To Be.

Moving

2007-02-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

same thing, different location. come see me at dthomas96.wordpress.com

Sydney Grace 2/4/07

2007-02-05T16:13:00.000-05:00

5 lbs 5 oz. 18 inches long... one beautiful representation of Providence and his favor.

Critical Condition.

2007-01-29T15:38:00.000-05:00

Well yesterday was the big 29 for me. It's crazy, because I do feel older. Perception is crazy. But I digress...

I found this post to be very interesting yesterday and I'll quote the source of inspiration below. I've heard Jonathan Martin preach once at Renovatus in Charlotte. Very passionate and inspiring. Straight from the hip--a lot of what the church needs. Life. Direction. Truth. Unfortunately those things are absent in too many cases. Martin says:

What I have found is that within the church many times the people who are angry, the people who are cynical, are not only not discouraged from being that way, they are actively promoted. Who are the people who are most holy? Well, the people who are maddest at the world, right? How do you know a person is holy? Well there just mad as hell all the time about everybody and everything! It must mean that they just really are close to Jesus. We can justify that with spiritual language in a lot of different ways...my reading of scripture is ...that the posture of Jesus to the world is, as he says explicitly himself, “I have not come to the world to condemn the world—but so that the whole world may be saved.”

And as Becky puts it "Jonathan’s overriding point was that according to Christ and the whole ethic of the New Testament, our responsibility is to love and care for people and it is God’s responsibility to judge. At the root of the cynical critical gossip we engage ourselves in so much of the time is a sense that we somehow have the right to judge people and categorize their faults, which then gives us a feeling of power and control over them. It is that desire for power which drove Adam and Eve to the original sin, Jonathan points out."

2 things: 1-I tried to consciously avoid criticizing other people today. It is a very difficult thing to do. Not because I'm overly mean, but just because sarcasm and criticism is so much of a second nature in conversation. I am sure there were moments of criticism today that I didn't even notice. They don't even stick out when I am attempting to notice them. Interesting. Maybe that gets easier with more practice.

2- When I first saw the scripture used for reference by Martin dealing with Jesus saying he didn't come to condemn the world, my immediate gut reaction was to attempt to recall scripture which would contradict such a sentiment. You know the one about how Jesus came to bring division and a sword. As if that one phrase that I'm sure I misrepresent in my mind could detract from the overwhelming message of the New Testament of loving God and loving others. I realize that Satan used scripture in a similar vein when trying to tempt Christ in the desert. What a reflection on my mind. "Get thee behind me" was almost the name of this post...

Thanks for the thoughts on this Becky and Gabe.

dt

On Iraq.

2007-01-22T14:41:00.000-05:00

i guess i'm just trying to make sense of this whole war... the reason the nation agreed to go to war was because of WMD. 9/11 had just happened and the specter of a terrorist with a nuke/bio/chem weapon was raised over and over and perhaps even legitimately so; because of that fear we decided that it was the responsible thing to do to remove a dictator who wouldn't cooperate with disarmament.

i know there are still some skeptics out there--my father in law for one--who believe that there really were WMD in Iraq that were hidden or something like that, but the overwhelming facts say that there were none. now, did they have the capacity to make them after we stopped watching... perhaps.

but the rationale for the war has morphed so many times. what is the objective? do we want to militarily defeat the extremists and empower the moderates so as to help establish western style government and economics? if so, won't that require a force much larger than 150,000? 200,000? 500,000?

and i understand the ramifications of withdrawal. i'm not advocating that... we have gotten ourselves into a royal mess. meanwhile, north korea is testing nukes and iran is building their program with increasing power and prestige--whatever message the iranian voters may have sent to ahmenidijad was probably undermined by the overt threats that have been made byW. and the gang.

we may need to do something about Iran... but what credibility is there to carry something out like that? with what forces do we carry out such an action? and what happens after we take them out as well? do we not think that more and more extremists will be bred out of these clashes? just like the britons fighting the romans--people don't like to be occupied.

