tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45327308093189068862024-02-07T12:32:58.900-08:00Wear the CapeSometimes it's not enough to be the super teacher. Sometimes you gotta wear the cape.Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.comBlogger278125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-47826105163326605562015-01-08T18:09:00.001-08:002015-01-08T18:10:33.499-08:00MovingIt's time for a move.<br />
<br />
Please use the following link for the new location of Wear the Cape!<br />
<br />
http://wearthecapeblog.wordpress.com/Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-80428016900773996642014-12-31T13:28:00.000-08:002014-12-31T13:28:08.778-08:00[An Abecedary of Cape-Wearing] L is for the Law of Unintended Consequences<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Okay tootsies... it's time to get
down with some philosophy up in the blogosphere. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I reach
the almost halfway mark of the Abecedary of Cape-Wearing with the letter L.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">L is for the Law of Unintended
Consequences<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Here are some quick definitions:</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">--events
and/or actions that result from the implementation of a law of rule that the
makers of the law did not expect (<a href="http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/law+of+unintended+consequences.html" target="_blank">link here</a>)</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">--unintended consequences (sometimes unanticipated consequences or
unforeseen consequences) are outcomes that are not the ones intended by a
purposeful action (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unintended_consequences" target="_blank">link
here</a>)</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">--actions,
particularly those taken on a large scale as by governments, may have
unexpected consequences. These “reactions,” may be positive, negative or merely
neutral, but they veer off from the intent of the initial action (<a href="http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-law-of-unintended-consequences.htm" target="_blank">link here</a>)</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How does
this apply to the Abecedary of Cape-Wearing? Here is my thinking (and the
thinking of these folks that wrote<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=gB5UzuCmYWgC&pg=PT44&lpg=PT44&dq=law+of+unintended+consequences+superheroes&source=bl&ots=ViKhBp4Vd7&sig=p67JzWmL1K8HS_TRDCB8DtW_sBg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tVqkVNKTC4abgwSP8IDwBQ&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=law%20of%20unintended%20consequences%20superheroes&f=false" target="_blank">this cool and totally geeky book</a>)... Superheroes dwell exactly in the middle of a
world of large-scale, high impact, life-altering change. They save lives, lasso
meteors, thwart world domination. Even the smallest action in the world of a
superhero is... well... super. It is a super action that leads to a super
consequence. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
When my kidlets and I were in the throes of discussing what makes a superhero,
they noticed that all of the truly heroic superfolks wrestled with their own
powers at one time or another. At first they scoffed at this idea--why would
Superman even pause for thought if he could do all of those super things?
Why didn't Batman just stop with the tortured-soul act and get on with
it? What could possibly have possessed Hal Jordan to even consider NOT becoming
a Green Lantern? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">One of the
kidlets had a big thinking thought, "Because sometimes people died."</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Big thinking
silence ensued. What if your heroism killed people? Is it worth it? </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">"Yes,
if it saves other people."</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">"What
if it kills the wrong people?"</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Is it ever worth it if someone
dies?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"I bet you still feel bad even if you
didn't mean it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"It doesn't matter if you meant it or
not--it killed people."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And they looked at me for the
answer--hoping I could wrap it up in a nice package that would feel better than
the abyss of uncertainty that was, at that moment, staring them in the face.
They waited... I waited... realization dawned on their spongy
brains. There is no right answer to this question. Large-scale actions lead to
large scale results--a spider web of consequences that can't be planned or
controlled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ISHE8QSc7RE/VKRqU5JNJEI/AAAAAAAAP9g/RIcuIY0nT64/s1600/cons%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ISHE8QSc7RE/VKRqU5JNJEI/AAAAAAAAP9g/RIcuIY0nT64/s1600/cons%2B1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After this conversation the lovies were
subdued for a few days. They noticed unintended consequences for their
decisions more and more. The learning on this one was deep and personal. I
wasn't sure if they would make the connection, but I didn't want to make it for
them--this was deep learning and not to be rushed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">About a week later the light shined
down--they were reading about Martin Luther King Jr in their social studies
class. I heard them arguing as they walked in to my room,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"He was a pacifist. He was
peaceful."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"But people got hurt and maybe
died."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"He didn't mean for them to do that
though. It wasn't his fault."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"He gave speeches and told them to
take action--he should have known."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"How could he know what would they
would do?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s what you have to do when you make big decisions. You have
to decide if it’s worth the consequence.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And lo' the light shined down as they made
the connection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Hey Boss, this is that law of the consequences
thing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why yes my dears... yes it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In education we must be aware of the Law of Unintended
Consequences. Our words and actions have power. We may not be able to control
each resulting ripple, but it is our responsibility to think it through,
consider it, be intentional in our work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What are your thoughts about the Law of Unintended Consequences? Where does it apply to your work, your
planning, your best hopes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-67929152669491856822014-12-22T12:39:00.002-08:002014-12-22T12:39:29.644-08:00[An Abecedary of Cape-Wearing] K is for Kal-El<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E2hZERvZTQk/VJiBV4xQVzI/AAAAAAAAPy4/SxIKr7XMm_4/s1600/More_Fun_Comics_101_Superboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E2hZERvZTQk/VJiBV4xQVzI/AAAAAAAAPy4/SxIKr7XMm_4/s1600/More_Fun_Comics_101_Superboy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Kal-El_%28Earth-One%29</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Back in the day, my wee little students wrestled with a big question. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What is a superhero?</span></h3>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Their conversations during the various
phases of this discussion were awe-inspiring. They thought deeply about heroism,
super-heroism, humanity, the forces of good and evil, and their own belief
systems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Each time they thought they had a clear
answer to the question; another facet would rise up creating more layers of questions
and fewer answers. One of my favorite unanswerable questions that came
from this ongoing discussion was:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Is Kal-El a superhero?</span></h3>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kal-El was a boy on the planet Krypton without special powers. Due
to a brief ride through space, and a shift in gravity, he was graced with incredible strength and some laser vision and became what we
know as Superman. But as Kal-El—is he a superhero? If one characteristic of a superhero is that
she or he have super powers, can we count Kal-El? If we can’t count Kal-El
until he lands on Earth and becomes Superman, can we say he is a superhero?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The beauty of this question for my students at the time was the possibility
of either answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If Kal-El was superhero because of his potential on another planet—then
aren’t we all superheroes just waiting for a new planet?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If Kal-El is not a superhero and Superman is—then doesn’t that
mean we can all be come a superhero if the right things happen to us? Are we
all just waiting for the right circumstance to reveal our powers?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If Kal-El isn’t a superhero and Superman is likewise NOT a
superhero—then what does that mean for the definition of superheroes? Can we
honestly say that Superman is not super-heroic? If we cannot, then what is
super-heroism exactly?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Surprise, surprise, I am applying this teaching and learning. My
students loved the idea of superheroes. They loved the idea that they could be
a Kal-El waiting for a new planet, or a
Bruce Wayne waiting for the right technology, or a Peter Parker in need of a
mere spider bite to unleash their amazingness.
Superheroes show us our potential to be amazing. Just add enough strength,
enough flexibility, enough learning, and KaBlam! Superheorism all around. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This speaks to the eternal hope of possibility we need to have for
ourselves as teachers and for our students as learners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why not believe that it is possible? Why not believe in the possibility of what we
could be rather than focus on the limitations of what we’ve been told we are?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-12925915476336156442014-12-16T09:07:00.002-08:002014-12-16T09:07:58.412-08:00[An Abecedary of Cape-Wearing] J is for The Justice Society of America<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thanks to @shelley-burgess, @drjolly and the #satchatwc Saturday
morning <a href="https://storify.com/burgess_shelley/satchatwc-12-13-14?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">Twitter chat</a>, I am determined to finish the Abecedary of Cape-Wearing
within a year of having the brilliantly foolish idea of starting it. That means
I have 17 letters to finish in 24 days. That's... (4 plus... 7… carry the 2...)
a gabillion times more letters than I did previously. So wish me cape-wearing
luck!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/search/label/abecedarium" target="_blank">Click
here for letters A-I.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">J is for the Justice Society of America. The
JSA is referenced as the first team of superheroes in DC comic books—introduced
in World War II alongside the All-Star Squadron. In case you’re curious about the history and
the subsequent link to the currently-known JAL, the video below is pretty
interesting:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">http://youtu.be/hos9zt7m-Lk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m especially fascinated by superhero teams. I love watching
strong characters with vastly different skill-sets work together to beat the
baddies. There is always some sort of struggle—struggles about leadership,
struggles about membership in the team, struggles about which baddies to fight
and how—that’s the nature of a team. They always prevail in the end, though.
