The Warrior Word

State of the Union 2011 Wordle

2011-01-26T15:18:00.000-08:00

The President's Speech

The Republican Response

Back to school speech

2010-09-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

President Obama gave his back to school speech yesterday afternoon. Here is a Wordle I created using the text:

Handbook focus for the year

2010-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. " -- Albert Einstein

After early discussions with staff before we got underway this school year, we decided to focus on three handbook policies this school year: dress code, electronic devices, and attendance. Staff will be working diligently to enforce these rules.

The dress code rule from the handbook states that clothing that is too revealing or suggestive (i.e. halter tops, bare midriffs, underwear exposed, spaghetti straps, tube tops) not be worn at school. Also clothing that promotes products that are illegal for children to use (i.e. tobacco or alcohol) will also not be allowed.

The electronic devices policy states that electronic devices are to remain off during the school day and should be in lockers or in the office. Electronic devices that are visible, or in use, will be confiscated and will need to be picked up by a parent after school. We realize that electronic devices are not going away and that part of our job as educators includes teaching students responsible use of these devices. We will only be taking electronic devices when they disrupt the learning environment. Cell phones should not be used during class, but in the hallway during passing times would be acceptable. If a student is late because of their cell phone, they will receive a tardy. Cell phones are also not allowed in study hall because the students be texted from study hall may be in a classroom. Teachers have control over how they will handle cell phones in the classroom. Some may require that all phones be placed on the edge of desks, some may collect them in a basket at the front of the room, some may only ask that students turn them off when they come into the classroom. If a cell phone disrupts the learning environment, it will be confiscated and the parents will have to come pick it up. It is up to the teacher's discretion regarding other electronic devices. Mp3 players may be used with teacher permission at various points throughout the day. Cell phones that also function as Mp3 players will not be allowed.

Students are expected to come to school on time and the only open period available is for seniors with eighth hour study hall. Students who are tardy to class will receive a 40 minute detention on their fourth tardy. Any tardy thereafter will be assigned an additional 40 minute detention and continued tardies may result in a student being dropped from class with no credit.

These three hadbook policies were areas of concern noted by the staff and we appreciate your help in supporting these rules.

Welcome

2010-08-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

“The best teacher is the one who never forgets what it is like to be a student. The best administrator is the one who never forgets what it is like to be a teacher.” -- Neila A. Connors

I am really excited to have the opportunity to lead Calamus-Wheatland through this era of change in education. My name is Chris Basinger and for the past nine years I was an English and journalism teacher in the Chariton Community School District. In my eight years at the high school, I taught many classes: Creative Writing, Yearbook, Broadcast Journalism, Media Literacy, Humanities, Composition II, Modern Novels, Dramatic Literature, British Literature, and Advanced Composition. In addition to advising the yearbook for six years, I also assisted with academic team, served on the student assistance team, calendar committee, school improvement committee, Iowa Core development team, Microsoft settlement committee, and coached the baseball team. I also spent my final year in Chariton teaching seventh grade language arts.

I have a Master of Education in English and Journalism Education from the University of Missouri and a Master of Arts in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies from the University of Iowa.

My wife is a former English teacher as well. We will miss not teaching side by side any more, but she is very excited to be able to stay at home with our children. Keaton, our oldest, is in second grade and has taken the move to a new school with enthusiasm. Aidan is four and will be starting preschool this fall. Reece is 1.5 and loves getting into things we don't want him in. And we are expecting a girl in the middle of September.

I am looking forward to use this site as a communication bridge for parents and staff to become informed on topics in education that impact the people invested in Calamus-Wheatland High School.

Temple Grandin's TED Talk

2010-03-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

Take twenty minutes to watch this. It will be well worth your time.