the only solution, in my view, is to make a real effort to end our dependence on their oil. we pay their governments money that goes to fund the people who want to kill us... how logical is that? it will take real sacrifice. it will probably cause significant pains in our economy as we adjust to whatever innovation or innovations will be used to replace the "black gold." but that's where this country is great, isn't it? don't we talk about the sacrifice of the founding fathers, and the brothers in the civil war, and the great depression and the great wars... that was sacrifice. we are urged to continue to shop. i understand the sentiment behind that request, but we are made of more than that. we are--or should be--about more than personal comfort and increased ease of life.

let's remove our dependence on their oil, allow them to establish their own natural balance of power--and then if they want to fight then we can fight as a unified nation. then we can take all of this energy,blood, and treasure and spend it on figuring out education, health care, poverty here at home and in the world. i don't mean just throwing money at those problems, but engaging in a genuine, statesmanlike, dialogue that will help to ensure that our kids and grandkids can talk about our generation the way we revere the "greatest" generation. not because we desire fame in history, but because by doing so we will be doing what is right.

whew... sounds like a sermon.

dt

80 is the new 69.

2007-01-20T18:22:00.000-05:00

We just finished up our semester's round of testing this week. It'd be a funny psychological/sociological study to observe the teachers--myself included--posturing and playing the expectations game. Few of us even give lip service to the reality that it shouldn't be a competition because there are so many factors involved, but the pressure of high test scores remains a fact, and so as teachers, we want to have as high if not higher test scores than our colleagues. Nothing wrong with competition as long as it doesn't turn devious.

But that brings me to my point for this post. Testing. Starting with the class of '10 the students have to complete a graduation project as well as pass* 5 core EOC's: English 9, Algebra 1, Biology, Civics/Economics and U.S. History.

I teach Civics and Economics. My honors class this time posted a 91.3% passing rate. That means that 21 out of 23 scored at Level 3 or 4 proficiency. Now, your guess is as good as mine as to how they psychometrize those tests to figure out what constitutes such a proficiency level. But the fact remains that I have 2 students in an honors level course one with a B- and the other with a C during the regular year. Now the state equates their level 2 proficiency with an 80 and a 78 for their exam grade--which is to count 25%. That's good news for these two students. Our grading scale is the standard 7 point variety. So as long as they are above a 70 they pass the course--and of course both of these students remain at a B- and a C.

BUT... under the new guidelines neither of these students would pass Civics. They would be required to undergo remediation and be retested until they get a Level 3. If they don't then they don't graduate... well at least that's the company line--there will, of course, be ways around this particular "standard."

So, why shouldn't I (we) change our class grading scales to reflect those of DPI. If a student can score an 80 on the EOC and yet it is still classified as a Level 2--which is failing--aren't we doing the students a disservice by allowing them to pass with anything less than an 80 during the regular course?

When did common sense leave the educational arena?

dt

Mongo Like Candy

2007-01-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

I'm no pawn. Especially not to all of those Heady Lamar's and govs. (see comment for pawn reference)...

First: I have created a new blog which will be used for my AP Psychology classes. I will link to it on this blog--I used myspace last year, but I have since removed myself from that crack wagon.

Second: I thought more about my democratic-republic idea while proctoring for a test this morning. First day we will write and ratify our class constitution. I will outline a couple of areas. We will address class rules and regulations and I will allow the students some say so on the issues--of course I will be the chair of the convention and they know nothing about rules of order so I will dictate a lot of the policies:)

I want to establish a system of justice in the class. Upon violating a rule, the student will be served with a subpoena. They can plead not guilty and hire a lawyer from the class and we will conduct a trial with a jury of his/her peers... maybe not for each offense, we'll see...

We will establish the separation of powers. I am the Executive. I have veto power. If they want to override my veto it will take 2/3 of the class. We will decide on the amendment process of our constitution and the ratification process. Election periods will be determined. My thought is that there will be 2 class senators serving 2 week terms and 5 class reps. serving 1 week terms. I'll let the class decide on term limits.

A couple of safeguards: As the Executive I will be able to invoke the War Powers Act and suspend the powers of Congress up to 10-15 days at a time. Furthermore, upon being absent it will be written into the Constitution that the substitute is absolute monarch.

