Say Goodbye to the Mistress of Science

Every day she logs on to her computer and posts a random science thought of the day. From Hurricane Earl to Katrina it is all here connected with the tools that engage students. Recently she wrote, “Hurricanes that are hundreds of miles away can still cause high ocean waves.” On another day she posted, “Force equal mass times acceleration. A truck has far more mass than a car. That is why getting hit by a truck going at 30 miles an hour would be far more painful than getting hit by a car at 30 miles an hour.” The students always appreciated her posts and many productive comments and discussions would follow the post.

After posting she typically wrapped a bandana around her head, slipped into her stockings, stepped into her boots, and headed for the car in the driveway anticipating another day at Burrhus Frederic Skinner High School. However, today would be very different for Cecelia Kool. It was her last day at the school as tomorrow she began her new venture; the start of the Thomas Elkins School of Invention.

This school would begin by servicing grades 9 and 10 and over a period of 5 years it would also service the K-8 grades as well as grades 11 and 12. Additionally, her school would encourage Special Needs students to join the school and offer various hands-on internships and job based programs. For a long time it was her dream to design a school and a accompanying curriculum that taught through the exploration of famous inventions, build similar contraptions, and produce futuristic inventions. The timing was right. Her children were all grown up. Her husband Joe Kool was very supportive and helped her obtain the community support needed for this project. Never the less, she dreaded this day. It was hard to say farewell to her students and colleagues.

As she walked the hall everyone wished her good luck and told her that she would be sorely missed. Even Michael Lotta the new Assistant Principal would only speak kind words. In fact, if you looked closely, for a brief moment it looked like Michael had a tear in his eye. For those who really knew Michael it was not so surprising. Beneath that gruff exterior laid a decent man who still cared about the kids. He just believed that being tough was important as it prepared students for the real world. Yet even Michael would never speak ill of his colleague Cecilia. He understood her way was reaching children. Quite often he had said, if more teachers had Cecilia’s magic, I would not have to do what I do.

Later that day, a luncheon was held in her honor. Teachers and student alumni shared stories of what this great woman did for the past 25 years. One student alumnus shared how every week she dissected the MacGyver television show and would recreate the contraptions showcased. The student further related how this inspired him to go to med school. As the afternoon ensued other stories were related and by the end of the luncheon there was not a dry eye in the room.

Soon enough the day would end. Cecilia dipped into the pocket of her raincoat, pulled out her SmartPhone, and wrote the following status update;

“To my students and colleagues. Thank you for a wonderful 25 years. As I embark on this new journey, I leap forth with excitement to what the future brings but will miss you terribly so for your companionship has meant so much to me. Keep strong and continue to inspire all those that surround you.”

And so it was. Cecilia left the building, entered her car, and could be heard humming;

“So many faces in and out of my life,

Some will last, some will just be now and then.

Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes-

I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again.”

Editors Note- This story is dedicated to all the great teachers who keep on working tirelessly for our children.

The Empire Strikes Back

It is a dark time for the Frederic Burrus Skinner High School. Michael Lotta has been promoted to Assistant Principal, and is using the custodial troops to rid the school of Clever Boards. He has also begun to confiscate student wireless devices with the help of the newly constructed wifi sniffer.

In order to evade the wifi sniffer, a group of student tweeters have established a secret closed network using the 802.11z protocol on a remote Linux server.

Meanwhile, Assistant Principal Michael Lotta has become obsessed with stamping out the use of wireless technology and has dispatched the use of an enhanced wifi sniffer to put an end to all the tweet heads…

Midnight… 3^rd Floor of Frederic Burrus Skinner High School…

“Are you sure no one is here.”

“Yes, yes, yes. This is the perfect time to swipe the end of year examinations. Time to pick the lock.”

“This is strange. It seems that the door is open.”

“Stop! It’s a trap.”

“Oh no, too late.”

Michael Lotta, the new Assistant Principal appears from a secret door.

“Good Evening gentlemen. Say cheese to the camera. Perfect… You are now eligible for the Student Relocation Program.”

“The what?”

“I guess you did not read my new memo. Any student caught violating the school discipline code will be deported to our annex in France.”

“You can’t do this. You’ll never get away with this.”

“Oh no my young students. You will find out it is you who are mistaken about a great many things. Guards!!! Take them away!!”

Two weeks later…

Principal- “How goes the Student Relocation Program?”

Michael Lotta- “I have deported 67 students; a prime number.

Principal- “Excellent. This will help our school standing tremendously.”

Michael Lotta- “I hate asking you this, but is this really legal?”

Principal- “Don’t worry about it. I will make it legal.”

Epilogue… In just one month, Michael Lotta has inspired new levels of fear amongst the student body. Students think twice about tweeting. After all, if they are not careful, they could be the next student to join the Student Relocation Program…

IWB, I Will Hunt You Down and Destroy You!!

It started out like any other day with kids shuffling into the cafeteria to catch a little breakfast. As usual, the regulars are flinging cornflakes at each other, the bullies are tormenting the freshies and the dweebs, and the techies are texting each other all under the watchful eye of the Bill Perkinson; the new Assistant Principal. Except… today a Clever Board fell from its fixed position almost hitting Johnny.

“What to do you think your doing?”

“Oh, I’m sorry it was an accident. So sorry.”

“You bet you are. That’s the last mistake you’ll ever make!”

