In the frequent debates about education, the long summer break that teachers have is often cited as evidence that they don't work as hard as other professionals. Teachers are, in general contracted for 180 days. Given 5 days a week, this amounts to 36 weeks. For the sake of generality, I will assume that other professionals typically get a total of 4 weeks of vacation. This leaves 12 weeks in excess of what most other professionals would expect. This extra 12 weeks is the reason that is often cited for paying teachers less. They can get a second job over the summer to augment their incomes. And, in fact, many teachers do.
When I lived in Alaska, I was surprised to find that there were many men teaching, even in the lower grades. Perhaps it is because they can find construction or tourism jobs in the summer fairly readily. Other summer jobs might include summer school or summer camp. With those latter two, the increase in income is not actually very large, and with jobs being scarce, the competition for summer positions is pretty high. So, while there may be potential for extra income, I wonder how many teachers are actually able to supplement their incomes with second jobs.
But the major concern I have about teacher time is how their time is allocated DURING the school day, when they are actually teaching. A typical school day might look like this: teacher is required to arrive 30 minutes before school starts (e.g., 8:00) Kids are allowed in the building 15 minutes before school begins, so teachers' jobs actually start then, as they are required to supervise. At 8:30, school officially starts. Teachers are on duty constantly unless their students have a "special" - music, PE, library, or counselor. Then comes lunch, which in the schools I was in was supervised by the teacher in the classroom, followed by recess - the supposedly "duty free" part of the day. Then come the afternoon classes, with dismissal at 3:00. Teachers are required to stay at least 30 minutes after the end of the school day. So, the official day is 7 1/2 hours, with 1/2 hour for lunch - very comparable to the official day when I worked for a brokerage: 9 to 5 with an hour for lunch.
There are a couple of problems with this time schedule, though. The actual supervision of children extends beyond the official times in MANY cases. Due to bus schedules, detentions and makeup work can often only be done during the teacher's "duty free" lunch time. And, the 30 minutes of planning time afforded by the "special" class is grossly inadequate for its purported task. If, in just ONE of the subjects/classes each day, the teacher gives an assignment that requires 1 minute to grade per student, a teacher with 25 students uses up virtually the entire planning time grading that one assignment. Given 5 or 6 subjects or classes and the teacher has to do the work "off the clock".
This completely ignores the actual purpose of planning time. It is true that with scripted lessons, ones where the teacher is told what to say and do for the whole lesson, there is less need for planning lessons. This is fine, until you decide you want teachers who actually use creativity and effort to plan interesting lessons. Or, say, you have 6 or 7 kids in the class who have IEPs and need individual plans. Or, maybe there are 3 or 4 gifted kids in the class who already know all of the material in the lessons. When is the teacher supposed to plan for them?
The problem is, there simply isn't enough time for the teacher to behave like a professional. Does your doctor spend all but 1 1/2 hours of the work day talking directly to patients? Does your lawyer spend that percentage of the work day talking directly to clients? In most cases, there is a lot of background work that goes into a professional's day - work, that does not include direct contact with their clients. We trust that the doctor has record-keeping, research, and administrative tasks to do, tasks which are in the service of their patients, but not done in their presence. The problem is, teachers need this, too.
You want to know why the teacher can't individualize the classes for the outlier kids - the ones who struggle and the ones who need harder work so that they can learn to struggle successfully - the teacher has no time.
A long time ago, I read a book about a school that was serious about supporting excellent teachers. The teachers taught kids for 1/2 of the school day and used the other half of the day for planning and grading. Teachers worked together in teams to develop creative lessons and often critiqued each other giving the same lesson to different classes, working to improve the questions asked, the procedures followed, the products developed. Personally, I would gladly give up the extra 12 weeks of summer to work in a school where teachers had adequate time to plan, develop and grade lessons.
And I haven't even begun discussing the use of technology. That for another time.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Death Notices
Someone mentioned the other day that, when someone dies, one of the first things we want to know is the cause of death, which some newspapers, for whatever reason, do not publish. I wonder why it is a matter of such curiosity to know what the cause of death was. It is almost as though we can say to ourselves, if the cause of death was X and it isn't likely that I will get X, then I don't have to think about dying right now. Sure, we all know that we will die, but personally, the best way I have of dealing with that is to not think about it.
RIP Liz Taylor, Diana Wynne Jones, Geraldine Ferraro.
RIP Liz Taylor, Diana Wynne Jones, Geraldine Ferraro.
Monday, March 29, 2010
First Day in Aus
The plane trip from LA was really good. Qantas, business class, is truly elegant. The first thing I noticed was the clamshell like seats. More about that later.
But I need to back track just a bit. Just as they were getting ready to start boarding, the woman at the desk mentioned that they were really strict about carry ons. Not only did they have to fit inside the metal frame with ease, they also had to weigh less than 15 pounds. Well, I was pretty sure mine did not. I have my laptop with me which, while wonderful, is pretty heavy. I also was carrying 4 books, the charger for the laptop, a tape player to listen to my chorus music, my iPod touch, a big container of almonds and all of my medicines and supplements, in original containers, which I had been told was the way to carry them in preparation for entry into foreign countries. Sure enough, my carry on weighed 22 pounds. So they told me I would have to check it. Since I was reluctant to be separated from my medicines, they gave me another bag to put them in, but in the process, I spilled half of the almonds all over the floor right in front of the entry to the boarding ramp. Sigh. And I forgot to remove my itinerary, so lots of other people had copies, but I didn't.
But then I got on the plane and discovered there was plenty of room in business class for my carry on. And, it surely didn't matter whether the weight was in the cabin or in the luggage area, so I don't really see the point. Luckily, my suitcase and my carry on were some of the earliest pieces off of the plane, so there was no harm done.
But, back to the airplane. On the seat were the usual pillow and blanket, but we also were soon handed a pair of pajamas and an overnight kit. And we were offered dinner. Since I had already eaten - it was, after all, nearly midnight, I only had a light snack, but the food looked pretty good - the lady next to me had salmon. And the stewards were great - Daniel 1 and Daniel 2. lol.
But the best part was the seat. I still don't understand the controls, but if you pushed the right buttons long enough, the seat could be set to be nearly flat. It wasn't a nice cushy mattress, but it was a heck of a lot better than trying to sleep sitting up. I actually got a decent night's sleep. I went to sleep at around 1:30 LA time, which was something like 5:30 pm Brisbane time (I could be off an hour or two, because I didn't switch my watch from Alaska time until they gave us Brisbane time). I only managed to sleep until about 2:30 am Brisbane time, but that is still a good long time. So adjusting today hasn't been hard at all.
Breakfast on the plane was pretty standard, but the servers were exceptionally considerate. I understand why people are willing to pay for first class and business class. You get treated like a human.
Going through customs was a snap. They weren't completely happy about the almonds, and I would have thrown them out if they had asked, but they didn't, so I didn't. Finding the correct bus to the B & B was a bit more difficult and I became aware, again, that my carry and suitcase together were pretty heavy. But, once the bus came, the driver drove me right to the B & B, Cream Gables.
Cream Gables is really lovely. I am in a suite apartment, with a bedroom, a sitting area, and my own bathroom. Since I got here in time for breakfast, I got to meet the other guests - Gail is from Toronto, and there are three women from Japan - one adult English teacher and two teenagers, who are learning English. We had a lovely breakfast, but I only had tea, since I had already eaten breakfast once at 4:30 am.
Cream Gables comes complete with Anne the proprietress, who is great at not only cooking breakfast, but also in making sure we all understand how to get around Brisbane. And Cream Gables comes complete with a cat.
So, after breakfast and map and bus lessons, which lasted until nearly noon, I was finally off. And I made my first mistake. Instead of buying a region 2 bus pass, I only got a region 1 pass - so I would have been restricted to just the downtown area. But my plan was to go into the city and get a camera, and then ride the CityCat for most of the rest of the afternoon. Once I got into the city, though, I was ready for lunch, so I stopped at a food court. Not the best food in the world, but it was OK. And I did find a camera store and I got the camera I wanted to get back in Fairbanks - the black version, not red. So far, it seems pretty good, but I have been too busy to really do much with it yet.
I walked around downtown a bit, but I really wasn't quite ready to go shopping, so I decided that taking the CityCats up and down the river would be just the right amount of interest, with not too great of expenditure of energy - I wasn't sure how long I would last with the time zone change. The CityCats are catamarans that ply the waters of the river - similar to buses, only on the water instead. And now, I needed that region 2 pass. Had I purchased it earlier, when I first took the bus into the downtown area, that fare would have been good for the whole day, but since I had mistakenly only purchased a region 1 fare, I had to buy another ticket. But it was worth it. I spent the rest of the afternoon riding up and down the river. The day, which started out rainy, turned out to be nice, so there was no problem with the weather.
And, in addition to the native Brisbanites, there were quite a few tourists, so I could ask weird questions, without seeming too odd: why is it called the Story Bridge? Where was the original prison located? Unfortunately, though, I didn't find anyone with answers. Guess I will have to look in the guide book. I talked with a German family for quite a while (got to practice my German a bit) and a Russian woman (English), eavesdropped on some French people (understood only enough to know it was French), and heard several other languages I didn't know.
But, by 5:00, I was tired, so I decided to head back. It took me a while to figure out where to get the bus. Monday isn't an especially good day for eating out here, so I picked up dinner from the grocery story next door (interestingly, an IGA).
Called Arnold and Gail Wisseman. I will see them Wednesday morning for a drive out to the Gold Coast. Should be fun. Tomorrow, I may try to go out to Moreton Island. Need to make reservations now.
Pictures to follow, if I manage to figure out how to upload. Still working on trying to figure out the cell phone. 0410 941 076.
But I need to back track just a bit. Just as they were getting ready to start boarding, the woman at the desk mentioned that they were really strict about carry ons. Not only did they have to fit inside the metal frame with ease, they also had to weigh less than 15 pounds. Well, I was pretty sure mine did not. I have my laptop with me which, while wonderful, is pretty heavy. I also was carrying 4 books, the charger for the laptop, a tape player to listen to my chorus music, my iPod touch, a big container of almonds and all of my medicines and supplements, in original containers, which I had been told was the way to carry them in preparation for entry into foreign countries. Sure enough, my carry on weighed 22 pounds. So they told me I would have to check it. Since I was reluctant to be separated from my medicines, they gave me another bag to put them in, but in the process, I spilled half of the almonds all over the floor right in front of the entry to the boarding ramp. Sigh. And I forgot to remove my itinerary, so lots of other people had copies, but I didn't.
But then I got on the plane and discovered there was plenty of room in business class for my carry on. And, it surely didn't matter whether the weight was in the cabin or in the luggage area, so I don't really see the point. Luckily, my suitcase and my carry on were some of the earliest pieces off of the plane, so there was no harm done.
But, back to the airplane. On the seat were the usual pillow and blanket, but we also were soon handed a pair of pajamas and an overnight kit. And we were offered dinner. Since I had already eaten - it was, after all, nearly midnight, I only had a light snack, but the food looked pretty good - the lady next to me had salmon. And the stewards were great - Daniel 1 and Daniel 2. lol.
