tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57572222012-01-23T13:02:50.919-05:00The adventures of a science teacher in a small public middle school in the Bronx. Apologies to Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen, creators of the <EM>Magic School Bus</EM> series and the original Ms. Frizzle.ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.comBlogger13161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1158601362277077592006-09-18T13:40:00.000-04:002006-09-18T13:42:42.380-04:00

please visit Öğretmen.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com130tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1151534790678738572006-06-28T18:30:00.000-04:002006-06-28T18:51:51.786-04:00

Student reflections...My favorite parts of science class this year was the experiments we did. Usually in science we just read from the textbook. In this science class we're hands on.Things that Ms. Frizzle did to help me were explaining the things I didn't get. When I needed something she got it. Gave me words to use.I wish Ms. Frizzle had a class of chemistry like when you mixe liquids and

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com131tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1151466950374870352006-06-27T23:40:00.000-04:002006-06-27T23:55:50.393-04:00

it's the end of a long day, and I need a few minutes to just sit on my bed and wind down. So I may as well write something. I'm still sick. But the fever is under control and the body aches are (mostly) gone and I know what it is and have Cipro to treat it, and so I was back at work today. I'm not sure if it was disorientation from having been in so much pain for four days and then

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1151248693478861472006-06-25T11:10:00.000-04:002006-06-25T12:31:58.996-04:00

1. I'm sick as a dog. It was over 90 degrees in our classrooms on Friday, so hot that no one believed me when I told them I thought I had a fever. Then I went home, lay down, took my temperature: 102.5. I've had to run around all weekend looking for an apartment. I missed the 8th grade graduation because the trains were all messed up and I was late to my first apartment visit earlier that

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1151013730120915962006-06-22T17:29:00.000-04:002006-06-22T18:05:51.063-04:00

There are a lot of ends in my life right now, and nearly all of them are loose.*****This is the first day in - I literally don't know how long - that I have been home before six on a weekday. Dinner has transformed from a meal often cooked at home to the question, Do I eat out the expensive way or the cheap way? And so, despite the 90 degree, you-can-nearly-swim-it's-so-humid weather, I think

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1150948923907985762006-06-21T23:58:00.000-04:002006-06-22T00:03:20.620-04:00

From Tom Brokaw's commencement address to the Stanford class of 2006:The memorable people for me represent that vast population of young and old of every hue and origin who gave up comforts and convention to answer their conscience, who are guided by their moral compass to difficult challenges and who are determined to make a difference. They lived in the real world and they took responsibility

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1150863232439370102006-06-21T00:03:00.000-04:002006-06-21T00:46:22.636-04:00

I've been in California at my brother's graduation from Stanford, where I had lunch by the bay with phc and met the cute, sleepy, and extremely easy-to-get-along-with Olivia. Graduation events with my family - my brother graduated with a major in Comparative Studies in Race & Ethnicity, a thesis about labor history at Stanford, and a minor in Spanish and might be going into teaching - and a

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1150161804135787522006-06-12T21:19:00.000-04:002006-06-12T21:38:42.576-04:00

Threadless shirts are cool but tend to shrink a little weird... but d*mn, do I wish I knew a geologist to buy this for. Especially 'cause it's only $10 right now. This one's pretty geeky fun, too. No, I don't know why I always like the brown ones best.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1150058069293697842006-06-11T16:23:00.000-04:002006-06-11T16:34:29.356-04:00

My principal just forwarded me a link to this grant application: DCAT "Making a Difference" Award. It's for $2500 to expand a successful middle school science program. You have to describe your program and prove that it has been successful. I think it would be a relatively easy grant to write, and that we might have a shot at getting it. We have the test scores as a starting point for proving

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149953247496360522006-06-10T11:18:00.000-04:002006-06-10T12:37:46.430-04:00

The field trip went off... not without a hitch, because there were hitches (a few kids got seasick, some problems with the subway, etc.)... but really, really well. On the train downtown, one girl was already telling me this was the "best field trip ever." Uh-oh, I thought, those are some high expectations to live up to... But the trip was already exceeding my own expectations, because despite

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149818248646240982006-06-08T21:55:00.000-04:002006-06-08T22:04:43.426-04:00

The Bow Bridge, Central Park. I wandered through on my way from the Indian Consulate to the doctor's office today. I love the East Village, but I lived three blocks from the northern part of the park for three years, and it truly was the best backyard ever.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149775772136111552006-06-08T10:06:00.000-04:002006-06-08T10:09:32.143-04:00

so, head over to his place for some news from the Colbert Report on the state of science education in the United States. (And at the start of the clip, it becomes clear that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales could use a little timeline of technological history...). Oy.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149774694220553292006-06-08T09:37:00.000-04:002006-06-08T09:53:41.523-04:00

