Organic :)

Maybe it is because we work with such a fluid product?  Maybe because we only get about a third of the time to complete our part of the plan?  Whatever it is....it isn't easy :)   I have been thinking a lot lately about having my own children....and then I realized that I have 18-22 a year!!  This school year leads me to new challenges, new meaning for "work"....it also leads me to new opportunities, new friends and a chance to work with some of the biggest hearts and most brilliant minds on Earth :)..big and small!  Here is to teaching! and especially the class of 2022!!!!

What will we do when the dust settles?

With the elections coming up and hopefully the ousting of some terrible politicians...I am left with a question.  What are we going to do when everyone stops fighting, when the dust settles?  We will still have vastly underfunded schools, struggling students from all demographics and a large group of Americans who have lost confidence and respect for education.  I will admit that I have been going crazy since last spring.  Everything about my career has been debated, threatened, changed and even ridiculed.  This really pisses me off at times and early on I had an easy target, some call him governor, but not for much longer.  Now though as I trudge through my Master's Degree and step back into higher education and as I hear of more ways that my pay, benefits and even working conditions will undergo more changes....I am left with questions.....Is there anyone out there who is interested in fixing the problem and not just winning a battle?  Is there anyone out there who is more concerned with a solution and not just "being right"?  If so I hope they stand up and make themselves heard, start to make a difference and put an end to this ridiculous power tug-of-war!  In the meantime, I am going off the radar.....no more Republican or Democrat....no more Union or not.....I'm just going to teach, collaborate with my great team, work hard to finish my Master's, coach a great baseball team with some goods guys......and at the end of the day....say a little prayer that sometime soon we can get back to making sure that the kiddos are winning, no matter how their parents vote, what tax bracket their family is in, or even where they were born..... Seems simple, but at times I really feel like I am staring up the mountain.....  What do you think?

Nothing in Life is Free.....why not?

Since I stepped into the teaching profession about 3 years ago, everything has changed!  Job security.....gone, knowing what my pay will be.......gone, good benefits.......gone!  Now I do think some things were due to change and I never did enter this profession to make it rich, but lately every time I turn around the rules are changing.  My recent "beef" is with the fact that I may not be fully reimbursed on the salary schedule after earning my Master's degree. 
    I want to get my Master's degree to be a better teacher, so let's get that cleared up right away.  I am investing about $20,000 dollars (on top of the $50,000 for my undergrad)...so that I can be the best.  I won't settle for anything less and I will be surprised if someday I don't even chase down more education...who knows, Dr. Bonnar sounds pretty sweet!  The thing is that I really can't justify going more into debt, right now it is just too risky.  So that got me thinking even more about how screwed up this all is.
    Why do teachers even have to pay to become better educators?  Isn't that the most backward way of thinking ever?  Why do universities ask us to take their student teachers (who pay full tuition for little to no services while student teaching) and foster their growth as educators for free?  Then these same universities turn around and charge us an arm and a leg to take grad classes!  I am proposing a trade.  I will teach your student teachers and give them more than they probably ever got on campus, and you can give me some free credits while I work my way through your grad or doctorate program.  Seems fair to me!
  Don't even get me started on who else I think should maybe pony up some cash if they want the best educators around.  I will let your imagination do the work.  I am not asking for anything that I don't feel like I deserve or earn.  A lot of people want to complain about the lack of great teachers, well then maybe it is time for somebody to help step up and make us great.....or at least quit letting politics put us in a nasty game of financial roulette.
  I will complete my Master's either way because I think it is what I need to be the best teacher for 21st century learners......but in the meantime......I won't stop asking questions and I won't just wait my turn.
Kevin

31 Flavors and a Brain Freeze!

The rewrite is finished and with mom's help I think I finally may have nailed this paper, well it is as nailed as it is going to get.  I am still frustrated by the restrictive APA format though and I will gladly debate with anyone over whether it should ever be the only way new ideas and information are shared.  Now having said that, I do see my professor's point in having us use that style.  My title is referring to the good old Baskin Robin's 31 flavors of ice cream.  I think writing is like this, there are many ways to write, and to read as well.  I like the variety of reading different formats of text and crave analogies, metaphors and figurative/descriptive language.  That style gets my creativity going and helps me motivate, understand and appreciate writing.  The brain freeze part is referring to the way my first paper was critiqued.  Even a great flavor of ice cream shouldn't be crammed down one's throat...it will result in a brain freeze and maybe not liking that flavor too much.   So to make a long story short, I understand the requirements, my collective has helped me produce a piece of work that should do well on the rubric and I am just settled with the fact that there are different ways to teach and learn....they were very evident in this case :)  I'm putting the new paper on here so that anyone who is wondering what APA might need to look like or if I could actually do it.....here ya go!
Thanks for all the comments, suggestions and help on this.....this is what learning in the 21st century looks like :)
Kevin
PS..I still like the first one :)