But the best part was the seat. I still don't understand the controls, but if you pushed the right buttons long enough, the seat could be set to be nearly flat. It wasn't a nice cushy mattress, but it was a heck of a lot better than trying to sleep sitting up. I actually got a decent night's sleep. I went to sleep at around 1:30 LA time, which was something like 5:30 pm Brisbane time (I could be off an hour or two, because I didn't switch my watch from Alaska time until they gave us Brisbane time). I only managed to sleep until about 2:30 am Brisbane time, but that is still a good long time. So adjusting today hasn't been hard at all.
Breakfast on the plane was pretty standard, but the servers were exceptionally considerate. I understand why people are willing to pay for first class and business class. You get treated like a human.
Going through customs was a snap. They weren't completely happy about the almonds, and I would have thrown them out if they had asked, but they didn't, so I didn't. Finding the correct bus to the B & B was a bit more difficult and I became aware, again, that my carry and suitcase together were pretty heavy. But, once the bus came, the driver drove me right to the B & B, Cream Gables.
Cream Gables is really lovely. I am in a suite apartment, with a bedroom, a sitting area, and my own bathroom. Since I got here in time for breakfast, I got to meet the other guests - Gail is from Toronto, and there are three women from Japan - one adult English teacher and two teenagers, who are learning English. We had a lovely breakfast, but I only had tea, since I had already eaten breakfast once at 4:30 am.
Cream Gables comes complete with Anne the proprietress, who is great at not only cooking breakfast, but also in making sure we all understand how to get around Brisbane. And Cream Gables comes complete with a cat.
So, after breakfast and map and bus lessons, which lasted until nearly noon, I was finally off. And I made my first mistake. Instead of buying a region 2 bus pass, I only got a region 1 pass - so I would have been restricted to just the downtown area. But my plan was to go into the city and get a camera, and then ride the CityCat for most of the rest of the afternoon. Once I got into the city, though, I was ready for lunch, so I stopped at a food court. Not the best food in the world, but it was OK. And I did find a camera store and I got the camera I wanted to get back in Fairbanks - the black version, not red. So far, it seems pretty good, but I have been too busy to really do much with it yet.
I walked around downtown a bit, but I really wasn't quite ready to go shopping, so I decided that taking the CityCats up and down the river would be just the right amount of interest, with not too great of expenditure of energy - I wasn't sure how long I would last with the time zone change. The CityCats are catamarans that ply the waters of the river - similar to buses, only on the water instead. And now, I needed that region 2 pass. Had I purchased it earlier, when I first took the bus into the downtown area, that fare would have been good for the whole day, but since I had mistakenly only purchased a region 1 fare, I had to buy another ticket. But it was worth it. I spent the rest of the afternoon riding up and down the river. The day, which started out rainy, turned out to be nice, so there was no problem with the weather.
And, in addition to the native Brisbanites, there were quite a few tourists, so I could ask weird questions, without seeming too odd: why is it called the Story Bridge? Where was the original prison located? Unfortunately, though, I didn't find anyone with answers. Guess I will have to look in the guide book. I talked with a German family for quite a while (got to practice my German a bit) and a Russian woman (English), eavesdropped on some French people (understood only enough to know it was French), and heard several other languages I didn't know.
But, by 5:00, I was tired, so I decided to head back. It took me a while to figure out where to get the bus. Monday isn't an especially good day for eating out here, so I picked up dinner from the grocery story next door (interestingly, an IGA).
Called Arnold and Gail Wisseman. I will see them Wednesday morning for a drive out to the Gold Coast. Should be fun. Tomorrow, I may try to go out to Moreton Island. Need to make reservations now.
Pictures to follow, if I manage to figure out how to upload. Still working on trying to figure out the cell phone. 0410 941 076.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Second Leg
Hanging out in LA now. LA has got to be the one of the worst organized airports I have been in. I came in on Alaska Airlines and there was no information on how to get to Qantas. I had to ask multiple times - then went to the wrong place first. Flights to Sydney and Melbourne are in a different building from my flight to Brisbane. Ugh. Even the humongous Dallas-Fort Worth beats this.
I got through the beginning of the story about Fantine - up until she is in the hospital dying and Javert tells about finding "Jean Valjean". I hate the part about Fantine's teeth. Isn't it odd that that seems so much more disgusting than the prostitution. I don't really think it is, though - I just think I am insensitive to prostitution, because it is a common problem, one that I can't think about all the time or I would feel bad constantly. Selling teeth is a novel ugliness.
I get to fly business class on the next leg - LAX to BNE.
I got through the beginning of the story about Fantine - up until she is in the hospital dying and Javert tells about finding "Jean Valjean". I hate the part about Fantine's teeth. Isn't it odd that that seems so much more disgusting than the prostitution. I don't really think it is, though - I just think I am insensitive to prostitution, because it is a common problem, one that I can't think about all the time or I would feel bad constantly. Selling teeth is a novel ugliness.
I get to fly business class on the next leg - LAX to BNE.
Both?
I am in Seattle with oodles of time, so I am going to experiment with doing both the blog thing and Facebook.
Here is what I wrote on Facebook:
Packing. The cats are helping. They are making sure that everything is suitably covered in cat hair. It is still snowy here and chilly, although it has been above freezing. It is hard to wrap my mind around temperatures in the 70s and 80s. The problem is, it is beginning to be fall in Australia and it should be cooling off slightly. How cool? What if I don't bring the "right" clothes. I guess I could just buy new ones. I need new clothes, anyway. I am down nearly 80 pounds now and have given away some clothes already, but still have 2 more laundry baskets full to give away.
Camera. I wanted to buy a new pocket camera. My digital SLR is just too cumbersome and I have disliked the zoom lens ever since I bought it. It just doesn't zoom enough for my purposes. But a stronger zoom would be a) way too expensive and b) way too big and even more cumbersome. I hate to go off to Australia without a camera, but the only store with the camera I want doesn't have the exact version that I wanted. I was going to get a Canon Powershot SX200IS. I really want a good zooming capability. But the store only had the red version. Now, I know the color of the camera isn't really important, but I just don't like the reddish color. Ugh. What to do?
Off to get a hair cut. Still not really started on packing.
Tons of other stuff to do, too. I don't think I will get everything done. Sigh.
And now, an update:
I am in Seattle with oodles of time (4 hours), so I think I will write a bit.
On the plane down, I listened to Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. It is the April selection for our book group and I hadn't gotten very far with the reading, so I decided to buy the audio version and listen to it at odd moments on this trip.
When I was reading the book, I couldn't get the movie out of my mind and I couldn't get into the story about the bishop. It was interesting, but I didn't understand how it related to all of the characters I remember from the movie. But now that I am further into the book and getting to know how that plays into the background, I am in awe. This is a rambling tale to be sure, but the details are so evocative that I am getting more and more glad to just sit back and let them build up.
I just listened to the part where he declares that each person is like one or more animals in character. He is specifically talking about Javert, but, of course, I immediately speculate about what animal(s) I am like and what animals the people in my family are like. I would like to think that I am like some of my "talisman" animals: the tiger, the sea otter, the puffin. But I don't have the ferociousness of the tiger or the colorfulness of the puffin. And the sea otters seem to be more social than I am. It is funny that I can't pinpoint any of my own animal characteristics. Ah! Well! Let's see. Analytical, talkative, self-centered. Maybe I am a parrot.
Off to find some lunch.
Here is what I wrote on Facebook:
Packing. The cats are helping. They are making sure that everything is suitably covered in cat hair. It is still snowy here and chilly, although it has been above freezing. It is hard to wrap my mind around temperatures in the 70s and 80s. The problem is, it is beginning to be fall in Australia and it should be cooling off slightly. How cool? What if I don't bring the "right" clothes. I guess I could just buy new ones. I need new clothes, anyway. I am down nearly 80 pounds now and have given away some clothes already, but still have 2 more laundry baskets full to give away.
Camera. I wanted to buy a new pocket camera. My digital SLR is just too cumbersome and I have disliked the zoom lens ever since I bought it. It just doesn't zoom enough for my purposes. But a stronger zoom would be a) way too expensive and b) way too big and even more cumbersome. I hate to go off to Australia without a camera, but the only store with the camera I want doesn't have the exact version that I wanted. I was going to get a Canon Powershot SX200IS. I really want a good zooming capability. But the store only had the red version. Now, I know the color of the camera isn't really important, but I just don't like the reddish color. Ugh. What to do?
Off to get a hair cut. Still not really started on packing.
Tons of other stuff to do, too. I don't think I will get everything done. Sigh.
And now, an update:
I am in Seattle with oodles of time (4 hours), so I think I will write a bit.
On the plane down, I listened to Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. It is the April selection for our book group and I hadn't gotten very far with the reading, so I decided to buy the audio version and listen to it at odd moments on this trip.
When I was reading the book, I couldn't get the movie out of my mind and I couldn't get into the story about the bishop. It was interesting, but I didn't understand how it related to all of the characters I remember from the movie. But now that I am further into the book and getting to know how that plays into the background, I am in awe. This is a rambling tale to be sure, but the details are so evocative that I am getting more and more glad to just sit back and let them build up.
I just listened to the part where he declares that each person is like one or more animals in character. He is specifically talking about Javert, but, of course, I immediately speculate about what animal(s) I am like and what animals the people in my family are like. I would like to think that I am like some of my "talisman" animals: the tiger, the sea otter, the puffin. But I don't have the ferociousness of the tiger or the colorfulness of the puffin. And the sea otters seem to be more social than I am. It is funny that I can't pinpoint any of my own animal characteristics. Ah! Well! Let's see. Analytical, talkative, self-centered. Maybe I am a parrot.
Off to find some lunch.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
An American Classroom - for Shaun
Background (for anyone reading this who isn't Shaun): I am a substitute teacher and am interested in many different aspects of education. For these particular blog entries, I was interested in the physical configuration of a particular classroom in the United States. The classroom is a 6th grade classroom in Fairbanks, Alaska. In this school district, most of the 6th grades are housed in the elementary schools, along with the Kindergarten through 5th grades.
At the time that the following pictures were taken, the school was celebrating "Graph around the School" week. During this week, each class thought of something they could graph on a bulletin board. Then they posted questions for each of the grade levels pertaining to these graphs. Students circulate around the halls and answer the questions for their particular grade level.
So here it goes. First a few of the graphing pictures. Captions are under the pictures.
Fast Food Restaurant Decisions
The graph on the left shows foods preferred by the students. The graph in the center shows the time of day for maximum sales. The graph on the right shows preparation time (pizza is at the bottom).
Heart Rates: Relaxed vs. Accelerated
How Far Can You Ride a Bike in 5 Minutes?
Students rode bicycles for 5 minutes.
Number of Animals in Alaska
The students graphed the number of animals of particular species that are estimated to be present in Alaska. This was done in connection with an art project, so you also see the decorated animals (not realistically colored).
