Dear Teach: Ugh Standardized Testing

Hi Boys and Girls.

Yes, that time of year is around the corner. And I know all about it:  how you stress over it, how you prepare and prepare for it, how your teachers dislike it, how they worry about it, how unfair it is, and so much more.

But the reality is: for now it is here, and you will and you want-- to do well, and so you will.

Here's the most important idea to keep in mind. It is still not too late to practice on your own.

If you drop by a book store you will find many practice books for these tests. Buy one.

Coupled with the wonderful practice you have already received in school, now take control for your own learning. Find a test book with lots of multiple choice exercises, preferably one with many nonfiction articles. 

Try one each weekend. No stress. Just set your clock for 45 minutes  and complete the multiple choice and open ended. Then check. How'd you do? Try next weekend, and the one after that. For each one you try you will soon discover a marked improvement. PRACTICE is key and most educators and kids miss that part. It does take practice to figure out how best to answer those pesky questions. 

And until things change, you are stuck with the situation, so it is best to make the BEST of it.  I think you'll be surprised by all your efforts.

The above cover is one example of what is out there. They are published for both math and language arts and tiered for most grade levels.

There are also many podcasts and materials online and on You Tube. 
Here's a few for your review.







Be Well.

The Teach

Dear Teach: Phantom

Hi Boys and Girls.

It seems a very special author recently celebrated his book's 50th Anniversary Edition. It is the all timeless classic The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. This is probably one of the best novels to read if you wish to brush up on your language skills, understand English idioms or be perplexed by them, and if you just want to escape from the doldrums of life. Join a character by the name of Milo as he and his friendly dog, Watchdog, or you can call him Tock, venture into dangerous lands to rescue the princesses who were banished to the castle-in-the-air. 

Milo and his friend, Tock

Map of The Lands Beyond

Here's another wonderful clip I found on Maria Popova's blog Brainpickings. It features a very recent documentary interview of both the author, Norton Juster and the illustrator, Jules Feiffer. You will find information on the book feature at #4 and additional information. Or just check out the You Tube clip below.  Simply AMAZING!




And if you are just not into reading books, check out author Susan Nanus who took Norton Juster's book and made it into a wonderful children's play.

Be Well.

The Teach

Dear Teach: No longer science fiction-it's real

Hi Boys and Girls.

There was a time man could only dream about being invisible. Well, now 27 Science Fictions That Became Science Facts in 2012 are featured in MYSCIENCEACADEMY, including being invisible. From hacking into the human brain to producing silk stronger than steel, we as a planet of engineering scientists continue to make break throughs. Take a look here at the 27 latest science facts.

At the University of Wyoming, scientists modified a group of silkworms to produce silk that is, weight for weight, stronger than steel. Different groups hope to benefit from the super-strength silk, including stronger sutures for the medical community, a biodegradable alternative to plastics, and even lightweight armor for military purposes.

What do you predict the next great break through will be? Flying cars? Flying people? Just about anything your imagination can dream up will most likely be created sooner or later. So take a moment to dream. Send me your latest invention with a brief explanation and year you believe it to become reality. 

Be Well.

The Teach

Dear Teach: Hearts

Hi Boys and Girls.

I am reminded of a wonderful TED talk I recently viewed on YouTube, titled: Israel and Iran: A love story.

I have long come to believe you are our greatest assets. Why? Because your energy and excitement transcends most all things; your sense of humor and sense of acceptance goes undaunted for a long, long run; you so very quickly forgive and forget. These are but a few characteristics of children, until as we grow something happens to curtail them—could it be we become much more serious about life and all its issues, and soon forget that child is forever alive within us? Perhaps.

Having taught children for many years I can safely say they have been my greatest teachers.

Our humanity is a love story, as are all of you. It seems to me everyone does a lot of talking about many things, yet still, global problems persist and so do microscopic problems that grow until they too become global.

I wondered about a line written in one of my all time favorite children’s novels titled, Tuck Everlasting.  “The ownership of land is an odd thing when you come to think of it. How deep, after all can it go? If a person owns a piece of land, does he own it all the way down, in ever narrowing dimensions, till it meets all other pieces at the center of the earth? Or does ownership consist only of a thin crust under which the friendly worms have never heard of trespassing?”

As simple as this sentence may appear, I felt it to be profound because it can be applied to the issue of hate. How deep does hate go? Does it go to the center of the earth until it seeps into our very core, our very being? Until we no longer exist? 

Well, the sentence and its meaning is up to you to consider. But here’s a chance for you to make a small difference.  Watch the TED video I’ve linked above. Then, if you agree and are moved to do some small act to show love to all humanity, post your heart in a window where you live. Let’s see what happens.

Here’s a photo of a heart in one of the windows of my house.

And if by now you haven’t read Tuck Everlasting, I would strongly urge you to.  In fact, you should read Search for Delicious and Kneeknock Rise.

Both of these novels are also Babbitt's literary works, that eloquently tap issues of war begins over silly things, and it is OK to believe in whatever makes you happy!

Be Well.

The Teach

PS. If these two unlikely creatures can get along, then surely so can we!

                                                                                              Moli and Tiger-Lily

Dear Teach: A picture is worth a thousand words

Hi Boys and Girls.

I hope you have finished this weekend’s homework, but that you still found some time to relax, that is, with a good book. Besides reading the assigned novel for school, it’s always a great idea to sit back and read a picture story. Why? For several reasons. First, being so much wiser a reader can really appreciate a simple story line and notice how exactly an author created the lines. There is such a thing as writing with an economy of words. Reading these little picture books is a delight. And in many ways it helps to solidify your understanding of literary elements such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, but in a much simpler way.

