Running for Cambridge School Committee
I'm doing it - running for Cambridge School Committee! I'm excited to bring my 20+ years of education experience to bear to provide more equitable opportunities for kids. It all started when I joined the Los Angeles corps in 1990.
Check out my new website to learn more!
www.voteformervan.org
cambridge, boston, school committee, mervan, massachusetts, elections (all tags)
TED-ED: Submitting Educational Videos
Do you have a really cool way of explaining an idea or concept to your students? We want to see it, too!
Check out this TED-ED open call for educational videos: http://education.ted.com/content.php?368-submission-categories
Here are the categories:
1. Math in Real Life. Submit
Creative videos that a) help make math understandable and b) prove math's relevance
2. Creativity in Action. Submit
Revealing the power of human imagination--in art, music, invention, design, dance and drama - and more.
3. Inventions That Shaped History. Submit
Not just the familiar ones--the wheel, agriculture, writing, printing, the telescope, the assembly line, the nuclear bomb, the internet.... but the subtler inventions too--the alphabet, the number zero, the compass, the sextant, the abacus, hay, the stirrup, radar, the pill, gene-sequencing, sewage systems, scuba diving, the rule of law, democracy, advertising. (Sample video... Hans Rosling and the washing machine.)
4. How and Why? Submit
Insightful answers to fascinating questions. "How did wolves become dogs?" "How do magnets attract without touching?" "Why did Germany invade Russia?" "Why do men have nipples?" "How does photosynthesis really work?"
5. Questions No One (yet) Knows the Answer to. Submit
By painting the murky edges of knowledge, we give context and humility and stimulate curiosity. Why does a mouse feel pain whereas a robot doesn't? What happened before the Big Bang? Do we have free will? How did life begin? When we point our telescopes across the galaxy, why don't we see the giant constructions of alien civilizations more advanced than us? How can an electron go through two different slits at the same time? What did these ancient symbols mean? Is there one universe or many?
6. Mindshifting Stories. Submit
Once upon a time, there was a teacher who had the rapt attention of her entire class. The teacher achieved this effect by using the power of storytelling. Now it's your turn.
7. Playing with Language. Submit
Unlocking the wonder of words. Intriguing ways to illuminate spelling, grammar, poetry, literature--and communication.
8. Same & Different. Submit
Videos that highlight the amazing richness and diversity of different countries, peoples and cultures--and also the amazing commonalities. Could do worse than go through Donald Brown's amazing list of human universals.
9. Things They Don't Teach You in School. Submit
...but maybe they should. How to write a persuasive Facebook comment. How to end an argument. How to grow tomatoes. How to manage your spending money. How girls think. How boys think. How to break an addiction. How to cook a healthy meal for under $5. How to talk to strangers. How to fight off an attacker. How to pay a gratitude visit.
10. The Five Minute Aha. Submit
An open series allowing great teachers (not just classroom teachers) to share their best lesson. The only rule: keep it short.
Letter Grading System
I received this email (attached) from my superintendent a few days ago and I am trying to find out more about this and the possible outcomes of changing the grading system for public schools. We routinely receive emails like this from our superintendent. I know some of the claims he makes are untrue just on my personal experiences (such as parental involvement and poverty are major contributing factors towards achievement). Does anyone know more about this? Thanks, Betsy
Mayoral Candidates asked what they will do to preserve San Francisco's African American Community
Last night, all nine mayoral candidates in San Francisco met up for the first debate of the season. Held at the University of San Francisco and modeled after a 2008 presidential debate, the focus on the evening was on service. Each candidate fielded from a variety of questions. Some were about civic engagement. Others were about how each candidate would ensure that our most vulnerable populations would be supported.
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Future Leadership
I found the Summit in Washington, D.C., one of the most inspirational and re-energizing experiences of my teaching career. I feel the force and passion of those 11,000 people behind me, and I am today even more zealous than I was before. This re-focus on educational equity has definitely got me thinking about my own future in education, and how I can maximize my impact in the educational sector.