Awesome Airplanes
The students made standard style paper airplanes and graphed the distances the paper airplanes flew.
How Many Steps Do You Take?
The students wore pedometers for 24 hours and graphed how many steps they took in a day. They also did computations on how many steps they should take for better fitness.
At the time that the following pictures were taken, the school was celebrating "Graph around the School" week. During this week, each class thought of something they could graph on a bulletin board. Then they posted questions for each of the grade levels pertaining to these graphs. Students circulate around the halls and answer the questions for their particular grade level.
So here it goes. First a few of the graphing pictures. Captions are under the pictures.
Fast Food Restaurant Decisions
The graph on the left shows foods preferred by the students. The graph in the center shows the time of day for maximum sales. The graph on the right shows preparation time (pizza is at the bottom).
Heart Rates: Relaxed vs. Accelerated
How Far Can You Ride a Bike in 5 Minutes?
Students rode bicycles for 5 minutes.
Number of Animals in Alaska
The students graphed the number of animals of particular species that are estimated to be present in Alaska. This was done in connection with an art project, so you also see the decorated animals (not realistically colored).
Awesome Airplanes
The students made standard style paper airplanes and graphed the distances the paper airplanes flew.
How Many Steps Do You Take?
The students wore pedometers for 24 hours and graphed how many steps they took in a day. They also did computations on how many steps they should take for better fitness.
Countdown to Australia
I've still got a lot to do before the big trip, but I wanted to test out a few things before I leave. I have been trying to decide if I would blog the trip or just write notes on Facebook and I have decided to try out the blogging. If it is too cumbersome, I will just stick to notes on Facebook.
I leave for Australia early Saturday morning. Fairbanks, Seattle, Los Angeles, then Brisbane. I will lose a day in there somewhere, skipping over Sunday, I think.
A general outline of the trip:
Brisbane: 29 March - 1 April
Staying at B & B: Cream Gables in New Farm. Meeting with Gail Wissemann, if she is available. Getting used to time zone change. Possibly trip to Moreton Island, if I can figure out how to do it.
Sydney: 1 April - 5 April
Staying at Y Hotel Hyde Park. Meeting with Judith Ridge for dinner and WICKED! Harbor cruise, zoo, book store, botanical gardens.
Melbourne: 5 April - 9 April
Staying at Ibis Hotel, 15-22 Therry. RPG Convention with Shaun Hately; tram tour with Shaun - and geocaching.
Bus to visit Gunter and Sigrid Weller, 2 1/2 hours SE of Melbourne for lunch. Back to Melbourne to see Mamma Mia.
Train to Blackburn to visit Lara McDonald and children and tour the Dandelong Ranges; craft shops and tea.
Adelaide: 9 April - 13 April
Staying with Sandy Horne!!!! Impose on her hospitality. Tour of Kangaroo Island 11 April.
Head Home: 13 April
Arrive in Los Angeles BEFORE I leave Brisbane. The joys of crossing the International Date Line.
I leave for Australia early Saturday morning. Fairbanks, Seattle, Los Angeles, then Brisbane. I will lose a day in there somewhere, skipping over Sunday, I think.
A general outline of the trip:
Brisbane: 29 March - 1 April
Staying at B & B: Cream Gables in New Farm. Meeting with Gail Wissemann, if she is available. Getting used to time zone change. Possibly trip to Moreton Island, if I can figure out how to do it.
Sydney: 1 April - 5 April
Staying at Y Hotel Hyde Park. Meeting with Judith Ridge for dinner and WICKED! Harbor cruise, zoo, book store, botanical gardens.
Melbourne: 5 April - 9 April
Staying at Ibis Hotel, 15-22 Therry. RPG Convention with Shaun Hately; tram tour with Shaun - and geocaching.
Bus to visit Gunter and Sigrid Weller, 2 1/2 hours SE of Melbourne for lunch. Back to Melbourne to see Mamma Mia.
Train to Blackburn to visit Lara McDonald and children and tour the Dandelong Ranges; craft shops and tea.
Adelaide: 9 April - 13 April
Staying with Sandy Horne!!!! Impose on her hospitality. Tour of Kangaroo Island 11 April.
Head Home: 13 April
Arrive in Los Angeles BEFORE I leave Brisbane. The joys of crossing the International Date Line.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Thief in the House
Much as it pains me to admit it, one of my adopted offspring has turned into an incorrigible thief. It started relatively simply. I was eating dinner and the phone rang. I had to go into where my computer is to get some information and when I got back, the last bite of dinner was gone. I thought at the time, I probably just mis-remembered how much there was left on my plate.
The thief is the one on the left. I suppose I could blame it on his genetics. He is, after all, a pound kitty. Or maybe it was his environment. Where did we go wrong??? And why is he looking so smug???
But no, bits of this and that started disappearing at more and more frequent intervals. And it wasn't always food. Books started going missing after I placed them next to the bed. And strange things, too. The fur I combed out of the long-haired cat's fur was missing from the wastebasket where I had placed it.
And then one day, I caught him in the act - stealing toaster pancakes out of the toaster. And I caught him red-handed - or rather orange-pawed. Yes, the thief slunk off with a guilty, but satisfied look on his face. And now, I had to face it, there was a thief in the house. And he is cunning. He climbed in the cabinet to steal a bag of catnip. He climbed into the sink and stole a shrimp tail.
I have found the book - shoved under the night stand along with a furry (fake) mouse. The missing cat fur was evident when I heard a "hhhhhhhcach" followed by a gloppy mess. But I still can't figure out where he put the bag of pecans.
The thief is the one on the left. I suppose I could blame it on his genetics. He is, after all, a pound kitty. Or maybe it was his environment. Where did we go wrong??? And why is he looking so smug???
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The Things You LIKE First
For me, with people, it's obvious. You put the people that you love and like first in your life. But I have come a lot slower to that understanding with things.
I suppose my new consciousness of it started with silverware. For everyday silverware, I had inherited my mother's things, when she broke up housekeeping. And I had gotten a new set when I was married. All of these jumbled together. But then a lot of "my" set of spoons got lost. I call them "mine", not because they only belonged to me, but because I chose the set and my husband and family had no interest in their choice or their design.
My husband, thinking that the simple design of "my" silverware meant that it was not the "good" silverware, put many of the spoons in the kids' lunches. (Yes, he usually fixed the kids' lunches, so I am grateful.) So we used a lot of Mom's silver, mixed in with mine. Then, for some birthday or anniversary, my mother asked me what I wanted and I told her I really longed for a nice set of silverware - with all of the spoons. I knew it was extravagant; I didn't REALLY need it, but I wanted it. And she bought it for me. I put it in a beautiful silverware case and the set sat there, waiting for company. But company doesn't come that often and the beautiful case remained closed most of the time.
So, one day, I decided to take away all of the old mishmash of Mom's silverware and mine. I put Mom's and my silverware in an extra drawer and took my new set OUT of its beautiful case and put it in the regular silverware drawer. And now, we use the new set every day. It comes as a surprise to me that I enjoy that little thing so much. No, we don't have a beautiful set reserved for company, but company can enjoy the simple and elegant set we use every day.
And now this corruption of saving things for special occasions has spread to my wardrobe. Anyone who would take a close look at what I wear each day would notice that, for some reason, I seem to favor white turtlenecks or white short sleeved knit tops as a first layer. But I had a hard time finding ones that fit. Many of the ones I bought seemed OK at first, but after I washed them, the arms of the long-sleeved ones were a bit too short. And I have never had the inclination to remove them after washing and line dry them.
So I have accumulated a lot of white (and other color) turtlenecks that are still serviceable, but don't quite fit right. Then, I found a turtleneck that REALLY fit, that I could wash and dry, and it STILL fit. And I did something right: I bought 5 or 6 EXTRA ones of this brand (Hanna Andersson, in case you want to know). But, I was still trying to "use up" the ones that didn't quite fit right first. Once I wore them out, I would use the Hannas, the ones that REALLY fit.
But just a few weeks ago, I decided to apply the silverware strategy to the white turtlenecks. Now, I wear the Hannas FIRST. If and when they wear out (they seem to last forever, by the way: outstanding quality), I will use the ones that don't fit as well. Most likely the reason that I will have to retire a Hanna is not because of wear, but because I tend to stain them. And, I still have 3 brand new Hannas sitting in their wrappers on the shelf in my closet, so it may be a while until I have to wear the turtlenecks that really didn't fit.
Maybe I can even recycle some of the things I am not using any more. What a novel idea!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
My Living Spaces
Pursuant to our discussion of choices about living room furniture and where to put the books, these are candid pictures of my living areas. By candid, I mean that I probably should have cleaned/straightened up first, but I didn't - I just took the pictures as is. I apologize in advance to my husband, who likes things much more tidy, and would think this is completely weird.
Starting with the mostly east wall of the living room: You see the chair I usually use (the brown one), much in need of re-upholstering. Then the chair my husband uses the most. Behind are the three heavy bookcases. Note the overflowing stacks of books to be finished.
Starting with the mostly east wall of the living room: You see the chair I usually use (the brown one), much in need of re-upholstering. Then the chair my husband uses the most. Behind are the three heavy bookcases. Note the overflowing stacks of books to be finished.
Next is the mostly south-facing view. On a clear day, you can see the Alaska Range. It is too cloudy in these pictures to see the mountains.
Then moving toward the west, there is the view of the dining area, with an extra table to collect stuff.
There is a closer view of where I sit in the kitchen.
Back in the living room, there is the half wall that encloses the steps going down to the lower level. The cats (Calvin, the orange tabby and Hobbes, the Maine Coon), love the half wall. It is their territory. You can also see one of my favorite toys, the jigsaw puzzle globe. Unfortunately, I think the company that made them is no longer in business, so I only have update number 2.
You can also see the cat's cat tree. This is a most favored spot for playing.
Then moving toward the west, there is the view of the dining area, with an extra table to collect stuff.
There is a closer view of where I sit in the kitchen.
Back in the living room, there is the half wall that encloses the steps going down to the lower level. The cats (Calvin, the orange tabby and Hobbes, the Maine Coon), love the half wall. It is their territory. You can also see one of my favorite toys, the jigsaw puzzle globe. Unfortunately, I think the company that made them is no longer in business, so I only have update number 2.
You can also see the cat's cat tree. This is a most favored spot for playing.
I skipped the entryway and the closet, which are basically pretty boring.
This is my work area in the upstairs bedroom. I am not the tidy one in the family.
Just to the right of my computer, there is this view.
And finally, a better view of the "boys".
This is my work area in the upstairs bedroom. I am not the tidy one in the family.
Just to the right of my computer, there is this view.
And finally, a better view of the "boys".