This is how I imagine my attempts at Türkçe are going to go:Nasılsın? (How are you?)............(5 minutes later...)Az hastayım. (A little sick. This is why I'm home... the kids have the day off today, and I'm staying home to try to kick my bad cold before our sailing trip tomorrow.)Neredesin? (Where are you?)...okay, I'm at the train station......tiren istasyon......except that's a noun

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149645798428715042006-06-06T21:59:00.000-04:002006-06-06T22:04:00.543-04:00

I'm not feeling well and am immersed in finalizing the details of Friday's sailing field trip, but here's something I hope never happens on any of my trips...In other news, some of our seventh graders lit a book on fire in the classroom during social studies class. The teacher was in the doorway, speaking privately to another student. By "fire," I mean actual flames, not just a singed corner of

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149563317327688112006-06-05T23:06:00.000-04:002006-06-05T23:08:37.350-04:00

The closer we get to Friday, the-day-we-take-80-pre-adolescents-all-the-way-downtown-to-go-sailing, the worse the weather forecast. Cross everything you can cross, donate any weather karma you might have stashed somewhere, pray, do whatever it takes, but please, please make Friday sunny. Hell, I'd take misty or even partly cloudy. Just... no thunderstorms.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149282863760404542006-06-02T16:46:00.000-04:002006-06-02T17:19:59.553-04:00

The stage in our building's auditorium is only a few feet off the ground, flanked by a blue curtain, with no backdrops of any kind. The words, "Anything Is Possible," are stenciled onto the back wall, white on black, and from nearly anywhere in the audience, you can see the door to backstage propped open with an orange traffic cone, our school aide sitting on a piano in the "wings," coaching the

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149280838253971752006-06-02T16:31:00.000-04:002006-06-02T17:15:31.676-04:00

Walking home through the East Village. Crossing the street against the light, a little old lady walks slowly, bent over her cane. A young guy on a bike comes screaming around the corner, just missing the little old lady and just making the light: Waaaaaaaaatcccccccchhhhhhhhh ooooooouuuuuuuuttttttt!!!!!!! A few minutes later, the sky goes yellow-green and opens up, raindrops the size of

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149202881980643482006-06-01T19:00:00.000-04:002006-06-01T19:38:11.666-04:00

I will send cheesy NYC postcards to two winners: one for the answer the most closely matches reality and one for the funniest/most creative answer:Say you're working at a supermarket check-out at 7 am on a Wednesday. A young woman unloads the following from her basket: a bottle of white vinegar, a box of sugar cubes, a box of super-fine sugar, 3 bottles of Pepsi (all the same size), a bottle of

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149202804866892952006-06-01T18:49:00.000-04:002006-06-01T19:17:27.703-04:00

I was walking home through Tompkins Square Park today and happened upon a small stage, like you'd set up at a small-town Fourth of July celebration, festooned with balloons that spelled out, "Kulpick* Wings Eating Contest." A small group of ordinary people stood directly in front of the stage, clapping raucously, yet oddly almost in rhythm, slightly too-smiling, it seemed to me. A couple of

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149200272755697392006-06-01T18:17:00.000-04:002006-06-01T18:42:03.286-04:00

I finally did my state-required two-hour violence prevention workshop, yesterday. Before you ask, no, I don't know how it took me this long to get around to it. It was... interesting.I had somehow acquired the misconception that this was going to be a workshop about preventing violence between students. Turns out, it was about preventing students from being violent towards me! I've never felt

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149118746719615982006-05-31T19:38:00.000-04:002006-05-31T19:39:06.740-04:00

Question: Why do icebergs float?Answer: So they can stay cool.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1149035143652287052006-05-30T20:20:00.000-04:002006-05-30T22:05:28.850-04:00

plus $3.99 overnight shipping from Amazon.comto get that rate I had to sign up for a trial of something called "Amazon Prime" which I am quite likely to forget to cancel after my three months run out, but it was worth it, because damn it, I need a fan, this weekthe air conditioner, known as klima in Turkish, is a rare sight in the NYC public schoolstemperatures in the high 80's and higher

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1148948521238362632006-05-29T20:03:00.000-04:002006-05-29T21:25:22.740-04:00

I replied to the student whose email I quoted yesterday. Here is his response; doesn't it speak for itself?that is so awesome Istanbul? wow, that is really exciting we are very happy and excited for you(take me with you lol) ... i guess maybe you should learn some turkish i had a friend from north Cyprus and he spoke turkish. you prabably already know this but:Monhabat= hello (not sure if

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1148848181208522022006-05-28T16:23:00.000-04:002006-05-29T20:38:04.160-04:00

This is an excerpt from an email I received today, from a former student (both he and his twin brother were in our first class of students, and are high school freshmen now). They were always great kids, but there's something about this email that just sounds so mature:my brother and i have some exciting news. we both have been chosen along with about 18 other students from my school to go to

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1148527525353687552006-05-24T23:22:00.000-04:002006-05-24T23:34:56.916-04:00