Suddenly, Johnny pulled a concealed object from his coat pocket. Bill Perkinson hears a commotion and approaches Johnny.

“Get away from me Perkinson or I start shooting!”

“Johnny, take it easy.”

“Who the hell asked you? Get on your knees now. Now! Now!”

“OK Johnny, I am getting on my knees. Now, why don’t you put the weapon down.”

“This ain’t no TV show chump! Start licking the floor! Lick it good!”

Suddenly, Johnny flinched his hand. Needless to say, the students in the cafeteria were frightened. Several of them began to cry and Bill Perkinson fainted. In walks Michael Lotta sipping his coffee. “Johnny, put that Clever Board eraser away or so help me I’m gonna twist you like a pretzel.”

Johnny, puts the Clever Board eraser down and begins weeping. Michael signals the security officer and tells her to immediately remove Johnny. Michael then talks to the students and assures them everything is under control.

Over the next 30 minutes several students tweet the story to their friends. One hour later… A swarm of reporters are trying to enter the building. They want to know if it’s true that the A.P. passed out and how Michael Lotta singlehandedly saved the day. Michael Lotta directed the reporters away from the school, as he did not want the students exposed to the pandemonium. However, the reporters would not leave. Michael then suggests that the interviews take place at an off site location. The reporters begrudgingly agree to this request.

Two hours later… the following interview excerpts are released;

Interviewer- How did you know it was an eraser?

Michael Lotta- Two things- As a veteran teacher I am familiar will all the erasers on the market; even the ones carried by the Clever Board company. Additionally, no weapon would have passed through our metal detectors.

Interviewer- Johnny, why did you suddenly drop the charade when Mr. Lotta walked in?

Johnny- Everyone knows, not to mess with Michael Lotta.

Interviewer- Mr. Perkinson, what the hell happened? I mean, why did you faint?

Bill Perkinson- Umm… Well. I suppose it wasn’t my finest moment.

Three hours later… The school board holds an emergency meeting and two resolutions are passed. By unanimous vote the school board decides to fire Bill Perkinson for gross incompetence and promotes Michael Lotta to the position of Assistant Principal of Security and Mathematics.

Two hours later…

Principal- You have done well.

Mr. Lotta- Today is a day that will long be remembered. We have seen the last of Perkinson and we will soon stamp out the use of Clever Boards.

Principal- Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen. Commence with executive order 66. Begin replacing Clever Boards with the far superior Overhead Projector.

Mr. Lotta- It shall be my pleasure madam.

Principal- And how is the wifi detector project coming along?

Mr. Lotta-It is almost ready.

Principal- Excellent!!!

Coming Soon… The Empire Strikes Back

Using Technology to Combat Obesity

Over the past few years there have been numerous articles that have reported that the increase of childhood and adult obesity is growing at an alarming rate. Additionally, various medical journals have documented that obesity related diseases including diabetes and heart attacks have sharply increased. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention the following alarming trends have occurred over a period of 20 years;

- In 1990, among states participating in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, ten states had a prevalence of obesity less than 10% and no states had prevalence equal to or greater than 15%.
- By 1999, no state had prevalence less than 10%, eighteen states had a prevalence of obesity between 20-24%, and no state had prevalence equal to or greater than 25%.
- In 2008, only one state (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty-two states had a prevalence equal to or greater than 25%; six of these states (Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia ) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.

In the meantime, varying interest groups and politicians have pointed the finger of blame at a number of items including portion sizes offered at restaurants, sugary school foods, the inclusion of trans fats, video games, school fitness programs or rather the lack of one, as well as other mitigating factors. Needless to say, there are plenty of people who can be blamed for this perplexing problem. However, in the final analysis blame will not change our situation. In the end, innovative solutions are needed to combat this problem. With this in mind I will share with you a couple of promising ideas.

1. Spark People is a Social Networking web site which shares inspiring diet stories with its users, offer tools to create sensible nutritional plans, a nutrition calculator for the purpose of calculating caloric intake, varying fitness tools, instructional videos, and other tools to track your progress.

2. iGoogle Calorie Calculator is a Google Gadget that lets you plan your meals according to your caloric needs and includes a database of more than 70,000 foods to choose from. Using calorie calculators is a convenient way of planning your daily nutritional needs and can be used to track and adjust consumption decisions.

3. Wii Fit- Traditionally, video games have been blamed for the increase in childhood obesity. This is largely due to the fact that video games can be addictive and subsequently involve a great deal of seat time- hence the term couch potato. Fortunately, Wii Fit differs in its approach as the participant is required to stand on a "balance platform" and perform a variety of exercise such as running, yoga, aerobics, and other rigorous activities. As a result, numerous studies have shown that this tool has helped participants lose weight and become more fit.

4. Dance, Dance Revolution requires the participant to conduct a variety of aerobic exercises. More importantly, a study in West Virginia demonstrated that Dance, Dance revolution helped overweight students become more physically active and lose on average 10-15 pounds. Additionally, other school districts have achieved similar results.

5. iPod Nano + Nike, or and iPod, or an iPod Shuffle- Whether you carry one of the newer or older iPod models this device can be used to exercise in numerous ways. The shuffle is a convenient way to enjoy a jog in the park. If you want to track your run, the Nano allows you to track the pace of your run and compete with other runners. Both the iPod and Nano model are excellent for the gym as you can watch your favorite television show or movie while using an elliptical or similar exercise machine for an extended period of time.

