Dane's Education Blog

Jack Gantos Interview - Funny

2012-01-29T10:00:00.001-05:00

As a follow up to my last post, I came across an interview with author Jack Gantos on the NPR program "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me." His interesting background is the basis for his Newbery-winning book, Dead End in Norvelt. Listen to this funny and revealing exchange between him and the crew at WWDTM.

2012 Newbery & Caldecott Book Awards

2012-01-25T06:22:00.000-05:00

Announced on Monday. Here they are:

John Newbery Medal
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Honor books:
Breaking Stalin's Nose written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin
Inside Out & Back Again written by Thanhha Lai

Randolph Caldecott Medal
A Ball for Daisy written and illustrated by Chris Raschka

Honor Books:
Blackout illustrated and written by John Rocco
Grandpa Green illustrated and written by Lane Smith
Me . . . Jane illustrated and written by Patrick McDonnell

iPad Textbooks v. Textbooks

2012-01-20T07:43:00.007-05:00

Click on this iPad textbook link to see how our students will be using technology in school. It is only a matter of time before all students and teachers will be using electronic textbooks. It is only a matter of time before teachers will be writing and publishing their own textbooks. This will revolutionize the way students learn in school,. . . the way teachers teach in school, . . . and the way parents support their children's education at home.

Touch-Free Gesture Controls

2012-01-17T14:16:00.001-05:00

If you wonder how our students will be using technology in the next year, check out this 30-second video.

What Millennials Want

2012-01-12T07:50:00.000-05:00

"The makeup of the global workforce is undergoing a seismic shift: In four years Millennials—the people born between 1977 and 1997—will account for nearly half the employees in the world. In some companies, they already constitute a majority."

Quote above from "Mentoring Millennials" in Harvard Business Review.

Read this fascinating article to learn more about Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials. The article has a great chart "What Millennials Want."

"The first . . . "

2012-01-07T11:25:00.000-05:00

As I was walking through one of our classrooms my eyes caught sight of this beautiful quote:

The first to apologize is the BRAVEST
The first to forgive is the STRONGEST
The first to forget is the HAPPIEST

When I Googled it, I found it to be on many blogs, but I could not find the source of the quote. Any ideas?

"Elementary School Leadership . . .

2012-01-01T15:20:00.004-05:00

. . . in an Age of Anxiety" is an excellent article by Neal Brown in the Winter 2012 issue of Independent School magazine. Whether you are a head of school, teacher, or parent, you will gain thoughtful, helpful insights into caring for and guiding elementary school children.

The Importance of Recognition and Appreciation

2011-12-26T16:55:00.000-05:00

The older I get, the more I reflect on how important it is for children and adults to feel appreciated. Give recognition to others whenever possible.

Please take a minute to read "Recognition," an article I wrote that was recently published in Independent Teacher.

The Parents We Mean to Be

2011-12-22T07:16:00.002-05:00

If you have children or teach children (including adolescents) you must read The Parents We Mean to Be by Richard Weissbourd.

I found it especially profound where the author talks about the three challenges parents have with raising children:

1. To help children deal with their emotions. 2. To move children towards appreciation, the capacity to know and value others. (This book will provide a kind of map for parents for developing in children this vital quality.)
3. To develop in children a strong sense of self—so they can withstand adversity in the service of moral goals.

You can hear the author discuss his book by clicking on this 43-minute YouTube clip.

A Family That Teaches Together

2011-12-18T10:05:00.001-05:00

Check out this lovely StoryCorp recording.

Complicated Teacher-Parent Email Communication

2011-12-15T18:45:00.000-05:00

If you did not read the funny, short New Yorker piece "Dear Mountain Room Parents," take two minutes to do so. Whether you are a teacher or parent, you will appreciate how emailing can get complicated fast.

Happy Halloween. . . next October.

Conversations with Middle Schoolers — Redux

2011-12-11T15:23:00.000-05:00

Click back to my November 24, 2010 post to review my first post "Conversations with Middle Schoolers"

OR click on this link to hear this beautifully produced "This American Life" episode "Middle School." It is excellent.

Drawing a Blanc on That Voice?

2011-12-08T20:20:00.000-05:00

I grew up with Looney Tunes characters Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, the Tasmanian Devil, and any other voice Mel Blanc produced. Cartoons, and now full length movies, continue to entertain kids and adults. Here is a cute NPR "Weekend Edition Sunday" 3-minute interview with Mel Blanc's son, Noel Blanc, talking about his father.

Bonawitz and Shafto Cognition Study

2011-12-05T21:00:00.000-05:00

This enlightening article in The Economist, "When should you teach children, and when should you let them explore" is a must-read for all teachers and parents. The article is about a study completed by Elizabeth Bonawitz and Patrick Shafto that looked at 85 four- and five-year olds. Here is a link to the complete study published in "Cognition."

Visions of the Earth

2011-12-01T05:58:00.001-05:00

You must see this!

You and your kids check out this beautiful clip. National Geographic presents some amazing pictures and facts about our planet in "Visions of Earth."

What's in a Password?

2011-11-27T15:42:00.000-05:00

Teaching students — and adults for that matter — about Internet security should start with the password. Listening to American Public Media's "Marketplace Morning Report" recently, I wasn't surprised to find out the least secure passwords of 2011 are "1234567," "abc123," "sunshine," and "iloveyou" but THE password with the most security holes is, yup, you got it — "password."

Switching to e-books

2011-11-23T05:13:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of authors Dan and Chip Heath. Their book Switch is the best for understanding change.

Speaking of change, I continue to follow the changes taking place in book publishing as we work our way from print books to e-books. Well, the Heath brothers' latest book The Myth of the Garage is the first e-book from Crown Publishing that is free. See for yourself when you click on the link to the book.