A Little Late

2010-02-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

I know it's Thursday, but I thought this would be a good thing to check out even next week or the week after, or maybe even in July. I have a problem with schools like mine that automatically assume that the negative aspects of social networking outweigh the positive. I don't believe in blindly thowing technology at students, but I don't believe in blindly disallowing it either. Just like with all other decisions in education, the decision to use or not use social media in classrooms is a decision that involves real thought about curriculum and the students we teach...something an Internet filter is incapable of doing.

http://www.edutopia.org/groups/education-headline-news/social-media-week

Using Google Earth across the curriculum

2010-01-19T10:43:00.000-08:00

I found this useful resource on one of the blogs I subscribe to: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

Google Earth Across the Curriculum -

Technology in Education

2009-12-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

A short opinion piece posted on yesterday’s Leader Talk blog at Education Week (http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/LeaderTalk/) commented on the recent action taken by the Texas legislature to allow individual school districts to decide if they should offer health, PE, or computer applications. The author of the article had good intentions in his/her (maybe the Lone Ranger?) argument that computer applications should not be left up to students to learn on their own simply because young students are more connected via technology now, but unfortunately, the author seems to be just another throw back from the chalkboard days and really failed to hit the problem with this “reform” in Texas education.

Forget the fact that health and PE are also on the chopping block when the obesity rate in the United States is at an all time high. I guess it could be worse for Texas. They could be here in Iowa, where the legislature mandated more time for physical education last year and then the governor crippled districts with ten percent across the board budget cuts. But let’s save that post for later.

The author of the Leader Talk piece advocates for not assuming that kids will automatically obtain the skills required for the fundamental operation of some software through regular course work. The article continues on to tell us there is a difference between computer “literacy” and computer “proficiency.” I understand what the author is saying, but I wonder if the typical high school computer applications class really infuses a large amount of computer literacy into students. I’ve only really taught in one district for most of my career, but I would say schools are far behind the times when it comes to technology offerings to students. At my school, all social networking sites are blocked, and focus in our middle school computer class is on typing and creating PowerPoint presentations.

Toward the end of the article the author concedes that if a school district opts to get rid of a computer applications graduation requirement, they should at least “establish a competency measurement of some type.” Great, another test. And in the state that tests the most.

Schools need to get serious about technology. The time of wall maps and slide rules is long gone. Technology must be integrated into all curricular areas in an authentic way that challenges students. As a teacher, I know this is tough. When you have two mobile computer labs that are missing five laptops, the server goes down, or Google won’t allow you to create any more email accounts from an IP address, it gets frustrating. But if we don’t get serious now, we not only fail to provide students the opportunity to work with technology that is going to be amalgamated into their lives the way television entered society in the 1950s, we also miss out on another way to engage learners.

See also: http://ow.ly/L5J4

Have I ever told you...

2009-12-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

that once upon a time, I almost became a music instructor instead of an English teacher. I love music and I would suggest that everyone take part in band. It teaches so many things. I came upon this website where users can create a short mix of digital sounds and it's really cool. I think there are some education implications in it. You can slow down or speed up the tempo, place sounds in a specific spot to creat a beat, use different pitches (and even create chords). Check it out:

http://inudge.net/inudge#/znx

I made another one here: http://inudge.net/inudge#/628f
I made this one with students in study skills: http://inudge.net/inudge#/bvop
Sawyer made this one: http://inudge.net/inudge#/gfbu
I feel like I'm getting the hang of it here: http://inudge.net/inudge#/ganv
And I'm diggin' the groove here: http://inudge.net/inudge#/8bz3

Using something from PD

2009-11-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

The middle school had the presentation on Iowa Core on Monday and we were introduced to some video's from Edutopia. I decided to check out the web site and found this video on High Tech High, a school in California. What a dream job (for me). My question is: where do they get all of the technology? These projects would be great and I see how they develop critical thinking skills, but if I have twenty kids log into the same site, we blow a fuse and can't use the microwave! Take a look and be envious.