And end up caring about the team as a whole more than their individual needs
(almost always anyway—click here for a video of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZmBmP-5WLg">Batman going rogue</a> with
the JAL).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Teams of cape-wearing teachers have the same struggles and the
same successes. Incredibly talented adults come together for a common purpose—to
prepare children for success. The methods for achieving that purpose are varied
and each path is full of pitfalls, but teams of teachers always prevail. While
it is sometimes difficult to work within a team of such intensely caring,
radically different, super-powered colleagues, the success achieved by a team
of cape-wearing educators far out-weigh the successes of one individual. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Who is in your superhero team? How do you combine your powers to
beat the baddies?<span style="display: none; mso-hide: all;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-90863146168492015162014-12-11T11:13:00.000-08:002014-12-12T12:15:19.490-08:00[Throwback Thursday] A Memory<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05xaqVnr6gIZDGNlW_zWD_5BfjRewgw4ivo5DxxYV6OK8d7QBS-BERBN3M82x9y3dHWAu7IOc2ecYDDUgdQlr6I81ZBgBoHjsXRTmADxf_IJcfLRnrFeSzHWj824CzkBAwWRaVXsxQxU/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05xaqVnr6gIZDGNlW_zWD_5BfjRewgw4ivo5DxxYV6OK8d7QBS-BERBN3M82x9y3dHWAu7IOc2ecYDDUgdQlr6I81ZBgBoHjsXRTmADxf_IJcfLRnrFeSzHWj824CzkBAwWRaVXsxQxU/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was Google-chatting with my sis this morning and had a remembery that gave me new perspective on the work I do today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Waaayyyy back in 6th grade (think early 80's... acid wash jeans...leg warmers... neon sweatshirt with "Frankie Says Relax" emblazoned on it....) I experienced a pivotal social moment. Didn't we all?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I went to a small school in a small town. There were about 80 kids in my grade. Most of us started in Kinder together and would graduate together down the road. New kids were either celebrities or pariahs. M. was a celebrity. She was related to a D.--a popular kid, and she had a commanding presence. She had style, she had sass, and she was exotic. The girls in the three 6th grade classes followed her around, hung on her every word, did her bidding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hung out on the fringes--feeling like I should want to be in the mix, hampered by shyness, and not sure I wanted to be a full-on lemming. I watched, smiled when I was supposed to, and worked very hard to appear that I belonged there while I decided if I did. If the weather was acceptable (i.e. not frozen or hailing), we were outside. The group would go en masse to the furthest edge of the school grounds--as far as we could go without being called back. M. would stand in the center and hold court. At about that time each day the high school vocational classes would have to walk near us to get to their next class. Social norms would dictate that high schoolers walking by a gaggle of 6<sup>th</sup> grade girls would have the upper hand. They didn’t. M. was that good. One boy in particular struck her as a target and she honed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I remember that he walked alone--separate from the rest. He shuffled by each day with his head down. M. didn't like his hair or the way he walked. She altered the words of "Wild Thing"--directing us all to sing along with her as he walked by. I remember the boy put his hood up and tried get further away. This happened for a few days and I watched Wild Thing shrink and try new ways to avoid us each day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This was before the tragedies of school violence reminded us to teach kids about diversity, bullying, and well… basic humanity. I'd spent my elementary years struggling with a bleeding heart sense of empathy--I knew it wasn't cool to care and I was trying to do what was socially expected as I entered middle school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lasted about three days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On the day I sealed my fate, Wild Thing had his sweatshirt hood up, his hands in his pockets, and he was slinking along at the furthest edge of the walkway. M- called out to him to take his hood off, to come closer to hear the song, to dance for us. I heard my own voice say:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"Stop it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There was a deafening silence. A sea of 6th grade, blue-shadowed eyes turned toward me. A few girls took a step back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">M: “…What did you say!?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Me </span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(much less forcefully)</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">: "I said stop it… that's mean."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">M: "You stop it! Don't be bogus. Sing the song."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Me </span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(seriously doubting my choice)</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">: "I just think it's mean..”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">M</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> (turning her whole powerful self toward me)</i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">: "If you say that again I'll make everyone stop talking to you forever."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Me</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> (after a pause where I heard audible gasps and considered my own mortality)</i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">: "…I... don't care. Stop it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">M </span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(shocked pause)</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">: "That's it. Get out of here. They’ll never talk to you again."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And they didn’t. She was true to her word. The girls of the 6th grade avoided me for most of that year.* I had a lot of time to doubt my decision. There was no undoing it, so I don't know if I would have if I could have. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And here I sit today--the Director of Student Services for a small school district (though over ten times the size of where I grew up). Apparently I knew exactly who I was that day. My over-empathetic heart decided for me that it was worth the fight to protect those that had a raw deal. I chose my side and while I didn't remember that until today, I see now that I am exactly where I intended to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7000007629395px;">Do you have a pivotal moment you may have forgotten? One that gives you a new perspective on where you are today?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7000007629395px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20.7000007629395px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Lest you think I was entirely solitary, H. moved into town
a few months later and was labeled a pariah due to her braces and her odd
personality. We became friends of necessity. <o:p></o:p></div>
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-17411029630091327322014-10-17T07:11:00.003-07:002014-10-17T07:11:37.916-07:00[An Abecedary of Cape-Wearing] I is for Incredible<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
For more of the Abecedary of Cape-Wearing<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/search/label/abecedarium" target="_blank">click
here.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FK1w6GNHWyc/VEEjW6mQFXI/AAAAAAAAOwM/IbWerzsXLc4/s1600/the-hulk-458252_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FK1w6GNHWyc/VEEjW6mQFXI/AAAAAAAAOwM/IbWerzsXLc4/s1600/the-hulk-458252_640.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
I struggled with this one. I didn't want
to go for the obvious. I wanted to pick something witty, pithy, or surprising.
I even started writing a different post. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
But here's the deal. The Hulk deserves a
post. The Hulk with the incredible-ness, I mean. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
A few years ago, while my hotten-tots were
deciding what characteristics make a superhero, we got stuck on the Incredible
Hulk for a good while. We'd made our own list of characteristics at the time,
but even if you make your own lists, or look at the lists available online,
Hulk is an outlier. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
He's strong, true. He can beat baddies,
absolutely, He hangs with other superheroes, and that's always good. But
the kiddos were concerned that in reality, the most heroic thing about Hulk is
how hard Bruce Banner works to NOT lose control and hurt innocent people. They
felt that the Hulk himself was not as heroic as Bruce Banner, but they had a
hard time coming to terms with that. Hulk is part of Bruce Banner that he
has to control in order to be heroic. Hulk is the power and strength, but can
also be the dangerous side.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
They compared him to Clark Kent and
Superman, Hal Jordan and Green Lantern, Oliver Queen and Green Arrow, Peter
Parker and Spiderman. In each of these cases the alter ego has control over the
powers to some degree. In the case of Bruce and the Hulk the need control
becomes the story. His anger, the fear he might hurt someone, the need to
control his strength—that is Hulk’s story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeIprAK5QRxOhjkpJS069ipSPNEDFSJBPpNaBGK_6LNCkGi5i13ulxCM4Nl-De-VKpaZqTK8maHejOAYT5DraCuHMaErDWjbaRI7ns5vBgE45gzq6xXIHRxW_9bYrRuVrTAq3HB6dkl0/s1600/Dr_jekyll_and_mr_hyde_vs_bruce_banner_and_the_hulk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeIprAK5QRxOhjkpJS069ipSPNEDFSJBPpNaBGK_6LNCkGi5i13ulxCM4Nl-De-VKpaZqTK8maHejOAYT5DraCuHMaErDWjbaRI7ns5vBgE45gzq6xXIHRxW_9bYrRuVrTAq3HB6dkl0/s1600/Dr_jekyll_and_mr_hyde_vs_bruce_banner_and_the_hulk.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
And really, that is heroic. We all have a
side to us that is not heroic. Sometimes that side starts to win. Sometimes it
does win. As caped crusaders, we need to accept our inner Hulk, allow him to come
out only when truly necessary, and strive to control it the rest of the time.
