Valentine's Day and First Timers

Valentine's day reminded me of something: I haven't done a blog in a while. I'm just kidding, what valentine's day really makes me think about is how much I value good teaching (OK........we do not celebrate v-day at our house. At least I don't. But I did give my wife a high five in the morning and shouted "love ya!" That's good enough......right?). I hate the way teachers are currently being depicted by some members of the media and some independent factions. Teachers make schools great, plain and simple. Like any other profession, some are good/great, some aren't; but make no mistake, teachers are what makes schools successful. There are some links about teaching and education in this country below. Also, some helpful links for first timers and Google.

Links:

• Disturbing information about the United States. I still think it's the best country in the world, but we've got some work to do.
• Really significant blog post here, 10 things about teaching I wished I never learned.
• Class sizes are rising; 60 kids in a class in Detroit.
• This blogger is tired of teacher-bashing.
• Illinois has a proposed bill to link teacher tenure and evaluation to test results.
• Why teachers are enraged.
• The rhetoric towards teachers these days is mostly negative. We are walking down a dangerous path in the way we are speaking about teachers.

First Timers:

• For Twitter, please view this quick tutorial and get signed up! If used properly, twitter can be a very useful tool in education.
• For Diigo, read this and this. Diigo allows internet users to bookmark pages, highlight important passages, and add sticky notes. Also, this can be done collaboratively with a group. Great possibilities for the classroom.
• Tired of juggling files between your school computer and your home computer? Dropbox is for you.

Google:

• 19 tips everyone should know about Google.
• Google docs for educators. All you need to know.
• For a more extensive document about google, check out Google for Teachers.

Tunes to consider: The Cave, by Mumford and Sons. Better Together, Jack Johnson. California Stars, Wilco.

The Bulls are holding very strong, especially considering Boozer, Rose and Noah have played together less than 10 times. The Melo trade to the Knicks just made the East a little more interesting. Still love the Bulls chances of a 2nd round match-up against Celts or Heat. The Red Sox begin spring training with a lot of hope. Need less injuries and the pitching to bounce back for a championship year.

Snow Day!

Let me just say this.......the snowblower was the single greatest invention in the history of civilization. Coming in just ahead of the George Forman Grill, the snowblower has created peace and harmony in the McPherson household. My two snow days were spent reading, hanging with the kiddies, and finding time to blog. Without the snowblower, I would have undoubtedly spent many hours shoveling, followed by a day of mental depression, followed by a day of being physically unable to move. It would've been just like the days following the New Kids on the Block reunion concert of 2008. (singing "hanging tough" to myself right now). A synopsis of my reading over the last few days:

From Catching Up or Leading the Way, by Yong Zhao:

"Some of us are mathematicians. Some of us aren't." (Jane Goodall)

• schools should value diversity in talent
• Diverse talents compliment each other
• talent diversity leads to innovation and creativity
• Talent diversity prepares society for change
• (pgs. 50-53)

To create a diversity of talents, schools can adopt a more global mindset.

• Examine local traditions and identify strengths.
• Consider our kids are connected globally now, distance is no longer an issue
• Take responsibility for cultivating more talents
• Create a tolerance for multiple perspectives.
• (pgs. 158-159).

What knowledge is of most worth? How should we teach it?

• The knowledge of most worth is what each individual student is interested in; their strengths.
• Creativity
• The ability to adapt to change
• A balance of left brain and right brain thinking
• empathy
• (pgs. 150-156)

Links:

• Smart phones will be in the hands of all students within 5 years.
• Tired of emailing documents and trying to work off more than one computer? Try dropbox. Save documents on the web, you can retrieve them anywhere with internet access.
• Take a tour of Diigo. Amazing web tool, so many possibilities for collaborative work on articles, blogs and websites. Also great for on-line bookmarking.
• A California school did a pilot study using ipads for students. Interesting survey results.
• Great Google Docs tutorials.
• President Obama is on board for encouraging innovation in schools.
• More Google Docs suggestions, and an all around great blog.

Tunes to consider: Things We Said Today, the Beatles. Toes, Zac Brown Band. Give Up the Funk, Parliament.

Despite the disappointment of losing to the Packers, the Bears had a great season. Who would've thought 11-5 and an NFC Conference Championship game? Good year. Bulls are looking great, who is more exciting than D Rose? The Red Sox made some huge offseason acquisitions, I think it's gonna be a great summer.

Parenting is Easy

I...hold on.....sorry, after writing the title I threw up in my mouth a little bit. I remember vividly the day my father told me "being a parent is the hardest thing you'll ever do." He was right. And I really appreciate him waiting until I already had children to enlighten me with that little nugget. It's almost as if he enjoys watching me go through what I put him through. I guess that's fair; I wasn't the best kid. And, coincidentally, I'm not the best parent. What I am is a middle-aged bald man who drives a mini-van and listens predominately to the Beatles, Jack Johnson, Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond and Waylon Jennings. A happening Friday night for me is Walmart and Target in the same night. Maybe a little Barnes and Noble action if I'm lucky. As lame and boring as I am (really lame; really boring), I can contribute in one area of life, as minuet as it may be: I am a parent and an educator, and I have some ideas about how the two entities can form a better relationship.

