In a Fast, Furious, Frenzy of Downsizing My Lesson Plans

I just checked my plan for the remainder of the year, and it's a little like trying to pack an elephant into a cocktail purse - it ain't gonna happen.

I have 2 1/2 weeks until the End of Course Test in Physical Science.  In that time, I have to include:

• The elements
• Organic compounds
• Solutions
• Chemical Reactions, and
  
• Acids, bases, and salts
  

The kids are entering their slo-mo mode (summertime speed in the South, no hurryin').  Knowing the level of difficulty of the test, I'm feeling frantic (I'm obviously in an F mood).  I'm not expecting any answers, just feel like expressing my concern.

I just finished entering the interim grades, tonight I have to finish my last assignment for the online class I'm taking, and, when I've recovered from those, I have to have a nervous breakdown start modifying the plan.

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Special Event

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I'm in the Carnival of Education!

This week, I have a post in the Carnival of Education. Please check it, and the other education bloggers out.

How the Mighty Have Fallen!

I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you! Japan may be losing its academic edge.

New Technology Resource

I haven't seen this yet, but I'm planning on ordering soon.

Moving to a New Space

I've decided to move my blog to a new space. This space will still be open - I may even post occasionally. But, I've decided that I needed to move, as some people were blocked by filters from reading here.

Here's the new link. Be sure to bookmark it.

Why All Students Should Take Physics

This story about a dry ice explosion underscores the need for students to take more physics. The REALLY scary part is that he's a professor in Biology.

Francisco Lopes, a Stony Brook University researcher with a doctorate in biology, said he didn't know that storing dry ice in an airtight container could cause an explosion.

Not knowing that is the equivalent of a Physics professor not understanding that joining an egg to a sperm could result in a pregnancy. It's basic.

I realize that his specialty is biology, but, come'on, folks, it doesn't require a doctorate in Physics to realize that his action was not just thoughtless, but dangerous. A science person should know better.

Creation Degree

I wish I could say that The Onion site had this, but - NO:

I have no problems with this being a Religion or Social Studies certification, but not Science.

Cool 2007 Tech

What's interesting on this list is how little they matter to education. I don't see much that applies to the classroom.

Telegraphic Note-Taking

I can't remember where I read the phrase "telegraphic note-taking". It refers to how students learn to reduce their note-taking to the absolutely essential. It made perfect sense to me.

Until I realized that today's students have no clue what a telegram is, or why people tried to limit the number of words in them.

What does make sense to them is the concept of "TM note-taking" - that is, abbreviating and eliminating unnecessary words, as they do for Text-Messages.

Nuclear Power - Testing the Infrastructure

I found YouTube video showing a jet trying to breach concrete walls designed for a nuclear plant. It's quite impressive.

Physics First - or Maybe Not

I can see some issues with this study's conclusions.

Well, of course, the students with a better performance in math will generally do better in the sciences in college. Most college courses are taught from a quantitative standpoint. In contrast, in most high schools, Biology, Earth Science, and Environmental Science are structured so math skills are relatively unimportant.

An example: last week, I was talking to my Physical Science class about graphs. I pointed out that a certain curved line would indicate exponential growth. Then I said, "But, I'm sure that you've all seen these kind of graphs in Biology". I was dumbfounded to hear that they never used graphs in Biology.

Now, perhaps that's an example of the well-known selective memory of students - 2 months after a class, most are hard put to name one thing they learned or a lab they performed. But, it's also possible that their teacher, like many Bio teachers, doesn't dwell on use of graphs.

New Science Education Plan

I'll be interested to see what comes of this plan, in practice.

An Apple for the Teacher

I'm publishing this on my first Mac. I choose the MacBook after I dropped my Gateway laptop on my desk. The screen broke, and, rather than get another PC, I decided to try a Mac.

I've seen a lot of users lately, in the crowds I hang around with. Many of the Physics teachers are sworn converts, raving about the ease of use, and the superior sound and graphics handling.

I've only owned it a few hours, but I have to agree that it is remarkably easy to use. In many respects, it handles very like my PC. Some things may require getting used to - tomorrow, I'm going to try to install some science software (Windows), and I'll blog about how THAT went. The MacBook was under $1400, and came with a camera above the screen - kind of neat. I'm going to load the something-or-other 11 part of the system, which apparently I have to do before I can load OpenOffice. That's the down side, it comes with really no software installed - not even Solitaire.

Now THAT'S Dedication!

At Joanne Jacobs site:

As battle raged in Baqubah, an Iraqi teacher realized students wouldn’t be able to take end-of-year tests critical to their future. The roads were mined or blocked by the U.S. and Iraqi military. School directors were afraid to come pick up the tests. So she picked up the tests herself and boated across the Diyala River to deliver tests to 1,300 students.

Even Vampires Eventually Leave You Alone

The state of Washington, apparently not understanding what the words teaching shortage in math, science, and special ed mean, has decided to up the annoyance factor for experienced teachers, by requiring MO' MONEY:

Professional Certification (ProCert) is a relatively new program that requires teachers who hold initial Washington State Residency Certificates to return to education school for one to two years of additional coursework in such archetypal ed-school activities as reflecting on "their intentional decision-making skills," collegial collaboration, portfolio development and writing professional growth plans.

God forbid that teachers not REFLECT ON THEIR PRACTICE! at every opportunity. When they're not planning, grading, counseling, conferencing, and, oh, yeah, TEACHING!Why is this a big deal?

ProCert tuition is especially onerous to the targeted early-career educators who already are struggling to survive on low pay, and in many cases to repay college loans.

Moreover, the requirement is redundant. There already are established systems in place for meeting stated ProCert objectives, including demonstrating positive impact on student learning. ProCert is a program that treats teachers as slackers who must be bullied into career planning.

Teachers with excellent performance reviews and six to seven years of in-service training, teachers in shortage fields such as math, science and special education, even teachers with master's degrees in education, all will be fired unless they register for ProCert.

It is such hoop-jumping that causes educators to leave the profession early, and that keeps otherwise highly qualified teachers out of public education altogether.

Ed schools already wield far too much control over Washington's system of public education, with virtual veto power on who even gets to become a teacher, and often limiting entry into the profession to those who demonstrate a politically correct mindset or who are deemed amenable to indoctrination.

Those teachers who've been out of Ed school may not understand this rant - the situation was different, even 15 years ago.

Now, the Ed schools have moved into 1984 territory - exercising thought control on the budding teachers. For example:

• LeMoyne College of Education kicked a grad student out of its Ed school for expressing politically incorrect thoughts.
  
  
• Washington State's "dispositions" concept.

Guys, I've been there. While in grad school, I encountered the dreaded PC professor, who openly derided all who didn't parrot her twisted (and terribly misinformed) views. Fortunately, I didn't suffer in silence - I posted my thoughts on No Indoctrination. Never let it be said that computer geeks don't know how to even the score.

Small Changes to the Blog

I moved my template to the new Blogger Layout. It took little time, and, as I've found from my others blogs, it is ridiculously easy to use and modify. One of the few times in life that an upgrade is actually an improvement.

Grants from HP

Check out the link - I'm going to be talking to the math and science teachers at my school next week.

USB Apps

Here's a new use for your USB that really makes sense - applications that run off the USB, without cluttering your hard drive. Just the thing if you use more than one computer, or use shared computers.

Some of the available apps:

• OpenOffice (an MS Office clone)
  
• GIMP - media viewer and manipulator
  
• Firefox & Thunderbird
  
• Mini-Sukodu

Since I spend time on several different computers, this seems a worthy use of the USB.