Sep 5, 2007
Posted | 1 comment
Consider this a mix of acceptance speech and look back on the last 100,000 words.
Awards these days tend to carry with them all the prestige of being the finest ice hockey player in the whole of Ecuador. Blog awards are often frivolous and public education teems with a propensity to trump up the most mundane accomplishments. An education blogging award? It’s almost as if some higher power is purposely playing tricks on us; as the Fark.com headline might read, “Award given for blogging. Award given for education. Award given for education blogging. Hilarity ensues.”
When it comes to determining the real gravity of recognition, we separate the wheat from the chaff by considering the criteria by which one is selected. The values that underly any type of award, large or small, define its significance.
That’s why I’m proud to have been selected by Secondhand Thoughts. I instantly displayed the award in my sidebar and started this response - simply put, the criteria for this award matter.
Readers of this site know that I do things a bit differently around here. I use my real name, you know where I’m from and you can give me a call at will. I tend to write lengthy treatments and spurn short, easily-digested sentences. I place value on accountability and write a fair amount of articles demanding it.
I decided on these things when I originally planned my site. Getting this nod couldn’t have come at a better time; I hit 100,000 words this week and I’m just finishing analysis of the site, which necessitates re-thinking what I do and how I do it - and whether that any of that will change. Being recognized for a commitment to the ideals that I specified at the start of this project is a deliverance from the doubt that can creep in to that first hard look at one’s progress.
The criteria for this award are eerily similar to the pre-site analysis I wrote up - almost a personal constitution - before I launched and these topics have been on my mind as I re-examine everything. I’d like to share some of those thoughts as they relate to the Edublogger Chalkboard award, and for that I’ll steal the structure of the criteria:
Content. If it isn’t worth reading, there’s no point in writing it. I try to offer unique insight [right or wrong, there's often a little of both] that I don’t see elsewhere. If I did see it, I wouldn’t have a reason to post.
I decided to stick to education aside from the occasional meme or photo of my cat. I’m also committed to being largely apolitical. Though my formal studies and much of my ‘hobby’ work has been political, this isn’t the place for it.
And I tend not to use vulgarity. I’ll leave that to Amanda Marcotte and others who are ill-equipped to choose the right word and therefore have to rely solely on the bawdy ones.
Interaction. As General George S. Patton said, “Always do everything you ask of those you command.” This site isn’t an army, but the advice fits. If I expect people to take my contributions to the debate seriously - and if I expect them to join in the discussion - I need to immerse myself in their thoughts, too. They’ve taken the time and effort to lay bare their minds; it’s only courteous to make the most of what they’ve published.
I currently subscribe to 249 blogs - that makes it hard to leave as many comments as I’d like, but I try to make the rounds.
Authority. To be honest, if I couldn’t give what could be considered authoritative input on the education topics we discuss, I wouldn’t have this site. I’d engage in something more fun instead or write on a topic on which I was an authority [I'm sure the world could use another definitive bowling blog?]. As I’ve examined my stats from analytics, I can’t help but be appreciative of the sites and writers that have linked to me. Though the number of links, large or small, is hardly an indication of quality, it’s comforting to know that others in the blogosphere are committed to many of the same pressing issues in education that I am.
Longevity. I’ve tried to churn ~25,000 words per month. September - December should average 30k and, barring unforeseen circumstances, this site will continue.
Eric Turner’s Secondhand Thoughts, not only the creator of this award but also a singularly valuable education blog itself, deserves praise. If one needs evidence that Mr. Turner is well on his way to becoming an effective teacher - truly an ethical, responsible, respectful educator - consider his admirable reaction to a distasteful situation in his class [and his progress resolving it]. That is a seriousness of purpose and a commitment to professionalism - and for all the right reasons.
I also invite you to browse the last ten award-winners, seven of whom are already in my RSS reader and 3 of whom have just been added.
