Teacher education

Here are some of the key quotes from the Conservative Party s Social Justice Policy Group s paper on addictions .particularly in step with \ journal ‘is not negotiable’ approaches to education to children in greatest need. It also seems to be in step with the concerns of scientific experts on cannabis.
With the understanding of the real dangers of drug abuse and addiction.

Systematic carefully designed research to test the impact of different approaches [to what they call addictation education] – scientific, informational, experiential and personal, and peer led interactive – to be tested and compared across different school settings is required. Impact measures need to look at comprehension and retention in addition to longer term behaviour change. This requires a ‘capture and recapture’ method or other form of longitudinal, cohort study.

Filed under: Conservatives

Stick that on your power cord!

You might find this pilot site of interest.

It’s a gateway to two SEAL sites, one for primary schools the other for secondaries .

SEAL I’m sure you’ll remember stands for social and emotional aspects of learning.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Young People&s User Involvement and Participation in Their Drug and Alcohol Service .

The Children’s Society have been commissioned by the NTA to develop a policy briefing on young people&s user involvement and participation in their drug and alcohol service.

If you have examples of good practice where this happens, please send them to susie.ramsay@childrenssociety.org.uk , tel: 0207 841 4573.

Filed under: treatment , users voice , Children’s Society , NTA

saintseester
May 7, 2008 at 7:58 am

I was reading a novel this week. The author kept using sentence fragments. In one paragraph I counted 5 of them. It drove me batty! I mentioned it to my mom; being the “expert” writer she said it was okay if it was for dramatic effect. I said, it is not okay if it drives the reader batty.

I struggle with my son every time he has to turn in a research paper. I will tell him to edit sentences that need work, and he’ll fuss because “his teacher didn’t tell him to do that.” Grrr. The prime issue this week was not starting a report of with the phrase “this report is about.”

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9 Comments.
Lanie
May 8, 2008 at 8:57 pm

I would reply on the bottom of the page saying “I hope you find some motivation because I really don’t FEEL like having you in the class again next semester!”

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3 Comments.
Val
May 5, 2008 at 9:43 pm

You hit the nail right on the head-their ignorance is terrifying. I like using King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail to illustrate logos, pathos and ethos. It’s amazing when I tell student King had to logically prove segregation was wrong, less than 50 years ago!
Like you, I don’t feel like it’s very much, but we have to start somewhere

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2 Comments.
saintseester
April 23, 2008 at 8:18 am

It took me forever to see it. Must have more coffee. That is just sad.

This reminds me that I have an email from a company from whom I buy certain formaldehyde-free products. The email is riddled with grammar and spelling errors. I replied to them and said that if they could not do better than that then I wasn’t a customer any longer.

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This was an e-mail about the symposium and keynote videos, but I’ve tried to edit out the stuff about the evaluation while still publicizing the keynote videos.

Dear Symposium Attendee,

Thank you for participating in Michigan Virtual University’s® Fifth Annual Online Learning Symposium on Dec. 3. We hope that you found the event engaging, informative and thought-provoking.[stuff deleted] Videos of the symposium’s keynote addresses are also posted at the same site.Link to Symposium [stuff deleted] Keynote Videos: http://www.mivu.org/symposium/ More than 350 people like you attended this year’s symposium. We hope that you will be able to take the discussion about disruptive innovation and the future of online learning back to your schools and offices, recruiting more partners in the mission of promoting and improving online learning.Again, thank you for taking part in this year’s symposium. Because of people like you, we believe this year’s event was one of the best we’ve ever hosted.Sincerely,Jamey FitzpatrickPresident & CEOMichigan Virtual University

Why Copyright? Canadian Voices on Copyright Law (Annotated Edition).

While not exclusively about K-12 online learning, an important issue for all of those involved in K-12 online learning – particularly in Canada

Thanks to D’Arcy Norman dot net for pointing this out (see why copyright? ).

Friday Funnies.

Late in the day again, but at least I made it on Friday this week. As usual, these are courtesy of Darren over at Teaching and Developing Online .

- A thought

- I never want to hear

- Profanity

- High School Training

Until next week…

nhfalcon
June 1, 2006 at 7:39 pm

“If I can get you close enough, can you nail this sucker?”
“Yes sir. Now that I know what to listen for, I’ll bag him.”

I LOVE Jonesie’s tone of supreme self-confidence when he says that line: “I’ll bag him!”