Parents have some legitimate complaints about schools. Over the next few weeks I'll take a look at these concerns and offer some potential solutions. Today's problem: homework.

Concern: Too much homework/Homework is too hard.

Probably true on both counts. First part first. Simply put, schools need to stop with the busy work. As an educator I can honestly say this: it's gotten ridiculous. It's a waist of time and it has to stop. If an assignment doesn't have genuine meaning, don't give it. Also, too many assignments are not engaging. More on this in a later post (in showbiz, this is known as a teaser. I am not in the entertainment business, but I do watch TV.)

Second part second. Homework is actually not too hard necessarily, it's just parents aren't in the class for the lesson, and can't always answer kids' questions at homework time. Or, on a more horrifying level, parents don't know what the assignments are. This is where schools are really failing; there are a litany of online sources to solve this issue (I don't even want to hear that some homes don't have Internet access. Facebook requires the Internet and everyone on the planet is on Facebook. Everyone.) Schools must stop playing hard ball with parents and make sure parents have some tools as their disposal:

1. Schools have the ability to post activities/assignments online. Why do some schools insist on keeping this a secret? To teach students responsibility? Hey, here's an idea: let's find another way to do that. Let's give parents/students access to the assignments BEFORE they are due. Post them daily, let parents parent their kids.

2. Allow parents to track grades online. This isn't as easy as posting assignments, it probably takes a good student-management system. Let parents be involved in their kids' grades. Number 1 and 2 are essential for a number of reasons, but if nothing else, it allows parents to hold a school discussion at the dinner table that doesn't involve parents asking, "What did you learn at school today?" Because we all know the typical response from kids on this one; "nothing." With #1 and #2 in place, parents can ask specific questions that are not yes/no questions.

3. Use the incredible (I'll say that again; incredible) online sources available to us to help parents and students understand homework. Let's look at math, for it's generally the most difficult for parents. Do the parents in your community know about wolframAlpha? This is a site that allows you to enter an equation and it will give you the answer. It will also show you the proper steps to get to the answer. What an amazing opportunity for parents to not only check homework, but understand it. What about Khan Academy? Do your parents know about this website that offers visual tutorials in math and science? Do your parents know they can go to this website and get a 5-8 minute interactive tutorial on any math concept? Do your parents know their kids can go here for a refresher or for more explanation? If the answer is that your parents don't know, than they need to. And they need to hear from the schools.

For other classes, teachers can utilize tools to help students and parents. Blogging is free and allows teachers to communicate with students, and solicit responses. Twiducate is a twitter website that allows only educators and students to tweet each other. Teachers can send a tweet to their 3rd hour class reminding them of the assignment for that night! It is also free. Teachers can post podcasts and Powerpoints to a webpage, allowing access for students and parents at night. With a little more effort, we can provide parents and students with incredible resources to ensure a more fulfilling learning experience.

Tunes to consider, Head Full of Doubt, by the Avett Brothers. Come on Eileen, by Dexys Midnight Runners. I've Just Seen a Face, by the Beatles.

The Bears are 7-3 and will win the Super Bowl. I just hope they get a challenging game at some point. (I will be shocked if we make the playoffs. My guess is 9-7, with a first round loss. Maybe 10-6, but still a first round loss. Just enough for Lovie to get an extension.) The Bulls look decent, can't wait to see them with Boozer. Fighting Illini basketball looks promising, loving Badger football (on to the Rose Bowl!) and NIU football has had a great year. If the Red Sox can find a way to get Carl Crawford, I will be a happy camper.

Proof

Proof. Evidence. Data. Verification. Research-based. Those are fancy words. I am not a smart man. Ask my wife, my kids, my former teachers, people I currently work with, people I've spoken to for longer than 24 seconds......they'll all tell you the same thing. I can't always understand big words. So what do these fancy words mean to me? It works.

If there is data/evidence/proof to support something, it works. If something has solid research behind it, it works. If a program has been verified, it works. Nice and simple. Fancy words are for fancy people. This guy puts his blue jeans on one leg at a time and drinks his beverages from an old fruit jar.

I am currently re-reading Classroom Instruction That Works by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering and Jane Pollack. Below is a review of Chapter Two.

Identifying Similarities and Differences

Based on research, we know the following:
1. Students will have a better understanding of similarities and differences with specific guidance in identifying these from their teachers.
2. Having students independently identify similarities and differences also increases their understanding.
3. Representing similarities and differences in symbolic/graphic form increases understanding.

Specific guidance, independent work & using symbols/graphics=>understanding.

The authors identify the following actions as support for students in identifying similarities and differences:

Comparing:

• Identification of important characteristics
• Comparison Graphic Organizers (Venn Diagram, Comparison Matrix).
• Teacher-directed task: Teachers give specific items to compare, and specific characteristics to compare them by.
• Student-directed task: Teacher gives items to compare, students produce the characteristics.
  

Classifying

• Placing elements into groups based on similarities
• However, its mportant for students to understand the rules of classification (why certain things are placed in certain categories). Also, a key is understanding of why items go into the chosen category (justification).
  
