Evolution, Sex, and Education

I love teaching biological sciences because you get to teach all the fun and controversial stuff (sex, drugs, evolution, and just plain awesomeness)!  Isabella Rossellini has a wonderful series that explains the sexual reproduction of animals, Green Porno.  Let me just tell you, IT IS AWESOME!  I am going through them now to see which ones might pass the mustard at my conservative school.  It is priceless... Here is a clip on how bees mate.

Some more on Colony Collapse Disorder : BEES

60 minutes videos

Haagen dazs Loves Honey Bees

The best website EVER!
-http://www.helpthehoneybees.com/#crisisfields

Honey Bees Affected by Cell Phones

London, England (CNN) -- A new study has suggested that cell phone radiation may be contributing to declines in bee populations in some areas of the world.

Dress Codes

     I've worked in a school where this video rings truer than not, but some schools can take dress codes too far.  My former kids told me they would bring weapons one way or another, dress code didn't matter.  If anything it makes the teachers feel better.  What do you think?

Public Schools new dress code enforced - watch more funny videos

It's raining OIL!?!?

There are more and more videos, comments, and blogs reporting on oil being rained down from the skies in Louisiana.  It makes sense that oil could evaporate and end up precipitating, especially after it's been emulsified.  Or, is this just a hoax, run-off, or worse... real!  Take a look for yourself.  I'd love to know more and discuss the possibilities of "oil precipitation" in the classroom.  It wouldn't be a difficult lab.



If it is run-off and you would like to know more about preventing contamination of our waterways and drinking water, follow this link to an article on the subject by Scientific American.

Paparazzi

Okay... I know this has been around the web for a while and the 6th grader, Greyson Chance, has made it onto the Ellen DeGeneres Show for singing Paparazzi by Lady Gaga.  What I failed to notice was the girls' reactions in the background at his school.  They look completely brain dead and unimpressed until it finally dawns on them what song he is actually singing.  I could be misreading their expressions.  Maybe they are just awkward. Teens make for a tough crowd!  Take a look in this video.



On another GAGA note. Check out this awesome acapella rendition of Bad Romance!

http://music.todaysbigthing.com/2010/05/06

Geometry Quiz

Here is a sample geometry question and response from the folks at Say No to Crack. It cracks me up when students try to answer questions in this way (see below).. it shows creativity and initiative. As I tell my kiddos, "never leave an answer blank!"

School Board + Sex Ed = WOW!

Thanks to Today's Big Thing

See more funny videos and Funny Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Budget Cuts for CTE

Many states are cutting their budgets drastically. It seems the first thing to be cut from most school budgets are CTE (Career Technology Education) programs and funding. In my experience, CTE courses are what get kids excited about school and teach children to apply what they've learned in core content courses. I'm sure Senator Huppenthal of Arizona had to make some tough choices when cutting the CTE budget. If you have to cut expenditures, what do you cut?
What I do love about this next clip is that a student, who clearly learned something in his CTE courses, is applying what he's learned in interviewing Senator Huppenthal. I love teaching kids who both impress and stump you with what they've learned. I'm just glad I'm not video taped when I get stumped. Of course, the senator could have handled this differently... what do you think?

See more funny videos and Funny Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Science ROCKS!

      Check out this chemistry video by http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/ . 

Houston PRIDE!

     My partner and I are about to go to Pride Houston to celebrate our community.  The Honorary Community Grand Marshal will be Houston's mayor Annise Parker.  Come to think of it.  Should the GLBT community get a month of celebration in schools as well (see last post)?  I know I would be either fired or given a lower post if my school new I was gay or if I even mentioned starting a club or celebrating Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered students and their (our) culture.

"Ethnicity Here" History Month

     I am tweeking my lesson plans for next year and realized that my new school, an upper SES white school, barely even recognized Black History Month (BHM) this past year.  I generally highlight historical figures and important people throughout the year but try to match up the ethnicity during BHM.  I then thought of how big of a deal it was at my previous school, a low SES majority black school.  Was the emphasis at these schools appropriate or reversed.  Shouldn't the emphasis on a minority culture's heritage occur where the minority is the minority?  Then I thought, how incenssitive both schools were of latin culture.  We only recognize(d) Cinco de Mayo, which really seems to only be a drinking holiday anyway.  Doesn't Cinco de Mayo only reference Mexican culture.  Aren't there other Latin cultures worth celebrating?  Why don't schools celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM)?   And, what about our Asian students?
     I  basically had a big ethical or moral awakening.  Should we celebrate all of these months? Should they be celebrated in all schools, some schools, only in schools where the minority is the minority, or in schools where the majority is the majority?  Take a look at the following links if you are interested in when holidays occur and how to celebrate them.

Black History Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
White Heritage Month???? - Doesn't exist... should it... what about in schools where white kids are 1% of the population?

     I also found this Youtube video that quite comedically explains why the new Arizona laws promote racial profiling.  I doesn't take an idiot to come to this realization.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Suspicious Behavior on Cinco de Mayo
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Educator Rappin'

     This eighth grade teacher, Lamar Queen, makes learnin' fun for his kids by rapping.  For those who don't have the skills ,try out the following link, "Rhythym, Rhyme, Results".  I've been using them for years and they appeal to all kinds of kids!  I personally love the "Photosynthesis" song.

Cartoons Make Food BETTER!

     A new study finds that children prefer the taste of foods with popular cartoon characters on the packaging, compared with the same foods without characters.  Read more after at the link.

