The Flash Point, Chapter 10

FROM THE PRIVATE BLOG OF JACK BRITTEL

ENTRY, December 31, 2010

It was a beautiful December morning. I was looking forward to tonight’s festivities. Carena and I had special plans for New Year’s Eve.

Suddenly, the cloaked lady appeared from the corner of my eye. Naturally, I proceeded to run after her. Her running speed was incredible. Every time I ran quicker, her speed seemed to increase. I was determined to not let her evade me. As the chase progressed, the view became increasingly foggy. At a certain point, the air became very thick. The air felt so thick it felt as if I was pushing through a barricade.

With this in mind, I pushed with all of my might until I pushed through this barricade and appeared… somewhere else. Yes, somewhere else. This did not look my park. The trees, the people, and other surroundings looked different. Yet somehow, it all looked very familiar. Still… the whole experience was very confusing leaving me dizzy. I continued to walk trying to make sense of where I was and where the cloaked lady went; until… I bumped into a tree.

Bazooka Joe and the Showdown at the Seder

Nova Locks was back in town. He recently busted out of jail and assembled a motley crew of cretins, vermin, and other troublemakers. This included Joe Camel, Lenny Crabs, and the Hog. In a matter of three weeks they wreaked havoc as never seen before.

Local authorities deemed them parasites and made it illegal to conduct business with Nova or any of his associates. However, this did little good. Nova was a slippery fellow who managed to slide into all kinds of situations. Bazooka Joe was working overtime to apprehend these assailants. Slowly but surely he captured Nova’s associates and took them off the street. However, Nova kept giving Bazooka the slip.

A few days later, Bazooka was hot on Nova’s track. He swung his nun chuck tzitzis towards Nova’s path. Nova grabbed the nun chuck cracked it in half. Bazooka then threw one of his famous bubble gum balls at Nova. This only got Nova angry. Nova said, “You better watch your back, because I’m coming to get you.” Bazooka could only imagine what Nova had in mind.

A few days later, Bazooka was participating in his family’s seder. They were getting ready to eat the marror when suddenly Nova appeared. A fight broke out during which Bazooka fashioned a charoses gumball and proceeded to bounce it on Nova’s head. Nova did not take to this kindly and began to pummel Bazooka. Bazooka grabbed a shank bone to defend himself. However, his efforts were not successful. Suddenly, a giant Matzo Ball hit Nova. Nova tried to remove the Matzo Ball. However, before he could fully remove it, a swarm of matzo balls thwarted his efforts. Till this day, no one knows where the mysterious matzo balls came from. Perhaps it is another Passover miracle.

The Flash Point, Chapter 9

FROM THE PRIVATE BLOG OF JACK BRITTEL

ENTRY, December 30, 2010

Once again, I find myself jogging in the park wondering about the incident. Was it a dream? Was it real?

The Flash Point, Chapter 8

FROM THE PRIVATE BLOG OF JACK BRITTEL

ENTRY, December 29, 2010

For the past week I have been replaying the running incident from last week in my head. Was it all a dream or did it really happen? Was it a case of mistaken identity? For a brief second I caught a glimpse of the mystery woman the face looked very familiar. Could it be? No, no, no. It can’t be. She died a long time ago.

Nevertheless, mistaken identity or not, who was that? Clearly, she was not one of the locals. Where did she disappear? I have never seen anyone run so quickly and no less vanish into thin air. This is the stuff that makes for a good science fiction story. And here I am still trying to absorb just exactly happened. Truth be told, I am not even sure how you describe it.

The worst part about this I can never talk to anyone about this. They would think I lost my mind. And so with this I keep running at the local park hoping for another chance encounter. Unfortunately, I have had no such luck. I have asked my fellow joggers if they recall seeing a person jogging in a cloak. No one seems to recall seeing such a person. It figures. I finally have one hell of a story and no one saw it.

Maybe it is all in my mind. Oh man I probably need a vacation if this is the case. All right Jack, you need to get a hold of yourself. What would your wife think if she heard such a bizarre story? Or your colleagues? Oh reckon the day if that were to happen.