12-Year Old Ap Developer?

2011-11-20T01:47:00.000-05:00

Here is a neat TED Talk of Thomas Suarez talking about his experience learning and developing aps for the Apple Store. In true Google fashion, for now, Thomas is looking to help others with his new-found talent.

2011 National Book Awards Teen Press Conference

2011-11-17T07:53:00.007-05:00

Our Middle School students attended the 2011 National Book Awards Teen Press Conference this week here in NYC. Click on the link to hear the authors speak about their books and to hear students ask questions of the authors. Authors who spoke and were featured:

Franny Billingsley, Chime (Dial)
Debby Dahl Edwardson, My Name Is Not Easy (Marshall Cavendish)
Thanhha Lai, Inside Out and Back Again (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)
Albert Marrin, Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books)
Gary D. Schmidt, Okay for Now (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Rosa sat . . .

2011-11-14T17:03:00.001-05:00

While experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells of Zuccotti Park, I bumped into a vendor selling a T-shirt with a prophetic message. Here is what it said:

Rosa sat so Martin could walk.
Martin walked so Obama could run.
Obama ran so our children can fly.

Here is one story behind the quote.

Ones Reprised Today

2011-11-11T11:11:00.002-05:00

I don't often reprise a post, but on February 14, 2011, I posted "'1' Not Such a Lonely Number." On this special day, I thought I would repost it in celebration of November 11, 2011, you know, 11/11/11. And this post was posted at 11:11 a.m.

Alison Gopnik

2011-11-08T07:59:00.002-05:00

Another instance where "guide-on-the-side" trumps "sage-on-the-stage."

Read the interview with Alison Gopnik, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley. Her latest book is The Philosophical Baby: What Children's Minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, and the Meaning of Life.

Also, here is a TED Talk that features her work:

The Music Paradigm

2011-11-04T06:56:00.004-04:00

If you want to experience professional development at its best, hope that you take part in The Music Paradigm. Maestro Roger Nierenburg uses a chamber ensemble—one he has never conducted before—to demonstrate leadership. Along with 150 heads of school from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, we sat among the musicians and witnessed the power of the conductor as leader. We were swept away by Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings and the brilliance of Nierenburg.

Here, see for yourself

Rigor or 5 Cs + 1

2011-11-01T09:50:00.001-04:00

A better way to describe school programs is presented by Pat Bassett, President of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). In a recent listserve message, he passed on the 5 Cs + 1 for 21st Century schools:

1) critical thinking
2) communication (writing, public speaking, and technology fluency)
3) character
4) creativity
5) collaboration (teaming and leadership)
6) cosmopolitanism (cross-cultural and global competency)

Rigor or 5 Cs + 1?

2011-10-26T20:39:00.012-04:00

When you think of the word "rigor" and how it applies to our schools, what comes to mind? Good? Bad? Certainly not neutral. In a recent meeting here at school, the word "rigor" surfaced, and I could feel my skin crawl. It has no place in schools. I came across this blog post "Stop Saying 'Rigor'" that shed another person's light on the word.

For the record, here is a definition from Merriam-Webster:

1 a (1) : harsh inflexibility in opinion, temper, or judgment : severity

(2) : the quality of being unyielding or inflexible : strictness (3) : severity of life : austerity b : an act or instance of strictness, severity, or cruelty

2 a tremor caused by a chill

3 condition that makes life difficult, challenging, or uncomfortable; especially : extremity of cold

4 strict precision : exactness

Check out my next post to learn about the 5 Cs + 1.

Okay For Now

2011-10-25T20:51:00.003-04:00

Gary D. Schmidt's newest young adult book, Okay For Now, is the sequel to his highly successful Wednesday Wars. It follows Doug Swieteck and Joe Pepitone from Long Island to upstate New York. This could be a Newbery contender. I highly recommend it.

While you're at it, check out the review on the 2011 National Book Award Finalists website.

Importance of Being Positive

2011-10-21T19:54:00.001-04:00

The other day I began connecting the dots on how important it is to be a positive leader; what it means to the people around you when you are positive; and how exhilarating it is to work in a positive environment. Let me take you through the sequence of how I arrived at this epiphany.

Click here to read my recent article, "A Triumph," that was published in the fall issue of "The Public School Montessorian."

The Progressive Alfie Kohn

2011-10-18T19:41:00.007-04:00

I saw Alfie Kohn speak yesterday. Young-spirited, gesticulating provocateur and passionate about his beliefs, he convinced me that he is an advocate for the child. Expounding upon effort over achievement, he made many references to "the research says."

I loved his article, "Progressive Education," in the Spring 2008 edition of Independent School magazine. It's well worth reading.

For now, here is a brief clip:

Bird Flies 3,500 Miles Nonstop!

2011-10-16T11:44:00.003-04:00

While listening to Scott Simon on Weekend Edition, I was astonished to hear about the Whimbral, a bird that will fly from Virginia to Alaska nonstop. Listen to this four-minute clip, "A Bird Flies Into a Hurricane. Does It Fly Out?," to hear how this is done—the tracking and flight. You might want to share this with your class.

Fed by Feed

2011-10-13T18:47:00.001-04:00

Author M. T. Anderson's book, Feed, is of the Brave New World genre—scary but highly prophetic. Feed is a book that every educator and parent must read. Here is a link to the movie trailer, but be careful; you should really read the book first!

Meet the author and hear him talk about writing in this video clip.

