Education Short List

David Bowie Exhibit
http://www.madmuseum.org/series/david-bowie-artist

David Bowie has an exhibit in NYC. Yes, you heard right; he’s long overdue – but it’s fantastic nonetheless.
I love that this is an exhibit that highlights all of the ways that David Bowie has impacted the arts. I have always felt that there is so much more depth to Mr. Bowie than just his Ziggy Stardust phase; I consider him to be a true Renaissance Man. I’m just sad that I don’t have a private jet, or an extra thousand dollars, to whisk me away to it. Perhaps I can convince the museum to wait until October to take it down – that’s when I get to be there.

Games for Libraries
http://www.g4ed.com/index.php/for-librarians/464-getting-started-with-games-in-the-library

School is out, and if not, then it very nearly is. While teachers enjoy a break, our kiddos still need to learn. Yet for families, it gets a little trickier on how to make the summer fun, but still provide learning opportunities. Which makes the summer reading programs at local libraries so great. But, some kids might get a little bored with just reading – and this article talks about other ways to get engaged at the library. Games.

As a game inventor, I know that libraries like having game days/nights where kids come in and play games. I was actually asked to come in to a library to teach kids how to play my game and to show the value of it to educators too. So, don’t give up on the library so easily – it could have lots of fun for you.

Cooper Mountain Nature Park

http://www.metro-parent.com/
http://www.thprd.org/parks/coopermountain.cfm

So the article may be a little dated, but spending time outside isn’t. I don’t need research to tell me that spending time in nature is beneficial for my health – although that extra info does keep me motivated to tell others that. Aside from the obvious health benefits, there’s learning to be gained here too. Plus an appreciation of nature and the wild side of life. No, not hippy wild (which is fine too), but the wild growing things. I’ve spent years worth of time in the outdoors and I know that I am better for it. Furthermore, thinking of multiple intelligences – understanding that people learn in different ways – the naturalistic learner gains much from being outside. If you need more reasons to get outside, well, it’s summertime and playing in the dirt and grass are great ways to get away from the TV. This place, Cooper Mountain Nature Park, is just one place across the country that gives people the opportunity to experience nature and to learn about it as well.

Teachers’ Union Boss
Bloomberg News – http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_04/b4212080888545.htm

Why education is getting such a bad rep is, really, beyond me. As an educator, I don’t know a single educator who bad-mouthes education. Perhaps that is because we are literally, ‘in the trenches’. The part of this article that got me was how the fiscal situation in the 1970s, as it pertains to education, is eerily similar to what is happening today.

Reinvention of Mobile Education
http://mashable.com/2011/05/04/mobile-education-initiatives/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

Everyone loves technology, but, I’ll admit – sometimes I weary of it in the classroom. I don’t know why exactly, but maybe it’s because I don’t want children to forget the other ways. I know, it’s silly; it’s just part of who I am. Which is why I liked this article, it gave me practical tools and ways to integrate technology into my students’ learning. And I don’t mean ways in which to surf the net – but how the textbook can be reinvented. Technology is more than just the internet (but don’t get me wrong, me loves me some internet). This article also touches on Khan Academy – which is another way that technology, videos, and the internet are changing our classroom (I discuss Khan Academy in deeper detail later).

Bringing Music to the Children, in Sacramento
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/24/3648896/the-sound-of-music-and-change.html#storylink=scinlineshare

I found this article through a search online, and I thought I would share it. I liked the article and information because it talked about bringing the arts, specifically music, to urban school environments. Vita Academy does shows, concerts for schools, and then gives students the chance to check out the instruments up close and ask questions. It’s like show and tell – and who doesn’t like that?

Teachers Pay Teachers Contest
http://tchr2tchr.blogspot.com/2011/06/teachers-pay-teachers-contest.html

Some fellow educators are putting on a contest, to give away $100 in educational lessons. I know it’s June and the idea of getting ready for NEXT year is just not what you want to do – but who doesn’t want free lesson plans?

Children’s Buddhist Festival
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/06/portland_buddhist_festival_eng.html

Last weekend, Portland held a Children’s Buddhist Festival. I’ve never heard of it, but it seems very interesting and eye-opening. I liked how children were in involved in setting up the festival, as well as participating in the activities. I have a sister who studies Buddhist traditions, and I know that she would have loved to have been to a festival such as this as a child. From an educational perspective, it’s nice to see more diversity around – which creates opportunities for asking questions and understanding something that is new or different to what we are used to.