Kevin Bonnar

Critique: A New Culture of Learning

March 10, 2012

            Thomas and Brown (2011) explained in A New Culture of Learning that we must change our current system and thinking from “the stable infrastructure of the twentieth century to a fluid infrastructure of the twenty-first century” (p. 17). The authors made many great suggestions on how to make this transition. First, they asserted the need to switch from an old model of teaching to a new model of learning. Their second assertion was that technology is fueling a rapid change in the amount and speed of information being shared in learning environments. The third assertion was that collectives should be used to foster learning in the 21^st century.

Thomas and Brown (2011), in arguing that education must let go of an outdated mechanistic view, wrote, “Learning is treated as a series of steps to be mastered, as if students were being taught how to operate a machine or even, in some cases, as if the students themselves were machines being programmed to accomplish tasks” (p. 35). Furthermore, Thomas and Brown contended that teachers are viewed as the “givers” of knowledge and students as empty buckets waiting patiently to be filled with information, thus inhibiting the growth of today’s students (2011, p. 39). The authors described how our view of schools must change: “If we change the vocabulary and consider schools as learning environments, however, it makes no sense to talk about them being broken because environments don’t break” (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 36).

I embrace Thomas and Brown’s theory of a learning environment that cannot be broken. If educator and student can learn together, then it is harder for any one entity to be held responsible for learning or for blame to be placed when goals are not achieved. Instead, the two are intertwined, learning side by side, with each benefiting from the relationship. The struggle going forward will be the need for educators to reevaluate traditional learning models and learn to provide more opportunities for collaboration and change. Douglas Thomas experienced this when he taught a course at the University of California in 2004. Although initially feeling that he had “lost control” of his learning environment, Thomas instead learned from his students:

They, however, had taught him a great deal about what the new culture of learning might look like and how powerful it can be when students see each other as resources and figure out how to learn from one another. (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 25)

            Thomas and Brown’s (2011) second assertion was that technology is changing the way learners can acquire new information. Tom, an example from the book, had been diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes. He was frustrated and scared by new challenges his body presented. He turned to the Internet for information, advice, and social support. Tom described how connecting technology with traditional doctor visits helped him learn: “You also learn from other people’s experiences. You find out what are the right questions to ask your doctor and you can learn how to tell a good doctor from a bad one” (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 30). In the past, it would have taken Tom months, if not years, to gather the information on his own with a traditional approach of reading textbooks to find answers. Furthermore, the social support that Tom received would have been restricted by time and geography (Rehm, 1999). With new technologies, Tom expanded his social network and accessed them when his needs arose.

            One factor for change in the way that we learn is the speed at which technology is being introduced. The Internet, arguably the most influential piece of current technology, shows us how fast our culture is being supplemented by technology. From 1997 to 2008, the proportion of homes with Internet access grew from 18% to 73% (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 41). The increase in Internet availability is astonishing when combined with the fact that current broadband Internet capabilities are up to 100 times faster then the dial-up service that most people used just 10 to 15 years ago (Woodford, 2011, p. 1). The vast amount of information so speedily available to students is changing everything about learning. Ken Robinson (2011) discussed the way that many educators are sometimes confused by 21^st-century learners: “Many educators suggest that some students may have ADHD and need to be slowed down in order to fit into the teacher’s self-contained, limited, and often slow-paced collective.” As an educator, I often try to go the other way—knock down the walls, open up the world, and match the pace of learning with each student’s needs. For example, I have provided online forums for my students to share different aspects of literature they are reading. This gives them a bigger audience to engage in discussion, as well as freedom to self-pace their own reading and discussions. Like Tom, my students are using technology to change the way we learn.

            The author’s final assertion was that collectives should be used to foster learning for 21^st-century learners. Thomas and Brown (2011) define the collective as “a collection of people, skills, and talent that produces a result greater then the sum of its parts” (p. 52). I interpret this as a classic case of power in numbers and using teamwork to reach a goal or answer a question.