Zinsser - 5 Principles of Good Writing

2011-10-10T07:51:00.008-04:00

I am a big fan of William Zinsser. His book, On Writing Well, is the quintessential (He would cringe if he knew that I used that big Latin word) book on writing. His address to Columbia Graduate School of Journalism students can be found in "Writing English as a Second Language," published in The American Scholar. I love his closing comments to them:

"As you start your journey here at Columbia this week, you may tell yourself that you’re doing 'communications,' or 'new media,' or 'digital media,' or some other fashionable new form. But ultimately you’re in the storytelling business. We all are. It’s the oldest of narrative forms, going back to the caveman and the crib, endlessly riveting. What happened? Then what happened? Please remember, in moments of despair, whatever journalistic assignment you’ve been given, all you have to do is tell a story, using the simple tools of the English language and never losing your own humanity.

Repeat after me: 
Short is better than long. 
Simple is good. (Louder) 
Long Latin nouns are the enemy. 
Anglo-Saxon active verbs are your best friend. 
One thought per sentence.

Good luck to you all."

Now that we are into a new school year. . .

2011-10-07T00:35:00.005-04:00

. . . here is a short but powerful article, "Teaching Secrets: After the Honeymoon," that all teachers should read. What I love is its therapeutic advice. Here are the main bullet points:

Take time for yourself
Be proactive about your health
Keep family time sacred
Exalt the positive
Build a support network for yourself
Take time to laugh
Choose Happiness

Parents should also read (for yourselves) what author Cossandra George writes about each point above.

Do You Doodle?

2011-10-04T12:01:00.001-04:00

Check out Sunni Brown's (author of Gamestorming) TED Talk on how doodling is one of the greatest allies to intellectual thought.

More on Palindromes

2011-10-01T07:43:00.004-04:00

Back on October 28, 2009, I posted "Is That Really a Palindrome?"

Recently on NPR's Sunday Weekend Edition, with a mouthful of palindromes, puzzle master Will Shortz amused listeners with his weekly puzzle. If you enjoy playing with palindromes, you will be delighted by this 7-minute piece.

Then, if you really want to see a long—I mean long—palindrome, check out "Master Palindromist: Way Beyond 'Madam, I'm Adam.'" This article will lead you to a ridiculously long palindrome that is over 400 words.

Apple Icon Steve Jobs

2011-09-28T07:55:00.002-04:00

Two resources you might find interesting about the former Apple CEO:

1) "The Ten Commandments of Steve"

2) This is his commencement address to the Class of 2005 at Stanford University. At the least, listen to the first of his three stories.

Mistakes & Failure and Grit & Success - Part III

2011-09-25T09:17:00.001-04:00

How can our children understand failure if they're afraid to stretch themselves to their potential?

T. S. Elliot said it well: "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

Mistakes & Failure and Grit & Success - Part II

2011-09-22T21:30:00.000-04:00

How DO we measure whether one fails or succeeds?

Imagine a person failing 6 times out of 10 attempts and being considered a huge success. Read the inspiring NYTimes article "Ted Williams's .406 Average Is More Than a Number."

BTW, failing 7 times out of 10 attempts can be pretty good, too. I guess failure or success is often in the eyes of the beholder, so parents be kind when your kids fail.

Mistakes & Failure and Grit & Success - Part I

2011-09-20T21:25:00.000-04:00

I have always thought of good classrooms as safe places to fail—students and adults. I expressed this back in the fall of 2008 when I wrote "Rethinking the 'F' Word."

Click over to this edutopia article "The Role of Mistakes in the Classroom" for another author's excellent take on mistake making, and last week's NYTimes article "What if the Secret to Success is Failure" speaks to the importance of "grit" as an important piece of our children's character development.

Spud — A Must Read

2011-09-17T08:35:00.000-04:00

Having spent 11 years teaching in junior boarding schools, I fell in love with the book Spud. It is a delightful young adult book filled with laugh-out-loud humor. Author John van de Ruit tells of 14-year old Spud's struggle into adolescence. The setting is a boys' boarding school, which is located in South Africa during its 1990 break from apartheid. Also, if you enjoy the music from the play Oliver, Spud plays the lead in his school play, and you can follow the challenges he faces along with the wonderful Dickens characters.

Guide-on-the-Side OVER Sage-on-the-Stage Teaching

2011-09-13T17:01:00.000-04:00

I loved the front page NYTimes article "In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores." Here is the sentence that caught my attention:

"The digital push here aims to go far beyond gadgets to transform the very nature of the classroom, turning the teacher into a guide instead of a lecturer, wandering among students who learn at their own pace on Internet-connected devices."

Is this what happens in your (child's) classroom?

Brain Plasticity III - Fast ForWord

2011-09-10T14:10:00.000-04:00

After reading The Brain That Changes Itself and learning about the work of Dr. Michael Merzenich, I came away with a better understanding of how the brain works and techniques that can help children in their work and development. An intervention produced by Scientific Learning developed the program Fast ForWord. Take five minutes to view this neat video.

Brain Placticity II - Dr. Doidge

2011-09-07T20:00:00.000-04:00

Our faculty book group finished Doidge's book and a beautiful discussion on The Brain That Changes Itself. Neuroplasticity and brain mapping are fascinating topics that provide so much hope for the future. Listen to Dr. Doidge yourself.

Brain Plasticity I - The Brain That Changes Itself

2011-09-05T12:35:00.002-04:00

I was first introduced to the concept of brain plasticity when I read JoAnn Deak's Your Fantastic Elastic Brain. And the work of Carol Dweck and her book, Mindset, talk about the idea that intelligence can grow. For me, both authors helped to dispel the myth that the brain is "hard-wired" and unchangeable.

Well, for my summer professional reading, I happened to choose The Brain That Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge.

Here are several of many stories in the book that you can read, and I guarantee you that if you read them, you will want to read the whole book:

Cheryl Schiltz (page 1)
Pedro Bach-y-Rita (page 20)
Willy Arbor (page 72)
Nicole von Ruden (page 150)
Emma (page 174)

Independent Teacher

2011-09-02T07:22:00.000-04:00

Independent Teacher is an excellent resource for teachers.