Weird Ice Cubes
My refrigerator has an ice cube maker, but it has never worked. We could have looked into getting it repaired, but, since we aren't sure about our water quality, we have used ice cube trays instead. One of the interesting things about using these trays here is that a good percentage of the time, we get strange ice cubes, ones that stick up, rather than are flat or rounded. Even more interesting to me is that these upward spikes don't all go in the same direction. They are at crazy angles. I think someone explained to me once that a small jolt during the freezing process will cause an initial protuberance which then extends as the water is drawn upward along the small protuberance, like the meniscus on a glass of water. I am not sure if I completely understand it, though. Here is a picture of one of the ice cube trays. Yes, I do know how crazy it is to take pictures of your ice cube trays. Sigh.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Taking Testing to the Next Level
The school district I sub in is doing their annual testing this week. So last week and the week before that, I was in several classrooms that were preparing for the testing. How? By taking a test that was virtually identical in form to the tests that are being given this week. I am assuming that the specific content is different, but I do not know that first hand, as I haven't seen the real tests.
But last week, at any rate, I was specifically teaching to the test. This is something that has always held a negative implication in my mind. If you teach to the test, you restrict the experiences of the students to those that can be tested. You focus their attention on filling in bubbles and giving back answers in format and content like those that will be expected on the tests. To my mind, it was a bit like saying to students, "This is the only thing that is important and if you can spew back information in this form you pass."
Only, last week, I saw that the kids actually needed this. Maybe it is because they aren't taught like this all of the time or maybe it is because they only take tests seriously, not their everyday assignments, but the practice tests actually helped. The part that I am thinking of that helped the most was the part containing the constructed response reading questions. One of the questions read something like: "Compare these two characters (from the reading). Tell about two ways they are similar and two ways they are different. Use information from the passage to support your writing." Now, in general, I have found that when kids are asked to write answers to questions such as this, they ignore most of the directions. They usually read only the first sentence of the directions, e.g., Compare these two characters. And then they start writing. Typical answers will be only ONE sentence, e.g., Character X is taller than character Y.
So, one of the things I did with the kids was to make them read ALL of the directions. Then I had them underline the important parts of the directions, e.g., TWO similarities, TWO differences, information from passage to support writing. After doing this, I had them actually write their answers. Then we went back and had students read their answers and we checked to see if they fulfilled the requirements. Most did not. So we kept at it until the kids had a decent idea of what constituted an acceptable answer to the question.
I came away thinking that teaching to the test might not be such a bad idea, as long as the tests have such worthy questions. Maybe the practice tests are a way of teaching the teachers how to pay better attention to some things that need to be taught, but are sometimes lost in doing workbook pages and scripted lessons.
And, in general, I have found that asking kids to read the directions for any specific assignment is a much needed intervention skill. Time and time again, I have found that simply asking the kids to read directions for an assignment will answer their questions about what to do and even how to do it. You would think that it would be obvious, but it is a standard joke in educational circles to point out that even adults don't read directions. Give a group of adults a list of things that they are to do, with the direction at the top that they are to read the entire list before doing anything. Then make the last thing on the list, "Do NOT do any of the things on this list, just sign your name and turn your paper over." Then stand by and watch as most of them do each thing at the top of the list, until someone discovers the final instruction and laughs.
But last week, at any rate, I was specifically teaching to the test. This is something that has always held a negative implication in my mind. If you teach to the test, you restrict the experiences of the students to those that can be tested. You focus their attention on filling in bubbles and giving back answers in format and content like those that will be expected on the tests. To my mind, it was a bit like saying to students, "This is the only thing that is important and if you can spew back information in this form you pass."
Only, last week, I saw that the kids actually needed this. Maybe it is because they aren't taught like this all of the time or maybe it is because they only take tests seriously, not their everyday assignments, but the practice tests actually helped. The part that I am thinking of that helped the most was the part containing the constructed response reading questions. One of the questions read something like: "Compare these two characters (from the reading). Tell about two ways they are similar and two ways they are different. Use information from the passage to support your writing." Now, in general, I have found that when kids are asked to write answers to questions such as this, they ignore most of the directions. They usually read only the first sentence of the directions, e.g., Compare these two characters. And then they start writing. Typical answers will be only ONE sentence, e.g., Character X is taller than character Y.
So, one of the things I did with the kids was to make them read ALL of the directions. Then I had them underline the important parts of the directions, e.g., TWO similarities, TWO differences, information from passage to support writing. After doing this, I had them actually write their answers. Then we went back and had students read their answers and we checked to see if they fulfilled the requirements. Most did not. So we kept at it until the kids had a decent idea of what constituted an acceptable answer to the question.
I came away thinking that teaching to the test might not be such a bad idea, as long as the tests have such worthy questions. Maybe the practice tests are a way of teaching the teachers how to pay better attention to some things that need to be taught, but are sometimes lost in doing workbook pages and scripted lessons.
And, in general, I have found that asking kids to read the directions for any specific assignment is a much needed intervention skill. Time and time again, I have found that simply asking the kids to read directions for an assignment will answer their questions about what to do and even how to do it. You would think that it would be obvious, but it is a standard joke in educational circles to point out that even adults don't read directions. Give a group of adults a list of things that they are to do, with the direction at the top that they are to read the entire list before doing anything. Then make the last thing on the list, "Do NOT do any of the things on this list, just sign your name and turn your paper over." Then stand by and watch as most of them do each thing at the top of the list, until someone discovers the final instruction and laughs.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Career Path in Education
I am a substitute teacher - partly by choice, partly due to circumstances. I was talking to a regular teacher today and I mentioned how much perspective a substitute teacher gets through seeing lots of other classrooms and dealing with a wide range of kids. This led to the idea that, perhaps the best thing for new teachers to do would be to sub for a while, before taking or getting offered a full time position. What a good way to view many different ways of classroom management, to get familiar with the ages and stages of a wide range of students, and to see how different buildings and different staffs operate. Even with the best of student teaching programs, this is usually not possible.
Requiring new teachers to sub a year or two, in fact, might be a solution to another problem, too: as a sub, I do not make enough money to live on. Even though my school district pays more than any other school district I have subbed in previously, last year, I only made $11,000 gross. If I had subbed every single school day possible, I would have made less than $21,000. Considering that there are no benefits in connection with this job - no health insurance, no sick leave, etc., it is not enough money to live on. Thus subs are generally either retired teachers or people who depend on spouses or others for health insurance and other benefits. If new teachers were hired as full time teachers, although staffed to substitute positions, they could make enough money to live on and good teachers might not be marginalized out of the profession before they even get started.
I suppose there are logistical problems: what do you do with subs that aren't needed? what do you do when you need more subs than you have? how do you pay for full time teacher subs? would it work to pay new teachers at a teacher pay scale rate, but only for days that they work?
I will have to think about it more. But I do think requiring new teachers to sub for a year or two is a good idea. It gives them a much better perspective on the different variables involved.
Requiring new teachers to sub a year or two, in fact, might be a solution to another problem, too: as a sub, I do not make enough money to live on. Even though my school district pays more than any other school district I have subbed in previously, last year, I only made $11,000 gross. If I had subbed every single school day possible, I would have made less than $21,000. Considering that there are no benefits in connection with this job - no health insurance, no sick leave, etc., it is not enough money to live on. Thus subs are generally either retired teachers or people who depend on spouses or others for health insurance and other benefits. If new teachers were hired as full time teachers, although staffed to substitute positions, they could make enough money to live on and good teachers might not be marginalized out of the profession before they even get started.
I suppose there are logistical problems: what do you do with subs that aren't needed? what do you do when you need more subs than you have? how do you pay for full time teacher subs? would it work to pay new teachers at a teacher pay scale rate, but only for days that they work?
I will have to think about it more. But I do think requiring new teachers to sub for a year or two is a good idea. It gives them a much better perspective on the different variables involved.
Friday, March 14, 2008
I Made a Mistake and Lost My Temper
And here is a rant I wrote the other day, after a bad day subbing. I have gone back and forth in my mind about actually publishing it, because it doesn't show me in a very good light. Face it, I lost my temper and I should have been in more control.
_________
I had a bad day subbing the other day. Well, it didn't actually start out that bad, but especially in the afternoon, it fell apart. Was it the two girls (approx. 9 years old) who refused to stop coloring when they were supposed to be doing something else? Was it being constantly interrupted before I could complete an entire sentence? (Yes, in spite of all of the teacher techniques of waiting for silence and reminders about classroom rules) Was it the little boy who decided to unfold paper clips and, with the addition of a rubber band, make a sling shot that could shoot the unfolded paper clips, sharp points out, at fellow students? Was it the boy who refused to listen to anything I said and hid under the table or walked around the room whenever he wanted? Was it the two boys who were laughing and teasing each other so loudly that they completely disrupted the lesson? Was it the fact that even separating them and telling them that they would have to sit out for part of recess made no difference it their behavior? Was it the dozens of other things that I won't even bother to detail?
No, the thing that really frustrated me was a parent. It was at the end of the day and I was exhausted from having to remind the kids about their classroom rules, which were clearly posted and signed by all. I was trying to get them to put away their things and clean up the room. Repeatedly, I would go around pointing out things that needed to be done and the kids would pretend to do what I asked, but would stop when I went further. Finally, I got angry and I was reprimanding the students for not helping to clean up the classroom at the end of the day. The parent, who was in the classroom picking up a child 3 minutes before the bell rang, said I was "out of line" to speak sharply to the students. (I told them that their behavior was unacceptable - that they needed to help clean up the classroom and listen to the teacher.) The parent's student was one of the children who, during math class, was putting pencils up his nose instead of doing his work. But I was the one who was "out of line". I was supposed to calmly outline the expected behavior and enforce the rules. I suppose, actually, he was right. I shouldn't have let my frustration get the better part of me. I think the frustration was justified, but I should have handled it better. Sigh.
Maybe I, too, should quit subbing. In general, I feel that I am actually a good sub. A teacher who was observing me last week (she is a long term sub who takes some of the students for part of the day, since the two 6th grades have 28 and 30 students respectively) said that she thought I did an excellent job. So it isn't just my own opinion. But it really does upset me that the students' behaviors are so difficult and that parents seem to think that it is out of line to tell them so.
I guess the saving grace was a little girl who asked the parent "who told him he could tell the teacher what to do". She, too, was probably "out of line", even in my opinion, but it helps put a bit more perspective into the situation for me.
_________
I had a bad day subbing the other day. Well, it didn't actually start out that bad, but especially in the afternoon, it fell apart. Was it the two girls (approx. 9 years old) who refused to stop coloring when they were supposed to be doing something else? Was it being constantly interrupted before I could complete an entire sentence? (Yes, in spite of all of the teacher techniques of waiting for silence and reminders about classroom rules) Was it the little boy who decided to unfold paper clips and, with the addition of a rubber band, make a sling shot that could shoot the unfolded paper clips, sharp points out, at fellow students? Was it the boy who refused to listen to anything I said and hid under the table or walked around the room whenever he wanted? Was it the two boys who were laughing and teasing each other so loudly that they completely disrupted the lesson? Was it the fact that even separating them and telling them that they would have to sit out for part of recess made no difference it their behavior? Was it the dozens of other things that I won't even bother to detail?