There's no teacher in the room? Said with surprise. I'm doing my best to learn useful phrases. ö is said like an o with sort of pursed lips. ğ is silent, and stretches the vowel preceding it a bit.The rest of that sentence is pretty much the way it looks.English has so many words to say this! Türkçe only needs one!Um... maybe because that one word includes fifteen different suffixes added to

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1148430262063903442006-05-23T20:08:00.000-04:002006-05-24T06:52:15.726-04:00

Our ballroom dance team won second place out of ten teams competing! But we probably can't afford to have the program next year. And given that I am feeling unwanted at my school at present, it makes me just slightly bitter to remember that I was the one who had the idea and made the initial phone calls that got our school involved. Then, the 8th grade teachers, our parent coordinator, and

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1148354433463699182006-05-22T23:12:00.000-04:002006-05-22T23:43:54.870-04:00

To use correct Turkish letters while using Safari, I go to "edit" and choose "special characters." I don't know if they're readable in all browsers, so I apologize if you've got gibberish.I know the numbers 1-10 and the days of the week:bir - oneiki - twoüç - threedört - fourbeş - fivealtı - sixyedi - sevensekiz - eightdokuz - nineon - tenpazartesi - Mondaysalı - Tuesdayçarşamba -

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1148232094194045512006-05-21T13:11:00.000-04:002006-05-21T13:21:45.693-04:00

I have a long post written about how pointless and annoying our curriculum retreat was this year (in past years, it has actually been quite productive and re-invigorating). But sometimes, if you have nothing nice to say, it's better to say nothing (or very little). I should be on the train to Inwood & various Bronx neighborhoods to check out possible places to move, but instead I'm sitting here

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147992913616317092006-05-18T18:47:00.000-04:002006-05-18T18:55:13.633-04:00

We'd fallen into a comfortable routine where the students and I would design a challenge, and then divide up into two groups, and each group would attempt to build a robot to meet the challenge. The last few weeks have involved arms of various sorts, with increasing success. In a group of 8 regulars, we have about 4 kids who are really committed and spend the entire time working on their robots

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147923257014000092006-05-17T23:16:00.000-04:002006-05-17T23:34:17.030-04:00

For once. They're getting few and far between lately. Sorry. I should really go to bed, but this is the first half hour I've had to myself since early morning, and I am not ready to sleep yet. A word of warning to those who have advanced degrees in science and cannot bear the simplification that happens when we introduce new ideas to 11-year-olds: this is probably not a post you want to read.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147921412974755222006-05-17T22:45:00.000-04:002006-05-18T00:02:12.820-04:00

The value of studying. I made flashcards last night and studied them on the train this morning. And I've been taking every possible opportunity to share some of the most important new words (e.g., greetings) with friends, colleagues, even students. The students love it, incidentally. And it's working - I don't feel like I've studied that much, but there are now a few dozen words, mostly nouns

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147821178250308032006-05-16T18:55:00.000-04:002006-05-16T19:12:58.590-04:00

This year, we have 14 teachers. As of today, it looks like NINE are leaving next year, FIVE staying (including me, and I'm not really going to be here next year).One is leaving to become head English coach for our region. One is leaving the classroom to become a coach at our school. Four TFA/Teaching Fellows teachers are leaving because they have finished their commitments. One was only an

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147819383209379182006-05-16T18:38:00.000-04:002006-05-16T18:43:41.733-04:00

to throw a rubber ball across the classroom. Not even when you do it for emphasis. Not even when what you're emphasizing is how stupid it is for a class that is serving a week's detention for throwing things in class (and the halls, and...) to get caught throwing things in class again before even finishing the punishment. Not even when you confiscated the ball earlier in the period. Because,

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147744885676815532006-05-15T21:30:00.000-04:002006-05-15T22:23:44.123-04:00

That the number one reason for studying Turkish at NYU is because your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife is Turkish.My teacher is a middle-aged schoolmarm-ish lady who says things like, Remember that this word is this vowel, not that one, many people have forgotten it and it has caused many sad problems for them. Such sad stories. There's a woman in the class who learned Turkish from people who

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147543318942737062006-05-13T13:09:00.000-04:002006-05-13T14:01:58.960-04:00

I am someone who begins with the big picture and works my way down to details. Once I know the context for something, I can learn quickly - but starting with details leaves me unmoored, anxious. I am reminded of this by the process of setting up a new website. I just don't understand the internet - why do I need a database? What exactly is hosting? What is My SQL? How does it all fit

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147476933508473702006-05-12T19:34:00.000-04:002006-05-12T19:35:33.526-04:00

please let Limerick Savant know. He's putting together a "Carnival of/for Mothers" in tribute to his own mom, who's in the hospital. And check out his clever political limericks.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147475524327618942006-05-12T18:46:00.000-04:002006-05-12T19:12:04.713-04:00

