, students turn in work and the teacher grades it. Once the grade is given, the assignment is over. This is the typical cycle of education. So if there are mistakes, are students expected to follow through on their learning - to make correctly, enhance their learning and truly take the assignment to its completion? In my experience, most students don't even bother to read my commentary on an assignment unless I specifically assign revision with a due date.
The next part is energetically. That would indicate that someone is doing something with passion or interest. Again, quite often students complete work because they have to, it may be on the test, or its for a grade. Many students don't feel they need to complete work if “it doesn't count” towards the grade. Why has the grade become the goal rather than the learning?
So, the big question is, how do we “teach” initiative? Mark Twain said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” This sounds more like it needs modeling rather than teaching.
"Do it right - Do it now" by SmartLeadership.com
Monday, January 23, 2006
Homework: Responsibility verses Compassion
It is a question that every teacher has, what do you do with students who don't complete their homework? A couple typical responses are:
Give them a zero – they weren't responsible with their time.
Give them more time, but deduct points for late work.
Keep them in at lunch/recess/after school until the work is done.
Grade only what is completed.
When I first started teaching, I believed in the first response. It was the students' RESPONSIBILITY to get the work done. My responsibility was to assign it. Like most first year teachers, I had an idealistic view of the classroom. Smiling children, hanging my every word about the elements of literature, eager writing in their notebooks and pondering the author's meaning. I was also naïve. I came from an educated family that valued reading and writing. My mother had been a secretary, our school librarian, and then later she worked at Waldenbooks. Our house has more books than most families read their entire lives, and I loved it. As a child, I played school with my dad, who was a dutiful and polite student. Then, my first year, I encountered students completely different from me. Some had farm chores from school's end to dark. Others didn't have a single book available in the house, much less a dictionary or encyclopedia. Some didn't have a parent at home. Yet I was going to teach them responsibility by assigning them homework.
At my next teaching job, the situation was completely different. These students were extremely privileged and could have almost anything they wanted. However, it was an oral culture, not one of literacy. Students much preferred talking over writing, and usually not speaking in English. As a middle school team, we agreed that daily homework would be 50% off for being late. Projects or writing would lose 10% each day it was late. This seemed to make more sense to me. It allowed the students to have a bad day, but still make it up. However, it was a nightmare for me trying to keep track of who turned what assignment in on what day.
As I made another move, the policy of -50% for daily and -10% for projects was unworkable. These new students had not been held accountable for due dates. If I enforced that policy, I would be facing many upset parents. With teaching four grade levels and three subjects, I felt I didn't have the energy to re-educate both students and parents, especially if other teachers did not hold to the same policy. The end result was lists of names of the board for incomplete homework. The week before mid-quarters or quarterly report, there was a flurry of work turned in – some almost four weeks late. How did that help students' learning? How did that help me accurately assess their learning? Not even to mention trying to grade so much late work was driving me crazy. The following year was better, as we added some staff who expected more timely work. We also rewrote the homework policy in the handbook explaining the purposes of homework. Here is the written policy from that school:
- “Homework is an essential part of formal education. Meaningful, regularly assigned homework helps students reinforce what they learn in class, master various skills, and develop interests in different subjects. Homework is not simply “busy work” to be done at home—it is a learning activity that increases in complexity as the student progresses from grade to grade.
Homework is usually of the following nature:
Drills and additional practice to strengthen new skills and clarify concepts in the classroom. Completion of unfinished classroom assignments.
Work on projects of a short-term or long-term nature.
Research activities in locating facts and data.
Independent reading for pleasure and enjoyment. - Parent AssistanceParents can aid in their children’s education by creating a positive “homework environment” at home, one that encourages the child to do his/her homework, while having a positive attitude about it. It is important for students to have a quiet, well-lit place to study at home. When homework is not assigned, parents should encourage their children to use the established study time as a recreational reading period.
- Amount of HomeworkAISV teachers assign homework to supplement, complement, and reinforce classroom instruction. Homework will be tailored to the students’ needs and capacities, and will not be unreasonable in amount. Homework is given at the discretion of the teacher and varies in amount depending on grade level and course. Upper School students may have as much as two to three hours an evening, depending upon factors such as upcoming tests, papers, projects, and assigned readings. The AISV staff will coordinate testing and projects to ensure equitable loads.
There will be times that students are expected to stay after school to work on group projects or to do research.”
In my current school, there is a stronger culture of homework. The school is older – 75 years old – and based on the American philosophy of homework. The minority of students who regularly skip homework are followed up through parent phone calls, conferences, and keeping them in at lunch and after school. Other teachers also support these tactics, which generally keep students on track. When students transfer to our school from other countries, this is one of the first culture shock they experience. Many school experiences around the world do not involve homework. The learning is supposed to take place in the classroom, not at home. Also, for some poorer countries, there aren't enough supplies to allow students to take books home.
Here are some good links to get you talking and thinking about homework:
Recent Research on Homework: an Annotated Bibliography
Rethinking Homework: Dr. Cathy Vatterott
Focus on Effectiveness
Monday, December 12, 2005
Links for Graphis Organizers
These are some of the best links for graphic organizers.
Teachervision.com - Graphic Organizers
Houghton Mifflin Company - Education Place - Graphic Organizers
Graphic Organizers.com
Region 15 Graphic Organizers (in English and Spanish)
Tools for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
Frequently Asked Questions about Graphic Organizers
Library of Graphic Organizers
Teachervision.com - Graphic Organizers
Houghton Mifflin Company - Education Place - Graphic Organizers
Graphic Organizers.com
Region 15 Graphic Organizers (in English and Spanish)
Tools for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
Frequently Asked Questions about Graphic Organizers
Library of Graphic Organizers
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Adolescent Literacy
Kylene Beers
Kylene Beers was a very entertain and candid in her presentation. She asked us to think of something we are REALLY bad at, then imagine doing that for 8 hours a day. This is what many students experience most of their educational careers. If there is something we don't do well, we stop doing it. Often, the students' litany of excuses come from not having the necessary skills to do the work, not because they are lazy. Struggling students know they are struggling, they know they are different and isolated.
