July 12, 2015

The 4th of July may be over, but that's not the only thing that's ended. I finished all my coursework to get my K-12 library certification, and I can't be more elated!! Not only has the pressure of condensed on-line work come to a halt, but the knowledge I've gained is making me explode with enthusiasm for my next phase of life. After teaching for 25 years, I'm ready to take on a new challenge. I believe becoming a librarian will meld the experiences I've had with my new learning to create a venue for me to blossom.

Although I won't be able to start my new venture until the 2016-17 school year, I can use this year to integrate library skills into me ELA classroom and, of course, continue gaining more knowledge to help my students grow as learners.

Thanks, Kent State!

Hard vs. Complex

As a middle-school teacher, I am often like the middle child in a large family. The expectations from my older and younger "siblings" at the high and elementary schools often conflict with what I believe is best for the unique age group I teach. In particular, some high school teachers are scornful about the types of books we teach, essays we assign, structure we provide, and methods for instruction. Books that aren't from the canon are deemed as fluff and the work we require isn't "challenging."

Although in my heart I know that my colleagues and I, who specialize in middle-level education, know what we're doing, it's nice to have support. I found that in a recent workshop

Depth of Knowledge is a lens through which an educator examines her/his questions, assignments, and assessments. Instead of using Bloom's Taxonomy, it condenses those famous verbs into four levels, which demand an increasing complexity of thinking.

I think that many people, including some of my siblings, believe that harder equates with more complex. For example, if I asked you to identify the name of a county that is adjacent to the one in which you live, you could easily do that. Then, if I asked you to name all the counties in your state, you may think that's more complex. However, the type of thinking that's required (recall) doesn't change; therefore, although the question is definitely harder, it's not more complex.

So I'm going to continue doing what I do: asking students to complete developmentally appropriate, complex, and engaging tasks that require them to think critically. Just because their assignments at other levels are hard doesn't mean they're complex.

A nice little finale to our country's celebration.

Happy 4th of July! You may think the fireworks you hear are due to the celebration of our nation's independence, but, in fact, people are just going crazy over my first ever podcast! Listen to talk about the power of books. Woohoo!!

Baaaahhhhston

July 1, 2015

My recent trip to Boston was technologically inspirational. Seriously. First of all, my dream for a mostly cashless society is being realized. I reserved and paid for my flight and accommodations online, bought tickets for the T, and paid for my meals and sundries without taking out a single dime.

Second of all, can I say UBER?! I absolutely loved my cashless transactions for personal chauffeurs who arrive within five minutes of clicking a button on my phone. Talk about very cool apps! Every driver I had raved about how much they loved working their own schedules, getting 80% of the fare, and not having to pay a company to drive. As a passenger, I loved the ability to summon a car to me, rather than having to wave one down on the side of the street. I also like being able to rate my driver--and for them to rate me. It keeps me from getting cranky. ;-)

The third thing I loved was in Harvard's COOP. Because I was flying and had far expanded the contents of my suitcase far beyond what is considered a carry-on, I didn't have room for books. On the shelves, however, there was a solution: QR codes to purchase the e-version of the book.

Oh, there were other life-saving apps, too, Like when we walked back from the beach and lost our way. Google maps showed us that we have no sense of direction. Checking the forecast to determine what to pack, reaffirmed what we already know: the forecast is usually inaccurate. And making reservations without speaking to a haughty host was a definite plus.

So while all this technology was anachronous while standing next to Paul Revere's house, it's definitely something I can live with.

Twitter for News

June 26, 2015

I don't care to read about what someone had for dinner, nor what she/he just bought at the store. But I love learning news moments after it's occurred: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6466968591480007727#editor/target=post;postID=362257108018644157

Social Media

June 25, 2015

I've come up with a new idea for social media. My concept will be titled Facadebook. I know, I know. It sounds an awful lot like Facebook, but it's WAY different.

So here's how it will work. People will create an account and add "friends" to see what they've posted. The thing about friends is that one doesn't have to know any of the people added. In fact, most people will end up with hundreds, maybe thousands of "friends," many of whom they don't like, let alone know.

But the next part is where it gets really interesting. Facadebook users will use the platform primarily for humblebragging. Now, you may not have seen this word, newly added to the dictionary, defined. It's just what it sounds like: boasting under the guise of humility. Let me give you an example. A person buys a new house in a prestigious neighborhood. He posts a picture of his mansion and writes how "blessed" he is, ostensibly to have a monthly mortgage that surpasses the gross national product of a small country. See how it works?

Another useful concept of Facadebook will be stating the obvious in a thinly disguised attempt at soliciting comments. A mother's caption to a photo of her children reads, "Love these beautiful children. So proud of them." Um, yeah. They're YOUR kids. Of course you love them. Geez. Oh, wait. This is where the "friends" are supposed to add how much THEY also love the children, and, "oh, they're so beautiful."

Lastly, Facadebook will be an excellent form of communication for members of the same household. One bride can proclaim, "Happy anniversary to the love of my life, to whom I've been married three months." Of course, the beloved doesn't have a Facadebook account, so he can't actually SEE what his wife thinks, but "friends" will all add their congratulatory remarks. To me it seems an inauspicious start to a marriage when one member of the union would rather proclaim her/his love by getting on the computer, rather than walking into the other room and sharing the moment privately.

But I could be wrong. For all I know, their lives could be really....blessed.