tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57755662048247546452024-03-13T08:14:20.293-05:00declaration address and dreamAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.comBlogger269125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-6467690695693227162015-03-18T13:23:00.002-05:002015-03-18T13:23:33.558-05:00Open Sourced Commemoration: Remembering Lincoln and Ford's TheaterMy apologies for the formatting--I am getting close to scrapping Blogger. I can't insert photo, videos and what I see in the template is not what ends up showing on the screen. Grrrr. Sorry.<br />
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(Source: MA Historical Society through <a href="http://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/?q=node/289" target="_blank">Remembering Lincoln</a> Project)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Say what you will about 'death by committee', one of the exciting parts of working on a team is when the project or idea is presented, adopted, and then rolled out to be used. I have had the opportunity to work on the </strong></span><a href="http://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Remembering Lincoln</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong> project with about ten other teachers from across the county and Ford's Theater. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>The process has been impressive to watch. The goal of Remembering Lincoln is to connect as many documents and artifacts tied to the Lincoln Assassination as possible. Rather than collecting them all at Ford's for their patrons to see, they've made patrons of everyone on the World Wide Web. By making it as open sourced as possible, we are able to see into museum and private collections from across the country and the world.</strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/sites/default/files/dept%20of%20the%20pacific%20orders_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="General Order No. 27 April 17, 1865" border="0" src="http://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/sites/default/files/dept%20of%20the%20pacific%20orders_0.jpg" height="160" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General Orders No. 27-banning the public celebration of Lincoln's murder (Source: Private collection through <a href="http://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/?q=node/488" target="_blank">Remembering Lincoln</a> Project) </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>My experience of the last decade has been that museums and historical societies and research universities don't always play nice in each other's sandbox. There are just so many dollars, resources and media to go around. What has impressed me is how they've managed to accomplish Remembering Lincoln while at the same time keeping their own institutional identities. As a small cog in the process, I've gotten to see some of what went on behind the curtain to achieve this. As a result, you will find <em>Remembering Lincoln</em> impressively sourced. The research teacher in me says, YES! Wherever they can, Ford's had credited the sponsoring organization. That means students don't have to waste time clicking on hyperlink after hyperlink to find who actually owns each artifact, photograph, and document.</strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/sites/default/files/74-Death%20of%20President%20Lincoln.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Death of President Lincoln" border="0" src="http://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/sites/default/files/74-Death%20of%20President%20Lincoln.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lithograph-"Death of President Lincoln" (Source: Lincoln Memorial University though <a href="http://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/?q=node/251" target="_blank">Remembering Lincoln</a> Project)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>As an educator, they asked me to provide a lesson plan or two for the site. The site was designed for the casual and the curious all the way to the historian or history teacher. I have two lessons I've contributed. One is a close read of the book Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James Swanson. I wanted my kids to research the event but needed something to give them a baseline on the assassination. The book does that. We are in the middle of this lesson in my class and so I am tweeking the lesson as I go. The other lesson is a little more ambitious. Once they have this baseline, I am going to deputize them a Crime Scene Investigators. Each will be assigned a person, a place or object to research. They will prepare a White Paper on their findings and present to the class. On one of my walls will be a map and place to place documents and artifacts they've found as well as a place for questions and theories on who the assassin(s) is (are). At the same time, we will follow Booth's 12 day escape route and its manhunt as well as the Abraham Lincoln's funeral train in real-time (150 years later). One moves the assassin closer to his death at Garret's Farm and the other to the president's resting place in Springfield. One will get a tomb and a nightly commemoration of his place in history. The other a site on federal land prohibiting commemoration of any kind.</strong></span> </div>
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<img border="0" height="212" src="http://jschumacher.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c339953ef016301befeb8970d-640wi" width="320" /> <img height="238" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OjF61PbjFkk/T_WqcDYzNSI/AAAAAAAAATw/vXJpmtqRR8g/s320/Booth+Artifact+Sign.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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BTW-Yes, I am aware that Booth is buried in a<a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7377" target="_blank"> family plot in Maryland</a>. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-76383533455305475302015-03-08T20:56:00.000-05:002015-03-08T20:56:25.346-05:00Why I put my kids in private school...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="302" src="http://hueylong.com/images/photos/programs/education/schoolhouse-lg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Louisiana Historical Society</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">A friend tweeted about </span><a href="http://www.salon.com/2015/03/05/the_case_against_private_education_why_we_put_our_kids_in_public_school/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">this article</span></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> in Salon. As a parent who did the opposite, I have a different perspective.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Last year, we moved our two sons to private school; one as a freshman and the other as a junior. In addition, I have three older kids who graduated from two different public schools. Even as a private school teacher, my feeling was that, as long as the public school served my kids well, that is where they could stay. They had excellent elementary experiences and positive middle school careers. Some of my private school parents asked why my kids weren't with me and sometimes it got awkward. But my wife and I had a sense of peace about the decision. Until about two years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We took them out of public school because my students were getting lost. The writer of the Salon article talked about her son getting "lost in the system." She viewed it as something of an aha moment. So did I, but for different reasons. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Let me back up a bit. <strong>As a parent, I have one job: to help my children navigate the minefield that is growing up.</strong> To help them become adults who can function on their own and contribute in a way that is unique to their skills and callings. Public school was making it harder for me to do my job.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">My sons were getting lost and it was taking longer and longer for teachers and administrators to notice and respond. A counselor made an academic assessment about my son after one five minute conversation and one 'drive by' conversation in the hallway. That was all he could spare in his schedule. He was supposed to be my son's advocate at the school and I don't think he could pick the boy out of a line-up. There were several exceptional teachers at this school. However, there were also teachers who locked their door after school, rather than help students. The Salon writer suggests that that environment forced her child to be their own advocate. My son tried to be an advocate for himself as well, but how do you advocate to a locked door?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The Salon writer talks about her kids developing a thicker skin and being expected to be a part of their own "education equation." She said that her son is in middle school and is a rising freshman. (I am not sure of the daughter's age, but, looking at the extra-curriculars she can take, my guess is middle or upper school.) As a middle school teacher, <u>I would respectfully offer that the transition she is writing about is the move between lower and middle/upper school, not the move from private to public.</u> At the secondary level, we try to instill a sense of identity and ownership in our young charges. It is <u>their</u> education. I can be a champion, but I can't want it more than them. I would argue that the same thing would have happened at almost any college preparatory private school. One of the challenges of teaching middle school is that there is also a learning curve for parents-from being the homework police to letting your child founder a bit so the student can learn how they learn best. Again, respectfully, this is what I think the writer is encountering, not a fundamental shift in private and public school rationales.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I would also argue that some of <u>her concerns about public and private feel more suited to a larger school versus smaller school discussion</u>. A school with seven high schools, fifteen middle school and dozens of elementary is a different animal than a K-12 school feeding into one high school--public or private.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">From the sounds of the article, her kids are doing well and that is cool. It sounds like the decision was a good one for them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I can say the same. My sons have gained a sense of identity that I think would have been missed in public school. One of the things about being in a smaller school is that it is hard to hide. The inability to hide can have its shadow side, but it means that your teachers know you in a way that is, quite simply, impossible in a class or 30 or 40. My son was enrolled in an AP science course based on his transcript and previous math/science grades from public school. During the first quarter of the class, I would have said it was a mistake. However, his teacher saw my son as someone to encourage and invest his time in. My son learned dogged determination and that <u>he</u> was someone worth investing in. After two years of barely being noticed, that was a revelation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">My sons also have had a chance to explore things that they never would have tried at a large public school. The Salon writer suggests "...i<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">f they (students) want to be perceived as extraordinary in the public school system, </span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">they</em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> had better be extraordinary. The school will not create extraordinary for them." Again, I would suggest that this isn't a private to public school assessment, but one of development from lower to upper school. Participation ribbons pretty much ends when you get to middle school. We do give a student as many opportunities to try new things as we can, but there are winners and losers at football games, scholar's bowl and spelling bees. </span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Please note that I am not suggesting that private schools have it all figured out. There are private schools that are exceptional, and some that are jacked up. There are public school that are equally exceptional and some that are equally jacked up.</span></span></span><br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">As one of my sons maneuvers his way through the last few weeks of his senior year, I am thankful for the teachers, both public and private, he has had in his life. We have been blessed. I hope the same for the Salon writer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">As my wife and I wrestled with the move from public to private, this is what was on the table for us:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Academic</strong>--the Salon writer is correct about the academic levels being very different. Our average ACT (remember, I'm a Midwesterner) is about six points higher than our public school counterparts. We tend to have a higher percentage of National Merit Scholars than public schools. Our AP scores are higher and we offer more AP courses per capita than public schools. If you have a gifted student, is it worth the money to put them in an environment like ours? You have to decide. If you have a gifted student with a learning difference, the smaller class size and more 'nurturing' (the Salon writer's words, not mine)environment may mean the difference between thriving or getting lost in the shuffle. The cliché "A rising tide lifts all boats" applies as well. I can think of countless kids who weren't stellar students who worked harder and challenged themselves more because they were in an environment where they said, "it was cool to be smart." I have no doubt that served them well as they moved from middle to upper school (and then college).