I understand the testing game. I don't think that I will be sacrificing content for interest. I think that if I can make this work, then the interest/ownership of the class will lead to higher thinking about the content and perhaps even better scores. I think that factions will emerge in the class that will want to succeed and therefore my veto power over laziness and apathy will be sustained. Still thinking...

Thoughts on Learning and Teaching

2007-01-16T12:38:00.000-05:00

In reading for Current Trends and Issues in Education I stumbled on two opposing theories on curriculum. 1) The Paideia school which is supported by Mortimer Adler. 2) is complete school choice by students--meaning to go or not to go, where, how, how much, how fast, etc.

Perhaps, I'll post my reflections on the various theories upon completion of my assignment, but for now I want to reflect on a common theme. The divergence is found in ideas about core knowledge, but the similarities are that learning should be active: that student discovery is the key to education.

The idea discussed below was spurred after reading the selection by John Holt a proponent of the natural right to decide what enters our minds--in fact he calls compulsory education authoritarian, anti-democratic and a violation of civil rights.

Anyway, I'm wondering if establishing a democratic-republic within my Civics classroom would be advantageous. They could elect representatives from the class who would determine the course of the day/week/unit/etc. If they choose to do nothing, then we do nothing--of course they will still be required to master the content to be assessed and graded. Perhaps a class constitution could/should be written before hand. I of course would be the Executive--but an override provision would be written into the Constitution. I wonder if factions would develop? Or would the struggle be between Legislative and Executive. The Supreme Court could be made up of the other Civics teachers on the hall. Each side could prepare an argument should a constitutional crisis occur...

How would the content of the class be delivered? Is it enough for the representatives to choose method or should they be able to decide angles and perspectives of content as well? Maybe at the beginning of the course I would offer them options (ie lecture/notes, performance, discussion/debate, etc) and then allow them to branch out on their own as they gain trust and confidence in our experiment.

What about assessment? Should that be democratic as well? I have to make sure that they are learning the content--the state doesn't give me much latitude in that area.

I like. It would take constant refining and retooling just like our own government.

To be continued...

dt

Teachable Moment.

2007-01-12T18:28:00.000-05:00

The question posed during review had something to do with the most effective way to change a law. The correct answer was gathering signatures for a petition. But I asked about one of the incorrect answers... I asked "is it ever okay not to obey a law?" There were several "no's" murmured from the class, so I asked why we were out of school on Monday. Many of the students answered and so I asked what Dr. King did. They began to catch my drift answering that he broke the law on purpose. What followed was probably the best conversation that has occurred in 2nd period all year long. We were supposed to be reviewing for the EOC, but instead education began to happen. After a brief explanation of the Greensboro 4 and the marches led by King somehow we got to a question from a student: "Why do so many white people want to act black?" Then there was a flurry of discussion in the classroom--mostly from the black students (we discussed it in class and that's the term they prefer). "What does acting black mean?" Probably 2 or 3 minutes of internal discussion that would have probably looked like chaos had someone been looking in from the outside. But I dared not jump in too soon--after all, how often do you hit on a topic that so engages students? Near the end of this chaos one of the students remarked that he wondered what the other students thought--"you know the white students; i'm not trying to be racist or anything."

I wanted to say that the white students were probably hesitant to join in such a discussion because of how careful people have to be these days with such topics. I didn't. But I'm sure that was the case. The white students realize the sensitivities and offense that can be stirred up if they were to say the wrong thing. That's too bad that it is that way... but I'm afraid it is that way.

Nevertheless, the conversation continued. I got carried away for a while on a patented Mr. Thomas rant concerning melting pot vs tossed salad as a metaphor for America. I went on about the difficulties of maintaining cultural identity and assimilating fully. The discussion picked back up with that. How can we be Americans and yet maintain African American or Hispanic or Asian cultural values and customs? I gave my 2 cents worth by saying that there are good aspects of cultures and bad aspects--whether Thug Life or Nascar or in between. I stressed that the difficulty with being human is our tendency to generalize. Generalization is built into our minds as a positive thing. It keeps us away from danger. But when we apply that to human groups based on a few individuals...well that's where prejudice and racism are born.