My first year teaching, I taught 8th graders who had had the same homeroom and science teacher for both sixth and seventh grade. They thought she was coming back, and instead, she left to teach at a small new school. So, on the first day of 8th grade, they walked into their classroom expecting to find their teacher, a motherly and imposing middle-aged African-American lady, and instead, here

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147298311851102032006-05-10T17:57:00.000-04:002006-05-10T17:58:31.870-04:00

I've been wanting to write a good long post about E.D. Hirsch's American Educator feature on the importance of teaching content in the early years. At about the same time that this article was published, a debate simmered in the education blogs over the question of whether schools are cutting everything but math and reading, and, if they are, whether that's a bad thing. In my experience, here

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147293550257143742006-05-10T16:22:00.000-04:002006-05-10T16:39:10.830-04:00

I start Turkish classes on Monday. The last time I studied a language was freshman year in college, when, despite years and years of Spanish in high school, I placed into only 3rd-quarter Spanish. We'd been reading literature in high school (all of Like Water For Chocolate and a couple of short stories by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez) but I couldn't speak or listen to save my life. The college

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147132156135269702006-05-08T19:43:00.000-04:002006-05-08T20:28:35.010-04:00

We gave the Intermediate Level Science Exam written test last week, and Mr. Richter and I are staying after school for several (paid) hours to set up for the performance exam, so that we can administer it Wednesday and Thursday. So, essentially, it's been a full year, and I only now received last year's 8th grade test scores, through our School Report Card. 95% of my students passed with a 3 or

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1147060622271203602006-05-07T23:46:00.000-04:002006-05-07T23:57:02.316-04:00

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146950710931245562006-05-06T17:18:00.000-04:002006-05-06T17:25:10.953-04:00

Okay, so suppose we wanted to draw a map of where Tiana is at 10 am on a Wednesday. We could draw the school, because we know exactly where that is, and we could draw this classroom inside the school. But how do we show where Tiana is? Is she always in exactly the same place at that time? No.... but we know where she is most likely to be: in this classroom, in science class, in her seat. But

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146864922334421902006-05-05T17:28:00.000-04:002006-05-05T17:35:22.370-04:00

I'm going! I'm going, I'm going, I'm going! I'm going to be teaching middle school science in a private school just outside of Istanbul next year. I don't want to link to the school yet, but it's a huge, prestigious, progressive-sounding K-12 school. The kids leave school bilingual in Turkish and English and competent in a third language, so in middle school, the language of instruction for

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146616540207696752006-05-02T20:32:00.000-04:002006-05-02T20:36:02.443-04:00

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146608034172891042006-05-02T18:01:00.000-04:002006-05-02T18:19:39.006-04:00

I had my sixth graders draw/describe what they think an atom looks like, what they think a molecule looks like, and ask at least one question about atoms, to see what they know as we begin studying the nature of matter.The solid ball model of the atom was common. Some children drew the "Jimmy Neutron" logo - and identified it as such. Molecules were usually larger than atoms, but otherwise

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146535866713047272006-05-01T22:05:00.000-04:002006-05-01T22:11:06.730-04:00

For whatever reason, I'm hooked on The Be Good Tanyas version of "The Littlest Birds" which you can download or listen to at Shake Your Fist.Well it's times like these I feel so small and wild Like the ramblin' footsteps of a wanderin' child And i'm lonesome as a lonesome whippoorwill Singin these blues with a warble and a trill But i'm not too blue to fly No i'm not too blue to fly cuz The

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146528800179236282006-05-01T19:56:00.000-04:002006-05-01T20:38:46.663-04:00

I surfaced at Union Square this afternoon to see thousands and thousands of immigrants rallying and preparing for a march downtown. Dozens of countries were represented - Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and many others. Families marched with their children, students with university groups, community and cultural organizations with banners and flags. The mood was festive. Standing there

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146453409648611092006-04-30T23:08:00.000-04:002006-04-30T23:22:47.206-04:00

Guess what? Readers of this blog have raised almost $500 towards science materials for NYC schools - 12% of my $4000 challenge. That's a terrific start! But I know there are more of you out there who support good science teaching who just haven't had a chance to add your $10 to the challenge. So, here's another of the proposals I selected - click on the title to give to this project, or click

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146435746026048382006-04-30T18:18:00.000-04:002006-04-30T18:22:26.040-04:00

I might have a need in mid-to-late May for a few hours of time from a web designer with good aesthetic skills, an aversion to cluttered interfaces, and the ability to clearly explain things like owning one's own domain. I'd be willing to pay a (very) small fee or trade in-kind (I'm not sure what I have to offer but let's discuss it). Email me at ms [dot] frizzle [at] gmail [dot] com if you can

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146420982232691662006-04-30T14:13:00.000-04:002006-04-30T14:18:17.026-04:00

As I lay there holding her as the doctor was still working on me, I was just staring at her and telling her how beautiful she was. And then I realized I didn't want to just tell her she was beautiful because she was a girl, so I also told her how smart and strong she was. The doctor was, I swear, laughing at me. I'm not sure what to say in response to this, except that reading it made me so happy

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146261945399712922006-04-28T17:51:00.000-04:002006-04-28T18:06:14.943-04:00

Corie's getting married. My friends are new parents. It's been such a rollercoaster of raised and then dashed hopes, that I scarcely dare breathe the words - let alone write them - but it looks like there's a good chance that I'll be teaching in Istanbul next year. I now have a proposed match - the materials will arrive in a day or two - and am in semi-regular email communication with my

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146178484709656812006-04-27T18:53:00.000-04:002006-04-27T18:54:44.726-04:00

awwwwwwww!