An example of one such collective was a study group created by Chris Avenir in 2008 at Ryerson University (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 68). The 146 students in the online group helped one another solve individual chemistry problems. The university charged Avenir with 147 counts of academic misconduct; all charges were later dropped (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 69). That charges were even pressed against Avenir illustrates how many of the cultural changes in education that Thomas and Brown discussed are often misinterpreted or challenged. I don’t think many teachers would argue against student teamwork in learning or in sharing resources, but students are now also collaborating in different ways. Avenir described how his group used the online collective:

So we would each be given chemistry questions and say: “Does anyone get how to do this one? I didn’t get it right and I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.” Exactly what we would say to each other if we were sitting in the Dungeon. (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 70)

I am glad that Avenir was cleared because I would consider his conviction a huge setback for education. I often try to find opportunities for students to learn as a collective. They can learn a lot more by collectively looking at a variety of problems than by approaching learning all by themselves.  

            Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence” (Clark, 2011). Questioning is the foundation of my own ideal culture for 21^st-century learning. Tony Wagner (2010) explained the importance of asking students great questions:

I have consistently found that the kinds of questions students are asked and the extent to which a teacher challenges students to explain their thinking or expand their answers are reliable indicators of the level of intellectual rigor in a class. (p. 53).

Everyone involved must feel safe asking questions, supported and engaged in finding answers, and—most important—motivated to never stop finding new ways to chase down new answers. The kicker is that those answers will have to be questioned in order for this new culture to work and keep up with new information and new work by collectives.

           

References

Clark, R. (2011). Einstein: The life and times. (Electronic ed.). London: Bloomsbury Publishing. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=6IKVA0lY6MAC

Rehm, M. L. (1999). The internet as a practical problem: Empowerment in the electronic global village. Kappa Omicron Nu Forum: Technology, 11(1). Retrieved from http://www.kon.org/archives/forum/11-1/rehm.html

Robinson, K. (Producer). (2011). Our school system is broken! [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://ahrengot.com/opinions/our-school-system-is-broken/

Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.

Wagner, T. (2010). The global achievement gap: Why even our best schools don't teach the new survival skills our children need and what we can do about it. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Woodford, C. (2011, October 31). How broadband internet works. Explain That Stuff. Retrieved from http://www.explainthatstuff.com/howbroadbandworks.html

The Global Achievement Gap-chp4

Reinventing the Education Profession-
I have to be honest, I felt like this chapter was very dated and a little close minded.  Wagner talks about how we need to do a lot of things that many schools in this area are already doing.  We have PLCs in place and the requirements for keeping your teaching license up to date in Wisconsin have a built in Professional Development Plan component.  I was also disappointed to see that Wagner had left education after 12 years of teaching and administrating.  Call me old fashion but I really respect people who stick with what they start, persevere through the tough times.  My brothers are great examples of this.  Neither has a college degree, but both are at the top of their field.  One who had a passion for writing and politics and now runs a newspaper that he started writing sports for part-time.  The other who was sweeping floors and fetching tools at a hydraulic shop is now running those hydraulic shops all over the country from the Mississippi to the Pacific.  Both started small, hit huge bumps in the road, but always stuck with what they loved and fought their way to the top!
     I did appreciate Wagner's comment, "Why can't administrators evaluate teachers more like in the business world?"(pg132).  I can argue both sides of this statement.  I would say that for the most part teachers are not evaluated, if they are it is early in their careers when things are fresh and motivation is high.  As the teacher progresses many times they are left on an island and administration does not do a good job of evaluating them.  I also think it is difficult to evaluate teachers the same way that someone is evaluated in the business world.  Our product is constantly changing and many of the checklist evaluations, with profit criteria that are used in the business world just don't account for the human nature of our job.  I don't think the system of evaluation in schools is broken, it may just be the fidelity and follow through that needs the work.
    A couple of weeks ago I was asked to speak to future teachers at one of the local universities.  I remember telling them that one of the main factors for my success as a new teacher was that I had stepped outside the world of academia for some time.  Wagner touches on this too, "The major problem in education is the adults, not the students.  They came through the system, and they were successful....It's all they know"(pg144).  In my short experience I have found that when my team and I think more like parents, community members and those outside looking in we are often far more successful with the things we do.  If all you have done since you were 4 years old is be a student and then a teacher.....well, I feel strongly that you are going to have a real hard time being a change agent in education.  The limited environments and experiences will leave you with limited inspiration and ideas for thinking forward.  This is not always the case, but I think the majority of the time this holds true.
  As I said before the rest of the chapter seems to discuss a lot of things that were, or are now in place in schools.  I will save what some of the problems of these new collaboration plans and professional development requirements have for a future post.
Kevin

Why one audience?