It was striking as well, that after discussing the black/white issue for a while, I mentioned that the new challenge was to realize that Hispanics are just as equal as everyone else. It is striking to see white and black students respond--I don't know if I wanna say negatively but they certainly don't seem to understand the irony of their stereotypes and attitudes towards hispanics--to this challenge.

Somehow or another we ended up discussing whether or not W. had "flipped his lid". And how important it was to learn to think critically because the left and the right are interested in labeling and establishing their ideas as the ONLY ideas. They are interested in branding the other side as the enemy. Isn't that crazy? Other Americans as the ENEMY? Name calling rules the day and it's sad that so many--me sometimes too--get caught up in that garbage. I try to think of others in history who tried to make one way of thinking the only way. More on this particular topic in my next post.

All in all, it was the best 2nd period class of the year. Too bad that all that is left is a few review days and then the dreaded EOC. Maybe some personal momentum that will carry over to next semester's Civics Class. I've got a few ideas up my sleeve for that one...

dt

Well, Damn.

2007-01-10T18:49:00.000-05:00

I know there are a lot of positives that I can focus on. I have a beautiful family of almost 4, a great job with wonderful hours and days, I own my own house and I'm only 28 years old--29 here in a few days. But I'll be damned if my truck didn't blow a timing chain/belt on the way home from school today. That wouldn't be so bad if one of our other cars hadn't been in the shop since October. What day is it? I know, I know I do have a nice new minivan; but this just happens to be the month that Big Daddy wants his money for me being able to own property. That, despite the fact that I've already paid the man once when I bought the stinkin' thing in the form of sales tax.

I'd be excited about earning my Master's Degree in School Administration because of the professional opportunities and especially the 10% raise that comes along with it. But the raise that I will receive will go towards repaying my student loans. All of those folks who proclaim college to be a great investment and student loan debt to be good debt... I think they must not have become public school teachers. And, oh yeah, did I mention that the standard test that I have to take to get the license required to get the raise is costing me $465 clams. Screw you ETS.

And one more thing before I cease bitching and moaning. $400 each month from my paycheck goes to fund my health care premium. That's right, $5000 a year just for the premium... just for the opportunity to have coverage. I still pay hundreds of dollars in deductibles and other out of pocket expenses. By making the responsible decision to have one parent stay home with our children I am penalized in a couple of ways. Is there a tax credit for stay at home moms? No. But there is a tax credit for people who decide not to and then send their kids to daycare. So I pay high premiums for those irresponsible enough--or less fortunate enough, whatever your slant--to have health insurance but are still having children while those same people get the tax credits for sending their kids to day care.

Ok, through venting--maybe.

It's just all triggered an avalanche of thoughts. What do we spend our money on? Is it possible/practical to be a one car family? When did individual mobility become such a need in our society? How much money would I save on gas/maintenance/repair/insurance if we only had one vehicle?

We're already pretty frugal (I misspelled that word in the 5th grade spelling bee--mallet in the 6th) with our funds. Eating out and traveling are all we really do extra. Ok, ok and crown royal for me. There just aren't that many other corners to cut and maintain the same standard of living that we have. Don't get me wrong, I know we live like kings compared to most of the world. But I'm working my butt off trying to finish school and teach school; my wife is carrying our second child, teaches part time at GWU, works as a freelance editor for HA, cares for/educates/disciplines/puts up with our 3 year old on a daily basis... kinda makes my job look simple... but we do all that and--look I'm glad the minimum wagers are going to get a 2 dollar increase--but well, what about folks like me? I'm not asking for the government to step in and give me stuff--hell we'd probably qualify for medicaid if we applied. I just want fewer penalties. Please do something about the Health Care costs. Give me a break on paying property taxes on my van after I've already paid sales taxes on it. Give me the option to pay into Social Security if I want to... and Medicare for that matter.

I wonder what our grandfathers and great grandfathers would say/do to me after reading this rant. Probably something like "come back and see me when you're forced to pull the head off your only chicken to make it through the winter and work 60 hours a week just to get by..." You know, back when "times was rough."

dt

So Maybe.