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146100189382790522006-04-26T21:06:00.000-04:002006-04-26T21:14:34.876-04:00

There is a fascinating conversation going on at WolfAngel in response to the article listing 10 science questions for high school graduates, which I posted a few days ago. Teachers have to deal, all the time, with how to simplify material so that it is age appropriate without simplifying it so much that it is wrong. You can't teach everyone every detail, but you want to build a foundation free

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146096795315549062006-04-26T19:38:00.000-04:002006-04-26T21:06:31.086-04:00

I called the Fulbright office on Tuesday, when nothing had arrived at school or at home. They are still thinking about it, I was told, "they" being my counterpart and the Fulbright officials' counterparts overseas. It boils down to concerns about housing in general and the neighborhood where I teach in particular, valid concerns given that (fairly or unfairly) plenty of New Yorkers aren't

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1146006180546989382006-04-25T18:46:00.000-04:002006-04-25T19:09:45.580-04:00

Thanks to those who contributed to my BloggersChoose Challenge! We've already raised $210 towards my goal of $4000. And one of the proposals I selected has been fully funded, in part through this challenge. Last weekend, I highlighted a proposal from a teacher whose kindergarten class was left out of the science rotation. I've written about the lack of elementary science education many times

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145937265115986352006-04-24T23:43:00.000-04:002006-04-25T19:14:38.206-04:00

The teacher who normally plans our 7th grade extended day tutoring was out today, so we were on our own. I could have just picked a page from the workbook for the kids to work on, but instead, I wrote out a bunch of fractions and decimals on index cards. I put 0 at one end of the table, 1.0 in the middle, and 2.0 at the far end. Then they had to place the other fractions and decimals one at a

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145847530704399652006-04-23T22:41:00.000-04:002006-04-24T17:34:59.310-04:00

Why is the sky blue? Facts you should know. A journalist asked ten scientists to name one question all high school graduates should be able to answer. My favorite is "What is it that makes diseases caused by viruses and bacteria hard to treat?" because it requires conceptual knowledge of genetics and evolution and applies that knowledge to a real issue. I'm happy to report that I got all of

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145812296073733402006-04-23T12:27:00.000-04:002006-04-23T13:18:10.920-04:00

On Thursday, I went to see the Darwin exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, before meeting other teacher-blogger types in Central Park for a picnic. I already knew a lot of the material that the exhibit covered, though it is always cool to see original documents and speciments. One thing that struck me was how young Charles Darwin was when invited to join the Beagle expedition: he

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145650171855821712006-04-21T15:59:00.000-04:002006-04-21T16:23:18.140-04:00

Over the years, I've received a few hundred dollars worth of supplies through DonorsChoose, a website where teachers write short proposals for classroom projects, and donors contribute small amounts of money to make these projects possible. So it's nice to be able to turn it around and participate in BloggersChoose, their new fund-raising campaign. This is how it works: I've set a goal: $4000.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145600294281918982006-04-21T02:17:00.000-04:002006-04-21T08:32:12.443-04:00

With a hearty attitude and a gruff yet caring demeanor, you are staunchly dedicated to fighting the good fight.Nobody tosses a Dwarf!Gimli is a character in the Middle-Earth universe. He has a featured biography page at TheOneRing.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145554683891720092006-04-20T13:32:00.000-04:002006-04-20T13:38:03.906-04:00

that this Fulbright exchange is not going to happen. Over a week ago, I was told at the end of a phone conversation that they were very close to proposing a match for me, and that most likely I'd get the proposal by the end of that week or early this week. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. And the more time that passes, the more certain I am that it's all fallen through. Or, I suppose, they might

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145550408689738282006-04-20T10:56:00.000-04:002006-04-20T12:26:48.710-04:00

everyone else seems to be, so why not?The first point, which I want to get out of the way quickly because it's so obvious, is that if housing incentives are necessary to recruit new teachers, doesn't that kind of beg the question whether it wouldn't be easier to pay us enough to live on? Then again, a conversation with friends last night reminded me that no one I know is paid enough to afford to

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145414540399797802006-04-18T22:39:00.000-04:002006-04-18T22:42:20.416-04:00

