Option II at NJ High Schools

One of the other changes proposed by the state for HS re-design is "Option II".

Read about one district's approach to it here.

Also, for those of you who want to read about New Jersey's plans for High School Redesign, you can read more and get the powerpoint here.

A Vision of Students Today

This video was made by undergraduates from Kansas State University. Though this issue is primarily college,it does resonate with our college-prep high school as well.

The problem is identified. What is the solution?

Elementary Curriculum

For those of you who wanted to see the results from the "Elementary Curriculum Slam" with a little more detail, here are the survey results. (Note this survey was done using the montclair surveys system. As students, you have FREE access to it to use at http://surveys.montclair.edu All you need is your NET ID. It is great for ongoing assessment and class feedback. All you need is an internet connection.

"Does it impel some action?"

I am fortunate to work with some very talented people. One of them is C.R. Williams, the principal of Lincoln School. Besides being one of the best "data hounds", he knows more about art history than anyone I've met. What I like best about C.R. is his writing. He has a narrative style that engages the audience and tells a story to make a strong point without seeming preachy. Each month he publishes his school newsletter. This month's column in below. It is certainly worth a read.

Along with other members of the district faculty, I am taking a graduate course, “Teaching the Holocaust” offered for free by Kean University at JCHS.

While I’m gaining a better understanding of the chronology of the 1930’s and 40’s in Europe, what I’m really trying hard to wrap my mind around is “How?” How could a well educated population not stand up to bigots? How could the nation that produced the most famous philosophers of the early twentieth century not defend their neighbors, the people who they have known their entire lives, the very people who lived next door? How could a technologically advanced nation become an abomination?

One quote that has particularly seized my mind is from Hiam Ginott, the teacher, child psychiatrist and psychologist, who wrote in Teacher and Child: “I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no man should witness. Gas chambers built by learned engineers. Children poisoned by educated physicians…So I am suspicious of education. My request is: help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters…Reading, writing and arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more humane.”

I hope we teach reading so that our children can do more than read a technical manual. I hope that our aim is to have them scrutinize fiction and non-fiction seeking the truths that a works contains. I hope that reading becomes a way to expand the world and to fully embrace the people in it. It seems pointless to me to teach mathematics only to count populations or track money. I want every child to grow into a citizen who can understand statistics enough to analyze what numbers indicate; to understand that social policy decisions made from numbers have moral implications.

Social studies and science are disciplines to frame the world. Our children need to approach them with both knowledge and a critical framework. We who teach need to encourage our students to ask questions. They need to discuss implication, point-of-view and frame-of-reference. One wonderful teacher of mine at Penn State used to ask me, “So what?” What she was implying was: So now you know all of this. What does it mean? Does it impel some action?

Knowledge is neutral. This year I hope to help children to ask questions about what they know and what should be done with this knowledge. We probably all know the American philosopher, George Santayana’s words, but they bear repeating: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” There are some pasts too horrible to repeat and only education that encourages questioning will prevent that repetition.

Photo Credit: http://www.stanford.edu/~jrdx/PICS/drop_jet_cropped.jpg
Also posted on http://plethoratech.blogspot.com

Class Location Reminder

Reminder that Class on Thursday October 25 will be in Room 1120 of the ADP Center on the 1st Floor of University Hall, closest to the Parking Deck.

A Nation of Wimps

A great article from Psychology Today that was sent to me called A Nation of Wimps.

After reading it, what ramifications do you think this may have, if any, for curriculum?

Article: Generation Q

For those who think that Friedman only supports Technology in schools, give this a read ofr a divergent view. Reactions are encouraged.


October 10, 2007

Op-Ed Columnist

Generation Q

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

I just spent the past week visiting several colleges — Auburn, the University of Mississippi, Lake Forest and Williams — and I can report that the more I am around this generation of college students, the more I am both baffled and impressed.

I am impressed because they are so much more optimistic and idealistic than they should be. I am baffled because they are so much less radical and politically engaged than they need to be.

One of the things I feared most after 9/11 — that my daughters would not be able to travel the world with the same carefree attitude my wife and I did at their age — has not come to pass.

Whether it was at Ole Miss or Williams or my alma mater, Brandeis, college students today are not only going abroad to study in record numbers, but they are also going abroad to build homes for the poor in El Salvador in record numbers or volunteering at AIDS clinics in record numbers. Not only has terrorism not deterred them from traveling, they are rolling up their sleeves and diving in deeper than ever.

The Iraq war may be a mess, but I noticed at Auburn and Ole Miss more than a few young men and women proudly wearing their R.O.T.C. uniforms. Many of those not going abroad have channeled their national service impulses into increasingly popular programs at home like “Teach for America,” which has become to this generation what the Peace Corps was to mine.

It’s for all these reasons that I’ve been calling them “Generation Q” — the Quiet Americans, in the best sense of that term, quietly pursuing their idealism, at home and abroad.