There were so many strategies and ideas Kylene gave. Here are some links to peruse:
All America Reads: About Kylene Beers and Reading Strategies
Heinemann Books: Author Profile
When Kids Can't Read What Teachers Can Do - book review
Linda Rief
When I was a first-year teacher, I taught in a very traditional school and had a very traditional mentor teacher. I was frustrated by the restrictive environment my students were in. I read Nancy Atwell’s seminal book, In the Middle, but was overwhelmed with her perfection and organization. I knew I couldn’t tackle that. Luckily I picked up Seeking Diversity and saw a clear vision of what I could do. With tears of gratitude and awe, I wrote Linda a letter expressing my great hopes and dreams. Within a month, she wrote in return a warm, supportive and encouraging letter; she even sent a CD and program of a musical her students had written. This was the mentor teacher that I wanted. I have read and reread that letter numerous times over the last 10 years, gaining hope and vision each time. At NCTE 2005, I finally was able to meet the woman that has truly inspired my teaching. Her presentation was awesome and she is as gracious in person and she was in text.
There are numerous resources from her, each one as good as the last:
Heinemann Books: Author Profile
Write in the Middle from Annenberg
In Conversation with Linda Rief
I would strong suggest a thorough reading of all her books. Her ideas and lessons are clear, to the point and easy to adapt to your situation.
Kylene Beers was a very entertain and candid in her presentation. She asked us to think of something we are REALLY bad at, then imagine doing that for 8 hours a day. This is what many students experience most of their educational careers. If there is something we don't do well, we stop doing it. Often, the students' litany of excuses come from not having the necessary skills to do the work, not because they are lazy. Struggling students know they are struggling, they know they are different and isolated.
There were so many strategies and ideas Kylene gave. Here are some links to peruse:
All America Reads: About Kylene Beers and Reading Strategies
Heinemann Books: Author Profile
When Kids Can't Read What Teachers Can Do - book review
Linda Rief
When I was a first-year teacher, I taught in a very traditional school and had a very traditional mentor teacher. I was frustrated by the restrictive environment my students were in. I read Nancy Atwell’s seminal book, In the Middle, but was overwhelmed with her perfection and organization. I knew I couldn’t tackle that. Luckily I picked up Seeking Diversity and saw a clear vision of what I could do. With tears of gratitude and awe, I wrote Linda a letter expressing my great hopes and dreams. Within a month, she wrote in return a warm, supportive and encouraging letter; she even sent a CD and program of a musical her students had written. This was the mentor teacher that I wanted. I have read and reread that letter numerous times over the last 10 years, gaining hope and vision each time. At NCTE 2005, I finally was able to meet the woman that has truly inspired my teaching. Her presentation was awesome and she is as gracious in person and she was in text.
There are numerous resources from her, each one as good as the last:
Heinemann Books: Author Profile
Write in the Middle from Annenberg
In Conversation with Linda Rief
I would strong suggest a thorough reading of all her books. Her ideas and lessons are clear, to the point and easy to adapt to your situation.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Blogging: Class Blogs: Giving Students a Public Voice
Bernie Heidkamp
Bernie Heidkamp presented some interesting ideas about blogs and blogging. He believes that blogs are not ready to replace the four walled classroom, but they do reveal some limitations of the real classroom. Blogs are available after class is finished and allows students to interact with structure and thought time built in. An advantage of blogs is that people can post to the internet without having technical knowledge of programming, so it is quick, easy and current. The shy student may be more comfortable in a written format, but still has the opportunity to interact. Blogs allow for linking to other content on the intenet, which expands the conversation beyond the classroom even more. It is a public voice, so students have a larger audience and may influence students to see themselves more as readers and writers. Blogs are searchable by Google
However, blogs should not take the place of writing instruction and other forms of writing – it is an extension and different style. Compared to an oral conversation, blogs are stronger because students have the opportunity to think, provide more support for their arguments, and revise their ideas before posting.
According to the PEW Internet and American Life Project 57% of teenagers are online, 19% create their own blogs, and 38% read blog. Blogger are more likely to create other online material.
One of the most popular blogs is “Talking Points Memo” by Joshua Micah Marshall. It is a blog about the political scene in Washington, DC by an insider.
In Bernie's classroom, blogging is used as part of the participation grade.
Amy Majorawitz
Amy use blogs for several reasons. First, her school has a laptop program, so there is a strong push to use technology. She feels blogs help create a community between students and teachers. She gets to know her students better. Finally, she also believes blogging helps students find their voice.
In her experience, Amy found that students loved to blog. The traditional journal is written for the teacher so students usually said what was expected. She also found that students discussed ideas and issues that they might not otherwise express. The comments were supportive and helpful. She saw students using this space to work through their personal problems. She has two basic rules: 1) No names or personal information 2) No rants or belittling others. Based on her goals for the blog, Amy excepts informal, email-style language. Students receive participation points for thoughtful comments.
Bernie Heidkamp presented some interesting ideas about blogs and blogging. He believes that blogs are not ready to replace the four walled classroom, but they do reveal some limitations of the real classroom. Blogs are available after class is finished and allows students to interact with structure and thought time built in. An advantage of blogs is that people can post to the internet without having technical knowledge of programming, so it is quick, easy and current. The shy student may be more comfortable in a written format, but still has the opportunity to interact. Blogs allow for linking to other content on the intenet, which expands the conversation beyond the classroom even more. It is a public voice, so students have a larger audience and may influence students to see themselves more as readers and writers. Blogs are searchable by Google
However, blogs should not take the place of writing instruction and other forms of writing – it is an extension and different style. Compared to an oral conversation, blogs are stronger because students have the opportunity to think, provide more support for their arguments, and revise their ideas before posting.
According to the PEW Internet and American Life Project 57% of teenagers are online, 19% create their own blogs, and 38% read blog. Blogger are more likely to create other online material.