After my latest experience with my first submitted "paper" in more then 3 years I am left with quite a few questions:
Why are we still submitting papers to one professor? 
My last paper was blatantly misunderstood and I got pretty fired up over it.  After further communications with classmates and looking over the work they submitted and how it was grade…well,let’s just say I was really, really, really worked up.  I am still not sure exactly what happened when my paper hit this professor’s table, but I can assure you that it was completely misunderstood.  He continually questioned figurative language and metaphors, instead of letting them in and engaging in the thinking that they were written to inspire.  I felt as if the piece was an opinion paper and since we had read the same book, I thought maybe I could get creative with my ideas.  Instead I found out that he would like me to rewrite the book we both read and make sure to nod or shake my head in an average high school layout style of writing.  I am proud of the paper submitted and the intent of provoking deep thought that drove it.
Why are we still submitting papers?
If you are reading this blog then you are willing to engage in a real 21^stcentury learning activity.  I really struggle with finding the time to ever become a topnotch editor like my mother.  I love letting the words flow and it frustrates me to revise and edit with the skill that my mom pulls off.  She is very good!  I also find it very tedious and restricting to cite sources.  I would much rather add a link to my paper and have people explore the same sources I have on my own.  I understand the need to use the sources and I also understand the need to communicate those sources.  But what is the point of such stringent and anal formats?  Sure, twenty years ago we really had to spend a lot of time and energy tracking down information.  An extremely defined road map that clogs up any paper would have been necessary to locate such sources and the information they contain.  Now I feel like the speed and availability of information allow us some freedom on this matter.  Why is my writing being critiqued on whether I have a comma in place or if I don’t put the year a text was created twice in the same paragraph?  Bottom line, I would much rather engage with a professor in a discussion and actually have to create some organic conversation and debate on a topic than submit the usual 3-5, 1,000-word mummy wrapped APA paper!
Well, I am off to pursue the tedious task of funneling my ideas through the black hole described above so that I can get a cookie or something from one man, one set of ideas, and one more person that I will strive to chase out of education with my students of the future!  I am copying the first draft of this paper on the bottom of this post.  I will post later with my version for an audience of one.
Kevin
Disclaimer:  All of the above comments are my opinion and not directly aimed at any one person or institute of learning.  Love you mom :)

Kevin

              A New Culture of Learning

                   February 29, 2012

            As a young teacher starting my career during tumultuous political and financial times for education, it is very frustrating to hear negative comments about teachers, schools, and learning in general. Society is great at ranting about how broken our system is, how much money and time are wasted, and how we are constantly failing the future minds of the future (Robinson). I am introduced to district-wide “fixes” for our broken schools all the time at meetings. A new science kit, Response to Intervention, or new books are all sold as the solution. At these same meetings, experienced educators often scoff at recycled ideas and trendy ways to patch up broken methods. Their bookshelves are lined with quick fixes, most collecting dust or never opened. Educators at all levels understand that something needs to be done, and all involved want what is best for their students. The roadblock is that we keep trying to reinvent the wheel when we should be learning how to fly the jet. Thomas and Brown explain in A New Culture of Learning that we must change our current system and thinking from “the stable infrastructure of the twentieth century to a fluid infrastructure of the twenty-first century” (2011,p. 17). The authors make many great suggestions on how to get this done. Three of these are that a new culture of learning exists today, that we must learn to embrace change, and that technology greatly fuels this change. I agree with these assertions and think that the future really starts with forgetting the past.

Arguments against current educational systems are easily made as society continues to view schools as a “place” to send students and from where they will all walk away with a very standard set of knowledge. Furthermore, teachers are viewed as the“givers” of knowledge and students as empty buckets waiting patiently to be filled with information. Thomas and Brown describe this as the mechanistic view of education and address the issue of “broken” schools in a very creative way:“If we change the vocabulary and consider schools as learning environments,however, it makes no sense to talk about them being broken because environments don’t break” (2011, p. 36).  I really embrace Thomas and Brown’s theory of a learning environment not able to be broken. I refuse to see anything “broken” about what goes on in my classroom today with my 21^st-century learners. This is because I find the mechanistic view of education to be exhausting and a real burden on my student’s learning. I cannot give them all the answers, and no standardized test I have ever seen can measure my students’ actual academic growth.  Our desks are not set in rows, the chalkboard does not hold all the answers, and my students challenge me as much, if not more, than I do them. This all allows us to grow out of the traditional transfer of information and into a new culture of learning.

