H.O.T Teachers's topics - tribe.net

Sixth Grade Science Project

Krampus — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:45:04 GMT

Below is a blog about a "science" project a sixth grader was allowed to conduct.

Project Title: Better Living Through God
http://possummomma.blogspot.com/2008/01/science.html

I will not copy and paste it here because the text is color coded. It is short and somewhat funny (#12 is my favorite).

The blog author and commentator did not discuss one very important ethical flaw on the student's part. The student did not anonymize the data sets (i.e. remove the names from the data sets) In fact, no unique identifiers should have been collected to begin with.

I post this here because it seems to be an accurate reflection of the general science education in this country, at least in the South. Students in my college courses have little idea what a conditioned stimulus or an unconditioned stimulus are, for example.

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 2 replies

Schools banning homework

shazlaw — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 16:34:35 GMT

cbs2chicago.com/topstories...220730.html

"They already do 6 hours of work in school... can't give them more work... blah blah"

How about we wipe their sweet bottoms and tell them they won't have to work hard to make something of themselves?
Why don't we just tell them that a real work day is only about 6 hours, and you never have to take some work home with you, or stay late to finish the work?

Why does it seem that the USA is progressively skimping on education? Is it any wonder that India and Japan (I am sure there are others) are surpassing the US in general academic achievement?
We are nurturing a bunch of wusses.

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 13 replies

One Laptop per child news

shazlaw — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:29:12 GMT

Blazing the trail but missing the payoffs?

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0111/p03s04-stct.html

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 0 replies

School Boards rule - Internet no longer dangerous

shazlaw — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 20:23:44 GMT

This has to be one of the funniest postings on Slashdot I have read for a while.

http://slashdot.org/articles/07/08/08/1245237.shtml

Some classic responses:

"Public education -- a series of tubes down the drain."

Thank you random statistics for once more proving absolutely nothing!

OMG mathz rulz. I have mad science skillz, lolz!2!@! check out my blogz. c u guyz at da mall. ;)

"...76% of parents expect social networking will improve their children's reading and writing skills..."

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 0 replies

Australian teachers try to shut down website

shazlaw — Thu, 03 May 2007 18:58:53 GMT

http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/07/05/03/0215252.shtml

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 0 replies

High standards don't pay

shazlaw — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:20:33 GMT

http://www.star-telegram.com/229/story/77213.html

"They have to do the work to pass."

What a refreshing concept.

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 3 replies

In ten sentences or less...

shazlaw — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:40:53 GMT

So kiddies, this is your homework for tonight.
In ten sentences or less - Who are you and what are you doing here?

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 15 replies

Disorderly conduct charge for Essay

shazlaw — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 17:20:42 GMT

A Cary-Grove High School student charged with disorderly conduct for writing a violently descriptive class essay had received an assignment that said: "Write whatever comes to your mind. Do not judge or censor what you are writing."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070426essay-update,1,1939754.story??track=sto-topstory&coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=2&cset=true

Careful what you ask for.

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 0 replies

Illiteracy jumps in China

shazlaw — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 16:05:01 GMT

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/26/AR2007042602452.html

>Literacy in China is defined according to an exam taken in fourth grade. Even if villagers pass that exam, they frequently do not pursue further education.

>Farmers are expected to learn at least 1,500 characters, according to state education regulations. Urban residents should master 2,000. Teachers in Beijing often tell students they need to know 3,000 characters to read a newspaper. College graduates are tested on 7,000 characters or more.

"After genetic engineering, social conditioning is the most important way for the government to enslave its people. The different caste members are conditioned to never yearn for a life other than their own." BNW.

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 0 replies

$100 laptops in US schools?

shazlaw — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:53:42 GMT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070427/ap_on_hi_te/hundred_dollar_laptop;_ylt=ApdSUk58lGRKaugWx7Z4.OVj24cA

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 0 replies

Powerpoint - RIP

shazlaw — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:50:24 GMT

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/03/1175366240499.html

Firstly: 'The findings that challenge common teaching methods suggest that instead of asking students to solve problems on their own, teachers helped students more if they presented already solved problems.'
"Looking at an already solved problem reduces the working memory load and allows you to learn. It means the next time you come across a problem like that, you have a better chance at solving it," Professor Sweller said.

Isn't this just good practice that any teacher knows?

Secondly: 'Power-point presentations can backfire if the information on the screen is the same as that which is verbalized, because the audience’s attention will be split between the two.'

I have seen some woeful ppt's in my time, and sadly to say I like other educators, have been over zealous in the using the 'wonder' of the powerpoint presentation to present information to students.
How many times have I had to sit in a professional development session, only to have the speaker say verbatim what was on each slide???
Anyone have any thoughts on how to use ppt's effectively in the classroom?