One of the most popular blogs is “Talking Points Memo” by Joshua Micah Marshall. It is a blog about the political scene in Washington, DC by an insider.
In Bernie's classroom, blogging is used as part of the participation grade.
Amy Majorawitz
Amy use blogs for several reasons. First, her school has a laptop program, so there is a strong push to use technology. She feels blogs help create a community between students and teachers. She gets to know her students better. Finally, she also believes blogging helps students find their voice.
In her experience, Amy found that students loved to blog. The traditional journal is written for the teacher so students usually said what was expected. She also found that students discussed ideas and issues that they might not otherwise express. The comments were supportive and helpful. She saw students using this space to work through their personal problems. She has two basic rules: 1) No names or personal information 2) No rants or belittling others. Based on her goals for the blog, Amy excepts informal, email-style language. Students receive participation points for thoughtful comments.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Middle Level Mosaic
For most of my teaching career, I’ve been standing on the shoulders of giants. In the Middle School Mosaic, I was finally able to meet the giants I’ve been standing on – Nancy Atwell, Tony Romano, Janet Allen, Jim Burke, Kylene Beers. It was like walking into a museum - each time I turned around, I saw another masterpiece.
Janet Allen
Janet Allen began the session with “Writing Between the Lines.” She focused on how to get kids to write. She recommended the book Freedom Writer's Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them by The Freedom Writer's and Erin Cruwell. First, the teacher needs to met the kids at their level, not where they “should” be. There are some basic lessons that all student writers need to have:
1)Engagement and purpose
2)Getting started
3)Using word banks
4)Descriptive writing fluency
5)Understanding forms and functions of writing
6)Specific craft lessons
7)Grammar, usage and editing
She also stated that student choice only works when students know the forms, styles, and function of writing. If they don't have the background for these things, the teacher needs to do some explicit instruction, otherwise students will flounder. Students should show improvement with instruction, if they don't the teaching needs to change. When teaching revision, the questions she poses to students is, “What would you do if the teacher wasn't here? How would you apply this strategy?” This fosters independent use of strategies.
If you are not effective, it doesn't matter how efficient you are!
Tony Romano
Language has tremendous power, writing describes the world, argues for what we believe, frames our thinking, and changes how we think. Believing that you can fill the empty page takes faith and fearlessness. Part of our job as teachers of writing is to create the fearlessness. The choice of words determine how we think about things. All writing si creative – even forming an argument and describing a chemistry lab. The creativity is in the choice and arrangement of words. Language is the mother, not the handmaiden of thought.
In prompted writing, many students don't know what to write about or how to get their ideas. A writing teacher needs to open their own minds to the students to show the process. Interrupt students in the process of writing to have them examine their thinking, justify their choices, a critic their performance helps them be more cognizant of the process. A quick guide to writing to a prompt:
Focus – Start small – if the subject isn't given, you need to create that focus. Think about a character and his/her trait.
Organization – From the smallest part, a sentence, to paragraph and the entire piece, the writer needs to have a plan of organization. This should happen before the writing begins and will evolve through the writing.
Development – Strong examples and sensory details a necessary. When looking at the topic, visualize the ideas like a movie in your head.
Purpose – Everything is an argument, you have to prove a point. It could be persuasive, cause/effect, descriptive – but you are still trying to convince the reader of something.
Good readers tend to make these connections more easily. Reading feeds writing and writing feeds reading. It is a circle of cause and effect.
Nancy Atwell
Nancy has a new book coming out entitled “Naming the World” which is a great resource of over 200 poems and lesson ideas. I saw samples at the Heinemann booth and was very impressed! Her presentation focused on poetry and it was a pleasure to see this master teacher in action.
Poetry is important because it teaches 1) good writing 2) close reading 3) a structure to help students imagine what they will be as an adult. She begins every class with a poem. Kids have to have early success with writing in order to be motivated to stick with writing. Poetry is a good start as it is a short, easily managed length of text. It is not overwhelming. Poetry is especially good for boys because it: 1) helps them define and describe emotions 2) illustrate relationships 3) defines identity 4) preserves a moment in time for later reflection and remembrance 5) helps develop critical thinking.
Write Around
This was a neat activity that was a great way to reflect and summarize the Mosaic. It is a timed conversation, in writing that is passed to others for further comments. The timing begins short, about a minute, and as the reading becomes longer, the time increased. Each person has a sheet of paper. They write their initial and then spend about a minute reflecting on the topic given. At the end of the time, the sheet is passed to the next person. That person reads the writing before, writes their initial and then spend about a minute responding. This cycle continues with allotted time getting slightly longer. Three rules:
1) Always write your initial beside your writing
2) Use the entire time for writing.
3) Don't talk when passing.
I had the opportunity to express my overwhelming appreciation for the Mosaic and get to know two other wonderful people. In the future, I will always attend the Mosaic and would strongly encourage all others to attend this session. It was one of the true highlights of the conference for me.
Janet Allen
Janet Allen began the session with “Writing Between the Lines.” She focused on how to get kids to write. She recommended the book Freedom Writer's Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them by The Freedom Writer's and Erin Cruwell. First, the teacher needs to met the kids at their level, not where they “should” be. There are some basic lessons that all student writers need to have:
1)Engagement and purpose
2)Getting started
3)Using word banks
4)Descriptive writing fluency
5)Understanding forms and functions of writing
6)Specific craft lessons
7)Grammar, usage and editing
She also stated that student choice only works when students know the forms, styles, and function of writing. If they don't have the background for these things, the teacher needs to do some explicit instruction, otherwise students will flounder. Students should show improvement with instruction, if they don't the teaching needs to change. When teaching revision, the questions she poses to students is, “What would you do if the teacher wasn't here? How would you apply this strategy?” This fosters independent use of strategies.
If you are not effective, it doesn't matter how efficient you are!
