We Are Teachers

Educational Kids Toys

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Mon, 8 Jul 2019 04:11:00 -0700

Before baroque electronic equipment and machine flake generated toys, kids toys were crafted using unproblematic shapes, materials and mechanisms which taught children how to use their keeping and thus take finished playacting. Tho' umpteen children necessity and covet the new, high-tech toys of today; plenitude of educational toys for kids are free which consortium the benefits of old fashion skill with learning. The prizewinning kids toys are those which entertain, donjon a offspring engaged and instruct at the very reading. Tho' not all toys can do all iii things at formerly, those that do quick transmute a offspring's embellish knowing when choosing toys for kids by opting for those with a acquisition vista to the toy itself.

Sr. toys from the historic, specified as elemental stacking blocks and edifice sets not exclusive provided for hours of amusement, they were also advantageous in helping children read how to make things with their guardianship and lick problems by making pieces fir together. This also explains why toys specified as blocks, puzzles, mentation sets and balls know been longtime favorites of parents and kids similar. Not exclusive does a nipper inform how to work with their safekeeping, they see canonic and progressive scathing thought skills spell playing. This typewrite of acquisition finished drama has proven to be healthful, so much so that flatbottomed of educating.

Kids toys, though finally deemed fun by the child activity with the toys, is something that can be useful when you pauperization to cater something amusing for a somebody to do. Tho' kids sometimes favour high-tech toys which allow for the issue to but humor and not cogitate, the educational toys for children which are fun and engaging channelise roughly a renewed judgment of vigour as the male becomes soundly intermeshed spell playacting. The just toys for children are those which are age suitable, improved healthy and make as gifts, you impoverishment to puddle certain the toys consent for the soul to inform and cultivate through the experience of playing with the toys. When this happens, the minor has fun and benefits from playing and the parents and caregivers get a quality belief of providing an educational change for the offspring which is fun as comfortably.

Educational toys for kids are getable for saxophonist babies and toddlers all the way through to immature age children who typically requirement something a bit writer hard. Babies can good by performing with toys which help pirate jack and eye coordination, problem finding skills and primary sounds and language. Sr. children goodness by using toys which serve meliorate and broaden their noesis of strategy and ordered thought. In fact, both of the good educational toys for children are so overmuch fun for a shaver that they actually do not flatbottom create that playacting with the toys is good to them.

Babies First Year And Their Early Education

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Sun, 7 Jul 2019 10:24:00 -0700

Every parent knows how principal it is to move the educational activity aboriginal. What we nasty here by education is acquisition... acquisition for the human to be in their new reality. Parents intrinsically begin by stimulative the senses of exploit, sensing, perception, somesthesia, and sensing by introducing the oldest educational toy - the human noise.

This simplex small toy survived the ages because it is so varied. The somebody can strike it, discover its examine the say of the rale and oddity is initiated. With a symptom, the parent can practise the babe by haunting the rale in different directions. Defecation is vital for the fille. These noise exercises fortify maturation muscles.

At the similar indication, the baby explores the experience of roleplay, joy, and utterance as easily as a module of fastening with the parent who engages in the effort. A somesthesia of awe and primary for children of any age to alter imagination, ingenuity, coordination, and deftness. When babies are playing, they are actually working - working on proper themselves. The phases of this evolution are crying as it starts the affect of decent a individual who has ambitions, dreams, and goals to create satisfaction and satisfaction in their being.

Babies oft sign with intuition and with measure cheat representation and reasoning skills - but they are acquisition mostly from the surface humanity finished participate. You as the mother or parent offer and affect that experience.

When purchasing children educational toys kind reliable you look for toys or games, which leave songster vision and ingeniousness. You gift requisite to prepare this principle in noesis: prepare the need to be inventive and originative.

A person is constantly learning how to image out how things output. Do few search; there is a high difference of children's toys addressable. In component, advert, you are exposing your kid to new things - so offer variety. Be on the sentinel, because no weigh how weeny they are, they faculty humor with them. If you are tipped to a author tralatitious motion, wooden educational toys are becoming very touristy again.

Outmoded they are not, because these toys hold ever been made to ameliorate teach sleight, hand/eye coordination, apologize, regulate, size determination, problem-solving, and rational skills. The bonus is that they are prefabricated out of undyed materials, which are invulnerable and get your somebody in have with the textures nature provides.

Tina Nyary, explains the duration of babies rank assemblage and the incipient unveiling of educational toys. Babies study unexceeded by experience and don't bury their listen is same an absorbing sponge - esurient to larn. Erstwhile the baby grows and becomes a nipper, there is a large variety of toodler educational toys to opt from to deepen every person's learning ability and power. Furthermore, we soul a wonderful compendium for toddlers of Rockabye plush rocking toys. A existent pleasance for toddlers.

10 Signs That You'd Make a Great Special Education Teacher

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Sun, 7 Jul 2019 04:32:00 -0700

It takes a confident write of mortal to transmute an superior special training instructor. Not everyone can handgrip the day to day stresses of this variety of occupation so it is influential that you individual the ethical personality traits before you pursue primary education as a business. Here are whatsoever of the top traits you should posses.

State a unscheduled teaching instructor is a incomparable chore and it's not for short-tempered grouping. If you are the soft of organism who manages to keep a smiling when everyone else is whiny, then perhaps you possess the qualities required to be a unscheduled teaching educator. Here are many of the virtues you tell:

A safe special ed pedagogue is fanatical roughly her students and knows this is what she is meant to do. You should cherish your students despite the setbacks and if you possess a real agony for teaching special education kids then this should not be problematic at all. A lot of group go in to it thinking they were titled to do it but after payment any case with the kids and experiencing the ups and downs that move with the job, they quit because they can't touch the somatesthesia.

You should also possess a uniquely ingenious noesis. Many of the times during classes, you faculty tell creativeness to inform case matters to the kids and this can greatly modify their sensitiveness. A want of power could person you conversation to yourself because the kids may not always translate your construct of intellectual.

You should be corporate. A special ed pedagogue needs artefact and disposal skills a lot many that the uniform teacher because primary needs students cover example to familiarize and be homey with their surroundings. You should be healthy to provide a constant surround for them and whatsoever firmness by beingness on second, preparing the lessons leading of quantify and maintaining anything else that helps the students be solon at aid with you.

You should be accepting of others. This is regardless of their stipulation. Primary ed teachers realize this turn that anyone added. You should be able to see to the inward person in every testee and channelize out the somebody in them, patch allowing yourself to form a trammel with every one of your students. In the deliver, you will learn that you act to increase them writer.

A special education instructor should be flat moderated. A lot happens when handling with specific education students and it is upon you to handgrip the position unwaveringly but with concern, because a lot of the nowadays you'll be dealings with kids with funky dysfunctions, among new problems, and everyone of them expects a indisputable aim of aid which if not conferred they end up snapping at you.

Forbearance and optimism is key when dealing with primary needs fill. Individual projects which ideally would be finished within an hour in a connatural instruction could guide ages to end in this form of surroundings, so without the patience and optimism to remain you achievement, you could end up beingness frustrated. Save a straightforward educator and conceive in your students and you will be stunned by fair how untold both you and them can achieve.

Other weighty character to acquire is sureness. Without confidence, you instrument not be healthy to work some of an fight on your students. Many of these students can severalise between delicate and sound characters, and act differently to both. Without the self-belief and friendship necessary, you strength bang a knotty instance being obeyed.

Be devoted to your students. Umpteen of the students you faculty be instruction may be having you as the foremost steady partner in their animation, and this module definitely create an warmheartedness. Try and be a fresh sacred pedagogue for them, it module go a longest way in boosting their friendship and freedom because if you pretence them they can conceive in themselves, it makes them stronger.

Hunch is needful. When dealing with specific needs kids you'll encounter contrary characters any of who may love effort act, so its really up to you to be fit to act a students job especially if they're not in a orientation to pronounced. Primary teaching teachers expect the ability to link easily and interpret their students without untold sweat. Admittedly, few cases may pose a challenge, but with the forbearance needful, they all arise around.

Right quality. Firmness of witticism is animated because you will conceive plentifulness of circumstances when the kids upright vocalization out for no plain understanding. Mostly, special needs kids utterance a lot, so it helps if you can vocalization along and bask the fun, because state fit to laughter with them module deal them a lot authority in you.

If you possess all or most of these uppercase qualities than primary activity strength be a saving grownup for you! You can obtain an teaching either finished traditional college, or an online college. You can be on your way to dynamical lives in righteous a few period.