No, the thing that really frustrated me was a parent. It was at the end of the day and I was exhausted from having to remind the kids about their classroom rules, which were clearly posted and signed by all. I was trying to get them to put away their things and clean up the room. Repeatedly, I would go around pointing out things that needed to be done and the kids would pretend to do what I asked, but would stop when I went further. Finally, I got angry and I was reprimanding the students for not helping to clean up the classroom at the end of the day. The parent, who was in the classroom picking up a child 3 minutes before the bell rang, said I was "out of line" to speak sharply to the students. (I told them that their behavior was unacceptable - that they needed to help clean up the classroom and listen to the teacher.) The parent's student was one of the children who, during math class, was putting pencils up his nose instead of doing his work. But I was the one who was "out of line". I was supposed to calmly outline the expected behavior and enforce the rules. I suppose, actually, he was right. I shouldn't have let my frustration get the better part of me. I think the frustration was justified, but I should have handled it better. Sigh.
Maybe I, too, should quit subbing. In general, I feel that I am actually a good sub. A teacher who was observing me last week (she is a long term sub who takes some of the students for part of the day, since the two 6th grades have 28 and 30 students respectively) said that she thought I did an excellent job. So it isn't just my own opinion. But it really does upset me that the students' behaviors are so difficult and that parents seem to think that it is out of line to tell them so.
I guess the saving grace was a little girl who asked the parent "who told him he could tell the teacher what to do". She, too, was probably "out of line", even in my opinion, but it helps put a bit more perspective into the situation for me.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Truth: There're No Consequences
A friend of mine recently decided to quit subbing, because of the general lack of discipline and brattiness of the kids (she is in a different state from me, but I think the problem is more general than just our two states). She complained that the kids don't understand the meaning of "consequences" any more. As a sub, I often share her frustration. I have frequently come to the point where I seriously consider quitting subbing, too. Only my continuing fascination with observing children and their classroom environments keeps me going.
But here is my current diatribe about consequences:
Part of the problem is that there really ARE no consequences any more. Physical discipline is out. In our schools (the schools I sub in), you can't keep kids after school, because most of them get to and from school on buses, which run VERY tight schedules. You can keep them in from recess, but often the kids who need to be kept in are the kids who need the physical activity the most. And, for various reasons, many of the kids actually WANT to stay in for recess. You can't give them extra work, as they aren't able to finish the work that they have. You can't assign them classroom jobs, as they find the jobs more interesting than the work that they need to do. It doesn't matter if you change their seats, it just means they have to shout a bit louder to talk to their friends across the room. You can send them to the office, but there is an unwritten rule that you can only send one or at most two kids to the office - and if you do that, they think that it is your fault for not being able to handle the discipline problems. You can call their parents, but the parents often can't keep the kids under control either.
In my day, shaming kids into behaving worked for some, but nowadays, they just think it is funny to be ignorant - and, in terms of school work, being ignorant has its rewards. If they are ignorant enough, they get sent to a tutor, where they get one-on-one attention and if they play ignorant with the tutor, the tutor will usually give them the answers to all of the questions as they work through them.
I have noticed this with direction-giving, too. Kids will pretty much ignore directions given to the whole class. It is to their advantage to do so. After the directions have been given, all they have to do is get this puzzled look on their faces and say they don't understand, and the teacher will explain the whole thing again for them individually. If they still look confused, the teacher will usually give them an answer or two and will sometimes even restructure the assignment so it is a bit easier.
As far as discipline goes, there are a few things left that work: denying them a coveted privilege, such as inviting someone to eat lunch with them, may work. Putting them in an isolated spot to work can help, if there is such a place in the room or in the hall. But the arsenal for subs is pretty limited. Working for a class reward (such as an extra recess) sometimes works. But often, for me, it feels WRONG to reward them for behavior that should be the norm - just to keep them from behavior that is unacceptable.
I don't blame her for quitting.
But here is my current diatribe about consequences:
Part of the problem is that there really ARE no consequences any more. Physical discipline is out. In our schools (the schools I sub in), you can't keep kids after school, because most of them get to and from school on buses, which run VERY tight schedules. You can keep them in from recess, but often the kids who need to be kept in are the kids who need the physical activity the most. And, for various reasons, many of the kids actually WANT to stay in for recess. You can't give them extra work, as they aren't able to finish the work that they have. You can't assign them classroom jobs, as they find the jobs more interesting than the work that they need to do. It doesn't matter if you change their seats, it just means they have to shout a bit louder to talk to their friends across the room. You can send them to the office, but there is an unwritten rule that you can only send one or at most two kids to the office - and if you do that, they think that it is your fault for not being able to handle the discipline problems. You can call their parents, but the parents often can't keep the kids under control either.
In my day, shaming kids into behaving worked for some, but nowadays, they just think it is funny to be ignorant - and, in terms of school work, being ignorant has its rewards. If they are ignorant enough, they get sent to a tutor, where they get one-on-one attention and if they play ignorant with the tutor, the tutor will usually give them the answers to all of the questions as they work through them.
I have noticed this with direction-giving, too. Kids will pretty much ignore directions given to the whole class. It is to their advantage to do so. After the directions have been given, all they have to do is get this puzzled look on their faces and say they don't understand, and the teacher will explain the whole thing again for them individually. If they still look confused, the teacher will usually give them an answer or two and will sometimes even restructure the assignment so it is a bit easier.
As far as discipline goes, there are a few things left that work: denying them a coveted privilege, such as inviting someone to eat lunch with them, may work. Putting them in an isolated spot to work can help, if there is such a place in the room or in the hall. But the arsenal for subs is pretty limited. Working for a class reward (such as an extra recess) sometimes works. But often, for me, it feels WRONG to reward them for behavior that should be the norm - just to keep them from behavior that is unacceptable.
I don't blame her for quitting.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Quotes
I subscribe to A Word A Day by Anu Garg and I enjoy the words. But in all honesty, I enjoy the quotes even more. I like how they make me think about something. They are almost like poetry of ideas.
Here is today's quote:
............................................................................
We all have handicaps. The difference is that some of us must reveal ours,
while others must conceal theirs, to be treated with mercy. -Yahia
Lababidi, writer (b. 1973)
............................................................................
This is a quote that could easily appear on one the the GT groups that I belong to. Gifted people, and yes, I must use that "G" word, since it is the professionally accepted term for people who are fast and/or deep learners, are one of the groups that must often REVEAL their handicaps in order to be accepted. I have frequently taken part in conversations where, at some point, someone in the group will say, "You are so smart, I just can't keep up with you!" After such an outburst, the only way to get the conversation going again, or at least the easiest, is to admit that you might know a lot about X (whatever was being discussed), but you are terrible at Y (something equally valued - optimally something the blurter is good at).
People who are good at sports have to do this sometimes, too. "Yes, I am good at basketball, but I just don't get my math homework."
I guess it comforts us to think that, in the greater scheme of things, while some people might be good at X, Y, and Z, they aren't good at A, B, or C - to think that things might be marginally fair or equal, if we look at everything. The problem is, we really know that it isn't true. There are some people who are good at just about everything they try. And some people who truly aren't very good at anything.
But we can ignore reality, as long as people are willing to play the social game of pretend.
Here is today's quote:
............................................................................
We all have handicaps. The difference is that some of us must reveal ours,
while others must conceal theirs, to be treated with mercy. -Yahia
Lababidi, writer (b. 1973)
............................................................................
This is a quote that could easily appear on one the the GT groups that I belong to. Gifted people, and yes, I must use that "G" word, since it is the professionally accepted term for people who are fast and/or deep learners, are one of the groups that must often REVEAL their handicaps in order to be accepted. I have frequently taken part in conversations where, at some point, someone in the group will say, "You are so smart, I just can't keep up with you!" After such an outburst, the only way to get the conversation going again, or at least the easiest, is to admit that you might know a lot about X (whatever was being discussed), but you are terrible at Y (something equally valued - optimally something the blurter is good at).
People who are good at sports have to do this sometimes, too. "Yes, I am good at basketball, but I just don't get my math homework."
I guess it comforts us to think that, in the greater scheme of things, while some people might be good at X, Y, and Z, they aren't good at A, B, or C - to think that things might be marginally fair or equal, if we look at everything. The problem is, we really know that it isn't true. There are some people who are good at just about everything they try. And some people who truly aren't very good at anything.
But we can ignore reality, as long as people are willing to play the social game of pretend.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Does 90% Equal an A? Or 93%? Who Knows?
There has been a recent discussion on GT-Families about grading scales - in different parts of the country different percentages are used to determine what constitutes an A, a B, etc. But my feeling is that unless there is a standard reference of curriculum and test, percentage is a completely undetermined measure. It is like saying that I can eat half of a pizza. Unless you know how big the pizza is, that tells you very little.
(from post to GT-Families)
Why I Think the Actual Percentage Behind the Grades Means Nothing
by Laura Walsh
Test 1 on Cinderella
1. How many stepsisters did Cinderella have?
2. Was Cinderella's stepmother kind to her?
3. In the movie version, what animals helped Cinderella (name two)? (2 points)
4. Did Cinderella get to go to the ball?
5. Did Cinderella leave the ball on time?
6. What were Cinderella's shoes made out of?
7. Which girls were supposed to try on the glass slipper?
8. What happened when the glass slipper broke?
9. What happened at the end of the story?
Test 2 on Cinderella
1. What rank did Cinderella's father have in the realm?
2. Explain the derivation of Cinderella's nickname and the meaning of the original name.
3. What is the sociological significance of the stepmother in fairy tales?
4. How does the absence of the original mother effect the fairy tale?
5. Compare the stepmother and the stepsisters to people in other fairy tales?
6. What is the significance of the fairy godmother?
7. Why are Cinderella's slippers made of glass, when shoes are normally never made of this material?
8. Why is it psychologically important to the story that the prince be kind and handsome? How would the story change if the prince were fat or ugly? (two points)
9. Compare the Disney version of Cinderella to a Cinderella story from another country in the world.
(from post to GT-Families)
Why I Think the Actual Percentage Behind the Grades Means Nothing
by Laura Walsh
Test 1 on Cinderella
1. How many stepsisters did Cinderella have?
2. Was Cinderella's stepmother kind to her?
3. In the movie version, what animals helped Cinderella (name two)? (2 points)
4. Did Cinderella get to go to the ball?
5. Did Cinderella leave the ball on time?
6. What were Cinderella's shoes made out of?
7. Which girls were supposed to try on the glass slipper?
8. What happened when the glass slipper broke?
9. What happened at the end of the story?
Test 2 on Cinderella
1. What rank did Cinderella's father have in the realm?
2. Explain the derivation of Cinderella's nickname and the meaning of the original name.
3. What is the sociological significance of the stepmother in fairy tales?
4. How does the absence of the original mother effect the fairy tale?
5. Compare the stepmother and the stepsisters to people in other fairy tales?
6. What is the significance of the fairy godmother?
7. Why are Cinderella's slippers made of glass, when shoes are normally never made of this material?
8. Why is it psychologically important to the story that the prince be kind and handsome? How would the story change if the prince were fat or ugly? (two points)
9. Compare the Disney version of Cinderella to a Cinderella story from another country in the world.
Town Meeting on Education
(from post to GT-Talk):
There was a town meeting on education here yesterday, where around 150 people came together to discuss their concerns about education and to suggest action plans for progress. All in all, it was a very positive meeting, with a lot of people who are passionate about improving education for children and adults.