Tony Romano
Language has tremendous power, writing describes the world, argues for what we believe, frames our thinking, and changes how we think. Believing that you can fill the empty page takes faith and fearlessness. Part of our job as teachers of writing is to create the fearlessness. The choice of words determine how we think about things. All writing si creative – even forming an argument and describing a chemistry lab. The creativity is in the choice and arrangement of words. Language is the mother, not the handmaiden of thought.
In prompted writing, many students don't know what to write about or how to get their ideas. A writing teacher needs to open their own minds to the students to show the process. Interrupt students in the process of writing to have them examine their thinking, justify their choices, a critic their performance helps them be more cognizant of the process. A quick guide to writing to a prompt:
Focus – Start small – if the subject isn't given, you need to create that focus. Think about a character and his/her trait.
Organization – From the smallest part, a sentence, to paragraph and the entire piece, the writer needs to have a plan of organization. This should happen before the writing begins and will evolve through the writing.
Development – Strong examples and sensory details a necessary. When looking at the topic, visualize the ideas like a movie in your head.
Purpose – Everything is an argument, you have to prove a point. It could be persuasive, cause/effect, descriptive – but you are still trying to convince the reader of something.
Good readers tend to make these connections more easily. Reading feeds writing and writing feeds reading. It is a circle of cause and effect.
Nancy Atwell
Nancy has a new book coming out entitled “Naming the World” which is a great resource of over 200 poems and lesson ideas. I saw samples at the Heinemann booth and was very impressed! Her presentation focused on poetry and it was a pleasure to see this master teacher in action.
Poetry is important because it teaches 1) good writing 2) close reading 3) a structure to help students imagine what they will be as an adult. She begins every class with a poem. Kids have to have early success with writing in order to be motivated to stick with writing. Poetry is a good start as it is a short, easily managed length of text. It is not overwhelming. Poetry is especially good for boys because it: 1) helps them define and describe emotions 2) illustrate relationships 3) defines identity 4) preserves a moment in time for later reflection and remembrance 5) helps develop critical thinking.
Write Around
This was a neat activity that was a great way to reflect and summarize the Mosaic. It is a timed conversation, in writing that is passed to others for further comments. The timing begins short, about a minute, and as the reading becomes longer, the time increased. Each person has a sheet of paper. They write their initial and then spend about a minute reflecting on the topic given. At the end of the time, the sheet is passed to the next person. That person reads the writing before, writes their initial and then spend about a minute responding. This cycle continues with allotted time getting slightly longer. Three rules:
1) Always write your initial beside your writing
2) Use the entire time for writing.
3) Don't talk when passing.
I had the opportunity to express my overwhelming appreciation for the Mosaic and get to know two other wonderful people. In the future, I will always attend the Mosaic and would strongly encourage all others to attend this session. It was one of the true highlights of the conference for me.
Cyber English
Cyberenglish: Computers as Common Ground
Ted Nellen, Dawn Hogue and Patricia Schulze
Several years ago I stumbled on Ted Nellen’s website for his CyberEnglish class. I was fascinated by the idea of using technology seamlessly for all aspects of language arts. During this panel presentation, I was able to see two different CyberEnglish classrooms using technology for different purposes.
Mr. Nellen’s class begins with a 10 minute whole group meeting. During this time they discuss the agenda of work, review previous work for grammar and revision needs, and assign new projects. Generally students have at least three separate projects to be working on. The students need to manage their time effectively to complete these projects. The classroom has at least one computer per student, an interactive whiteboard, printers, scanners and a projector. Mr. Nellen believes that the extensive use of technology enhances his students’ quality of work and their engagement in the work. He presented several studies to support this. Web-based content and publication helps students think of text in new ways through the use of links and multi-media. In a CyberEnglish classroom there is shared authority between teacher and student, more freedom and creativity, and a de-centering of text. The style of research is changing in the world through the use of email, MUDs, and Moos. Researchers can instantly connect with experts and other classrooms.
Cyber English: The Practice
Ms. Hogue’s purpose of using technology with students is to create connections. She uses blogs as personal journals and expects students to write and respond to each other. She showed several examples of her students’ blogs and included the basics of how to set up a blog along with assignment criteria.
Cyber Engligh 9
Here is another Cyber English classroom
Cybercomp 10
A nice article by the three presentors, published by NCTE
CyberEnglish
Ted Nellen, Dawn Hogue and Patricia Schulze
Several years ago I stumbled on Ted Nellen’s website for his CyberEnglish class. I was fascinated by the idea of using technology seamlessly for all aspects of language arts. During this panel presentation, I was able to see two different CyberEnglish classrooms using technology for different purposes.
Mr. Nellen’s class begins with a 10 minute whole group meeting. During this time they discuss the agenda of work, review previous work for grammar and revision needs, and assign new projects. Generally students have at least three separate projects to be working on. The students need to manage their time effectively to complete these projects. The classroom has at least one computer per student, an interactive whiteboard, printers, scanners and a projector. Mr. Nellen believes that the extensive use of technology enhances his students’ quality of work and their engagement in the work. He presented several studies to support this. Web-based content and publication helps students think of text in new ways through the use of links and multi-media. In a CyberEnglish classroom there is shared authority between teacher and student, more freedom and creativity, and a de-centering of text. The style of research is changing in the world through the use of email, MUDs, and Moos. Researchers can instantly connect with experts and other classrooms.
Cyber English: The Practice
Ms. Hogue’s purpose of using technology with students is to create connections. She uses blogs as personal journals and expects students to write and respond to each other. She showed several examples of her students’ blogs and included the basics of how to set up a blog along with assignment criteria.
Cyber Engligh 9
Here is another Cyber English classroom
Cybercomp 10
A nice article by the three presentors, published by NCTE
CyberEnglish
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Frank McCourt
Years ago Angela’s Ashes hit the top of the book chart. Unfortunately, I was stubborn and decided that since everyone was reading it, I wasn’t going to be sucked into a publicity hype and read it. Then the movie came out and I didn’t take the time to see it. This week I found out how much I’ve been missing. Frank McCourt was the keynote speaker for the NCTE conference and I can’t remember ever seeing a more lively and engaging storyteller. He just recently published Teacher Man and used this opportunity to discuss the state of teaching in the U.S. and his own experiences in the classroom.