            To fully transform the way that we feel and think about education, we must first embrace this cultural change. I question whether we are truly embracing a learning-based model of education while we still skill, drill, and test our students. Thomas and Brown quote Haraclitus to create an analogy for change: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man” (2011, p. 39). This quotation really makes me think about how each and every student must experience learning. Are we really doing all we canto meet our students needs, to find out what our students are learning? Or, are we just leading them to the river, having them all wade through the water, and then just checking to make sure their feet are wet? I fear that traditional grade-restricted curriculum, universal benchmarks instead of growth models, and standardized testing are forcing us to do just that. The basic fact that we still funnel students into grade levels based on age and age alone is one sign of how stringent and outdated the system is (Robinson). I would much rather have my students pick their own body of water and invite me to play in that environment with them. The river water may be too murky, shallow, or deep and some students just don’t like wet feet. Other students may not want to walk through the river, but instead dunk their head or jump over the whole thing.Perhaps a nice sail around the bay is the learning experience we need. I think a key component to embracing this change and transforming into a learning model is technology.

            One influential factor for a change in educational philosophy is the speed at which technology is being introduced in our world. The Internet, maybe the most influential piece of current technology, shows us how fast our culture is being supplemented by technology. From 1997 to 2008, the number of homes with Internet access grew from 18% to 73% (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 41). The increase in internet availability is astonishing when combined with the fact that current broadband Internet capabilities are up to 100 times faster then the dial-up service that most used just 10 to 15 years ago (Woodford, 2011, p.1). This vast amount of information available to students, combined with the speed at which it can be accessed, is changing everything about learning. The Internet creates a vast web of collaboration and knowledge that Thomas and Brown call the collective. The key to educating 21^st-centurylearners is finding a way to support individual learners as they play and imagine in various collectives. Instead, many educators suggest that some students may have ADHD and need to be slowed down in order to fit into the teacher’s self-contained, limited, and often slow-paced collective (Robinson). As an educator, I often try to go the other way, to knock the walls down, open up the world, and match the pace of learning with the needs of each student.

I strive to learn every day how to provide for the students who build my learning community. It is foolish to think that I have all the answers, but I am continually searching for them. It would be just as foolish for me to think that finding those answers will lead to a rest stop or a stopping point. The answers will not last long—my students’ curiosity and desire to “play” in the world around them will ensure that.

The poster boy for learning, Mr. Albert Einstein, once said, “The important thing is to not stop questioning.” My ideal culture for 21^st-century learning is based on one thing and that is questioning. Everyone involved must feel safe asking questions, supported and engaged in finding answers, and—most importantly—motivated to never stop finding new ways to chase down new answers.The kicker is that those answers will have to be questioned in order for this new culture to work. Ideally, this creates a culture of learning that has no end and an environment in which we can all play and imagine for eternity.

           

References

Robinson,K. (Producer). (n.d.). Our school system is broken! [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://ahrengot.com/opinions/our-school-system-is-broken/

Thomas,D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change.Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.

Woodford,C. (2011, October 31). How broadband Internet works. Retrieved from http://www.explainthatstuff.com/howbroadbandworks.html

The Global Achievement Gap-chp3

Well, this book is answering questions left and right.  The only problem is that for every answer ten more questions pop up!  This chapter was about assessments, always a hot topic for educators at all levels.  I argue that tests are often driven by politics and money, Wagner agrees on this point with me.  However, I feel like he starts to become part of the problem too.  By the end of the chapter we are all pointing fingers at each other again.  He really leads us towards some solutions, but then finishes with this "But, do we have the political will".  Now I say this is part of the problem because he often references NCLB as the fatal blow that derailed many of the new tests that were being developed in the 90s and he references "confronting academic and fiscal conservatives".  It becomes very clear what side of the aisle Mr. Wagner is on.  That is the main problem here, the fact that we have to be on one side of the aisle or the other.  As long as this is the case education will continue to get beaten up in the middle.  I live in a state where Scott Walker has proudly stood on one side and done nothing but damage public education, all over $.  I also live in a country where President Obama has done absolutely nothing to improve education, in fact he seems to have completely ignored it for the last 4 years.  You are right Mr. Wagner, the politics and financing of testing are the root of the problem.  My question is, will people check egos and step out of the past, put their pointed fingers away and ever change that?