My Colleges and Careers helps students unite with the incomparable schools to earn their college honor and commence on a profitable progress! A coercive imagination for individuals of all walks of spirit, My Colleges and Careers connects people with the programs that forbear them earn degrees on campus or online.

Pasting Values in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Thu, 6 Oct 2011 07:53:00 -0700

To paste the calculated value of a single formula into a cell (thus overwriting the formula) :

Press <F2> to edit and then <F9> to calculate.

To paste the calculated value of a single formula into the cell below the cell containing the formula:
Press <Ctrl+Shift+">.

To paste values in a range of cells, use the Paste Special dialog box:

Copy a range of cells containing formulas, press <Shift+F10> or right-click, and then select Paste Special from the shortcut menu.
Select Values and click OK.

Use the Paste Values Icon:
Add the Paste Values icon from the Edit category in
the Customize dialog box.

New in Excel 2002 and Excel 2003 The Paste icon has been expanded, enabling some options from the Paste Special dialog box to be quickly accessed.

Selecting Cells That Contain Formulas in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Wed, 5 Oct 2011 07:51:00 -0700

Selecting Cells That Contain Formulas in Excel :
To select cells containing Formulas in order to color, delete, or
protect, use the Go To dialog box:
1. Press <F5>.
OR
From the Edit menu, select Go To.
2. In the Go To dialog box, click Special.
3. Select Formulas, and then click OK.

Displaying Both Formulas and Values for Cells in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Tue, 4 Oct 2011 07:49:00 -0700

To display both formulas and values for cells:
1. From the Window menu, select New Window.
2. From the Window menu, select Arrange.
3. Select the Horizontal option button and click OK.
4. Select one of the two windows and press <Ctrl+‘> (the key to the left
of the number 1).

To move between windows, press <Ctrl+Tab> or <Ctrl+F6>.

Displaying Formula Syntax in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Mon, 3 Oct 2011 07:46:00 -0700

To display the syntax of all formulas in a sheet:

Press <Ctrl+‘> (the ‘ symbol is located to the left of the number 1 on the keyboard).
OR From the Tools menu, select Options, the View tab, Formulas, and then click OK.

To return to the normal display, press <Ctrl+‘> again (this keyboard shortcut is a toggle).

Copying Formulas from a Range of Cells without Changing the Absolute or Relative References

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Sun, 2 Oct 2011 07:42:00 -0700

To copy/paste Formulas from a range of cells without changing the Absolute or Relative references:

Select the range of cells containing the formulas and press <Ctrl+H>.
In the Find what box, type the = sign.
In the Replace with box, type the # symbol (to change the formulas to text).
Click Replace All, and then click Close.
Copy and paste the cells to a new location.
Repeat steps 1 through 3, reversing the # and = signs (to change the text to formulas).

Adding a Comment to a Formula

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Sat, 1 Oct 2011 15:08:00 -0700

To add a Comment to a formula:
1. At the end of the formula, add a + (plus) sign.
2. Type the letter N, and, in parentheses, type your Comment in quotation marks.

Example:
=CurrentAssets / CurrentLiabilities+ N("The formula returns Current Ratio")

Copying a Formula from a Cell While Keeping the Absolute Reference or Relative Reference in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Sat, 1 Oct 2011 07:42:00 -0700

Avoid the nightmare of pressing <F4> multiple times when coping and pasting formulas.
To copy/paste a Formula without changing the Absolute or Relative references:

Option 1: Select a cell under the cell containing a formula and press <Ctrl+ ’>.
Option 2: Copy and paste the formula from the Formula Bar to a cell, instead of from a cell to another cell.
Example, cell C12 contains a formula:

Select the formula string in the Formula Bar and press <Ctrl+C> to copy it.
Leave the Formula Bar by clicking the Enter or Cancel icons to the left of the fx on the Formula Bar.
Select another cell and press <Ctrl+V>.

Changing an Absolute Reference to a Relative Reference or Vice Versa in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:37:00 -0700

Relative Reference
When a formula is copied, a Relative reference is used. A Relative reference is the distance, in rows and columns, between the reference and the cell containing the formula.

Example:
In cell A1, type the number 100, and in cell B1, type the formula =A1. Cell B1 is one column to the right of cell A1. When the formula is copied from cell B1 to cell B10, the distance between the reference and the cell containing the formula remains one column, and the formula in cell B10 is =A10.

Absolute Reference
Select cell B1 from the previous example. In the Formula Bar, select A1, and then press <F4>. The result is =$A$1.
Copy the contents of cell B1 to cell B10. Notice that the formula does not change — the formula reference remains constant as =$A$1.

The <F4> Key
The <F4> keyboard shortcut has four states:
State 1: Absolute reference to the column and row, =$A$1
State 2: Relative reference (column) and Absolute reference (row),
=A$1
State 3: Absolute reference (column) and Relative reference (row),
=$A1
State 4: Relative reference to the column and row, =A1

Nesting Formulas

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 07:34:00 -0700

A formula can be copied and pasted into the appropriate place within another formula in the Formula Bar by using the <Ctrl+C> and <Ctrl+V> keyboard shortcuts.
􀂾 To combine Formulas into one long nested power Formula:

1. Insert the following formula into a cell:
=SUMIF(TB_DB_Level3,A12,G12)

2. Insert the following formula into an adjacent cell:
=OFFSET(TB_DB_Level3,0,MonthSelectionNumber+2)

3. In the Formula Bar of the second formula, select the formula without
the = sign, and then press <Ctrl+C>.

4. Click Cancel or Enter (the two buttons between the Name Box and
the formula in the Formula Bar) to exit edit mode.

5. Select the cell containing the first formula, and in the Formula Bar,
select the reference G12, and then press <Ctrl+V>.

Using Range Names in Formulas in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:21:00 -0700

Range Name Syntax
Name syntax rules:
The Name string must begin with a text character, not a number, and consists of adjacent characters.
Two words can be joined with an underscore (_). For example, to enter the Name "Excel Book", you should type Excel_Book.
You cannot use a Name that could otherwise be used as a cell reference. For example, A1 or IS2002.

Notes:
There is no limit on the number of Names you can define. Be sure to define unique Names for a specific workbook. Defining Names that resemble Names in other sheets will only complicate your work.

Defining a Range Name
To define a range Name, use one of the following two techniques:

Type the text directly into the Name box :
1. Select cell A1.
2. In the Name box, type the text, and then press <Enter>.

Define a Name using the Define Name dialog box :
1. Select cell B1.
2. Press <Ctrl+F3>.
OR
From the Insert menu, select Name and then Define.
3. Type the text in the Names in workbook box, and then click OK.

Deleting a Range Name
Why it is highly recommended to delete unnecessary range Names:

Large numbers of range Names makes it more difficult to locate a
specific Name.

Range Names create references and unwanted links.
To find unnecessary/unwanted range Names:

Select a cell in a new sheet.
Press <F3> and click Paste List. A full list of range names and their references is pasted into the new sheet; delete each unwanted Name.

To delete a range Name:
Press <Ctrl+F3>, select the Name, and then click Delete.

Using a Range Name in a Formula
To use a range Name in a formula:

Define the following range Names for ranges B2:B11, C2:C11, and D2:D11 respectively: Jan_2004, Feb_2004, and Mar_2004 (see the screenshot below).
Select a cell and type the formula =SUM.
Press <Ctrl+A>.
Select the first argument box and press <F3>.
Select the Name Jan_2004, and then click OK.
Paste the Names Febr_2004 and Mar_2004 in the next two argument boxes, and then click OK. The following formula has now been inserted into the cell: =SUM(Jan_2004, Feb_2004, Mar_2004)

Array Formulas in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:14:00 -0700

Understanding Arrays
For those who do not have a background in programming or mathematics, the expression Array may not be familiar.
So what exactly is an Array?
For our purposes, an Array is simply a set of values which can be stored in a formula, a range of cells, or the computer’s memory. The size of an Array can range from two to thousands of values.

Using Arrays in Formulas
There are several different types of Arrays used by Excel when working with formulas:
An Array stored in a Worksheet in a range of cells: For example, when the SUM function sums the values stored in range of cells, it is treating those values as an Array. An Array stored in a formula: Instead of entering cell addresses to enable a formula to operate on the values stored in those locations, you may enter an Array of values into the SUM function arguments: =SUM(1,2,3,4,5). OR Enter an Array enclosed in brackets into the formula argument. For example, use the MATCH function to return the position of the number 10 in an Array of values: =MATCH(10,{3,7,10,15,20}). The result = 3

Excel formulas create Arrays to store values: Formulas such as SUMPRODUCT utilize computer memory to store values temporarily while calculating complicated math problems. These values are stored in an Array. Example: To add the total sales amount of 3 items when the quantities sold are 10, 20, and 30 and the sale prices are $3, $4, and $5 respectively, the SUMPRODUCT formula stores each multiplication product in an Array (Array size is 3) and then adds the three values from the Array. The SUMPRODUCT formula: =SUMPRODUCT(A1:A3,B1:B3),
Result - total sales=$260.