• Teacher-directed activities: Teacher gives students the elements to classify and the categories to use.
• Student-directed activities: Teacher gives the elements; students must produce the categories.
  

Metaphors

• Two items connection in a nonliteral relationship
• Using graphic organizers is a good way for kids to make connections with common abstract patters. Students should be able to identify the common abstract.
• Teacher-directed activity: Teachers provides the first element adn the abstract relationship.
  
• Student-directed activity: Students are given the first element, but are expected to identify the second element and the abstract relationship.
  

Analogies

• A:B-C:D. (Eighty is to eight as dime is to __________).
• Try graphic organizers for these as well. Have students identify the relationship when working on analogies.
• Teacher-directed activity: Teachers may present all 4 elements to the analogy and ask students what the relationship is. Or, they may provide 3 of the 4, and ask students to put in the missing element.
  
• Student-directed activity: Teacher provides the first 2 elements, students come up with the next 2.
  

All of these ideas are quite useful at all levels of learning. They can be great as stand alone lessons, or as fillers when lessons end early.

Tunes to consider: When My Time Comes, Dawes. My Old Ways, Dr. Dog. Staple It Together, Jack Johnson.

As I start to get mentally prepared for the Bears season, I find myself really missing the playoff-push of September baseball. My poor Red Sox were just decimated by injuries this year, we never had a shot. As far as the Bears, I truly believe we can ride the right leg of Robbie Gould all the way to the Super Bowl.........

Our Kids and Poverty

Like many districts, our community is feeling the effects of a poor economy and a struggling job market. Our district is over 33% free and reduced for the first time in recent memory. Because this provides our teachers with another obstacle, the district felt it prudent to provide some training in the area of poverty. Ms. Lynda Byrd performed a presentation based on the work of Ruby Payne to CUSD #424 on August 17th.

Back when I was coaching, I would often go to conferences on the sport I was coaching. My goal was always to pick up one or two things that really resonated with me and that I could use. The same approach applies with academic trainings. Some highlights:

Students in poverty situations often have hidden rules to which they adhere.

• An example of this is "the mama rule," in which students are often told something is ok by a parent, but would not be considered ok by school standards. For instance, a parent may tell their child to stand up for themselves and use force if necessary, as this is sometimes the only way to survive in a poverty situation. At school, however, we discourage this.
  
• Hidden rules are often related to survival. Students in poverty are often only concerned with survival. The only tense they are interested in is the present tense. The future often means nothing to them.

Language issues often form obstacles for students of poverty.

• Many teachers speak in formal structure, with thousands upon thousands of possible word choices. Students of poverty, however, often speak in casual structure, with far less word choice available. When students ask to have things re-explained, we sometimes assume they weren't listening when, in fact, it very well may be that they didn't understand the words we used.
  
• Because there are deficiencies in language for these students, it's possible they haven't learned how to form questions. When we wonder why students who are struggling didn't ask questions or didn't ask for help, it is quite possible they don't have the skills to formulate questions.

Mental Modules help students understand and comprehend material.

• Have students draw or sketch vocab words. If they can't draw it, they don't get it.
• Use analogies and metaphors. Have students use these when telling stories.

For your listening pleasure, go back to the 60s and enjoy Kansas City by Wilbert Harrison, Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly, Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley and Runaround Sue by Dion.

Players who have spent major time on the DL for the Red Sox this year: Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkalis, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett, Mike Cameron and Clay Bucholz. And yet we are still hanging on with a glimmer of hope. It does not look good for the beantown boys though.

Boys and Reading

Are their vast differences between boys and girls? According to my wife, I am an idiot and she is a model citizen. That would be one documented difference. My son CJ refuses to wear dress pants, my daughters Cally and Lily play dress-up almost daily. Another difference. And then we have the whole child-bearing thing.......another major difference. So there are some minor differences between boys and girls, this carries over to school as well. Clearly students learn differently, but how do we help when one gender seems to struggle in one specific area? One of our dedicated teachers passed this article on to me; the subject is boys and literacy.

The Problem of Boys' Literacy Underachievement: Raising Some Questions.
Watson, Kehler & Martino (2010)
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. Feb 2010

Female students consistently score better on standarized tests in the area of reading and writing. Some key points about boys and literacy:

• Not all boys are at risk.
• Socio-economic status makes a larger difference in scores than gender
• The real issue appears to be the role of masculinity.
  

"English is more suited to girls because it's not the way guys think. Most guys who like english are faggots." A student from a 1995 study.

• Maybe the "crisis" exists because our soceity thinks there is a threat to the social order when females out-perform males
• Some research indicates female teachers may be the source for poor performance. There is very little research to support this. In fact, most research indicates no correlation between gender and learning styles.
• Previously proposed solutions (boy-friendly strategies, hiring more male teachers, creation of single-sex classes) have proved largely ineffective.

New Alternatives to increasing male scores in literacy:

• Try to squash the image that reading is for "nerds"
• Understanding of what it means "to be a man" must be explored.
  