The beginning of his presentation, as he said, was his soap box time. He asked several questions and spend time giving his opinion. Who but the teacher knows best what goes on in the classroom? Teaching is high drama – hunger, horniness, break-ups, arguments, deaths – all these things come into the classroom with the children. To ignore that students have emotions that affect their performance is unrealistic. Teaching and learning is not a mechanical activity; it is a connection between teacher, student and content. The students assess the teacher immediately and are accurate judges of character. In addition, each class is different and each day is different. There isn’t a formula that will work with all classes all the time. Politicians and policy makers don’t understand the intricacies of this relationship and what it takes to get through the other issues to get to the learning.
This leads to the second question: When did we give over the business of education to the politicians? When did the politicians “hijack” the classrooms of our students? During elections, politicians go into classrooms, push the teacher aside and read to the children. This shows that they “know” what it takes to be a teacher and what goes on in a classroom. From this microscopic experience, the politicians take it upon themselves to allocate money, determine curriculum, and create policies of testing – reward and punishment. Why do we allow so much government interference in education when we can’t conceive of doing the same in medicine or law? We must certainly hate our children since we are testing them to death. This is sucking all the joy and creativity out of learning.
Finally, why aren’t teachers on talk shows? Why don’t they get the recognition they deserve? Mr. McCourt stated he was on the morning show on NBC with Katie Couric and asked this question. Politicians, actors, sports figures get recognition both for the good and bad that they do. Teachers have amazing stories – of inspiration, tragedy, and excellence. When the politicians are voted out, the actors are no longer making movies, and the sports figures retire, the teacher will still be in the classroom influencing the next generation. Teaching is not a glamorous profession. It isn’t “sexy”, but it is the most important job of all. The attrition rate for new teachers is tremendous. The issues of educational theory and content management are covered in teacher prep courses, but the real information – how to judge a kid’s mood, tuning in to the critical moments, and how to make a strong first impression – these things are learned through trial and error. There is an unrealistic image created by the media of the classroom experience. Just looking at any famous teacher movie – they have one class, have time to reflect and inspire, have lots of materials, and the kids are eager to learn. The Teach for American program gets people into the classroom as a charity program, but they don’t stay. They put in their time and move on to their real jobs – jobs that pay better and have better benefits.
On the opposite spectrum is the idea that teaching is easy and that it doesn’t take much to be a good teacher. People are insulting when they say, “Oh, you’re a teacher. You have so much time off, all the holidays and summer vacations. It must be an easy job.” Or even worse, the stickers that say, “Those who can – do. Those who can’t – teach. Teaching is a 24 hour a day job. It follows you wherever you go and you are thinking and planning constantly. The salaries are low compared to other profession and the respect is non-existent.
Mr. McCourt’s speech was interrupted several times by enthusiastic applause. Sadly, he was preaching to the choir. Everyone in the ballroom recognized the important work teachers do and the frustrations of working within an environment that does not value our professionalism. Hopefully, with the publication of Teacher Man and Mr. McCourt’s publicity tour, the stories of the teacher will become as important as the latest movie or the hottest sport star. When teachers are valued as much as actors and sports stars, when teachers are supported and respected, it will be the children and the future of the country that will benefit the most.
The beginning of his presentation, as he said, was his soap box time. He asked several questions and spend time giving his opinion. Who but the teacher knows best what goes on in the classroom? Teaching is high drama – hunger, horniness, break-ups, arguments, deaths – all these things come into the classroom with the children. To ignore that students have emotions that affect their performance is unrealistic. Teaching and learning is not a mechanical activity; it is a connection between teacher, student and content. The students assess the teacher immediately and are accurate judges of character. In addition, each class is different and each day is different. There isn’t a formula that will work with all classes all the time. Politicians and policy makers don’t understand the intricacies of this relationship and what it takes to get through the other issues to get to the learning.
This leads to the second question: When did we give over the business of education to the politicians? When did the politicians “hijack” the classrooms of our students? During elections, politicians go into classrooms, push the teacher aside and read to the children. This shows that they “know” what it takes to be a teacher and what goes on in a classroom. From this microscopic experience, the politicians take it upon themselves to allocate money, determine curriculum, and create policies of testing – reward and punishment. Why do we allow so much government interference in education when we can’t conceive of doing the same in medicine or law? We must certainly hate our children since we are testing them to death. This is sucking all the joy and creativity out of learning.
Finally, why aren’t teachers on talk shows? Why don’t they get the recognition they deserve? Mr. McCourt stated he was on the morning show on NBC with Katie Couric and asked this question. Politicians, actors, sports figures get recognition both for the good and bad that they do. Teachers have amazing stories – of inspiration, tragedy, and excellence. When the politicians are voted out, the actors are no longer making movies, and the sports figures retire, the teacher will still be in the classroom influencing the next generation. Teaching is not a glamorous profession. It isn’t “sexy”, but it is the most important job of all. The attrition rate for new teachers is tremendous. The issues of educational theory and content management are covered in teacher prep courses, but the real information – how to judge a kid’s mood, tuning in to the critical moments, and how to make a strong first impression – these things are learned through trial and error. There is an unrealistic image created by the media of the classroom experience. Just looking at any famous teacher movie – they have one class, have time to reflect and inspire, have lots of materials, and the kids are eager to learn. The Teach for American program gets people into the classroom as a charity program, but they don’t stay. They put in their time and move on to their real jobs – jobs that pay better and have better benefits.
On the opposite spectrum is the idea that teaching is easy and that it doesn’t take much to be a good teacher. People are insulting when they say, “Oh, you’re a teacher. You have so much time off, all the holidays and summer vacations. It must be an easy job.” Or even worse, the stickers that say, “Those who can – do. Those who can’t – teach. Teaching is a 24 hour a day job. It follows you wherever you go and you are thinking and planning constantly. The salaries are low compared to other profession and the respect is non-existent.