So Hulk gets a slot in the Abecedary of Cape-Wearing for working so hard to NOT
lose it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Thank you Hulk, for showing us how.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-2384185339764934802014-08-23T21:14:00.002-07:002014-08-23T21:14:41.917-07:00[An Abecedary of Cape-Wearing] H is for Helping<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Superheroes are helpful. It’s sort of their job. They help ladies in distress on a regular basis. They help save bus-fulls of innocent victims from certain death. They save folks who inadvertently fall off tall buildings. And they save cities and planets from evil-doers and imminent destruction. </span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some superheroes wage an internal battle with their superhero status, but are convinced as they are continually called in to help and generally save the day.</span></span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_364745230"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcGhGep50B4Qx8Rn7NrLkWSTzSkwfSdSJU6i7BYVe0G-sN_K2tiOcNI585iBJhnm-Vi98sQulXb7CyZOVIYra5Lf5eMbilbknprPkBt5xTGsN1EhKiQWXNThk2pZrpnKLKIayaUfBhrg/s1600/130111150937-superman-action-comics-story-top.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://brainknowsbetter.com/news/2013/6/14/supermans-greatest-power-is-empathy" target="_blank">brainknowsbetter.com</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some superheroes wage a similar and equally internal battle to stay away from polite society in order to save folks from themselves. The Hulk for example. His main role as a superhero is to keep himself from hurting the wrong people--to try to be in the right place with the right amount of control to unleash fury on the baddies, but keep it away from the nice folks. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Either way, the nice folks get used to it. Metropolis, Gotham City, New York City, Smallville, Earth…the buildings collapse, the subway goes off the rails, the bridges break and the people call for their hero to help. At first they are there without a hitch and the crowd cheers. Later, they are waylaid by multiple and simultaneous disasters or nefarious evil-doers and the crowd questions their loyalty. Why aren’t they there right away? Why are they allowing this to happen? Why do the bridges keep falling down (okay, they don’t ask that last one, but I totally would)?</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.9669421369379217; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At this point the </span><a href="https://www.google.com/search?espv=2&biw=1745&bih=868&q=define+iniquitous&sa=X&ei=ZFj5U_mDPeGJiwLzt4CABQ&ved=0CCUQ_SowAA" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">iniquitou</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s, the </span><a href="https://www.google.com/search?espv=2&biw=1745&bih=868&q=define+vile&sa=X&ei=ZFj5U_mDPeGJiwLzt4CABQ&ved=0CCkQ_SowAA" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vile</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the power-hungry, the vengeful, the diabolical--the baddies figure it out. Make the people believe the hero doesn’t want to help, won’t help, can’t help, and they will turn on him. Hold him prisoner so that he can’t, threaten him with the death of his tortured love interest, convince her she is out of control, blow up his mansion--make it so they can’t help and let disappointment to their dirty work.</span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/travel/town-where-superman-lives/" target="_blank"><img alt="130605170256-superman-celebration-9-horizontal-gallery.jpeg" height="254px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/uIfch48GsBaPsY9NAK9xV2pUuoZ1CUoE39cvXOf29ZMSUqNg8r3voV5zhfRbx11DAyZJ1zkBiam5RO4QfvbKSWgoighuspGvcQyZBZIEAxv47xPL68D9aYB0jx3PfoME" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="390px;" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/travel/town-where-superman-lives/" target="_blank">cnn.com</a></u></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="clear: right; float: right; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><b style="clear: right; float: right; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 0.9669421369379217; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At this point you may be wondering where I’ve hidden the silver lining, and you are right to believe it is here. Each time this happens (and it happens so often you’d think they’d figure it out more quickly), our heroes come to a similar conclusion. One person can’t be the only helper. One person alone can’t save the city. The hero has to start helping the city help themselves. Rebuild the building, shore up the dam, support the good guys. That’s how to truly save the city.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There will always be political rhetoric in education. We have made the grand and important statement that all children have a right to a free and appropriate public education. That is no small feat. We as a whole have embarked on a project that will continually require every bit of our strength, stamina, and heroism to achieve. It can’t be done by one person, one agency, one program. Each of us has some level of experience in education--as a learner, as a parent, as a teacher, and we are all stakeholders.Education and education reform require a daily promise from all stakeholder to do well by our children. We are each superheroes in this commitment and we are equally responsible for saving the day. </span></span>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-50375528182438668832014-08-22T19:51:00.000-07:002014-12-16T09:16:40.092-08:00[New Favorite Things Friday] Precision<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week I noticed myself drawn to things that helped me be
precise. If you know me, you may know that I vacillate between precision and a
chaotic sort of gut-feel driven decision-making. This was a week of precision.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/" target="_blank"><b>What The Font?</b></a></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I discovered <a href="http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/" target="_blank">What The Font?</a> a little less than half an hour
ago (said in Inigo Montoya voice--holla if you follow*). Honestly, I can't believe I didn't go looking
for it before. When I am working with any sort of technology, I often think it
should be doing more for me than it does. Typically, I Google the thing I want
it to do and find that either yes, it can be done or I am a wee bit lofty in my
expectations. In the case of What The Font? I was trying to identify a font as
I do on a daily basis. I was mirroring a graphic from a website (not copying,
honest) and wanted the exact font. I held a brief conversation with myself:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Self, shouldn't the internets be able to figure this
out?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Self: You are being too lofty again, dear. There is no way
the internet can recognize random fonts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: But don't you think it should?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Self: Well of course dear, check if you must*<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I typed "font reader” in the search bar and viola!--the
first hit was from a site called <a href="http://ilovetypography.com/2007/08/19/identify-that-font/" target="_blank">ilovetpyography.com</a>. It was post from 2007! I was not being
lofty! <a href="http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/" target="_blank">What The Font? </a>can identify fonts
for you! Huzzah! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.colorzilla.com/" target="_blank"><b>ColorZilla</b></a></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just after my font success I wanted to know an exact color
from the same website (still not copying, honest). I searched "color
picker", found a Google Chrome Extension, started to download it, and had
another conversation with myself:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: I am absolutely sure I would have done this before now<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Self: Yes dear, considering your strong feelings about
color.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: I wonder why I didn't?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Self: Perhaps you did do, dear. Go ahead and check.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And there it was in my Chrome Extensions bar... <a href="http://www.colorzilla.com/" target="_blank">ColorZilla</a>.
It does everything you might hope for and more. I was immediately gifted with
the RGB numbers and full code for the color I wanted.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b><u>Washi Tape Planning Boards</u></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the to-do lists get long, I need to manage them in some
way. This week a shiny new magnetic white board was installed on my office
wall. Granted, I had planned a lovely book shelf quilt wall-hanging for that
wall, but considering the size of the to do list, that has fallen to the
wayside. I tried listing the to-dos by color, but was not feeling the result. I used washi tape to divide up the board and categorize the to-dos. I
also made some quick color-coded magnets by using pre-stickified magnets and
pre-colorfied flat-bottom marbles. Could I have marked something off the to-do
list in the time it took me to do that? Most certainly. Would it have felt
nearly as good? Not even a little bit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eRMSnsk6uoc/U_lR8D1cFbI/AAAAAAAAMes/fFt-YqGkzKA/s1600/photo%2B1%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eRMSnsk6uoc/U_lR8D1cFbI/AAAAAAAAMes/fFt-YqGkzKA/s1600/photo%2B1%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_UPcxcisUE8/U_lR8HkCP_I/AAAAAAAAMe4/Lvfvma_Vuko/s1600/photo%2B2%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_UPcxcisUE8/U_lR8HkCP_I/AAAAAAAAMe4/Lvfvma_Vuko/s1600/photo%2B2%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Thread-Wrapping</h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I like to wear my
wrist-band fit tracker, but it looks and feels clunky after a few days of
constant wear. I've seen a lot of thread-wrapped bangles around and about
lately, and thought I might be able to fancy it up a bit. I wanted it to stay
smooth and unobtrusive, so I had to wrap it very carefully to keep it lined up.