The Flash Point, Steady, Ready, Rock and Roll, Chapter 3.1

The executives at WROK are at it again. WROK ratings took another nosedive. Naturally, the executives were concerned and planned yet another reformatting. Once again, Dan from marketing said, “Maybe its time we drop the rock oldies format and move to something more contemporary like Dance, Hip Hop, or Pop.” Roger the local VP strongly disagreed as he felt the market already had too many of those stations. He was also concerned that the change in format would only serve to confuse listeners.

“Why don’t we try a genre of the week approach”, said Dan. “What does that mean”, said Frank. Dan said, “It means we stick to the rock oldies format but have a theme of the week within the genre. For example, we can have Beatles Week, Motown Week, Doo-Wop Week, San-Francisco Week, Woodstock Week, Metal Week, and so on.” Frank said, “Hmm… It just might work. Let’s do it. Roger are you good with this?” Roger agreed and hoped that this latest attempt would help boost the ratings.

A Parents' Search for Inspiration to Reach Children with Autism

By Jacob Gutnicki

First Inspiration – First Child

As parents of 2 autistic children, my wife and I have set a few goals for our children. One goal is to assure that they both read proficiently. In trying to achieve this goal, it is incumbent upon us to have our children get excited about reading. With this in mind, we have used a number of methodologies, tactics, and materials to achieve this valiant goal.

In the beginning, we tried teaching our older son his letters. We used picture books that display the word along with pictures and have words sequenced in alphabetical order. It is believed that the picture to word association will strengthen their concepts of letters and words. We also used a variety of phonics-based software, which mimic this approach. Additionally, we employed the use of Leapfrog Books, which allowed him to touch the objects and/or words and hear the words read to him. These combined approaches were yielding limited successes. Naturally, we were eager to crack the code and figure out how to help our older son become more communicative.

One day, I was sitting with my son at the computer. He was introducing me to Thomas and his friends. You know, Gordon, Edward, Percy, Henry, Toby, Mavis, and so on. I started thinking about this little incident and said to myself, “How can he differentiate the subtle differences between Gordon, Thomas, and Edward. After all, these 3 engines are blue and are the same length.” In fact, the only unique differences between these characters were the expressions on their faceplate.

As I thought about this incident further, I realized 2 things.

1- If he could distinguish the subtle differences between Thomas, Gordon, and Edward, he was certainly capable of noting the different features in the ABC.

2- In teaching him the ABC or other content area, it will be extremely important that the medium used are high interest materials.

Epilogue… Approximately, 4 years have passed since the “Thomas incident.” Since this time, our son has mastered his ABC’s, reads books, writes sentences, and is extremely verbal. Through it all, the computer along with engaging applications and web sites has motivated him to read and write. When he installs software, he will attempt to read the directions and ask for help when he gets stuck. He has watched numerous video tutorials to learn how to use programs like Garage Band, iMovie, and other applications. When our son watches a video featuring Sponge Bob or other popular characters he will pause the program and attempt to read the signs being displayed. He will also ask me what keyboard shortcuts I employ to eject CDs or close programs. In short, through the use of technology, being literate has become relevant in his life. After all, you cannot find your favorite train model unless you know how to spell Santa Fe El Capitan.

As his educational journey continues, my wife and I reminisce about this and other early learning moments as it reminds us to not underestimate the importance of finding materials that get him excited about learning. This is why when he tells us about a software program he is using in his school; we always keep an open mind. After all, if Thomas the Tank Engine can teach our son his ABC’s, anything is possible.

First Inspiration – Second Child

Our second child is beginning his journey. Currently, his use of words has vastly improved over the past few months. However, he has many miles to go. With this in mind, we were hoping that lightning would strike twice and that he would also become more literate through technology. Over the past year, I have made various attempts to engage him through the use of technology. For the most part it has been a dismal failure. About two months ago, we started using the Wii with him. This seems to have caught his attention. Our little one often says, “bowling, bowling, bowling.” A few weeks later, I installed a touch screen on his computer hoping that would get him excited. At first, this tactic had limited success. My little one would play with the computer for 15 minutes and would then walk away to do something else. Naturally, I tried putting him on the computer a few more times and achieved similar results.