It's not fair!!!!! I could use a subsidy for my housing, too! I'm a science teacher! I teach in the public schools! I've been doing this for SIX years!I will leave the arguments about supply-and-demand, merit pay, etc. to others.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145391964192059692006-04-18T15:33:00.000-04:002006-04-18T16:37:30.963-04:00

I arrived home Saturday to find an odd-looking instrument on the living room floor: an oscilloscope, my mother explained, borrowed from... well, I'm not sure from whom. It's a large-ish industrial-baby-blue box, with a screen and various dials on one side, and a microphone snaking off to one side. She's tutoring an Italian student in English and borrowed it to help her tutee "see" the different

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145388599316072562006-04-18T15:24:00.000-04:002006-04-18T18:51:06.153-04:00

There has been nothing from FedEx, or in the mail. And so I'm still waiting. I found a Turkish class at NYU, but I am waiting to enroll until I know. I'm not good at waiting. It makes me do things like sit at home on sunny days, thinking that any minute the doorbell will ring, the package will arrive, and then I will go to yoga. Or, after being out of town for three days, I take a cab home

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145051557046861442006-04-14T17:49:00.000-04:002006-04-14T17:56:37.420-04:00

I went to one of these workshops last year... fun and supremely geeky. The Third Annual Circuit Bending Festival of Music and Art in Downtown Manhattan. A week of concerts, art installations, and workshops celebrating a most unusual art form. The first and only festival in the country where one can see a musical instrument built from a singing teddy bear, this year's event will be held April 19-

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145046967750870732006-04-14T16:23:00.000-04:002006-04-14T16:36:07.766-04:00

Small lies,whisperedexcuses,the stories we tellto cover up our mistakes: fibs.Smallpoemswrittenin homageto Fibonacci,so much geekier than haiku.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1145026380165807062006-04-14T10:07:00.000-04:002006-04-18T18:33:47.466-04:00

Here's the song behind the title of the post. The whole album is melancholy sixties-style pop, very mellow, you'd swear you hear the Beatles here & there.Since K Got Over MeThe Clientele and their blog.Juliet I get on my knees Speaking in tongues Of washed out sun and Perfect clarity

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144882593073569162006-04-12T16:33:00.000-04:002006-04-12T18:56:33.090-04:00

(There were 653 jellybeans in the container. The closest estimates were 650, 648, and 660).

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144720702612419322006-04-10T21:51:00.000-04:002006-04-10T21:58:22.646-04:00

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144455247030040352006-04-07T20:12:00.000-04:002006-04-09T17:32:35.070-04:00

when at Easter time, it was easy to find a Cadbury Creme Egg, the real thing, not a Snickers Cream Egg or any of the other paltry imitations of this classic?Anyone in NYC know where to get them these days? Update: They are, indeed, available at Rite-Aid, which I normally avoid because the Rite-Aid in my neighborhood is so dingy and unkempt. And, according to a reader's very kind email,

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144366719725279872006-04-06T19:23:00.000-04:002006-04-06T20:21:27.026-04:00

In my seventh grade science class, in the middle of a discussion of evapotranspiration and the water cycle, a boy raised his hand and asked, You know how they say everything's like, connected? So, when there's a drought and a plant is, like, wilting and dying, does the sky know and give it rain just in time?I responded that the sky doesn't "know" that plants need water, and doesn't care, and

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144279957899922682006-04-05T19:30:00.000-04:002006-04-05T19:52:27.593-04:00

Here are our results:About 400 pennies have a mass of 1 kilogram, which means that 400,000 pennies have a mass of 1 metric ton.About 800 jumbo paperclips have a mass of 1 kilogram, which means that 800,000 paperclips have a mass of 1 metric ton.And a dollar bill has a mass of 1 gram (pretty much perfectly), so a kilogram of dollar bills is $1000, and a ton of money will make you a millionaire.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144279399601728962006-04-05T18:28:00.000-04:002006-04-05T19:26:56.403-04:00

It's a close call in New York City whether the trees or the people keep their spring clothes in easier reach. The trees seemingly kept flowers tucked into the nooks of their branches, ready to be unfurled at the first touch of sun. And in the same moment, sleeveless shirts and melon-colored flip-flops reappeared on shoulders and feet all over the city. So today, I'm teaching the seventh

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144189904969609922006-04-04T18:30:00.000-04:002006-04-04T18:31:45.016-04:00

(See the original post).Our math AUSSIE came to sit in on my math tutoring session after school today. Only four of my six students were present, and they were as pissy as I've seen them recently, trading insults, kicking each other under the table, and even snapping at each other (literally, with their teeth!). After a certain amount of this, I read them the riot act, which caused three to

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144119263324668342006-04-03T22:49:00.000-04:002006-04-03T22:54:23.370-04:00

by Haruki Murakami"I'm always amazed how good you are at explaining things.""That's my job," I said. My words seemed somehow flat and stale. "You should try being an elementary-school teacher sometime. You'd never imagine the kind of questions I get. 'Why isn't the world square?' 'Why do squids have ten arms and not eight?' I've learned to come up with an answer to just about everything.""