6. Garmin Sports Watch- If you are looking for a device that offers more tracking options to co-inside with your run then the Garmin Sports Watch will definitely meet your needs.

7. MapMyRun.com is a community web site for runners and joggers who want to stay healthy, lose weight or train more effectively. More importantly, Map My Run is also used to share varying jogging routes a runner created and tracks related statistics.

8. Calories Per Hour is a web site that allows users to calculate what their caloric needs are, use a BMI calculator, and calculate how many calories are burned conducting a variety of activities including walking, jogging, running, weight lifting, swimming, as well as other physical activities.

9. iPump is an iPod application that includes;

· A variety of workouts drawing from thousands of unique exercises and equipment such as barbell, exercise ball, dumbbells, kettle bells, BOSU, foam roller and more.

· The ability to search workouts by location (hotel, home, gym, etc.), goal (arms, abs, cardio, etc.) or keyword.

· An exercise database with incredible variety. My favorites - squat thrust to push up with a med ball and 180 swings with a kettle bell.

· Videos of each exercise.

· The ability to edit workouts or create your own

10. Exercise Pod Casts- There are many free pod casts available for download that offer quick tips and other useful hints. A good place to start your journey is with My Free Trainer. My Free Trainer offer pod casts both for men and women with Pod Casts for beginners, intermediate exercisers, and an advanced level. Additionally, it provides a calendar of classes. For example, Wednesday's class focuses on the legs and chest, while Monday's class focuses on Pull ups, Crunches, and using Dumbbells. There are many other free pod casts on the Internet which can easily be found in the iTunes store under the Pod Casts tab with the category Fitness and Workout.

Final Word- The following is a small list of possible methods to get your body moving. I happen to immensely enjoy jogging and weightlifting to music. I also enjoy watching television shows and movies while exercising on the elliptical. That being said, one does not need technology to exercise. It is simply another approach to exercising. If you enjoy playing volleyball, soccer, swimming, competing in half-marathons, or a run in the park, go for it, and don't forget to Keep on Moving.

2110; An American Digital Odyssey

Today in class we were told that we were going to research how people lived in the early 21^st century. This assignment will include the following components;

On Tuesday we will open a time capsule buried 100 years ago. Our task will be to read the time capsule entry, take notes on what we read, and conduct further research on what we have uncovered. Our research will include making use of the International Digital Library, interviewing at least 2 elders who lived during that time, and locating primary source documents that show differing opinions. After this is done, we are expected to design a 3D recreation of what we learned.

Well… Tuesday could not arrive quickly enough. In my box, there were a few items. One item was a thick paper document labeled PL 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. My box also included a rectangular box labeled iPod and what appeared to be a cowboy doll. Using the ring on my finger, I scanned the artifacts and uplinked it to the International Digital Library. As it turns out, the iPod was some kind of ancient music and video device used during the early 21^st century and the cowboy doll was called Woody from a movie that was popular in the late 20^th century.

Finally, there was the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This yielded a tremendous number of results with differing opinions. I started to ask a number of elders about No Child Left Behind. They too had opinions that were inconsistent. Needless to say this was very confusing. So… I decided to talk to great gramps. Great Gramps was 98 years old, blunt as ever, and sharp as a whistle. He also probably knew more about this subject as he actually lived around those times.

A little later that day, I visited Great Gramps and asked him about the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. He said, “You mean NCLB. Why on earth would you want to know about that wretched bill?” I told great gramps that it was homework. He said, “Very well. Let me tell you about No Child Left Behind. It was the age of testing. Students were tested in every subject, every year. Many local school systems also ran 3-5 practices tests a year, along with expensive data stratification systems to determine student weaknesses and strengths. This in turn caused schools to spend an inordinate amount on test preparation activities.”

I said, “It seems so strange and archaic. When did the kids have time to write creative stories, run science experiments, and be a kid? ”

Great gramps said, “In many cases it was not easy. Fortunately, many schools found creative ways to do both and eventually the law was changed. About 75 years later, there was a major grassroots movement that advocated for school programs that foster creativity and inventiveness. After all Thomas Edison only had 4 years of schooling and Ben Franklin only had 2 years of schooling and look at what they accomplished. So… on the 300^th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 2076) No Child Left Behind was abolished and was replaced with the Innovate our Children Act and as they say the rest is history.”

Things that Instructional Techies Like to Do

By Jacob Gutnicki

1. Debate which computing platform is better; Mac or PC.
2. Tell tall tales of how you fixed a computer MacGyver style; you know with dental floss, chewing gum, and a toothpick.
3. Geek out on the latest tech gadgets; anybody for an iShoe?
4. Discuss which tablet reeks the most.
5. Discuss which Interactive White Board reeks the most.
6. Talk about their computer as if it was a hot rod.
7. Attend Technology Conferences; the more the better.
8. Make fun of people who don’t back up their work.
9. Make fun of people who don’t use Anti Virus Protection.
10. Throw the phase “integrate technology into the curriculum” in your conversations as often as possible.
11. Make Up Nonsensical Acronyms.
12. Quote quasi-famous edu-techno geeks as often as possible.

