Teacher education

Drink and Drugs News highlight a series of criticisms Conservatives # 8217, Social Justice Group # 8217, with reliance on paper Includes what we said:budget, after assessment, should be primarily directed to detoxification as part of rehabilitation, with the unique advantage of the prison setting and length of sentence. (Section 3.3.3), a therapeutic community and 12-step programs in every prison wing. We propose an extension of the existing 16 such special programs (which are currently mainly of RAPT and Phoenix Futures) for each prison in the yard. (Section 3.3.3) Our immediate recommendations within the current framework is to:

Today Sean toured the RESPOND shelter in Somerville, MA. RESPOND is a domestic violence agency that reaches out to women who are in desperate need of a helping hand. These women have been through some of the most difficult situations imaginable. This is something that Sean feels strongly about and will continue to support and stand up for in the future. He believes that these are the programs that cannot be cut from the budget, they provide a vital service that gives unparalleled support.

For more information on RESPOND, Inc. please visit www.respondinc.org .

Zoos Budget may be Restored.

Amidst a great amount of commotion, lawmakers and government officials have been pushing to repeal the budget cuts for Franklin Park and the Stone Zoos. Much debate will most likely continue because of cuts being made to other services across the commonwealth.

Thanks everyone for their calls, emails, and letters on this issue. As always, constituents should feel free to email, call, or respond to me on my blog. I can be reached at the office or on my cell phone 781-859-7781. My email address is Sean.Garballey@state.ma.us .

Summer’s Finally Here!.

It looks like we are FINALLY going to get some bright and sunny weather this weekend. Considering it’s been so long we thought we would give some tips for enjoying the weather safely. Here are a few tips to “stay cool” now that the weather has changed;

-Stay hydrated to avoid heat stroke

-Stay away from prolonged sun exposure

-Always wear sunscreen, even in the water where light is reflected and intensified The higher the SPF the more protection you get

-Arlingtonians should look into visiting the Reservoir beach (on Lowell Street and Westmoreland Ave)

Have a great weekend everyone!

mrschili
March 15, 2007 at 6:03 am

Welcome, Saintseester! I love my readers, and new ones make me happy!

Just to update you all on this little situation; I’ve not heard a peep from our boy Dave. My suspicion is that I called his bluff; he wanted me to cave to his (oh so eloquent) argument without calling anyone else in on the party. I’m pretty sure he’s smart enough to know that his “excelent” and “factual” research paper would probably get a LOWER grade from another teacher, and he’s not willing to risk that.

What I didn’t point out to him when he complained about how little the extra credit changed his grade was that, while I was taking four zeroes off his average, he was adding two ON by not doing his homework. I’m a drooling moron when it comes to math, but even *I* can figure out the effects of that!

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9 Comments.
Organic Mama
March 7, 2007 at 2:56 pm

DEEEEEP Breath.

Hey, there HAS to be a starting point. You are their teacher and you must continue to show them examples of good writing regularly so they see (god I hope so) how it can be done. Why not ask them if they think THEY can write as well as one of your fave pieces of short writing and when they say no, insist that they produce a list of the issues they see standing in their way. Who knows what you’ll get?

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mrschili
April 10, 2008 at 5:24 am

These are GREAT, Everyone! See how these little tricks stick in our heads?

Lanie, I like yours – Sweet Stuff (which is what we call dessert around Chez Chili) and Sand. That seems easier to remember than my trick of wanting two desserts. I may steal this – thanks, Mrs. Maybee!

Tense, I learned how to spell together as three words – to get her. I don’t remember who taught me that – I think it was a friend’s father – but I never misspelled that word ever again.

Jules, got any other fun tricks?

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1 Comment.
CaliforniaTeacherGuy
April 9, 2008 at 9:45 am

I’m holding…breathlessly!

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4 Comments.
Darci
March 17, 2008 at 11:05 am

I love this idea for a final. Is it possible that you can email me the format? I would use it for the Narrative final that I am giving at the end of the semester. My students missed this section due to me not taking over the class until mid-November so I will not be using the state periodic assesment. I love the idea of the paragraph edit option. I also include grammar as the warm-up so your opening is helpful. I would of course give credit in the footer.