• Incorporate a wide range of materials, including digital and electronic modes of expression
• Find ways for boys to improve their literacy skills without fear of social reprecussions

Tunes to consider: Oh Girl, Chi-Lites. Howlin' For You, Black Keys. Goin' Up the Country, Canned Heat.

The Red Sox appear to be in serious danger of missing the playoffs for only the 2nd time this decade. I am depressed by the rash of injuries and the shocking lifelessness of these guys.

Mike and Mike have the bears going 6-10 or 5-11. Ridiculous. Anything less than 14-2 would be a disappointment.

Pick One and Give it a Shot

For all those teachers with whom I with on a daily basis, you already know that I am a pain in the butt. This used to bother me. There was a time when I would often reflect and ask myself, "why are you such a pain?" Those days are far behind me. I've not only accepted that I am this way, I've embraced it. In fact, I do believe I am one of the top pain in the butt people in the state of Illinois. If you don't believe me, just ask anyone with the last name of McPherson in Genoa, Macomb or Bloomington, IL. I am sure they would be quick to confirm my lofty status.

I am aware that educators are currently inundated with a ton of stuff. And I am aware that more and more is being asked of teachers. And......teachers don't have enough time to do it all. That is why I am asking teachers to pick one, just one, of the following items and try to implement it somehow over the next several weeks. I know it will be difficult for some, but I wouldn't push so hard for this if I wasn't sure that it would have a positive impact on our students. So....pick one and give it a try. And after that, maybe pick another and give that a try.

General:

• Google Docs-Create a survey on Google docs and ask students to respond. (Gmail account necessary) Great example. This can be a great time saver as the responses are tallied/graded for you.

• RSS Feed Reader-Have students set up a feed reader for a particular subject. Utilize this as a research tool.

• Wiki-Create a class-wide reference list for a topic you are studying through wikispaces (free to educators).

Social Studies:

• Online Map Puzzles. Great for review of states, capitols and/or countries.

• An example of Youtube videos describing history. This one is on Railroad history. Also, a great blog.

• Eyewitness accounts to many events in history. Great resource for kids to supplement texts. Maybe use to compare how history is told by different resources?

Science:

• Why is Physics important? For one, it's how we get all those great rides at Great America.

• Learn the Periodic Table through Tetris.

Math:

• In addition to other things, Tutor-USA offers math tutorial videos.

• Need graph paper? Over 40 examples here.

• Fun math games at all different levels.

The Red Sox have taken a commanding lead in the wildcard. Still very concerned about their pitching, although Dice-K and Bucholtz have looked great lately. I am confident that Jay Cutler will bounce back and lead the Bears to victory this weekend. (Cutler and I are tight, I follow him on Twitter. Pretty sure we're on a first-name basis.)

Tunes to consider: Tiny Dancer, Elton John. (Great clip from the movie Almost Famous.) Get Back, Beatles and Bird Song, Jerry Garcia Band.

Legends of the Fall

Fall is upon us. So many great things are going on this time of year; the Bears are undefeated, the Red Sox are planning another playoff run, kids are smiling at school and my Saturdays are spent at football games watching my daughters cheer. (You know you're a dad of cheerleaders when you walk through your middle school cheer practice and you know all the cheers by heart. Some guys are busy this fall building things, or working on cars, or taking motorcycle rides. Me? Just doin' a few cheers in my head. I actually own my own pom poms. I own my own pom poms! I've really got to re-evaluate this whole "support your kids in all they do" notion.)

Ok, so maybe not everything about the fall is great, but man.........it's just an exciting time of year. By the way, Legends of the Fall is ranked number 8 on my all-time favorite movies list. Along with Roadhouse and Shawshank Redemption, it's one of the few movies I'll watch every single time it's on.

So.........an article review for all you crazy kids out there:

In the Classroom with Deirdra Grode
ASCD, Sept 2009
Education Update, Volume 51, No. 9.

Formative Assessments can create great opportunities for kids to reach high levels of achievement. Additionally, it's a great way to improve instruction. Benefits, according to Deirdra Grode:

• Frequent evaluation lets the teacher know when re-teaching is necessary.
• Frequent evaluation also projects areas of instruction that should be improved to increase student learning. This gives teachers immediate feedback as to what can be done differently next time.
• Surveys make for an excellent tool to gauge the needs and understanding of students. (Google docs!)
• Examples of formative assessment that can be used in the classroom: Ongoing testing, multiple draft submissions, student conferences, quick surveys, using individual white boards and writing workshops.

It's occurred to me recently how truly test-oriented we really are. And when I say we, I mean we. When my kids at home have a test, we make sure they study for it. We review with them before bed and the next morning over breakfast. But if they have a project that involves creating something? They are on their own and mommy and daddy take the night off. This is twisted, right? On this subject.....

Will Richardson weighs in during an August blog entry on the focus of schools. For instance, instead of asking our kids how their spelling test went when they get home (or kids in your class), consider asking your kids some of these questions:

• What did you make today that was meaningful?
• What did you learn about the world?
• Who are you working with?
• What surprised you?
• What did your teachers make with you?
• What did you teach others?
• What unanswered questions are you struggling with?
• How did you change the world in some small (or big) way?
• What’s something your teachers learned today?
• What did you share with the world?
• What do you want to know more about?
• What did you love about today?
• What made you laugh?