I wonder how long it will last and not become pill-y?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WjtJSwCN9l91frTdPCfpSGH5rFr6JS_EBFeFTuJOdegxKsqyRAT_ony8Q4Fzcw67dWPOiSJSidCMpSqZgDxu9VWupHHVwolGKHbDUfEB6AY2EC8VzaxrajjWVUXfWa-O6AWwj5n7IsY/s1600/photo+3+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WjtJSwCN9l91frTdPCfpSGH5rFr6JS_EBFeFTuJOdegxKsqyRAT_ony8Q4Fzcw67dWPOiSJSidCMpSqZgDxu9VWupHHVwolGKHbDUfEB6AY2EC8VzaxrajjWVUXfWa-O6AWwj5n7IsY/s1600/photo+3+-+Copy.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
Verilux</h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I read a <a href="http://msmcporkchopquilts.com/?p=3146" target="_blank">blog post</a> about <a href="http://www.verilux.com/" target="_blank">Verilux light bulbs</a> and think I might
need to try one. Imagine the precision color-picking to be found with light
bulbs like this! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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*In case you wondered</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmB3ysiPIZUlnWmmFFP_lDvE88pTKJsxOmhOTHSHyzVcLcYwpQqpZvw39estzkb2nJSIY_O47wnyQIkG2SYBJTzmVFtEBvtdShetemf8-FbjYBNujjRgjRzbI5HO9c9CgYfBOGD6-nNc/s1600/half_an_hour.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmB3ysiPIZUlnWmmFFP_lDvE88pTKJsxOmhOTHSHyzVcLcYwpQqpZvw39estzkb2nJSIY_O47wnyQIkG2SYBJTzmVFtEBvtdShetemf8-FbjYBNujjRgjRzbI5HO9c9CgYfBOGD6-nNc/s1600/half_an_hour.png" height="102" width="400" /></a></div>
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**My self is kind of like Mrs. Doubtfire in these situations.Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-58418097502697334052014-07-29T12:18:00.001-07:002014-07-29T12:35:20.700-07:00[Integrated Learning Weekly] Teaching Ideas Edition<div id="ly_wrap_OdW" style="text-align: left;">
<strong id="ly_wrap_OdW_t" style="display: block; margin: 10px 0 4px;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><div id="ly_wrap_OdW" style="text-align: left;">
<strong id="ly_wrap_OdW_t" style="display: block; margin: 10px 0 4px;"><a href="https://list.ly/list/OdW-integrated-learning-weekly-7-dot-29-dot-14-teaching-ideas-edition" target="_blank" title="Integrated Learning Weekly [7.29.14]--Teaching Ideas Edition"> Integrated Learning Weekly [7.29.14]--Teaching Ideas Edition</a></strong><script src="https://list.ly/plugin/show?list=OdW&layout=full&show_header=true&show_author=true&show_tools=true&show_sharing=true&per_page=25" type="text/javascript"></script><div class="ly_wrap_f" style="padding: 4px 0 10px;">
View more <a href="http://list.ly/" target="_blank">lists</a> from <a href="http://list.ly/barb_montfort" target="_blank"> Barb Montfort</a></div>
</div>
</u></span></strong></div>
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-59173219956563032392014-07-12T11:24:00.002-07:002014-07-12T11:24:59.298-07:00[Integrated Learning Weekly] Google Tools Edition<div id="ly_wrap_NhE" style="text-align: left;">
<strong id="ly_wrap_NhE_t" style="display: block; margin: 10px 0 4px;"><a href="https://list.ly/list/NhE-integrated-learning-weekly-7-slash-12-slash-14" target="_blank" title="Integrated Learning Weekly [7/12/14]"> Integrated Learning Weekly [7/12/14]</a></strong><script src="https://list.ly/plugin/show?list=NhE&layout=full&show_header=true&show_author=true&show_tools=true&show_sharing=true&per_page=25" type="text/javascript"></script><div class="ly_wrap_f" style="padding: 4px 0 10px;">
View more <a href="http://list.ly/" target="_blank">lists</a> from <a href="https://list.ly/b-montfort" target="_blank"> B Montfort</a></div>
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Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-47072279713192834302014-06-29T20:54:00.000-07:002014-12-16T09:22:13.720-08:00[#clmooc] Make Cycle #2--Memes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Learning about memes with the 2014 <span style="background-color: white;">Making Learning Connected Collaboration Make Cycle #2. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Interesting stuff! I learned so much from<a href="http://thinkingthroughmylens.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/to-meme-or-not-to-meme/"> Kim's blog post--To Meme or Not To Meme</a> and her link to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNBOkp346G8">this PBS video.</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I had so much fun with Edna (my imagined blog naysayer) and the idea of a meme. I used the suggested tool--<a href="http://memegenerator.net/">MemeGenerator</a> and tried not to overthink it (difficult for me).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here you go...</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y6SVCosXjyQ/U7DfPQ0XvgI/AAAAAAAALws/1TJlV0RWNR4/s1600/2014-06-29_2053.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y6SVCosXjyQ/U7DfPQ0XvgI/AAAAAAAALws/1TJlV0RWNR4/s1600/2014-06-29_2053.png" height="640" width="440" /></a></div>
<br />Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-80837728747580485152014-06-27T09:49:00.004-07:002014-12-16T09:25:43.714-08:00[New Favorite Things Friday] Coffee, Poetry and Turtlenecks--a BeatnikFavorites List<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yzoyPNj0Nzs/VJBq8efN4WI/AAAAAAAAPxw/QHz_yMdTpcI/s1600/Beatnik-Coffeehouse-137x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yzoyPNj0Nzs/VJBq8efN4WI/AAAAAAAAPxw/QHz_yMdTpcI/s1600/Beatnik-Coffeehouse-137x300.jpg" height="320" width="145" /></a></div>
Okay, I was wrong (<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2014/06/365mistakes4growth-mistake-making.html">one for the list!!!</a>). My understanding of what Beatnik meant was not quite right. Chocolate, coffee and poetry does not a Beatnik make (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatnik">click here for a definition</a>).<br />
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<div>
So call it what you will, my favorite things this week are reminiscent of coffee shops, black-turtle-neck-beret-wearing artists, and cryptic poetry readings.<br />
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<h3>
1. Black-out Poetry and Doodling</h3>
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<div>
I've always liked black out poetry as a teaching tool and had fun trying it out with my students, but lately I've some amazing black-out poetry that has me trying it out. I can't show you mine yet (since many of them go into my #365mistakes4growth list), but these are the pages that inspired me (links provided for credit):</div>
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/5657267" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiS-Qbl8SX3vgTW1dpLJp6lAOBQNjyv75TNo1wJoBYAdDI8lScXLuPfrFzgABx6LG0fp0rbtJj_dtNCdZzJEAyFtiSSAgcqBxQS1HCSYvzuKYbE56bQwKkcNrOOHIbLaduI0WImVB7jZ0/s1600/a6aebc52be6b379a51ff0b3620a61290.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ruf8WXbNzcc/U62cQYBzwmI/AAAAAAAALvQ/Bz5YOd8vB0w/s1600/ada08d1260cacbc6785892f1f12cdbf3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ruf8WXbNzcc/U62cQYBzwmI/AAAAAAAALvQ/Bz5YOd8vB0w/s1600/ada08d1260cacbc6785892f1f12cdbf3.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_Ql4IBjWypx5-C3ctsZEiLn9Dvo41b9CdeCqkYD-hZHe4LxXd3t-LPS4aP_6eqixHXscJznWiYYn963lHutFUIPYo5dAlHpJlPXsT48DdYUBRJndOjkIaomvB9w6UzeNAtPdIfxZCSE/s1600/1e5eac8d775323db1b8d7a2cb7e37936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_Ql4IBjWypx5-C3ctsZEiLn9Dvo41b9CdeCqkYD-hZHe4LxXd3t-LPS4aP_6eqixHXscJznWiYYn963lHutFUIPYo5dAlHpJlPXsT48DdYUBRJndOjkIaomvB9w6UzeNAtPdIfxZCSE/s1600/1e5eac8d775323db1b8d7a2cb7e37936.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><br />
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<h3>
2. The Best Cup of Coffee Ever</h3>
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It was a shot of espresso, a scoop of Nutella, and a bit of cream--a candy bar in a cup. It was perfect and came with the swirled heart on the top. Decadent, yes. But perfect.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9heQKGZ2P2Y/VJBq1TESgUI/AAAAAAAAPxo/ifZYPRRGOlw/s1600/13-heart-latte-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9heQKGZ2P2Y/VJBq1TESgUI/AAAAAAAAPxo/ifZYPRRGOlw/s1600/13-heart-latte-art.jpg" height="184" width="320" /></a></div>
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3. Not Wearing Turtlenecks</h3>
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I am not a fan of the turtleneck. I am fairly certain they were meant only for turtles. I mean really... consider the name. My new favorte thing this week is living somewhere that doesn't require them. Beautiful weather, sun, open skies, and the beach. Life is good.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hlomA6_x3XM/U62iMMs_xEI/AAAAAAAALvs/1PWd5q8XKtg/s1600/Sunset_pier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hlomA6_x3XM/U62iMMs_xEI/AAAAAAAALvs/1PWd5q8XKtg/s1600/Sunset_pier.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Do you have any new favorites this week?</div>
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<strong id="ly_wrap_MnJ_t" style="display: block; margin: 10px 0 4px;"><a href="https://list.ly/list/MnJ-integrated-learning-weekly-6-dot-27-dot-14" target="_blank" title="Integrated Learning Weekly [6.27.14]"> Integrated Learning Weekly [6.27.14]</a></strong><script src="https://list.ly/plugin/show?list=MnJ&layout=full&show_header=true&show_author=true&show_tools=true&show_sharing=true&per_page=25" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
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View more <a href="http://list.ly/" target="_blank">lists</a> from <a href="http://list.ly/barb_montfort" target="_blank"> Barb Montfort</a></div>
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Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-23007465155815123212014-06-25T17:06:00.000-07:002014-12-16T09:26:05.702-08:00[#clmooc 2014] Make Cycle 1--Create a How ToI have been so excited for the Making Learning Connected MOOC this year! I caught the tail end last year and LOVED the brain stretching.<br />
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A teensy bit late, here is my How To Video for Make Cycle #1:<br />
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<a href="http://clmooc.educatorinnovator.org/2014/">How To Be Barb Montfort</a><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="491" src="http://www.powtoon.com/embed/egV0LLz3hUT/" width="800"></iframe>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-88939217874744616152014-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:002014-12-16T09:26:17.821-08:00[SDAWP Photo Voices] One Photo: Two Ways--Cropping<a href="http://thinkingthroughmylens.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/one-photo-two-ways-junes-photo-a-day-challenge/" target="_blank">SDAWP Voices Weekly Photo-A-Day Challenge--One Photo: Two Ways</a><br />
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This week's focus is <i>cropping</i>:<br />
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June 9<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl3RBh0qWAoYIT3nehp0RGBVwawhW9MW7zB0aqrshjulu-5FeQWPqr8LV2BLwYv5P2ZlRXGLodqmOIqgH3OjQd_J9jkOT7gwzWepYNIUK68RlvJHOk4hnRBpPtS_l4hNi6pIAv9dE0rI/s1600/IMG_9103+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl3RBh0qWAoYIT3nehp0RGBVwawhW9MW7zB0aqrshjulu-5FeQWPqr8LV2BLwYv5P2ZlRXGLodqmOIqgH3OjQd_J9jkOT7gwzWepYNIUK68RlvJHOk4hnRBpPtS_l4hNi6pIAv9dE0rI/s1600/IMG_9103+crop.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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June 10<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gKsu0HuPz_Y/U5ULDDigVdI/AAAAAAAALkE/Y-BnygyygQk/s1600/IMG_9134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gKsu0HuPz_Y/U5ULDDigVdI/AAAAAAAALkE/Y-BnygyygQk/s1600/IMG_9134.JPG" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
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June 11<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0sKBm8scDuA/U5ULZY7QX2I/AAAAAAAALkM/YlMOY6aj3L4/s1600/IMG_9115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0sKBm8scDuA/U5ULZY7QX2I/AAAAAAAALkM/YlMOY6aj3L4/s1600/IMG_9115.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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June 12<br />
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June 13<br />
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<br />Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-8825282995164025182014-06-13T08:45:00.001-07:002014-12-16T09:26:31.869-08:00[New Favorite Things Friday] My Favorite Mistake<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qQjpe6zcLcM/U5sboIKRR0I/AAAAAAAALm8/le8VAgi4PBM/s1600/chickens-and-horses-backyardchickens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qQjpe6zcLcM/U5sboIKRR0I/AAAAAAAALm8/le8VAgi4PBM/s1600/chickens-and-horses-backyardchickens.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.horsesinthemorning.com/hitm-for-05-20-2013-by-omega-alpha-equine-jumpers-at-wheeler-star-trek-flakes-chickens-george/">www.horsesinthemorning.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My favorite mistake this week was a small one that had very little impact on anything other than making two people laugh and a third person exclaim that they were happy to hear the laughter.<br />