Getting to the Core of the Math Problem

Growing up, most of us struggled with math at one time or another. Perhaps for you it was long division, fractions, finding the greatest common factor, using the formula for Pi, trigonometry, or a little fun with pre-calculus. Like many students, I occasionally wondered what was the point of learning decimals, algebraic equations, the metric system, and other ancient math formulas. Simply put, I did not anticipate anyone asking me to measure a scalene triangle, round a number to its nearest 100, or finding the lowest common denominator in a future job.

Several years later, my perspective would change as I learned that math helps us solve simple and complicated problems. Furthermore, formulas used in algebra are actually there to help us solve the problem with greater ease. In short, math helps us build trains, design houses, balance our budget, run a business, lose weight, and so on. However, this is not the way we are taught math. Instead, there is a heavy focus on mastering the algorithmic processes used in math. It is no wonder that many of us find math irrelevant and disconnected from real life problems.

Fortunately, many teaching programs show its in-service teachers how to teach math with a problem solving approach and tie the tasks to relevant real world problems. This has resulted in many teachers and by extension schools teaching math in an effective manner. However, there are still many teachers who strictly teach the algorithmic functions and ignore problem solving all together. This happens for the following reasons;

1. Teachers do not understand the math content. This is due to the fact that many Early Childhood and Grade 1-5 teaching programs place a heavy emphasis on Literacy and disregard Math. Additionally, many prospective teachers struggled with math as a child and are still struggling.

2. Teachers understand the math content as relates to functions and formulas but find problem solving very confusing.

3. Teachers often teach how they were taught as a child; thereby, teaching within their comfort zone.

Needless to say, this disconnect cannot continue. With this in mind, a greater effort must be made to retrain our teaching force in a non-punitive manner. This training should include a focused training in math content, pedagogical strategies, and how the different functional math areas relate to solving problems in the real world. For example, how will learning ratios and geometry help me on a daily basis? Perhaps the creation of the Common Core Standards will offer a window of opportunity to correct this. A quick perusal of the draft version of the document reveals that the following mathematical priorities are included;

1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively

3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

4. Model with mathematics

5. Use appropriate tools strategically

6. Attend to precision

7. Look for and make use of structure

8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

However, it is too early to predict how the Common Core Standards will impact education. Additionally, many earlier attempts have clearly fallen on deaf ears for one reason or another. However, one can hope that this serves as a turning point that changes how we teach math.

Ode to a Math Science Technology Fair

Since 1998 I have been coordinating a Math Science Technology Fair during which students present there project to an independent judge. Over the years the players have changed, the technology has changed, and the landscape has certainly changed. From Bedford Stuyvesant to East NY to Ozone Park to the Rockaways to Canarsie the message has always remained the same. We want our children create a project that seamlessly utilizes the disciplines of Math, Science, and Technology in a cohesive manner.

As always there are guidelines, orientations, and example projects to guide our participating schools. However, in the end it is all about our students expressing their ideas via their web sites, movie presentations, productivity software, technological simulations, lego robotics, and other means of communication.

Every year the students prepare their presentations and amaze the independent judges with their originality, prowess of academic content, and innovation. I especially enjoy how our students are always raising the bar and showcasing some really interesting projects. With this I thank all the teachers, parents, and administrators who support this initiative and make this possible. I especially thank the students whose relentless efforts always pay off and say, “Keep on dreaming and achieving big!”

At the feet of the Math Lord, the Rooster will Crow

The dark prince of math had arrived. Mocha Latte and thermos in hand, Michael Lotta was ready to teach. The students were tired of his highness. Many times they considered dropping a lump of sugar in his coffee just to teach him a lesson. However, the students feared the wrath of the math lord. As always, Mr. Lotta started his class with a 5-minute rant. Today’s rant featured the following pearls of wisdom; “So… I made some more phone calls last night! And you guys think it’s a joke. Well let me tell you something. Prom night is coming up soon. Just try me and I’ll ruin that for you too! And if you’re thinking of spiking my coffee… think again. Ask yourself… Was it worth it? Was it? Was it? Was it?”

The coffee must have been really strong today, as he seemed rather animated. After this engaging monologue Mr. Lotta started teaching us about the rooster method. I thought it was a strange name and asked, “What is the rooster method?” Mr. Lotta exclaimed, “Rooster Method! Rooster Method! Rooster Method! There is no Rooster Method! It is the Roster Method. For if there was a Rooster Method, I would flap my wings and crow like a rooster on the top of my lungs like this!!!”

For the next 5 minutes Mr. Lotta crowed like a rooster. No one dared laugh for fear of what he might do. We also wondered if this could be real. One thing is for sure; someone needs to observe his lessons more often.

BLOGGER’S NOTE: Michael Lotta is fictional. The story of the rooster method is not. It makes you wonder.

Should Smart Phones Be Banned in Schools?

The rise of Smart Phones is undeniably a phenomenon, which continues to transform how we work, communicate, and play in the 21^st century. Like the Internet before it, people across the globe are migrating to this technology at backbreaking speeds. We are also seeing these handheld devices being used in classrooms as science probes, photo editors, data entry tools, and of course for text/audio communications. In watching these feats of technological prowess, one cannot help but awe as we watch our motivated youth learning through these technologies. Additionally, there is no question that within 5-10 years the desktop computer will be obsolete and its users who cling to this relic from the past will be deemed the dinosaurs of technology. With this in mind, one would think supporting smart phone usage in the school system is a no brainer.