10. Ms. Whatsit
9. It’s a Hardknock Teacher’s Life
8. RepairKit
7. Frumteacher
6. this little light of mine
5. Not Enough Hours…
4. Irrational: A Math Teacher’s Notebook
3. So You Want To Teach?
2. Teach Me, I Dare You!
1. Confessions From The Couch
Many thanks for the kind words and encouragement, Mr. Turner. I look forward to discovering a new blog in next week’s winner.
Sep 4, 2007
Posted | 9 comments
Rest in peace, cell phone.
The flip-phone I’ve had for over 2 years has succumbed to the strain of flipping. It survived near-fatal blacktop drops and facilitated conversations both horrid and wonderful. It even functioned properly after Princess Pia, The Minion of Evil chewed off the antenna. A replacement is on its way.
In celebration of the end of one era and the beginning of another, I invite you to consider the following:
- Theodore Dalrymple’s thoughts on a largely unrecognized crisis: UNICEF and others unintentionally poisoned the drinking supply of 70 million Bangladeshis. Where’s the outrage? Dalrymple posits - and I agree - that the world’s reaction would be quite different if Halliburton was at the helm even though the devastation would be exactly the same.
- Remember Illinois State University’s chic new dress code for its business students? Well, if you didn’t catch my original treatment, there’s still time. And when you’re done reading my thoughts [or at least admiring the photo], you can read today’s coverage in the Chicago Tribune. Ms. Cohen did a fine job on this article.
- The 88th Carnival of Homeschooling is posted at Consent of the Governed. I contributed to this Carnival for the first time with my post about the homeschooler’s transcript and plan to do so regularly.
- Andrew at Union Street has added to the growing debate on the use of blogging in education. His piece “Educational blogging and its discontents” is a must-read for anyone who has followed the exchange I’ve had with David Warlick.
There are also a few articles that I wish I had time to debunk but, like the massive law firm antagonists in John Grisham novels, these authors have conspired to destroy me with sheer volume. I may or may not be able to pull Rudy Baylor duty as it relates to commentary [if I only had a Deck Shifflet...], so for now, familiarize yourself with the following:
- Miguel Guhlin on Why Teachers Use Web 2.0
- Wes Fryer on “Real” teachers [this is not a fashionable, snarky scare-quote - the issue at hand is the "real" teacher vs. the "technician"]
- Dave Cormier’s “Not IF but when and where” conveniently glosses over the “if” [which I won't capitalize when not quoting a title directly] fails to delineate the difference between blogging as a communication tool and blogging for educational value.
And, in conclusion to my MSA essay, my website is valuable to a third grader because…
- If you haven’t read Linda Perlstein’s Tested, you should consider it. At the least, you’ll be able to get that MSA joke. You’ll also be able to position yourself behind notables like Jay Mathews, who calls Tested “the best book written about No Child Left Behind.” I regard Mathews as the finest national education writer, but his cheerleading for this book is insufferable. Read my review of Perlstein’s travesty and you’ll see why. Even though I find the book lacking, I genuinely consider it a must-read; there may not be a more instructive recent text on teachers’ and administrators’ shortcomings and how the blame for those insufficiencies is shifted. So, Mathews is probably right - it is the best book written about NCLB. He’s just wrong about why.
Back to work, everyone.
Sep 3, 2007
Posted | 3 comments
The media hype surrounding college admissions is cyclical. One obvious swell comes in April/May as decision envelopes slim and fat go in the mail. The other – the one that’s gearing up now – is the back-to-school/welcome-to-senior-year/time-to-start-the-process blitz that starts in August/September.
Lost in this shuffle is the homeschooler who’s looking forward to the next phase of their education and who, along with their family, would like some guidance in getting there. Unfortunately for the homeschoolers, most of the available resources are tailored to the overwhelming majority who attend public and private high schools.
This means that most college application resources are focused on – and in the language of – public school students. Homeschoolers often have to translate the popular public education speak to find college application guidance that’s relevant to their own situation.
They shouldn’t have to, but they do. I’ll help ease that process and explain the elements of a complete application from a public school student and how a homeschooler can approach the admissions process.