Here is the opening of its mission:

"Independent Teacher is an electronic journal that publishes articles on curriculum and pedagogy, across all grades and disciplines, of particular interest to independent school teachers. It is our hope and intention to promote lively discussion and debate about education that will be useful and interesting to independent school educators."

Click over to read some of the articles.

Better yet, click on the "Submissions" link and see what you need to do to have your own article published.

Thoughts From a Teacher of 50 Years

2011-08-29T16:29:00.000-04:00

Want to get an idea of what it is like to teach for 50 years? Read this Highline Times article about Jim Glennon: "Retired Teacher Did Anything to Get Students Engaged."

50 years is a long time, but according to Jim, "The students are my battery," Glennon explains. "If I'm not feeling well, and I could make it to school, I felt better. As a result, I've missed around 15 days in 50 years... All of my awards came because of my students, not because of me."

Middle School Mischiefs - About Books

2011-08-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

Here is a great resource for three middle school books. "Middle School Mischief" by A. J. Jacobs recently appeared in the NYTimes Book Review. Here are the books that were reviewed in the article:

Troublemaker by Andrew Clements (Middle grade; ages 8 to 12)

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson & Chris Tebbetts (Middle grade; ages 8 to 12)

Journal of a Schoolyard Bully: Notes on Noogies, Wet Willies, and Wedgies by Farley Katz (Young adult; ages 9 and up)

Neat Video Tools

2011-08-23T09:29:00.001-04:00

Have you ever seen a YouTube video that you would love to share at a faculty meeting but will be in a location without Internet connection? Here are two sites that allow you to download videos to your hard drive so you can share them anywhere from your computer:

KeepVid
SaveVid

Also, here's another one:

TubeChop lets you "adjust" a video so you don't have to deal with ads.

Give 'em all a try.

I Needed the Relief or the Value of Childcare

2011-08-20T10:21:00.003-04:00

Childcare attitudes, availability, and use have changed dramatically over the past two generations, so much so, I felt that my ancient baby boomer viewpoint was out of touch with today’s generation’s practices. An event in my life changed that viewpoint, and I wanted to pass on my updated perspective to the parents at my toddler-through-eighth-grade school to support their use of childcare for their children. To do this, I wrote "I Needed the Relief or the Value of Childcare" and sent it to them early this month. My instincts were confirmed when I received an immediate response from a parent that said,

“Dane, this is a lovely piece. It does something very important for our community — it gives parents (but really mothers) permission to feel relief in work, in separation, and in being apart from their children. There's so much guilt floating around — we all need to counteract it with more support. This is a really good message. THANKS.”

Go ahead and read the piece. You may want to share it with members of your family and the parents in your school:

"I Needed the Relief or the Value of Childcare"

pdf version
Online version

What Baseball Should do for Kids

2011-08-17T18:54:00.000-04:00

When you watch this "60 Minutes" piece—and do watch it all—you will see what should be happening on AND off the field. Albert Pujols is leading the way.

Providing Service

2011-08-14T18:42:00.001-04:00

I was walking in Union Square recently, and I decided to have lunch at Danny Meyer's Union Square Café. It was four years ago when I read his seminal book Setting the Table, a book that emphasizes service to the customer. Meyer has built a restaurant empire based on good service to customers. You may have heard of a few of his other eating establishments: Tabla, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, and Blue Smoke.

Providing service in our schools is essential for building strong communities — service to students, to parents, and to faculty and staff.

By the way, the service was excellent at Union Square Café.

Who Needs Summer Homework?

2011-08-11T05:55:00.005-04:00

A close colleague wrote a beautiful piece for Lisa Belkin's NYTimes Motherlode blog. You should read "Who Needs Summer Homework?" now that many parents are in the home stretch of cajoling, bribing, and—some might say—torturing their children to finish assigned summer work. I think you'll like it . . . the piece that is.

Knowledge

2011-08-07T21:20:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while you hear or read something that sticks in your head. This summer, when I was teaching a class to heads of school on working with parents and boards of trustees, I referenced a quote that remains stuck in my head. Here is what I shared with my colleagues:

In an article that I wrote for the quarterly publication Montessori Life, "Heading a Montessori School," I quoted from a talk head of school Bodi Brizendine gave to a group of heads in 2003. She was quoting from 19th Century philosopher and author George Eliot on how she categorized knowledge:

"The lowest level of knowledge, opinion, is readily available, and then fact is the next level in the hierarchy of knowledge; but the third and highest level of knowledge — and the most difficult to achieve — is empathy."

Harvard Business Review Post

2011-08-03T20:28:00.000-04:00

I picked up this well written post from Harvard Business Review blogger Andrew McAfee. He reflects on his Montessori school experience. The post, "Montessori Builds Innovators," has lots of good links embedded within it.

One Woman Teachers

2011-07-29T09:38:00.011-04:00

One of the special treats about living in New York City is the availability of performing arts for students and teachers. I had the occasion to see "No Child . . ." at the Barrow Street Theater in the Village; it is a one-woman show about teaching Bronx high school students drama. I was awe struck by Nilaja Sun the sole performer. Like Sarah Jones's (TED Talk) "Bridge and Tunnel" and Anna Deavere Smith's "Let Me Down Easy," one actor portraying many different characters on stage is amazing.