There is a double bonus to reading these short little stories, and that is, to take in the beautifully designed and sketched works of art. Everyone enjoys a pretty picture. Hey, you never know, maybe someday you’ll be a children’s writer. It is never too early to start.

Here’s a great blog written by a young woman who immigrated from Bulgaria, Maria Popova. I think this blog was absolutely beautiful, not to mention the great stories she chose. Have a look. Click here for the entire blog.

Then write and draw your own picture book, images and all, and I’ll post your beautiful work.

Enjoy!

This is only one of the many beautiful images found in the top ten children’s books of 2012. Take a look!


From Waterlife

Not only was this a super cool way to share the top ten children's stories, but here's an article from the NYTimes on their The Learning Network Blog, What's Going On in This Picture? Students are given an opportunity to answer three questions about an image:

    What's going on in this picture?

    What do you see that makes you say that?

    What more can you find?

This blog encourages students to think in creative, artistic, and visual ways. You may enter a new post as new ideas develop, plus it is fun to see what everyone else thinks the picture is about. 

Read the article to find out more about it.

What’s going on in this picture? Look closely at the image above, or view it in a larger size, then tell us what you see by posting a comment. On Jan. 8, we will reveal more about the image and its origins at the bottom of this post.

Be Well,

The Teach

Dear Teach: Antiquity Character Education

Hi Boys and Girls.

Character Education is something all schools are involved in these days. Between meet-ups to discussions on bullying, to making cards for veterans, one can surely see being a friend and acting respectfully is the name of the game. This type of behavior isn’t something so new. I bet you didn’t know people from over 4, 000 years ago were caring citizens too. In fact, there now is evidence to support this claim.  In the article,” Ancient Bones That Tell a Story of 

Compassion,” written by James Gorman, tells of archeological finds that support care and understanding for people with physical disabilities. 

Unlike what was previously believed, ancient societies cared for those who were crippled, and who most likely could not care for themselves. Excavating graves revealed skeletons of young people arranged in fetal positions rather than lying straight down. This arrangement of bones spurred further analysis that determined this particular skeleton belonged to an adolescent who had a physical disability. It was concluded that in order for this person to have lived, he had to have received care and support, whereas previous beliefs were that imperfect humans were left to die, unsupported by their communities.

Take a closer look at the article that follows and read important details about this amazing discovery.



DISABLED Almost all the other skeletons

at the Man Bac site, south of Hanoi, are straight.

 But the man now called Burial 9 was laid to rest

curled in a fetal position that suggests lifelong

paralysis.

So after you have read the article here, reflect on it. What are your new ideas about how caring for someone 4,000 ago would be like.

Be Well.
The Teach

Dear Teach: Inspiration

Hi Boys and Girls.

This blog is dedicated to you. For any middle school student or any student who wishes to think and reflect about things. First off, I want you to know you are SMART beyond belief. And I mean all of you can do, and have, and be anything you want in this big universe.

Here’s the deal. Start your day by listing very quietly 5 things you are grateful for even before you rise out of bed. Smile and know that this day and everyday is a gift to you. When you either board the bus, or get a ride to school, notice all the wonderful things out there. Look out the window. What do you see?  Focus on anything in nature. Take a snapshot of it, in your mind’s eye.

Then when you are in school, and maybe something hasn’t gone right, pull out that snapshot and see it vividly for a few seconds.  It will carry you back to a secure and confident place. In no time, you will rebound and refocus your attention where it needs to be.

In fact, sometimes it is best to simply to be an observer on your ride to school. Yes, yes I know. A bus ride is LOUD. But it does not matter. You can still enjoy it, sit back and tell yourself today will be a good day. NO MATTER what you saw and heard on the bus,  from home, the student next to you or last night’s homework struggle. It is a good day.

When you are in school, remember to SMILE a lot. Because guess what, you will receive more smiles in return. I remember teaching a book titled The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg.

In this book a boy gets bullied in a malicious way.  But he doesn’t fight back, instead he reaches out to other characters in the story and invites them over. Fortunately for this character, he has found other characters who appreciate him and his humor. Further, another character in the story becomes furious to discover information about her is common knowledge. During this classroom discussion I recall telling the children, “You know we all want to know what do kids think of us, or know about us, just like this character did.” Well, I can tell you this much: you are indeed liked, you are indeed appreciated, you are welcomed into a group, you are fun to be with, and yes, you do have an enormous sense of humor. 

If you can say this to yourself, and view each person you see in the hallways with a good thought, then you will be surprised to discover the number of friends you have will increase. Yes, of course, it is about being positive in spirit and sending out the good to others. This is very basic, yet, it is not done nearly enough by most children. In return, those good thoughts will be given back to you.

Tell you what. Try it for one week. Each day you arrive at school smile. Look for something to be happy about. If you simply smile at one new person each day, you will find yourself having a good feeling about life in general.

Things to think about besides school:

Here’s a great article I found in The New York Times about chairs. Those pieces of furniture most of you sit in for over 1,400 hours during a year. Yes, those hard as a rock, metal legged beasts that run in multi-colors of over 20 colors, and you all hate sitting in them. Did you know most schools have what is called the “super stackable” chair?

Well, now there is a new chair schools may soon be adopting, “Pupils can turn them to face front or back, or use a handle to pull them into football-like huddles or to fan out for more independent work.” But that’s just one new type, another one has wheels on them! I know you’d all love those.

Some schools prefer newer designs
for classroom chairs, like the Node,
which was made by Steelcase.

So check out the article here and then design your own chair. 

Send me the images and I will post them on this blog. Good Luck Everyone.

Be Well.

The Teach