Now I have to step off the soapbox and also question colleges.  What are the standards for students to be "college ready"?  I also had plenty of college courses that did not challenge my learning of the 7 skills and their exams were all about recall of facts, cookie cutter papers, etc....  I also question the financial gains of remedial courses at the college level.  Students still pay hefty tuition prices for those classes, don't they?  Don't get me started on the price of college in general......all I'm going to say is maybe some of that money should funnel back into K-12 and proper assessments at those levels.  I don't think colleges should get a free pass in this discussion.
Kevin

The Global Achievement Gap-chp2

In this chapter Wagner addresses the way that our current schools are stuck in the past.  Most everyone involved in education today has great intentions and is always striving to move in the "right" direction.  New reforms and methods are always being put in place to ensure higher learning for all,  but what Wagner sees during his learning walks tells us a different story. 
I am skeptical of some of the conclusions that Wagner draws from his ten minute visits to classrooms.  I find it impossible to get a good idea of what is going on in a classroom from a 10 minute visit.  I think it is just too short an amount of time.  I was also disappointed that Wagner did not follow up with the teachers that he observed to find out what they thought was going on in their classrooms.
I am left with a question of why military schools are achieving higher on tests?  Wagner shared these statistics, but never explained further.  His findings on his learning walks did not seem to create that higher achievement, so what did?  I am beginning to wonder if schools are not the only factor in a learner's success or failure.  If a cake tastes really gross, shouldn't we question all the ingredients?  Seems like sometimes we just take the easy target of schools and especially teachers sometimes.  I think there are a lot more factors in whether or not a child learns.  Most children spend the first 4 years of their life outside of schools, should we begin there?  What about the 3 months over a summer break, is that the problem?

The Global Achievement Gap-chp 1

After reading chapter one I am pretty excited to keep reading! Wagner outlines the Seven Survival Skills for future generations.  I agree with all seven and can proudly say that I foster many in my learning environments.  I do have some questions on how to better provide learning experiences for my young students for some of the skills.  When I really think about them I am surprised at how they can be encouraged across all areas of learning!  Here are the seven skills:
1. Critical thinking and problem solving
2. Collaboration across networks and leading by influence
3. Agility and adaptability
4. Initiative and entrepreneurialism
5. Effective oral and written communication
6. Accessing and analyzing information
7. Curiosity and imagination
Naturally we will all see some of our favorites in there.  Mine being number 7 and number 5!  What do you think?  Are these essential for the future of education, business, life?  How have you seen these skills shine or have you noticed areas of deficit?  Time to share folks :)
Kevin

The Global Achievement Gap Project

I am reading a book for my next class called The Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner.  My initial feelings toward this book are "shame on you Wagner!".  I am so proud to be an American and an educator that I always jump to the defensive when I hear about how our country is falling behind and education is a big reason why.  I read the introduction and it does make sense.  I disagree with some of the statistics and would challenge that the numbers cited do not always tell the whole story.  The fact that Wagner explains he will not just finger point, but offer up solutions, is what has me turning to chapter 1.  I hope to get some discussion going to here about the book, education, and life in general :).  So if you are interested in problem solving, critical thinking, looking towards the future or just arguing with me please join in!!
Thanks,
Kevin

Our school system is broken!

Great video on education and what is "broke".  http://ahrengot.com/opinions/our-school-system-is-broken/

Too much Google?!?

Is Google out of control?  We have intertwined ourselves with a private company in various ways in our life.  We used to pay for a stamp and mail something, but the post office wasn't concerned with profit.  We used to go to public libraries and check out books, learn.... but there was no profit off our 5-cent late fees.  When we used to take our pictures in and have them developed, we really only had to worry about a handful of people seeing those images.... now it may be millions.  Google knows where we live (Google maps), what we buy (Google everything), whom we talk to (Gmail), what we think (blogger), even what makes us smile or think (YouTube).  Our phones, computers, gaming systems, cars and music all have ties to Google. 

Now that you are all worked up…is this such a bad thing?  Or should we be sending thank you cards?

Check out my website and let me know what you think.  It is still growing and I may have to break away from the district offered support to really create the website that I am visioning.  There are some great resources linked under Resources for Learning.

Similar vs Congruent

Similar vs Congruent-- Had a great question from one of my kiddos on Friday.  Are all congruent shapes similar?  The class was pretty split on this one.  I told him I thought yes, but we are still debating.  Does a shape have to be a different size to be similar?  Or can shapes that are the same size be similar?  We would love any input on this :)

Thanks