What Makes You Tic?

     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

     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.

digital_nation - PBS FRONTLINE

     The FRONTLINE special "digital_nation life on the virtual frontier" is a program you will want to see, especially if you are in the classroom, or parenting, or use technology (that doesn't leave out very many people).  PBS is very educator friendly.  
     Here, see for yourself what I mean. Click on the trailer below.

The Bottom Line - "Our Socratic Oath"

     I love author and independent school educator, Rick Ackerly's article, "Our Socratic Oath," in this issue of Independent School magazine.  To give you a flavor of the article, here is a quote from it that says it all:

"Happiness, success, winning, and achievement are not what we should wish for our children. Rather, we should wish that they develop the grit to live in life's tensions — the confidence to learn from conflict, mistakes, disappointment, failure, loneliness, and losing."

     Visit Rick at his website "The Genius in Children."

"1" Not Such a Lonely Number

     2011 is an unusual year . . . you know, 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, and 11/11/11.

     The year 2011 also brings an unusual algorithm; here, give it a try.  Add the age you are (will be) in 2011 to the last two digits of the year you were born.  I bet the sum is all ones.  Get some inspiration and listen to this Three Dog Night tune as you do the calculation.

     If anyone out there knows why this happens, please leave a comment.

Still Comes Down to Class Bias

     I was delighted to read "Black? White? Asian? More Young Americans Choose All of the Above?" in the Sunday NYTimes; it is an encouraging article about the amalgamation of races in the U.S.  One statistic stated "one in seven new marriages is between spouses of different races or ethnicities" and another stated "No one knows quite how the growth of the multiracial population will change the country. Optimists say the blending of the races is a step toward transcending race, to a place where America is free of bigotry, prejudice and programs like affirmative action."
     Nevertheless, in the end, I still believe that "Class Bias is The Real Enemy."

A Rumpus Without Books?

 

     Upon walking through a Barnes and Noble store, I looked around and sighed, thinking, "In ten years this book store will no longer exist as we know it today."  My thoughts were partially confirmed when I read the Sunday NYTimes.


"Leaving the Pictures Behind" appeared in the Week in Review section.  The three-sentence piece caught my eye.  Here are those three sentences.

"Picture books are failing. Publishers, it was reported last week, have cut down on the number of new titles, and sales are suffering.

Blame the recession, but also the increasing pressure on preschoolers to read chapter books.

Just imagine: Max is being told to put away his yellow-eyed monsters in 'Where the Wild Things Are.' Seems worth a wild rumpus."

Reprise of “Rethinking the ‘F’ Word”

      I recently had dinner with a Marine Corps officer who recruits officer candidates to serve in the Marine Corps.  I wasn’t surprised when he told me that his greatest challenge was to find young men and women who could see beyond the initial, youthful, and energetic enthusiasm and stay with the program through to accepting a commission and become an officer.  Too often he found the eager, 3.9-average student, athlete, and over-achiever who signed on and subsequently dropped out during basic training.  It was evident to him that the best recruits were those that had to deal with some kind of adversity in their lives.

     This conversation only reinforced what I wrote about in “Rethinking the ‘F’ Word.”

Dept. of Ed Regulation of Private School

In a recent NAIS Heads Listserve post, I came across this helpful U. S. Department of Education State Regulation of Private Schools Manual. It lists for each state, regulations for health and safety, including immunization and fire drills; number of school day requirements; textbook support; special education; professional development; and lots more.
See for yourself.

Klingbrief

     From Klingbrief: "Klingbrief is a free, [online] monthly publication of recommended articles, books, research reports, and media selected by and for independent school educators."  
     Coming from the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, here is a link to the January issue to get you started.  See what you think.

Life Long Learners Club (LLLC)

     In order to walk the walk, our faculty and staff model the life long learning concept to our students.  Any member of the faculty and staff can offer up a class to the rest of the faculty and staff.  Classes in pie baking, physical fitness, dancing, yoga, knitting, technology tips, coffee cupping, and jogging are some of the classes/activities offered at school since September.  Classes are usually offered at the end of the school day.  
     The LLLC provides a forum for adults to teach other adults.  What a great form of professional development, and inexpensive.
  

In Case You Missed His Voice

     As soon as I heard mention of the name Ted Williams my ears perked up.  Growing up following Yankees and Red Sox clashes, I was acutely aware of the legendary Ted Williams (aka The Kid).  Well, this Ted Williams — same name, different person — caught my ear when someone pointed me to a video-gone-viral.  As one seventh grader said to me when I asked him if he had seen the video of the guy with the great voice, "Oh yeah, it's a beautiful success story.  Neat." I knew I should share it with you.
     See what you think.  Here it is

Brain: The Inside Story Exhibition

     If you are planning to be in New York City between now and August 15, you must visit the American Museum of Natural History and see the exhibition Brain: The Inside Story.  When I saw the exhibition with our 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students, I quickly became convinced that this is a perfect way for students and adults to get the inside story of our body's most important organ.