I had the good fortune to sit next to an actor and high school drama teacher during the performance, and this is what she had to say: "The play really is a very accurate portrayal of the kids I and all my colleagues teach and how we work with them. And you are so right about how challenging and heartbreaking it can be. But as you well know, it is the most rewarding work in the world, and I have have been privileged to see hundreds of young lives utterly transformed in the 8 years I have worked with the Epic Theatre Ensemble"

The Lottery

2011-07-28T20:16:00.000-04:00

During my exploration of the book The Lottery and Other Stories, I stumbled upon "Charles," "After You, My Dear Alphonse," and "Afternoon in Linen." Shirley Jackson's stories are "Twilight Zone"-like, compelling, and fun to read. I read the classic "The Lottery" each year to our Middle School students.

Too Many Emails in Your Inbox?

2011-07-24T13:07:00.004-04:00

For all of us: parents, educators, and students, email has gotten out of hand. Step back or plow through?

You have to read The Energy Project's Tony Schwartz's excellent column in this morning's Business Section of the NYTimes. "The Personal Energy Crisis" has an answer. Here's a peek:

"The problem is that rest and renewal are counterintuitive for most of us, and counterculture in most organizations. Rewards go to those who do just the opposite in the face of demand. The guiding ethic is more, bigger, faster. We admire those who hunker down, stay the course, burn the midnight oil."

Schwatrz has a proven suggestion.

Not Acceptable R Word

2011-07-21T06:15:00.001-04:00

A colleague who is raising a five-year old child with Down syndrome shared this simple, excellent, and poignant public service announcement with me.

Positive Child Guidance

2011-07-17T07:03:00.001-04:00

I had the good fortune to spend two days with author Darla Ferris Miller at a Board of Directors retreat. She let me know that the 7th Edition of her textbook, Positive Child Guidance, will be out in October.

After our conversation, I checked out the currently available 6th Edition on amazon.com. Just take a look at the Table of Contents; it's encyclopedic. The book contains all you need to know about raising, understanding, and educating children.

Avenues: The World School

2011-07-14T06:35:00.002-04:00

An editor of a national publication asked me if I read the piece "The Best School $75 Million Can Buy" in the Sunday NYTimes and what I thought of Whittle's The Avenues: The World School concept. I responded by saying, for me, it sounds very much like Whittle's '92 Edison Project all over again. He had heavy hitters working with him then—Chubb, Schmidt, Finn, and Alexander. It did not work. It is important to point out that it is tough enough for public schools having to deal with tight budgets and unions, but to also have to deal with profit-making was too much to ask. Can you blame the public schools?

Now we have Whittle, Round 2. I see the same dynamic: big building, $75M, heavy hitters—Tingley, Matoon, Dunnen, Schmidt—and a market that begs for more schools, independent and public. Certainly, we know that for-profit schools work; look how many there are in the Montessori community.

At our independent school tri-state association heads conference in November, Whittle will be one of the speakers to address the assembled heads of NY, CT, and NJ independent schools.

For now, it seems like we will have to take a wait-and-see posture.

Typewithme

2011-07-11T05:21:00.000-04:00

Recently, I had the good fortune to spend three days with 20 other educators just outside of Albany, working in a think tank. Our job was to look at professional learning and collaboration for the member schools of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). Our inspiration was the book What Would Google Do by Jeff Jarvis.

Taking our lead from Google, we all used typewithme.com (a Google extension) to record our work. Give it a try; it's pretty simple to use.

BTW, we all loved Google's concept of beta testing: put the product out there, let the users work with it, and invite feedback to make it better.

Everything is a Remix

2011-07-06T07:21:00.001-04:00

"Everything is a Remix" is a fascinating series of three short (7 to 11 minutes) videos about how ideas come together — copied, borrowed, discovered, original, or otherwise. Using music and movies, producer Kirby Ferguson makes excellent points on how hits are often produced from previous materials. It is easy to understand how students can "use" or "borrow" others' ideas in work they produce.

I was particularly taken by "Everything is a Remix Part 3: The Elements of Creativity" and its exploration of how the Macintosh computer evolved from earlier ideas. See what you think

Everything is a Remix Part 3 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.

Work

2011-06-30T07:34:00.001-04:00

How often have you thought about working? Enjoyment, too many hours, not enough pay, satisfaction, no rewards for the investment, fulfillment, etc. I gave this much thought, sat down, and wrote reflections on work.

Recently published in the Public School Montessorian, a national quarterly publication, here is an article where I shoveled those reflections. Click over to read the piece and see if you agree with what I have to say about work.

"Working: Lessons from a barista"

Same Job, Higher Salary

2011-06-26T15:12:00.003-04:00

This morning's NYTimes "Sunday Review" (with its brand new format) presented an excellent article by David Leonhardt "Even for Cashiers, College Pays Off."

Here's one of many interesting points made:
"Only about 33 percent of young adults get a four-year degree today, while another 10 percent receive a two-year degree."

Writer Michael Lewis

2011-06-23T03:37:00.000-04:00

Popular journalist Michael Lewis's books are often ostensibly about sports and competition, but when you immerse yourself into those books, you discover he writes beautifully about people, relationships, and families. Two of my favorites are Coach and The Blind Side.

I first was introduced to Lewis's writing when I read in the NYTimes Magazine "Coach Fitz's Management Theory."

Horizons

2011-06-20T13:18:00.000-04:00

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) has long encouraged private education with a public purpose. Horizons National fits that to a tee. Look at this 3-minute NBC Nightly News clip to see what it is all about, then Call Lorna Smith, CEO of Horizons, to learn more about this fabulous program.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Walter Dean Myers & Father's Day

2011-06-17T22:38:00.004-04:00

That GIECO commercial about the person living under a rock reminded me of myself when a teacher introduced me to author Walter Dean Myers. I was embarrassed to admit that I had not read any of his books. Author of over 100 books, Myers is followed by many young adults and adults.

After hearing this StoryCorps clip of Myers, I picked up his book Slam! Take a minute to listen to this powerful StoryCorps piece and get to know the author better. Perfect for Father's Day.