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I was trying to say something about not rushing to think too far ahead in a situation--to make plans for something where the factors are not yet in place. I thought I'd use an idiom to communicate this. Before I share that idiom, I thought I'd share a definition:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistics" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Linguistics">linguistics</a>, idioms are usually presumed to be <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figures_of_speech" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Figures of speech">figures of speech</a> contradicting the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_compositionality" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Principle of compositionality">principle of compositionality</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" style="line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom#cite_note-5" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup> <span style="background-color: #c27ba0;">This principle states that the meaning of a whole should be constructed from the meanings of the parts that make up the whole. In other words, one should be in a position to understand the whole if one understands the meanings of each of the parts that make up the whole</span>. The following example is widely employed to illustrate the point:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fred <b>kicked the bucket</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Understood compositionally, Fred has literally kicked an actual, physical bucket. The much more likely idiomatic reading, however, is non-compositional: Fred is understood to have died. Arriving at the idiomatic reading from the literal reading is unlikely for most speakers. What this means is that the idiomatic reading is, rather, stored as a single <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexical_item" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Lexical item">lexical item</a> that is now largely independent of the literal reading.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; line-height: 17.920000076293945px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I highlighted the line that applies most to this situation. This idea of parts making up the whole. The parts by themselves don't add up to the same whole. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So there I am, trying to make a point. Knowing I am going to use an idiom to do so. I start one, then switch in the middle...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Me: "Not to count my chickens before the horse." I say.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> She: "What!?!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Me: "Oh, you know... horses... carts... chickens... hatching?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> She: "I hope that's your mistake for the day, because I don't know WHAT you're doing."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At this point I fully understand the idea of compositionality. The parts were supposed to add up to a whole. I switched up the parts and they just became... parts. It's true, I think my conversation partner in this case had at least a vague understanding of where I was headed since the parts added up to two semi-whole ideas that showed a pattern of thought. I probably could have gotten away with not clarifying. After a bout of laughter that drew in that third person., the conversation moved on successfully. No real issue, no real mistake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I loved the laughter though. It was my favorite mistake. I hope I have a chance to laugh next time I bark up the wrong foot.</span></div>
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Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-39780443972870584452014-06-12T05:00:00.000-07:002014-06-12T13:53:45.147-07:00[An Abecedary of Cape-Wearing] G is for Great Power<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
G is for Great Power</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eJE20MgC-TI/U5jCfV_nzbI/AAAAAAAALmc/7wXZsVYHJnw/s1600/With-great-power-quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eJE20MgC-TI/U5jCfV_nzbI/AAAAAAAALmc/7wXZsVYHJnw/s1600/With-great-power-quote.jpg" height="163" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"With great power comes great responsibility."<br />--Stan Lee (or Voltaire or the Torah)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 23.399999618530273px;">"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 23.399999618530273px;">-- Lord Acton</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/229.Abraham_Lincoln" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Abraham Lincoln</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5810891.Mahatma_Gandhi" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Mahatma Gandhi</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“Patience is power. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Patience is not an absence of action;</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">rather it is timing. I</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">t waits on the right time to act,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">for the right principles </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">and in the right way.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2412.Fulton_J_Sheen" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Fulton J. Sheen</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“Recognizing power in another does not diminish your own.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18015.Joss_Whedon" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Joss Whedon</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“Power changes everything till it is difficult to say who are the heroes and who the villains.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2526.Libba_Bray" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Libba Bray</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3072872" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">The Sweet Far Thing</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.” </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/585.John_Steinbeck" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">John Steinbeck</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“Knowledge is power. Power to do evil...or power to do good. Power itself is not evil. So knowledge itself is not evil.” </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4039811.Veronica_Roth" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Veronica Roth</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/15524549" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">Allegiant</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23.399999618530273px;">That is all.</span></span></div>
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-37495535889815538752014-06-06T19:12:00.000-07:002014-06-07T07:12:52.542-07:00[New Favorite Things Friday] Caped Time OutsLast week I left work on time one day and went to spend an hour getting my tootsies painted. The favorite thing is not painted tootsies, it's taking the hour out of my day to sit and enjoy the time. I was able to let my thoughts wander or not wander. I stared out the window at the sunny sky, I chatted some with the tootsie specialists, and I enjoyed the hour. I felt refreshed and energized afterwards. Of course I also felt fancy since I had painted tootsies.<br />
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It reminded me of the times in my classroom when I remembered to take a break like this. I scrolled through my blog and found so many little tidbits about times that this break made the learning actually go faster. To be clear, these breaks were often only a minute or two long, There is much to be taught to our most inspiring cape-wearing students and hour-long breaks are much less common.<br />
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I scrolled through some blog posts and found some of my favorite short breaks. There are quite a few here, so I will just encourage you to pick one or two that strike your fancy and take a mini-break as you read some bits about my "lovies" from back in my teaching time. I enjoyed the stroll and boy do I love teaching!<br />
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<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2012/01/student-stories-going-invisible.html" target="_blank">Going Invisible </a>(time--under a minute; school skills used--writing craft and vocabulary)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGVYPHnLM24/TIr3rAe-7xI/AAAAAAAAFnY/8r9wij2kOdk/s1600/Photos-393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGVYPHnLM24/TIr3rAe-7xI/AAAAAAAAFnY/8r9wij2kOdk/s1600/Photos-393.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2012/01/photo-of-week-pickle-skins.html" target="_blank">Pickle Skins </a>(time--about a minute)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6zI0lFFQhSE/TxiO1uOGnXI/AAAAAAAAGHs/c1tR2Xe771w/s1600/Picture+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6zI0lFFQhSE/TxiO1uOGnXI/AAAAAAAAGHs/c1tR2Xe771w/s1600/Picture+7.png" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2010/11/european-studies.html" target="_blank">European Studies </a>(time--30 minutes; school skills used--technology integration)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6ro1rp7xDc/S5WWR-uCciI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/u4mBbRA-RYc/s1600/CIMG1687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6ro1rp7xDc/S5WWR-uCciI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/u4mBbRA-RYc/s1600/CIMG1687.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2010/03/spirit-day.html" target="_blank">Bait and Switch</a> (time--2+ hours); school skills used--reading, writing, presentation)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TKQBDPV-Mmg/S8TfjW9c9WI/AAAAAAAABGE/2ywwX4raekc/s1600/CIMG1806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TKQBDPV-Mmg/S8TfjW9c9WI/AAAAAAAABGE/2ywwX4raekc/s1600/CIMG1806.JPG" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2010/06/vignette.html" target="_blank">A Vignette </a>(time--2 minutes)<br />
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<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2010/03/collection-of-blue-things.html" target="_blank">A Collection of Blue Things</a> (time--immeasurable)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FkcT_W3SfL4/S5bcnCUr4BI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/f9mVQgW_dcs/s1600/CIMG1716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FkcT_W3SfL4/S5bcnCUr4BI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/f9mVQgW_dcs/s1600/CIMG1716.JPG" height="154" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2010/03/cup-of-tea.html" target="_blank">A Cup of Tea</a> (time--3 minutes of me, zero minutes for student)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6hKPTAOXz-I/S5_CtENULaI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/GZRiXLx7NJI/s1600/CIMG1757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6hKPTAOXz-I/S5_CtENULaI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/GZRiXLx7NJI/s1600/CIMG1757.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2011/06/classroom-management-campfire.html" target="_blank">Campfire</a> (an all-time favorite moment in my teaching career)<br />
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Each of these vignettes shows a small (or longer) time out that had a positive impact on at least me. Can you think of a time out that was effective for you? If not, I encourage you to take one.<br />
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<br />Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-47779289150301402362014-05-23T16:38:00.000-07:002014-05-23T16:38:21.857-07:00[New Favorite Things Friday] Bright SpotsThis week I am loving things that are bright, shiny, or spots of happy in a day.<br />
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Crafty things and the time to play with them. </h4>