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Financial</strong>--the move was (and is) a significant financial struggle. Even with tuition remission for both boys, we spend a lot of time eating Kraft Dinners and managing a budget tighter by half. The Salon writer had to have a second job and I agree that one of the tipping points between private and public school as a parent is how time should be allotted. Do I work a second job to give my child an opportunity or is that time better spent actually with that child?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Time</strong>--our commute was fifteen minutes to public school to less than five to the private school. A few years before me moved closer for that very reason. We found that we were spending more time in the car than anything else, and that wasn't working for us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Social (Parents)</strong>--This one is tricky for me for two reasons. As a Midwesterner, private schools here are different than on the East Coast. We fit different molds. We also were founded by someone who wanted to offer a private school education at as reasonable a price as possible. As a result, we charge half of what a private school on the East Coast does. That means our parents are more PTA than Real Housewives. It is also tricky because I am an employee of the school. I like my boundaries in that regards. I will be an advocate for my kids, but its 'bring your child to work' day everyday for me. I have a solid working relationship with parents, but its a different relationship. I image that is the same whether public or private.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;"><strong>Social (Students)</strong>--For me, this one is tied to the academic category. Is this a place where my student would thrive? Is it too big or too small? How does my student do socially--you may determine that public or private is a wash on this issue. BTW-Please don't let movies about private schools define your worldview. We are as varied as public. There is a gifted school within a school in the area whose students who are as full of themselves as any private school I've encountered.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-21325715342890248822015-02-19T21:57:00.003-06:002015-02-19T22:29:32.438-06:00An open letter on "American Exceptionalism"...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Kansas' state motto is Ad Aspera Per Aspera: To the stars through difficulties. Rep. Fisher, I don't think we can get to the stars without being honest in our discussion of our successes and our difficulties.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Dear Oklahoma Representative Fisher,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I am not a resident of your state (Although as a boy from Arkansas City, Kansas, I can say with surety that I could see Oklahoma 'from my house' to quote a political pundit. :)). I also am not an AP history teacher, but I would like to weigh in on </span><a href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb1380&Session=1500" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">your recent bill</span></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> in your state's legislature. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">As a middle school history teacher, I often use the phrase, "Say more" to get a student to dig deeper into an answer or thought. I'm not challenging or correcting the idea. I just need more information.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So I am asking you, what do <strong>you</strong> mean by American Exceptionalism? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I do agree that America is exceptional. I am <u>so</u> proud of <u>so</u> much of what we've become and what we will become. I love the preamble of the Constitution's idea of a "more perfect union." I see that as one of my callings as a teacher. How can I get my young charges to see into the future and see what's next for the American experiment? What notion do we need to wrestle with? What concept do we need to challenge? I think that is the calling of our elected officials, as well. That is why I am asking you to say more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I think that we are exceptional. <strong>But we are not done.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I think that exceptional isn't a location or one static moment. I hate this cliché, but clichés are almost based on a truism. <strong>Exceptionalism isn't the destination but the journey itself.</strong> Our goal is to be more perfect and we can't get there without honest assessment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Some of my favorite moments in my classroom have come when we have wrestled with what is difficult.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><em>Supreme Court cases like Tinker v. Des Moines--what makes for an appropriate learning environment in the midst of turbulent social and political moments in history? (I noticed in the suggested list in the text of the bill that there were no Supreme Court decisions. I think that is problematic. I say, respectfully, that to miss the voice of one third of our governmental leadership is shortsighted.)</em></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><em>Global Warming--what is <strong>our</strong> responsibility to the world in which we live? </em></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><em>Manifest Destiny--how can we reconcile this American need to expand with the genuine wrongs we inflicted on nations of people? (De Tocqueville would suggest the policies of westward expansion crippled both Native Americans and enslaved people, and I would agree. I am pleased he made the list.)</em></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><em>Race--Lincoln suggested in his Second Inaugural (I am excited to see this speech made your list.) that 250 years of sin as a nation for the institution of slavery might need to be countered by 250 years of penance after slavery. I think he may have closer to right than I wish to admit. How do we, then, help the truly bottom-stuck, encourage those who Dr. King pointed out have rights but no hope, and foster racial cooperation and dialogue that goes beyond platitudes and hyperbole?</em></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Rep. Fisher, these are questions my 14 year olds want answered. They don't want to shy away from them. They take Madison and Jefferson at their word. I am humbled by their fearlessness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Again, I think that we are exceptional. But we are not done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I think you and I differ on the result of what we see in the <a href="https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-us-history-course-and-exam-description.pdf" target="_blank">APUSH curriculum</a>. In the hands of skilled AP teachers, student's wrestle with the ideas of the national narrative by looking at all our moments, best and worst. I can say in my ten years as an educator, I know dozens of AP teachers who do that work and do it brilliantly. I can say one of the finest teacher's I know teaches APUSH in Oklahoma. You should ask him his thoughts on the subject. I honestly don't know what his answers would be, but I tell my charges that a primary source is the motherload for any researcher. Secondary sources are helpful, but primary sources are GOLD!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">In a missive already too long, may I ask a couple questions about the bill?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Is the goal to rewrite curriculum because of its content or its source? Part of the newspaper analysis of the bill suggests this is about 'nationalized' education. If it is, that is fine. However that reframes the question from American Exceptionalism to politics. If its about the politics of education, I would like to graciously bow out of the conversation. My interest is in how to be a better educator, not listening to bloviating from both sides with children caught in the cross-fire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">How many educators and students have you brought into this discussion? Not politician or PACs. Not administrators. I would even avoid parents in the initial discussions; just start with the people in the classroom. I noticed that by the end of the day <a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepage1/oklahoma-lawmaker-says-he-will-pull-back-controversial-ap-history/article_3f733d69-f450-5b72-af81-696142327df3.html" target="_blank">HR 130 was withdrawn</a> due to the responses you received over its vote in committee. I say with all respect that my response to that is that this was a half-formed idea that many teachers would have challenged you to rethink well before it made its way to committee. If that is incorrect, please accept my apology. To my untrained eyes, however...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Again, Rep. Fisher, please accept this letter in the manner it is intended. Public Service is one of the things that I think makes America exceptional. We are all expected to be civic-minded. I hold the Capra-esque view that no one enters the public arena with blind ambition and ambivalence to their fellow man. And for your service to your state, I thank you.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Dave McIntire</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-73511635216985758632015-02-13T17:59:00.000-06:002015-02-13T18:15:22.925-06:00Open Source...the sequel!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<em>Bloggers note: Okay, I just posted this and then read a friend's post from last month. He is a brilliant educator and I aspire to be as passionate, skilled and caring as Chad. </em><a href="http://cevans5095.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-growing-sadness.html" target="_blank"><em>READ his post</em></a><em>...we have some similar ideas; I took mine inward-he took his outward to talk about a broken system. Brilliant work, Chad.</em></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture has no real purpose other than to show I have two books on Lincoln. That makes me an expert, right?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In my </span><a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2015/02/an-open-sourced-education.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">last post</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, I talked about making my teaching more open sourced. two thoughts--one something which surprised me and one another example.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Point one:</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's funny, several people emailed or messaged me on social media that they thought I was being too hard on myself. They were very encouraging; saying that the way I taught was a nice blend of sage on the stage and guide on the side. A couple are people whose opinion I really, really value. I think I didn't do a good job explaining my pondering. I wasn't bashing myself; I was just wonder if I could do better and making the classroom more of a student-directed laboratory. The answer is yes. I am proud of my work as an educator, but I am always looking for ways to be better for my young charges.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSZAbKamm6o/U9WnVQd__bI/AAAAAAAABsY/ZXESxGn5xfE/s1600/IMG_2398%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSZAbKamm6o/U9WnVQd__bI/AAAAAAAABsY/ZXESxGn5xfE/s400/IMG_2398%5B1%5D.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not only have I read two books on Lincoln, I have shopped at places which sell books on Lincoln. This is The Strand in NYC..</td></tr>