2007-01-09T09:12:00.000-05:00

Education is the key. Maybe that's what Matt was talking about Sunday. Encouraging a young'n who has artistic interests to remain interested--even funding camp/school/training for that particular student. That's the model we are seeking to create in the public arena--if at a snail's pace. The sentence that has taken me on this line of thought speaks to this area in many ways.

In Cahill's latest work, the remark is made that with the invention of the printing press and the subsequent flood of ideas that began to penetrate the minds of Europe, that the influence of the church was diminished.

How can that be? Why do the ideas of the church not stack up to the ideas of the world? They do. So the influence of human hypocrisy has had a devastating effect on those ideas? Then what chance do we have, for I fear that in professing Truth I will always appear a hypocrite. I do not do what I want to do and I do what I don't want to do. So weak and fragile.

Maybe it's more. Maybe it's the fact that education among believers has waned. What is the thought level in mainstream churchland? How has the influence of worldly thought patterns influenced those of the church? Is it even valid to speak of "the church"? Aren't there really many different churches? I know the scriptures about being One, but is that a reality? If so, isn't it much smaller than we imagine. Startling.

Cahill says there are three things worse than the transformation of the early church to that of Constantine's dominion: 1-the separation of Judaism from Christianiy and vice versa, 2-the breakup of the church into many different divisions, and 3-the creation of a professional clergy and the common laypeople diluting or eliminating the Truth that we are all priests and "responsible to all for all."

dt

"Churchianity"

2007-01-08T13:52:00.000-05:00

"The attitude that I see repeatedly from churchianity is one of being isolated in our religious ghettoes with no comprehension that there is not sacred-secular dichotomy and having a slightly veiled holier-than-thou contentment which is constantly pointing a finger at bill clinton and hollywood..."

Above is a snippet from a response I got from the previous post. Does this really classify the majority of church goers in America? I've been quite critical of the church myself. I worked in one in which I could not believe the political nature of the proceedings. But even in that body there were folks who were sincere. There were people who seemed to be genuinely interested in learning what the Lord had to say and wanting to show love towards each other. Were they interested in feeding the orphans in Africa--not with anything more than their money. But they brought in kids from the area. I know that they went and picked these kids up weekly for different church functions. I know they collected money and made Christmases brighter. There were divorced people, and people with children out of wedlock, even a gay kid. Did they openly discuss it? Of course not. This is Foothills, NC. But they made an attempt.

At another church in which the building is lavish--they recently remodeled their sanctuary and installed stadium seating--an easy target for criticism. And I'm sure there are many Constantine Christians in that body (whatever that means). And I'm sure there are people who enjoy blasting the morality of Bill Clinton and Rosie O'Donnell, but there are people there who thirst after Truth. People who dedicate their lives to the church, who spend hours upon hours sacrificing their time so that other people may know love. They spend millions I bet on missions--if not then certainly in the 100s of thousands.

"I'm all for being included in intelligent discussions about the world, and being included in fine art, music and movies..."

The idea that quality products will land Christian philosophy in a place of influence in these arenas of media is wishful thinking, I'm afraid. Perhaps over two or three generations it could be possible. But if you take a look at the top 5 movies, tv shows, and Billboard's Top 5 singles, what you won't find much of is quality. You will find lyrics filled with sexual content--not sexual inuendo, not sexual allusions, but sexual filth. Like Akon's contribution to the art of music: Smack That.

CSI makes it's living by being as gory as possible in the mask of crime solvers--they're only here to save the day after all.

I guess the question comes down to the issue of whether or not in a democratic society values can be imposed via government action. The free market has its role as well. Sex sells there is no question about that. But is there a desire for the consumer to see ads with sex and hear lyrics with sex and violence, or is that pushed on them by those who control the airwaves? Is it too paranoid to think that the media and advertisers have the ability to control our minds--or if not control at least heavily influence?

Maybe I'm just bouncing these ideas around to see if they hold any water... Maybe I will dismiss these cultural warrior notions and be on with the social gospel. More than likely, I hope, I will discover that golden mean. Moderation.

dt

Constantine's Curse

2007-01-07T20:48:00.000-05:00

A few months ago Gabe D. produced a work of art which he entitled Constantine's Curse. The steeples are buried in what seems to be a wasteland. It is of course an allusion to the union of the church and political power in the 300s when the Emperor stopped the persecution of Christians and began to use the emblem of the cross on his battle shield--God told him to in a dream.