Then on the morning of February 7^th, everything changed. He said, “computer, computer, computer, I want computer.” We rush down to the basement and my older boy started teaching the little one how to use Kid Pix.

Seven days later... The little one continues to ask for the computer. He loves to use his fingers and draw pictures on the touch screen. Occasionally, with a smirk on his face he will lift the mouse and press it against the touch screen. He has also begun to ask for Thomas and Elmo. More importantly, he watches their escapades with great interest, identifies objects they are teaching about, and laughs when the characters do something silly. In the end, the smile on the little one says it all. So… the journey begins again as little digital boy begins to enter the world of technology.

Resources to try with your children

Want to try Thomas the Tank Engine activities with your children? Visit the following web site;
Build an Engine- This activity is a great way to introduce your children to puzzles and basic problem solving in mathematics. When you visit this website you will notice a number of other activities. Many of them are fun, educational, and will certainly delight young children.

Want to spend the day with Thomas? Visit the following web site;
Day Out with Thomas - If your child loves Thomas this will no doubt delight your child. In short, Thomas and crew take over a train station for the weekend and the family has an opportunity to ride Thomas the Tank Engine. There are many other activities at these events and your child will have a great time.

Elmo is so Happy to See You; An Exploration of Literacy in the Toddler World

by Jacob Gutnicki

Lala Lala. Lala Lala. Elmo’s World. Lala Lala. Lala Lala. Elmo’s World. Elmo loves his goldfish, his crayons too. That’s Elmo’s World!

Hi! This is Elmo’s World. Elmo is so happy to see you…

For parents with young ones this dialogue is very familiar. Many parents might find his high-pitched voice grating. However, you have to admit, the kids love it. In fact Elmo’s World is so well received it practically saved the Sesame Street franchise from extinction. Subsequently, every Sesame Street episode airs a minimum of 18 minutes of Elmo content. Elmo also appears in a number of additional skits throughout the hour-long program. With this in mind, why do our children relate to Elmo so well? Is it his fur? Is it his singing? Is it Mr. Noodle’s silly antics?

More importantly, is Elmo good for your child? Fortunately, Elmo’s World is based on tons of research. The show always starts with his song and salutations. Elmo then introduces the topic that will be discussed and shows a quick video montage of the concept. He then proceeds to ask Mr. Noodles or one of the Noodle siblings for assistance followed by asking children to elaborate on the concept. The topic idea is then reinforced through cartoon shorts and other types of media. Young kids love the Elmo’s singing and use of exaggeration to demonstrate a point. They also love the fact that the show is routine oriented, which makes it easier for learning to take place.

So… can Elmo really help my child? I think this largely depends on your child’s learning style. After all, literacy is a funny thing. Some children are born, start speaking, and never stop. Some children are slightly delayed and some children are well… developmentally delayed. Many of us wonder why does one child start copying the words around him/her and the other one does not? Many educators, psychologists, neurologists, and other so-called experts have postulated a number of causes for this calamity. And so it is. We diagnose the child and try to rule out the more severe problems such as hearing, severe neurological disorders, and so on.

While the diagnostic is an important starting point, it is in fact… just a starting point. Ultimately we must inspire children to get excited about language. How does that work? In short, the text must have meaning; the text must matter. In the great tradition of Froebel and Montessori Elmo’s use of visuals and cute songs can help bring meaning to words, concepts, and language. Like all media materials, it is important that the parent/educator takes the time to review the materials, watch how their child responds to the stimulus, and conduct the follow up activities at a later time.

For example, if a parent were using the potty segment, he/she might want to discuss that word and associated words prior to the video viewing. After the video viewing, the parent might want to ask some related questions, take the child to the potty, or read a book related to the subject matter. The same holds true with Dora the Explorer. Dora’s show is also research based, teaches problem solving, is great for ELL students, follows a sequential pattern, and takes many opportunities to reinforce the lesson of the day. However, in the end the parent/educator/caregiver has to determine if this program helps bring meaning to the text and must conduct the appropriate pre and follow up activities. Luckily Elmo’s web site has loads of resources. The following is a list;

Elmo Brushes His Teeth

100^th Day of School (free e-book)

Parent Tips for Potty Training

Healthy Eating

I hope this has been helpful and now its time to sing Elmo’s song.