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<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Point two:</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For Lincoln's Birthday, Ford's Theater has been live tweeting a Q and A session between anyone on social media and themselves. Different staff members take the mic (so to speak) and spend an hour or two answering the questions that come in. As my students were researching their Civil War topics, several had questions they wanted to ask. It was completely organic and completely optional and completely awesome. Some of the questions, you ask?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Who would be better at basketball--President Lincoln or President Obama?</em> (Ford's said Lincoln but several of my students respectfully disagreed.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Was the stovepipe hat to cover a bump or scar on his head?</em> (Ford's talked about the hat being one of his signature items--maybe a political gimmick. They even shared an article on the hat and its significance.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>What was Lincoln's favorite color?</em> (The staff person suggested blue but admitted it was their favorite color so maybe that 'colored' their evidence.) BTW-this kinda silly question led to an informal discussion of how a researcher's bias might affect the outcome.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>What was Lincoln's biggest fear? </em>(Historians suggest that AL had a life-long battle with depression so fear and anxiety were no stranger to Mr. Lincoln.) It sets us up for a future discussion about the teeming masses expectations of a Kevlar President and the reality that they are all too flawed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>What was L's take on God?</em> This came from an 8th grader! (The response that followed was nuansed--Lincoln seems to evolve from New Salem and his debating society to the White House. Another article was suggested.) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My favorite question of the day was one I poo poo-ed when it was suggested:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Did AL have a pet turkey named Tom?</em> (The answer is that it wasn't a pet but a gift for Thanksgiving Dinner and that his son's pled for its life--creating the annual turkey pardoning at which Sasha and Malia Obama were unfairly spanked by some Republican's this year. BTW-There is a great article about the incident from the Washington Post </span></span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/11/30/indigestion-over-the-obama-girls/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. Enjoy.)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, while researching something else...we covered turkeys, adolescence, basketball, fashion and mental illness. N</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ot bad for a morning and social media.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Flat Stanley at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The painting is Thomas Hart Benton's Aeschylus and Hercules. We were talking about wrestling with the Civil War and Lincoln and I thought of this painting. After the first two, you gotta be excited that this one has even a scintilla of a reason to be on the page, right?</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-51152088191592363232015-02-12T12:37:00.003-06:002015-02-13T18:09:06.645-06:00An open sourced education<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: The White House</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Lincoln's Birthday ya'll. That's not the topic of the post, but part of my thoughts have come from events surrounding Honest Abe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have been thinking about this idea for some time. What if we ignored all the edumacational stuff and just told kids they were in charge of their education? What if we got out of the way? What if we asked them where they wanted to go and then helped them chart a path to get there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As people who are further on the journey, teachers have some insights they need to hear, and we can and should offer them. However, when did education become about the adults? We're done with our formal education-and the system did right by most of us. I don't think the system has done right by its most recent acolytes. We carry some of that blame.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I keep coming back to the idea of open sourcing...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let them search for themselves, ask each other, use the tools of today to answer the questions left by the past.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've restructured my Civil War unit as a little thought experiment. Its not a new idea so I won't even begin to take credit for it. Instead of me as the sage from the stage, I guide from the side and let them assume the mantle of the expert. (Extra credit should be given for using three hackneyed educational clichés-don't you think?)</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Step one--read the chapter--don't take notes, just read and try to understand.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Step two--read and annotate a section of the chapter--try to become really familiar with that portion of the Civil War.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Step three-research one topic (Battle of Antietam, Freedman's Bureau, Stonewall Jackson...) for three days and then report your findings to the whole class.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Step four--take notes during your classmates presentations (in our case--using a study guide)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Step five--the teacher ties any loose ends that may occur. The reality is I need to assess how well they understand the Civil War and the study guide helps put it all together.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What has been encouraging has been my student's willingness to roll up their sleeves and become an expert. I'm there giving them suggestions, but they are doing the work. Their questions of clarification are solid and even when stuck they haven't given up--they've just asked for help to rock the tires out of the rut. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There has been a sense of partnership that is missing on lecture days. I am hoping that it gives them confidence to look for their own answer to those things that matter most to them. I am not a fool, not everyone is a history nerd. and that is okay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In looking at what has helped me with open sourcing, one thing that's been central has been the acceptance that, while I am a smart guy, I am not the Lone Ranger on that account, even (or especially, for that matter) in my classroom. I shouldn't be the only 'expert of things historical' in the room. That is just silly. I have the privilege of teaching curious young women and men and they blow me away with their insights and questions. A valuable tool in the open sourcing of my classroom has been technology and social media--information and experts are at your fingertips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A case in point:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of my kids asked this morning at about 9:30 am CST about Lincoln being shot in a theater but dying in a boarding house. That got us on a rabbit trail about what happened to the room where Lincoln died. I started to tell them a story about the boarder in that room, but couldn't remember his name. One Facebook post and three minutes later and we had it--the bed on which Lincoln died was in the room rented by William T. Clark. I told them that Clark would end up sleeping in that bed and they asked if he changed the linens. One more Facebook post and about ten minutes later and we had our answer--yes, he did. The teacher-scholar with this information also shared information about Lincoln's boots and their connection to Mr. Clark. By 11:20 a.m. CST, we had the full story of Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Clark, Lincoln's boots and the Peterson House. Kids came by during passing periods to ask if I had more information. When was the last time a kid wanted more information after leaving class?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Its the part of teaching that makes it all worthwhile. Messy and loud and with bursts and starts...but worthwhile. </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-38671219228270431022015-01-13T13:43:00.000-06:002015-01-13T13:43:24.969-06:00Podium Point Eight: The eyes have it...<div align="left" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The eighth podium point is eye contact.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eye contact is all about balance. Too little and you seem disconnected from your audience. Too much and, well, its just skeeves everyone out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As young speakers, my charges are slaves to their documents when they speak. It makes complete sense. They are learning how to stand, how to speak, how to sound while they speak, ... at the same time they are processing words into language. That's a lot to take in and manage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the suggestions we make for them that I have taken up is writing in my speech or remarks moments where I want to intentionally look up. If I know I am going to look up there, I tend to memorize the words before and after so it looks seamless. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The value of eye contact is, well, invaluable. It shows confidence. It shows a connection to the audience. It shows that you are prepared. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The power of our eyes can't be denied. Just look at this </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2014/08/21/facinating-facts-about-eye-contact/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">article</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> from Forbes magazine. Even the gaze of rabbit on a cereal box is powerful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of my favorite characters on television right now is Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren from </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2372162/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Orange is the New Black</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. Uza Aduba, the actress who plays her completely gets how powerful one set of eyes can be. She uses her to craft a complex and fascinating character. (For the record: I would never, ever, suggest kids my student's age watch Orange is the New Black. Never. Ever. Ever.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Wall Street Journal reported that about a study that found that eye contact in casual conversations is on the </span><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324809804578511290822228174" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">decline as the result of SMART phones</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. It also has some solid metrics about how often one should look someone in the eye and for how long, as well as cultural considerations.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: New Yorker Magazine</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-4366441799216465972015-01-06T15:52:00.003-06:002015-01-06T15:54:49.055-06:00Podium Point Seven: Don't get all bent out of shape!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How many of us had a mother who cajoled us to, "Stand Up Straight!"? As a speaker, listen to your mother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It sounds deceptively simple. And it is. However, when you look at the act of speaking, posture is central to success. Standing erect helps with presence, pace, diction and volume. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So much of what we do nowadays works against a student's posture. Looking at SMARTphones, computer desks and terminals, and backpacks, its a wonder our kids can walk upright. </span></div>
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/78tWSWKN0El3ZZ2N5EhA6W94Ov_2oa0wqKo6WjSi4dyVkkdUQ9LQu2ngc3b2s4s0xGX09235tmEZ1Zx8R42rgDi6Np9hNYQR7EOrdHx72J-G0yWXheMwG5EvXmWRr_907wSO_l5nhrksC1ShQg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.lotuschiropractic.co.nz/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Good-Posture2.jpg" height="175" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With all the <a href="http://www.fitbit.com/" target="_blank">FitBit </a>devices out there, it is no surprise that</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gqghV-2fRI" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> one of them</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, by Arki, analyzes posture as you walk. I hadn't thought about it, but it makes sense that posture affects how productive your steps are. There is a <a href="http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/2662970452001/bad-posture-theres-an-app-for-that/?#sp=show-clips" target="_blank">device you strap to your back and run via Bluetooth</a>, but I like that the Arki device analyzes gait and suggests fixes there. (BTW-sorry about not being able to imbed the video from Arki. For some reason, videos won't upload on Blogger...working on getting that resolved.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So, listen your mother. And it would hurt to call now and then, would it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have had several people talk to me or email me about the post, which is also unprecedented. Most of the folks who have messaged me had pretty much the same comment, "What was it that you wished you could say that you thought was going to peeve people?" or "It felt like you stopped half way through your thought." or "What was your point?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I went back and read it...these are fair points.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My admission is that I pulled my punches in that post. I decided this thread would take a few posts to get my thoughts out there and so decided to close that post with some baseline about private schools not being one 'thing'. Mission Accomplished. Add to that that I am an 'ice cream truck' (I want everyone to be happy) so there might have a bit of yellow streak shown, as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here it goes. Here are three thoughts, not necessarily in any order. BTW-these may not be issues where you would think there would be a lot of 'pushback'. Think of these as the opening remarks of a 'yellow-bellied ice cream truck'. I'll save provocative to later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>My students are somehow 'easier to teach' than theirs</em>--this one makes me a little crazy for a couple reasons. My student's come from such a wide range of experiences and academic abilities and learning styles and ... (You get my point, right?) They are by no means homogenous. It is true I don't have significant numbers of my kids living in poverty or in a warzone, but neither do most teachers. (One of the teachers who inspires me teaches in inner city Philly. What she does with these young women and men makes my challenges a cakewalk. The funny thing is, I have never, ever heard her compare her students to other students. That is a lesson I have tried to take to heart.) That leads me to the other reason it makes me crazy: if feels as if the teachers who say this see their students as 'less than'. That breaks my heart.