To this I say, “Not so fast!” In adapting any new technology (and even not so new technology) for classroom use, one must consider the following factors; educational benefits, risks, and child safety. Let us start by examining the last factor. According to recent surveys, 41% of children have been threatened via their smart phone. Even worse, smart phones along with its texting features are the preferred devices of teenage gangs. Subsequently, smart phones are being utilized to cheat in the classroom and to record/post inappropriate information about teachers. Smart phones are also being used by people who;

· Pretend they are other people online to trick others

· Spread lies and rumors about victims

· Trick people into revealing personal information

· Send or forward mean text messages

· Post pictures of victims without their consent

So does this mean smart phones should be banned? After all smart phones are also being used to;

· Text-missed assignments to classmates that are absent

· Perform math functions as the new math curricula encourages the use of a calculator for problem-solving

· Take pictures of notes from the board

Many teenagers have also been known to use their smart phones in various situations that helped protect their safety. Additionally, a quick scan of the Innovative Educator web site reveals a myriad of effective practices already being used in which smart phone technology is being harnessed to empower and teach students. Never the less, every safety study on smart phone technology has reported the rise of cyber-bullying and other negative activities. Can we as educators ignore this looming danger? Does the cited danger validate a ban on smart phones within our school system? Is there a way to make smart phone use safer and acceptable in the school environment? For example, can an Acceptable User Policy help the situation? These are not easy questions to answer. Having said that, here are a few more thoughts on this perplexing matter.

For the time being those who are pro smart phone and those who do not support its use will stick with their position and will not stray from their point of view. However, regardless of one’s standpoint, it is clear that no child should be allowed to use a smart phone within a school setting without signing an Acceptable User Policy. The Acceptable User Policy should require students to attend a minimum of 2 smart phone safety seminars in which they learn about lurking dangers and how to handle those situations. Additionally, an Acceptable User Policy should require students to;

· Register their smart phone with the local law enforcement.

· Understand that they can only send appropriate text, email, or picture messages.

· Understand that they should not give their address or other personal information on a phone call, text, or email to people they do not know, or if others can hear them.

· Understand that they should never respond to an email, text, picture, or voice message from someone they don’t know.

· Agree that they will inform an adult they trust if they receive anything on their phone—a call, a text message, an e-mail, a picture, or voicemail message—that makes them uncomfortable.

· Delineate which applications and web sites are appropriate for school use.

Finally, the use of Smart Phones is an earned privilege with the understanding that students will lose their device and other privileges if they violate any of the above rules.

If a school or district promotes an anti smart phone policy, the topic of Cyber Bullying should still be addressed at least twice a year. After all, Cyber Bullying is a problem that is not limited to smart phones. This is evident as a recent survey conducted by the National Crime Prevention Council reported that 43% of middle school students;

· received an e-mail or an instant message that made them upset

· had something posted on a social networking site that made them upset

· had been made fun of in a chat room

· had something posted on a Web site that made them upset

· had something posted online that they did not want others to see

· were afraid to go on the computer

Subsequently, I urge all schools and districts to review their technology policy and examine if their plan adequately addresses the rise of Cyber Bullying and make the appropriate adaptations if needed. For more information visit; http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/ and http://www.ncpc.org/cyberbullying.

Great Opportunity for a Mitzvah

About 3 years ago, I began volunteering for an organization known as Partners in Torah. In short, this program partners Jewish adults of all backgrounds via phone across North America free of charge with a learning opportunity to discover Judaism – its culture, history, and traditions – at their pace and their schedule.

This basically required that I volunteer one hour a week so that an adult can enjoy the opportunity mentioned above. Anyhow… words alone cannot express how enriching this experience has been. In fact, the experience has been so beneficial that I volunteered to help a Pilot Program from the same organization that aims to achieve a similar task. The Kohelet Fellowships Mentor program pairs a volunteer adult with a husband and wife team wishing to learn about their Judaic background. I thought this program would be similar to the other program. It is not. I feel it is even more effective as you are helping 2 people at one time.

In any case, the Kohelet Fellowships Mentor program has been a resounding success and is now planning to significantly expand their program. This program requires that individuals learn with a husband-wife team once a week for approximately 8 weeks in the Fall and 8 weeks in the Spring. The Kohelet Fellowships Mentor program provides you with user-friendly training materials prior to the session. If this sounds like something, you would like to get involved with, feel free to drop an e-mail to htzall@partnersintorah.org or to myself.

IWB, I Loathe You!

Michael Lotta was in a foul mood… again. Why did the school have to buy those stupid Clever Boards? Quite frankly it robbed him of blackboard space and a place to hang his coat. If that wasn’t enough, a school wide memo required all High School Math teachers to attend a Clever Board Nuts and Bolts workshop. Michael thought, “I bet this is Perkinson’s fault.” How he detested the new AP. “The nerve of him! He thinks because he went to the Harvard Leadership Program that he is ready to be an AP. How long did he teach in the classroom? 2 months? What a disgrace!”

The Clever Board instructor started by showing the participants how to use the interactive markers and having them sign their name on the Clever Board. The instructor then showed them how to align the board using the Clever Board Tools. For the next hour the instructor showed them how to integrate the Clever Board clip art into their documents. Bill Perkinson the AP was attending the session and thought it was going rather well.