Currently I am reading Thomas Cahill's latest work in his hinges of history series. I would highly recommend reading the entire series--now 5 books (1,2,3,4,5.)

This morning Matt O. taught on being salt and light. The great paradoxical question for believers: how to be in the world but not of the world.

All of these are contributing to this post. The current thought pattern or trend is to hold the church responsible for the darkness in the world. The line goes that if there is darkness in the world then what needs to happen is for the church to look inward and not cast judgment on the culture at large. Logically, I'm not sure this holds much water, because there was darkness when Jesus was physically present in this world. So... Was it his fault? I think not.
My attempt here, is not to sloganeer and rally the masses to my side in the debate. I don't think there is a question that as believers we should always look inward. As a human, I am in constant need of reform. Desperate need. But if I wait until the point at which I am perfected to be critical of the culture and the society in which we live, then I will be waiting beyond my years.
I do believe that believers should be known for their excellence, for their virtue, and perhaps above all for their service. I'm just not sure that criticism of the culture need come as a sacrifice for those ideals. We have created a society in which Truth has all but disappeared. "Whose truth?" is a devastating question that is unanswerable due to our cherished 1st Amendment...

Anyway, I'm sure I will follow up on this post in the coming days as my thoughts become clearer and more refined. But I'll end by answering the question about whether Jesus was a liberal or a conservative? He was both. There is no question that the Church has failed in many respects and one of those is the lack of real, genuine service to humanity--Behind on the AIDS crisis, behind on the environmental crisis, behind on issues of greed and poverty. JC was clear on our duty and devotion to our neighbor. But just as clear are his declarations of who He is. I AM rings throughout the New Testament--see John. He left no room for alternate versions of Truth. I'm gung ho to change my own existence. I crave reform. Radical reform. I want to help other people and be salt and light. I'm just not sure that should limit my voice of opposition to the darkness of our society...

dt

A Toast.

2006-12-31T17:35:00.000-05:00

To new and renewed love,
to finding out what is really precious and letting go of things that are trivial and have no ultimate value,
to a greater understanding of one another and the realization that we are all in this thing called life together,
to wisdom, courage, and conviction for the world's leaders which will lead the world closer to peace,
to a hunger for Truth and a passion for compassion...

to old friends, heroes, and lifetimes!

Happy 2007!!!
dt

5 Things.

2006-12-30T16:25:00.000-05:00

Interesting tag from the Ponderer. Here are five things that you may not know about me just from this blog.

1) Sometime during the 2007 campaign I will eclipse the mid century mark in rockin' out with the 6 headed monster. I started listening to Widespread Panic my junior year in high school and fell in love with the lyrics of "Ain't Life Grand." My first show was in Charlotte in 1999 back when the boys played the Center City Fest at night. It was a very purple show. Since then I've been to NC, SC, VA, TN, AL, and CO... and maybe beyond. Panic never plays the same show... in fact they rarely play the same songs within a 4 night run. Mikey Houser died in 2002, but the band has settled in with Jimmy Herring and are ready to rock Philips Arena tonight as a matter of fact.

2) I was a few months away from being a SPE--in fact, I was the pledge class president. They called me Dan at DC and it never really was my thang. I spent way too much time at UNCW, UNC, and NCSU instead of the vaunted halls of academe at the presitigious institution. I learned a lot about who I was and wasn't during those years of haze. I still have a soft spot for the Cats, but I'll take the Dawgs any day.

3) My son Samuel Adams--"you named your son after a beer?"--Thomas was born 6 weeks early. We were on our annual end of the year golfing extravaganza in MB. I had just finished a great round defeating my partner handily when my wife called with concern. We started at Grand Strand Hospital and ended up a few hours later in Florence. He was a tiny 4 lbs 2ozs when we finally brought him home. Thankfully he had and has had no health issues. We are hoping our next little one Sydney Grace will be content for the entire 40 weeks.