Let Excel create an Array formula:
As explained in the previous section, many formulas create Arrays when they need to store values during calculations. However, an Excel user may create a formula that deliberately enforces the program to open an Array/Arrays to store values. Example: Use the SUM function to return total sales (see previous example). The formula will now look like this: {=SUM(A1:A3*B1:B3)}, Resulttotal sales=$260.

To apply an Array formula:
Enter the formula, select the cell, press <F2>, and then simultaneously press <Ctrl+Shift+Enter>.

Inserting, Editing, & Copying Formulas

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 07:27:00 -0700

Inserting/Editing Formulas

To open the Insert Function dialog box:
Select an empty cell and press <Shift+F3>.

To open a Function Arguments dialog box:
Select a cell containing a formula and press <Shift+F3>.

To insert a new Formula into a cell using the Function
Arguments dialog box:
1. Select an empty cell, and then type the = sign.
2. Type the formula name and press <Ctrl+A>.

To insert a formula by typing it while being guided by the
formula syntax tooltip:
1. Select an empty cell, and then type the = sign followed by the
formula name and a left parenthesis, i.e. (.
2. Press <Ctrl+Shift+A> (in Excel version 2003 the syntax appears
immediately after step 1 above).

Working With Formulas in Excel

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 07:22:00 -0700

This posting was contains fundamentals, shortcuts, tips, and techniques that are essential when working with Formulas & Functions. It includes the following sections:

􀀩 Inserting, Editing, & Copying Formulas, : This section covers easy techniques on inserting, editing, and copying formulas, understanding the correct use of relative/absolute references, and creating power formulas.

􀀩 Selecting, Displaying, Printing & Pasting Formulas, : In this section you will find techniques on displaying formula syntax, displaying formulas and values, selecting cells containing formulas, pasting values, adding comments to formulas, and printing formula syntax.

􀀩 Array Formulas, : This section provides an explanation of the concept of an Array and how Excel uses Arrays in formulas, You will also learn how to create an Array formula.

􀀩 Using Range Names in Formulas, : In this section, learn about range name rules, how to define range names, and how to use range Names in formulas.

􀀩 Auditing Formulas, : In this section, find essential shortcuts and techniques on tracing and moving between precedent and dependent cells, stepping into formulas, and tracing errors in a formula.

􀀩 Protecting Formulas, : In this section, you will learn how to protect formulas in both protected and unprotected sheets.

PROCESS SKILLS APPROACH

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 23:51:00 -0700

PROCESS SKILLS APPROACH can be interpreted as insight or fad development of intellectual skills, social and physical abilities derived from the fundamental principle has existed in students. Approach to learning science process skills emphasizes the formation of skills to gain knowledge and communicating the results. The approach now known as process skills and active student learning is not widely realized, and learning less attention to individual learning exhaustiveness. The approach is intended to develop the process skills abilities possessed by individual students. Review process skills approach that was taken from the opinion of Funk (1985) as follows:

(1) approach to develop the nature of the process skills of science students. Students are encouraged to acquire knowledge well as better understand the facts and concepts of science;
(2) Learning through process skills will give students the chance to work with science, not just telling, and or listen to the history of science;
(3) process skills can be used by students to learn the process and product as well as science. Science Process Skills approach gives students the chance to actually act as a scientist.

From the above description can be stated that the application of process skills approach requires the involvement of mental-physical and intellectual students. It can be used to train and develop the intellectual skills or thinking abilities of students. It also develop scientific attitudes and students' ability to discover and develop the facts, concepts, and principles of science or knowledge.

Can then be used to solve the problems of everyday life in an objective and rational. Thus, it can be concluded that the science process skills is an intellectual activity is usually done by scientists in solving problems and producing products of science. Process skills in science teaching is an alternative model of learning or science that can involve students in the behavior and mental processes, such as scientists. Funk (1985) points out that the various process skills can be classified into two general categories: the basic process skills (basic skills) and integrated skills (integarted skills). Basic process skills include activities relating to observation, classification, measurement, communication, prediction, inference. If we examine further below.

1. Observation

Through observing the activities, students learn about the world around is fantastic. Human observing objects and phenomena of nature by engaging the senses sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing. Information obtained, it can require students about environmental interpretation and research them further. The ability to observe the most basic skills in the process and gain knowledge and skills most important to develop other processes. Observe a response to various natural objects and events with the five senses. By observation, students collect data on responses to the object being observed.

2. Classification

A large number of objects, events, and everything in life around, the more easily learned if done by determining the different types of classes. Characterize and observe the similarities, differences and relationships and grouping objects based on suitability for various purposes. Skills to identify similarities and differences of various objects based on the events of their distinctive properties so we get a kind of class or group of objects of events in question.

3. Communication

Humans began to learn early in life that communication is the basis for solving the problem. Skills menyapaikan something orally and in writing, including communication. Communicating can be interpreted as penyampaikan and acquire facts, concepts, and principles of science in the form of sound, visual, or sound and visual. Examples of reading maps, tables, garfik, charts, symbols, diagrams, visual demonstrations.

4. Measurement

Measure can be interpreted as comparing the measured with a specific unit of measure that has been previously defined. Skills in using the tool in obtaining the data can be called a measurement.

5. Prediction

Predeksi is the skill to predict which will happen, based on symptoms. Regularity in our environment allows us to recognize patterns and to predict the patterns of what might be observed. Predicting can be interpreted as anticipating or make predictions about everything that will happen in the future, based on estimates in a particular pattern or trend, or relationships between facts, concepts, and principles of knowledge.

6. Inference

Conducting inference is concluded. This can be interpreted as a skill to decide the state of an object or event based on the facts, concepts and principles are known. Integrated Skills is a blend of two basic process skills or abilities more. Consists of integrated skills: identifying variables, tabulation, chart, description of variables relations, acquisition and data processing, analysis investigation, experiment hypothesis.

a. Identification of variables: Skills to know the characteristics of the factors that will determine the change
b. Tabulation: Skills presentation of data in tabular form, to facilitate the reading of the relationship antarkomponen (compilation of data by lane-lane available)
c. Graph: Skills presentation with a line about the ups and downs of something worse. d. Description of relationship variables: Skills to make a synopsis / statement relationship
the factors that determine changes.
e. Acquisition and data processing: The skills to do the steps in order to meperoleh data.
f. Analysis of the investigation: Skills describe the subject matter of the parts and insolubility problems based on a consistent method to achieve an understanding of basic principles.
g. Hypothesis: Skills formulate provisional estimates.
h. Experiment: Skills to conduct experiments to prove a theory / explanation based on observation and reasoning.

Keterampian process as expressed by the Funk is a skill that must be applied to the process of education in schools by teachers. Learning science skills emphasized in the formation of acquiring knowledge and developing a scientific attitude. This can be achieved when using the approach in the learning process skills good basic process skills and integrated process skills (integrated) as revealed above.
The step-by-step approach to learning the skills that were held in the SD process is as follows:

a. Observations by experiencing an event itself.
b. Opinions expressed denmgan predictions about events experienced.
c. Hypothesis: formulating provisional estimates.
d.Melakukan experiments / experiments on respiration using a Model of Human Respiration.
e. Acquisition and data processing; do step by step experiments to obtain data.
f. Communication: report the results of the discussion group or submit the acquisition of facts, principles.

If the approach is applied Process Skills gained some advantages, among others, as follows:

1. Students will gain the right understanding about the nature of knowledge.
2. Students have the opportunity to work with science and feel happy.
3. Students have the opportunity to learn the process of obtaining and produces knowledge.

Testing and the Flux Capicitor

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:13:00 -0700

Imagine having the power to influence the future. You could go back in time and undo all the wrongs and make things "right." Essentially that's what every teacher has when they administer the SOL test to their classes. Of course that would only be if we received the proper feedback after testing. The social studies EOC reports are less than helpful and seem designed to keep everyone involved as much in the dark as possible about what actually went on. For my kids that pass I receive a nebulous number which means very little to anyone who lives in the real world and not the criterion referenced normed testing world. I spent the better part of 6 hours trying to determine what pass proficient(400-499) and pass advanced(500-600) mean only to discover they mean very little.
Most movies I recall dealing with time travel involve the moral dilemma of changing the future and touch upon the unforeseen consequences of trying to do right and fix the past. Looking at my results I am not sure I would actually know what to go back and do better. For me movies on time travel tend to be predictable and boring...my hope is to avoid the same fate for this post. My recent SOL results have been anything but predictable. The most notable film was Back to the Future. That is exactly where we are headed with all this testing. Backwards. No one except Dr. Emmett Brown(Christopher Lloyd) knew exactly how the Flux Capacitor worked and it caused a bunch of trouble for Marty(Miachael J. Fox), these tests are much the same. Difference here is we don't see them so we wouldn't know what to fix.