Even so, it was a bit discouraging to me. There was a lot of interest in helping kids who are struggling, early childhood education, vocational education, violence prevention, parent and community involvement, communication about resources, institutional racism. But there was little interest in teaching foreign languages in the elementary school (our group was only 5 people), gifted education (again only 5), and matching curriculum to students (only 2).
The one concern that is always of interest to me was one group that ended up discussing raising expectations. The thing that interests me is the apparent conflict between the discussions about all of the kids who are struggling and need extra support and the people who keep saying that our expectations are not high enough and we need higher standards. People never seem to make what is to me the obvious conclusion: the expectations need to be tailored to the abilities and current levels of the students. Some students need much higher expectations, some students need much more support to achieve the current level of expectations.
And, as an aside: I am a bit blind-sided by the fairly large group that was discussing institutional racism. My perception has been that this is one of the LEAST prejudiced of the communities and school districts I have lived or worked in. While I understand that Native Alaskan children aren't doing as well in the schools as they should be, I see significant efforts on the part of the school district to deal with that problem.
There was a town meeting on education here yesterday, where around 150 people came together to discuss their concerns about education and to suggest action plans for progress. All in all, it was a very positive meeting, with a lot of people who are passionate about improving education for children and adults.
Even so, it was a bit discouraging to me. There was a lot of interest in helping kids who are struggling, early childhood education, vocational education, violence prevention, parent and community involvement, communication about resources, institutional racism. But there was little interest in teaching foreign languages in the elementary school (our group was only 5 people), gifted education (again only 5), and matching curriculum to students (only 2).
The one concern that is always of interest to me was one group that ended up discussing raising expectations. The thing that interests me is the apparent conflict between the discussions about all of the kids who are struggling and need extra support and the people who keep saying that our expectations are not high enough and we need higher standards. People never seem to make what is to me the obvious conclusion: the expectations need to be tailored to the abilities and current levels of the students. Some students need much higher expectations, some students need much more support to achieve the current level of expectations.
And, as an aside: I am a bit blind-sided by the fairly large group that was discussing institutional racism. My perception has been that this is one of the LEAST prejudiced of the communities and school districts I have lived or worked in. While I understand that Native Alaskan children aren't doing as well in the schools as they should be, I see significant efforts on the part of the school district to deal with that problem.
Presidential Candidate Quiz
Here is how I rate on the quiz (only I have no idea who Chris Dodd is):
94% Chris Dodd
94% Barack Obama
92% John Edwards
92% Hillary Clinton
85% Joe Biden
84% Bill Richardson
81% Mike Gravel
81% Dennis Kucinich
42% Rudy Giuliani
30% John McCain
28% Tom Tancredo
24% Mitt Romney
23% Mike Huckabee
15% Ron Paul
12% Fred Thompson
2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz
94% Chris Dodd
94% Barack Obama
92% John Edwards
92% Hillary Clinton
85% Joe Biden
84% Bill Richardson
81% Mike Gravel
81% Dennis Kucinich
42% Rudy Giuliani
30% John McCain
28% Tom Tancredo
24% Mitt Romney
23% Mike Huckabee
15% Ron Paul
12% Fred Thompson
2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz
Sunday, January 06, 2008
New Year's Resolutions
In the past, I have made long lists of New Year's resolutions, with goals in many categories of life: job, money, exercise, reading, kids, marriage, etc., etc. They seemed to help me focus on things that I really wanted to accomplish and at the end of the year, while listing goals for the next year, I was often impressed that, to some extent, they had worked.
This year, with some physical problems really annoying me and a desire to focus on only a few things, I am cutting my list down to four resolutions.
1. Lose weight.
2. Read books I already have.
3. Throw out, sell, donate, or recycle stuff.
4. Better posture, especially at the computer.
I know, losing weight is a cliché resolution. But many of my physical problems are exacerbated by the extra weight and I need to get serious about losing weight again. I have been so discouraged about it. I swim 48 lengths of the pool (2/3 of a mile) 4 times a week, so I DO get exercise. And I eat good food, not junk. So the main methods of attack this year are portion size and making sure that I don't eat for emotional reasons. One thing my doctor (well, actually, a PA, a physician's assistant) said when I went in lately for a routine check up was helpful. I was lamenting that I had lost 60 pounds a year ago and had gained it all back. But he put a positive spin on it: at least you know you CAN do it. Maybe that will be my mantra.
I used to think that you could never have too many books, but lately I am feeling owned by the books, rather than owning them. Goals 2 and 3 go together. I want to read the books I already have and pass on to others the ones I am finished with. I haven't decided if I want to sell them, trade them, or donate as a group to some needy school - or just take them to the library and let them either use them or sell them. I guess I should focus on something I WILL actually be able to do. I have thought about donating them to a school for a long time, but it doesn't get done. Neither does selling them or trading them. Taking them to the library has worked for me.
Goal number 4 is related to back problems I have had. One of the outcomes of my recent visit to the PA was that, after he told me that my back problem was probably just a muscle pull or strain from bad posture at the computer, I finally decided that I needed to find out if it really was just that or if it was something more serious. After all, he had told me the same thing a year or more ago and a muscle pull should have gotten better in a year. So I went ahead and pretty much insisted that he order x-rays of the back. Diagnosis: degenerative disk disease with probably at least two fused vertebrae. In a way, I feel a bit vindicated. At least I haven't been complaining about nothing. But I am still thinking about the diagnosis. Does it just mean that I have arthritis in my spine? Should I see an orthopedic surgeon to see if I would benefit from surgery? Are orthopedic doctors objective enough to say no, or do they always say yes to maximize income?
Ironically, sitting up straighter at the computer does seem to help.
So there they are.
This year, with some physical problems really annoying me and a desire to focus on only a few things, I am cutting my list down to four resolutions.
1. Lose weight.
2. Read books I already have.
3. Throw out, sell, donate, or recycle stuff.
4. Better posture, especially at the computer.
I know, losing weight is a cliché resolution. But many of my physical problems are exacerbated by the extra weight and I need to get serious about losing weight again. I have been so discouraged about it. I swim 48 lengths of the pool (2/3 of a mile) 4 times a week, so I DO get exercise. And I eat good food, not junk. So the main methods of attack this year are portion size and making sure that I don't eat for emotional reasons. One thing my doctor (well, actually, a PA, a physician's assistant) said when I went in lately for a routine check up was helpful. I was lamenting that I had lost 60 pounds a year ago and had gained it all back. But he put a positive spin on it: at least you know you CAN do it. Maybe that will be my mantra.
I used to think that you could never have too many books, but lately I am feeling owned by the books, rather than owning them. Goals 2 and 3 go together. I want to read the books I already have and pass on to others the ones I am finished with. I haven't decided if I want to sell them, trade them, or donate as a group to some needy school - or just take them to the library and let them either use them or sell them. I guess I should focus on something I WILL actually be able to do. I have thought about donating them to a school for a long time, but it doesn't get done. Neither does selling them or trading them. Taking them to the library has worked for me.
Goal number 4 is related to back problems I have had. One of the outcomes of my recent visit to the PA was that, after he told me that my back problem was probably just a muscle pull or strain from bad posture at the computer, I finally decided that I needed to find out if it really was just that or if it was something more serious. After all, he had told me the same thing a year or more ago and a muscle pull should have gotten better in a year. So I went ahead and pretty much insisted that he order x-rays of the back. Diagnosis: degenerative disk disease with probably at least two fused vertebrae. In a way, I feel a bit vindicated. At least I haven't been complaining about nothing. But I am still thinking about the diagnosis. Does it just mean that I have arthritis in my spine? Should I see an orthopedic surgeon to see if I would benefit from surgery? Are orthopedic doctors objective enough to say no, or do they always say yes to maximize income?
Ironically, sitting up straighter at the computer does seem to help.
So there they are.
Snowbow and Visions of Alaskan Winter
At first glance, I thought it was a sun dog. But sun dogs have always appeared higher up in the clouds. This looked much lower, almost touching the ground - like a rainbow. Only it was certainly much too cold for a rainbow. So I call it a snowbow.
People ask me how hard it is to tolerate the darkness in Alaska in the winter, but with a view like this out of my window, it isn't a matter of toleration, it is a matter of exquisite beauty. How can I not tolerate Alaska in the winter?
And besides, what's not to love about a place where getting up at dawn to see the beautiful sunrise means that you can sleep until 10 a.m.?
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Winter 2007 Newsletter
Now that our family has been spread apart for more than a year, I am really feeling what the empty nest syndrome is all about.
John is again teaching his class on Severe and Unusual Weather in Illinois this fall, with the resultant, rather long commute to also work half time in Alaska. He is still working on global climate, with a specialization in the Arctic and has been involved in writing the IPCC report, which, along with Al Gore, won the Nobel Peace Prize this year. John says that his portion of the prize amounts to about 78 cents, given all of the thousands of scientists who worked on the report.
Rachel returned from Suriname at the beginning of August, after spending a bit more than 8 months in the jungle watching monkeys, although I think they had close encounters with other beasts, too (See the picture of the caiman at left.). They worked 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, and she says, “It was awesome.”
While Rachel was cavorting with capuchins, her mother was busy monitoring grad school applications and making travel arrangements for visiting said schools. Rachel finally decided on Berkeley, where she is currently working on a Ph. D. in Integrative Biology. Not only did she receive a Berkeley fellowship, but she also received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, so she is off to a good start.
I visited Rachel at Berkeley briefly when we went to my sister, Wynell’s for Thanksgiving. Rachel’s apartment is fairly small, but isn’t terribly expensive for Berkeley and she has a nice room.
We had a good time at Wynell’s. It was great to see Lindsey and meet Bill. We drove up Highway one and had a gorgeous day. In Aptos, we stayed with Aunt Win and got to see Paula, Tom, and Nate (Gabe was off gallivanting with some girl ☺).
I also got to take the trip of a lifetime to visit Alyssa when she was in Egypt. We took an 8-day tour that included a 4-day cruise on the Nile from Aswan to Luxor and a flight to and from Abu Simbel on the southern Egyptian border. It was a fascinating trip, not just for a look at the antiquities, but also as a look into current Egyptian culture.
And Alyssa was quite a traveler while she was in Egypt, with trips to Switzerland, Scotland, France, England, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Jordan. I wish I could include all of her pictures from her travels, as they are fascinating, but here, at least is one.
This fall, Alyssa is back at the University of Illinois for her senior year. Her major is International Relations and she is anticipating graduation in May 2008. She also has a new baby. His name is Sark, he is an orange tabby and he is adorable.
I have continued subbing and am enjoying it most days. I especially enjoy 3rd through 6th grades.
Just before Rachel got back from Suriname, Kathryn (aka Kay) and I went down to visit our mother in Alabama. At 92 now, she is still doing pretty well and we had a nice visit.