Mr. McCourt’s speech was interrupted several times by enthusiastic applause. Sadly, he was preaching to the choir. Everyone in the ballroom recognized the important work teachers do and the frustrations of working within an environment that does not value our professionalism. Hopefully, with the publication of Teacher Man and Mr. McCourt’s publicity tour, the stories of the teacher will become as important as the latest movie or the hottest sport star. When teachers are valued as much as actors and sports stars, when teachers are supported and respected, it will be the children and the future of the country that will benefit the most.
Susan Vreeland
Art and literature are what makes us human - shows our passions and despairs. Both forms slow down time to give us the chance to reflect on our experiences and, hopefully, learn from them and find beauty in them. Susan Vreeland combines both artistic forms in her books. At the Secondary Sectional Get-Together, she was the main speaker and a true storyteller.
To begin the session, each table was given an activity to complete. A stiff piece of paper was folded in thirds, to make a triptych. One section had an excerpt from one of Susan's books, one section had a piece of artwork which was related, and the three needed to have a poem. This was the topic for discussion at the table. There were 4-5 poems to choose from and after reading and discussing, we chose two of them. The poems were from different eras and poets and each gave a slightly different view of the situation. This was the purpose of the activity – to actively engage in the analysis of the art and literature.
Taking the podium, Susan's tan suit and black hat told me that this was going to be a unique experience. She alternated between prepared remarks, off-the-cuff comments, and interpretations of her writing. I was so fascinated, I forgot to take notes. In her experience, the way to students' attention is through their hearts. Poetry, literature and art speaks to this need to express and share our emotions. She shared a poem written about the day her hair fell out from chemotherapy. It wasn't about the cancer, it was a love story – the support and endurance of that love. There were few dry eyes in the room. Having read that poem to her own English class, she made an emotional connection to them. Later she read an excerpt from Girl in Hyacinth Blue that expressed the longing of a young girl (Vemeer's daughter) to paint, however, based on the time period, was not allowed to learn. Each vignette in the story spoke of the strong emotions we all have, yet often are reluctant, or unable to express.
I too, now feel a personal connection to Susan Vreeland. Her voice, the art and poetry swirled through my head as I boarded the T (electric train) to return to my hotel. Hopefully, this weekend I'll be able to pick up her books.
Life Studies
The Forest Lover
The Passion of Artemisia
To begin the session, each table was given an activity to complete. A stiff piece of paper was folded in thirds, to make a triptych. One section had an excerpt from one of Susan's books, one section had a piece of artwork which was related, and the three needed to have a poem. This was the topic for discussion at the table. There were 4-5 poems to choose from and after reading and discussing, we chose two of them. The poems were from different eras and poets and each gave a slightly different view of the situation. This was the purpose of the activity – to actively engage in the analysis of the art and literature.
Taking the podium, Susan's tan suit and black hat told me that this was going to be a unique experience. She alternated between prepared remarks, off-the-cuff comments, and interpretations of her writing. I was so fascinated, I forgot to take notes. In her experience, the way to students' attention is through their hearts. Poetry, literature and art speaks to this need to express and share our emotions. She shared a poem written about the day her hair fell out from chemotherapy. It wasn't about the cancer, it was a love story – the support and endurance of that love. There were few dry eyes in the room. Having read that poem to her own English class, she made an emotional connection to them. Later she read an excerpt from Girl in Hyacinth Blue that expressed the longing of a young girl (Vemeer's daughter) to paint, however, based on the time period, was not allowed to learn. Each vignette in the story spoke of the strong emotions we all have, yet often are reluctant, or unable to express.
I too, now feel a personal connection to Susan Vreeland. Her voice, the art and poetry swirled through my head as I boarded the T (electric train) to return to my hotel. Hopefully, this weekend I'll be able to pick up her books.
Life Studies
The Forest Lover
The Passion of Artemisia
NCTE in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh – Steel Town – and the host for the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention. Although language arts is my specialty as a teacher and I've always been a reader, I have not had the opportunity to attend this convention before. This year, being a bit closer to the States and having a more reasonable teaching schedule, I figured it was time check this convention out.
Unfortunately, I have not found Pittsburgh to be a convention friendly city. The hotels downtown, next to the convention center, are expensive. When your school is not paying for the trip, you tend to look for something more moderate. However, having a hotel outside of downtown means trying to figure out the public transportation. After living overseas for almost 10 years, it irritates me that I have difficulty using public transportation in my home country. The schedules were unreasonable – once an hour in the evening and not at all on Sundays. Taxis are available, for a long wait and more moola.
Being mid-November, Christmas is oozing out of every pore – what happened to waiting until December? A beautiful nativity stands outside the US Steel building, a massive tree will be lit in the center of an ice rink, and gingerbread cities are displayed in windows. A a sure commercial sign – Egg Nog Latte from Starbucks!
A cold snap blew through Pittsburgh. Not being prepared, I'm off to Kaufmann's for some fuzzy gloves and a hat.
Unfortunately, I have not found Pittsburgh to be a convention friendly city. The hotels downtown, next to the convention center, are expensive. When your school is not paying for the trip, you tend to look for something more moderate. However, having a hotel outside of downtown means trying to figure out the public transportation. After living overseas for almost 10 years, it irritates me that I have difficulty using public transportation in my home country. The schedules were unreasonable – once an hour in the evening and not at all on Sundays. Taxis are available, for a long wait and more moola.
Being mid-November, Christmas is oozing out of every pore – what happened to waiting until December? A beautiful nativity stands outside the US Steel building, a massive tree will be lit in the center of an ice rink, and gingerbread cities are displayed in windows. A a sure commercial sign – Egg Nog Latte from Starbucks!
A cold snap blew through Pittsburgh. Not being prepared, I'm off to Kaufmann's for some fuzzy gloves and a hat.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Moving to the High School
This year I might have to change the heading of my blog. It states, “A middle school educator's reflections on teaching and learning.” However, this year I'm also teaching high school. So maybe the heading should state, “An adolescent educator's reflections on teaching and learning.” My middle school training has prepared me well for high school teaching. Although the content is at a different level, the constructivist view of a middle school teacher has a lot of value in the high school classroom.