Entitlement

      Having taught in two radically different school districts with two radically separated socioeconomic populations, I have had the opportunity to witness entitlement on many different levels.  I am not suggesting the world is coming to an end or the current generation is any more entitled than that of the 'X' generation or the 'Y' generation.  I merely was not raised with entitlement and find it to be foreign.
     Having taught at a lower SES (socio-economic status) school, I now realize the depth at which and the persistence of entitlement.  Many, not all, of my former students expected free pencils, paper, and food from their public schools.  I was paid more to teach my inner city kids, but more of my income went to supplying my room than could ever be recovered via my tax return.  The entitlement was so pervasive that if a student was handed a pencil, I had to clarify that the pencil would be returned upon completion of the assignment or the said pencil would be gone forever.  I can even remember a student who was willing to fight a teacher over the ownership of a borrowed pencil.  The entitlement I have witnessed at a higher SES school is that of cell phone usage, high grades for merely attending class, and respect.  At my new school, respect is not earned but taken, cell phones are used by students to communicate with parents during class time, and students are entitled to redo or retake assignments without excuse.  All students are not like this of course.  But it seems like there are more than I remember growing up.
     Has there always been a struggle to have students apologize and mean it, or say the words 'thank you', 'please', and 'you're welcome'?  Probably so.  Did I just grow up in a 1980's suburban bubble?

     The following talk show offers some advice to parents on how to dissuade entitlement.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Lynne Namka, Ed.D. also has an interesting article on narcissistic behavior at this link.

Arizona English Teachers

     Arizona is auditing certified English teachers' speaking skills according to a new law for the state.  Tom Horne clarified that the law was passed 8 years ago, in the year 2000, and has come under scrutiny due to Arizona's new immigration laws (see video below). Those who support the audits claim that the law is "common sense" while those who do not support the law find it to be anti-immigrant in nature. Readers should keep in mind that, according to the Arizona Dept. of Education, a little less than half of their students begin school as English language learners.
     Our news channels and reporters no longer seem to present "fair and balanced" reports. Take a look at the following two news stories. Are they skewed? If you were to watch one news channel and not the other, would your opinion be different?
     





For an educated view point on the matter follow the link, for that of the University of Arizona's Department of Linguistics.

School Lunches

     My partner and I have been killing ourselves by participating in classes at our local gym every day of the week in the hopes to slim down.  I myself have gained more than 30 pounds in the past three years, no doubt, from eating the same food my students eat.  I even had a scare this past year because I started exhibiting symptooms of diabetes!
     We were partly motivated to start working out due to television shows like Biggest Loser and Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and partly motivated by poor body image.  I've noticed that many educators are over weight.  We are always moving, barely eat (in the ten minutes we have to eat), and work long hours.  How can we all be so heavy and out of shape?
     I personally feel lethargic and drained after a school lunch.  Mrs. Q, at Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project, details the daily monotony and unhealthy choices students face on a daily basis.  Take a look.  She's got quite a great blog!

"No-Fail" Grading

     This photo is from Neatorama and is the opening image for an article on the many parking meters that do not function in Los Angeles.  The city is currently experiencing a "financial crisis".  This is a very real example of failure in policy and action.  Where do such low standards come from?
     This past year, the state of Texas did away with the policy of "No-Fail" grading.  The policy affected all of us, educators, differently.  I used to work in an at-risk, tier-1, school where we were told to award a grade of 50% for anything earned, lower than 50%.  What this looked like for many students was a long list of 50's and one or two higher grades to ensure a passing grade.  Many times this was a guessing game, as percentages were lost on many of the students (and faculty).  The students, and faculty, sometimes didn't know what passing really was and didn't care.  It seemed so attainable, who cared.  The bare minimum was all that was required.   I moved districts and found that my, privileged, at-risk kids had a similar strategy.  The strategy was modified though.  The students and faculty knew what passing was.  The calculations of percentages happened on a daily basis.  You could hear students doing the math in their head....  "If I get a 50 on this then I just need to get a 73 on my next exam to pass!"  I actually thought this showed higher level thinking.  Inadvertently, Texas had taught a whole generation how to calculate percentages in their heads!  Many, in fact most, of the kids used this strategy to some extent.  The dependent factor was their expectations or that of their parents.  My "on-level" and "honors" students tried for 80's.  The rare few strived for their 90's and there were always the ones who had to earn their 100.
     Expectations seem to be what drive achievement.  I've seen teachers and districts coddel students or reprimand them with grades and with little conscience.  Consequence does not seem to drive student performance, expectations do.  I have a new policy in my classroom and it works!  A student must make an 80 or higher on exams.  If they do not, they earn a "Not Yet" until they complete a second review and take a second, but different, exam.  It is a lot of work, but worth it.  I will not, however, pass a child if they do not put forth the effort.  I have had two to three kids each year, who will not put forth any effort.  They have their reasons.  They are confident they understand the consequences.  And, after all the "Response To Intervention" you can dish at them.. they fail.  I personally am glad the law is gone but urge educators not to be tyranical in their grading policies.  What do you think?
     Follow the link for a news report by FOX on the subject.  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518101,00.html
     I credit the grading policy to Spence Rogers' PEAK Learning Systems.  You can learn more about PEAK at this link.

A Gamers Delight, why can't school be this fun?

     I've been trying to liven up the new curriculum I am teaching next year and ran across this game.  I wish there were more educational games like it! To play the game, follow the link below the picture.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/games/questionaut/play_popup.shtml

Brought to you by the BBC and Amanita Design

BP Oil Spill

     I heard a lot of weird comments at school, from teachers and students, about the BP oil spill.  I work in a very conservative school district, with very conservative families, teachers, and students.  We're talking Rush Limbaugh types.  I've been informed that the oil spill is not a big deal and that oil naturally seeps into the Gulf anyway.  One teacher angrily stated "why did they put all those estuaries there anyway?"  I tried to explain that liberals didn't put estuaries anywhere... needless to say.  I wasted my breath.  Enjoy the comedy that ensues when BP spills coffee (by www.UCBcomedy.com)