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">BTW-there is a strain of this that goes that my students are snooty, privileged rich kids whose tutor does their homework for them so they can fly to ... Grrrrrrrr.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><em>My rich, elitist parents</em>--Just because a parent sends their kids to a private school doesn't mean they are wealthy. For most of my parents, tuition is a significant sacrifice and they do without so their child can attend. I can speak as a parent of private school kids, I wouldn't be able to send them without scholarships. Do we have really wealthy parents? Yup. Do we have parents who are working two jobs to send their kids here,? Yup. The cool part of my school is that I see parents working hard to make it about their kids and not their wealth or lack-there-of. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BTW-there is a strain on this one two that makes my parents something out of Dickens' novel. Either uninvolved and uncaring or Queen of the Tiger Moms. My parents pay cash money (above and beyond property tax) to have me educate their kids. Are they interested? Yup. Do we always agree on best practices? No. The challenge is always how to manage that conflict in the best interest of the child.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Private school teachers are not 'real' teachers</span></em><span style="font-size: large;">--I travel a lot during the summer with teachers and, invariably, we end up talking shop. I have found that, sometimes, my thoughts and experiences and successes are somehow 'suspect' because of where I teach. Unless you teach in an inner city or an Indian reservation or with a population with special needs, I would argue that the classroom is the classroom. I don't have little </span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Stepford-Wives-Ira-Levin/dp/0060080841" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Stepford</span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> students filing into their seats. My students are kids, with all the baggage that comes from being a kid in the 21st Century. I am challenged with-just like my peers all across the country-with making sure that what I do in the classroom is both meaningful and engaging. Period.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">As I said before, these are three thoughts. I have more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">As I said in the previous posts, I am not opposed to a discussion of the view of private schools. I would covet your thoughts in the comments section below. If you are a Facebook friend, don't post on Facebook, post here, okay? And leave your name, okay?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-15880278370345505692014-12-31T16:01:00.002-06:002014-12-31T16:01:46.633-06:00What a private school teacher wishes he could say...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There was a Washington Post blog entry last May that someone suggested on Facebook: </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/05/15/what-if-finlands-great-teachers-taught-in-u-s-schools-not-what-you-think/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What If Finland's Great Teachers Taught in U.S. Schools</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">? It was written by a leader in education in Finland, </span><a href="http://pasisahlberg.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pasi Sahlburg</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. I read a very interesting book last summer about Finnish (and other top performing) schools titled, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Smartest-Kids-World-They/dp/145165443X" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Smartest Kids in the World</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, so the question caught my eye. The article (and the book) are an interesting read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the last paragraphs of the blog entry is pretty provocative... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">To finish up, let’s do one theoretical experiment. We transport highly trained Finnish teachers to work in, say, Indiana in the United States (and Indiana teachers would go to Finland). After five years—assuming that the Finnish teachers showed up fluent in English and that education policies in Indiana would continue as planned—we would check whether these teachers have been able to improve test scores in state-mandated student assessments.</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He finished the thought experiment saying that the Finnish teacher in Indiana would be less effective and the American teacher in Finland would be more effective. Why? He posits that the American teacher in Finland would:</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">stand to flourish on account of the freedom to teach without the constraints of standardized curricula and the pressure of standardized testing; strong leadership from principals who know the classroom from years of experience as teachers; a professional culture of collaboration; and support from homes unchallenged by poverty.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now we can spend time unpacking those ideas--the socioeconomic status of our kids and their success; administrators and the lens of classroom experience; and a 'culture of collaboration' in the teacher's lounges.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I'm not done with my own unpacking, but I will say I do agree with him on some cursory level. The school I teach at is considered successful. We regularly have a high percentage of National Merit awards each year. Our students receive millions of dollars in scholarships based on their academic prowess, athletic ability as well as leadership experience and potential. As importantly, we have college students who regularly come back to us and say they were prepared for the rigors of university. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">We are successful, in large part because we meet the Finnish design. Teachers passionate about students and their subjects. My boss was a classroom teacher for 20+ years before joining the administration. Our school was founded on the concept that teachers are expected to be leaders and entrepreneurs in their classroom and should be given the respect and latitude that a leader/entrepreneur needs. We are expected to develop curriculum rather than receive it top-down from administrators. We have a wide range of families (wealthy to middle class; natural-born and naturalized; multi-faith...) on our campus, but there is a general understanding that there is a common goal--the student. We don't always agree how to achieve that goal, but the goal is to keep the student in the center of any conversation/collaboration. We are most definitely not perfect. We have challenges we need to deal with. We certainly don't have a ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">...This is where my friends remind me that I teach at a private school and that public school's have it much harder which makes it more difficult to fix.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">And I agree. Sort of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Normally, I would sit quietly, nurse my beer, and listen to the laundry list of reasons why public schools can't (fill in the blank)...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">But, I am feeling a little froggy today and have decided that 2015 is the year of Mr. Mc--private school teacher. I know my thoughts on the subject are going to peeve a few people and I respect that. I am more than happy for this blog to be a spot for passionate dialogue on the issue of education. Actually, I would be delighted for it to be a place for passionate discussion. I told someone last night that I was thinking about shuttering the blog because it didn't seem worth writing anymore. This thread (why private schools are vital to American education) may fall flat, but, well, there is learning in failure, isn't there. Besides, I'd rather shutter the blog knowing I tried to have a conversation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">So, today's thought is that many of the people who talk about private school education have no flippin' idea of the subject. To them I would (politely) ask: please shut your pie hole.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I have been teaching in a private school for ten years and, in as many years, I've listened to people (teachers, administrators, parents, ...) make statements about private schools which are stereotypically overbroad, dismissive to the point of being mean-spirited and just plain ignorant or stupid. (BTW-ignorant is when you speak with out the facts/stupid is when the facts are available, you just ignore them.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">If you do some research, you will find that there are several types of private school. Some <strong>are</strong> the toney East Coast Boarding school's most people think of when they hear private school--think <a href="http://www.exeter.edu/" target="_blank">Phillips Exeter School</a> in New Hampshire. Some are school's of last resort for students with learning differences--think of <a href="http://www.greenwood.org/" target="_blank">The Greenwood School</a>, featured in Ken Burn's <a href="http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-address/home/" target="_blank">The Address</a>. Some are focused on specific fields like <a href="http://academy.interlochen.org/" target="_blank">Interlochen Arts Academy</a> in Michigan. Some are focused on training up students in a particular faith/denomination--think <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parochial_school" target="_blank">parochial schools</a>. Most private schools fit somewhere in the middle of all of these. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">If you think of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/" target="_blank">Dead Poet's Society</a> when you think of private schools, you are off by about six decades as well as a mile. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-39753415204499692672014-12-24T15:39:00.000-06:002014-12-24T15:39:01.372-06:00Trivia Crack and the History Teacher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I withheld as long as I could. </div>
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After several weeks of hearing about Trivia Crack, I succumbed. If you don't know the app, its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivial_Pursuit" target="_blank">Trivial Pursuit</a> meets <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_Fortune_%28U.S._game_show%29" target="_blank">Wheel of Fortune</a> meets <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeopardy!" target="_blank">Jeopardy</a>. It is also addictive. I am currently playing about 10 games with friends at the same time. </div>
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Shock of shocks--my best area is history. Shock of shocks (the sequel)--my worst area is sports, followed closely by science. </div>
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Here is the question I have...Is Trivia Crack a useful tool for an educator. Its popular and fun to play, but does it (or any trivia game) show learning has taken place? In some ways, a comprehensive test (multiple choice, true and false, blah blah blah) is a kissing cousin to Trivia Crack isn't it? How well can you regurgitate data?</div>
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I prefer assessments which require more than just data regurgitation. Writing a paper. Analyzing a map, photograph or piece of art. Creating a podcast or documentary. Show me you know the data by showing me how <u>you'd</u> use the data.</div>
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Now, data regurgitation has a place in the classroom. The 'teachery' jargon is formative versus summative assessments. Formative assessments are those checks while you are in learning mode. Data regurgitation can be a useful formative tool. Summative is an assessment at the end--what did you learn and how can you use that information in a meaningful way? My feeling is that a summative assessment needs to go beyond data regurgitation.</div>
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I remember reading a story about a class that had an all-day project. A farmer unloaded a huge pumpkin to the school's doorstep. It was far too large to get the pumpkin in through the doors. So the student's worked all day to figure it our. They had to use math to figure out slope and calculate measurements. They had to communicate with each other by writing out questions and the corresponding answers in a way others could understand, interpret and respond to. They employed scientific method. They had to learn from mistakes without letting the mistakes consume them. In the end they had to report their findings, whether they were successful or not. As a teacher, its hard to manage chaos and not feel the need to jump in and 'help.' Its difficult as a parent as well. However, I love the idea that we hand the kids the keys and say, we trust you enough to get out of the way. To me, that is where you get a real assessment of the work you've done.</div>
