Education Short List

Really, what about the Olympics can’t be made into a lesson? There’s history, athletics, mathematics, geography, measurements, distance, arts, public speaking, coloring/drawing, graphs, reports, research, languages, foreign cultures, etc.

For me, as an educator, the biggest frustration I had with graduate school was that my professors wanted me to bring more to my lessons and give my students more; but never gave me the direction on how to do that. By taking this long-term option of integrating the Olympics – a teacher has a great opportunity to do more with the lessons they are already teaching.

For elementary school:
– find a map of the world and locate the countries that are participating in the Olympics on it

- coloring: the flags of the different countries could provide fine motor skills functions lessons for pre-k -3rd grade

- biography reports

- reading stories from other countries or stories about the Olympics

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/MathOlympicsMedalsGraphIdea35.htm

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/PEMDOlympicOpeningCeremoniesAndGameDaysK6.htm

For middle school:
- Book Reports about athletics, athletes, biographies, history of the Olympics, countries, using the country and creating a personal family history timeline

- listen to music and national anthems from various countries

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/17/gk2/olympic.html

For high school:
- Reports about athletics, athletes, biographies, history of the Olympics, countries, using the country and creating a personal family history timeline. The same idea as the middle school lessons, but more indepth and have them include resources

- Pick a country and discover their journey to the Olympics

http://www.vancouver2010.com/

http://eduforum.vancouver2010.com/

These are just a few ideas I can think of off the top of my head. Here are some additional links that should support your work academically. I’d like to know if you have any other ideas or lessons that have worked for you in the past.

And families — don’t be afraid to get in this action yourself!

There is a bit of irony involved with this article – as the majority of public schools across the country are in the midst of their yearly dose of state testing. Furthermore, college students have just finished up their finals for the year; at the same time, high schoolers get ready to take their exams for the end of this school year.

Nonetheless, it is a valid point – do our schools test too much? Personally, yes I do believe that our students are tested far beyond what they need to be. And this is a topic that I will be bringing up again at a later point. So until that happens, here’s another article from The New York Times.

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Do Schools Test Too Much?
Daniel Koretz is a professor of education at Harvard. His book Measuring Up examines our national obsession with standardized tests.

Does U.S. education policy rely too heavily on test scores?
Yes. We need accountability in education, and standardized tests give comparable information from different schools. But tests don’t measure things like complex problem-solving ability, creativity, and persistence. High-stakes testing puts pressure on teachers to take shortcuts to raise scores and can give an illusion of progress.

Doesn’t an improved score show real progress?
Not necessarily. There are many ways to prepare students too narrowly for a specific test. If you substitute another test designed to measure similar knowledge and skills, the “improvements” sometimes shrink markedly or even vanish altogether. Employers and college professors don’t care how students do on a particular math test—they want them to know math.

Should teacher compensation be linked to test scores?
If pay is linked to performance, tests will have to be part of the package, but it would be a mistake to use them as the only criterion. A good teacher keeps students engaged, fosters curiosity, and helps students learn from their mistakes. Test scores alone can’t measure that.

— Lyric Wallwork Winik

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Even though this article is from last year, it is still relevant – since most schools across the country have either already starting their state testing for the year or are gearing up to.

Over the past six years, I’ve been in a lot of classroom and met a lot of students. As in life, there were those that stuck out in my mind; who are still in my thoughts today.

I met J when she was in the 3rd grade. She was a tall bean pole with dark brown hair, caramel skin, and big brown eyes. She was very bright and eager to succeed academically. But, I didn’t get to really know her until she was my student in 4th grade.

Academically, J was the best in her grade. But, instead of being pushy or snotty about it, she completely understood that school came easier to her rather than others. Once I suggested to J that she use her smarts to help others. Right away she sought out a peer who was struggling in class, and helped him. Quite often, during silent reading, I would find that she had taken different students outside to either read to them, or have them read to her. This peer-to-peer interaction was so great, for J and the others. She was a teacher’s dream in that way. She also liked to help around the classroom; during her free time and recess I knew that I could count on J to be of assistance.