Last weekend I spent some time playing with fabric. Fabric makes me happy. It's bright, soft, and it makes things! I make things because I love the chance to sit down with a goal and achieve that goal. It's true, I don't always finish the crafty things I start, but that's part of the fun! A chance to NOT finish something is just as rejuvenating.<br />
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Mending a favorite gifted pillow:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQ9Pv3j-d7I/U3_bya-16cI/AAAAAAAALgs/gqk7NhS4VIE/s1600/IMG_1973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQ9Pv3j-d7I/U3_bya-16cI/AAAAAAAALgs/gqk7NhS4VIE/s1600/IMG_1973.JPG" height="320" width="270" /></a></div>
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New Learning!</h4>
Teachers crowded around their computers, learning new technology, excited about what they can do with it, and eager to share with their classrooms. This is one of the reasons I love my work. I miss daily interaction with kids, most certainly, but when I get to work with teachers like this, I can see the trade off!<br />
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<a href="http://www.noogenesis.com/pineapple/fuzziesnpricklies/fuzzy_red.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OvuYq4J4b-M/U3-LIoPnjdI/AAAAAAAALgc/0zDtlAOwb7o/s1600/fuzzy_red.gif" /></a>Surprise compliments--giving and receiving. </h4>
I typically adhere to the rule that if I think a compliment, I should say it. I often take people off guard with <br />
this--I even get wary looks. But hey! We need more warm fuzzies in this world! This week I had the chance to give a few, but I also received a couple I wasn't expecting. They were compliments about my work and my teaching. I hadn't realized that I was wanting to hear that! It reminded me why I like to give them out so much!<br />
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A coffee shop that knows me. </h4>
I often work in a coffee shop on my days off (shush. I like my work). There are a couple of folks at my local coffee shop that remember me (my bag actually--they like it). I like that. I used to make it a point to remember customers at my pop's grocery store, now I know why they liked it so much! We can be anonymous all day, but being remembered and welcomed is nice too.<br />
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What are your favorite things this week? Old things that are new again? New things that are... new? At work? At home?Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-70996382121360870902014-05-22T07:00:00.000-07:002014-12-16T09:43:04.004-08:00[An Abecedary of Cape-Wearing] F is for ForceThis may be one of the slowest renditions of an abecedary you'd ever heard.<br />
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A very brief history.... This is my Abecedary of Cape-Wearing. The topic is less about superheroes and more about the cape-wearing qualities of people who champion learning. Educational cape-wearing is why I started the blog. We wear capes, you and I. They may not be visible (though I'm not averse to wearing an actual cape when necessary), but they are there and ought to be pointed out, highlighted, celebrated. And so here I am. In the midst of working with cape-wearers on a daily basis, I am slowly writing this abecedary to... to prove myself right. Or, less cheeky-sounding, to further support my mission. Though I am just now fixin' to extol the virtues of the letter F, you may want a reminder of the previous letters since they've been spread out over...almost 6 months (yikes):<br />
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<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2013/11/mentor-text-monday-is-for-abecedarium.html" target="_blank">Why I love a good abecedary...</a><br />
<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2014/01/an-abecedary-of-cape-wearing-is-for.html" target="_blank">A is for Caveat</a><br />
<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2014/01/an-abecedary-of-cape-wearing-beat.html" target="_blank">B is for Beat the Baddies like Batman</a><br />
<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2014/03/an-abecedary-of-cape-wearing-c-is-for.html" target="_blank">C is for the Captain</a><br />
<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2014/03/an-abecedary-of-cape-wearing-d-is-for.html" target="_blank">D is for Donatello--one smart turtle</a><br />
<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2014/04/an-abecedary-of-cape-wearing-e-is-for.html" target="_blank">E is for Evil (the fighting of)</a><br />
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and now...<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">F is for Force</span></h4>
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When you type force into a Creative Commons* Google search you get a snapshot of exactly why this is a cape-wearing word:</div>
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You've got physics, rockets, the solar system, math, roller coasters, the power of water in nature, gravity-defying hair styles, groups of people doing challenging work, and some superheroish-villainish characters. Each of these adds a level to the conversation about force as a cape-wearing characteristic.</div>
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In education we need to keep our momentum, our force, as we shoulder our way through a school year. There are days that the sheer magnitude of what we are trying to do, the physics of trying to keep a forward motion in spite of obstacles, the mechanics needed to force our way up the long climb on the roller coaster, the fuel needed to launch the rocket--they seem like too much. On those days, we need to use the less scientific forces to make it happen. We need to rally with our leadership and our peers to remember what fuels us. </div>
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And here we can take a lesson from our superhero friends. The<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Men" target="_blank"> X-Men</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avengers_(comics)" target="_blank">the Avengers</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League" target="_blank">the Justice League</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teen_Titans" target="_blank">the Teen Titans</a>, even <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen" target="_blank">the Watchmen</a>. They're superheroes (or mutants if you're a purist), for goodness sakes! Why do they keep teaming up? In the movies, they do it to build a force strong enough to battle a powerful threat. They find that they are better together than they are on their own. If you watch the slow parts of the movies, you also see that they simply want the company. The battle is easier to handle next to someone. Even Batman and Wolverine keep coming back to the group. They are the quintessential loners, but they come back and support the effort. They are looking for that reminder of why we are here, why we are working so hard, why it's worth being this tired. </div>
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And what makes it worth it? Our learners. Take a minute and picture your learners. Are they our smallest humans learning how to grow into strong healthy humans? Are they our preschool and primary grade students counting on us to prepare them for their next steps in school? Are they almost-adult learners that think they know it already, but secretly count on you to make sure they actually do? Is your learner a particular person that needs your leadership right now? Whoever you are picturing, that is your fuel.</div>
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If we each add our fuel to the team, we become a force to be reckoned with. A force that can make change, affect lives, and even tempt Batman and Wolverine to join in. We all need that extra boost from time to time. And if you are in a school setting this time of year you are making that final climb on the roller coaster--creaking up the hill, straining against gravity, hoping the laws of physics apply to you to help you all the way to they top. Take a minute today and rally your team, take stock of your situation, and remind yourselves why you are there. Find your force and reharness it. It's there, I promise.</div>
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*Note--I use Creative Commons searches for this blog in an attempt to not "steal" images or videos from an unsuspecting author. Let's all make sure we give credit where credit is due!</div>
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-52787481008523797242014-05-19T05:30:00.000-07:002014-05-19T06:19:44.017-07:00[Mentor Text Monday] A Sunday Evening Sentence SearchIt's Sunday evening. I want to post a mentor text, but my brain, she be empty. I tumble through my thoughts, flip through my mental card catalogue, scroll through my Twitter feed, and... nothing.<br />
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And then I remember--books! I read books, own books, and display said books in an easy-access shelving unit otherwise known as a book shelf. Books have words! Words have inspiration! I leap up from my slouchy-couch-typing position, semi-shut my eyes, pick a book, and settle back in (a little less slouchy, but not much).<br />
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What follows is my completely unstructured method for finding mentor-textian inspiration in a randomly-selected book.<br />
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The book, chosen mostly at random from my living room bookshelf:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilITHfkq7VdL1FCXisYd_enzhq-mfcu9sS6QdBKi29mPhH7LqHn2cfUDPQyPpvDQF3yuh8ybonjyAeEGTNKOIVJJVSAz0xHfeQV7cx1KFZ9Tm0FEs0vOrgeMOx5qSHbuBe2x0LTrRaQYE/s1600/neruda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilITHfkq7VdL1FCXisYd_enzhq-mfcu9sS6QdBKi29mPhH7LqHn2cfUDPQyPpvDQF3yuh8ybonjyAeEGTNKOIVJJVSAz0xHfeQV7cx1KFZ9Tm0FEs0vOrgeMOx5qSHbuBe2x0LTrRaQYE/s1600/neruda.jpg" height="200" width="146" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Questions-Kage-Books-Spanish-Edition/dp/1556591608" target="_blank">The Book of Questions</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Questions-Kage-Books-Spanish-Edition/dp/1556591608" target="_blank">by Pablo Neruda</a></div>
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Translated by William O'Daly</div>
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Published in 1974 by a small publishing house in Port Townsend, WA (near my home town!)</div>
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I've spent time with this book before--both in Spanish and English. I didn't read it cover to cover, but it's one of my familiars. It is not what I'd call an easy or accessible read, but it is undeniably gorgeous. The entire book is a series of unanswerable questions written as couplets. </div>
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Unanswerable questions--I like that as a discussion and writing springboard. </div>
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Couplets--I don't find teaching rhyming couplets overly inspiring, but I can see some interesting possibilities in a couplet conversation (rhyming vs. non-rhyming, open vs. closed, end-stop or run-on). </div>
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I thumb through some of the passages:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">XII</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And at whom does rice smile</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">with infinitely many white teeth?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why in the darkest ages </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">do they write with invisible ink?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Does the beauty from Caracas know</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">how many skirts the river has?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why do the fleas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and literary sergeants bite me?</span></div>
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Um... no. Even in my swirly-twirly brain, these words do not inspire a teachable moment for me. I find many more phrases that are interesting, but not "the one":</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How large was the black octopus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">that darkened the days peace?</span></div>
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No...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Who can convince the sea</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">to be reasonable?</span></div>