But Generation Q may be too quiet, too online, for its own good, and for the country’s own good. When I think of the huge budget deficit, Social Security deficit and ecological deficit that our generation is leaving this generation, if they are not spitting mad, well, then they’re just not paying attention. And we’ll just keep piling it on them.

There is a good chance that members of Generation Q will spend their entire adult lives digging out from the deficits that we — the “Greediest Generation,” epitomized by George W. Bush — are leaving them.

When I was visiting my daughter at her college, she asked me about a terrifying story that ran in this newspaper on Oct. 2, reporting that the Arctic ice cap was melting “to an extent unparalleled in a century or more” — and that the entire Arctic system appears to be “heading toward a new, more watery state” likely triggered by “human-caused global warming.”

“What happened to that Arctic story, Dad?” my daughter asked me. How could the news media just report one day that the Arctic ice was melting far faster than any models predicted “and then the story just disappeared?” Why weren’t any of the candidates talking about it? Didn’t they understand: this has become the big issue on campuses?

No, they don’t seem to understand. They seem to be too busy raising money or buying votes with subsidies for ethanol farmers in Iowa. The candidates could actually use a good kick in the pants on this point. But where is it going to come from?

Generation Q would be doing itself a favor, and America a favor, if it demanded from every candidate who comes on campus answers to three questions: What is your plan for mitigating climate change? What is your plan for reforming Social Security? What is your plan for dealing with the deficit — so we all won’t be working for China in 20 years?

America needs a jolt of the idealism, activism and outrage (it must be in there) of Generation Q. That’s what twentysomethings are for — to light a fire under the country. But they can’t e-mail it in, and an online petition or a mouse click for carbon neutrality won’t cut it. They have to get organized in a way that will force politicians to pay attention rather than just patronize them.

Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy didn’t change the world by asking people to join their Facebook crusades or to download their platforms. Activism can only be uploaded, the old-fashioned way — by young voters speaking truth to power, face to face, in big numbers, on campuses or the Washington Mall. Virtual politics is just that — virtual.

Maybe that’s why what impressed me most on my brief college swing was actually a statue — the life-size statue of James Meredith at the University of Mississippi. Meredith was the first African-American to be admitted to Ole Miss in 1962. The Meredith bronze is posed as if he is striding toward a tall limestone archway, re-enacting his fateful step onto the then-segregated campus — defying a violent, angry mob and protected by the National Guard.

Above the archway, carved into the stone, is the word “Courage.” That is what real activism looks like. There is no substitute.

Voicethread

Many of you made your movies with Powerpoint and some tried Photostory 3. A new site just launched that makes making movies a snap: www.voicethread.com

Check it out-- as educators you can get the pro version for free!

30 Days for Success?

We have the now non-existent nation of Prussia to thank for compulsory school. In the mid- to late 1800's, the Prussian government mandated that all students will attend school for a period of time. (About 120 days back then.)

Around 1880 or so, several states in the United States began requiring children to go to school. Initially set around the harvest season, the school year was give or take about 130 to 140 days, depending upon local schedules, size of the school, and other factors.

The latter half of the 20th century saw the "standard" of 180 days of school. Still following the agrarian model set up by our forefathers and mothers, most school districts start in August and September and end in May or June.

The country of Japan currently has a year round school model with 240-250 school days as the norm, including half days on Saturdays. (Source)

Thinking back to my 180 Days post and movie from last year, a colleague and I got to thinking: instead of year-round school, what if we had (for lack of a better term) the "30 days of success".

Teachers would get a full month to plan their 30 absolute best lessons they could for their subject or grade. We're talking 110% take-no-prisoners no-holds-barred slam dunk effective lessons. You know, the kind you'd want to pull off every time you are observed or if you were on camera. During this 30 day time of extended prep, teachers could collaborate, find resources, learn new tools, design learning experiences...essentially have the time that always seems so elusive. Then comes the 30 days of success. High powered teaching. It might be hard to keep up intensity for 180 days. But 30 days, no problem. (During those 30 days by the way, there are no other commitments. No sports, co-curriculars, extra-curriculars, social events, pep rallies, picture days, or assemblies.) The next two weeks after the 30 days are standardized tests. (I didn't say NCLB was going away). But, with the 30 days, students are ready because after all, this was the best 30 days they've had yet.

Then, that's it.

Kids still come to school before and after the 30 days. Instead of classes, school is used for the socialization that is the other purpose of school. Physical education, independent learning, distance learning, technology, sports, music, art, dances, pep rallies, school spirit, class parties, silent reading, etc.

I'm missing a lot of specifics I know, but in concept, would 30 days of intensive best lessons beat 180 days of Compulsory School?

The Star Spangled Banner

A was out walking his dog and came upon a friend. His friend said "Hey, nice dog!"

The dog owner replied, "I taught him how to sing the Star Spangled Banner."

The friend says "Really? That's incredible. Ok Fido, sing!"

The dog just stared at him.