There was one time, when we had to do a writing assessment, that J did not perform the way in which I thought she would. talk about the writing assessment. I was no longer J’s teacher, but her writing teacher was worried about how she was going to do on the exam. So she sent J to me. J was crying and sobbing. She was soo worried about this exam; she wanted to be perfect. She stayed with me the whole morning. Part of the time she sat under the desk, just sort of shaking.

As with all students, an educator wants to see their pupils succeed; to have them go on and follow their dreams and passions. I remember J told me once of wanting to be the first Mexican American president, female president. But that she couldn’t, because her father told her that a woman wasn’t going to be president, as well as that a Mexican-American girl couldn’t be President. I reaffirmed for her, that since she was born in the U.S. that there was no stopping her dream. I wonder what she thought that now the U.S. has an African American as the president. Or if she felt a kinship to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor; since both are of Latino decent.

Often I think of J becoming an adult and being the first Mexican-American female President. If I ever had a student who could, it was J.

Even now that she is in 7th grade, I think of her fondly. She was part of the inspiration for the line of educational games that I have been creating. I know that she is going to go far.

In the London Observer, a column was written in October, advocating sending children off to school at the age of four, or younger; even though a new report in Britain, by the Cambridge Review came out stating that toddlers’ brains aren’t cognitively developed enough for it. The columnist, Barbara Ellen, who is a the mother discusses how children need to “go to school and do your job – so that everyone else can do theirs.”

Even though I know that Ms. Ellen’s column is personal commentary, I was saddened to read it just the same. As a child whose parents worked, and went to day care, and now as an educator – I can with complete confidence that too much pressure is put on the ‘power’ of pre-school.

I agree with the findings of The Cambridge Review, children just aren’t ready for pre-school and the demands now put on it. Yes, it is important for kids to be socialized and to gain new experiences – but it should be more of an exploratory styled learning; not mandated schooling.

Also, the idea of going to school should not be viewed as a job; rather as a learning experience. This concept, of school being a job is another reason I’m not a big advocate of pre-school. Earlier and earlier we are forcing kids to put down the blocks and start earning grades; to prove their intelligence as well as their ability to sit still at younger ages. There are two things wrong with that ideal. One, school was always meant as a place to learn; go through trial and error, to come out smarter, brighter, and more capable for the future. This is not the way school is any longer. But, two, by placing our children in formal educational environments at younger ages, we are taking away the only play structure they have left. Each kindergarten teacher I know always wishes that the kids who didn’t go to preschool did. When I ask them why, they respond with, ‘it would make them pay attention better in kindergarten.’

Children are able to do what they can do by the time they are able and ready to do it. Although that sounds very vague – it is, for a reason. Each person grows differently, and are ready to meet new skills and obstacles are various times in their lives. By pressuring youngsters to do tasks that their brains and bodies aren’t ready for, is to set them up for failure. Then this failure metastasizes itself into parental worry and concern over their child’s academic progress. Which then becomes the point when parents call my tutoring company to request services for their toddler.

No joke. I’ve had people call that’ve wanted to teach their pre-schooler how to read, count, cut paper better, write letters better, and even speak more clearly. One mother was on the verge of crying, while at the same time, telling me that she knows she’s overreacting but just wants her son to get into the right college (the child in question is three). I respond to each parent by telling them that the best way to help their children is to let them play, explore, and learn on their own without the pressure of perfection.

Obviously, I understand that day care and preschool are, as Ms. Ellen puts it “free daycare for families…” and, that for a large part of society having a full-time stay at home family member isn’t an option. That makes sense. But, what I am suggesting is that less value is placed on the necessity of giving children a formal education at such young ages; and more value is focused on the joys that should be part of each childhood.

http://www.theweek.com/article/index/101972/United_Kingdom_The_case_for_starting_school_at_age_4

United Kingdom: The case for starting school at age 4
Delaying school past age 4 is certainly not best for the family as a whole, said Barbara Ellen in The Observer.
BEST COLUMNS – EUROPE
•
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2009

Barbara Ellen
 The Observer

The authors of a major new report on British education say our children start school several years too early and should stay home until age 6. “Are they insane?” asked Barbara Ellen. The average British kid now goes off to nursery school at age 4, and “most of us would be horrified if our children were to start school later.” Most mothers work, after all, and many of us are single moms; preschool is a safe and positive form of free day care. 

