An archived stack of papers: March 2006
How To Get Organized
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Mar
- 31
- 2006
I’m taking suggestions! What kinds of graphic organizers do you find effective for your students? How do they work best? No matter what grade level and no matter what content area, your observations are welcome. Make yourself famous; leave a comment here or head over to The Tech Savvy Educator’s forum... read more
Imitate Your Job
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Mar
- 30
- 2006
To work on bedside manner and how to handle the stresses of the job, medical schools apparently hire actors to play parents. Students then need to break bad news and help the parent cope with the tragedy. I watched a woman who I thought honestly suffered the loss of her son to cancer blubber her way through a fake consultation with doctors as they told her that there was really nothing left to do for... read more
The Great Chain Of Being… Educated
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Mar
- 29
- 2006
Siddhartha speaks of the interconnectedness of everything. At one point in the novel, Siddhartha sits down with the Buddha to point out that the possibility to transcend everything and reach enlightenment signifies a break in the chain. If someone’s in nirvana, that person isn’t connected to the rest of us. An ideology can’t preach the connections between everything on the one... read more
There Were No Good Ol’ Days
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Mar
- 28
- 2006
I’m starting to think that the most difficult, but most pleasing, part of a teacher’s job falls under the category of building connections. Course content and life after school need relation and students need to see that relation. While the links may be weak at times, those connections should be the only reason we teach what we teach. The necessity of pandering to state content standards and... read more
Two Students Walk Out Of Class
In a stack of papers called Unorganized.
- Mar
- 27
- 2006
In an effort to protest the proposed crackdowns on illegal immigration, students at my school staged a walk out. Just about every single year, at one time or another, a walk out is staged, but it has never actually happened. This time, at 9:30, 2 students stood up and walked out of my class. There are a few interesting things... read more
One Size Leaves Lots Behind
In a stack of papers called Reform.
- Mar
- 26
- 2006
Should diplomas reflect the education completed, requirements passed, or growth over time? Is it possible to show all three?
Special education is modified instruction. Doesn’t that imply that it’s not the same as mainstream? Shouldn’t that mean a different diploma to signify that? If the expectations aren’t the same, should the diploma be the same?
AP is modified... read more
Life After School
In a stack of papers called Reform.
- Mar
- 25
- 2006
Several students will gather at Mission College today to partake in the yearly StRUT competition, demonstrating their knowledge of computers by taking an objective test (Written Test), troubleshooting 9 computers (Challenge), and tearing apart then rebuilding a computer (Build). The winners will take home one of the computers used in the Build portion of... read more
Using A Deck Of Cards
In a stack of papers called Unorganized.
- Mar
- 24
- 2006
A deck of Bellagio playing cards innocently sits in a drawer of my desk, perched atop a random assortment of pens collected over the years. I used to think it was an incomplete deck I kept in the classroom since it couldn’t be used for card games at home. Last year, I counted; all 52 cards are there. It’s not because of a missing card that they hang around.
Large groups: Each suit... read more
Low College Enrollment
In a stack of papers called Unorganized.
- Mar
- 23
- 2006
According to a San Jose Mercury News article, not enough high school graduates go on to the UC or CSU systems. Those two systems are the only colleges looked at, collectively called “in-state colleges.” The article, a summary of ... read more
Reaching The Apathetic
In a stack of papers called Reform.
- Mar
- 22
- 2006
What is a school to do with students who elect to fail? I have a student in one of my classes who shows no interest in completing any work. Worse yet, he doesn’t really have opinions. A slightly more enthusiastic shrug of the shoulders shows his penchant for music. On Monday, the daily topic asked for an opinion on education (it relates to Siddhartha). He only manage to give me... read more