Reprise of “Is Good Best?”

     In the fall of 2003 I wrote “Is Good Best,” an article that cited a survey that asked Japanese parents “In one word, describe what you want most for your children.” The answer given most was “success.”

     Fast forward to Amy Chua’s Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother, a book about her Asian-American parenting experiences.  The book has caught the eyes and ears of many western culture parents.   Clearly the cultures are different.  Click over to this Sunday's NYTimes Styles Section and read Kate Zernike’s “Retreat of the ‘Tiger Mother’” and in the Sunday Magazine read Judith Warner’s "No More Mrs. Nice Mom."

     Oh, by the way, that survey cited eight years ago in my article also asked U. S. parents the same question and the answer given most often was “happy.”

Caldecott, Newbery, and Other ALA Awards

     The American Library Association (ALA) announced this year's winners.  A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Erin Stead (illustrator) and Philip Stead (writer) for the Randolph Caldecott Medal and Moon Over Manefest by Clare Vanderpool for the John Newbery Medal were announced on Monday.

     Read about all of the awards and honors by clicking above on the ALA link.

Follow up on Switch

     At the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference in February, one of the keynote speakers will be Dan Heath, author of the popular book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard.  I blogged about the book in June after falling in love with it.
     Get a copy of the latest issue of Independent School magazine and read editor Michael Brosnan's interview with Heath.  You will love the interview and what Heath has to say.

How to Find the Bright Spots

     Last summer I referred to the book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath.  One of the techniques that they cite in their book is how important it is to look for the bright spots in an organization (or a report card), i.e. looking for what is going right.  
     Here, I'll let Dan explain.  Click on the three-and-a-half minute video below.  It's excellent advice.

Mind in the Making - Ellen Galinsky

     If you are raising, teaching, or studying children, you will want to shepherd a copy of Ellen Galinsky's Mind in the Making.  Among other essential life skills, she has grouped her research into seven critical areas that children need most:

1. focus and self control (link to a cute 3-minute video)
2. perspective taking
3. communicating
4. making connections
5. critical thinking
6. taking on challenges
7. self-directed, engaged learning

     I can't wait to hear her talk at this year's American Montessori Society Annual Conference in Chicago.  So much of her work and philosophy are in concert with Dr. Montessori's work.  If you can't make it to Chicago in March, you may want to watch this interview with Katie Couric.

One Opinion on Use of Technology by College Freshman

  
     Here is a thoughtful entry among six that are part of a piece in a past Sunday Opinion section of  the NYTimes:

"Devices have become security blankets. Take the time to wean yourself.

Start by scheduling a few Internet-free hours each day, with your phone turned off. It’s the only way you’ll be able to read anything seriously, whether it’s Plato or Derrida on Plato. (And remember, you’ll get more out of reading Derrida on Plato if you read Plato first.) This will also have the benefit of making you harder to reach, and thus more mysterious and fascinating to new friends and acquaintances.

When you leave your room for class, leave the laptop behind. In a lecture, you’ll only waste your time and your parents’ money, disrespect your professor and annoy whomever is trying to pay attention around you by spending the whole hour on Facebook.

You don’t need a computer to take notes — good note-taking is not transcribing. All that clack, clack, clacking ... you’re a student, not a court reporter. And in seminar or discussion sections, get used to being around a table with a dozen other humans, a few books and your ideas. After all, you have the rest of your life to hide behind a screen during meetings."

— CHRISTINE SMALLWOOD, Ph.D. student in English and American literature at Columbia

     Read all the "Advice for freshman from the people who actually grade their papers and lead their class discussions." by clicking on the entire piece "Ditch Your Laptop, Dump Your Boyfriend."

Crazy English

     
     If you like words and are fascinated with the English language, click over to this website I stumbled upon.  

Louis Sachar's Newest Book

     I was first introduced to Louis Sachar through his main character Stanley Yelnats — that's Yelnats, Stanley spelled backwards — in his Newbery Medal and National Book Award winning book, Holes.  
     Well, he did it again!  Read The Cardturner, A Novel About a King, a Queen, and a Joker.  This book is the real delightful "deal."  At the same time, you will learn about the card game of bridge.
     Get to know Louis Sachar.  Click on the video.