The Evolution of Teaching Science

by Jacob Gutnicki

When you were in middle school what was your least favorite subject? Was it Math, ELA, Science, Social Studies, Art, or was it something else? I have often posed this question to college students enrolled in a teacher preparation program. Invariably, the top 2 answers are always Math and Science. Even more telling, Science always wins the “unpopularity contest” by a landslide.

I proceed to continue my line of questioning and ask them why they feel this way. The answers vary but the consensus is that they do not see the point of science. Simply put, it is not relevant to their lives. I then follow up by asking, “What is the purpose of science?” This question usually gets all kinds of responses like to learn about life, machines, chemicals, weather, and other big scientific words. I then respond, “The purpose of science is to learn how things work.”

This in short is the problem with the current approach used to teach science. Much time is spent doling out vocabulary words that do not help the student understand science content. In fact, the use of acronyms and scientific words succeeds in only confusing students more. Many educational experts have stressed the importance of using hands on materials and have advocated for the purchase of Science labs. Unfortunately, the high cost of science materials has been a major obstacle in assuring the meaningful teaching of science. Additionally, many science teachers do not have the pedagogic background to teach science in a way that is meaningful. It is no wonder that many college students avoid majoring in Science programs as science is viewed as bad medicine. Subsequently, only 29% of United States middle school students are considered proficient or above proficiency in the area of Science on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam. Even more disturbing, Middle School students have shown no progress since the last NAEP exam.

In an effort to address this educational crisis, our government and private foundations have devoted money to various grant programs including the Math Science Partnership Grants,National Science Foundation Grants, Toshiba America Foundation Grants, America Honda Foundation Grants, Motorola Innovation Grants, and various Science Scholarships. Thanks to the Math Science Partnership program, school districts across the USA have offered its teachers professional development in the area of Math, Science, as well as Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM). Similarly, other funding sources have given students the opportunity to use state of the art science equipment in a hands-on manner.

However, many of these grant programs have not fostered the paradigm shift needed to transform Science Education in a manner that will address the needs of the 21^st Century Student. This is because many of these grant programs are limited in their mandate as they simply require that pedagogues take college level courses in the area of science. However, the grant programs do not require direct instruction with students. In fact, student after school programs are discouraged. Additionally, the audit of these grant programs amount to simple bean counting. Another words, the external evaluators will count how many teachers took 30 hours of course work. However, they will not assess the effectiveness of the given course work.Subsequently, it is no surprise that the elementary cohort of schools showed only modest progress on the most recent NAEP Science Exam.

With this in mind, I propose the following;

1. Require the infusion of technology in all science courses. This is essential as technology gives students access to; virtual labs, science experts via video conferencing, USB Science probes, authentic science data with a computer, real-time computer based models, and other innovative science practices.

2. Require that every science lesson have a hands on component during which the student will perform the science concept, demonstrate the science concept, or create a presentation on the scientific idea in their own words.

3. Provide veteran and new science teachers with the requisite training and resources needed to teach science in a hands-on manner. This initiative would require professional development that is carefully designed to address the knowledge gap that many science teachers have. Similarly, pre-service programs must address the knowledge gap as well.

4. Future Science Grants should directly target the middle and secondary schools. This in turn will ensure that limited funds are directed towards the student population that desperately needs sound science education.

5. Hold vendors and Higher Education Institutes accountable for the services they provide. All too often we direct accountability measures towards the pedagogues but turn a blind eye to the content providers mentioned above. This in turn has resulted in sub-standard professional development services from content providers. With this in mind, professional development offerings given by vendors and colleges should be observed and evaluated. The results of the evaluation should then be made public via the What Works Clearing House web site.

Final Thought- Naturally, it goes without saying that these ideas only scratch the surface of this very complicated issue. However, it is clear that our current practices must change. In short, we must reverse the trend in which a shrinking number of students enroll in science-based programs during their post secondary years. In a quest to address this perplexing issue we must be prepared to invest properly and welcome educational change.