Twitter in the Twassroom

2009-10-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

If you don't know what twitter is or how it can be used in the classroom, here's a good article about the latter. http://tr.im/D16D

Not Very Impressive

2009-10-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

I am so not impressed by the little work I have committed to this blog this quarter. I have to do a better job so that someone besides the crickets is listening to what I have to say. I really have no business posting today either--way too many grades to and conference sheets to worry about. But I did come upon something during lunch that I wanted to share. My wife just bought me the book Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives (I don't have it yet, but am excited to get it.) I looked it up at lunch today and found the web site. I also took a look at their Wiki and thought it would be good to pass along. Then I noticed the online saftey wiki and wanted to throw it out there too. I am really interested in using the great Web 2.0 technologies in education, but I realize that safety is a concern. I thought others that share my interest would like to check out the book and the wiki's for reference.

And if anyone has a poll idea, I'm open to it. I thought budget cut ideas would be a good poll, but I didn't want to come up with those ideas myself--way too controversial and I like my income. Maybe if someone gives me some good ideas that won't upset people. A few of us with our administrative license were talking yesterday and somebody said you have to think about positions, not people. I just don't think I could do that. If I ever become a superintendent, I'm waiting for a 90's style decade to do it.

A Textbook Example of What's Wrong with Education | Edutopia

2009-10-14T09:43:00.001-07:00

Another reason we should adopt netbooks and go text-free. Scary and sad to think these are the people driving our classrooms. Wait a minute--I don't use a textbook. I still wish I had the netbooks.

A Textbook Example of What's Wrong with Education | Edutopia

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Are netbooks right for education?

2009-10-12T12:16:00.001-07:00

I know the middle school is looking into a grant to help cut down paper usage. Here's an article to read abot using netbooks.

Are netbooks right for education?

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A Rant

2009-09-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

I've heard some teachers mention trying kids out of special education here at the middle school. I don't understand the concept of "trying kids out" at any level. Let's talk a little about special education.

Special education was created to guarantee that kids with disabilities get the help they need. It's supposed to level the playing field. So, if a kid is in a wheel chair, we make sure he has access to classrooms--unless the chair lift is broken, right high school ; ) -- on all floors. If a student is dyslexic, we use strategies like putting a piece of colored transparency (yep, it's a strategy) over written words. If a student has a specific learning disability in math (it doesn't have to have a name, something just doesn't connect in the synapses) we give that student a calculator.

Basically, I'm talking about fairness. Fair doesn't mean equal (right middle school). Fair means giving all students the chance to have the same opportunity for success.

Let's say that paralyzed student in the wheel chair seems to be getting along pretty well. We had a paraeducator pushing him around from class to class because he is a freshman and doesn't know his way around. But by week three he's mastered it and he usually leaves before the paraeducator gets to the room. He's got it down now, so let's take away his wheel chair.

Not funny, I know. And I'm not really trying to be funny, but I'm exaggerating a point that all special needs students face. Learning disabilities for the most part are invisible. What teachers see is that student that refuses to work in class or skips resource room time.

Did you think that maybe that student didn't do the work because it's too hard? Or maybe the kid skips resource because he's afraid his friends will call him stupid.

If a student is having success (which should NEVER be judged by standardized test scores or by grades), we shouldn't take the wheel chair away. He just may not need the paraeducator. But that's why we have a continuum of services for those students. (Find ours at http://bit.ly/3nNEo8) Maybe the student doesn't need resource time right now, but let's not completely remove them from our rosters. They may need that documentation to be successful in college. And they can get support services in colleges; links to some are below. But getting those services is tough if you no longer have an IEP.

I think we also need to do a better job of creating kids that advocate for themselves better. What are these kids going to do when they go to college? They aren't going to be the first one to the teacher, telling that professor that they have a learning disability that requires a printed copy of the notes (but a dyslexic student might need that).

It just seems like we bury these kids sometimes.