These are great questions to ask our kids. The last two may very well be the most important questions you can ask your kids or students. After all, harvesting passion and joy will lead our kids to happy lives.

Finally, the subject of social media and it's place in the world has been a hot topic of conversation. As stated many times in this blog, I have found social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter to be extremely useful when used properly. Whatever the possibilities are, its tough to ignore the influence of social media on our kids. The video below goes so far as to call our current era a revolution. Maybe John Lennon was right after all...



The Red Sox are holding steady at 3 games up in the wild card. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games. I'm still very concerned, for a team that had a ton of pitching depth, we are down to basically 3 starters. But hey, Billy Wagner can pitch every 3rd day for 1 inning, so we got that going for us, which is nice. Can't wait to see the Bears and Jay Cutler on the 13th.

Tunes worthy of your exploration: Chicken Fried, Zac Brown Band, California Stars, Wilco and one of my all-time favorites, Flowers on the Wall, The Statler Brothers. If you haven't heard this one in a while, call it up on youtube and enjoy.

Getting Caught Up

Is it geeky to get caught up on my reading while on vacation? In a quick poll conducted on Twitter, the answer is a resounding yes. My justification? It's relaxing and it comes after 14 straight hours of family time in the sun. So, here's what I've learned:

Wow. Want to understand the power of Twitter? It gave these people a vehicle to organize when all other sources were unavailable.

Awesome website, printfriendly, allows you to create a better document to print. You can cut stuff out, and it reduces the spaces. Check out the video tutorial, lasting 1 minute and 42 seconds.

If you are like me, constantly worrying about how your kids (either the ones you teach or the ones who drain your bank accounts) are going to find a job and support themselves, new jobs are on the horizon.

This one is more than a month old, but President Obama continues to think outside the box in terms of education. Two words: merit pay.

Terminate textbooks and go digital? The Govenator thinks it's worth checking out.

A teacher using twitter to vent a bit has set off a debate amongst journalists and educators. Is Twitter too much for educators? Does it violate privacy issues? Interesting debate.

Still wondering if Twitter and other social networks are a good thing? This editor tackles some tough questions with some great answers. Read the answer to the first question and tell me Twitter ain't great when used properly.

Songs to consider as I listen on the screened in porch of my parents condo in Sarasota, FL. Sittin on the Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding. Sundown, Gordon Lightfoot. In the Ghetto, Elvis. (Natalie Merchant also does a killer live version.)

Tim Wakefield keeps on truckin. At 43, he is among the lead leaders in wins. You gotta love Wake.

Until next time, here's wishing peace and happiness to all those who seek it.

Kindle, Twitter and Other Tidbits

My parents were worried that burning books would be the end of reading as we know it. They are boomers and have become convinced that all of Gutenbergs hard work would go up in the flames of every book burning. I don't have a lot of experience with it myself, my only recollection is Reverend Shaw Moore going crazy over a book buring in Footloose. (For you youngins who aren't familiar with Footloose, never fear, a remake with Zac Effron is in the works.)

So what the heck is a Kindle? It's an electronic book. Actually, it's far more than that. Not only can you read books on it, but you can purchase them directly from amazon and they will appear on your kindle in seconds. Imagine being in line, on a train, in the car etc. and ordering a book, only to start reading it in seconds. This is Kindle.

Kindle can be viewed as an extremely useful piece of techonology or it could be perceived to detrimental to books as we know them. Or, it could be both. We know reading has changed in the 21st century. In a must read article, Steven Johnson examines just how much devices like the Kindle (or Sony's version, the e-reader) will change reading forever. Consider books as digital devices:

• Parts of books will be available for purchase. Individual chapters.

• Discussion boards, blogs etc. will quote passages from books with links to the passage.

• We may enter an age where whole books aren't read in chronological order.

• Books will be read in sections; or, maybe just sections of books will be read.

• Days of writing notes to yourself or underlining key passages may be gone; replaced by computer-generated highlighting and keyboard-led notes.

As we approach the digital revolution, maintaing the balance between our virtual world and the real world will be important. This educator is worried about kindle replacing books, at least the good ones. It would be interesting to examine textbooks in this version however. In fact, see why many students desire online textbooks. Kindle could possibly handle this type of formatted text.

Micheal J. Miller, who provides outstanding work in his techie blog, Forward Thinking, loves the new Kindle. And many of you are sitting on the edge of your seats, begging for the answer to the question ringing in your head, yes folks...........you can get the Kindle on your iphone.

On a sad and shocking note, I did not make the list of top1oo educators on Twitter. All that campaigning and money spent on bribing the commission goes for naught. It's during times like this in which my wife is of great comfort to me. She reminds me that I'm "really not that bright" and to "get a grip loser." Can I just tell you how great it is to have the love of a good woman? Yeah, it feels great.

Some tunes to consider: (please keep in mind, just scored an XM radio and drove to Florida listening mostly to the 80s channel.) Our House, Madness. Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel. Burnin Down the House, Talking Heads. If your feeling really saucy, check out You Spend me Round, by Dead or Alive. And while your at it, check out Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi.