I observed recently while my students took the World History up to 1500 SOL test. It was a painful experience and makes you feel about as powerless as one could possibly be. This feeling is one which today's teachers are growing more familiar with. As I monitored them with the other proctors I could not help but imagine they were missing all kinds of questions as they took the 60 question online assessment. Surely they were making stupid mistakes on content we have drilled on in the previous weeks and more importantly learned earlier in the year. These were smart kids and most wanted to do well on this SOL and yet somehow I could just sense they weren't....ARGH! Much of this anxiety stemmed from the results of last semester's test, which were unexpectedly lower than they had been in the past.

So there's your plot for the movie.  The protagonist... the teachers... against this antagonist testing culture. I could have walked around and looked at the test and maybe grunted or found some other way to inform them of their mis-steps. But I did not, which is unlike what appears to have happened in DC and elsewhere.   Believe it or not most schools are actually staffed by ethical people who follow the rules. Though these individuals are overlooked by the news in favor of the student punching, criminal, just plain bad people teachers who do sometimes hold jobs in our profession. But back to the testing ...the whole process is cloaked in so much secrecy it can sometimes be rather dumb. I'll admit I am not even certain what they are being asked and how it is being asked and I teach the course!

During the test I sat stone faced with the other proctors while they worked and my mind played out all the scenarios. I knew many of them were missing questions.   Would that mean little Susie will fail? What about little Johnny...he's not that good with tests and can't concentrate for more than 5 minutes.  I know I had asked similar questions of them recently in the run up to the test, but I had likely done so in a slightly different way(I'd say better). Will that mess them up? For those that don't know these tests are in fact rather easy for most kids. Higher level kids know this and as a result few do any "real" preparation. I did ask them to take a post SOL survey on how many had "studied" beyond the reviews we had done in class.  Only 7 of 29 students raised their hands.   Awesome. Speaking generally all they care about is the test and yet, it appears they don't care. Despite being "easy" to pass it appears hard to receive a Pass Advanced score. And what of the kids whose skill set means any form of testing is a challenge? I have found too often their level or preparation quite similar. But too many of them do not do as well.  Thinking more globally on the impact the weeks leading up to the test we went into test shutdown mode and these weeks after have been like waiting in line at the grocery store(all you want to do is get out). Tell me again how this is learning?

Thanks to the State Board of Ed what they did now affects how I am evaluated. Am I mad? What do you think? All I know is this test doesn't really hold them accountable. School yes, teacher yes, them no. When they miss a bunch of easy questions it hurts me not them(and the scores say they did miss questions). I would be hurt no matter the result if they did poorly which was the case for some of them. These kids wanted to do well but not quite as much as I wanted them to do well.  I think that's part of what makes them kids.  The only impact from recent value added legislation so far is that I am more disillusioned with the whole process. And keep in mind this I am referring mostly to the highest achieving population at our school. Our district ranks pretty well compared to the rest of the state. So does this really measure me as a teacher?

Mr. High School Goes to Elementary

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 23:12:00 -0700

This year I teach a Leadership class made up of mostly freshmen. For most of the second semester I've traveled with my class to a local elementary school to provide assistance in the classrooms. My own children have been in elementary school for five years, but this experience has provided a different perspective for me on elementary education. I've seen many things go on at this elementary school that I would love to see transfer to the high school level. I'm sure not every school is the same, but these are the things that I've loved watching at Hollymead Elementary school in Albemarle County.

1) The building is filled with adults who all seem to have a role to fill hands on with students. If I sit in the lobby for more than ten minutes I will see three to five people walking down the hall with anywhere from one to six children. When I walk down the k-3 hallways, every classroom has at least one other adult than the teacher. I haven't figured out how many are volunteers and how many are staff, but the impact on the climate of the school is quite notable.

2) The building is filled with color. Most newer high schools I've visited are colorful places as well. My high school has several additions that feature natural lighting and lighter colors, but the older wings are still quite dark and cavernous. It is easy to underestimate the impact that environment has on attitude and behavior and I would like to see even older facilities kept up to better reflect this.

3) The building is filled with sound but not noise. I rarely passed a classroom without some sort of interaction going on. Students have so much opportunity to interact. This can quickly turn into non-productive chatter, but having so many available adults helps keep the activity directed. For the most part, teachers seem to work with this sound without letting it reach the level of distraction.

4) The building is filled with students working actively. Whether moving about in the hallway, or quietly producing something at their tables (not desks, I noticed very few desks at the school) students were continually engaged in learning. My first day at the school I witnessed one class working on paintings of leprechauns and rainbows. (It was close to St. Patrick's Day). It was a nice activity, but when the teacher reinforced the pattern of colors in the rainbow using ROY G BIV, I knew this was more than just a fun holiday exercise.

If I have the opportunity next year I plan to continue this involvement with elementary school, hopefully playing a more active role myself in the classrooms with my students. It has been an excellent professional development opportunity for me. Perhaps greater interaction among teachers actively engaged in the work of instructing students could serve all educators better if the time and opportunities existed.

Is there a "Virulent Left-Wing" Bias in Education?

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 23:10:00 -0700

[Cross-posted from Technopaideia]

It's no secret that the people who control public schools are at war with our nation's history, culture and achievements. - Phyllis Schlafly

I’ve recently become interested [again] in the question of whether an allegedly liberal bias in educators and academics has had a large impact on American schools and…through them…on the beliefs of Americans at large.The question has come up most recently because of something my Dad wrote in a comment on a discussion I was having with a couple of my (professor) colleagues on Facebook. We were talking about the ways in which Kant's philosophy of education (especially his optimism about progress through education) reflected a modern viewpoint, and that that viewpoint had faded with the rise of post-modernism. A colleague asked me if I blamed "po-mo," and I said that I didn't, but instead blamed the reaction to po-mo, and then another asked if Kant could be called "pre-po-mo," or if that was reducible to "mo."

In any case, we were playing with some of the common tropes in academia. My Dad (with whom I've had a number of heated discussions about politics on Facebook and elsewhere), wrote:

NOW I know what we conservatives are up against. Thanks guys for enlightening me.

One of my colleagues asked him what he meant by that, and he wrote:

It's not just Big Government, Pubic programs and Tax and Spend that makes the liberal tic. That's just the symptoms. It goes to a deep seeded need to make mankind better and socially equal and they feel that they know better than the public in general what's best for them.

It all boils down to an ideology. You guys will never see my arguments as having any worth to the discussions. I'm trying not to lower myself to name calling but you guys consider yourself to be the elite, the educated ones that knows best. You talk about what you've learned and read and have been lead to believe that there is no alternative to your philosophies in education and to life in general.

No, there is no sinister plot by the Liberal. You truly believe that what you know is the only way. On your side you have most of academics, Hollywood, the media and the Democrats. There's a new meaning, for me, about what a liberal education really is. With each generation of graduates, you're getting exactly what you want in our children. They will think the same as you do.

Now, there's a lot in my Dad's comment that serves as food for thought. For example, I'm not sure why he believes that me and these particular colleagues think alike (I don't think we do think completely alike, although we are all education professors with a strong interest in furthering our own understanding of the history of ideas and culture in general, and we all know what "po-mo" refers to. Well, okay, I'll admit it, these two colleagues and I are all Democrats). For another, I don't know why we're more guilty of believing that what we know is the "only way" than any, say, group of Sarah Palin fans (of which my Dad is one). For a third, I don't really think that a deep-seated desire to make mankind better is the same as thinking we know better than the public in general what's good for them. (Although it's interesting to contemplate the obverse of this statement...do conservatives think they know better than the general public that has been allegedly brainwashed by liberals in the educational system? Maybe only when conservatives lose elections to liberals?!?...but I digress.) Those questions aren't what I'd like to address here.