Some special education services sites from colleges:

Graceland: http://bit.ly/J95MQ
Northwest Mo. State: http://bit.ly/fllkL
Kirkwood: http://bit.ly/17a6zX
SWCC (Creston): http://bit.ly/n8euC
Simpson: http://bit.ly/MSTSr
Indian Hills: http://bit.ly/lWhyN
Drake: http://bit.ly/zLZGp
Iowa: http://www.uiowa.edu/~sds/
UNI: http://www.uni.edu/sds/ (One of the best)
Iowa State: http://bit.ly/Vo3xR

Searching Students

2009-09-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you read the Des Moines Register article about the incident in Atlantic last week (http://bit.ly/zpX8O), but I think it's a good time for everyone to reflect on student search in schools and take the time to ask about your own district's policy. Pop quiz: What's the difference between "Probable Cause" and "Reasonable Suspicion?"

The Fourth Amendment to the constitution protects citizens in this case: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

In New Jersey v. T.L.O. the Supreme Court set precedent (see http://bit.ly/5lb9T) for school searches and declared that school personnel, acting in the capacity of the school (sometimes that is the tricky part) only have to have reasonable suspicion to search a student (whereas a police office may have to have probable cause). Reasonable suspicion is more lenient than probable cause. Basically, it states that if any reasonable person would suspect something needed searched, then teachers can search it. Probable cause requires evidence and other stuff that I never want to have to worry about.

So, did faculty at Atlantic have reasonable suspicion to search girls? Probably. But, of course, a strip search is illegal.

I think a big mistake made in this case (at least what I gathered from the article in The Register) was that the guidance counselor went into the locker room to do the search alone. ALWAYS have a witness present that can verify events. In talking with my wife about the case, she made a good point that sometimes she says things to students and they happen to take it the wrong way. Who knows what was said in the Atlantic locker room? The faculty member could have said, "If we don't find the $100, we will have to strip search," thinking that the threat would produce the money. Kids could have taken that statement to mean they should start shedding their clothes. Who knows?

I don't know that I would have searched students. What was a student doing with $100 in the locker room? I think our school's policy with money and valuables is that students can leave it in the office where it will be stored in the safe until it is needed.

The Blog Is Back

2009-09-01T23:54:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and welcome to my brand new blog. Hopefully everyone got the Elton John allusion in the title of the post. I changed to blogger from wordpress mainly because I had more freedom with the template design. Speaking of template design, I hope this template continues to work. I have spent hours fighting with it--for now it looks okay, but who knows what tomorrow will bring.

How are things at the middle school Chris?

Oh, thanks for asking. Things are going really great. I will admit that after having some strange 21-year-olds stuck in 12-year-old bodies come visit me (without the parents) and give me a questioning "areyoureallythatlame" look after I cracked a joke or two, I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. But, a couple of weeks into it (can you believe we have two weeks in before labor day?), it's really great. With one prep I feel like I can be a good teacher finally. I never really felt that at the high school--but trust me, I was trying. It also helps that I finished grad school (again) in May. It's official. I got my administrator's license over the summer (look here if you don't believe me (and search for your friends too)). I'm just waiting for Dr. Evil to turn me into a fool.

Anyway, I'm going to run the site a little differently this year. I'm still going to try to update you with resources on the Internet, but I'm also going to comment on some issues for reflection and to just throw some things up in the air for discussion. I'll also use the micro-blog host twitter for quick bits of info and ideas. Please feel free to create an account there and follow me. Also don't forget to RSS this blog or follow my blog with google friends connect. (RSS by cliking the orange icon on the Explorer menu bar by the home icon. It's a way to subscribe to my blog so you get updates every time I post something. This will show up under the faviorites tab above, under "feeds.")

It's late/early, but I'm still going to leave you with some things to start the new school year (One is a repeat from last year, I know. But I like it.)

A video to motivate you: (from http://www.schooltube.com/v/70dd826ff5664d968e05)

A video that discusses motivation (it's long--more than 18 minutes--but well worth the time.): (from http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html)

And a grammar lesson from Weird Al (this one is short--and funny--so watch it): (from http://twitturly.com/url/04b1e3fb5b8ffe566e4f5792c37116da?utm_campaign=twitturly&utm_source=rss_perma&utm_medium=rss)