The typical public school student has five basic elements to their application:
- Official Transcript
- School Profile
- Recommendations
- Application with essays/resume
- Standardized Test Scores
The first part in this series addresses how a homeschooler with a unique, non-traditional application can provide a description of their curriculum and their academic accomplishments. I’ll start by describing a traditional applicant’s transcript - then I’ll look at how a homeschooler can produce a similar document or, in most cases, a better one.
The official transcript is a document produced by a public school’s guidance department and lists all the courses a student has taken and the grades received. Transcripts may also list attendance/absenteeism; despite popular myth and occasional threats from teachers/administrators, the official transcript very rarely documents suspensions or other disciplinary action.
The homeschooled student doesn’t always have an official transcript, so how do you demonstrate to a college that your academic efforts have been rigorous and completed successfully?
You can and should:
- Prepare a copy of your academic curriculum as approved by your state department of education [or other appropriate authority], preferably with a note from that body certifying its approval;
- Highlight any college-level courses you’ve taken at accredited institutions or through accredited on-line programs and submit official transcripts as proof;
- Report scores for CLEP exams. Even if the college to which you’re applying does not award credit for CLEP tests, submitting your scores shows the college that you can handle rigorous, college-level coursework
- Create an academic portfolio [digital or hard-copy] that shows off your academic achievements. This is a growing trend in admissions; it gives the homeschooler an opportunity to demonstrate the unique value they’ll bring to the campus and provides context and evidence that can help an admissions officer understand your non-traditional application [it also lays the foundation for a rich pre-admissions interview].
The homeschooler has an excellent opportunity to stand out in the college application process by taking advantage of the freedom they have in constructing their own application; simply put, the homeschooler isn’t constrained by the norms of a public school.
A homeschooler can make that a strength by approaching the college process - starting with the transcript - as an opportunity to craft a remarkable, singular application reflective of the homeschooler’s experience.
The next piece in this series will address the homeschooler’s School Profile.
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Sep 1, 2007
Posted | 5 comments
Bob the Angry Flower isn’t the sweetest teacher - in fact, I don’t even think he’s certified, let alone “highly-qualified” - but he knows how to get the job done.
Who knew that a flower could make such a cruel teacher?
[If your monitor resolution is high and you have trouble reading that tiny print, check out the bigger, reader-friendly b/w version.]
Aug 31, 2007
Posted | 1 comment
Here’s a quick roundup of some of the discussions that have gone on at this site - and in the larger blogosphere - over the last week or so:
How much importance do we place on teaching state/local history?
This is an excellent discussion that comes from three different - and at times very different - perspectives. I think we’re getting somewhere.
How do we go about using blogs in education?
First, I want to thank David again for participating in such candid discussion. It’s worth noting when a professional is willing to engage in difficult debate, but I suppose that’s one of the many reasons why he’s an authority in education technology. I had a great deal of respect for David and his work before this exchange - and that has only increased.
Second, this volley is, in my opinion, pretty good stuff. We’re addressing difficult issues on an emerging and potentially valuable technology. You should weigh in, too.
… and what in the world is happening in Hillsborough County?
- I gave a summary of the recent ruckus with the Hillsborough County School Board and offered my take on the events.
- Stephen Downes responded and evaluated my argument - he interpreted things very differently, it’s worth a read.
- The Wall let us know that they think that Jennifer Faliero should resign with all deliberate speed.
- Pro on HCPS provides some pith.
- Florida School Boss questions whether a board needs to be a solid unit throughout the decision-making progress; he’s right on the money.
- Steve Otto of Tampa Bay Online isn’t certain that everyone needs to sing Kumbaya, either.
I’m going to think for a day or so before responding re: Hillsborough.
In the meantime, check out recent reviews of John Pearson’s “Learn Me Good.” and Linda Perlstein’s “Tested.” When you’re done with those two, don’t despair; next week I’ll post a review for Dennis Fermoyle’s “In the Trenches.”
It is Labor Day weekend… you should have time to read all these links because hey, you’re not working!