Red Sox vs. Yankees this year, 8-0. It just doesn't get any better than that. And I have to say this, but I say it with love and mean no disrespect to anyone; eat it yankee fans. Red Sox who must be in the all-star game: Kevin Youkalis, Dustin Pedroia, Jason Bay, Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon.

Until next time, here's wishing peace and happiness to all those who seek it.

Twitter or Tweet?

My youngest daughter has said twitter or tweet numerous times in her life. All in attempt to get a bag full of what she calls "the good stuff." Chocolate gold. Sweet satisfaction. Candy to the lay person. Of course, when she says twitter or tweet, she is trying to say trick or treat. Her speech teacher assures me she's doing better.

What is Twitter? How is it useful? How can educators use it? Can we use it as an instructional tool? Is it just a waste of time? All common questions; All fair questions. Let me enlighten you with an answer that should help everyone: I don't know. (Any flashbacks to Mr. Hand writing that on the board? That crazy Spicoli)

I use twitter and I have no idea if it's useful. Or if it can be used by educators. Or if it could be an instructional tool. Or if it's a waste of time. But, I am willing to explore these questions. (If you are a audio learner, you can scroll down to the bottom and watch/listen to Rich Voltz explain how twitter is used.)

What is it?

Here's the skinny of it: it's a social network where people can update (called a tweet) in 140 characters or less. (That's about 1 or 2 sentences.) This can be done from the website, twitter.com, or from your mobile phone. The update can be literally an update of (A) what someone is doing at the moment, or it can be (B) used as a sharing of information. Examples:

A. Going to Walmart to pick up toilet paper, then off to White Castle!

B. Worried that web 2.0 tools may create cheaters? "Unauthentic assessment will produce cheaters." Awesome blog! http://tinyurl.com/crce6g

Twitter is simple to use. Sign up for a free account and start searching for people to "follow." This can be done through twitter, although, you are more likely to find people through blogs you read, facebook, or friends you have. People can choose to follow you as well, although you have the option of blocking them. Updates will come to your webpage on twitter.com, or you can choose to have them go to your phone as a text message.

How is it useful?

The usefulness of twitter is still up for debate. See this article for each side of the argument.

The bottom line is Twitter is useful if you want it to be. For me personally, it's a complete waste of time for me to send or receive the "what are you doing right now" updates. For one, I am not that interested in what my friends are doing. And for two, my wife and kids could care less what I am doing, let alone anyone else. I'm not that interesting, and quite frankly, neither are any of my friends. However, I have personally found twitter to be useful as a professional development tool. More on that later. (That's what people in the media profession call a teaser. A hook, if you will. I know that will keep everyone reading. Who wouldn't want to know how twitter can be used as a professional development tool?)

How can educators use it?

Through conferences, articles I've read, or suggestions from other educators, I began following a few blogs this past fall. Upon learning about Twitter at a conference in January, I noticed that most all of the blogs I was following had a Twitter update on them. So I signed up for an account, then went to each of the blogs and simply clicked on the "follow" button. Booyah, I was following three prominent leaders in education. Each one sends a few tweets a day with a link or some helpful tool to use in education. Many of them have been helpful, some not. Users can organize their favorite tweets on Twitter by starring them, creating a favorites list. Or, if you are already using an RSS feed reader, you can have all your twitter updates forwarded to your reader where you can do the same thing.

I've gained valuable knowledge through Twitter. I've found valuable people to follow and those that weren't worth following, I simply deleted. Like most things in life, Twitter seems to give us whatever we put into it. It can be a very helpful tool. A suggestion if you're curious: find other people in your position to follow. If you're a teacher, find a few interesting blogs and follow them on twitter. Give it a shot. Decide for yourself.

Can we use it as an instructional tool?

Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know. But I know this: it's always good to seek the advice or your building administrators before attempting to do so. One of the blogs I follow is from a teacher in Maryland who uses technology in an effort to eliminate paper. (http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/) Beyond that, he offers some very interesting ideas for engaging students. Check out his blog and you will see him using Twitter for immediate, anonymous responses in class (research indicates that students who can anonymously respond in class will participate and be more engaged), collaborate on projects and even take Latin exams via Twitter. Is it proper to use Twitter for these instructional strategies? I don't know, but if it engages students and helps them learn, it's probably worth looking into.

Is it just a waste of time?

Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know. I think it will be different for each of us. I have found a groove in which Twitter is one of my top three resources for current information on education. A friend told me earlier today, "twitter sucks. It's a waste of time." It appears as if each of us will have to decide on our own.

For a quick tutorial on twitter, Rich Voltz put together this video. Rich is a retired superintendent in the state of Illinois who now leads educators in implementing Web 2.0 tools in schools. He's a tremendous resource for all educators.




For an interesting sound, check out the Black Keys doing Stack Shot Billy. This group is one guitar player and one drummer pounding out some power rock blues stuff.

My top three most awesome reasons for being a Red Sox fan: 3. Dustin Pedroia is 5'5 and the reigning MVP. 2. 2004 World Series title and 2007 World Series title. 1. Manny Ramirez is now on the Dodgers.

