Oh, the Stuff You Would Learn!

“Young cat, if you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you would learn! The most wonderful stuff!” -Dr. Seuss

The National Education Association (NEA) has designated March 2 “Read Across America Day" in honor of Theodor Seuss Geisel a.k.a. Dr. Seuss.

Schools, libraries, bookstores, and art galleries celebrate the birthday of the man who drew and rhymed his way through more than 60 popular children's books.

Although he began his career as an advertising illustrator and political cartoonist, Dr. Seuss is best known for creating such unforgettable characters as The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, and wily Mr. Grinch.

Geisel maintained "there's an inherent moral in any story." Some of the issues he addressed were environmentalism (The Lorax), the arms race (Butter Battle Book), and anti-materialism (How the Grinch Stole Christmas).

Theodor Geisel died in 1991, and among his papers were notes and sketches for a book about a schoolteacher named Miss Bonkers. Poet Jack Prelutsky and illustrator Lane Smith were recruited to finish the work, which was finally published in 1998.

In Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! We are introduced to a school that

"...looks like any other school
But we suspect it's not.
I think we're
learning lots of things
Not taught at other schools.
Our teachers are
remarkable,
They make up their own rules."

Everyone appears to be happy and engaged, except for the principal, Mr. Lowe:

"He is the very saddest man
That any of us know."

What is the cause of the principal's distress? Why standardized testing, of course! If the Diffendoofer students fail to do well on a "special test," their school will be shut down and the pupils will be sent to "Dreary Flobbertown" where "they dress in just one style" and "they never dance."

As the children start to worry, Miss Bonkers reassures them that all will be well because

"You've learned the things you need
To pass that test and many more -
I'm certain you'll succeed...
And something else that matters more -
We've taught you how to think."

Despite the fact that there were questions about "other things we'd never seen or heard," the students use their critical thinking skills to answer them "enjoying every word."

Seuss and his posthumous collaborators provide us with the requisite happy ending. I'm not sure that the outcome would be the same in our district, state, country, where passing tests typically involves more fact recall than creative thought. Diffendoofer represents unschooliness at its finest.

Perhaps if Dr. Seuss were still alive, he would be serving as a spokesperson for educational reform. And then maybe more children would be able to shout "Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!"

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” Dr. Seuss


"The Cat in the Hat" by dmcordell

365 Project: February

Month two is complete; with March, comes photo #60. Rather than running out of subjects, I'm finding it difficult to select a single picture each day.

I continue to raise my eyes, examine more closely, choose different perspectives, consider parts as well as the whole. There are a lot of life lessons being learned via my little digital camera!

The photo that received the most views and comments in February was Digging Out:



My personal favorite was The Gallery, because it captures my two children as they examine their father's paintings in a local art exhibition (and the Alamo painting was created for me, as a memento of our trip to NECC in San Antonio):



You can see a slideshow of the 28 February photos here or view all of my 2009 photos to date here.

The two groups to which I contribute are 365/2009 and 2009/365.

Technology

Historically, an important aspect of technological advances has been to help humans control their environment and improve their daily life.

Buttons, belt buckles, zippers - all revolutionized the clothing industry. Isaac Singer maintained that women could be trusted to operate "machinery" and successfully marketed his home sewing machine, freeing wives and mothers from endless hand sewing tasks. Washers, vacuum cleaners, telephones, typewriters and automobiles all impacted households and the workplace.

In the educational world, the word "technology" is most frequently used to describe the inclusion of software, hardware, and Internet applications developed to enhance learning activities. There has been an astonishing number of products created that claim to support and extend classroom opportunities.



Choosing the proper tool, experimenting with it, assessing its strengths and weaknesses, is part of the process of technology integration. Consider whether the new technology

• fills a need
• better engages the learner
• improves upon the tool it is replacing
• is appropriate to the subject matter and grade level

Does the new technology do something faster, better, easier? Will it be transformative?

Will the tool drive instruction or will learners' needs determine the tool?




"Treadle" by dmcordell
"smartboard" by popofatticus
"blocks" by {dpade1337}

Things That Make Me Happy (Variation on a Meme)

I have been tagged by Twitter friend and fellow librarian Buffy Hamilton to participate in the “6 Things That Make You Happy” meme. Since this is meant to be fun and easy, I've decided to respond to the meme in a photo essay (with slightly more than 6 things).