Instead, I'm intrigued by this idea that we academics (educators, teachers) are somehow "getting what we want in our children" and that "what we want" is that they think "the same" as we do. This is quite an interesting claim, to me. It seems to imply not only that "we" all think alike and that "we" all have the same desire to produce graduates who think in the same way as "we" do, but it also suggests that we're pretty successful in getting our graduates to think like us. And since we have "Hollywood, the media, and the Democrats" on our side, we don't even have to be especially effective at schooling the kids in the liberal ideology...we can rely on the culture at large to aid and abet our conspiracy.

Once you look around on the Internets, my Dad's notions here about a liberal conspiracy that includes the schools don't seem unusual. In fact, it seems to be a pretty common belief. Here are just a few examples I found in just a few minutes:

1. In an article about the political realities of climate change given the recent elections, it was stated that young people are more likely to believe in global warming than older people are. The article included this paragraph:

Anthony Watts, a prominent climate skeptic who runs the popular and controversial site “Watts Up With That,” blamed the “liberal” education system for the lack of young climate skeptics. “I suppose such a group would be unlikely because our children are conditioned by textbooks and a generally liberal education process to believe in the [man-made global warming] premise as factual and without question,” he said.

The article went on to address the fact that the older people are, the less likely they are to believe in man-made climate change or in the need for drastic governmental efforts to avoid a catastrophe. It's interesting that one of the theories offered as to why people seem to change their minds about this as they get older is that they come to understand the economic costs of seriously addressing the issue, and are less willing to pay those costs. They're also supposedly less alarmist...probably having survived more "the sky is falling" situations in their lives...being a bit jaded, perhaps. But the fact that older people tend to understand the costs of addressing climate change doesn't--it seems to me--explain why they also don't think these efforts should be made...but I guess I underestimate the degree to which people vote their pocketbooks on things like this.

Watt's view that young people today have been "conditioned by textbooks and a generally liberal education process" is the core of what I'm addressing here. The implication, of course, is that this has gotten worse in recent years...thus explaining why young people today are more likely to believe a "liberal" point of view (their elders went to school before this bias took hold, perhaps?).

2. In an opinion piece in the Washington Times in April of this year, Deborah Simmons wrote:

Academia [is] leading young minds in a direction that [will] come to affect every aspect of American tradition and policy. Pity the enemies of liberalism and our children because, well, here we are. Same-sex marriage laws are sweeping the states. So-called medical marijuana laws are, too. The public option almost made it into the health care reform bill, and union demands mean weak-kneed politicians and lawmakers are turning their backs on fiscal conservatism in favor of continuing failed one-size-fits-all education policies. That's the short list.

(Of course, this kind of talk (that our liberal education system is leading the American people to vote in certain ways is...well...only really salient after elections which result in the election of more liberal politicians. So, after the 2008 elections, the liberal bias of schools seemed particular strong. After the 2010 elections? Not so much.)

Simmons goes on to talk about an interview she conducted with David Horowitz:

Mr. Horowitz talked about how "deliberate liberal bias" has ruined America's schools. Teachers unions, he said, are the root of the problem. "They don't want another voice in the room," Mr. Horowitz said. "The teacher unions and the Democratic Party have a monopoly on the public school systems. ... Teachers get paid for showing up. No one in the world gets paid for showing up." And, he continued, "the kids fail and there's no incentive to teach." "Teachers," Mr. Horowitz said, "are overpaid and underworked, and protected ... by the Democratic Party," and unionized teachers will "fight with their last breath."

Teacher bashing and complaining about the liberal bias in curriculum and content seem to go hand in hand. This begins to explain why many on the right prefer to have schools run by corporations...through charters...most of which aren't unionized. By reconfiguring schools so that teachers must teach instead of sitting around--the reasoning goes--the schools will be less likely to brainwash the kids...right? (I'm not sure I get this...the teachers don't work hard...so they effectively brainwash the kids? If they worked harder...they would brainwash less? Clearly, there's a view here of what the "real work" of teachers ought to be. More on this later. But first, let's go on.)

3. (Okay, I admit, this next one is a low-hanging fruit.) Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly wrote earlier this year on her Eagle Forum about the fight to revise the Texas state curriculum guidelines, titling her post "Texas Kicks Out Liberal Bias From Textbooks." The whole piece is really interesting to me, but I'll just include a few excerpts here:

For years, liberals have imposed their revisionist history on our nation's public school students, expunging important facts and historic figures while loading the textbooks with liberal propaganda, distortions and cliches. It's easy to get a quick lesson in the virulent leftwing bias by checking the index and noting how textbooks treat President Ronald Reagan and Senator Joseph McCarthy.... [The link doesn't exactly prove that textbooks treat Reagan badly...but does cite one book that gave the credit for ending the Cold War to Gorbachev and not Reagan...one book...clearly virulent. And the alleged expert who was cited about this...a not-so-liberal professor at the University of Dayton who blogs about "the liars in the government-controlled media." The government controls the media? But I thought it was the liberals who controlled the media...and that conservatives can't succeed in academia... But let's go on...]

In most states, the liberal education establishment enjoys total control over the state's board of education, department of education, and curriculum committees. Texas is different; the Texas State Board of Education is elected, and the people (even including parents!) have a voice. ...

(Parents actually have a lot of control over schools...everywhere...as anyone who has spent any time at all in school board meetings know. Principals, in fact, have as their primary job keeping the parents from getting so upset about things at school that they begin to call school board members...who control the principal's jobs. In fact, one could say that increased parental control over schools has had a considerably stifling effect on teachers in the past few decades. But that doesn't fit into the "liberal bias" storyline...and it's another story for another time.)

Now that I think about it, Schlafly's editorial is worth quoting at some length:

After a public outcry, the [Texas State Board of Education (SBOE)] responded with common-sense improvements. Thomas Edison, the world's greatest inventor, will be again included in the narrative of American History.[Huh? What's this got to do with liberals and conservatives?]

Schoolchildren will no longer be misled into believing that capitalism and the free market are dirty words and that America has an unjust economic system. Instead, they will learn how the free-enterprise system gave our nation and the world so much that is good for so many people.

Liberals don't like the concept of American Exceptionalism. The liberals want to teach what's wrong with America (masquerading under the code word "social justice" [on which, more below]) instead of what's right and successful. The SBOE voted to include describing how American Exceptionalism is based on values that are unique and different from those of other nations. [Don't all nations think they're "unique" and "different"? What's exceptional about the American beliefs in their own exceptionalism?]

The SBOE specified that teaching about the Bill of Rights should include a reference to the right to keep and bear arms. Some school curricula pretend the Second Amendment doesn't exist. [From the linked source: "Let me say point blank that one of the objectives of this [federal] curriculum is to eliminate the Second Amendment." There's an interesting side story here about this so-called "federal curriculum," but again, for another time.]

Texas curriculum standards will henceforth accurately describe the U.S. government as a "constitutional republic" rather than as a democracy. [Yes, not a democracy, really. Something to get my preservice teachers to think more about!] The secularists tried to remove reference to the religious basis for the founding of America, but that was voted down. The Texas Board rejected the anti-Christian crowd's proposal to eliminate the use of B.C. and A.D. for historic dates, as in Before Christ and Anno Domini, and replace them with B.C.E., as in Before the Common Era, and C.E.

The deceptive claim that the United States was founded on a "separation of church and state" gets the ax, and rightfully so. In fact, most of the original thirteen colonies were founded as Christian communities with much overlap between church and state.

History textbooks that deal with Joseph McCarthy will now be required to explain "how the later release of the Venona papers confirmed suspicions of Communist infiltration in U.S. government." The Venona papers are authentic transcripts of some 3,000 messages between the Soviet Union and its secret agents in the United States.

And, finally:

It's no secret that the people who control public schools are at war with our nation's history, culture and achievements. Since taxpayers foot the bill, it is long overdue for a state board of education to correct many textbooks myths and lies about our magnificent national heritage and achievements.

(Whew! "At war with our nation's achievements"! Damn, those "people who control public schools" must be a virulent, biased, even nefarious bunch! Who are those people, again?) But let's go on:

4. Here's some excerpts from a blog produced by Intellectual Takeout (ITO), "a non-partisan, educational 501(c)(3) institution [whose] vision is to become a national leader in educating and mobilizing conservatives, libertarians, independents, and progressives [?!?] in order to play a pivotal role in expanding individual and economic freedoms while reducing the size and scope of government."

According to many studies [not cited; see below], bias in academia more often than not is liberal bias. Many professors and students admit to possessing liberal ideologies or Democratic voting tendencies. It is natural and right for liberal students and professors to freely express their liberal philosophies, but is it right for liberal professors to continually advance their ideas in the classroom while squelching all other opinions? No.