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10 Comments.
Seth
April 5, 2008 at 9:09 am

So I’m a few weeks late on replying…. .but that’s the way things have been for me lately.

It’s amazing to me how we all forget to look at the basic natures of life. At the primary levels, we all want the same things, need the same things, desire the same things… but somewhere along the lines, we’ve gotten confused and caught up in everything else. We’ve made choices to lead us away from these basic elements and we’ve “put on glasses” that keep us from recognizing each other and all of those qualities that make us so similar.

Beautiful post.

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HomeFireBlue
August 16, 2006 at 9:31 am

LOVE the stickers!

If you ever think of something you’d like to have on a bumpersticker (or magnet) just let me know and I’ll whip you one up in my store.

For free, of course, cuz I luv U.

Be patient about the job … it’s coming.

-Blue

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2 Comments.
Suzanne
August 10, 2006 at 9:16 am

I can understand believing that the Universe is sending you a message, but here’s my take on this. If you want to TEACH, then you should be TEACHING. Sign up as a substitute teacher to several schools, and get some great experience along the way. You said that in a couple of cases, teaching jobs went to people who have been subs in the district. If that’s one way to get a job, then go for it.

I’m sure you would enjoy working at the mechanic’s place. They sound like good people, and it would be an easy thing for you to get into. Perhaps too easy? Too tempting?

Girl, if you are serious about teaching, get out there and TEACH! And maybe this is just the Universe’s way of testing your commitment….

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2 Comments.
Mrs.Chili
August 5, 2006 at 8:42 pm

Really, BoDog? Why not? I think movies are a GREAT way to teach. There are a lot of really fantastic films out there that span a staggering bredth of subject, concept and emotion. Besides, who needs an excuse to show something as amazing as Glory?–>

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Lara
December 2, 2009 at 11:53 pm

Okay, I’m going to take a moment to not be modest at all and say that vocab is one of the parts of my job I do really well. And most of the reason why I do it well is because I make my kids understand those words inside and out, mostly by assessing them in lots of ways. They have to be able to match it to synonyms, match it to antonyms, define it, use it in a sentence, and/or recognize whether it is being used correctly in someone else’s sentence. I had numerous students (and parents of students) who had me last year come thank me because of how much their vocab scores improved on SATs and other standardized tests.

All that to say that I totally agree with you – memorizing a nonsense (to them) definition is useless if they don’t actually know what the word means. Oh those dumb teenagers. How we love them anyway.

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3 Comments.
Edward Carson
November 17, 2009 at 9:00 am

I keep a file of old letters, notes, cards, emails, etc in my desk for those tough days. I pull it out when I am having one to remind me that I love this. For me, its usually not students that make my days tough. You are a great teacher. That is clear.

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1 Comment.
Edward Carson
October 12, 2009 at 9:02 am

I have heard of a number of progressive schools that do this. I assume you still assign a letter, right? Man, I have a hard enough time getting letter grades turned in on time. I do think your method is a more reliable one.

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One of my doctoral students, Kelly Unger (see Kel Tech: KTI ), sent me this article a while ago – and since I have nothing else to post today (I have stuff, I just don’t have the time to write it with a number of irons in the fire with near-term deadlines), here it is:

Orlando Sentinel
http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/detail.jsp?key=172060&full=1

In Florida, virtual school could make classrooms history
Dave Weber
Sentinel Staff Writer
November 10, 2008

Thousands of Florida students may ditch public elementary and middle schools next year in favor of online classes at home — an option that could change the face of public education.

A new law that takes effect next fall requires every district in the state to set up an online school for kindergarten through eighth-grade students. They won’t have to get on the bus — or even get out of their PJs — to head to school at the family computer.

A handful of elementary- and middle-school students already are experimenting with virtual classes, withdrawing from regular schools and enrolling instead for online instruction. Students take a full range of courses, including reading, writing, math, science, history, art, music and even physical education.

“I am so excited about this that my goal is to go all the way through 12th grade,” said Joni Fussell, whose 8-year-old daughter has been studying at the kitchen computer in their Altamonte Springs home since January.

Taylor Fussell is enrolled in the state’s experimental online elementary school, which will be greatly expanded through the new law. The state has had online instruction for high-school students for 10 years, but it’s mostly used by those who want to take an extra course they can’t squeeze in at school.