Here are the rules for this meme:

• Link to the person who tagged you.
• Post six things that make you happy along with these rules.
• Then tag six others (letting them know, of course).
• Let the person who tagged you know when your entry is complete.

I tag:

• loonyhiker - because you are always positive
  
• a keeper's jackpot - because you are a special part of our family
  
• principalspage - because you make me laugh
• tjshay - because you will balance out principalspage (and because I owe you one!)
  
• amypalko - because you are so creative
  
• sprite - because you are a bright spirit
  

What Makes Me Happy?

Five Changes to Education--A new Meme

T.J. Shay has begun a new meme on his TJ on a Journey blog and invited me to contribute.

The task is to "List FIVE changes you would like to see in the educational system. Your responses should represent your perspective and your passion for learning and students."

Here are my contributions:

1. Give ALL stakeholders a real voice in decision-making, including students, teachers, and parents.

2. Be open to innovation in the classroom. Don't censure risk-takers: praise them.

3. Embrace new technologies. Educate staff and students in digital safety and responsible cyber citizenship.

4. If filters are in place, give teachers over-ride privileges. Let them decide on appropriate resources for the classroom.

5. Don't make the student handbook a litany of punishments. Emphasize the positive behaviors you're seeking. BUT when consequences are necessary, be sure they are immediate, appropriate, and consistently applied.

If any of my readers would like to contribute to this conversation, please add your voice.




“Change is the only constant. Hanging on is the only sin.” -Denise McCluggage


“In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.” -Eric Hoffer



"Spherical School Bus" by fdecomite

Helping Hand

"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." -Dr. Loretta Scott

Ben Rigby shared some thoughts about "Information Age Volunteerism" in a recent post, suggesting that more people don't offer their time and services because "today's volunteer opportunities aren't suited to our lifestyles."

It occurred to me that online social networks, particularly Plurk and Twitter, offer numerous opportunities for helping others that easily fit into a busy schedule.

Over the past year, requests for everything from website addresses to conference information to proof reading have shown up in my timelines. Chances are, if you lost a link or need help troubleshooting hardware or software problems, someone will respond and offer assistance.

Sometimes there are more serious issues to deal with. I've recently seen appeals on Twitter calling for donations to assist victims of the horrific bush fires devastating southern regions of Australia. Frequently, virtual friends who are experiencing illness or loss, ask for and receive comfort and prayers from their online networks.

Our busy lives don't always permit volunteerism on a grand scale. But microblogging provides the opportunity for doing what we can in the time available to us.

Many people become volunteers upon retiring, but there's no need to wait. Micro-volunteering can be a quick and rewarding way to add some sharing to your life.

Kevin Honeycutt (shared via Plurk): “You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it's a little thing, do something for others – something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.” –Albert Schweitzer



"helping hand" by Paul J Everett

Are You as Smart as...

"School days, school days
Dear old Golden Rule days
Reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hick'ry stick
You were my queen in calico
I was your bashful, barefoot beau
You wrote on my slate, 'I Love You So'
When we were a couple o' kids"

-Words and Music by Cobb & Edwards

A test has been making the rounds lately that claims to be an 8th grade exam from 1895. Areas covered include...

• Grammar: "Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no modifications."


• Arithmetic: "If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs., what is it worth at 50 cts. per bu., deducting 1050 lbs. for tare?"


• U.S. History: "Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided."


• Orthography: "Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: Card, ball, mercy, sir, odd,cell, rise, blood, fare, last."


• Geography: "Name all the republics of Europe and give capital of each."

The entire exam takes 5 hours to complete.

Curious about the provenance of this artifact, I did a little research and learned that the test was taken from an original document on file at the Smoky Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, KS, reprinted by the Salina Journal.

The original does not indicate it was intended for 8th grade students, rather it is titled "EXAMINATION GRADUATION QUESTIONS OF SALINE COUNTY, KANSAS April 13, 1895 J.W. Armstrong, County Superintendent."

TruthOrFiction presents several arguments to advance the theory that the exam was, in actuality, given to teacher candidates, including the fact that it was administered for "applicants" and that some of the questions seem geared towards teachers rather than students ("District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?").