As many of the pieces in this section suggest, universities are the breeding grounds for a variety of ideas and thought processes. Students who attend American colleges and universities should be able to gain a well-rounded view of their country, its founding principles, and the ideas – from all points on the political spectrum – that continue to shape and mold its future. Unfortunately, today’s colleges have drifted away from these ideals and become bastions of liberal thought and activism.

I dug a little deeper into Intellectual Takeout, which organizes their "information similarly to most university course offerings," by topics. I was curious that one of the topics under "Education" was "Colleges of Education." "Hmmm....I thought...this should be interesting..." And so it is.

There are two sub-topics under Colleges of Education. One is about teacher certification, and the other is called "Education and Social Justice." This phrase "social justice," which seems on its face to be a nonpartisan ideal (who is against justice in society?), appears again and again in writings that claim an alleged left-wing bias in schools. (It's also become one of my Dad's favorite phrases when describing the conspiracy toward a New World Order that me, Obama, and our liberal friends are working toward.) The article in Intellectual Takeout explains the phrase's significance:

As has been mentioned numerous times before, the American education system has undergone major changes in the past fifty years as the principles of teacher-directed education have gradually given way to student-centered learning philosophies. [The history of progressive education is certainly an interesting one...but this quick summary seems a bit...simplistic to me. Anyway....] Although seemingly recent, the changes that have occurred in the classroom were actually initiated many years before in the classrooms of education schools. [Okay...progressive educational ideas certainly achieved a sort of critical mass...say...in the 1940s. So this makes a bit of sense.] The training that occurs in these education schools has a great influence on the social, cultural, and intellectual path that a nation will choose, and due to this fact, it is important to understand what exactly our nation’s education schools are instilling in the minds of our future teachers. The “latest and greatest” education philosophy that education schools are pushing is the central focus of this library section: social justice education.

This is truly interesting. Now comes a bit of a doozy:

Social justice education is also commonly referred to as “critical pedagogy.” [Oh boy!] Although its ambiguous titles suggest virtuous American ideals such as truth and justice, its core principles revolve around a pervasive Marxist ideology. Championed by men such as Paulo Freire, Henry Giroux, and William Ayers, critical pedagogy seeks to turn students into activists with an anti-capitalist mindset. Education schools are increasingly promoting this idea among their students by encouraging them to reject their “privileged” status, recognize their own racial biases, and focus on the “oppressed” facets of society. Today’s elementary and secondary classrooms are beginning to reflect these ideologies. As a result, American schools are slowly moving away from their old purpose of instilling academic skills and factual knowledge in children and toward a lopsided political indoctrination.

Wow! This is beginning to get a little personal. I work in a college of education. One of my occasional duties is to teach courses in the history and philosophy of American education...to preservice teachers (those who are just getting their teaching credentials). The course that I most often teach in that area is called "Social Justice Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of American Education." (Yes, it is!) Here's the catalog description:

FND 510: Social Justice Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of American Education (for M.A.T. students)

This course critically examines the social, cultural, political, and economic forces, and the philosophies of education that have influenced policy, laws, school structure, and practices throughout the history of American education. Issues addressed include ability and disability, race, ethnicity, gender, and class. Students lay the foundation for the development of a personal philosophy of education and reflectively examine issues of education from legal and social justice perspectives. This course includes a field project requiring at least 15 hours of work outside of class. 3 semester hours

Notice the key phrase "critically examines..." On the very face of it, this seems to confirm ITO's view.

What's more, the National College of Education's conceptual framework includes the following:

NCE Faculty and candidates use scholarly habits of mind and methods of inquiry in order to affect P-12 student learning by:

Envisioning, articulating, and modeling democratic and progressive education

...

...

Advocating for democratic values, equity, access and resources to assure educational success for all

I think this is what we faculty members in the National College of Education at National-Louis University mean by "social justice." Social justice, to me, and to my colleagues, means working for a society that is democratic...where every child has access to a quality education. This means paying attention to the social, political, and economic conditions that affect the quality of schools and that impact the experience that children have in school. It involves attention to what has come to be known as "culturally-relevant" pedagogy...which suggests that teachers must be sensitive to the values, traditions, and perspectives of the families that children come from, and the effects that prior experiences have on their experiences in school. (Click here for more on this approach.)

The thing is, none of this suggests that what we want is to create teachers well-versed in what has been called "critical pedagogy." Rather, our goal is helping new teachers to understand the broader social forces that pertain to their work in classrooms with particular children, so that they can be more effective teachers. (Although, we must admit, colleges of education aren't necessarily doing a great job with this; see here for one take on how poor they are.) We faculty members also want our teacher-graduates to be true professionals who use their understanding of history, sociology, and cultural psychology to further the profession and increase the effectiveness of schools and of the American educational system in general. We most definitely don't believe that teachers should just teach academic skills and factual knowledge...we expect them to know and care about the larger context of schooling and about the daily lives of their students, now and in the future. Thinking critically about education means knowing that education requires more than just getting the kids to be effective in computation and decoding and memorization...and, more importantly, it means more than just teaching lower-income kids to follow orders and upper-income kids to be creative and problem-solve. (Which is what tends to happen in schools; see Anyon, 1980)

Certainly some of us do talk about critical pedagogy in some contexts. Personally, I don't think you can teach a course in the history and philosophy of education without some attention to thinkers who are considered left-wing. Some of us even assign readings, in some contexts, from Freire, Giroux, and Ayers (and...gasp!...even John Dewey!). But we also assign readings from John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, Horace Mann, James Conant, and Diane Ravitch, the books of which do not appear on the list of the "Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries" (Dewey's Democracy and Education does, though.) John Locke's Two Treatises of Government even appears on the Ultimate List of Conservative Must-Read Books. He's no "critical pedagogue," as anyone who has compared his Some Thoughts Concerning Education to Rousseau's Emile (for example) can attest. Actually, I think most teachers of the history and philosophy of education in colleges of education are pretty balanced, overall, because...

...um...

...well, because in many of our courses (especially those in the Foundations of Education), we're trying to get our students to think. That's right: to think.

"But what does "to think" mean?" you ask. "What does having prospective teachers read left-wing ideologues like Freire or Dewey or Rousseau have to do with teaching them to think? Even presenting these thinkers as if they are worth reading is introducing a bias right there, is it not?"

Hmmmm....soooo...let's see: having them read Locke or Jefferson isn't introducing bias? Or..are you saying...it's okay to introduce certain kinds of bias? Or are these thinkers not biased? Some of the other readings I assign my students are clearly biased toward the right: articles by people like William Bennett and Chester Finn, who are known Republicans...and such documents as "A Nation At Risk," a report issued while Reagan was president.) The goal is to help students to understand the wide range of perspectives on educational topics...not to indoctrinate them to think a particular way!

But as I'm writing this, I'm having an internal conversation that is flowing more rapidly than I'm able to write. I'm thinking about what I consider to be the purposes of education, of what it means to be educated...of what it means to be a thinker.

And yes, in my conception of an educated person is....a willingness to read the works of people across the political spectrum, and a willingness to think about the variety of perspectives that exist, and a willingness to accept that each of these perspectives offers something important philosophically, historically, and educationally...and that the only way a reader can understand a reading is to understand that any reading reflects the values, experiences, social positions, and...yes...biases of its author. This is what is meant by critical thinking: gaining the capacity to critique without merely condemning...to understand without condoning...to compare and contrast and contextualize while coming gradually to one's own conclusions...in short, to think for oneself.

Critical thinking, in its broadest sense has been described as "purposeful reflective judgment concerning what to believe or what to do." (source)

"But wait! Then you do have a bias," you're thinking. "Your bias is that multiple perspectives need to be encountered, understood, digested, and then synthesized in the forming of one's own viewpoint. Your bias is that education is about teaching each person to think for him or herself...rather than to merely accept the values and perspectives of a particular group (their parents, their peers, their community, the government, those in business, multinational corporations). In other words, you are trying to indoctrinate teachers into the view that getting their students to think for themselves is a worthy goal!"

Um, yes: guilty as charged.

"So you would rather have a young person form their own political beliefs than just vote the way their parents want them to?" Yes.

"So you believe that all young people should be exposed to a variety of values, beliefs, and perspectives in school, and that they should be taught to evaluate these different perspectives critically rather than unquestioningly"? Yes.

"So you believe that there's no right or wrong...that everything is relative...that capitalism is not always great...that Communists shouldn't be ruthlessly investigated and "outed"...that students should understand why the Constitution prohibited the establishment of religion...that they should understand that the Constitution isn't perfect...that it allowed slavery to continue...and didn't let women or poor people vote.?" Well...maybe.