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As I've been writing, I realized that this is a new thought for me. I've written about this idea before. Here is that <a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-taste-of-what-i-learned-rancid-or-not.html" target="_blank">link</a>. </div>
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As I've said before, this is a place for me to dump ideas. So I can remember them again in the coming months. Consider these thoughts on assessment dumped...besides, my computer just let me know its my turn, pray I don't get sports or science this time.</div>
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BTW-happy holidays for the folks who read this blog. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-72810928102281825942014-12-12T20:24:00.001-06:002014-12-12T20:24:32.817-06:00Back to Before...<span id="goog_1486646262"><span id="goog_1381155566"></span><span id="goog_1381155567"><span id="goog_1235980452"></span><span id="goog_1235980453"></span><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This blog was originally designed to record my experiences one summer at a professional development course (two actually). The Presidential Academy selected one teacher from each state and then brought us to Philly, Gettysburg and DC for one week each to discuss the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address and the Civil Rights Movement. That was the inspiration of the blog's name--Declaration Address and Dream. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I had a little bit of a deja vu from 2011. Dr. Lucas Morel of Washington and Lee University presented for the Gilder Lehrman Institute. Dr. Morel was the lead professor for the Presidential Academy and when I saw his name on the literature, I knew I was signing up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For the interested, a review of some of the posts from Summer 2011:</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span id="goog_1486646263" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/big-arnold-on-your-bike.html" target="_blank">Big Arnold and Your Bike</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/some-pictures-from-last-nights-walking.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Pictures from the Walking Tour</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/gettysburg-and-history-as-art.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Gettysburg and History as Art</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/photos-from-battlefield.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Photos From the Battlefield</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/gettysburg-national-cemetery.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Gettysburg National Cemetery</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/on-to-dc-talk-may-be-cheap-but-it-is.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Talk May Be Cheap, But it is Necessary</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/john-brown-domestic-terrorist.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">John Brown, Domestic Terrorist</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-want-to-like-woodrow-wilson-i-really.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">I Want to Like Woodrow Wilson, I Really, Really Do</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/some-pictures-from-dc.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Some Pictures From DC</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-in-senate.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">A Day in the Senate</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/morning-in-house.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">A Morning in the House</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/07/70-hours-in-classroom-9-site.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">70 Hours in the Classroom, 9 Sites, Battlefields and Tours, 3300 Pages of Reading</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In one of my posts that summer, I explained what I liked about Dr. Morel's teaching style:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What I like about sitting in one of Dr. Morel's lectures is that there is an expected give and take. He asks questions looking not necessarily for the right 'answer' but an answer that gets us on the field and moving toward that answer. To participate, you have to know the material, not in a regurgitated ATM sort of way but an organic way of moving toward a concept or big idea. Its a teaching style which encourages participation and requires preparation. You want to get in the game. It is a pleasure to listen to what the other participants have to say about the Lyceum Speech or in response to the handbill pronouncing Lincoln an atheist. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is a style I both enjoy and try to emulate. I can say that on several of the few moments I consider my most successful as an educator-this is the style I have employed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I didn't get a chance to say thank you to Dr. Morel today, so let this post be that--Thank you Dr. Morel.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-78974648643187553302014-12-07T16:59:00.001-06:002014-12-07T18:25:12.013-06:00My kingdom for a speech, a slam poem and a sonnet...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">After two weeks of wresting, my students have selected their historic speeches. They will research them this quarter and them work on them as orators in the next. On the way to their selection, something interesting happened. My rule was that no speech could be repeated each hour, which left the possibility that some of the speeches would be delivered three times; one for each hour. This year, no student is preparing the same speech.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the things I've learned through the Ford's process is how long real professional development can take. During the first year of the program, I was just holding on for dear life. I am proud of the work we did that year, but most of its success was the Teaching Artist, Jojo. Last year was more of a partnership with our new Teaching Artist, Victoria. I took more leadership and we added sonnets. This year, this semester, I have taken more of the helm and Victoria is more a champion for me as a teacher of oratory than a teacher of oratory of herself. Her real work will be in the second semester as we partner together as coaches for our young charges. After two years of doing this, one thing which I thought I needed to change was how much time students had picking speeches, as well as trying to match the DNA of the speaker to the DNA of the speech. I have to admit to being a little surprised to how smoothly that went. These speeches ar both good fits for the individual kid as well as ones they are genuinely excited to work on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another surprise has been my exploration of slam poetry. I'm fifty and an old dog in so many ways, but spoken word performance has me smitten. The clips above and below are some of what I've found. I am looking forward to pairing spoken word with sonnets next semester. Could be either a big hot mess or brilliant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Either way, we'll learn something. That's the point, isn't it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">BTW-I have been triple double dog dared to write my Ford's speech as a spoken word poem. I'm not sure if I can do it, but I keep you posted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What speeches did my charges select, you ask? If you have a chance, google a few of the ones you don't recognize. I am so excited to see where my kids take these.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Michelle Kwan, “Worldly Wisdom to Grads” Speech</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Malala <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yousafzai, “Address to the UN”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Lou Gehrig, ”Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Neil Gaiman, “Commencement Speech to University of the Arts Philadelphia”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Savannah Brown, “What a Guy Looks for in Girls—A Response”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">JFK, “Ask What you Can Do For Your Country”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Ronald Reagan, “First Inaugural” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">R</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">onald Reagan, “Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Cal Ripken Jr., “Farewell to Baseball”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">MLK, Jr., “There Comes a Time When People Get Tired”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Severn Suzuki, “1992 UN Earth Summit Speech”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Ron Paul, “Farewell to Congress” Speech</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">C</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">harles B. Morgan Jr., “Four Little Girls Were Killed” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Elizabeth Cady Stanton, “The Solitude of Self”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Harvey Milk, “You’ve Gotta Have Hope”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">JFK, “Let Them Come to Berlin”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Lily Myer, “Shrinking Woman”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Aung San Suu Kyi, “Freedom From Fear”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Fredrick Douglass, “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Lucy Stone, “A Disappointed Woman”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Abraham Lincoln, "Second Inaugural"</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-3143160025741785772014-10-08T13:14:00.000-05:002014-10-08T13:14:36.104-05:00Podium Point Six--Fake it till ya make it!<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last year, or the year before, I posted on this blog five essays on five of the podiums points suggested by Ford's Theater. If you want to review, here they are:</span><br />
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<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2013/01/podium-point-1-woah-not-so-fast.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Podium Point One: Whoa, not so fast...</span></a><br />
<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2013/01/podium-point-2-stay-offa-first-willya.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Podium Point Two: "Stay offa First will ya"</span></a><br />
<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2013/01/podium-point-3-twy-vewy-vewy-hahd-not.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Podium Point Three: "Twy vewy vewy hahd not to destwoy uth."</span></a><br />
<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2013/01/podium-point-4-and-i-believed-him.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Podium Point Four: "...and I believed him because he was a basketball fan..."</span></a><br />
<a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2013/01/podium-point-5-what-happened-last-year.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Podium Point Five: "What happened last year?"</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These podium points are for the vocal end of public speaking. There are four for the physical end of public speaking. I thought I would chat about those this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm tackling the one I have the most problems teaching first. Not for any other reason than I found the video above and Dr. Cuddy does my job for me. This will totally change how I prep kids for their speeches. Fake it until you make it sound trite and ineffective. However, her research says differently. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Presence--"The speaker's energy and connection with the audience. Does his or her presence reflect confidence? Is the speaker welcoming the audience with what he or she has to say?" I took that direct from the Ford's handout. How do you teach confidence. Practice helps with confidence but, how many of my students have practiced twice as much as their counterparts only to struggle on the day of the speech. Its heart-breaking to watch. Now I have a tool.</span><br />