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1144003483229081452006-04-02T14:37:00.000-04:002006-04-05T19:30:04.513-04:00

I missed so many more appropriate opportunities to post this, but it came up in my iTunes shuffle today and I thought I'd share it:Charlie on the MTAThe Kingston TrioLet me tell you the story Of a man named Charlie On a tragic and fateful day He put ten cents in his pocket, Kissed his wife and family Went to ride on the MTAHere you can read more than you ever wanted to know about the origins of

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143817305649943092006-03-31T09:57:00.000-05:002006-03-31T10:01:45.856-05:00

One more tidbit gleaned from the training session. Up to third grade (or fourth? I can't remember) the kids are allowed to draw bar graphs with the bars touching. After that, it costs them a point if they use touching bars rather than separating them. Unlike the equations/expressions and strings issues, where I could at least guess why it mattered, even if I thought it was a bit harsh, I have

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143779650285203882006-03-30T22:57:00.000-05:002006-03-31T10:43:14.546-05:00

I visited UFT headquarters (at 52 Broadway) for the first time yesterday. It's a big, fancy building with a really nice security guard who was very helpful in directing me to the right auditorium. There's a cafe on the ground floor. I wish my school included a cafe. Oh, well.Along with maybe 75 other teachers and activists, I was there for a screening of Granito de Arena, a documentary about

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143777345531220262006-03-30T22:36:00.000-05:002006-03-31T10:03:16.340-05:00

Lest anyone think I've been on vacation today, let me share an activity I put together. I'm teaching the sixth graders how to use the triple beam balance next week. The first day, they'll simply practice by measuring the mass of various common objects, with extra time for playing (measuring objects of their own choosing). The next day, to help them get a more intuitive sense of what a gram,

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143682204795037312006-03-29T20:19:00.000-05:002006-03-29T20:37:42.796-05:00

in honor of the math test which we will all be scoring (except those of us who have conveniently scheduled doctors appointments for mid-morning) while the children get a 4-day weekend.How many NCAA brackets would I have to fill out to cover every possible combination?Borrowed from someone who finds the basketball just as interesting as the math, and who has the right answer. (But don't you want

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143681210873112112006-03-29T20:08:00.000-05:002006-03-29T20:38:23.076-05:00

one of the girls stepped off the line.Ms. Frizzle?I nodded.When we were walking upstairs from lunch...?Uh-oh, I thought, who did what to whom? Well, you were standing in front of the window and the sun was shining on your hair, and it looked really beautiful.That has to be the most eloquent random comment I've ever received from a student. And she saved it up all period to tell me. Have I

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143603780024133842006-03-28T22:26:00.000-05:002006-03-29T21:09:58.230-05:00

A friend and I are planning a trip to India this summer. We both big nerds who want to actually research India (more than just reading a travel guide) before we go. We are at the stage of planning where it just hit us that India is a Really Big Country.This week, I finally started reading a history book about British imperialism in India. I borrowed it from the library three weeks ago (in fact

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143602337482464072006-03-28T22:13:00.000-05:002006-03-28T22:19:46.420-05:00

My friend's roomie organized this:Please join NYCoRE and Teachers Unite for a special screening of:GRANITO DE ARENANominated for the International Documentary Association's 2005 Pare Lorentz Award, GRANITO DE ARENA is the story of hundreds of thousands of public schoolteachers whose grassroots, non-violent movement took Mexico by surprise, and who have endured brutal repression in their 25-year

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143600691443343612006-03-28T21:03:00.000-05:002006-03-30T13:49:01.796-05:00

when you stop thanking the good lord for any break from the usual routine, any day away from the evil monsters students, and realize you'd rather be in your classroom than anywhere else (and not just to keep the kids from trashing the room). Some of the math teachers at the training today were still on the other side of that line, secretly happy to get a few hours out of their classrooms and a

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143323635738414832006-03-25T16:46:00.000-05:002006-03-25T16:55:46.956-05:00

Schools Cut Back Subjects to Push Reading and Math - and note that it's not just k-3, when it might be justified in order to provide a solid skills foundation (although, honestly, I think even in the early grades, kids ought to at least read about science and social studies topics)."Narrowing the curriculum has clearly become a nationwide pattern," said Jack Jennings, the president of the center,

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143322049455381812006-03-25T16:17:00.000-05:002006-03-25T16:27:29.493-05:00

I arrived early for the conference, materials ready, butterflies flapping around in my stomach. Every time I step foot inside Stuyvesant High School, I am jealous of the kids and teachers who spend their days in such a shiny, modern building with views of the harbor. On the other hand, it's an enormous school - 10 floors! - and I don't envy them the size.About 20 people attended my session,

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143255193346718902006-03-24T21:40:00.000-05:002006-03-24T22:04:18.356-05:00