Snopes considers the 1895 Examination from a different angle:

"What nearly all these pundits fail to grasp is 'I can't answer these
questions' is not the same thing as 'These questions demonstrate that students in earlier days were better educated than today's students.' Just about any test looks difficult to those who haven't recently been steeped in the material it covers."

The subject matter covered in 1895 was vastly different in scope and focus from the curricula of 2009. Memorization was valued over critical thinking; arithmetic and geography superseded science and global studies. Students were being prepared for jobs in agriculture and manufacturing. Today's need to connect, communicate, collaborate, and create has, if not supplanted, then certainly reshaped, the school agenda.

Recitations and reckoning aren't enough any more.

"Since we can't know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned." -John Holt



"School Room" by Rob Shenk

Cyber Safety: A Balanced Approach

Some of you have heard me refer to CyberSmart! before, either in my blog or on Twitter or Plurk. While I still maintain a full-time career as a K-12 teacher/librarian, I also work part- time as a professional development facilitator for the CyberSmart! Education Company.

Today, eSchool News featured CyberSmart! on their front page.

The article focuses on CyberSmart's new K-12 cyber bullying curriculum:

"The suite of K-12 lessons is being offered to schools free of charge in partnership with the National School Boards Association's Technology Leadership Network, the Character Education Partnership, NASP, and the National Cyber Security Alliance."

These are prominent associations sending a clear message: by offering guided practice in good digital citizenship, and modeling safe online behavior, schools can try to ensure that their students act appropriately whether inside a classroom or out.

CyberSmart's educational resources can help school districts address this need with free, cross-curricular lessons aligned with national and state technology and information literacy standards.

Filtering alone is not the answer to cyber safety. Our duty as educators, administrators, and parents is not just to "guard" our children but to teach them how to navigate safely on their own in an increasingly digital world.

eSchool News webshot.
All other images courtesy of CyberSmart! Education Company 2009 All Rights Reserved.

365 Project: January

I've completed the first month of the 365 photo challenge. I find I'm looking at the world in a different way, searching for interesting angles and different perspectives, trying to balance images of both my personal and professional life.


The photo that received the most views and comments in January was Snowflakes and Shadows.


My personal favorite was Spirit of the Library. If the powers that be don't take care of my library and students after I retire, I WILL haunt them!


You can see a slideshow of all 31 photos here.

The two groups to which I contribute are 365/2009 and 2009/365.

Getting the Lead Out?

Last year, the U.S. Senate passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), in response to consumer panic over Chinese toys with lead paint. Harsh penalties for non-compliance are set to take effect on February 10, 2009, when it becomes unlawful to ship goods for sale that have not been tested.

Testing requirements extend far beyond children's toys, however.

As Walter Olson notes on Forbes.com,

"The law covers all products intended primarily for children under 12. That includes clothing, fabric and textile goods of all kinds: hats, shoes, diapers, hair bands, sports pennants, Scouting patches, local school-logo gear and so on.

And paper goods: books, flash cards, board games, baseball cards, kits for home schoolers, party supplies and the like. And sporting equipment, outdoor gear, bikes, backpacks and telescopes. And furnishings for kids' rooms."

Libraries, schools, and booksellers are pressing for an exemption for books. Emily Sheketoff, associate executive director of the American Library Association, says she believes libraries have two choices under the CPSIA:

“Either they take all the children’s books off the shelves,” she says, “or they ban children from the library.”

Etsy sellers are also concerned. My daughter-in-law, who sells handmade jewelry on the popular crafters' site, forwarded me several relevant links and has decided to handle the issue in this manner:

"I will just end up putting in my listings that they aren't to be sold/given to children under 12 because it certainly isn't worth it to me to get thousands of dollars worth of testing on each item that I make."

There could be repercussions in the antique trade and second-hand shops. Even garage sales might technically be in violation of the law.

Congress is to be commended for seeking to protect the nation's children. However, now that the immediate crisis is over, it's time to examine the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act more closely and decide exactly how far we need to go to provide a reasonable measure of protection.

Update: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today released an announcement to the Federal Register staying implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) until February 10, 2010.

The ALA cautions, "Libraries now have a little room to breathe, but this announcement is not an end to this problem. Since we know children’s books are safe, libraries are still asking to be exempt from regulation under this law."