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 2 replies

KIPP - Knowledge is Power program

shazlaw — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 18:38:58 GMT

http://www.kipp.org/

The operating principles of KIPP schools:
There are no shortcuts
Outstanding educators are employed and paid well
More time is spent in school (60% more than the average public school student)
A rigorous college-prep curriculum
A strong culture of achievement and support

Sounds strangely what a regular public school should be doing, doesn't it?

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 1 reply

IB Program Cover Letter

Krampus — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:18:56 GMT

Below is the first draft of my cover letter I will send to every high school IB program in Northern Virginia and DC. Please provide constructive criticism. Furthermore, if you are in the NoVa or DC area and have contacts in IB programs (11- 12 grade) I would appreciate any aide in aquiring a position (pm me for real name and contact info).

TIA,
Krampus

Cover letter is as follows:

I write to you regarding the IB program at __________________ . I am interested in teaching the IB Philosophy curriculum. I hold a Masters degree in Philosophy and have six years of experience teaching Philosophy at the collegiate level. I am aware that the Philosophy curriculum is an elective within IB program; however, Philosophy at the collegiate level satisfies various General Education core requirements. For example, Logic or Critical Thinking, Introduction to Philosophy, and a course in Ethics are almost universally required.

Offering the Philosophy curriculum affords other advantages besides satisfying General Education requirements. Foremost, Philosophy teaches critical thinking skills. Studies have shown that teaching Philosophy is highly correlated with increases in reading comprehension skills. Philosophy trains the student in assessing any value claim including their own inherited value systems. Traditional curriculum is unavoidably value laden; e.g. the current controversy between the teaching of evolution and/or intelligent design. The IB recommended David Hume readings teaches the student how to assess all epistemological claims including their relation to value judgments. Philosophy trains the student to synthesize these critical reasoning, epistemological, and normative analyses. Furthermore, Philosophy demonstrates how the various subjects are interrelated. For example, the recommended IB reading for Thomas Aquinas entails a discussion on physics, mathematics, and epistemology. The themed sections also provide ample opportunity for interdisciplinary study. Lastly, and most importantly, Philosophy stresses being a life-long learner; to quote Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Thank you for your time in considering my attached CV,

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 0 replies

Childcare linked to later behavioral problems

shazlaw — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:30:51 GMT

Kids in child care longer had more behavior problems in sixth grade
Kids who'd been in child care also had better vocabulary scores in fifth grade

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/parenting/03/26/childcare.ap/index.html

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 2 replies

The Wikiversity

crarko — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 14:24:32 GMT

If you've not visited this before, you might want to take a few minutes to check out the Wikiversity:

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Main_Page

Watching the costs of higher education spin outrageously out of control makes me wonder if this is the model that will take hold in the future, combining Web 2.0 technology with a hunger for learning and a lack of dough. LOL

Of course it would be amazing if they ever received some kind of accreditation to actually grant certificates or degrees, but stranger things have happened. At the least it makes for another teaching tool and social networking opportunity.

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 1 reply

Learn to speak....any language

shazlaw — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 03:19:00 GMT

Why is the US so far behind in language learning?
On 9/11 there were 8 Arabic speakers available to the CIA, and now six years later, there are 22!
Is it that the US is egocentric, and ‘they’ will learn English in order to deal with us?
Is it lack of funding or teacher proficiency?
Australia has a policy that every student from 5 - 17, will learn a second language at school. It is mandatory.
What's stopping the US?

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 2 replies

Games - not books are needed in the classroom

shazlaw — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 02:21:51 GMT

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/18/2153255&threshold=-1

Good points:
'I think many educators do not understand that engagement in a game does not mean a child will be learning anything from it. Here's the difference:
* When a child is engaged in learning, learning is the goal they set upon themselves, and they seek information to further their understanding of what they are studying. Since learning is the goal, information they find on their research brings them further to their goal.
* When a child is engaged in a game, winning the game is the goal they set upon themselves, and they seek information to further their understanding of what they are playing. Since winning is the goal, information they find during their gameplay brings them further to their goal.
The information you gain when playing a game is very fragmented, because you only absorb enough that you need to get you closer to winning. As the parent poster noted, you don't know what dysentery is, you only know that it's bad and it kills your characters.
Teach these kids how to learn, not how to play a game.

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 1 reply

What will it take?

shazlaw — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 16:36:45 GMT

...to get a half decent education in CA?
Just shows that 66 billion dollars a year spent on education does nothing to address the real issues.

California's Education System Under the Spotlight As a Series of Reports Released

By JULIET WILLIAMS
Associated Press Writer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Overhauling California's schools will require tougher teacher standards and lots of money - as much as a mind-boggling $1.5 trillion per year, according to studies to be released Wednesday.

The reports are intended to kickstart a discussion of major reforms to the nation's largest public education system, but appear to make no concrete recommendations.

A summary of the findings and some of the studies' supporting material was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. The 1,700-page report, meant to inform the Governor's Committee on Education Excellence, is scheduled to be released during separate events on Wednesday and Thursday.