Take for example - reading. At the beginning of the year, my students spent time reflecting on the reading process. Too often, at the high school level, students are asked to read more complex text, without being taught the skills and strategies to understand it. High school teachers cannot assume that students know how to actively read and comprehend. My students created comic strips to illustrate their reading process, then read a section from The Reader's Handbook from Great Source It suggests before, during and after reading strategies. Some students employed a few of the strategies before, but didn't consciously recognize reading as a process like they have been taught about writing. Now, when I give students a reading assignment, we talk about what strategies would be most appropriate for the type of text. I've also introduced double entry journals to the students. In the past, students were taught to “mark up” the text. Which, to begin with, is a good strategy. However, then they had to erase their marks to turn in the book, or, as it happens, I have a lot of novels with student writing in them. Much of this type of marking up consisted of simple comments like “Wow” of “Yuck.” Text was underlined or highlighted, but later, when the student returned to it, they didn't remember why. Double entry journals focus on the text, by requiring students to choose a portion of the text to quote on the left side, and explain the reason for selection on the right side. This teaches students to articulate their thoughts about the text more specifically.
Conversation is an important part of learning. I try to structure activities gives students opportunities to discuss what they are learning. One example of this is Literature Circles. Harvey Daniels pioneered the use of Literature Circles, in his book of the same name. Small groups of students read the same text. Each student receives a specific role, such as Discussion Director, Passage Picker, Word Wizard, Connector, and Summarizer. When the students get together to discuss the text, each student presents their role and encourages discussion from the rest of the group. In my experience, students end up discussing the same ideas that I would assign as questions, though since it is student generated, they feel more ownership for the work. In addition to Lit. Circles, I use a lot of graphic organizers to guide discussions in small groups or partners. Greece Central School District has some great examples of graphic organizers for reading, writing, and thinking. Many of these examples were developed by Jim Burke, who has other examples at his amazing website.
This year, I have been strengthening my writing instruction. The first practice I introduced to students was a daily 10 minutes writing exercise; most days are prompted and Friday is free choice. It is not a journal as I don't have students tell me about their day or unstructured free-writing. Most prompts lead the students into thinking about the topic for the day, or has them practice a style or type of writing. The goal is to develop fluency in writing, practice writing to a prompt and under timed circumstances, and focus students' attention each day. In the beginning, students complained about writing for 10 minutes straight. They didn't have the confidence in their own writing. After only two months of three times a week practice, the students don't even notice the time. I will be building self-reflection several times a quarter to help students identify their progress.
Take for example - reading. At the beginning of the year, my students spent time reflecting on the reading process. Too often, at the high school level, students are asked to read more complex text, without being taught the skills and strategies to understand it. High school teachers cannot assume that students know how to actively read and comprehend. My students created comic strips to illustrate their reading process, then read a section from The Reader's Handbook from Great Source It suggests before, during and after reading strategies. Some students employed a few of the strategies before, but didn't consciously recognize reading as a process like they have been taught about writing. Now, when I give students a reading assignment, we talk about what strategies would be most appropriate for the type of text. I've also introduced double entry journals to the students. In the past, students were taught to “mark up” the text. Which, to begin with, is a good strategy. However, then they had to erase their marks to turn in the book, or, as it happens, I have a lot of novels with student writing in them. Much of this type of marking up consisted of simple comments like “Wow” of “Yuck.” Text was underlined or highlighted, but later, when the student returned to it, they didn't remember why. Double entry journals focus on the text, by requiring students to choose a portion of the text to quote on the left side, and explain the reason for selection on the right side. This teaches students to articulate their thoughts about the text more specifically.
Conversation is an important part of learning. I try to structure activities gives students opportunities to discuss what they are learning. One example of this is Literature Circles. Harvey Daniels pioneered the use of Literature Circles, in his book of the same name. Small groups of students read the same text. Each student receives a specific role, such as Discussion Director, Passage Picker, Word Wizard, Connector, and Summarizer. When the students get together to discuss the text, each student presents their role and encourages discussion from the rest of the group. In my experience, students end up discussing the same ideas that I would assign as questions, though since it is student generated, they feel more ownership for the work. In addition to Lit. Circles, I use a lot of graphic organizers to guide discussions in small groups or partners. Greece Central School District has some great examples of graphic organizers for reading, writing, and thinking. Many of these examples were developed by Jim Burke, who has other examples at his amazing website.
This year, I have been strengthening my writing instruction. The first practice I introduced to students was a daily 10 minutes writing exercise; most days are prompted and Friday is free choice. It is not a journal as I don't have students tell me about their day or unstructured free-writing. Most prompts lead the students into thinking about the topic for the day, or has them practice a style or type of writing. The goal is to develop fluency in writing, practice writing to a prompt and under timed circumstances, and focus students' attention each day. In the beginning, students complained about writing for 10 minutes straight. They didn't have the confidence in their own writing. After only two months of three times a week practice, the students don't even notice the time. I will be building self-reflection several times a quarter to help students identify their progress.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Touring Philadelphia
Philadelphia truly is the city of brotherly love. After NECC, my husband and I stuck around for another four days to enjoy the famous sites of our nation’s birth and being there during its birthday was even better!
NECC ended in the early afternoon, so we checked out the Independence Visitor Center to pick up information and timed tickets for Independence Hall. For dinner, we set out to find Johnny Rockets, a 50s inspired diner. It was well worth the long walk, as we had good food and nickels to spend on the table jukebox.
