http://www.rethinkingschools.org/opt-in/110314.shtml
On Friday, March 18, Rethinking Schools editors Bob Peterson and Stan Karp will be featured in a 90-minute web "teach-in" designed to build this summer's Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action. The webinar begins at 8pm Eastern/7pm Central/5pm Pacific time and is open to the first 100 people who sign up here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RethinkingSchoolsWebinar
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Outing club trip - amazing!
NI'm hugely grateful for Nicole's leadership in creating the FSP outing club. Without it, I would not have snowshoed with my daughter, in potentially inclement weather (turned out beautiful), spent the night with other awesome FSP families, or probably even ever visited the super-cool Maine Huts and Trails. We had such a great time - can't wait for next year!
The other great thing about the weekend was Nicole's variation on Bananagrams, called "Scrabble Apple" here - I couldn't explain it but I loved playing it!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Flower show this weekend
Huge congratulations to 2nd grader Naomi Zarin for a winning essay - check it out this weekend at Enchanted Gardens in Portland.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Political Interludes : Child Labor & WI
The legislature is currently considering LD 516 to amend/repeal the state's child labor laws (statute here). Please take a minute to call your legislator if you have feelings about it!
And, there is major breaking news & protests in WI - worth watching, interesting foreshadowing for Maine (perhaps)!
You can read the twitter feed without signing up - just search for #wiunion
Washington Post overview
Mother Jones on the crank call
Mother Jones on the bill :
yesmagazine YES! Magazine : Why Every American Should Care About Wisconsin
And, there is major breaking news & protests in WI - worth watching, interesting foreshadowing for Maine (perhaps)!
You can read the twitter feed without signing up - just search for #wiunion
Washington Post overview
Mother Jones on the crank call
Mother Jones on the bill :
yesmagazine YES! Magazine : Why Every American Should Care About Wisconsin
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Poetry Out Loud
Franco-American Heritage Center to Host Poetry Out Loud state finals
Ten high school students from across the state will take the stage at the Franco-American Heritage Center in Lewiston on Friday, March 11, to compete against their peers for the title of Maine State Poetry Out Loud champion. The winner will represent Maine in the national finals of the competition in April in Washington, D.C.The competition began in the fall with 8,500 students competing at the classroom level with the help of 250 teachers from 45 public, private and parochial high schools across the state. Following a pyramid structure, each classroom produced a class winner and each participating school then held a competition to determine a school champion. In February, the school champions competed at either the northern or southern regional competition, where five state finalists from each region were selected to compete at the state finals...
In Lewiston, each of the 10 state finalists will recite three poems selected from an anthology of master works compiled for the competition. Competitors will be evaluated by a bank of judges based on accuracy, physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, level of difficulty, evidence of understanding and overall performance. Cumulative scores from all three rounds will determine a state champion, who will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete for the national title and a $20,000 scholarship. The winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The second-place finalist will receive $100, and $200 more for his or her school library. The evening also will feature the music of emcee Emilia Dahlin and the announcement of the new State Poet Laureate.
Doors for the event will open at 5 p.m. Friday, March 11, and the competition and activities will run from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to all. For information on the venue or for directions, visit www.francoamericanheritage.org.
Teen Brain Talk Thursday
Why do teens act the way they do? Karen Williams will present on the real-life implications for your home and classroom of the latest neuroscience research from 6 to 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at South Portland High School. Tips for parents on 'brain-friendly' development will also be offered.The talk is free, and child care is available. FMI call 773-5629.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Women's History Month - Can you Volunteer?
Greetings!
I am writing to invite you to serve as a volunteer mentor for the 15th Annual "Girls' Day at the State House" on Thursday, March 24, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Girls' Day brings together 100 8th grade girls from across the state to learn about the legislative process first-hand and to encourage them to have a voice in the issues they care about. The girls will participate in a mock public hearing and mock press conference, a State House and Legislative “scavenger hunt,” and meet with the Governor and other legislative leaders.
Our mentors play a key role in making the day a success! As a mentor, you will have the opportunity to help shape the young women leaders of tomorrow by guiding them throughout the activities of the day, answering questions, and supporting the girls as they learn. We ask mentors to arrive at 8:00 a.m. for a brief introduction to responsibilities, help orient the girls to the day’s activities, and then chaperone the groups as they move from activity to activity. Each mentor works with 1-2 other volunteers in leading groups of 10 girls throughout the day. A simple breakfast and lunch will be served.