4) The best 3 weeks of my life would have to be when Sarah and I drove across the country. We went up through the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Little Bighorn, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier--with the Northern Lights accompanying--over and down the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts until we finally reached the Grand Canyon. I think my quote by that point was "how long are we supposed to stand here and look at it?" I'm hoping the underground comes through and teachers are paid much higher salaries, so I can visit the great west more often.

5) Nothing beats Saturday nights in the Fall/Winter by the fire at Shields' house. Sipping on the smooth Canadian Blend and discussing sports, education, politics, Masonic conspiracies, women, children, and on and on and on.... Sarah says she could pen the script for each time we get together because the same old topics always arise--the same 10-15 year running jokes. "Old Friends, Heroes and Lifetimes, don't let a single memory ever fade away."

Cheers to 2007 folks!
peace
dt

The Other Guy's Response (to the previous post)

2006-12-19T16:26:00.000-05:00

**Sorry for the layout--BLogger is whoopin me**

Where to start.  Well, I guess I’ll start with what is going on.
(Name deleted) has
decided to start a bi-partisan caucus together that will inform
Members of Congress about terrorism.  There seems to be a basic
lack of education regarding Islam, terrorists, etc. in Congress-
and without it we cannot effectively engage the enemy.  So last
week I sat through meetings with over 20 terrorism experts
(face to face I’ll discuss more) and what was

going on around the world and what they thought we should
help other members

understand.

What I took from the experts (which all had diff. opinions)
and pieced

together what I believe to be- Iraq was the best move we could
have

made. We need a strategic base to send black ops out into
the region.  The

troop force argument is worthless as you look at the big
picture.  While we

sit here and argue troop levels the Iranians are sending
in tons of dollars

to gain political leverage while we send in tons of dollars
to build

infrastructure- which gains us nothing.  Adding more
troops isn’t going

to help or hurt because that’s not the issue.  The
insurgency is going to

keep coming because they want us to stay there longer
so they can get more

political leverage there with the people.  Iran wants
us there because they

aren’t really ready for a war yet.  Turkey wants us
there so they don’t

have to save the Kurds, and Saudi’s want us there so
they don’t have to

start a war with Iran over Sunni’s getting killed.
So the troop argument comes

from the western mindset, while the middle eastern
mindset could care less

about America or its troop levels.  They are set on
killing the other Muslims

so they have dominance and can set up the next part
of the caliphate. The

US is just a fly on their back that must be put up
with until the other ripe

fields are taken over (Somalia, Chechnya, etc.)  I
blame the

administration for allowing this troop level debate to
even go on because they won’t

level with the people that the argument isn’t important
compared to what we

should do in Northern Pakistan, etc.  But yea- we
should get someone who makes

us sacrifice, we should also be teaching anti-terrorism
in schools like we

did with communism.  But something has happened in
America- its like they

don’t believe reality if it challenges their thinking
or happy zone.  There

is some crazy stuff going on over there- and here too-
that have little to

nothing to do with us, yet we think they are fighting

us.  They have not even yet begun to even look at us.  
Right now we are a breeding ground

for money- and will stay that way until they have
taken more steps to build

their Islamic empire.  And they see this is a 100
years war where we

cannot even stomach a 4 year war where deaths are
not that extreme compared to

the other wars we have been in.

We are in trouble because we don’t think like our
enemy’s.  Our news

Feeds us the wrong information.  Our leaders cannot
provide the proper

Oversight to help the intel community do its work.
And our education system is

producing people who are not citizens- they are
individuals (and I’m

putting it nicely).  There is still hope, but it
is fading fast.

Hannibal ad portas!

Conversation: On War

2006-12-19T16:07:00.000-05:00

The article that ignited this exchange is here. The conversation follows first me, then the other guy...

yeah ol pat buchanan makes a lot of sense to me these
days.  I like Newt too. 

Not sure about the troop surge idea.  It would seem
the only reason to do that would be if we were gonna
surge 50 or 60 thousand for several months--and it
seems that in order to do that we would need to
institute a military draft.  The National Guard was
not built for the types of deployments they've
received over the years.  I guess the Rumsfeldian view
of smaller and faster has proven to be disastrous--at
least in the short term. 