The report, from the Cambridge Primary Review, argues that very young children are not socially or developmentally ready to be plunked into formal education. That may be so, and perhaps it is best for some kids to delay school—but it’s certainly not best for the family as a whole. Toddlers are notoriously difficult to live with, and given that both parents are already stressed out at work, by the time a kid is 4, the parents are ready to snap. That’s why “school holidays are so stressful” and can only be survived with the help of that blessed “electronic nanny” known as the television. 

We love our kids, of course. But at the same time, we are relieved beyond measure when we can finally say to them: “Listen, kid, go to school and do your job—so that everyone else can do theirs.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/18/barbara-ellen-starting-school

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2009/oct/16/cambridge-primary-review-vernon-coaker

Starting last year I found at least five articles the discussed the cutback schools had made in order to finish out the school year. Although I applaud districts for their creativity, I struggled to understand how our modern day society thought that these cuts were alright. Why wasn’t anyone thinking about the impact that these cuts would have on the students and their teachers?

Here in Oregon, we let go over 2,000 teachers in the past year. The qualified experienced educators were let go, while newer college graduates were hired (since it would cost less to pay them); all of this was done in order to save more money. Again, very creative. However, I don’t want to discuss how much that upsets me. Instead, I want to highlight the difficulties this financial crisis is having on the people who matter the most in the schools – the students. It doesn’t matter how creative school districts are at juggling funds, we are still impacting their learning.

Last school year I had three students who were directly affected by the money pitfalls of their schools.

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First was V; my hyperactive elementary school boy. Usually during the year he was given a weekly bulletin. It was great, it gave families, students, and tutors a chance to prepare for the upcoming week. V and I could breakdown what he needed to focus on day by day. But after his Spring Break the bulletins started showing up on blue paper, then every other week, and by May not at all. So, this tool that helped V (and others) wasn’t available any longer; all because the school could no longer afford to buy paper. Can’t. afford. Paper. Paper….

Another story dealing with V, and another student of mine from the same school, began having all of their worksheets on blue paper. Both boys informed me that their school ran out of white paper and couldn’t afford to buy more that year. Thereby forcing teachers to, not only use colored paper, but to use it sparingly – because once there were out of it that was it for the year. This happened in April.

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For J and the high-schoolers he went to school with, they had an interesting way to take tests – on overhead projector transparencies. Let me repeat that. In all of his classes last year, students had to take their own paper and use it to take exams from an overhead. There are several issues with this that I had a hard time knowing where to put my focus.

The teachers weren’t able to give students a paper test, or even paper to write the test on. What about the students who didn’t have paper? There sure hoped another classmate brought extra. What about students who had a hard time seeing the transparency? Or what would happen in a student missed part of the information? Maybe they skipped a question? However you look at it, this wasn’t a good situation.

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Which is just like what my other student J had to cope with in his film studies class last winter. Typically the students would watch movies, or clips of them, discuss it as a group, and then do an assignment on what they watched. But what happens when the teacher can no longer afford to rent the movies needed to study? Oh, well, the students have to go and rent them themselves. Exactly. Remind me again how this is giving students a proper education?

All three of these stores are all true and all part of the reality that is facing students in the American school system. It’s a lose – lose – lose situation. Without getting too political, there are changes that need to be made so we can stop shortchanging the individuals who truly have the most to lose, and need the most to gain – the students.

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On a caveat, last night I watched the new to find out that the state of Utah’s Department of Education is considering getting rid of 12th grade. Yup, the WHOLE YEAR. Tell me again why this is a good idea?

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700008175/Lawmakers-mull-ed-budget-cut-ideas.html

As if we needed more reason to encourage our kids to get healthy.

Parade Magazine
http://www.parade.com/news/intelligence-report/archive/100110-should-students-be-forced-to-get-fit.html

I think that our kids should be forced to be fit. When I was in school, not too many eons ago, we had to do jumping jacks, sit ups, run a mile, and get dirty too. Now, those things are elective. Parents don’t want their kids to get dirty or exert themselves too much. Coupled with the lack of certified physical education instructors – our kids are fat, out of shape, and aren’t aware that it is going to get worse. We are the adults, it’s our responsibility – and privilege – to show our children and our students the right way to get healthy.