"So you admit a virulent left-wing bias?!?" Um...if by that you mean a set of values about what education consists of and how best to move young people towards a broader understanding of their world, ...then yes, I do.

"And you admit that your colleagues have the same beliefs about these things that you do?" Well, for the most part, yes...we pride ourselves in our commitments to democratic values, as shown in our Conceptual Framework.

"Okay, then: case closed."

Why Great Teachers Quit: And How We Might Stop the Exodus

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 23:07:00 -0700

If teachers, parents, school boards, administrators, community members, and lawmakers can listen to each other and work on this problem together, we can lessen the tide of teacher attrition, ultimately improving the learning and working environment in schools for everyone. (p. 156) Those are the final words of this new book by Katy Farber. Depending on what statistics you use, we lose up to 30% of new teachers in the first three years, up to 50% in the first five. Some clearly should not have been teachers in the first place. But others bring the passion, knowledge and, at least potentially, the skill we need for all of our students. Some of those we lose early in their career are already great teachers, others are potentially so. The reasons that cost us these teachers also cost us those later in their careers, who all recognize are great. This book can help us begin to address the problem.

Katy Farber was mentoring another teacher at her school in Vermont when that teacher quit after only two years. She was stunned. Her mentee was enthusiastic, creative, and the kids loved her. Farber decided to study the issue of teacher attrition, why we lose so many so early, and in the process began hearing consistent messages from teachers across the country. This was also at a point in her own professional career that potentially represented a cross-roads for her: A perfect storm of difficult parents, a new principal, and a new teaching partner brought many of these issues to the forefront for me (p. xiii) This book is something you can choose to sit down and read through, but the design makes it clear that there are other approaches you can take. After the various introductory materials, there are eight chapters, followed by a brief set of Final Thoughts by the author, a list of references, and an index. Each of the eight chapters focuses on a specific area that is a source of tension and possible disillusionment for teachers. In order, these are 1. Standardized Testing 2. Working Conditions in Today's Schools 3.

Ever-Higher Expectations 4. Bureaucracy 5. Respect and Compensation 6. Parents 7. Administrators 8. School Boards Each chapter presents a real-life scenario, drawn from Farber's contacts with teachers through conversations, posts on blogs, emails, and other forms of communication. The scenarios are followed by discussions containing thoughts from additional teachers, as well as a list of suggestions Farber describes as "practicable, applicable recommendations for administrators and teacher leaders" (p. xvi). It is fair to say that while there is no one single reason causing teachers to leave the profession, a large number of the reasons that influence them, and which Farber explores in this book, could be generally classified as experiencing a lack of respect. That lack of respect applies to skill, knowledge, work conditions, salary, treatment by administrators, and treatment by parents. Let's focus on working conditions for a moment. Teachers have far less flexibility for things like bodily functions and meals than do most menial workers. There are also issues with unhealthy buildings, use of toxic substances to clean. There are real issues of safety. Imagine you have a college degree. Now imagine you may have to go three hours without being able to take a bathroom break, or that you may have a lunch period as short as 15-20 minutes to yourself. That is the real world of conditions for many teachers. Or consider this.

A significant proportion of teachers, particularly at the elementary level, are female. If they are starting families, and wish to breast feed an infant, is there any provision for a teacher to express milk during the school day? Or is our solution going to be that we are going to exclude nursing mothers from being in the classroom, even though we might thereby diminish the pool of highly qualified and effective teachers? Farber offers thoughtful comments from teachers on all the topics she covers. Because the impact of testing is perhaps the most covered of these, I will not explore the valuable material she offers on that topic. But we should not avoid exploring the related topic of ever-higher expectations. Even without the imposition of such higher expectations, responsible teachers already feel crushed by the demands on the time they have. Increasingly, the demands “are not directly related to teaching students” which as Farber notes, is often the main motivation for teachers to be in the classroom.

She also writes: This state of affairs is exhausting and dispiriting. Many teachers shared that they simply don’t have enough time to do everything that they feel they should be doing. And it is eroding their personal and professional lives. (p. 44) The advice offered by veteran teachers is to set limits, as one experience suggests to no more than 9 hours of school-related work daily. Yet this can create conflicts for those really dedicated to their students. If, for example, I were to limit my workday to 9 hours, of which 7.5 were in school, how could I conceivably read and correct papers from the vast majority of my 192 students in order for those corrections to be part of a meaningful learning experience? Do I limit the amount of work I assign in order to keep up with it? Do I shortchange the feedback to which my students are entitled? Do I allow the responsibilities of effective teaching to consume time that should be available for things outside of my school responsibilities? None of the three choices is truly acceptable, yet in reality for many teachers such are the options from which they can choose. Choices like this are just one example of the pressures that many good teachers experience, and that can help drive them from the profession.

Hopefully by now you have a sense that that book will connect you with the real experience of real teachers. The structure provides not merely their reactions, but a context from which those reactions flow, as well as material that can help ameliorate some of the problems that are contributing to our losing some of the teachers we really want to keep. Just that justifies purchasing the book as a valuable reference tool. But that is not all one gets from this book. The final four pages of text, 153-156, are under the title of “Afterward: Final Thoughts” and these pages bring together final conclusions from the wealth of material Farber has provided. There are three sections, titled respectively, Why Teachers Teach,: To Educational Leaders, Policy Makers and Politicians; and To Teachers. In the first, Farber tells that most teachers look beyond the challenges discussed in the book. They tend to be idealists. They strive constantly to improve their teaching, public education, and the lives of their students. It is our responsibility as citizens, educational leaders, parents, and politicians to support them in doing so. (p. 153) In the 2nd, directed to those who are not teachers but have a great influence on education, Farber offers 4 points, the last of which is this: Elevate the dialogue about public education by infusing your comments, thoughts, and ideas about education with respect for the hard work that teachers are doing in America. As you may have noticed from this book and several others like it, teaching is no easy task. Before making broad and sweeping pronouncements about education, think how your comments will forward the goals of educating children and supporting teachers. (p. 155) Speaking as a teacher, were the public dialogue about education more respectful about teachers, we would likely be less resentful of others who do not understand the task of teaching and seek to impose “solutions” without regard to the real welfare of the students who are our primary concern. Farber concludes with words directed towards teachers.

You have already read, at the very beginning of this review, her final words. In this final portion of the book she refers to words by Jonathan Kozol about making the classroom “a better and more joyful place than when [the students] entered it” (from his Letters to a Young Teacher). Kozol also reminds us that we cannot let our concern for professional decorum overwhelm and suppress our very human need to reach out to and comfort our students. Farber concludes her quoting of Kozol with words from p. 208 of that book directed to teachers: “A battle is beginning for the soul of education, and they must be its ultimate defenders.” Farber wants teachers to remember why we got into education, to reconnect with our beliefs, use those to fuel our energy. Or as she puts in the final sentence of her penultimate paragraph on p. 156: “Remember your core beliefs about life, learning, and teaching, and then let them guide and refresh you.” For public education to properly serve our students and our society, we must focus on quality teachers. They are the most important in-school factor.

We certainly do not want to discourage the best of them, to continue to see them leave the profession out of frustration. This is a book by a teacher, with words of teachers, about teachers, and about the challenges they face. It can remind those of us who do teach why we do so, not only to reconnect us with our core beliefs, but also to motivate us to speak up beyond our individual classrooms on behalf of the well-being of our students and the ultimate success of public schools. The book is also something that others concerned with education should read with care, if for no other reason that no meaningful improvement in public education can occur without a solid and continuing cadre of dedicated and committed and highly skilled teachers. Insofar as politicians, policy makers and others ignore that, they will undermine the possibilities of any meaningful reform. We can no longer continue the ongoing loss of skilled teachers. It costs too much financially. It costs even more in lost learning and benefits to our society. I highly recommend that anyone concerned about the future of public education read and absorb this book. That would be a good start towards turning our discussions about educational policy in directions less destructive of the core of skilled teachers we have but we are losing.

Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 23:04:00 -0700

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the great wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" -

Mark 4:35-41

In the past couple of readings, Jesus has been introducing us to Parables, and using them to teach about the Kingdom. First, He told the parable of the Sower (in Monday's reading). Then yesterday we read three more parables about the Kingdom and its growth, how it works, and how so much depends on how we hear. See To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? The lampstand, the harvest, the mustard seed. On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. It's interesting how Mark's Gospel will give us these glimpses of the days in the life of Jesus. Between His ministry work, and all the fame He has garnered, He travels over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. We know that there was such a crowd gathered where He preached at the sea (telling the parables in the previous two readings, mentioned above), that He had to stand in a boat and teach. So they set off, and they are also accompanied with little boats of those who wish to follow Him. Despite the windstorm, Jesus is taking time to rest. We read often of His time out for prayer, which always occurs before great decisions, and also rests and renews Him. Here, He sleeps. The disciples do their best to follow as He teaches them -- and now He commands to go to the other side. But here the forces of nature seem to beat against them, while Jesus sleeps. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" It's as if they are exerting all kinds of effort for this ministry, there is tremendous effort, and the waves are filling the boat. They ask Jesus, "Don't you even care that we are perishing?" Does He care about them, is He concerned? They feel they are about to drown! How many times do we feel this kind of anxiety about something we undergo in our lives -- even, and sometimes most especially, in the context of faith? Even Jesus will pray on the Cross from Psalm 22 the words of seeming abandonment (but in the context of the psalm, one reads of faith). Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the great wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" My study bible points out that the same Greek word (phimoce) that Jesus uses to tell the storm to "be still" is the word used for telling the demons to "be quiet" in chapter 1. Its root is from the word for "muzzle." So we can view this storm as part of all the things that seem to conspire to knock us off the road of faith, to fill us with terror and fear about going forward. Jesus actually uses a word that expresses the loss of gumption, a fear that produces cowardice. It also teaches us, of course, about Jesus' power even over nature, another attribute of His divinity. But the important words to us here are those that emphasize faith. Even so, we observe, the disciples then fear Him after He rebukes the storm! But this word for fear is one that is also used to invoke reverence and awe -- and involves an encounter with the power of the divine at work, something beyond the "worldly." So, in some sense, when we encounter life's hazards on the journey of faith, we make a choice. What do we reverence most? Where is our faith? The storm bears a similarity to the demons (from chapter 1) in this sense -- what is it we choose to put our faith in? It is the courage of faith that can give us strength to go forward when we feel threatened in some way; it is faith that can give us courage to face life when we are asked to go forward into new and unknown places. We are reminded that Jesus also taught, when He proclaimed the great value each disciple had for God, "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). We make a choice what we will reverence in our lives; what we put our faith into most. Does He not care? The answer is clear: yes, ultimately, absolutely. But He asks us to go forward with His courage, His strength, His faith. And so, we do.

Software Education Genius Maker

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Fri, 5 Aug 2011 13:57:00 -0700

Software to complement to your child who wants to learn math with this software and you can not learn to teach him this software alone but complete mathematical formula by studying the physics and chemistry, but this software there are free and some pay alias registration you are looking for a free, Fair is free, this software helps you learn Math and very easy to use it you simply fill how many numbers have been provided. You can learn it quickly, complete and free. This software is provided for those who want to download it for free too, please go to here for more :

Software Education Genius Maker

For more Software, you can look here :

Biology Foundation 2.0 Beta 1

Download Learning Media, Macromedia Flash type.

Download Education Software - Microsoft Biology Foundation 2.0 Beta 1

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Fri, 5 Aug 2011 07:18:00 -0700

One of the subjects in elementary, junior high and high school subjects are biology, these lessons on living creatures and the natural surroundings. This lesson is very important for students to broaden the environmental and development of living things. In this article , we can Download Education Software. You can read it carefully and thoroughly for Download Education Software.

Often students complain that the naming of biological strange and difficult to remember, with this biological software hopefully students can understand more about biology.

Microsoft Biology Foundation (MBF) 2.0 beta is a language-neutral bioinformatics tool kit built as extensions to the Microsoft NET Framework .. It implements a variety of parsers for common bioinformatics file formats; various algorithms for manipulating DNA, RNA, and protein sequences, and a set of connectors for biological web services such as the U.S. National Center for Biotechnology Information's Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. MBF is available under a license approved by the Open Systems Interconnection-open-source model, and executed, source code, application demos, and documentation can be downloaded free.

features :

Increased capacity for de novo assembly of the complex species are larger and more from version 1.0
The addition of the assembly function of the comparison to the characterization of genetic diversity within or between species
Core object model improvements for smaller memory footprint and increase the parallel processing
Parity with all the tools and features of version 1.0
documentation updates

Download Details
File Name: Bio.msi
Version: Beta 1
Date Published: 7 April 2011
Download Size: 15.77 MB
Download Education Software - Microsoft Biology Foundation 2.0 Beta 1

or, you can download other here :

Download Learning Media, Macromedia Flash type.

noreply@blogger.com (Sepeda ��) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:30:00 -0700

To find a medium of learning, you need a variety of keywords to search on search engines, like Google, Yahoo. and others, including the proficiency level keyword "Online Learning Media, New Media Learning, Learning Media Flash, Macromedia Flash, Download Flash Media Interactive Macrmodia Learning, Learning Media, Steps to Creating a Learning Media, Power Point Learning Media, New Media Learning, Download Learning media Pengentahuan Science, Mathematics primary School, primary School, Class VI, V, IV, III, II, I, 6 5 4 3 2 1, Macromedia Flash For media Teaching and Learning, Sample media Learning, Learning Media SD Flash, media Multimedia learning, Media Technology-based learning, studying Electronic Media ". Some of them are just a description of the use of media or sejeninya, but some are deliberately fraudulent create keywords without any "object". Well now the keyword or keywords above are not merely perfunctory, below are some that you can download to allow you to perform activities of teaching and learning in a school. May be useful.

Download Flash Media Learning for Visual Simulation Microscope
Microscope simulation that I created with Macromedia Flash 8, this simulation is basically a virtual microscope that can replace the original microscope, if we do not have a microscope, or is also useful for teachers who want to provide basic knowledge about how to properly operate the microscope.

How to use it, simply turn the on / off the microscope and set / slide player coarse and fine up to get a sharp image, there are also options as well as the observed object you want magnification choices.

Download

Download Flash for Simulation Learning Media convex and concave lenses

simulation of a concave mirror and convex, the same as the previous simulation, you just simply shift the position of objects in order to obtain the shadow correct or change the focus distance on the glider.

Download

Download Flash for Simulation Learning Media Style Moment (High School / Junior High School)

Moment of force simulation that takes into account the string tension, stem length, mass load, all values can be adjusted by moving the glider..

Download

Download Flash Media Learning for concave and convex mirrors Simulation Part 2

This simulation will help to understand the concept of an object when placed in front of mirrors convex or concave mirror, you can simply transform the position of objects (the space I, II or II), then automatically the shadow will be formed in accordance with the positioning and magnification, are also available from gliders to change focus distance.

Download

Download Flash for Simulation Learning Media Hydraulic Pumps

To use, simply slide the variable mass, area or density of liquid, then one column of the pump will go up or down, to mengulan, press reset.

Download

Download Flash Media Learning for Vibration Simulation

In the following simulations, we will learn to calculate the amount of vibration mencoban and the time required by a vibration. Provided two kinds of pendulum and spring experiment, record the results of experimental data with the table provided, and then try to calculate the period and frequency of vibration

Download

Download Flash Learning Media for Wave Simulation tranversal.

In the following simulations we will learn about the transverse waves that propagate along the string, use the various facilities provided such as a ruler and a stopwatch.

Download

Download Flash Learning Media for Longitudinal Wave Simulation.

For those who struggle to learn the concept of longitudinal waves, I hope the hang of this simulation can help students and readers about the concept of longitudinal waves. Turn the vibrator to turn the wave machine.

Download

Pesona FISIKA

Learning Media Download Flash Charm Physics and Mathematics.

Elementary

Associative multiplication

DOWNLOAD

Relationship between diameter and perimeter of a circle.

DOWNLOAD

Junior High School :

Micrometer Caliper

DOWNLOAD

Diffused reflection

DOWNLOAD

Reflection on the concave mirror

DOWNLOAD

Magnification

DOWNLOAD

Angle Measurement

DOWNLOAD

Scale

DOWNLOAD

(High School ) :

Translation and Rotation Movement

DOWNLOAD

Friction

DOWNLOAD

Electricity

DOWNLOAD

Download Flash Media Learning for Simulation Factorial

These media tend toward the game to guess the value of factorial (result) of the matter issued, very helpful for those who want to exercise more in depth about the ten-digit factorial

Download

Download Flash for Simulation Learning Media isobaric

The following simulations will be closely linked to the thermodynamics, we will study how the process of changing temperature and pressure conditions of an ideal gas in a fixed volume. Enjoy ...

Download

Resource : http://www.papantulisku.com

Similarly, some files had been a Learning Media that hopefully can be useful for all of us, on the other admins will post later describes how to create a Media Learning Using Macromedia Flash. So is this post. Wait for the next post.