Our first stop again, was Independence Hall, to pick up our timed tickets. Since we had several hours before our tour began, we walked up to the US Mint and took a self-guided tour (no cameras or cell phones allowed, drop them off at Constitutional Center). In the Mint, we saw nickels and pennies being made along with displays of the history of making money and official medals in the US. We had lunch in Constitutional Center, which was fairly inexpensive and actually quite good. Then it was off to security to get into the Liberty Bell and Independence National Park. The Liberty Bell, although such a simple chunk of metal, is such a powerful symbol of freedom. Independence Hall was the place where the Declaration and Constitution was written, and these two documents changed the course of history. Standing in the room, 229 years later, where George Washington, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson thought, argued and wrote was poignant. Congress Hall stands next to Independence Hall and was the site of Washington and Adam’s inauguration and the signing of the Bill of Rights. After a nasty rainstorm, the sun returned and we went to see a Phillies game. Unfortunately, our streak was not broken and the home team lost.
The following day we put on our walking shoes and strolled the streets of Philadelphia to find some of the other historic buildings and places including Ben Franklin’s Court which has a 18th century printing shop. The museum is a bit rundown, but worth a quick look. Elfreth’s Alley is one of the nation’s oldest, continuously inhabited streets and has the look and feel of late 1700s. Nearby is City Tavern, a reconstructed tavern of the 1700s designed as Washington would have seen it. Up the road is Betsy Ross’s house. Being Fourth of July weekend, there were many activities available including a hilarious performance by “Joke and Dagger” a short sword fighting/comedian duo. Live 8 was in Philly, so we had to check that out too.
After a tour of Academy of Natural Sciences which had a great exhibit call “Dogs: Wolf, Myth, Hero, Friend.” Being fairly new dog owners, we had to check it out. A few meters away was the Franklin Institute a museum full of science activities. We played with electricity, walked through the heart, and learned about the science of fireworks. In the evening, we took the “Benjamin Franklin Parkway to see the parade, free concert and fireworks. This is really where Philadelphia shines! A half-million people lined the parkway, and overall, they were friendly, considerate and just there to have a good time. The concert, by Bryan Adams, Patti LaBelle, and Elton John was great and the fireworks were bright, loud and awesome. Our hotel, the TraveLodge, was conveniently located within walking distance. After a quick sleep, we sadly left the city of brotherly love, which had been so friendly to us.
If you can’t make it to Philadelphia yourself, try this virtual tour.
NECC ended in the early afternoon, so we checked out the Independence Visitor Center to pick up information and timed tickets for Independence Hall. For dinner, we set out to find Johnny Rockets, a 50s inspired diner. It was well worth the long walk, as we had good food and nickels to spend on the table jukebox.
Our first stop again, was Independence Hall, to pick up our timed tickets. Since we had several hours before our tour began, we walked up to the US Mint and took a self-guided tour (no cameras or cell phones allowed, drop them off at Constitutional Center). In the Mint, we saw nickels and pennies being made along with displays of the history of making money and official medals in the US. We had lunch in Constitutional Center, which was fairly inexpensive and actually quite good. Then it was off to security to get into the Liberty Bell and Independence National Park. The Liberty Bell, although such a simple chunk of metal, is such a powerful symbol of freedom. Independence Hall was the place where the Declaration and Constitution was written, and these two documents changed the course of history. Standing in the room, 229 years later, where George Washington, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson thought, argued and wrote was poignant. Congress Hall stands next to Independence Hall and was the site of Washington and Adam’s inauguration and the signing of the Bill of Rights. After a nasty rainstorm, the sun returned and we went to see a Phillies game. Unfortunately, our streak was not broken and the home team lost.
The following day we put on our walking shoes and strolled the streets of Philadelphia to find some of the other historic buildings and places including Ben Franklin’s Court which has a 18th century printing shop. The museum is a bit rundown, but worth a quick look. Elfreth’s Alley is one of the nation’s oldest, continuously inhabited streets and has the look and feel of late 1700s. Nearby is City Tavern, a reconstructed tavern of the 1700s designed as Washington would have seen it. Up the road is Betsy Ross’s house. Being Fourth of July weekend, there were many activities available including a hilarious performance by “Joke and Dagger” a short sword fighting/comedian duo. Live 8 was in Philly, so we had to check that out too.
After a tour of Academy of Natural Sciences which had a great exhibit call “Dogs: Wolf, Myth, Hero, Friend.” Being fairly new dog owners, we had to check it out. A few meters away was the Franklin Institute a museum full of science activities. We played with electricity, walked through the heart, and learned about the science of fireworks. In the evening, we took the “Benjamin Franklin Parkway to see the parade, free concert and fireworks. This is really where Philadelphia shines! A half-million people lined the parkway, and overall, they were friendly, considerate and just there to have a good time. The concert, by Bryan Adams, Patti LaBelle, and Elton John was great and the fireworks were bright, loud and awesome. Our hotel, the TraveLodge, was conveniently located within walking distance. After a quick sleep, we sadly left the city of brotherly love, which had been so friendly to us.
If you can’t make it to Philadelphia yourself, try this virtual tour.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
PowerPoint
Beyond PowerPoint Operations:Developing Students' Writing and Speaking Skills
Kathy Zawicki
Top 10 MistakesOrganization
Knowledge of the subject
Text – too much
Graphics – blurry, too many, unrelated
Animation – sounds and movement, inappropriate, districting
Speaking skills
Proofreading
Time Consuming
Boring
Lacking critical thinking
The ProcessCompose – gather information, organize information, draft, critical thinking
Visually Represent
Verbally Recompose
In many cases, PowerPoint presentations are made for the speaker, not for the listener. How can that model change? The information on the screen should engage the listener and the speech should compliment, not replicate the visual information.
Kathy Zawicki
Top 10 MistakesOrganization
Knowledge of the subject
Text – too much
Graphics – blurry, too many, unrelated
Animation – sounds and movement, inappropriate, districting
Speaking skills
Proofreading
Time Consuming
Boring
Lacking critical thinking
The ProcessCompose – gather information, organize information, draft, critical thinking
Visually Represent
Verbally Recompose
In many cases, PowerPoint presentations are made for the speaker, not for the listener. How can that model change? The information on the screen should engage the listener and the speech should compliment, not replicate the visual information.
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