The law passed by the Legislature last spring is designed to give parents more choice in how their elementary- and middle-school children are educated full time. Online instruction joins home schooling, charter schools and Florida’s on-again, off-again experiment with vouchers to private schools as a way of broadening the selection.

“The beauty of this is it is another choice for parents,” said Sonia Esposito, director of school choice for Osceola schools.

The state will pay for online instruction, providing districts about $6,000 per student — what they would get for a student who showed up at a regular school. But savings are expected in bus transportation, school construction and other areas.

All-or-none option

For those who take advantage of virtual instruction in elementary and middle school, it’s an all-or-none proposition. Unlike high school, if they sign up for online classes, they can’t continue to take some of their courses in regular schools and can’t compete in organized sports.

Fussell said she switched to online instruction at home because she was frustrated with her inability to influence Taylor’s progress at Altamonte Springs Elementary. Taylor, who had fallen behind in reading, is rapidly catching up online.

“If I am struggling, I just practice more,” she said. “And I get to stay home with my mom.”

A teacher working out of her home at an undisclosed Florida location supervises instruction for Taylor and dozens of other elementary students across the state. She monitors their work, talks with students individually online and holds virtual class meetings to discuss particular topics.

Back in the kitchen, Joni Fussell keeps Taylor on task, although there is flexibility for running errands or doing chores, as long as Taylor spends about five hours a day doing schoolwork. The program requires an adult at home to aid with instruction.

Fussell has everything she needs to supervise her daughter’s education. Last summer a delivery truck brought boxes of textbooks, work sheets, study materials and other classroom supplies, right down to a compass, magnifying glass and other nifty items for basic science experiments. Older kids even get microscopes.

Although the Fussells had a computer, it wasn’t necessary for them to own one. Kids who don’t have computers will get them free, along with free online service.

What’s missing, says Fussell, is 18 kids competing for one teacher’s attention, boring downtime in the classroom, distracting discipline incidents and playground bullying.

Students are tested, get report cards and must take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The virtual schools will receive letter grades from the state, and poorly performing providers will be weeded out.

Next year Fussell plans to have a second student at home, when her younger daughter Savannah, 5, a kindergartner at Altamonte Elementary, joins the virtual school. State law requires that students must previously have been in a regular public school before switching to the new virtual school, a provision that shuts out students who have been home-schooled for years.

‘I miss my friends’

Students, parents and educators say one drawback of virtual education is that kids studying at home don’t have the ready socialization opportunities they have at school.

“I miss my friends,” Taylor Fussell said.

But her mother builds Taylor’s social skills with outside activities such as church or playing with neighborhood children. The online school also has virtual clubs — chess club is one — and plans other activities such as spelling bees and science fairs.

Districts can come up with their own online elementary- and middle-school curriculum. But most districts, including Orange and Seminole, say the task is too daunting and they instead expect to contract the online instruction to existing virtual schools for a fee. Two now operate in the state: Florida Virtual School in partnership with Connections Academy, and Florida Virtual Academy, which the Fussells use. Others are expected to be approved by the Department of Education this winter.

Officials have no idea how many students will switch to the new online elementary and middle schools.

But if Florida Virtual School’s online courses for high-school students are any indication, it could take off. That program went from students completing 6,765 half-credit courses in 2001 to 137,450 courses last school year.

Of 44 states with online learning, more than half offer full or part-time elementary programs, with as many as 45,000 students taking part nationwide. Florida is among states leading in the movement.

Districts say they will decide by spring who will get the contracts for online instruction and that parents will be permitted to sign up their kids soon after.

Who gets to learn online *Students who are residents of the school district. *Those who have attended a Florida public school this year and been enrolled for both the February and October funding counts. Home-schoolers don’t qualify. *Students currently enrolled in the state’s virtual-instruction program. *Kindergarten students, only if they are enrolled in public schools this year for both the October and February funding counts, including Pre-K disabled students, those in the babies-of-teen-parents program and those repeating kindergarten. *A child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who was transferred to Florida during the past 12 months.

– SOURCES: Florida Department of Education, area school districts

Dave Weber can be reached at 407-320- 0915 or dweber@orlandosentinel.com.