More on RSS Feed Readers

My original post to this under-achieving blog involved using RSS Feed Readers, such as Google Reader. Amazingly, I did not due justice to the significant contributions an RSS feed readers can make to our lives. I was young and naive, but don't fret. I am 36 days older now and clearly, far more experienced than when the original post was written. Here's my latest knowledge:

Star your favorites:

Here are some things I know: 1. I am not a strong reader. 2. I do not have an abundance of time. 3. I have 4 kids who suck the energy out of me on a minute-by-minute basis. 4. I am not that smart. 5. My weekly "honey-do" list resembles a dissertation. 6. My boss is very, very demanding and expects me to put in at least an 8 hour day (the nerve!).

So you get it. I don't have time, and even if I did, am I really smart enough to read all this? (Rhetorical question, please do not post or send responses to this question. I'm fragile.)

As I pointed out in the original post, a feed reader can change all of this. However, I'm not sure if I did an adequate job of explaining how. Well, here's how:

Once you've subscribed to your favorite blogs, news sources etc., you will be given brief abstracts of the articles or postings in your reader. You can breeze through these quickly. If it is not something of interest, keep moving. If it is something that strikes your fancy, click on the yellow star in the corner. This will store the post/article as a "favorite" for your viewing pleasure at a later date. So I do this daily, then on a Friday night (insert my wife calling me a loser here) after the kiddies are down and I have no energy to do anything physical, I get caught up on my starred items.

Tags:

How do we keep track of things we've starred and read in case we want to refer to them later? At the bottom of each post/article, in the right hand corner, you will see "add tags." Simply click on this and enter a key word for the article. You will then notice on the left-hand side, google reader has put all of the articles that you've "tagged" in a folder.

For example, my next post will be on twitter (please try to keep your composure). I tagged all of the posts/articles in my reader that were relevant with the keyword "twitter." I now have a folder with several resources for my next post, and for future reference.

My suggested song of the day is Gordon Lightfoot's Sundown. A 1974 classic, it's just good stuff. For another tremendous tune in a similar genre, check out Jim Croce's You Don't Mess Around With Jim.

The Red Sox swept the Yankees. That felt so good I'm gonna say it again. The Red Sox swept the Yankees. The Bulls have played in one of the best series in the history of the NBA. And I'll tell you what, no matter how game 7 goes, I'll still be very happy with the Bulls. That being said, if the Bulls lose game 7, I will be extremely angry with the Bulls.

Is There a Disturbring Correlation Between Teacher-Student Relationships and Sweet Caroline?

Promoting teacher-student relationships in schools seems to be the most obvious no-brainer in education. It's like playing Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline at a party; it's just a given. (Please allow me a side note here: why is every guy I know a closet Neil Diamond fan? Why do we deny ourselves the joy of being an out and out fan of one of the all-time musical greats? I would argue it's for one of two reasons: A) We are intimidated by the fact that every female over the age of 60 raves about his ravishing good looks, or B) We are threatened by anyone who has hair that looks that good at his age. Look, I'm not happy about liking him either. We'd all be a lot better off if he dressed like Jack Black and looked like Pauly from Sopranos. That way, he wouldn't be an icon among the ladies and we wouldn't have all these hair-envy issues. But the reality is that he dresses differently and has great hair. I say we get over these fears and succumb to Neil Diamond. Throw on a silver silk shirt, un-button the top 3 buttons, turn up the volume on Kentucky Woman and live!) But as I attend the birthday parties of my kids, I've begun to notice a pattern with Sweet Caroline; It's not being played. What's worse, because we've accepted it as the party-song for all occasions, we don't even notice that it's not being played. It's no longer on the party mixes. We're humming it, we're bouncing to it, but it's not being played and we aren't even noticing! Parties without Neil Diamond? A travesty to future generations!

Are we facing the same dilemma with teacher-student relationships? Are they such a given that they've been swept aside and we no longer notice their absence?

We've all heard what the research says about positive teacher-student relationships, or so I've been told. But have we? Do we really know how profoundly teacher-student relationships effect various aspects of the educational process? Because if we do, and we understand their importance, and we realize how much these relationships promote a positive learning experience, then it should be something we discuss at school on a regular basis.

Did you know.......

• Robert Marzano says that a strong teacher-student relationship is the number 1 deterrent of behavior problems in classrooms? Its the number 1 classroom management tool?



• There is abundant research that says positive teacher-student relationships is one of the top two things that "hook" at-risk students? (Along with teaching material they can relate to on a personal level.)



• The research on students who are bullied regularly, and who participate in bullying regularly, both say the best prevention measure for bullying in schools is teachers who know their students?



• The research strongly supports the connection between academic success and positive teacher-student relationships?
  

If you know me, then you know I often need things explained to me like I'm a 5-year old. So, for my benefit, here goes:

Teacher-Student Relationships:

1. increase student learning.


2. decrease behavior problems in the classroom.


3. decrease the amount of bullying in schools.


4. increase engagement for at-risk students.

