I'm Back!

Just a quick message to anyone and everyone.  Lots of changes since my last post in 2012.  If you'd like to see what I've been up to... you can visit my twitter site... which gets you caught up.  This blog will still be centered around Topic relevant to Teaching and Learning the classroom and I hope to have something posted at least once a week.

The quailty of your life

Someone said to me "Isn't Tweeting and the social network universe centered around the bodily functions of most people? When people tweet... they say in 140 characters, "I'm going to the bathroom" or "I'm hungry". Alas this is true for some but not all users of Twitter. I responded with,

"the quality of your life is determined by the quality of your conversations".

What is Twitter or Facebook (or social networking for that matter), but a service that provides us the ability to perpetuate an endless conversation with anyone who is willing to listen. So if you were to equate it to a real life event, it would be the same as one really large cocktail party, with a world audience. The conversation may be with friends, strangers or yourself.

Which brings us back to the "quality of your conversations" with yourself, the girl/boy next door, your college buddy, a famous scientist or a Nobel laureate. You can choose to fill with your life with conversations (an people) that enrich, nurture, support and empower... or not. Like most things in life, it's really up to you. As an educator, this responsibility to enrich and inspire is doubly important because YOU are shaping your life AND the life of your students. Before you send that tweet or have any conversation, do your words and actions truly represent "the change you want to see in the world"?

Standardized Testing

Someone once asked, "Do test scores provide a reasonable measuring stick for our students as indicators for future successes?"

Although I don't administer these tests (since I work at a college), believe that tests and the processes in place aren't working and because of these tests most schools/teachers are teaching the test and not providing students with instruction that could benefit them later in life. Do we really want to produce a generation of test takers or problem solvers/innovators? Check out these sites...

http://fairtest.org/
http://susanohanian.org
http://alfiekohn.org
http://www.mothersagainstwasl.org/

Honestly there are some groups out there that are encouraging parents to opt-out on standardized testing. Sure its heresy... but you have to listen to the other side, to get the full picture.

http://educationrevolution.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/opting-out-of-nclb-two-reports-from-a-growing-movement/
http://educationintexas.blogspot.com/2005/12/colorado-school-district-opts-out-of.html
http://www.resultsforamerica.org/calendar/files/nclb_release.pdf
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13879371_ITM

Short answer..."No."

I'd like to hear your thoughts... So leave a comment.

If you'd like to be more engaged on these topics, feel free to join the "K20EDU-Arizona" Group on Facebook or feel free to follow me on twitter seanmendoza.

Knowledge in the classroom

Great video that talks about the direction we, as educators need to move our students and institutions... imagination and inspiration. When you really think of it... imagination and inspiration (our mental processes) have nothing to do with technology and everything to do with who we are. So... maybe... knowledge in the classroom has nothing to do with technology... and everything to do with who we are and who/what we inspire our students into becoming. Strange to think you're reading this kind of writing from an IT guy... all the answers are not all in technology... go figure.

Love vs. Anger in our schools... what a concept.

Greetings all,

To be honest... I was pretty skeptical at first, but became a believer with this video. He brings up a number of concepts about anger, communication and love. Although my favorite quote from the video was not his... its definately worth printing:

“Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart, and bids it break." - William Shakespeare

As educators... we have to also listen with our hearts. Enjoy.

Students... getting it???

Okay... Aside from the entertainment value of this embedded video... It really does make me think about a few things.

1. What did the teacher do wrong?
2. How would you teach this class?
3. Could they have benefited from online learning? Why or Why not?

Some humor is based on presenting (in the appropriate context) an extreme version of a human interaction. Can you see any of your student or your self in this very humorous classroom day with Jerry Seinfeld? Enjoy...

Seinfeld - History Class - World WarII | Funny Jokes at JibJab

Tutoring....

Okay... here's an idea that's definitely worth thinking about. Let me know if you're interested... I just might start one out here in Tucson... say a cowboy theme.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dave_eggers_makes_his_ted_prize_wish_once_upon_a_school.html

Let me know.