The guys over at Slashdot – the techie news service, have posted an entry a few days ago that ooks ahead to the coming year and makes some Technology Predictions for 2006? While I usually just skip over this blog in my Bloglines, as it is usually more technical than what I can manageor have an interest in, but this one stuck out at me for some reason.

It may be because around the same time that I saw this entry, I was also preparing a list of trends about virtual schooling – trends about the practice of virtual schooling and I felt that the activities of assessing the current trends of virtual schooling was much like trying to predict what the future year may hold for us in technological advances. For those in the know, both activities involve some level of uncertainty and both items could easily be debated, but in both instances you just have to use what you know about the topic and lay it out there.

In this end, I came up with five trends about the current practice of virtual schooling. They were:
The number of states with virtual schools and the number of students taking virtual school courses is growing.
Virtual schooling is moving from primarily targetting the secondary grades to being available for middle school and elementary school students.
Virtual schools are moving away from their initial focus on advanced level mathematics, science, and other specialty courses to cover a wider variety of the mandated curriculum.
Virtual schooling is becoming more and more popular with students and parents looking for alternatives to the public school system.
Recent research continues to focus upon student performance and the nature of students served by virtual schools.Now, I thought that since I have this blog and, if you believe the information presented in Statistics for December , a fairly steady readerhip, I wanted to see how on or off base I was with these trends. So…If you agree with any of these five, which ones do you agree with?If you disagree with any of these five, which ones do you disagree with and why?If you feel that I missed one or more, what are they are why should they be included?I look forward to your response…Tags: virtual school , cyber school , high school , education

Prevention Action turn their attention to a piece of research we’ve noted before, which looks at the impact of school ethos on young people’s alcohol use. 
They say:
Simply going to a “bad” school did not turn children to drink; other individual factors were far more salient, but the significance of the differences between schools was very noticeable.
So, to take the case of

Original source : http://www.drugeducationforum.com/blog/?ArticleID=… Filed under: Uncategorized

Substance Abuse Prevention Dollars and Cents: A Cost-Benefit Analysis.

Via the Mentor website I see that the US government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have published a guide to cost effective substance abuse prevention programs, Substance Abuse Prevention Dollars and Cents: A Cost Benefits Analysis
In the executive summary they say:
If effective prevention programs were implemented nationwide, substance abuse initiation would

Original source : http://www.drugeducationforum.com/blog/?ArticleID=… Filed under: Uncategorized

Positive Activities.

“It’s not like if you don’t do sport you’re going to get pregnant, go on drugs and vandalise bus stops!”
So says one 18 year old quoted in new research for the DCSF, Positive Activities; Qualitative Research with Young People.  The young person was responding to the following messages which went with the picture reproduced below:

“Either get into

Original source : http://www.drugeducationforum.com/blog/?ArticleID=… Filed under: Uncategorized

‘Boredom’ leads teenagers to drink.

ITN news report (once you’re past the short advert) about young people’s drinking based on a Drinkaware survey.

more about " ‘Boredom’ leads teenagers to drink ", posted with vodpod Filed under: Uncategorized

Kizz
January 30, 2007 at 9:29 am

I’d also like to know what it is about us that when I heard the failing story I immediately blamed it on the teacher/school (how did he get where he is without passing, why weren’t they helping him?) and you immediately blamed it on the student (why did he choose to fail over and over and why is he looking forward to it again?). We could both be right, there’s nothing in the story that indicates either way, we both jumped to conclusion, but why did we jump to such polarly opposite ones?

“I didn’t jump to conclusions. I took a small step, and there conclusions were.”
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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3 Comments.
nhfalcon
January 28, 2007 at 9:13 pm

Maybe this says something about me and my qualifications (or lack thereof) as a teacher, but are you a teacher or a drill sergeant? It is your job to do everything you can to impart knowledge, not motivate a bunch of lazy-ass time wasters. If some of your “learners” – and I use that term loosely, based on what I’ve read about this bunch – choose not to absorb that knowledge, then that’s their fault and their problem, not yours. They’re in college now, not grammar school. They’re supposedly adults. If they choose to fail, then fail ‘em. It’s their money (or more than likely Mommy’s and Daddy’s) they’re wasting, not yours.

I could understand your concerns if they were grammar or junior high students, maybe even high school students, but these are allegedly mature adults – let ‘em deal with the consequences of their actions.

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