I taught one of my favorite lessons today. I gave each group of kids two metersticks, a box of markers, and a piece of chart paper, and they had to measure/estimate the volume of the classroom in liters. We pretended that the classroom is a perfect rectangular prism without any furniture or weird ventilation shafts projecting into the space. I started them off by going over the calculations

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1143081348790844082006-03-22T21:34:00.000-05:002006-03-22T21:37:13.916-05:00

I'll bet this was a scene. (Keep reading for Amtrak).Suzanne Kelly, who was working on the wardrobe department of a movie crew filming in the park, said she saw the coyote at about 8 this morning. She said it was near another woman walking her small dog. At first, Ms. Kelly said she thought the coyote was another dog."She tried to shoo it away," she said of the dog walker. "I saw it coming

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142910416385797082006-03-20T21:46:00.000-05:002006-03-22T00:29:42.233-05:00

Morning commute: grumpy. Life is good, but I am SO OVER my morning schedule. Here are my options: new school, new neighborhood, car. Ruby slippers.*****The sixth graders' essays were not what you'd call good. Still, most of them got the structure more-or-less right. Pity they didn't use any supporting details to speak of. One. Step. At. A. Time.*****Have I mentioned that I am presenting

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142812588619438812006-03-19T18:35:00.000-05:002006-03-23T23:57:00.023-05:00

So listen to this instead: When We Get FamousMath & Physics ClubWhen we get famouswe won't move to New Yorkwe'll still ride our bikes around townwe'll still take the bus to the mallI'll pretend I don't believe youwhen you say you're not after my moneyat first you won't think it's funnybut then you'll smile 'cause you know me better than that.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142557528971966382006-03-16T19:57:00.000-05:002006-03-16T20:06:19.083-05:00

Sadly, I am (about to begin) grading a whole lot of papers instead of having a beer at Mo Pitkin's and listening to David Jacobs-Strain, who is ridiculously talented (I saw him a few years ago at a summer festival - and it turns out my brother goes to college with him). It seems that I have to add "young musical stand-out" to my list of careers that I no longer have any shot at, with "Olympic

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142554043312202042006-03-16T19:06:00.000-05:002006-03-16T19:41:46.696-05:00

My pirate name is: Captain Jenny Flint Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr! Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142552127954954842006-03-16T18:25:00.000-05:002006-03-16T18:38:34.460-05:00

Another teacher and I took 30 kids to see Roving Mars today at the IMAX theater on the Upper West Side. We took a combination of my robotics students, her filmmaking students, and others handpicked based on their interest in things technological. It was a rambunctious group, made more rambunctious by the vast quantities of sugar they managed to consume before and during the trip, and it was not

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142386241333665212006-03-14T20:24:00.000-05:002006-03-14T21:20:51.426-05:00

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142384634865881112006-03-14T19:54:00.000-05:002006-03-14T20:03:54.900-05:00

apparently talk to TMAO, too! (This is so going to be me in a couple of days. I'm collecting first drafts of writing assignments from BOTH the sixth and the seventh graders. I didn't plan it this way, it's just that you lose a teaching period here and there, and all your careful staggering is for naught).*****After school, as I walk out of the building. From behind me,Goodbye, Ms. Frizzle!I

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142300420342092942006-03-13T20:17:00.000-05:002006-03-13T20:53:15.590-05:00

Two days of research on an energy source (solar, wind, hydroelectric, oil, natural gas, nuclear), using books and print-outs of webpages (it's a damn shame, but the thought of using the laptops in class last week made me so tired I went Luddite). One day of outlining, using a table I made with a row for each paragraph, and three columns - one describing what the paragraph should contain (e.g.,

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142207506027448772006-03-12T17:16:00.000-05:002006-03-12T20:27:55.716-05:00

PULSEThe single most arresting image in the whole fair, I think, a photograph of performance artist Zhang Huan in a scene from his piece My Boston. The jpg doesn't really do it justice. I was actually a little disappointed to find out that it was performance art and not just a brilliant photograph, but he's doing something right and I will absolutely go see him if given the opportunity.This is

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142107965584384282006-03-11T14:44:00.000-05:002006-03-11T15:12:45.623-05:00

What happened to robotics?We had an extended break due to the change in the after-school schedule & the new tutoring, the vacation, and that icy snowstorm, and we also allowed all the kids to choose new clubs if they wanted to. So, I met with my new group for the first time on Thursday. I have several kids returning plus several newbies. Only seven kids showed up on Thursday. I split them

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5757222.post-1142102337344584332006-03-11T12:51:00.000-05:002006-03-11T13:55:46.670-05:00

This is a cross-posting here and on the Young Caucasus Women Project - please visit that blog and read what the young women have to say about education in their home countries!In college, I took a class on comparative education - studying education in different countries. While I learned some interesting things, I felt, when the class was over, that I still knew very little about the day-to-day

ms. v.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16032352563527935021noreply@blogger.com10