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3 Comments.
Wayfarer
May 24, 2006 at 11:44 am

I’m all nervous about this and it’s not even my interview! Can you wear a wire or something and set up a live feed? Can we all go and sit outside the door? I totally can’t be there, but I totally WANT to.

This is worse than the season finale of “How I Met Your Mother”!

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1 Comment.
Kizz
May 13, 2006 at 10:49 am

WOO HOO!

Sorry so short, I have to run to go pat myself on the back for not say, “I told you so.”

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4 Comments.
Kizz
May 5, 2006 at 4:03 pm

Emma or Clueless are really good Jane Austen movies/adaptations and do good stuff about societal pressure. The Matrix isn’t lighter but it’s actiony.

It’s a fun topic, fun to continue to explore.

Congratulations!

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3 Comments.
Mrs.Chili
May 2, 2006 at 9:30 pm

Yeah, the waters turned a bit treacherous toward the end there. Part of it, I know, was my inexperience in navigating my boat, but much of the tempest was completely beyond my creation or control.

I’ll tell you this, though – I learned A LOT (one might say a ‘boat load’ if one were so inclined to lousy puns). I don’t begrudge the experience. Besides, the end result was that I ended up in a near-perfect placement; one that I could never have had otherwise.

The Universe provides.

And thank you for your good wishes!

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Jangari
April 29, 2007 at 5:28 pm

There’s quite an impressive number of linguistics blogs from very well-known and respected linguists, which is cool. I haven’t done my research but I’d hazard a guess that linguistics is probably best represented in the blogosphere relative to its popularity as a science (yes, it’s a science).
I don’t know if any philosophy blogs exist, or art history blogs. I know of a couple of anthropology blogs, but they tend quite closely to linguistics. Are there any other academic fields with large blogging circles?

I sometimes search technorati for ‘linguistics’ and all I get is a plethora of myspace and livejournal blogs by students complaining about their linguistics homework. Not highly interesting.

As for the random feature, I never try that. You’d sooner with the lottery that find a quality blog randomly.

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3 Comments.
mrschili
April 29, 2007 at 6:04 am

While I do NOTICE that they’re slacking, it’s affecting me less and less. I haven’t quite hit the level of apathy/resignation about it that my department head seems to possess, but I am secure in the knowlegde that what I’m asking them to do is both relevant and reasonable.

Derek, we’re almost halfway through our term. I teach at what some people call a “junior” or “community” college, and we generally run 12 week terms all year round. My kids are going to LOVE their mid-term exam next week; I can hardly wait.

Yeah, Jangari, it IS an expensive lesson. What I find interesting is that some of them never learn it – most notably Megadeth Dave, who is, I believe, on his THIRD go-round in TCC’s public speaking class…but not in MINE!!! : P

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Another series from Darren over at Teaching and Developing Online . Not sure if he is finished yet, but there appears to be a new series on the go (which I’ll post when I think he’s done), so I think he may be.

Also note that these may be a follow-up or a series related to the earlier Series – Paulsen Quotes .

Other TDO Series.

Not relly sure if you would call these series, but they are multiple posts that are thematically tied together from Darren and the other folks at the SCCS (via Teaching and Developing Online ).

- SCCS students speak out…

- Some very very good points

- Some very very good points (part two)

- Students say… Part one

- Student say…. Part two

NECC 2008.

I came to the first session of my first NECC and your Moodle session was closed 1 hour ahead of the time. Is there any way I can get a copy of your materials? I have written 2 moodle classes and taught one several times so I am looking for something on the level that you were offering. Will you be doing this again somewhere?
Cheryl

Comment by Cheryl Sawyer — June 30, 2008 @ 9:48 am | Reply

Virtual Schooling in the News.

Beginning with the Yahoo! News Alert for virtual school.
Centre Daily TimesTue, 03 Jun 2008 7:25 AM PDT
SAS(R) Curriculum Pathways(R), the award-winning Web-based educational product, is now available to home-school families for $99 per year. Used by thousands of educators in more than 30 states, SAS Curriculum Pathways is an online resource for students and teachers in high schools, community colleges, virtual schools and in the home. This versatility, and the product’s easy access and online …
Business Wire via Yahoo! FinanceTue, 03 Jun 2008 5:00 AM PDT
CARY, N.C.—-SAS® Curriculum Pathways®, the award-winning Web-based educational product, is now available to home-school families for $99 per year. Used by thousands of educators in more than 30 states, SAS Curriculum Pathways is an online resource for students and teachers in high schools, community colleges, virtual schools and in the home.
The GuardianTue, 03 Jun 2008 8:37 PM PDT
Five math and science teachers at Bluefield High School are looking forward to the new school year in the fall, when they’ll have some of the latest computer technologies in their classes to offer students enhanced learning through virtual learning.
Beauregard Daily NewsThu, 05 Jun 2008 8:09 AM PDT
Staff Writer Students packed the schoolhouse for the first day of the Louisiana Virtual School Summer Session in Beauregard Parish.