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<a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/jamesclear/Posts/body-language-power-poses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="body language" border="0" height="275" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/jamesclear/Posts/body-language-power-poses.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will let you know how it works.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.letmusicinspire.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Wonder_Woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://www.letmusicinspire.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Wonder_Woman.jpg" height="284" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">There is no real reason for this particular image. While it does relate to the TEDtalk, I just like it.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-65317423348739530032014-10-04T18:29:00.002-05:002014-10-04T18:29:21.489-05:00Hope and a Holocaust essay...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://www.dallasholocaustmuseum.org/content/02-experience/01-main-exhibit/shoes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Detail from a display at the Dallas Holocaust Museum (source: Dallas Holocaust Museum)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It has been more than a month since my last confession...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...oh, wait...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Its been more than a month since my last blog post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are in the thick of the school year. My schedule has changed so I find myself with less time during the day (and evening) to write. I think I have the new rhythm worked out and I miss writing. It is a useful way for me to get ideas out of my brain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lucky you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I 've been researching the Holocaust for a project I've been working on and I keep finding myself thinking that this or that moment is a ugly as humanity can get...and then I read or watch further and realize it can get uglier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is a </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Auschwitz-Inside-State-Samuel-West/dp/B000777JH8" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">movie</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I show in European History from the BBC which does a great job of telling the story without making it ghoulish to watch. Its appropriate for seventh graders and is an effective springboard for discussing the Holocaust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I was researching, I came upon a 2011 movie by Uwe Boll. the clip below is more a 'making of...' trailer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is a trailer for the movie, but I can put it on my blog. It is too disturbing for the age group of kids I teach and since sometimes they wander onto this site, I will pass. Boll is been taken to task over the graphic nature of the movie in several articles like this one from the UK's <em><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/12/uwe-boll-auschwitz-film-causes-outrage" target="_blank">The Guardian</a></em>. What I have seen of it is unflinchingly accurate. Still...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That was one of the challenges of writing essays for the grant. Auschwitz is important of because what happened there and I don't want it sugar-coated. I want my students to confront the shadow-side of humanity. That being said, there is a limit. What is interesting is that the more I read about the death camp, the more moments of hope I found. The violence isn't blunted but, I keep reading stories of those who survived and the actions of those who died there and the humanity they showed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the tasks for the essays was to watch several of the clips by the <a href="http://sfi.usc.edu/" target="_blank">USC Shoah Foundation</a>; footage of survivors telling their stories. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this first clip, Betty Gold talks about hiding in a cave, sure that they were going to be killed that night. I can't even imagine... In the second clip, Shalon Yoran recounts his mother's last words to him: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>"Go. Fight. Survive. And tell the people of the world what happened here. And take revenge of our death."</strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am not a fan of the word revenge. However, maybe Mr. Yoran's revenge can be in knowing that a teacher a world away has been inspired by his story and his mother's words and is going to share them with his students to show that hatred and cruelty may win in the short term, but hope and kindness prevail in the end.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-67840220667528119902014-08-26T16:53:00.002-05:002014-08-26T16:53:28.915-05:00A map literally dripping with anger<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">States Names, Jaune Quick-to See Smith, 2001</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have used this piece of art before in class and I was wondering if I needed to put away this year. I started using artwork consistently in 2011 and so this was year four for this piece. Its a great way to start the year and I knew the kids would get into it. I just wasn't sure what new things we would find after nearly 150 young eyes had already explored it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was wrong! I just needed fresh eyes to show me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wrote about this painting and my students experiences with it first in 2011. A link to that post is </span><a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2011/09/it-looks-like-gunshot-through-montana.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. Each year, I have had students analyze it and they notice things new each year. This year, the insights to add are:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>The oceans are black, but the artist made the lakes white. Why?</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>The blue paint drips in the Gulf of Mexico look like their showing the route of a ship going south. </em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>The eastern seaboard was painted, then painted over in white and then dripped in paint.</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>It looks like the painting is melting, like crayons, not paint dripping.</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Canada and Mexico look like they were intentionally painted white. The US has all those colors.</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There were heated discussions of how the dripping was achieved. There were several questions about they meaning of the painting: climate change, time zones, unity, sadness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After were explored the painting, I found a video of Ms. Smith talking about this painting:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It sparked a discussion on how the different European nations built empires. Spaniards conquered for God and for gold. The French explored in small parties call </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coureur_des_bois" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">'coureur de bois'</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and built partnerships with the Native Americans in the St. Lawrence Basin, Great Lakes and Misssissippi River. Because England never had a specific policy in their colonization (each colonizing group had their own specific charter), there was a never a consistent policy on how to deal with the Native Americans. So you see a little of both tactics-in some cases, they partnered with the 'Indians', in other cases, they tried to dominate the first inhabitants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not bad for the first week of school and photocopy of a painting. Guess I keep it in starting line up for next year.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-66259771261637068842014-08-18T10:32:00.004-05:002014-08-18T10:41:39.076-05:00The Days Before the Day Before...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock-em Sock-em: The 'ideal' of America in conflict with the reality we have to live in.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I headed into my classroom, I left my sons at home asleep this morning for probably the last time this summer. Our first report day as a teacher was last week and we had a couple good in-service day. For those of you who think that there is no such animal as a good in-service, I have seen one and I refuse to settle for less in the future. Day one had a speaker from Washington University, </span><a href="http://jillstratton.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jill Stratton</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. She talked about flow. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Flow</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is the idea around working at high capacity--in the zone, if you will. She was high energy and engaging and what she had to say resonated with the staff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next day, we talked about learning modes and differentiation. For the non-teachers thinking of hari kari, think about the way you learn best. Do you understand things better when you see things; when you touch them; or when you hear them? Learning modes and differentiation is all about helping students learn in their best manner. Its also about helping them develop skills to adapt when their best mode isn't the mode being used. The presenter, Rick Reed, is a teacher in McPherson, Kansas. He is high energy, has a great sense of humor and has an interesting resume. He is a </span><a href="http://www.jamesmadison.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Madison Fellow</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> who teaches AP Government, but went back to get a Special Education certification so he could be a better teacher. He teaches AP in a manner that is intriguing. I've already made plans to visit his classroom to watch him in his natural habitat. he did something I hadn't seen, before. He got teachers on the second day of an in-service to play at three in the afternoon. they were fully engaged. My colleagues are passionate about their crafts and want to be the best teachers they can be, but day two of an in-service is usually grueling; it was the most engaged I've seen from a school training ever. Impressive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Friday was the Ice Cream Social. Kids received their schedule, decorated their lockers and generally caught up with each other. It was fun to see kids back in the hallways again. It was also nice to have my classroom around. I still have loads of stuff to get done before all of the kids are here on Wednesday, but the room is ready. The rest will come if I can find my zone. That will require me getting off this blog, so...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In case you are wondering, </span><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jamesmadison" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mr. Madison</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> took a tumble a couple years ago. The </span><a href="http://www.royalbobbles.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">company</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> who makes them has him in their 'retired' group. Have been looking for a new one, but to no avail. I tried to glue him but his legs aren't having any of that.</span> </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-2601381801937871162014-08-12T12:15:00.001-05:002014-08-12T12:15:44.542-05:00Thoughts on New York #3-A priest and a rabbi walk into a bar...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This will probably be the last of my reflections on NYC. Today was the first report day for teachers at school and so I will be knee deep in students soon. I've had a great summer, but I am ready to start back up. I've curious to see where this year will take us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I've said, almost everything I know about New York City comes from the movies. I had forgotten one though. It is called <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0171433/" target="_blank">Keeping the Faith</a>. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001570/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Edward Norton</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001774/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">Ben Stiller</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001184/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">Jenna Elfman</a> star. Norton is a priest. Stiller is a rabbi. Elfman is the friend from middle school who moved away, but is moving back. It is charming. It also speaks cogently about faith in a way most films never do. These are men who are genuinely called to ministry and its fun to watch them with their congregations and each other. Besides, Norton does the best <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095953/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Rain Man</a> impersonation ever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The reason this film fits the NYC theme is it is set in the city and the city is such a large part of it. They go everywhere in the city and it looks like it did when I was there. Trash. Mystery moisture. There is a scene where the priest and rabbi are having a very serious conversation at a stop light. The bit is vintage NYC. Here is the trailer:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here are the last few photos (admitted, some of them may have already made it onto the blog). Think of them as my last gasp before the new year begins.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-41468380698555586672014-08-08T10:46:00.002-05:002014-08-08T10:58:56.547-05:00Thoughts on NYC #2--Selling you the Brooklyn Bridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the oddest moments in New York City, for me, was seeing places I could immediately identify. The Chrysler Building. Empire State Building. The New York Subway. Central Park. I was in NYC for a weekend 25 years ago, so how did I recognize them? Movies.</span> </div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To quote </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogi_Berra" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yogi Bera</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, "It's deja vu all over again," last Saturday when I walked a few blocks from the </span><a href="http://www.911memorial.