Suddenly, Michael blurted, “What does this have to do with teaching math?” The Clever Board instructor said, “Let me show this really fun shape game we can play. On one side of the screen are the shapes and on the other side of the screen are the names of the objects. The objective of this activity is to drag the correct word on to the shape.”

Michael yelled, “What am I five years old? High School Math! We want High School Math!” The Clever Board instructor started to stammer. Clearly, he was not prepared for this turn of events. The Clever Board instructor attempted to find Math Activities only to be shot down again. Michael said, “Multiplication? You’re kidding me right.” The Clever Board instructor then said that he would install the Clever Board Geometry Pack and asked the participants to take a 15-minute break.

About 15 minutes later, the installation was completed. The Clever Board instructor rebooted the machine and notice the display on the Clever Board mutated into the shape of a diamond. Michael blurted, “Hey that looks like a parallelogram.” The instructor attempted to adjust the screen. “Now it looks like a rhombus. What’s next? A quadrilateral?” After another 15 minutes of tinkering, the instructor proceeded to launch the Clever Board Geometry pack. Unfortunately this caused the machine to display the following message;

WARNING- YOUR SYSTEM HAS A FATAL ERROR DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF CORRUPT SOFTWARE. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR IMMEDIATELY.

Michael Lotta could not be happier and said, “I give this instructor an Unsatisfactory.” The other High School teachers started grumbling as well and joined in the festivities.

Bill Perkinson was beside himself. He understood that this Clever Board workshop really stunk, and would reinforce Michael’s biases. It would also probably sour the other Math teachers to this kind of technology.

15 Additional Practices for Bad Professional Development in Technology

1. There is no need to start your workshop on time.

2. Workshops are an ideal time for a presenter to catch up with their e-mails and phone calls.

3. Start out your presentation slowly and then speed it up to mess with their heads.

4. Make sure your PowerPoint handouts do not match what they see on the screen because it is really funny to watch participants scratch their head and struggle.

5. Three-hour workshops do not require breaks.

6. If a participant cannot log on to the computer, ignore them.

7. Tonight I’m going to teach technology like its 1999!

8. Do not provide laptops or computers for the participants to work with.

9. Reading from a PowerPoint is the essence of good Professional Development.

10. Malware!! Schmalware!!

11. Manuals do not need directions. Screenshots without explanations are sufficient.

12. If the user's application is not working; its all good. Just tell them to look at what you are doing on the screen or look at their neighbor’s screen.

13. Speaking of screens, use the smallest font possible because its fun to watch participants squint.

14. If the application fails while are you presenting; blame the programmer who made the application. Never accept responsibility for your actions!

15. If a user insists on asking for help. Give them a blow-off answer like, "You should really ask your IT person for help."

Coming Soon: 1 Instructor + 1 Smart Board+ (X Irate Math Teachers)= Professional Development from Hell

Ancient Memories Long Forgotten- Mother’s Day Edition

Sometime during the early 1980's my Mom surprised me in a rather interesting way for one of my birthdays. To be truthful, this event happened so long ago that I am not sure which birthday it was and I do not remember what my mom gave me. Having said that, I do recall waking up on December 23rd and noticing that there was a box near my bed addressed to me wishing me a Happy Birthday.

During the late 1970’s, my brother and I cleaned the house thoroughly. As a reward, my mom gave us a stack of comic books. Naturally, I do not remember what comic titles were included in the stack. However, I remember we were both very excited and had a great weekend reading comic books. I also saw that my Mom immensely enjoyed our interest in reading the comics.

For my 16th birthday, my Mom held a surprise party for me and purchased a CD player. This might not sound significant. However, it was the 1980’s and at the time, CD Players cost on average between 200-300 dollars. More importantly, I recall that my uncle was a part of the elaborate rouse in which I exited the house so that Mom could prepare the surprise party.

Needless to say, there are many other stories that share the same motif. As I reflect on these anecdotes, I fondly recall that my Mom took great joy in surprising us. In one video clip she proudly proclaimed, "See, I know what my kids like."

Unfortunately, there will be no more surprises from her as she passed on in 1990. However, reflecting on these long forgotten memories helps me understand why I too take pleasure in surprising my kids and wife. As I reminisce these events certain parallels have become evident. I also take a special pride in knowing what motivates my kids and wife. I also love to surprise my siblings. Unbeknownst to me I probably learned this through my mother’s example. With this, Happy Mother’s Day Mom! Happy Mother’s Day Este! And Happy Mother’s Day to all!!

12 Seconds

12 Seconds. That’s all it took. Conner and Disquizo smashed through the 3^rd floor window using a motorcycle. Of course this was no ordinary motorcycle. Street Smasher and Night Shift used a glider and swooped in shadowing the motorcycle entourage. Night Shift disarmed 5 of the assailants with a kung fu move and a half dozen ninja stars. Conner smacked two of the barons with the motorcycle; not a pretty sight. Meanwhile, Disquizo jumped on one of them and Street Smasher knocked out the 2 others.

All in all it was a shocking yet dazzling sight. In a matter of 12 seconds this gang of vigilantes broke up a robbery. In another 12 seconds they disappeared. Not a trace. It was as if they never existed. Clearly, their method of attack was concise and deliberate. Everyone was relieved by the heroics. Nevertheless, who were these hoodlums? Why did they call themselves the Assassinators?