I am still enjoying the cats – Hobbes (aka Piggy) is now two years old and is large, furry, and sweet. Cookie is not healthy, but she has been more affectionate, with age and illness now taking their toll.
Alaska is gorgeous at this time of year – with the low sun turning the sky to pastels and gold. I know a lot of people think only of how dark and cold it must be, but I marvel nearly every day at how beautiful it is. This is sunrise from our deck in Alaska.
I wish you all a happy holiday season.
Love, Laura
John is again teaching his class on Severe and Unusual Weather in Illinois this fall, with the resultant, rather long commute to also work half time in Alaska. He is still working on global climate, with a specialization in the Arctic and has been involved in writing the IPCC report, which, along with Al Gore, won the Nobel Peace Prize this year. John says that his portion of the prize amounts to about 78 cents, given all of the thousands of scientists who worked on the report.
Rachel returned from Suriname at the beginning of August, after spending a bit more than 8 months in the jungle watching monkeys, although I think they had close encounters with other beasts, too (See the picture of the caiman at left.). They worked 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, and she says, “It was awesome.”
While Rachel was cavorting with capuchins, her mother was busy monitoring grad school applications and making travel arrangements for visiting said schools. Rachel finally decided on Berkeley, where she is currently working on a Ph. D. in Integrative Biology. Not only did she receive a Berkeley fellowship, but she also received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, so she is off to a good start.
I visited Rachel at Berkeley briefly when we went to my sister, Wynell’s for Thanksgiving. Rachel’s apartment is fairly small, but isn’t terribly expensive for Berkeley and she has a nice room.
We had a good time at Wynell’s. It was great to see Lindsey and meet Bill. We drove up Highway one and had a gorgeous day. In Aptos, we stayed with Aunt Win and got to see Paula, Tom, and Nate (Gabe was off gallivanting with some girl ☺).
I also got to take the trip of a lifetime to visit Alyssa when she was in Egypt. We took an 8-day tour that included a 4-day cruise on the Nile from Aswan to Luxor and a flight to and from Abu Simbel on the southern Egyptian border. It was a fascinating trip, not just for a look at the antiquities, but also as a look into current Egyptian culture.
And Alyssa was quite a traveler while she was in Egypt, with trips to Switzerland, Scotland, France, England, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Jordan. I wish I could include all of her pictures from her travels, as they are fascinating, but here, at least is one.
This fall, Alyssa is back at the University of Illinois for her senior year. Her major is International Relations and she is anticipating graduation in May 2008. She also has a new baby. His name is Sark, he is an orange tabby and he is adorable.
I have continued subbing and am enjoying it most days. I especially enjoy 3rd through 6th grades.
Just before Rachel got back from Suriname, Kathryn (aka Kay) and I went down to visit our mother in Alabama. At 92 now, she is still doing pretty well and we had a nice visit.
I am still enjoying the cats – Hobbes (aka Piggy) is now two years old and is large, furry, and sweet. Cookie is not healthy, but she has been more affectionate, with age and illness now taking their toll.
Alaska is gorgeous at this time of year – with the low sun turning the sky to pastels and gold. I know a lot of people think only of how dark and cold it must be, but I marvel nearly every day at how beautiful it is. This is sunrise from our deck in Alaska.
I wish you all a happy holiday season.
Love, Laura
Monday, July 23, 2007
Intelligent Life in the Classroom by Karen Isaacson and Tamara Fisher
Parts of this book are interesting and parts of it I found annoying. The part that I find most annoying is that I didn't see any acknowledgement that teachers often do not have much choice in the material they present or the manner in which it is presented. For instance, the district I sub in has adopted curricula in all of the subject areas in the elementary grades. For reading and math, the adopted curricula include textbooks that have mostly scripted lessons. This past year, since the math program was new, teachers were urged to follow the program explicitly. That meant that the lesson was pretty much pre-planned and there was very little chance to deviate from it. In fact, the textbooks and teachers' manuals are so overwhelming that very few teachers were able to include all of the material they were supposed to cover - there was simply too much.
Now, I know this book is supposed to be about taking GT kids into account and believe me, I think that is super important, but how does the regular classroom teacher have time to do that? When the teachers are struggling to just get through the regular material, how do they have time or energy to do the extension activities or even, for that matter, the activities for English language learners or those for kids who need more support? When the book fails to take any of this into account, it seems completely unrealistic to me. Sure, it would be lovely to be able to chuck your whole lesson because one of your students was super interested in mold. But teachers have this thing called accountability and they can't do that very often. Yes, that is a fault of the system, but to present it as though the teachers have a choice in the matter is a bit unfair.
The part of the book that I found interesting was the description of the pullout classes. I ran pullout classes for 5 years and remember them fondly. I never had any particular child as outstanding as the girls described in this book, but we did some very interesting and worthwhile stuff. One of my favorites was dissecting old computers and then dissecting fetal pigs and comparing them as systems. I would love to do that kind of thing again.
This isn't a bad book - a bit condescending in places and, as described above, a bit unrealistic. But it might make a reasonable introduction to giftedness for some teachers. There are better books in terms of practicality, but this one is OK for motivation.
Now, I know this book is supposed to be about taking GT kids into account and believe me, I think that is super important, but how does the regular classroom teacher have time to do that? When the teachers are struggling to just get through the regular material, how do they have time or energy to do the extension activities or even, for that matter, the activities for English language learners or those for kids who need more support? When the book fails to take any of this into account, it seems completely unrealistic to me. Sure, it would be lovely to be able to chuck your whole lesson because one of your students was super interested in mold. But teachers have this thing called accountability and they can't do that very often. Yes, that is a fault of the system, but to present it as though the teachers have a choice in the matter is a bit unfair.
The part of the book that I found interesting was the description of the pullout classes. I ran pullout classes for 5 years and remember them fondly. I never had any particular child as outstanding as the girls described in this book, but we did some very interesting and worthwhile stuff. One of my favorites was dissecting old computers and then dissecting fetal pigs and comparing them as systems. I would love to do that kind of thing again.
This isn't a bad book - a bit condescending in places and, as described above, a bit unrealistic. But it might make a reasonable introduction to giftedness for some teachers. There are better books in terms of practicality, but this one is OK for motivation.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Driving the Dalton Highway
We had house guests this past week. They were husband/wife scientists studying the effects of ground cover on climate and weather. While they were here, they wanted to drive up to the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse and Prudhoe Bay, looking at and photographing vegetation and land forms on the trip. 
So, last weekend we drove the Dalton Highway with them. It is a 13 hour drive up and also back (i.e., each way) and was a real experience. It is a good thing we did it in a rental car or our car would have taken a real beating. We were bombarded with rocks on long stretches of bumpy "road" and by the time we got back, the car was covered in mud, from where they spray the road with a solution of calcium chloride and water to try to keep the dust down. Of course, it was even worse on the motorcyclists, of which there were, surprisingly, quite a few.
On the plus side, we saw lots of caribou, quite a few sik-sik (aka arctic ground squirrels), swans, geese, and 4 moose. We also saw lots of gorgeous scenery - mountains, hills, wild flowers, etc. And I learned about pingos, tundra polygons, and solifluction lobes. 
On the negative side: Deadhorse is a dump. It is purely functional, with virtually nothing aesthetic around. It is a good thing the trip up and back provided for a lot of that. We took a tour of Prudhoe Bay. The tour guide was very interested in giving us good oil company PR. I would have welcomed more candor. There wasn't one word about the fact that they had to shut down a huge portion of the oil fields in the past year, due to massive leaks in the pipes and in the pipeline itself. We did, however, also get a chance to go into the Arctic Ocean on the tour. It is - surprise - VERY COLD. I went in - just wading and got a certificate and our guests did, too. My husband didn't - he said he had gone in when he was in Barrow and that was enough.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Alaskana
Rainbows after midnight.
Fourth of July fireworks in the middle of the winter, when it is dark enough.
Foxes tackling each other in the back yard.
A moose lying down chewing her cud - do moose do that?
A porcupine digging in the grass.
All this less than 5 miles from the center of town.
Lilacs blooming in the middle of June.
Sunset and sunrise in the north, one rapidly following the other.
Waking up in the middle of the "night" and being confused about whether it is 3:00 am or 3:00 pm on the clock.
Fourth of July fireworks in the middle of the winter, when it is dark enough.
Foxes tackling each other in the back yard.
A moose lying down chewing her cud - do moose do that?
A porcupine digging in the grass.
All this less than 5 miles from the center of town.
Lilacs blooming in the middle of June.
Sunset and sunrise in the north, one rapidly following the other.
Waking up in the middle of the "night" and being confused about whether it is 3:00 am or 3:00 pm on the clock.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Watching Foxes
The foxes have been in the back yard off and on now for two weeks. There is a rather mangy looking mother. She seems to have lost a lot of fur around her neck and off of her back. For all that, she seems healthy, but worse for wear. At various times, I see her with one, two, or three kits. The kits started out about as big as my cat, but they seem to be growing pretty fast.
In addition to the regular mother fox, I have also seen what I think might be another mother, but she only seemed to have one kit. She also seemed quite a bit younger than the mom. I was wondering if maybe this was a previous year's daughter.
Then, one day I looked out and there was the regular mom with six kits - and the other mom was nowhere in sight. I think maybe regular mom was doing day care for busy fox mothers. She has her work cut out for her. The kits are pretty active - running, pouncing, attacking each other, exploring. They don't stay still for very long.
I tried to get their pictures once, but the regular mom was startled when I opened the door to the deck and she gave this barking call - and the kits ran for cover immediately. I was afraid then that they wouldn't be back, now that I had violated their feelings of safety. But they have been back several times since then. Sometimes they look at the windows and I can tell they can see me, but as long as I am inside, they don't run away.
In addition to the regular mother fox, I have also seen what I think might be another mother, but she only seemed to have one kit. She also seemed quite a bit younger than the mom. I was wondering if maybe this was a previous year's daughter.
Then, one day I looked out and there was the regular mom with six kits - and the other mom was nowhere in sight. I think maybe regular mom was doing day care for busy fox mothers. She has her work cut out for her. The kits are pretty active - running, pouncing, attacking each other, exploring. They don't stay still for very long.
I tried to get their pictures once, but the regular mom was startled when I opened the door to the deck and she gave this barking call - and the kits ran for cover immediately. I was afraid then that they wouldn't be back, now that I had violated their feelings of safety. But they have been back several times since then. Sometimes they look at the windows and I can tell they can see me, but as long as I am inside, they don't run away.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Foxes in the Back Yard
A few days ago, there were, at different times, a porcupine and a moose. Today, a family of foxes is playing back there. Mom sits patiently in the sun, while the kits, four of them, frolic at the edge of the trees and the yard, in the bushes and tree litter. I wouldn't have thought that, this close to town, I would get so much wildlife, but I am glad for it. I would love to take pictures of them, but I am afraid that opening the door to the deck would scare them away and taking pictures through the window doesn't seem to work well.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Morphing Brown Thing
I often sit at my computer and look out the window. I have a fantastic view of the Alaska Range and I never seem to grow tired of looking at it.