Summer Reading: Hardback, Paperback, or Digital

2011-06-13T07:37:00.000-04:00

"First, I have to say that, like many of you, I love the feel of a hardback edition of a book in my hands, and the look of it on my bookshelf, even years after I’ve read it. And all my bookshelves at home and at the office are filled to overflowing with hardback books I love and won’t give up. In fact, the overflow was getting to be a hazard, so I donated hundreds of my hardback books to the local public library the last time we moved, a couple of years ago. But now, I have to admit (and I know the purists out there will cringe), I'm buying more e-books than hardcover books, and downloading them to my laptop, iPad, and iPhone. Here’s why:"

So begins Pat Bassett's (President of NAIS) recent blog post "On Summer Reading." Click here to read more. It is an excellent post.

The Teacher We Remember Most

2011-06-09T07:19:00.000-04:00

How sad that the New York City school system has found yet one more nefarious use of standardized testing. Read "Tests for Pupils, but the Grades Go to Teachers" NYTimes article to see how "more than a dozen new standardized tests" — inspired by Race to the Top — will be administered to students beginning as early as next school year. As the article title suggests, the grades will be used to help measure teacher performance.

Don't lose heart, though. Read my latest Independent Teacher Magazine article "The Teacher We Remember Most" to understand what really matters most between student and teacher. And, it is not test scores.

List of Exemplary Blogs

2011-06-06T20:10:00.000-04:00

I believe blogging is here to stay. Heads of school would be well advised to get into the world of blogging to parents and the rest of the world.

Claudia Daggett, Executive Director for the Elementary School Heads Association (ESHA) — "a non-profit organization established to promote a sense of identity among heads of independent elementary schools" — has compiled a set of slides with links to Exemplary Blogs. See what you think.

I distinctly remember in the mid-80s when the VHS video was introduced to take the place of a school admissions view book, but I guess I don't remember when the WWW took the place of the VHS video. It's all a blur.

Also, I just read in Sir Ken Robinson's book Out of Our Minds where he describes when the television was introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair. Skeptics said no way that it would take over the radio.

How do You Define Success?

2011-06-03T07:47:00.000-04:00

Be sure to read "How Do You Define Success?" in the latest issue of Independent School magazine. It gives a practical take on the work of Dr. Carol Dweck. Here is one excerpt from the article:

"Students scored better academically than other students when they:

participated in more extracurricular activities;
were viewed by advisors and deans as socially and emotionally competent;
took more rigorous courses; and
felt well known by at least one adult."

Meet Tatiana and Krista

2011-05-31T21:47:00.000-04:00

As I approached the bagel shop on my way to buying the Sunday paper and procuring requisite breakfast croissant and muffin, I saw and heard a set of one-year old twins fussing in their stroller right outside the shop. I surmised the parent was inside. As I got closer, I made eye contact, they settled, and their mother came out of the shop and positioned the stroller so the boys could see inside. I obliged the twins, held the door opened, and continued my conversation with our eyes. Mom completed her purchase, said thank you, and exited the store.

Little did I know that I would soon meet Tatiana and Krista Hogan another set of twins when I got home and began reading the NYTimes Magazine. These beautiful four-year old twins are conjoined. Read the article "A Mind of Their Own" and watch the video to see their remarkable lives and learn about how their brain works.

World Peace

2011-05-28T07:48:00.001-04:00

Recently, my son introduced me to long-time Virginia teacher John Hunter who founded the "World Peace Game" an extraordinary 3D board game that can be played by students from fourth grade through adults. My son, John, and I talked for nearly two hours about his 34-year career in education and future plans for the Game. Click over to his website to view the trailer to his award wining movie "World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements."

Better yet, click on his TED Talk right here. John is clearly a very special educator and person.

Moon Over Manifest

2011-05-24T22:42:00.000-04:00

Having finished Clare Vanderpool's 2011 Newbery Medal book, Moon Over Manifest, I want to recommend it to you. The story takes place in Manifest, Kansas over one summer in 1936 but spans a generation of from 1918 through 1936. The intricately woven story takes in all of the characters in 12-year old Abilene Tucker's world.

The Ultimate Forgive

2011-05-21T04:30:00.000-04:00

Stop and think about what is the most one person could forgive another person for in life. This StoryCorps story has to be right at the top of the list of one person forgiving another.
Listen to this beautifully touching, 3-minute story about Mary Johnson and Oshea Israel, and pay particular attention to the last five words spoken.

Helpers and Hinderers

2011-05-18T20:41:00.000-04:00

You'll be fascinated by this video. Here is the introduction given

"Kiley Hamlin, Karen Wynn, and Paul Bloom of Yale University have found that infants as young as six months of age can tell the difference between who is helpful and who is not. Children get so much information from others and they learn which information to trust, and which not to trust. For more information, visit Families and Work Institute."

Peace Starts at Home

2011-05-14T07:01:00.001-04:00

"One of the most challenging relationships is that between a mother and stepmother," says Ellen Gottlieb, organizer of the Peace Starts at Home Peace Summit, an event dedicated to bringing mothers and stepmothers together. "Children of divorced parents need a peaceful, stable and healthy environment in which to thrive. We are making that possible where it wasn't before." Ms. Gottlieb added.

If you live in the New York City area, please join the panelists and me.

The Peace Summit will be held

this Wednesday, May 18^th

7:00 to 9:00 p.m

at PS 29 in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Faculty & Staff Summer Reading

2011-05-09T11:48:00.000-04:00

Each year, I look forward to a book or two that is suggested/recommended/assigned (take your pick, depending on individual school cultures) to read over the summer months. Here are the books from which our faculty and staff will choose to read:

[Clicking on "Google Books" will take you to Google Books, where you can read summaries, excerpts, and reviews of the books. Clicking on "More info" will take you to a site for more info.]