The press did not know what to make of the either. According to some media outlets they apprehended several hundred criminals in one short year. However, their methods were non-typical and at times controversial. Where they the devil or saints doing the work of the lord? No one knows for sure. However, I bet you bystanders in that bank were thankful for their presence.

The 10 Zens of Technology Planning

Your principal has drafted you to create a school based technology plan. You are both enthused and scared at this prospect. Where do I start? Do we get iPods for all the students? Perhaps we should purchase netbooks. I hear they are really cheap. Then again… I hear they are kind of flimsy and the keyboard is too small. Wait a minute… How are we paying for this?

With this in mind, I share with you “The 10 Zens of Technology Planning”

1. Establish a committee with stakeholders of varying interests- Make sure to include a Special Education teacher, ELL teacher, Math teacher, Science teacher, an administrator, as well as staff members from other subjects and interests.

2. Conduct a Hardware and Instructional Needs Inventory- The Hardware Inventory should catalog the age, functionality, and condition of the technology equipment. The Instructional Needs Inventory will help the school determine what instructional focus the computer hardware will be used for.

3. Developing a Long Term Plan- Ask your committee the following; “In 5 years what 3 technological milestones do we wish to achieve?”

4. Developing a Short Term Goal- Ask your committee the following; “In 5 months what one goal do we wish to accomplish?”

5. Develop Activities to Achieve the Short Term Goal- Once the committee agrees on a short term goal, it becomes important to create a mini timeline of what activities must be carried out to fulfill the short term goal.

6. Grants- Grants are often a major funding source to help schools acquire and update technology with in a school. With this in mind, schools should aggressively seek grant opportunities. This includes funds available from local politicians, private foundations, donations, and public grants. In many cases, simply writing a letter and making a few phone calls can help a school net a grant or donation. For example, a company purchases new computers and may wish to donate their old computers as it helps them avoid potential recycling costs and can be used as a tax write off. Similarly, a local politician is running for reelection and might have funds to help a local school. Likewise, a philanthropist creates a grant opportunity offering free computers to promote his/her cause. In each of these scenarios the school that proactively seeks these opportunities is far more likely to benefit from one or all of these opportunities.

7. Repair and Repurpose Technology- All too often schools are ready to throw out equipment that appears to be older. This is a shame as older computers can often be nursed back to health by re-imaging the machine. Additionally, older machines can be used as dedicated writing and research centers where as newer machines could handle photo and video editing applications which tend to be more taxing. If a machine is beyond repair, cannibalize it and use it for spare parts. Not only is it environmentally sound, it also teaches students a valuable lesson about computer repair.

8. Be Wary of Purchasing the Newest Technology Toy- New products typically are ridden with hardware problems, have a limited number of applications, and are cost prohibitive. For example, in 2007 the iPhone cost 500 dollars, was buggy, and had very limited features. Three years and several upgrades later the same device costs only 100 dollars and has approximately 200,000 applications that can be used. One may also recall that a number of school systems purchased the 1^st generation tablet based laptops, which proved to be costly, underpowered, and buggy.

9. Research Software Solutions- As we all know there is no shortage of vendors trying to sell their wares. The best way to determine the effectiveness of a program is to test the software. Fortunately, acquiring trial versions of the software is fairly easy to do as reputable companies will usually offer white papers documenting the effectiveness of their product and will offer a 3o day trial version of their software.

10. Avoid Drive By Professional Development- All too often; schools will conduct one-session of professional development. This is a recipe for failure, as multiple sessions are needed to see a cohesive improvement. Additionally, follow up workshops are critical. It is also important to offer a menu of workshops as adults learning how to use technology have very different needs

Stop and Listen to the Children

Anecdote 1- Several days ago, I hosted the 3rd day of our High School Macintosh Certification Program. Students from East NY, Brownsville, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, and the Rockaways were in attendance. Throughout the day various conversations were taking place. Topics included the best web sites for student research, running batch installations, software tools for cloning computers, and other topics. At one point of the day, several students asked me for a copy of the troubleshooting guide dispersed at the last session.

Anecdote 2- I have a nightly ritual during which I ask my son what he did during the school day. Last Thursday night was a bit different. My son stated, “Daddy I think you should ask me what I did in school today.” Naturally, I asked the question. He responded that he watched a video that discussed Earth Day. I then asked him, “Who is the president of the United States?” He told me that it was Abraham Lincoln and told me Abraham Lincoln built the first transcontinental railroad. I asked him, “So who is Obama?” He said, “Barack Obama he is also the president. He is a nice guy.”

Anecdote 3- Several days ago, I was watching my son play with toys at a playgroup. I noted to my wife, isn’t it interesting that he is choosing to play with the toy refrigerator and stack it with play food.

Anecdote 4- My son has been playing Timez Attack (software that helps children learn multiplication) for the past few months. He also frequently visits the Big Brainz web site to investigate if the company is releasing any new software. Naturally, he became very excited when he discovered that the web site was promoting a new screen entitled “Ruins”. However, there was no download available to update the software. With this in mind, I had a brief discussion with him during which I suggested that he write an e-mail to the company asking how to download the new screen. Needless to say, he was very excited and could not wait to compose the e-mail.