The other morning, I was looking out the window and noticed a brown lumpy thing at the edge of our lawn - and it was moving. After much searching of the Internet, I decided that, although I couldn't really see quills, it must be a porcupine, since all of the other choices were obviously wrong - it wasn't a badger, no stripes - it was too big for a marmot, etc. I watched it for a long time and then it just seemed to go to sleep and I gradually forgot about it and went off to work.
The next morning, I looked to see if it was back and saw a much larger brown thing exactly where the smaller brown thing had been the previous day. It had morphed. [There was a moose picture here, but the link to it has been broken.]
I haven't seen one of these for months - and now, here it is in the back yard, serenely munching away.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Egypt - A Sweet Memory
We went to visit the Citadel and the mosque of Mohammed Ali. It was a holiday of sorts and there were a lot of school groups around. I mentioned in an earlier message that they had found that over 80% of Egyptian children had never seen important parts of Egypt's cultural heritage. Since then, there has been a great effort expended in taking kids to visit these monuments and see the artifacts.
Our guide explained that many of the school groups there came from the countryside and that they would be curious about us, because many had never seen tourists before.
So, we walked from the bus stop up to the entrance of the citadel, encompassed by a crowd of both tourists and school children. At the entrance, we took off our shoes and carried them with us. If the people at the door thought anyone wasn't sufficiently covered up, they were given a grass green cape with ties to put on. Two members of our group of 16 were given a cape to wear.
The first place we saw was a courtyard with a large fountain in the middle. This is the place where you are supposed to cleanse yourself. The fountain wasn't actually in operation, as far as I could tell, but was being used for pictures and shade.
Off to the side of the courtyard was the entrance to the mosque. As is befitting a Muslim mosque, it was elegantly symmetrical and elaborately decorated throughout. The carpet, though worn, is the original carpeting.
We sat in a circle around our guide, while he explained the history, the layout, and the activities going on in the mosque. Many people stood around our circle and listened to the guide, as he delivered his explanations.
Contact
I was sitting a little outside the circle and pretty soon a group of school girls came up behind us. They were intrigued by the guide speaking English and by us, the foreigners. One young lady, probably about 12 or 13 years old, sat down next to me and tried to practice her English. She asked me my name - and I told her. Then she related what I said to all of her friends who furiously whispered the news around them. They then suggested the next question she should ask, "Where are you from?" My response again was greeted with furious whispering, as the news was spread throughout her small group. This continued for several rounds. They were so eager to find out more about us - and I must admit, as a teacher, I was eager to interact more with them. The enthusiasm and simple pleasure of the whispered conversation was joyous. But before I could get my chance to reciprocate their questions, their leader gathered them and took them away. Still, it was a precious moment for me.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Egypt - Style of Dress
One of the things that was interesting to me was the customary dress of the local people. Men seem to wear a wide variety of clothes, from shorts and short sleeved tops to long galabiyas, which are long sleeved, full-length dress-like garments, which are worn on top of t-shirts and often ankle length pants - linen or denim or plain cotton. It was amazing to me that, in the, to me, oppressive heat, there were lots of people wearing sweaters, jackets, and even parkas. I guess it is a matter of getting used to it, but it is still amazing to see.
The guide said that the only edicts from Islam about dress specify only that people must dress modestly. There is nothing any more specific than that, according to him.
The dress of the women is also interesting. Although it is acceptable for women not to wear a hijab (a head scarf, worn to cover most of the hair) in Egypt, probably a slight majority of women do wear one. One of the reasons seems to be that women wearing a hijab are less frequently the target of unwanted male attention. Many young women wear conservative clothing to protect their reputations and the reputations of their families. It is almost a way of saying, "Leave me alone; I am not interested." The most severe form of dress for women is the complete covering. Burqas are not seen in Egypt, but there are women who cover up everything except their eyes, even wearing gloves and socks to cover hands and feet. On the other hand, at the mall, we saw quite a few young women wearing hijabs, flamboyant face makeup, tight-fitting tops, and skin-tight jeans.
As tourists, we were very frequently the target of repeated, and annoying economic harassment. My daughter, who is living in Egypt this year while attending the American University in Cairo, said that verbal harassment is quite common, and it sometimes gets a bit more physical than that. We never felt endangered, but it is irritating. But, apparently, there is no real defense against it. Egyptians do not like to see foreigners imitating their customs either, i.e., it doesn't help for the American tourist to wear a scarf.
I don't really blame them. Much of the verbal harassment is designed to get the foreign tourist to look at the wares they are selling. The cost of the items is frequently fairly small for tourists, but that is their income and it is vital. Still, it does get tiring to have to be constantly on the alert against unwanted attention. If you look their way when you are passing their shops, you are accosted, "Take a look - no hassle!" If you reply and say, "No, thank you," that is the prompt for them to escalate their verbal assault. There is constant pressure to look at their wares, to stay there even when it is apparent that they do not have what you want, to buy even after you have decided not to, and then to suffer their scorn when you walk away ("Oh my GOD!" is the frequent parting remark.). It was uncomfortable for me. If you try to be polite, it is considered a sign of weakness. There were even many occasions on which I would probably have purchased more from the vendors if they had simply left me alone to look.
Egypt Trip - Early Observations
On the grounds of the very upscale Mena House Garden Hotel, a woman cooks bread for dinner. Interesting contrast - fancy hotel and more traditional cooking method. I even got a free sample. Yum!
Yes, here I am, in front of the pyramids. I really was there. Amazing.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Back from Egypt - Taxis and Taxing
This was also posted on GT-Talk.
The taxi ride from the airport to the hotel where the tour began
was interesting in several respects. The first one was the taxi
itself. Since I was staying in a relatively expensive hotel, the
taxi contracted to take me to the hotel was upscale from the
average taxi. Nevertheless, it was a wild ride. Egyptian drivers
seem to think that lane line markers are for wimps - they are totally
irrelevant for the normal flow of traffic and are obeyed basically
by busses only. The cars weave in and out of lanes as if they
weren't marked at all. A street that is supposed to be 2 lanes
can have as many as 4 cars driving in parallel along it. Stop
lights are virtually non-existent in most of the city and where they
do appear, they are frequently not working. Red lights, in my
experience meant, though, that the taxi driver DID at least slow
down. And the drivers do usually obey the policemen who
preside over some of the busier intersections.
Surprisingly, though, there aren't that many accidents - at least
in the city. The frequent use of the horn meant that drivers
usually weren't blind-sided. At night, the cars often do not turn
on their headlights, but they do flash their lights in place of the
honking that they do during the day. But outside of Cairo is
evidently much different. The accident rate in Egypt is one of
the highest in the world. And few vehicles are insured, since
the cost of insurance is too high for most vehicle owners to be
able to afford.
Pedestrians, though, have it even more difficult. Trying to cross
a busy street is not a task to be undertaken lightly by either the
inexperienced or the infirm. I think the drivers enjoy using the
pedestrians for target practice. We missed hitting many pedestrians
and many other taxis by mere inches (or centimeters).
Taxis are not expensive, though. A ride across Cairo, from the
Nile to the airport generally costs around $10 (American dollars).
Another interesting thing about that first taxi ride was the first
impression I got of the city: it is very brown and looks like it has
been bombed out. The brownness might be expected - after all
the raw materials for building - rock, dirt, and sand - are all various
shades of brown. But the bombed out look is due to an interesting
feature of their tax law.
When Cairo began to grow rapidly many years ago now, there
was a severe lack of housing. To encourage people to build
new apartment buildings, the government decided not to tax
buildings while they were under construction. Well, it worked.
Most of the buildings, probably 90% of them, are still under
construction. Even though the lower floors of a building are
inhabited, the roof is virtually never finished. There are usually
partially finished floors at the top of every building. It gives the
city an impoverished look that isn't entirely deserved.
I discussed this tax law with our guide who seemed to feel that
there should be a time cap on building - after 5 years a building
should be taxed no matter what. I told him that the way it worked
on our property in Alaska was that assessors checked on the
value of the land and any buildings on it by comparing them to
other land and buildings in the neighborhood. Then, finished or
not, they were assessed according to their current value. He
seemed to think that was a good idea, but that it had little chance
of being implemented, as the people like not being taxed for their
"unfinished" apartments.
The taxi ride from the airport to the hotel where the tour began
was interesting in several respects. The first one was the taxi
itself. Since I was staying in a relatively expensive hotel, the
taxi contracted to take me to the hotel was upscale from the
average taxi. Nevertheless, it was a wild ride. Egyptian drivers
seem to think that lane line markers are for wimps - they are totally
irrelevant for the normal flow of traffic and are obeyed basically
by busses only. The cars weave in and out of lanes as if they
weren't marked at all. A street that is supposed to be 2 lanes
can have as many as 4 cars driving in parallel along it. Stop
lights are virtually non-existent in most of the city and where they
do appear, they are frequently not working. Red lights, in my
experience meant, though, that the taxi driver DID at least slow
down. And the drivers do usually obey the policemen who
preside over some of the busier intersections.
Surprisingly, though, there aren't that many accidents - at least
in the city. The frequent use of the horn meant that drivers
usually weren't blind-sided. At night, the cars often do not turn
on their headlights, but they do flash their lights in place of the
honking that they do during the day. But outside of Cairo is
evidently much different. The accident rate in Egypt is one of
the highest in the world. And few vehicles are insured, since
the cost of insurance is too high for most vehicle owners to be
able to afford.
Pedestrians, though, have it even more difficult. Trying to cross
a busy street is not a task to be undertaken lightly by either the
inexperienced or the infirm. I think the drivers enjoy using the
pedestrians for target practice. We missed hitting many pedestrians
and many other taxis by mere inches (or centimeters).
Taxis are not expensive, though. A ride across Cairo, from the
Nile to the airport generally costs around $10 (American dollars).
Another interesting thing about that first taxi ride was the first
impression I got of the city: it is very brown and looks like it has
been bombed out. The brownness might be expected - after all
the raw materials for building - rock, dirt, and sand - are all various
shades of brown. But the bombed out look is due to an interesting
feature of their tax law.
When Cairo began to grow rapidly many years ago now, there
was a severe lack of housing. To encourage people to build
new apartment buildings, the government decided not to tax
buildings while they were under construction. Well, it worked.
Most of the buildings, probably 90% of them, are still under
construction. Even though the lower floors of a building are
inhabited, the roof is virtually never finished. There are usually
partially finished floors at the top of every building. It gives the
city an impoverished look that isn't entirely deserved.
I discussed this tax law with our guide who seemed to feel that
there should be a time cap on building - after 5 years a building
should be taxed no matter what. I told him that the way it worked
on our property in Alaska was that assessors checked on the
value of the land and any buildings on it by comparing them to
other land and buildings in the neighborhood. Then, finished or
not, they were assessed according to their current value. He
seemed to think that was a good idea, but that it had little chance
of being implemented, as the people like not being taxed for their
"unfinished" apartments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)