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Better, but I'm looking for a series...</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If all rivers are sweet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">where does the sea get its salt?</span></div>
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I like it, can I use the series?</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If all rivers are sweet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">where does the sea get its salt?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How do the seasons know</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">they must change their shirt?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why so slowly in winter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and later with such a rapid shudder?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And how do the roots know</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">they must climb toward the light?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And then greet the air</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">with so many flowers and colors?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is it always the same spring</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">who revives her role?</span></div>
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Yes, I think I can use this. A few of the lines are less clear than I'd like, but as a series, it has possibility. I see a few possible links:</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><b>geography</b>--rivers leading to the ocean, where DOES the salt come from?</li>
<li><b>science</b>--plants, roots, photosynthesis, how DO the plants know?</li>
<li><b>literature</b>--symbolism, figurative language, what is the personality of Spring?</li>
</ul>
<div>
I'd like to try a lesson with a good read of these couplets--individually, and as a series. Depending on the grade, I would dig a little deeper in to the idea that with these questions, Neruda shows a depth of learning about the topic--the idea that good questions can hold as much information as an answer. I would like to tie it in to a content area unit, and then use this series as a mentor text for showing learning about that content. </div>
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<div>
My next step? Trying it on. I have to try to write one to see if it is possible, to watch the path of my thinking, so see if it supports the thinking I have in mind, and to use as an example if I do use this text. Sometimes I'll try this with a topic that is interesting to me personally, but often I use content that is appropriate to the grade level I'm teaching.</div>
<div>
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<div>
3rd Grade--Physical Science: Energy and Matter</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why does the fruit bowl not light up </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">with the energy it stores?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Does the energy it creates </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">travel in waves as well?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Are sunbeams sisters </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">to soundwaves and oceans?</span></div>
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Well. That was harder than I thought. I tapped out at three. It took more content knowledge than I expected, and it was difficult to find a balance between poetic and factual. This mentor text would take some time, a class I knew well, and students with experience struggling through challenges in reading and writing. Considering all of that, I'd still like to use it. I'm tucking it away in my idea file!</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
So, that's my process when I try on a new mentor text. Do you have a process you use, a resource you prefer, or some favorite mentor texts you can use over and over?</div>
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Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-55966076860470154562014-05-09T10:03:00.000-07:002014-05-10T10:03:18.779-07:00[New Favorite Things Friday #6] Geek LoveToday's New Favorite Things Friday is dedicated to the geeky things I am loving.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.logitech.com/en-us/promotions/6072" target="_blank">Logitech's Unifying Receiver</a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mQjZbs_8cD8/U25Wo_pS06I/AAAAAAAALdU/Nq11OuguCTU/s1600/16379.ENG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mQjZbs_8cD8/U25Wo_pS06I/AAAAAAAALdU/Nq11OuguCTU/s1600/16379.ENG.jpg" /></a></div>
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I like external mice. I have plenty of them. I used to have to carry all of the little receivers around with me and all of my USB slots were filled with receivers. Now I have one that works with all of my mice and my solar-powered keyboard (yep). I actively like it every day. I am not advertising for Logitech, but I haven't found any other unifying receiver peripherals (yes, I said peripherals). They may be there, but I'm happy with what I have, so I haven't looked very hard. </div>
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2. <a href="http://www.mshouser.com/teaching-tips/diy-teacher-plannerbinder" target="_blank">DIY Discbound Notebooks</a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5Q_qVZHwJU/U25WqjK_B_I/AAAAAAAALdk/RaVEW682s9M/s1600/Cover-Pic1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5Q_qVZHwJU/U25WqjK_B_I/AAAAAAAALdk/RaVEW682s9M/s1600/Cover-Pic1.png" height="298" width="320" /></a></div>
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I like office supplies as a rule. I am currently into these discbound notebooks because... I don't really know why. I am also into making my own planner pages because I know what I want in a planner and I can't find it. I even bought the special hole-puncher so I can make my own stuff. I hope this crush lasts because $40 for a hole punch is just plain silly.</div>
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3. Pop-up Pencils</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v3xV6iJN_tg/U25Y9F2y-wI/AAAAAAAALdw/yVofdWvy_ik/s1600/download+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v3xV6iJN_tg/U25Y9F2y-wI/AAAAAAAALdw/yVofdWvy_ik/s1600/download+(2).jpg" /></a></div>
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This my favorite kind of pencil. I like my pencils sharp all the time, and I can't carry enough pencils around to satisfy my preference for sharpness. And no, I don't want to carry a sharpener because I like my pencils pencil-pencil length and don't want to deal with pencil shavings. As a grown person, that is a decision I get to make. The only issue I have is that theses pencils typically come in designs like the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=6OUfXs0wArc5PM&tbnid=xJYRjqBBipv-wM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOne-Direction-Official-Pop-Pencils%2Fdp%2FB007J6LB6K&ei=Q1puU7mBNI2yyASxjYGIBw&bvm=bv.66330100,d.aWw&psig=AFQjCNFEzgpqCwPkbFguSsT7nj-DMxmj6w&ust=1399827048597262">One Direction design</a>, the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=0ldvhi5WRkHUxM&tbnid=cV766Z13xH7TvM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everythingdinosaur.com%2Fpop-up-dinosaur-pencil-and-eraser-individual.html&ei=E1puU-fdBI2cyASQjICABQ&bvm=bv.66330100,d.aWw&psig=AFQjCNFEzgpqCwPkbFguSsT7nj-DMxmj6w&ust=1399827048597262">dinosaur design</a>, the <a href="data:image/jpeg;base64,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">Hello Kitty design</a>... you get the picture. I did find some nice plain ones recently, and am quite happy with them.</div>
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4. <a href="http://getpocket.com/a/queue/" target="_blank">Pocket</a></div>
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I constantly find things I want to remember online. I have the Pocket app installed on all of my devices, and can just "Pocket" whatever I want to remember. I love it. It works for me. </div>
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I love to learn about new geeky things to love. What things do you have a crush on that might be considered geeky?</div>
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Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-87874255062141296712014-05-07T20:46:00.000-07:002014-05-08T08:53:20.075-07:00An Open Letter to Louis C.K.<div class="MsoNormal">
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Dear Louis C.K.,<o:p></o:p></div>
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We don't know each other, but I heard that you sent some tweets about the Common Core State Standards. More than heard about them, actually.They're everywhere! I'm guessing you might be surprised by the response. I'm guessing that many things
are being said about your tweets--hailing them, using them as leverage,
attacking them. In fact, I saw all of that and more on your Twitter feed--it's trending!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I went to Twitter looking for more information about your
thoughts. Your tweets that day hit a nerve with me (and a gabillion other people). I suppose, in all honesty, I was irritated by
them. You see, I typically agree with the things you say. I find you funny
and usually just right enough to make people uncomfortable--pulling the curtains back on a social issue that needs airing. I am honest enough with myself to know that when something sticks in my craw, I have more to learn. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I stewed on it for the last week, read articles, editorials, Facebook posts, heard jokes about it on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, read your Twitter feed, and finally figured out my issue. </div>
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This whole thing is just one sound bite. One sound bite that has the ring of truth because it is your experience
as a parent of children in public schools. One sound bite that has been strung up on flag poles across the nation (nations, even) to leverage the agenda of... any group with an agenda it would seem. Part of me hopes you're irritated by that, too. Instead of opening up a conversation, looking at all the sides,
intelligently examining the specifics, the mudslingers are on a tear and your face is on the flag.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t sling mud. I don’t insult what I don’t understand. I
spend time reading all sides of an issue before I assert an opinion. Sometimes, I
don’t pick one clear side because the information provided is too shadowed by
rhetoric. Considering all of that, weighing all of the issues, I do support the Common Core State Standards. I support the intent of the standards themselves--absent the ever present conspiracy theory. I agree that what we
have done in the past has not developed the learners we need. I have read the CCSS
in detail, across grade levels, even the appendices (more than once, even) and
it is a simple truth--there is good to be found there. I agree with you, we
can’t expect something new to be perfect, and the CCSS isn’t perfect. I don’t expect
a set of standards to be the panacea for a centuries-old system that no longer
serves the needs of our society. I expect a set of standards to be exactly that—a
set of standards. Standards are simply an end-goal, a level of quality, a
guideline. As a set of standards, I support the Common Core.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The CCSS didn’t create high-stakes testing. High-stakes
testing has been here for over a decade. It is a separate issue and worthy of
discussion in its own right, but not on the coat tails of the CCSS. That limits the conversation to one iteration of the problem, misplaces the responsibility, defeats the purpose of the argument.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The CCSS didn’t write New York State Assessments. I've chosen not to research who did write them, but I know a set of standards didn’t do it. If the assessment is
poorly written, poorly implemented, or used unfairly, that is also worthy of
discussion. This is true for any assessment written by anyone. If it is a poor
assessment, implemented poorly, or leveraged inappropriately, that is a
concern. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The CCSS didn't implement themselves. Poor implementation is a concern.. New York implemented early and quickly. We can learn from that. We can also learn from states and districts that are implementing differently. </div>
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The CCSS didn’t teach your children math that made them cry.