Mind in the Making - Ellen Galinsky (Google Books / More info)
Ignite Student Learning - Judy Willis (Google Books / More info)
The Element - Sir Ken Robinson (Google Books / More info)
The Brain That Changes Itself - Norman Doidge (Google Books / More info)

A Voice in Technology

2011-05-05T21:21:00.000-04:00

I admit that I am a TED Talk junkie. So many good stories come across these 18-minute clips. When I saw film critic Roger Ebert's TED Talk that was presented in March, I was touched by his message. Also, John Hunter took part in the presentation. I had coffee with John in Charlottesville, VA recently, and his own TED Talk will be posted soon. For now, watch this very impressive Talk and hear Ebert's voice in technology.

Technology in Schools Update

2011-05-02T20:54:00.000-04:00

"What Do Kids Say is the Biggest Obstacle to Technology at School?" is an excellent piece and cites the "Speak Up 2010" survey. Above is a chart from the survey and here is a quote from the survey:

"iPads. Interactive Whiteboards. Netbooks. Video games. Although educational technologies are being implemented more and more in classrooms across the country, we don't often stop and ask students - or their parents - what they think their technology needs are. But the newly-released Speak Up 2010 survey has done just that. The project surveyed almost 300,000 students (along with 43,000 parents, 35,000 teachers, 2000 librarians and 3500 administrators) from over 6500 private and public schools last fall about how they're using - and how they want to be using - technology for learning. The results are pretty fascinating, as they show great adoption of technology among even very young students, but lingering resistance on the part of school administrators to sanction some of those tools into the classroom."

JoAnn Deak Knows the Brain

2011-04-28T22:38:00.007-04:00

I just returned from hearing JoAnn Deak speak about the brain. Funny, thoughtful, and very bright, she provided so much good information about differences in girls and boys. Brain-based research continues to find its way into the world of education and the study of child development, and it is all so helpful.

By the way, JoAnn's book You're Fantastic Elastic Brain has won two awards: the Mom's Choice Award and the Nautilus Award.

Make sure you listen to her the next time you see her name listed in a conference program, or better yet, get her to speak at your school.

More Bridge for Kids?

2011-04-25T07:59:00.006-04:00

My earlier post on Louis Sacher's (Holes) latest, delightful book The Cardturner, a Novel About a King, a Queen, and a Joker got some cred in yesterday's NYTimes article by Winnie Hu. "For Students Raised on iPods, Lessons in Bridge" suggests that the post WWII popular game is making a bid for younger followers.

We're Never Through Learning

2011-04-21T18:09:00.000-04:00

I was at a meeting of graduate students where three of my interns were presenting their end-of-year projects to their cohort. After the first intern presented her project, I had the opportunity to give comment and speak about being life-long learners. So, whether we are a teacher, or a graduate student, or a parent, or a head of school, we are life-long learners, and it is particularly important as we become adults because we are modeling for our students.

I sat down and the person in front of me, without turning around, handed me a torn piece of paper with a brief quote inscribed (the image above is a scan of that piece of paper). It really says it all!

Seven Ways to Love a Child

2011-04-18T16:39:00.010-04:00

I came across "Seven Ways to Love a Child" by Jennifer Rogers. She opens this beautiful piece with

"A tired working mother stood in the classroom doorway, ready to depart with her two sons. Separated in age by two years, the boys were as different in appearance as they were in temperament, but they were great kids. They enjoyed math and reading, laughed hard and punched hard. They loved learning, loved life, loved each other. Mom’s secret: “There are many ways to love a child,” she said. “I keep it simple. I have expectations. I accept mistakes. And I celebrate the process.”

Click on the article title above to read the seven ways. You'll love them.

What Do Teachers Make?

2011-04-16T06:50:00.003-04:00

In dinner conversation last night, one of the guests made a reference to Taylor Mali's 1999 poem "What Teachers Make." It caused me to view it again. If you have never heard it, you'll see that his passionate delivery is half the message. Here, see what you think . . .

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain

2011-04-12T15:10:00.001-04:00

JoAnn Deak's book Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is a powerful book to share with young and old alike. Here is a short video to give you a peek inside a brain's power.

Young Adult or Adult?

2011-04-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

Our school librarian and I were discussing bestselling author John Green, and she enticed me to read one of his books. She went to the shelves, handed me Paper Towns, said that this was one of his most notable, and that I would enjoy it. Well, it was a good read and reminded me of what it was like to be a senior in high school all over again—funny, emotional, and sometimes lonely. The book's sophistication caused me to ask, "Young adult or adult reading?" Check out this review page.

Like Falling Off a Cliff

2011-04-05T19:50:00.000-04:00

Keep an eye out for 40 research videos on child development coming from Ellen Galinsky's Mind in the Making website. I viewed 8 at the American Montessori Society Annual Conference the end of March. Watching them is like eating potato chips: once you start, you can't stop. See what I mean when you watch this Joseph Campos video.

Good Night [Moon] New York City

2011-04-02T19:31:00.000-04:00

One of my family's all-time favorite books is Margaret Wise Brown's Good Night Moon. So, you can imagine my attraction to a book my wife recently purchased for our grand daughter. Good Night New York City describes the City much like Brown describes the "great green room" in Good Night Moon.

Ellen Galinsky Interview

2011-03-29T20:34:00.000-04:00

I had the good fortune to sit with author Ellen Galinsky at the American Montessori Society (AMS) Annual Conference in Chicago last week where she was a keynote speaker to over 3,000 educators. Right after she spoke, I interviewed Ellen for a future article in Montessori Life, the quarterly magazine for AMS.
Bright, delightful, and thoughtful, Ellen and I spent much of our time talking about her work and research on her latest book Mind in the Making. What I appreciated most about our time together was how she drew many of her anecdotes and inspiration from her life as a child and parent. I am eager to get started on writing up the interview. Stay tuned.