What does it all mean? These four anecdotes are very different, yet they are the same. All of the stories describe brief interactions with children. More importantly, each of these stories represents a chance to learn what motivates your child or student. In the second story my son discussed in great detail about Lincoln’s contribution to the railroad system. This turn of events is motivated by my son’s interest in trains. Similarly, my other son’s choice of toys speaks to what motivates him. Likewise, the conversations that took place with the High School students provided a glimpse of what motivates our youthful teenagers.

Finally, my son’s experience with Timez Attack shows how important it is that we listen to our children with an open mind. To be more specific, at first I did not understand what my son was referring to. Subsequently, I asked him to show me “the new feature” he was mentioning. He then logged on to his computer and showed me the “Ruins” screen. It then occurred to me that I could have him write an e-mail asking the company about the new feature. With this in mind, as parents and educators it behooves us to capitalize on their interests and use it as a springboard to motivate them too learn. So… Stop and listen to the children.

School Wars!

In a world so far yet so close, a battle lurks with in, rocking the very core of our community. We always suspected something strange was transpiring at Burrhus Frederic Skinner High School. Horrible teachers roam the halls and somehow superb test grades persist. Millions of dollars are poured into this school yet the school foundation continues to crumble. Leaky faucets, crumbling walls, and trash 80’s are hallmarks of the school culture. Without cause students are mysteriously transferred to juvenile delinquent programs and out of state schools all in the name of propping up graduation rates!

Where are the wireless classrooms? Where are the advanced placement courses? Where is the student government? Why are we still using World Book Encyclopedias in the year 2010? The football field looks like a morgue. The basketball court… What basketball court? Nevertheless, like herds of sheep parents keep sending their students to this beleaguered school. After all… What other school services over 5,000 students? What other school can proudly claim that no act of student on student violence has occurred on school property in over 5 years? Principal Wallstone attributes her success to her policy of the iron fist. For over 30 years she has micromanaged every aspect of the school and the results speak for themselves. However, critics have deemed her methods cruel and controversial. A goon squad known as the “Skinner Reinforcements” squash the dissenters via verbal intimidation and other unscrupulous means.

However, there is hope. A group of savvy parents are using the Internet and other resources to review classified records. They want to know what the designated earmarks are being spent on. It seems that some incidents are not being reported. Parents are yearning for change and their children are demanding a school program that makes sense.

In the meantime, the old guard is up to its tricks. From falsifying reports to faux publicity events, they don’t miss a beat. The principal has also dispatched the use of spies to stop the infiltrators. Spies sit on the school board, Civic Community Groups, and lobby city hall making sure the status quo is never questioned. Infiltrators mysteriously disappear courtesy of the “Skinner Reinforcements”. Enter the world of School Wars! Everything you thought to be sacred is not and that may not be a bad thing.

Death by Math

By Jacob Gutnicki

The comic cartel was in full force. Briefcases in hand, the swap took place. Outside the classroom a group of students were flicking cards against the wall. Elsewhere, another group of students played with their PSP’s. In one back corner of the classroom, the daily arm wrestle competition was on. Students in the middle rows were texting while other students were tweeting.

As always the lookout force was on the job. “Dudes, math teacher approaching; hide all electronics.” The students quickly hid their electronic and gaming paraphernalia and scuttled to their assigned seats. Michael Lotta the math teacher was approaching the door. Armed with his thermos of mocha latte the math king was ready to pronounce his order of the day. “Janice, write these questions on the blackboard. Class you have 10 minutes to answer these questions. Justin, your lucky I didn’t see you daydreaming. Jennifer I am confiscating your cell phone and Dennis hand over that Ring Ding.”

After the students posted their work on the blackboard, Mr. Lotta started his lesson on truth tables. Mr. Lotta started by saying; “We will now define the logical operators which we mentioned in our last class, using truth tables. Let us proceed with caution; most of the operators have names, which we may be accustomed to using in ways that are fuzzy or even contradictory to their proper definitions. In all cases, use the truth table for an operator as its exact and only definition; try not to bring to logic the baggage of your colloquial use of the English language.”

Justin was fast asleep. Jennifer was cracking her knuckles to stay awake. The comic cartel was reading their comic books under the table. Some of the more brazen members strategically placed their comic books in the math book. The arm wrestling group resorted to finger wrestling while the gamers, texters, and tweeters struggled to stay awake.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lotta continued to lecture and said, “The first logical operator which we will discuss is the "AND", or conjunction operator. For the computer scientist, it is perhaps the most useful logical operator we will discuss. It is a "binary" operator; a binary operator is defined as an operator that takes two operands.”

Thump!!! Out of sheer boredom, Dennis fell out of his seat. A cackling laugh ensued the classroom. The loud noise startled Justin, woke him from his slumber, and caused him to bump his head against the table. A chorus of laughter broke out. Mr. Lotta banged his thermos of Mocha Latte and angrily exclaimed, “ Justin and Dennis; a 55 for today’s work. Dennis said, “For what?” Mr. Lotta said, “For making noise.” “I didn’t make noise”, proclaimed Dennis. “Now you are”, laughed Mr. Lotta. Mr. Lotta proceeded to continue his lecture and stated, “p AND q is traditionally represented using the and symbol. We will represent it using the ampersand since that is the symbol most commonly used on computers to represent a logical AND.”

Brinnngggg!!! Saved by the bell. No one really understood what Mr. Lotta was talking about. We were just glad the agony was over; for now.