Next the Yahoo! News Alert for cyber school.
Bossier Press-TribuneTue, 03 Jun 2008 6:06 AM PDT
Bossier Parish Community College is keeping up with the Cyber buzz by adding new programs that will provide training in areas related to the burgeoning cyberspace industry.
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteTue, 03 Jun 2008 10:23 AM PDT
A contingent of school superintendents from Allegheny County were in Harrisburg this morning stumping for legislation to change the way cyber charter schools are funded.
The Williamsport Sun-GazetteMon, 02 Jun 2008 9:22 PM PDT
Substitute teachers will be paid more, meals could cost more and students will have a cyber option in the 2008-09 school year based on actions taken by the South Williamsport Area School Board on Monday. With such changes, the administration also updated the board on its progress in preparing the 2008-09 budget, and said a potential tax hike facing district residents could be lowered.
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteTue, 03 Jun 2008 9:20 PM PDT
HARRISBURG — Quaker Valley School District pays $11,183 for each of its students attending a Pennsylvania cyber charter school. …

PA Cyber to Graduate 700 in Ceremonies in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg
PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:21 AM PDT
The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School expects to graduate more than 700 seniors in the Class of 2008.

Moving on to the Google News Alert for virtual school.

The rise of ‘virtual schools’ divides education world
MinnPost.com – Minneapolis,MN,USA
When the orange school bus lumbers by, she turns to her kitchen computer and logs on to Spring Lake Park Online — a virtual high school — to study biology, …
See all stories on this topic

Schools Get to Do a Little Shopping
RedOrbit – Dallas,TX,USA
Chief among the allocations is $11500 for a contract with Virtual High School, a company that allows students to take online classes with certified teachers …
See all stories on this topic

iQ Academy Launches Virtual School in Minnesota
T.H.E. Journal – Tustin,CA,USA
… small-group instruction, and one-on-one teacher interaction in a virtual classroom environment. A nationally recognized online school, iQ Minnesota’s …
See all stories on this topic

Finally, the Google News Alert for cyber school.

Rants and Raves
Rio Rancho Observer – Rio Rancho,NM,USA
… I appreciate your coverage of our local high school graduation. I find it disappointing that you didn’t cover the Rio Rancho Cyber Academy’s graduation. …
See all stories on this topic

NO MORE PENCILS, NO MORE BOOKS
Connellsville Daily Courier – Connellsville,PA,USA
“My grandson did well here and now he has to get used to a new and bigger school. “If he suffers, we will have to pull him out and cyber school him,” …
See all stories on this topic

darren
November 7, 2007 at 4:54 pm

I guess it really comes down to who’s doing the prescribing (when it comes to “that” and “which”). I have had professors who were adamant that we follow the traditional rule (or “myth”), so in some cases preference had nothing to do with my choices. I like the AP stylebook rule cited above; in today’s media-driven society, who better to make prescriptions than those who do most of the writing that average people read day-to-day?

As for what I do when I’m not paying attention, I think that generally I follow the “mythical” convention. I tend, however, to use “which” even in restrictive clauses when its antecedent [is that the right word?] is plural. This is not always the case, and I have no idea why it pops up sometimes and not others. That’s why I really like the idea of using “which” in a restrictive clause only when “that” has been used in the same way in the same sentence. Will I do it? Probably not

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2 Comments.
Michael
October 31, 2007 at 8:24 am

Yay! Kick ass, Mrs. Chili!
I’m glad you have a good group, too. It’s so much nicer when you don’t have the *challenging* students to deal with. I hope they will continue to feed off your enthusiasm and you theirs!

Enjoy your IKEA trip…

~M

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14 Comments.
mrschili
October 25, 2007 at 4:05 pm

Ooh. I feel a little on the defensive here.