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">World Trade Center Memorial</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and tripped into the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/infrastructure/brooklyn-bridge.shtml" target="_blank">Brooklyn Bridge</a>. I knew immediately where I was when I saw it. Thanks to, </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087332/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ghostbusters</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I Am Legend</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The French Connection</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0461770/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enchanted</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. It was funny. I was watching TV a couple days before I left for the conference and the movie, </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133952/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Seige</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was on. The synopsis from Internet Movie Database: "</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The secret US abduction of a suspected terrorist leads to a wave of terrorist attacks in New York that lead to the declaration of martial law." It was released in 1998, 30 some months before the attacks on 9-11. So, as I was walking the bridge, that was one of the thoughts. If you look at the poster you see the Bridge as well as the twin towers. Its chilling to think that things so dominant no longer exist except in photographs and movies. I posted </span><a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-two-world-trade-center-memorials.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my thoughts from the memorial</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> when I was there..</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alright, there are also a lot of movies which have used the Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop for good, as well. One of my favorite movies is </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041716/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On The Town</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Its IMDB synopsis: "</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18.2px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three sailors on a day of shore leave in New York City look for fun and romance before their twenty-four hours are up." Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. Here is a clip-the Brooklyn Bridge makes a guest appearance.</span> </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/x7CIgWZTdgw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my search for that clip, I found this one for the new Broadway version of the movie. Pretty cool re-creation.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BTW- as a note... the phrase 'Selling you the Brooklyn Bridge' comes from a con man named George C. Parker. His story is </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Parker" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-68503479152705391882014-08-07T15:12:00.000-05:002014-08-07T15:16:15.782-05:00Thoughts on NYC #1<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Normally, I write as I go. I try to keep up the blog day to day when I'm traveling. NYC was different for some reason. I have some thoughts as to why, but the reality is that I'm still unpacking the conference and the information and the experience in NYC. I will post more as I'm ready, but I thought I would unload some initial thoughts and images today. These are my more tourist-y impressions. I'll post some teacher thoughts later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Pack a lunch for your trip to <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/" target="_blank">The Met</a>.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BlMPtpRKczM/U-PFZEpjneI/AAAAAAAABvY/Vo_e23sAeQM/s1600/IMG_2419.JPG" height="240" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the almost architectural vibe of this piece.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BlMPtpRKczM/U-PFZEpjneI/AAAAAAAABvY/Vo_e23sAeQM/s1600/IMG_2419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITFbOZV7HXw/U-PFhV4Ge2I/AAAAAAAABvg/jajym2vOODw/s1600/IMG_2478.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Greco" target="_blank">El Greco</a> of a saint, but It looks like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brown_(abolitionist)" target="_blank">John Brown</a> became a pope.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITFbOZV7HXw/U-PFhV4Ge2I/AAAAAAAABvg/jajym2vOODw/s1600/IMG_2478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6NDqfENOkUE/U-PFrDLMqQI/AAAAAAAABvo/gGo2o-abmqM/s1600/IMG_2476.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love that this painter is looking right at you. Its a detail from a larger painting, but it really struck me.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6NDqfENOkUE/U-PFrDLMqQI/AAAAAAAABvo/gGo2o-abmqM/s1600/IMG_2476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q3hA_ckQHgE/U-PFx-Y5VKI/AAAAAAAABvw/4CFuS5nBGXQ/s1600/IMG_2417.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everywhere you turn in <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/galleries/greek-and-roman/162" target="_blank">this wing</a> there are heads of people. This one stood out for just the opposite.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q3hA_ckQHgE/U-PFx-Y5VKI/AAAAAAAABvw/4CFuS5nBGXQ/s1600/IMG_2417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This may sound like a negative, but its not. The Met is too large for a one day visit. In DC, the <a href="http://www.si.edu/" target="_blank">Smithsonian Institution</a> is divided into individual museums and you can make it though one of them in a morning, for the most part. There is always more to see and I would recommend multiple visits, but it can be done. A morning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will get you through maybe 10-20 percent of the museum. One of the highlights of my week was lunch on the steps and 40 minutes of free time in the galleries. I went back to areas we had already explored or sought out new wings to wander through. I did that every day and am still sure I missed stuff. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. New York City ain't normal.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time Square from several blocks away</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mT7s549rR5M/U-PSh-HiA3I/AAAAAAAABwE/WrEqvjGgbZA/s1600/photo+2+(2).JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="239" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the thick of Time Square</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2VvKdxUQAXQ/U-PShkuPpTI/AAAAAAAABwA/bzwX1gpgy6A/s1600/photo+3+(2).JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="239" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the Broadway theaters are just off of Time Square. Almost right on top of each other.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6VYuAdkl-fk/U-PSjQFi5lI/AAAAAAAABwY/aO7L6C7yNJw/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="239" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The number of A-list movie stars on Broadway was larger than I had thought. Don't know if that is a good or bad thing, but ...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PLQSuL3I4aY/U-PSkD6KPVI/AAAAAAAABwc/AT7qu12YDXI/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="239" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The electric bill must be staggering. This is one block in about six-all that wired.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've had the chance to travel to large cities and so I thought I was prepared for NYC. I was not. I can give you a laundry list of what I liked and what I didn't, but often what I liked about the city and didn't like occupied the same space. For example: <a href="http://www.timessquarenyc.org/index.aspx" target="_blank">Time Square</a> is impressive. It houses these gems of theaters and stimulates you visually in a way I have never encountered. But is also more crowded that this small city boy enjoys and there is a general smell like a ripe diaper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Greenspace is gold in NYC!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A softball game in Central Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8BAI0r6SQtQ/U-PW5njO4YI/AAAAAAAABw0/GU36BvkWWA4/s1600/IMG_2545.JPG" height="240" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A park near the Brooklyn Bridge</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UZHvJbFWeOw/U-PW61pGxlI/AAAAAAAABxA/g5Qrs1xe22E/s1600/IMG_2487.JPG" height="240" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reservoir in Central Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washington Square</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I take parks for granted. You can't in New York City. I was surprised at how many people congregated in all of the parks in the city. <a href="http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/washingtonsquarepark" target="_blank">Washington Square</a>, <a href="http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/unionsquarepark" target="_blank">Union Square</a>, <a href="http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/madisonsquarepark" target="_blank">Madison Square Park</a>, <a href="http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/centralpark" target="_blank">Central Park</a>... It was where people met up and hung out. In Wichita, a park has a completely different function. That's not a judgment either way, it just is. But in NYC, there was never a time that there wasn't someone in one of these parks. It made for great people watching.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-2565673679422165022014-08-03T00:19:00.001-05:002014-08-03T01:16:01.822-05:00The two World Trade Center memorials, two blocks apart.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KJwzEGJVjpY/U93GARyEM8I/AAAAAAAABuE/nhrZvIm_kCg/s640/blogger-image-1307969964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-sge_zZx_6GE/U93GMB4_xyI/AAAAAAAABuk/zcDa_dSZBN4/s640/blogger-image--1825615178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-sge_zZx_6GE/U93GMB4_xyI/AAAAAAAABuk/zcDa_dSZBN4/s640/blogger-image--1825615178.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The truth is that I had no words this morning and I am still at a loss.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So, I will let William Collins speak for me. This isn't the first time I've referred to this poem, How Sleep the Brave. Same sentiment fits.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="CENTER" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="font-family: Times; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">HOW sleep the brave, who sink to rest</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By all their country's wishes blest!</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When Spring, with dewy fingers cold,</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Returns to deck their hallow'd mould,</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">She there shall dress a sweeter sod</span></font></td><td valign="top" align="right"><a name="5"><i style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"> 5</font></i></a></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Than Fancy's feet have ever trod.</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By fairy hands their knell is rung;</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By forms unseen their dirge is sung;</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There Honour comes, a pilgrim grey,</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To bless the turf that wraps their clay;</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><a name="10"><i style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"> 10</font></i></a></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And Freedom shall awhile repair</span></font></td><td valign="TOP" align="RIGHT"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></font></td></tr><tr><td><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To dwell, a weeping hermit, there!</span></font></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zFQlUHRH_PI/U93GUqJMAbI/AAAAAAAABu8/jJfF-UEALZ0/s640/blogger-image--2141358124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zFQlUHRH_PI/U93GUqJMAbI/AAAAAAAABu8/jJfF-UEALZ0/s640/blogger-image--2141358124.jpg"></a></div><br></div><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KJwzEGJVjpY/U93GARyEM8I/AAAAAAAABuE/nhrZvIm_kCg/s640/blogger-image-1307969964.jpg"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aIs2qFEQjVA/U93GGvD9XqI/AAAAAAAABuU/xl7pg-TOeck/s640/blogger-image--1814819523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aIs2qFEQjVA/U93GGvD9XqI/AAAAAAAABuU/xl7pg-TOeck/s640/blogger-image--1814819523.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hmKP0fC5Wgw/U93GJTFb2II/AAAAAAAABuc/a1t76AVyvFE/s640/blogger-image--89669889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hmKP0fC5Wgw/U93GJTFb2II/AAAAAAAABuc/a1t76AVyvFE/s640/blogger-image--89669889.