Maybe it's time for us to put teacher-student relationships back into the daily conversation. Instead of just assuming it's on the play list, let's put it #1 on all of our party mixes. Let it serve as a reminder each day as we jam to our educational party mix just how important these relationships are to the success of our students. If we integrate it into all of our discussions, we can put the focus of importance back where it belongs, on the relationships between us and our students. And just like Sweet Caroline, we can rekindle a timeless classic. If you don't want to take my word for it, take a few minutes and listen to 10-year old Dalton Sherman:





For my song suggestion of the week..........wait for it.............that's right, Sweet Caroline by one Neil Diamond. (Bomp Bomp Bomm!). OK, so that was too easy. Another? Try A Little Less Conversation by the King. Play it loud.

The Red Sox have won 5 in a row. Can we just crown them right now? And the Bulls are up 1-0. And the Bears got Jay Cutler. It's a great time to be a die-hard Red Sox/Bulls/Bears fan. (Oh yeah, the Blackhawks are up 2-0, I became a die-hard Blackhawks fan yesterday in honor of my mentor, Leroy Lanes).

Balancing Two Literacies

My 6-year old daughter recently showed me a new way to navigate through one of her favorite websites. I told her she was smart and that she was much better with computers than I am. Her response, verbatim: "that's because you're old dad....and bald....and you have a huge forehead." I asked her if she wanted to kick my dog while she was at it, but she declined. Apparently her love for animals extends far beyond her love for her daddy.

My little angel's point is valid. I am old, and my educational experience is far different than the one she is about to endure. For one, students today have to deal with two literacies. One is of course the traditional literacy function that includes hard copy books, articles and newspapers. The other is a technological literacy function, one where blogs, articles, chat rooms etc. are read through the use of the Internet.

In the March 2009 issue of Educational Leadership, Joanne Rooney addresses this challenge in an article entitled Teaching Two Literacies. The following bullet points are a review of the article.

• Technology has revolutionized reading, possibly as profoundly as the invention of the printing press.
• The format for reading may have changed, but the ability to understand what is written is still at the core of reading.
• Schools are held accountable for teaching the traditional literacy as well as incorporating new technology into the learning environment.
• So the challenge becomes teaching both literacies.
• The author offers 3 mindsets in order to achieve teaching two literacies:

1. Continue to encourage students to read good books and effectively communicate through writing.
2. Redefine the term literacy, with less focus on textbooks.
3. Create a culture in school that is focused on reading, writing and thinking.

So how do we create a culture as described? Nine suggestions:

• Emphasize reading and writing school wide (poetry writing contests etc.)
• Create student blogs or chat rooms
• Create time and space for silent reading
• Encourage teachers to use web tools that "hook" students.
• Create book clubs for staff
• Encourage electronic journal keeping for students and staff
• Train or encourage teachers to read and write in both literacies
• Model both literacies
• Teach parents the importance of reading to or with their students.

This article provides good perspective on attempting to balance the new and traditional forms of literacy. The challenge of balancing the two is not going away. The sooner schools accept these two literacies as a reality for our students, the sooner we can start to find a proper balance in order to create the best possible learning opportunities for our students.

For a little pick me up, check out the tune Black Betty by Ram Jam. I have no idea what the song is about, but it's a catchy tune and it makes me want to play the air guitar while lip-synching. It's a great reminder that I could be a bodacious rock star if I only had musical ability.........or talent...............or could play an instrument.

The Red Sox are 1-1. At this current pace, they will finish 81-81. Luckily, they play the White Sox 7 times this year, so that's 7 wins in the bank. That should be enough to make the playoffs. Go Bosox!

Life Made Easier and More Interesting Through RSS Feeds

I've spent many an hour neglecting my wife and kids surfing the web for information based on my passions. There's never enough time in the day to catch up on all the happenings in Major League Baseball, or the many tremendous weblogs in the education world, or even the most recent news articles from my favorite newspapers.

Learning about RSS feeds changed all that for me. It was like the day I discovered DVR, or maybe the day I realized my gorgeous wife is right 99% of the time. Life with an RSS feed reader suddenly became easier; more manageable; less stressful.

Through Google Reader (one of the many free RSS feed readers,) I now have all of my daily readings organized on one single page. I can mark items that I want to read later, or just simply skim through the brief summaries on each item. I can keep up on important issues in education, follow my fantasy baseball players and read all about local and national news. All of this in a matter of 10-20 minutes.

For those of us that are educators, parents or both, time is never a luxury. Every moment is precious. Life with an RSS feed reader can allow us to stay current, continue our lifelong quest for learning, and still have time to hang with the family. As Alan November makes clear in many of his talks and writings, technology can help us eliminate the excuse of time and space.

If you are interested in setting up a feed reader, I would suggest Google Reader or Pageflakes, both free feed readers. Simply follow the set-up instructions and pick a few things to subscribe to. Once you feel more comfortable, start adding more subscriptions. There is an excellent tutorial to this and many other web tools in both Web Literacy for Educators by Alan November and Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms by Will Richardson. I would strongly recommend both of these books to any educator.

For a happier day, check out the song Flake by Jack Johnson.

For an even happier day, become a Red Sox fan.