Norman Rockwell, Cameras, and Kids

2011-03-25T22:20:00.000-04:00

The Norman Rockwell Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum is fascinating. So many of his subjects are about children. This particular exhibit focuses on the photography behind the paintings and the preliminary work he did for each of his paintings. When you click on the link you will get a snapshot—no pun intended—of how he used photographs to walk him thorugh his paintings.

Conroy's Reading Life

2011-03-22T14:51:00.000-04:00

If you like books, Pat Conroy's My Reading Life is essential reading. He mentions all of the classics that influenced his life and writing. The chapters titled "The Teacher" and "The Librarian" alone are well worth adding the book to your collection.

Also, having flown in F-4s as a Radar Intercept Operator in the Marine Corps, I was immediately hooked by his early best seller, The Great Santini. The double-Oscar nominee movie staring Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner, and Michael O'Keefe is Conroy at his best.

Here is a seven-minute interview of Conroy by NPR's Scott Simon.

Montessori Transitions Into, Within and Beyond

2011-03-18T07:10:00.000-04:00

So, what is Montessori pedagogy all about? While I can't describe it all in one blog post, you can click to an article I wrote in the latest edition of The Parents League of New York Review 2011 and read "Montessori Transitions Into, Within and Beyond" to get some insight into this wonderful way of educating children.

Just for a Laugh

2011-03-15T23:29:00.000-04:00

Click on this short video. It's well worth it.

Fringe and Shel Silverstein

2011-03-12T22:32:00.001-05:00

Today's 2nd Annual Fringe Festival at my school closed the afternoon session with poems being read by faculty members. I got to read two great poems by Shel Silverstein. "Sick" is a classic and everyone enjoyed hearing it. And, "No Difference" is one of my favorites. It has such a good message.

Check out his website; it is excellent.

M. C. Escher

2011-03-10T06:49:00.000-05:00

When I taught geometry, I loved to introduce students to the work of Dutch, graphic artist M. C. Escher (1898-1972). His tesselations and intriguing art capture the interst and imagination of students and adults alike. This two-minute Waterfall video is one example.

Head over to the Escher website to see and learn more about his work.

In-House Professional Development

2011-03-07T20:04:00.000-05:00

   I never met Lynda Barry, but I caught up with her work in a faculty and staff writing workshop today. After being introduced to her book What It Is, we saw a short video featuring Lynda. The book and video got me wanting to write.
   One of our teachers led us in an exercise where we chose a word that was written on a slip of paper and many slips were placed in a paper bag. Upon reaching into the bag and choosing a word, we were to write down the first five things that came to our heads based on the word we chose. Then we had to choose one of the five and write about it. The room was stone quiet. Everyone, and I mean everyone, wrote for five minutes. Those who chose to share their work helped all of us understand that writing can be fun.
   I love faculty and staff meetings that are inspirational, helpful, and not led by the head of school.

Fringe Festival — Right Here!

2011-03-03T22:13:00.000-05:00

Each year faculty and staff at my school apply for Summer Travel Grants. Two summers ago, one faculty member was awarded a grant to travel to Scotland and experience the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She not only enjoyed the experience, but she was inspired to bring the idea home and start a Fringe Festival at our school. Now, each year one weekend in February or March (this year it is next weekend, Saturday, March12) the school community comes together to enjoy the talents of teachers, students, staff, and parents.
Here is a clip of the Best of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival . . .

Khan Academy

2011-02-28T20:22:00.000-05:00

Salman Khan developed the most used Internet, open-education resource for students and adults. Check out Khan Academy and the available 2,100 free educational videos. His presentation at the NAIS Annual Conference was impressive and convincing. Students learning at a pace that inspires them to work and not be afraid to make mistakes.

I love where Khan says, "This actually becomes the operating system for what goes on in the classroom where every student's allowed to work at their own pace and the teacher actually becomes more of a mentor or a coach."

Perfect. Exchange the traditional sage-on-the-stage approach for a more guide-on-the-side paradigm.

Here, see what Bill has to say about it.

What Makes You Tic?

2011-02-26T07:52:00.000-05:00

I attended many impressive sessions at the NAIS Annual Conference this past week. But after listening to Marc Elliot present "What Makes You Tic?" where he talks about his Tourette Syndrome condition and live-and-let-live (aka tolerance) approach to how we should interact with one another, I made my way to the front of the room, and extended a hug to him. I did that 19 years ago after being similarly moved by Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot's talk to a group of educators. Beautiful, thoughtful messengers do that to me.

You might find it interesting, to read the message Marc hands to nearby people when he is in a restaurant, airport, or other public area when his Tourette's is troublesome:

WHY DO I ACT THIS WAY?

Because I can't control it -

I have Tourette Syndrome - a medical condition. It causes me to make loud sounds, have twitches and say things I don't mean. I can't help it any more than you can stop a sneeze or cough. I'm sorry if it bothers you - it bothers me more.

For more information about Tourette Syndrome: [TS website and address - link above]

To learn more about Marc, click to his website and consider having him speak at your school.

NAIS 2011 Annual Conference

2011-02-23T06:55:00.000-05:00

I am off to Washington, D.C. to the Annual Conference of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

I am especially looking forward to seeing and hearing Dan Heath, author of the bestseller Switch, Wendy Mogel, author of Blessing of a Skinned Knee and Blessing of a B Minus, Sugata Mitra, the man behind the "Hole in the Wall Project," and Geoffrey Canada, the educator featured in the film "Waiting for Superman."

A great lineup of keynote speakers.