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I wandered into the little church next to the 9-11 memorial. You know me, I like old cemeteries and this one had some from before the Revolutionary War. The church was open, so I wandered in there as well. I wasn't prepared for what I saw. This was the closest aid station for first responders and was open day and night for the year they were doing rescue and recovery, and then debris removal. They have collected everything from that year and it is on display. This is where the first responders from all over the country slept. The church pews are pocked with scratches and worn paint from boots and gear they were too tired to shuck off. This is where, like the rest of us, they began to grieve for the dead. Only they did theirs while working 12 hour shifts looking for the missing or pulling wreckage from the site. This is where the church staff, as well as their congregation, served these men and women by providing water, food, clothing, pillow and blankets. They sat with the first responders as they wrestled with their loss and the emotion torture their work had to have been. The humbly served and sat beside and prayer with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The next time I talk about the church being Christ in the community, the model I'll think of from here on out is St. Paul's.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-39Zrybm_5Zg/U93GX9nNtrI/AAAAAAAABvE/dWG4T-fhNxc/s640/blogger-image-1057859418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-39Zrybm_5Zg/U93GX9nNtrI/AAAAAAAABvE/dWG4T-fhNxc/s640/blogger-image-1057859418.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BMwpAb3axuk/U93GDd5hIOI/AAAAAAAABuM/_oKgYUpeBmo/s640/blogger-image-1186633135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BMwpAb3axuk/U93GDd5hIOI/AAAAAAAABuM/_oKgYUpeBmo/s640/blogger-image-1186633135.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-KXvibcjEKD0/U93GO4fnC6I/AAAAAAAABus/nQIFCgRiSRE/s640/blogger-image-104531335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-KXvibcjEKD0/U93GO4fnC6I/AAAAAAAABus/nQIFCgRiSRE/s640/blogger-image-104531335.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8M5kj6UNQl8/U93GSBo0fgI/AAAAAAAABu0/LUEuqk9wuZE/s640/blogger-image--1673975321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8M5kj6UNQl8/U93GSBo0fgI/AAAAAAAABu0/LUEuqk9wuZE/s640/blogger-image--1673975321.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As usual, I'm using my iPad to compose and so will fix the photos and add a couple hyperlinks when I get a chance.</div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-72412803781510395962014-07-28T12:29:00.001-05:002014-07-28T12:29:46.647-05:00Lunch With Luetze<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Its lunchtime at the Met conference and I grabbed a hotdog and ste it on the Met steps. Quintessential New York moment.</span></div><div>I have wandered back into the American Wing. One of the paintings I've always wanted to see in person was Emmanuel Luetze's Washingtin Crossing the Delaware. We just spent two hours with it and a dozen or so paintings. I came back in my own. </div><div>Good lunch.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iP7uGrtJu_w/U9aIiFxOioI/AAAAAAAABt4/Mqu9SBq327Q/s640/blogger-image-1850420939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iP7uGrtJu_w/U9aIiFxOioI/AAAAAAAABt4/Mqu9SBq327Q/s640/blogger-image-1850420939.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-T7bPc4IUfrI/U9aIfg6TtHI/AAAAAAAABtw/zdTwSivMdsU/s640/blogger-image-88567774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-T7bPc4IUfrI/U9aIfg6TtHI/AAAAAAAABtw/zdTwSivMdsU/s640/blogger-image-88567774.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IyI6H1bVPbM/U9aIa5bw6fI/AAAAAAAABtg/CDWKoYVbF_4/s640/blogger-image--1170471458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IyI6H1bVPbM/U9aIa5bw6fI/AAAAAAAABtg/CDWKoYVbF_4/s640/blogger-image--1170471458.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vk4YWd7GO5k/U9aIYVP0zDI/AAAAAAAABtY/UT7yBbvqNgc/s640/blogger-image--658875971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vk4YWd7GO5k/U9aIYVP0zDI/AAAAAAAABtY/UT7yBbvqNgc/s640/blogger-image--658875971.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WyTLhcdb6uo/U9aIdY9PgTI/AAAAAAAABto/dbHJGszRwbs/s640/blogger-image--588563005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WyTLhcdb6uo/U9aIdY9PgTI/AAAAAAAABto/dbHJGszRwbs/s640/blogger-image--588563005.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-24809357393325892232014-07-27T21:04:00.001-05:002014-07-27T21:07:39.509-05:00Searching for 'Searching For Bobby Fisher' locales<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This façade sits right in front of the entrance to the dorms. I'm not sure what it is but I will find out. </td></tr>
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So, I made it to New York this afternoon and just walked back from the a dinner with all the participants. Its kinda weird to meet for the first time, but by the end of dinner, the teacher chat is in full swing. I ate dinner with a teacher from Chicago and Dallas. The two professors were at my table as well so there was adult supervision. We ate at <a href="http://www.trecenyc.com/welcome" target="_blank">Trece</a>. Wow. Order the fish tacos! The orange colored dipping sauce is really hot, but really good. Like 'looking for other stuff to dip it in' good.I even ate guacamole- and I liked it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SzWgeXmfy1o/U9Wnh94_dFI/AAAAAAAABso/nHpvrMltggk/s1600/IMG_2401%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SzWgeXmfy1o/U9Wnh94_dFI/AAAAAAAABso/nHpvrMltggk/s1600/IMG_2401%5B1%5D.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The building behind this façade is where I am living for the next week. </td></tr>
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This afternoon, I wandered over to Washington Square Park. It is one of the places I wanted to see in the city. It has a history that is fascinating. You can read that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Square_Park#In_popular_culture_and_local_politics" target="_blank">here</a>. One of the reasons I wanted to see the park is because of a movie. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108065/" target="_blank">Searching for Bobby Fisher</a>. It is one of my favorite movies. Period. Washington Park is an important part of the story. Here is the trailer for the movie. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8khmNiamBxo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I stood there and watched folks in the park. Hundreds of people. Playing chess. Playing in the fountain. Enjoying music and chalk art. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I2qEZsz3fbY/U9WnIIvTSmI/AAAAAAAABsI/vMro7sHZTJ8/s1600/IMG_2402%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I2qEZsz3fbY/U9WnIIvTSmI/AAAAAAAABsI/vMro7sHZTJ8/s1600/IMG_2402%5B1%5D.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I didn't take any pictures of chess players because, unless you push in, all you see are blobs of people around a table. These folks looked serious so I chickened out.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EvrCsBo61VE/U9WnmuggXNI/AAAAAAAABsw/ZFK6qBjq-Mo/s1600/IMG_2395%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EvrCsBo61VE/U9WnmuggXNI/AAAAAAAABsw/ZFK6qBjq-Mo/s1600/IMG_2395%5B1%5D.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yfZTSOkhe-4/U9WnvLFK5MI/AAAAAAAABs4/oYx_b4bTXlY/s1600/IMG_2396%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yfZTSOkhe-4/U9WnvLFK5MI/AAAAAAAABs4/oYx_b4bTXlY/s1600/IMG_2396%5B1%5D.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also wandered into <a href="http://www.strandbooks.com/" target="_blank">Strand Books</a> just up the street. 18 miles of books. Six separate sections on history. We'll need to revisit that little jewel. Its less than two blocks from the dorms.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-46095245219144847772014-07-24T15:23:00.002-05:002014-07-24T15:25:00.253-05:00Thoughts after Atlanta...trafficking, hunger and being 'bottom stuck'<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These past few days back from mission trip has gotten me thinking, and that is always dangerous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I think back on Atlanta, I keep going back to experiences I've had in and out of the classroom the last few years. Atlanta connected several things that I had kinda kept separate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1yOQ7wsnU3s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first was human trafficking. We gave out sandwiches on the block with the highest ratio of human trafficking in the southeast. At </span><a href="http://lincolncottage.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lincoln's Cottage</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, they had a exhibit on human trafficking. The video in the exhibit featured a </span><a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2012/07/tragic-wichita-connection.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">young lady from Wichita</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. An organization named </span><a href="http://slaveryfootprint.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Slavery Footprint</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> helps shine a light on the how what we consume is connected to trafficking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wrote about it in a </span><a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2012/07/mr-mc-owns-74-slaves-how-many-do-you-own.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">post</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a couple years ago. Wrote about it </span><a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2012/07/all-my-friends-have-nearly-50-slaves.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another was hunger. The sandwich, fruit, chips, cookie and drink we offered were the only meal many of those people in Atlanta would have that day. What floored me was most of them wanted to talk with us and pray with us more than the food. That is a community hungry for compassion and connection. That made me think about something we did in 7th grade World History a couple years ago. We did a </span><a href="http://www.oxfamamerica.org/take-action/events/hunger-banquet/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">hunger banquet</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and watched a movie about food waste called <em>Dive!</em> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wrote a post about it </span><a href="http://declarationaddressanddream.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-year-long-focus-on-food.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What is interesting is that this year, the seventh grade team is hoping to initiate a food waste program with the students this coming school year. We are using the movie as a jumping off point. Atlanta made food waste real for me in a way it hadn't. US grocers throw away almost half of their fresh produce and meat every day. It isn't rotten, just past the 'shelf life.' That food could be used in a better manner. I met people last week who could use that food. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/aKRQkeMt4MU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The last idea it has been connecting me to is this idea of poverty and being 'bottom stuck'. This idea comes from a documentary, </span><a href="http://www.tracesofthetrade.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Traces of the Trade</span></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, about the Northern profits from the slave trade and reparations. An economist talks about the bottom stuck as those who will never benefit in the same way from the advances other African Americans have been able to make. They are in a cycle of poverty that started with slavery, continued under Jim Crow and continues today. The thing about pulling yourself up by your boots straps--its requires you to have boots in the first place. We can rant about a welfare state, and I'm still Madisonian in my love of limited government, but there are people who need our help. I met some of them last week. They became real to me. How becomes the real question.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I said, these are things I'm thinking on...still trying to figure out next steps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will keep you posted. dm</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-56036554961944913002014-07-20T08:34:00.000-05:002014-07-21T09:50:55.972-05:00Finding God at mach speed and with The King of Rock and Roll<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The breakfast and cleaning is done and now we are loading up before worship here in Little Rock. (Clearly, other people are working much harder than me. I should do something about that.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As promised, photos from Six Flags Over Atlanta. I've thrown in our stop to the Elvis Presley Birthplace Site and Museum as well. I think you'll be able to tell one from the other. Hint: there isn't an outhouse ride at Six Flags.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347244885430556454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5775566204824754645.post-4823457869361979602014-07-20T07:40:00.001-05:002014-07-21T09:53:41.070-05:00Finding God in a Dreaming Icon<div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are cleaning up in preparation for worship at Second Prebyterian, Little Rock. I thought it appropriate in the home town of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock_Nine" target="_blank">Little Rock Nine</a> to post photos of the trip to the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/malu/index.htm" target="_blank">MLK Historic Site</a>. It was a place where my person of faith and person of history converged.</span></div>
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