Will you help make the 2011 Girls’ Day a success? We have a limited number of mentor slots available, so please confirm your interest as soon as possible by using this link: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dFV0WnVNY3FZYmxFYkkxeFFyZ0hfQ1E6MQ#gid=0
Questions? Email me at cwarren@mainewomen.org, and I will follow up with further details. You may also call me at 622-0851.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Charlotte M. Warren
Associate Director
Phone: (207) 622-0851, ext. 24
Cell: (207) 441-9116
E-mail: cwarren@mainewomen.org
E-mail: cwarren@mainewomen.org
Random Parenting & Education articles
* On why girls/women are not fulfilling their potential in math careers -- a call for significant affirmative action. http://www.slate.com/id/2286671/pagenum/all/#p2
* On turning off internet to keep overwhelmed at bay : http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/shannon-hayes/my-antidote-to-overwhelm (must say, my approach might be to turn off laundry)
* Daily Show "Crisis in Dairy Land" - March 3rd episode nails it around why we should support teachers more - worth watching! http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/thu-march-3-2011-diane-ravitch
* A well researched blog post about why USA needs paid family leave, courtesy of a tweet from National Parternship for Women and Families : http://blogs.forward.com/sisterhood-blog/135819/#ixzz1FYQf1zzR
* And a new report from the US Gov't on the status of girls and women in USA (and, of course, the boys and men who care for them and depend on them) : http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/cwg/data-on-women
* On turning off internet to keep overwhelmed at bay : http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/shannon-hayes/my-antidote-to-overwhelm (must say, my approach might be to turn off laundry)
* Daily Show "Crisis in Dairy Land" - March 3rd episode nails it around why we should support teachers more - worth watching! http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/thu-march-3-2011-diane-ravitch
* A well researched blog post about why USA needs paid family leave, courtesy of a tweet from National Parternship for Women and Families : http://blogs.forward.com/sisterhood-blog/135819/#ixzz1FYQf1zzR
* And a new report from the US Gov't on the status of girls and women in USA (and, of course, the boys and men who care for them and depend on them) : http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/cwg/data-on-women
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Alfie Kohn (coming to FSP on May 3)
Klingenbriefs (an email newsletter from the Klingenstein Center) offers a review of an Alfie Kohn article:
Making the Reading Classroom Safe for Democracy
How to Create Nonreaders: Reflections on Motivation, Learning, and Sharing Power, by Alfie Kohn
What could possibly be wrong with asking students to read independently for twenty minutes each night? Why should teachers who focus on dramatic irony or iambic pentameter reconsider their approach to teaching literature? In this provocative article, Alfie Kohn confirms his well-established position as the thorn-in-the-side of American educators as he asks: why do so many students dislike reading (and by extension writing), and what can be done about it? Central to all of Kohn's work is the point that true motivation must be intrinsic and that extrinsic rewards suppress motivation; in this article, he elaborates on the essential role of choice for students. Kohn links the notion of a democratic classroom to augmenting investment in the classroom. The article is structured around a list of seven ways to "kill" a love of reading, followed by four guidelines for nurturing it. Whether or not you agree with Kohn's ideology, it is hard to dismiss his commitment to students.
Liz Perry, Berkeley Carroll School, NY
ENGLISH JOURNAL, Fall 2010 -- vol. 100, no. 1
Making the Reading Classroom Safe for Democracy
How to Create Nonreaders: Reflections on Motivation, Learning, and Sharing Power, by Alfie Kohn
What could possibly be wrong with asking students to read independently for twenty minutes each night? Why should teachers who focus on dramatic irony or iambic pentameter reconsider their approach to teaching literature? In this provocative article, Alfie Kohn confirms his well-established position as the thorn-in-the-side of American educators as he asks: why do so many students dislike reading (and by extension writing), and what can be done about it? Central to all of Kohn's work is the point that true motivation must be intrinsic and that extrinsic rewards suppress motivation; in this article, he elaborates on the essential role of choice for students. Kohn links the notion of a democratic classroom to augmenting investment in the classroom. The article is structured around a list of seven ways to "kill" a love of reading, followed by four guidelines for nurturing it. Whether or not you agree with Kohn's ideology, it is hard to dismiss his commitment to students.
Liz Perry, Berkeley Carroll School, NY
ENGLISH JOURNAL, Fall 2010 -- vol. 100, no. 1
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