Learning Flow When Kids Are in Their Element

      From time to time I share one-page stories about kids, education, and parenting that I have written over the years.  Amusing but usually with a point, these pieces are a quick read.  Here's one on the kids in their element.

    It has always amazed me how kids might struggle with reading, writing, and certain school work; and yet, can zoom through infinite song lyrics or lines in a play.

   This past spring, I experienced what some might respond to by saying, “You did what?  Two days and three nights with 23 fourth and fifth graders on an island in one house?  You are crazy.”  I have to say, when you experience this kind of concentrated child development class you learn a lot, I mean a lot.

   For instance, after a day of rain, hanging around in the house on the island. . . more 

Tad Hills: Author & Illustrator

     This past week, author and illustrator Tad Hills demonstrated his talent for writing and drawing to our preschoolers, first, second and third graders, oh . . .  and teachers, too, at a morning school assembly.  Seated in front of an easel and Tad's dog Rocket, everyone was enchanted with his stories and drawing techniques.

     The basis for How Rocket Learned to Read, his most recent book, is his beloved dog Rocket, who sat dutifully by as kids asked a gazillion questions.  Check out his books, which include those show above.

Kid Internet Abuse (Part II)

     In case you missed my previous post and the NYTimes, "As Bullies Go Digital, Parents Play Catch-Up" article, here are two quotes from the article that say quite a bit about what's going on in our students' (and parents') cyber world.

1)  After Marie learned the identities of her son’s cyberbullies, she did not call their parents. She was so incensed that she communicated only through official go-betweens, like the police and prosecutors.  But some parents prefer to resolve the issue privately, by contacting the bully’s family. Psychologists do not recommend that approach with schoolyard bullying, because it can devolve into conflicting narratives. With cyberbullying, a parent’s proof of baldly searing digital exchanges can reframe that difficult conversation.  Parents who present the other parents with a printout of their child’s most repugnant moments should be prepared for minimization, even denial.

2)  Christine called the boy’s mother. “I asked her to get her son to stop,” Christine said. “She apologized, and her son wrote us a letter of apology. ” But the boy’s father disagreed. “He refused to put limits on the kid,” said Christine, who works in marketing. “ ‘Oh, no, he needs total freedom and he can use his best judgment.’ ”

Can Parents Catch Up Using an Inter Net? (Part I)

      In the spring of 2002, I wrote an article for Independent School magazine titled "Internet Abuse," which at the time, provided educators and parents with a snapshot of how our students were caught in the middle.  
     How things have changed since that article was written!
     A recent article in the NYTimes, "As Bullies Go Digital, Parents Play Catch-Up," does an excellent job of presenting an update on kid Internet abuses.  It is a long article, but one that is well worth reading, and if you have the time compare what I wrote in 2002 to what is reported in the December 5, 2010 article.

Teachers Learning Together

      Teachers learning is constant in our schools. It has to be. Teachers learning models for our students how the process works. Teachers learning together is good for the profession.
     A year ago, I had the opportunity to return to the faculty of the New York State Association of Independent School’s (NYSAIS) Beginning Teachers Institute (BTI) — a three-day, mid-October workshop for teachers new to teaching and independent schools. Like other state and regional association new teacher workshops, the Institute’s objectives are to support and reassure new teachers during their first weeks of teaching . . . 
     Read my entire article in "Independent Teacher" by clicking here.

How Do You Handel a Food Court Chorus?

    There are different ways in which children can be introduced to classical music.  The video below presents one way George Frideric Handel's most famous piece caught unsuspecting diners off guard.  Notice the enchanting looks on the faces of the children who were intently listening.

Conversations with Middle Schoolers

     I thought that it might be good to follow up on my last post with an article I wrote a while back on talking to middle schoolers.  


     "On Middle School Children and Their Parents" is here for you to read.

The Blessing of a B Minus

     I picked up Wendy Mogel's newest book The Blessing of a B Minus the same day I decided to watch the 1977, Oscar-winning, Woody Allen movie "Annie Hall."  Both are a mix of Jewish culture and Americana; the movie is about adults and the book is about adolescents.  In either case, you can't go wrong reading or watching.
     Mogel's Talmudic psychology is excellent advice for those parents who are in the throes of raising teenagers.  The personal cases she cites and the experiences raising her two daughters are perfect for convincing the most reluctant believer of how Jewish religion and raising children are compatible.

A Brave New World-Wide Web

     Can we keep up with our students when it comes to technology?

     Kind of like the popular short video "Did You Know," "A Brave New World-Wide Web" needs to be shared with all teachers and school administrators.  Freightening though it is, this 4:20 minute video gives you a real insight into technology's impact on schools today — the operative word is "today."