While I appreciate what you’re both saying, I didn’t have any particular problem with putting the message on semi-public space. While tolerance and equal rights ARE part of my personal politics, I’m also organizing an on-campus group that is working on having a very visible and vocal presence on that campus. It wasn’t inappropriate for me to put that message in classrooms for a couple of reasons: first, no one “owns” a classroom – we share them and move among them from class to class and term to term – so I wasn’t defacing “his” property any more than he would have been interfering in “mine” if he’d put a math club meeting announcement on the board of the room I was using (which I wouldn’t have erased, by the way). Second, the environment on TCC’s campus isn’t exactly friendly to queer kids, and I think it’s important for students – both queer and not – to know that (finally) there’s an on-campus resource and presence for them.

How would (would?) my putting the message on the board be any different than my tacking a poster to the wall (which, by the way, I would have done had I had any time to go to the print center)?

I didn’t incite my students to do anything – they came up with the idea on their own – I just didn’t discourage them from doing it. And I don’t really think that anything was done behind anyone’s back; as I said, the message wasn’t FOR the teacher, it was for the students.

The reason I was fuming was that I was hoping that the things I’d heard about this teacher were misinterpreted, if not outright wrong. He makes queer people uncomfortable in his presence (I know; they’ve told me) and I thought that his students in particular would benefit from the message I was trying to deliver.

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Grammar Snob
January 10, 2007 at 8:51 pm

Hooray! The first day must be so nerve racking!

Congrats!

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Well, What Do You Know!.
Jump to Comments

It seems that my roster for Monday’s composition class includes a couple of gentlemen I’ve had the pleasure of having in class before! These young men were – how shall I put it? – challenging elements of my public speaking class and, if my first impressions of today are in any way accurate, are bent on being so again this term. Well, I suppose one must stick to one’s strengths.

I managed to get them both aside before they left class today to point out to them that our history gives me pause. I will send each a private email reiterating the expectations of the class and outlining the standards of behavior, though I wonder whether one or both of them will drop the class before we meet again on the 22nd.

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Filed under General Griping , Teaching

1 Comment.
Kizz
January 6, 2007 at 10:32 am

Students in practical courses should write reviews! I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before. Write a review of a meal or a piece of art of a movie or something. If people are going to review what you do you should know what it looks like from the other side.

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1 Comment.
Rick
December 19, 2006 at 3:18 pm

Yay!!!! [he runs out the school door and jumps into a snow pile in the parking lot, only to learn that it hasn't snowed yet this year....]

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lazarusdodge
September 21, 2009 at 3:22 pm

My wife works for Dover as an editor…forwarded on your entry…

Was just talking to her this morning about Google’s new venture in on-demand publishing with public domain type books for $8 a pop. Dover is far less expensive as you found out…

- J.

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3 Comments.
nhfalcon
September 17, 2009 at 7:47 pm

Nice! A pleasant surprise, indeed.

The one time I thought I was going to have to deal with a dad, it was because I had given his daughter nightmares by showing her (and the rest of the class she was in) the Zapruder film…

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5 Comments.
Chatty
September 16, 2009 at 4:09 pm

I can’t make this stuff up, but I can sure find it! LOL

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1 Comment.
magicalmysticalteacher
September 2, 2009 at 6:16 am

You’re back where you belong! I’m rejoicing with you!

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3 Comments.
magicalmysticalteacher
May 14, 2009 at 8:00 am

Those “won tongs” sound rather deadly to me. Best not to eat them, lest they wrap themselves around your tonsils!

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17 Comments.
Mrs. Chili
April 21, 2009 at 7:32 am

Lily, it’s almost – but not quite – unbelievable.

Carson, I am a WICKED PTI person. I ADORE that show, even if I don’t give a damn about what they’re talking about (hockey? Really?). Kornheiser is a riot, and I think that Wilbon is brilliant; I even use one of his columns in my classes (I wish I could figure out how to subscribe to the thing…).

On the other hand, I think I only saw about six complete episodes of Seinfeld, but I get your point. Public displays of ignorance just make my teeth ache, and it rarely gets more public than in major league baseball fields, you know?

Oh, and I love you, too.

Kelly, what’ll REALLY be amazing is if they keep the uniforms.

Kizz, one of the things that teaching has taught ME is that there really is no limit to the scope of possible dumbassery, public or otherwise.

Seester, I was going to try to give this a political spin, but I didn’t really think it needed much help; the symbolism is profound, no?

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