Oregon prescription for fitness

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2010/01/doctors_prescribe_play_to_get.html

Another article (how many more is it going to take to convince people to eat better?), this one from The Oregonian; that discusses how doctors are getting more involved with childhood obesity. Here, the article directly relates to others I have posted about the need for play. Playing, being physically active, not only is the best way to stay in shape – but it exercises the mind as well. Does anyone see the link between the increase of obesity and A.D.D diagnoses and the increase of television watching tied in with the decrease of physical activity?

This week I read an opinion/commentary from a student who is a graduate of the Class of 2009. The young woman talked about the gloomy career prospects, how dismissal and bleak all of the reports are for the recent graduates. Yet, instead of letting this bring her down and fret about her future, she sees it as an opportunity to have a life.

How very refreshing and, honestly, unexpected. I will admit that when I read of the title of her column, it wasn’t what I was thinking it was going to be. And that is really great. Furthermore, it wasn’t the outlook I had when I graduated in 2000 – the first year where jobs for undergrads started to dwindle. I was nervous, worried, scared, and confused. Here, these graduates are looking at this continuous change in the job market as a good thing.

Since all the employment and economic reports are forecasting dread for the Classes of 2009 and now, 2010 – the students have decided to, as Sinatra sang, ‘ Do It My Way’. The author talks about having several part-time jobs, taking on fun internships, starting an organic farm, taking art classes. How inspiring! I wondered, if all college students felt like this. So I asked my brother, who is graduating this spring (woohoo). He has creative plans as well. He wants to take time off, walk along the coast of the Pacific and make his way down to Mexico and volunteer with a group of Mexicans that he believes in. Then he plans to, as he puts it, “live in poverty while helping the poor through Americorps (hey that rhymes). The best part is, he couldn’t be happier. He’s glad that he doesn’t feel the pressure like I did, to get a high paying job in an office to start paying off his college loans. He would much rather do work that he is passionate about.

This got me to thinking. Maybe this isn’t something older sister and parents need to be terrified of. Not only is it not a bad thing that my brother, the article author, and others’ aren’t going to land a crappy entry-level job (which certainly was the case for me). Instead they can follow their passions or take time to discover what their passions are.

Yes, there will be bills to pay and student loans to repay. But I graduated ten years ago and I still have student loans; and I know plenty of other people that do too. Furthermore, I’m jealous of this open-minded attitude. It’s just now, in my 30s, that I am getting on track to have a career I like and the chance to follow my passions ( social justice education and theatre).

Perhaps it’s a good direction for the whole country. If a new surge is placed on creativity, finding a passion in a career – then new advancements can be made. Really, look at history, it is only when someone who wants to devote their time and energy to a project is able to make real changes – not the office secretary who is counting down the minutes until they can leave to go home.

I’m excited for my brother, and other younger siblings, and other graduates who will walk away with a degree and an open road map of opportunities

Anytime our President receives worldly acclaim and recognition that it should be given respect by all Americans. When that prize is the Nobel Prize for Peace, American should feel humbled and honored. One’s political affiliation shouldn’t overshadow the gift. Also, remember that President Obama is not the first United States President to receive the award; Presidents Carter, Woodrow Wilson, and Theodore Roosevelt are winners as well.

Now, moving past political brouhaha, how does an educator bring up this recent event and turn it into a creative learning opportunity? I’ve gathered a list of resources and lesson ideas to help facilitate the learning process.

It is my hope that having President Obama receive the Nobel Peace Prize will be a chance to bring current events creatively into your classroom or lecture hall.

http://nobelprize.org/

http://www.theweek.com/article/index/101693/Did_Obama_deserve_the_peace_prize

http://www.theweek.com/article/index/101712/The_Nobel_Peace_Prize_Why_did_Obama_win

http://www.theweek.com/article/index/101416/Obamas_Nobel_Peace_Prize

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/peace/

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/all_productions.php?sort=games

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34360360#34360360President Obama\'s Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Peace Prize