It is my guess that it was a deeply passionate, caring teacher trying his or
her best to teach a wholly new focus on math without adequate preparation. The new math standards are wildly different than
what we’ve done in the past. And it's about time. In the same breath that someone blasts the CCSS
math standards, they also accuse the public education system of keeping
our children behind other countries in math. If you read the standards, the
background of the standards, the thought behind the changes, the pedagogy at
work there, you will see that the authors agree. What we have
been doing isn’t working. This is an attempt to change that. A change of this magnitude
is going to take time, high-quality teaching, sound pedagogy, and support. If
teachers in a particular state or district are not getting the support they need, that is yet
another worthy discussion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I want to chat with you Louis C.K.—hear more about the
specific concerns you have, share some insights into the standards themselves,
look for ways to leverage the strength of your voice with the strength of my
experience to affect positive change for all students. I don’t have a political
agenda, an ad campaign, a book to sell, or a fan base to please. I have nothing
to gain personally from supporting or denouncing the CCSS. What I do have is a
deeply rooted passion for education. I work every day to provide quality
education for all learners. It is what I was meant to do. I have seen waves of
change in education, and it is this current wave—the wave that includes a set
of standards focused on learning behaviors over stacks of content—that has me
hopeful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So what do you say, Louis C.K.? Why don’t we chat about all
of the sides of this issue that you inadvertently stirred up? I can learn from
your experience as a parent. You can tell me what you know, what you want to
know, and what the solutions might be. I can share my understandings with you,
and, in the process, learn more myself. Nothing to gain but mutual
understanding and movement towards a mutual goal of improved public education.
Yeah? Sound like a deal?<o:p></o:p></div>
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--a dedicated education professional</div>
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P.S.—in response to the person that is concerned with your habit of double-spacing after a period. I do it too. It’s how we were taught in high
school in keyboarding class.Word processing programs do it for us now, so we
are, in effect, making three spaces when we try to double-space. That doesn’t stop me. I just
use the "find and replace" option after I type to take them all back out again. I
support you in your double-spacing.<o:p></o:p></div>
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-89242503986008144382014-05-05T15:33:00.004-07:002014-05-05T15:39:32.634-07:00[Mentor Text Monday] The New Culture ClubOkay, not really. The old Culture Club was enough to tide us over for a few more decades at least. Admittedly, I did just scour Culture Club lyrics for something witty. There may be a Culture Club mentor text coming soon.<br />
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For today, I want to thank one of my amazing siblings for this mentor text from <a href="http://openculture.com./">OpenCulture.com.</a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F87-8smFKw4/U2AfiMfrnhI/AAAAAAAALXA/1qbjhzXlyNA/s1600/openculture_banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F87-8smFKw4/U2AfiMfrnhI/AAAAAAAALXA/1qbjhzXlyNA/s1600/openculture_banner.png" height="39" width="320" /></a></div>
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OpenCulture's Twitter Bio describes it most succinctly:</div>
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<img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18e2zRqDYp8/U2AhWc_pugI/AAAAAAAALXM/CHji0_XtRCA/s1600/2014-04-29_1455.png" height="372" width="640" /><a href="https://twitter.com/openculture" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/openculture</a></div>
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The site itself is mind-boggling and will require much more of time to explore thoroughly. I may have found a third favorite source (<a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2013/10/mentor-text-monday-creative-collections.html" target="_blank">UPPERCASE Magazine</a> and <a href="http://wearthecape.blogspot.com/2014/04/mentor-text-monday-i-heart-wired.html" target="_blank">WIRED Magazine </a>being numbers one and two). Expect to hear enough about this site to become bored and eye-rolly.<br />
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From an array of options so huge I cannot even rest my thoughts, I have chosen this article and video as my mentor text for today.<br />
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<a href="http://www.openculture.com/2014/04/forrest-gump-directed-by-wes-anderson.html" target="_blank">Forrest Gump Directed by Wes Anderson</a><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxEQ2GbVN6vtE_IuYoygv5gkVJFGpg8M42eefA3PhakuD4HCReeiY8oYXlDLPR7fUmjWIPCEjEdA0b0dSqbQA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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What I imagine here is a mentor text for a book or film trailer, or a summary of an historical even to science topic. Because this is a specific "wes-andersonian" style, I'd have to decide if I was going to dive into both the trailer and the style, or focus on one or the other.<br />
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I'm fascinated by the way an entire movie can be portrayed using text and simple images--I see some great summary or synthesizing practice here. Picking out only the points that are most important, and then distill them down to text and one or two images.<br />
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I'm equally fascinated by Wes Anderson's film style or, more to the point, the concept of having an artistic style. How is a style developed. Students can examine the styles of favorite authors--create a book trailer that honors the style of the author. Students can examine their own style. How is style developed? Can style change? Is your writing so very "you" that someone could try to mimic it? I might segue into the figurative language concept of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synecdoche" target="_blank">synedoche</a> during this discussion as well. Such infinite possibilities. <br />
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In my own planning, I start with a text or texts that strike my fancy, and then work to plan using the Common C<span style="font-family: inherit;">ore State Standards. I teach lessons in a variety of classrooms, and in this case I am planning something for 4-6th grade 1:1 technology classrooms. This video has so many options running through my head, that it was tough to narrow it down to one or two standards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At first, I chose:</span><br />
<a class="identifier" href="http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/R/4/" name="CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373737; font-family: 'Lato Light'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;">CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.4</a><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: 'Lato Light'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;">Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After reading the standard as it progressed through the grades, I realized that this was not my most effective focus. In grade K-5, this standard lends itself to a more specific focus on word usage and connotation than I want to do with this text. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #202020; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I changed my focus to:</span></span><br />
<a class="identifier" href="http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/4/7/" name="CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.7" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373737; font-family: 'Lato Light'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;">CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.7</a><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: 'Lato Light'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;">Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.</span><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: 'Lato Light'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 25.19999885559082px;">I always use a writing standard as well, and will be focusing on:</span></span><br />
<a class="identifier" href="http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/W/4/" name="CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373737; font-family: 'Lato Light'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;">CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4</a><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: 'Lato Light'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;">Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.</span><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-family: 'Lato Light'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #202020; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I read through each grade level of each standard to make sure I understood the intent and the progression. Click here for a documents showing the progression <a href="http://ccr.r.4http//www.definingthecore.com/downloads/CCR+7+Reading+Grade+Level+Progression.pdf">CCR.R.4</a> and <a href="http://www.definingthecore.com/downloads/CCR+4+Reading-Literacy+Grade+Level+Progression.pdf">CCR.W.4</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #202020; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This post is getting long. I will post my next planning steps later this week!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #202020; line-height: 25.19999885559082px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I'm at it, is this video something you could use in your classroom? Is there something else on OpenCulture.com you might be able to use? What Common Core Standards might you use?</span></span><br />
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<br />Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4532730809318906886.post-41497557297280768292014-04-25T18:24:00.000-07:002014-12-16T09:29:14.105-08:00[R@ndom] New Favorite Things Friday #5 For my new favorite things this week I have focused on things that are orange. There is no reason for this other than the things I thought of first were orange and themes are always fun.<br />
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<a href="https://www.happier.com/#/home" target="_blank">Happier</a><br />
I found this app accidentally one of the many nights this week that I couldn't sleep. It reminds you to post things you are grateful for throughout the day. It's fun and bright and rains virtual confetti on you when you remember to post something.<br />
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<a href="https://www.happier.com/#/home" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I77u8fPEs1Y/U1xZUqZZGGI/AAAAAAAALWc/GmMMKBsHezw/s1600/happier+3.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a><span id="goog_536032414"></span><span id="goog_536032415"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
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Orange-Carrot-Ginger Juice</div>
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This homemade juice has yet to disappoint me. I love it every single day that I manage to make it. </div>
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Orange Tic Tacs</div>
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Not only are they orangy, they are minty, and they are low-guilt. Keeping a pack of these (or lime or strawberry) in my purse has saved me a during a couple of extra long meetings this week. Thank you fruit-flavored Tic Tacs, for you rmulti-tasking deliciousness.</div>
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Outlook</div>
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This week--during above mentioned long meetings--I had the opportunity to begin the massive task of cleaning up my Outlook Inbox. I have gone from 600 unread emails to 410, and managed to stay steady at 410 for the last few days. Now, I should assure you that NONE of those unread emails signify an un-answered question. It just means that I have to delete them, or file them, or follow up on them. The fact that I've maintained the 410 number means I've started to organize them as I receive them--something I've meant to do all along. So a shout-out to Outlook for keeping them safe for me for so long, another shout-out to Amy for not stressing too much at the number, and a shout-out to Ana for managing to get hers to zero on Friday!</div>
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Do you have any favorite thigns this week? Orange or otherwise?</div>
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<br />Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08401761110668860371noreply@blogger.com1