The friend tried again. "Fido, sing!"

Again, the dog just stared.

The friend, now disapointed said "I thought you said you taught the dog to sing the Star Spangled Banner?"

The owner replied, "I said I taught him. I didn't say he learned it."





Any connection to curriculums and CCCS here?

How do you subscribe to blogs so I can read them using an "aggregator" instead of clicking each one individually?

An aggregator is a place you can manage all your blogs with ease. It updates whenever any blog you subscribe to has a new post. It downloads the new content into "My Feeds" so that, at your convenience, you can read all your new posts, if you keep a constant internet connection. The updates are downloaded as linkable headlines. It saves a lot of time, in that you don't spend all your time visiting each blog's net address individually.

The service relies on an RSS feed, which is an XML file delivered directly to Google Reader or Bloglines. You really don't have to know any of this, but if you're interested, you can learn more about RSS by googling "rss wiki" or "bloglines."

If you don't really want to know about all the technical junk, but do want to speed up your blog reading, I've condensed the experience for you.

Step 1: Set up a Google Account if you haven’t already at www.google.com

Step 2: Create your “iGoogle” at http://www.google.com/ig On iGoogle, you can customize your personal Google Homepage. You can add things like news, weather, and a Google Reader Page by clicking “Add stuff” in the upper right corner once you signed in with your Google account.

Step 3: In the “Add Stuff Window” type “Google Reader”

Step 4: Click the “add it now” button.

Step 5: Go back to your iGoogle page. (www.google.com/ig)

Step 6: Click on your new Google Reader tab.

Step 7: On the left hand column, there is an “add subscription” link. Click it and type in the blog or podcast you wish to subscribe to. (For example, if you wanted to subscribe to this blog, you’d type http://stratsforcurriculumchange.blogspot.com

Step 8: Add blogs or podcasts that interest you and they will appear in Google Reader as they update on your iGoogle!

(Note: Other aggregators (sites that use RSS feeds to collect blogs include www.bloglines.com. Bloglines.com is a place you can manage all your blogs with ease.)

Step 1:

Register at www.bloglines.com

-You'll create a user name and password. The software you download will put the bloglines reader in your taskbar, and a red dot on it will signify new posts.

Step 2:

Pick your blogs

(See below)

Step 3:

Read your blogs

-This part is easy too. The service will notify you when your blogs have new posts. Upon opening the software, you can view all your feeds' newest posts. In fact, you can choose to clip the posts if they are really good or even post them to your bloglines blog.

In addition, you can use Google Reader or Bloglines to capture podcasts so you can download them to my mp3 player and listen to them wherever you go (car, gym, park, walking around the house, etc.). There is some really neat free audio out there. You can find anything from sermons, to free Spanish classes, to comedy shows, and political commentary.

Quote for Leaders

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you
~ Max DePree, in The Art of Leadership

I think this sums up for me what a forward-thinking change-agent school administrator should be. A few years ago, I had an Assistant Superintendent who had the words "TTWWADI" on her bulletin board with a line through it. I asked her what it meant and she told me it meant "That's the way we've always done it." She felt that if schools and their leaders continue to do what is comfortable and they've always done, the results will always be the same. That may be fine if you like your results, but I know very few schools where that is the case. The leader instead should define the way they will do it in the future, based on the needs of the students, teachers, community, and the future.

The second is an often-overlooked piece. I sometimes find that thank you's from leaders are either blanketed- given to everyone without personalization (i.e. "thank you all for coming") or not given at all. As education is about socialization and relationships, remembering to say thank you to individuals (and mean it!) is important.

What do you think qualities of a forward-thinking change-agent school administrator should be?


Photo credit: http:..www.posters.net

Chalk, Textbook, Mobile Phone?

Many of the people in class seemed to appreciate Marc Prensky's concepts of ways to engage (and perhaps challenge) kids and shake the concept of school. Where people ran into trouble was the practical side of things. That is the luxury of being a theorist; you can theorize and let the administrators worry about how to actually implement it.

In my opinion however, to be an effective administrator, you need to be an effective manager, educational leader, and change agent. Being a manager is easiest part (not in task, but in knowing what needs to be done). Being an educational leader is easier in task, but hardest to find the time to do so.) Being a change agent is the most difficult, because it requires you to see what isn't there in order to see what needs to be there, even if you don't know what "it" is?

Here is an example. Most schools, as per state law, ban cell phones for students. (New York City had a big deal about this last year.) A manager understands that for distractions, safety reasons, gangs, drugs, etc that this is a good idea. The educational leader may know that phones have some good uses, like texting 466453 to do a cell phone google search but doesn't have the time or backing to figure out a way to balance effective use of the phone with the safety and distraction concerns. The change agent needs to think beyond what is. Like reading another Prensky article, Mobile Phone Imagination.

In your experiences, have you seen many managers? Educational Leaders? Change Agents? Why is that?

What do you think of the cell phone idea?

How do you like the blogs so far?