The cost figures come from panels of educators who estimated how much it would take to bring all California schools up to a score of 800 on the state's Academic Performance Index, the state's system of gauging the proficiency of a school's students in reading and math.

Two estimates, both based on interviews with educators, put the cost of meeting the state's achievement goals at an additional $23 billion to $32 billion a year.

It is not clear, however, whether that money would bring all students up to the federal goal of having all students proficient in reading and math by 2014. The qualifications of the educators also were not specified.

One estimate in the documents obtained by the AP says California might need to spend as much as $1.5 trillion a year to meet its goals - an amount equal to about half the annual federal budget.

California already spends nearly half its annual budget on education, a total of $66 billion in the current fiscal year, or about $11,000 per student in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Many education advocates said including outrageous figures such as the $1.5 trillion figure could trivialize reform efforts. They say the number could scare away policymakers who otherwise might be open to making substantive reforms, leaving the studies to collect dust along with those from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's advisory panels on prisons and government efficiency.

Among the changes suggested by the reports are more detailed evaluations for teachers coupled with tougher entry-level requirements and a sliding pay scale. Such suggestions, particularly those dealing with measuring teachers' effectiveness, are likely to meet resistance from powerful interests such as the California Teachers Association.

The summary notes that two common methods for gauging teachers' skills - years of experience and level of education - are poor measures for assessing how effective they are in the classroom.

The state also appears unlikely to meet the central mandate of the federal No Child Left Behind Act - to have every child reach grade level proficiency in math and reading by 2014.

Critics say the standard is impossible, especially given the 3.1 million students who are considered poor - half the students in the state - and the 1.6 million English learners.

One of the studies concludes that the state does not need to invest substantially more money to educate English learners, but rather should direct any additional funding toward poor students. The conclusion is based on cost estimates developed after researchers studied six successful English-learner schools.

Nearly a third of the 6,000 schools that receive federal funding for poor students failed to make annual yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act. Only a third have met the statewide achievement goals, some of the highest in the nation.

Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said the governor, who named the bipartisan panel in 2005, will wait to hear the committee's suggestions later this year before deciding what action to take.

© 2007 The Associated Press.

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 0 replies

$100 laptop

shazlaw — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 17:56:30 GMT

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,67667,00.html

A laptop built expressly for the poorest of children:
http://www.laptop.org/

"A village that has no books, suddenly has access to Google," said Negroponte, who established the school with his wife Elaine. "It changes their lives in several ways, ranging from self-esteem to empowerment, to fulfilling the passion for learning."

I love the concept, and the laptop is so cool.
Is it that simple?

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 3 replies

MI

shazlaw — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 02:40:03 GMT

In March, I am speaking at a Conference for teachers about Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences.
Anyone have any thoughts about how to use such a theory in the classroom, if at all?

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 2 replies

Textbook-less teaching

shazlaw — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 20:08:23 GMT

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635158271,00.html (2005 - old story, but interesting)

My personal view, is that the US education system is held hostage by the scam of textbook publishers.
Do 1st graders really need 9 textbooks and 4 workbooks?
From what I have seen, teachers rely too heavily on textbooks in schools, and very often take the lazy way out with the convenience of 'turn the page to the next lesson' mentality.
It's a cop-out and hardly inspires a love of learning.
In Australia, we do not have textbooks AT ALL, until 8th grade, and teachers are required to write their own lesson plans, do their own research, and write their own follow-up materials, based on student outcomes for all subject areas.
Sure it takes time, but compared to the US, it is an enriched syllabus, that has teacher input, and is based on problem-solving and critical thinking.
I am aware that textbooks provide material that is a great reference resource, but less textbooks and more teacher-written materials that require independent thinking, may just move schools toward a more challenging and effective learning environment. And ofcourse there is also technology....

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 7 replies

The beginning of...

shazlaw — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 21:44:25 GMT

.....Embedded computers in our brain?
If so, sign me up.

Blood-Cell-Sized Memory Device Beats Industry Estimates for Computing Capacity:
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=108300&org=olpa&from=news

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 1 reply

Ending a sentence with or without a preposition?

JimJ — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 03:46:32 GMT

The grammatical rule that a sentence cannot end with a preposition has always seemed entirely arbitrary to me. What is the rule for? Where did it come from? How did it come across?

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 3 replies

grammarist

dobolina — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:21:53 GMT

Well, grammarist is not a word, but it could be. I enjoy making up new words, usually if they make sense toward the intended definition. For example: dancy. Sure, we already have the word danceable, but but I like the sound of 'dancy beats' better than danceable beats.

Although I use these words myself and when conversing with friends, I don't teach them in the ESL clasroom; that may confuse my students. Besides, new words are always being introduced into the English dictionary. I love having fun with our language!

posted in H.O.T Teachers - 9 replies