That being said, I'm not sure what the best option is.
I saw a headline on Drudge that we were thinking
about building up in the Persian Gulf as a warning to
Iran.... probably just speculation.

I think we need a leader who will call for real
sacrifice.  Let's move forward with real alternative
engery plans--within the next decade kinda stuff.
Remove our dependence completely from the Muslims and
then withdraw.  Then if they remain belligerent we
will have the political will to truly wage war. 

I still believe that going in was the thing to do, but
it has been horribly mismanaged.  I'm afraid it may
end up being the "worst strategic mistake in the
history of the United States."  The only thing that
comes to my mind that rivals is the decision to give
Stalin all he wanted at Yalta and not dealing with the
Soviet threat early on.... 

Anyway, just some ramblings from a measly high school
civics teacher.

Les Miserables

2006-12-18T19:24:00.000-05:00

"Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance? Some will fall and some will live will you stand up and take a chance?"

dt

Fusion.

2006-12-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

So, about a week ago an editorial came out in the paper attacking our head football coach. The story ended up being about the fictitious author and the lapse in judgment by the editor, but the piece itself was pretty scathing--typical athletics over academics type accusations.

A week or so before that our school held a "black female forum" in which community and school members addressed issues with that particular demographic. A subsequent email was sent out to the staff explaining the forum from our newly hired African American AP. In that email she called for teachers to spend time one on one with these black females because it is a "cultural fact that minorities respond better to one on one" attention rather than being called out in front of a group.

Well, I take issue with that contention, because I don't think it is a "cultural fact" at all, I think it is a human fact. Any student--any person--would respond better to one on one correction rather than its alternative. But, that's not really an argument that I can take on or win--interesting free speech/lack thereof implications perhaps--but perhaps it's not worth it anyway...

There is a cultural divide. And I wonder what role I--or we--play in perpetuating that gap. After all, athletics do play a huge role in the realities of black students. We have a system in place that encourages and rewards migration from school to school in order to play on a winning team. Winning team = exposure = next level perhaps. But at what price?

Don't misunderstand. I love competition and athletics. I believe in sport. Strongly. But as the marketing behemoth that sports has become I'm not sure the price is worth it.

Am I totally off base? The argument generally is that these kids, if it weren't for football etc, would not be where they are. They learn life skills and such on the field. And they are sure to learn more there than in the classroom. That's the standard explanation. But I'm not so sure I'm buying that anymore.

The reality is that the lure of athletic success is a mirage for 99.9% of people--I mean as a career. Academic preparedness is what is crucial, right?

I suppose I'll leave my thoughts here for now...
dt

Y2K6

2006-12-12T20:57:00.000-05:00

shew. just went dang near a week without my pc. while installing a new multi function printer/copier/scanner/toaster/etc it turns out i had a corrupted file. thanks windows. and for good measure my long injured graphics card finally blew up. so 5 days and $89 big ones later i have my pc back and have just successfully installed my new hardware. not to mention i was able to scan myspace again--filters at school have kept me separated. i'm an addict, that's the first step right?

what's more is that i'm coming out of my months long blogging slump. i've had many ideas in my head over the past few days--and wouldn't you know only a pen and paper to write them down with and that's for the birds. so i'm glad to be back in the 21st century and look forward to fleshing out some of the thoughts that are banging around in my noggin.

peace
dt

Civic Education

2006-09-07T14:48:00.000-05:00

Another score on the "getting them to think" front today. I used a lesson based on photographs. Students were broken up into groups of 4 (based on birthdays this time) and given a collection of 8 photographs. The pics were Gold Bullion, The Susan Constant, A Slave Auction, Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, Albany Plan of Union, Tarring and Feathering, and the Battle of Cowpens.

For the first task the students put the pictures in chronological order. The order was important in the grading, but most important was their reasoning. Furthermore, in order to guarantee full participation it was stated that I could and would ask any member of the group to explain the reasoning behind the order--and the response would reflect the entire group's grade.

The second task was to put the pictures into categories--whatever categories they decided to come up with. And again to present reasons.

Thanks Dr. Oscar Lansen for the idea.

REFLECTIONS

Many of the students didn't get the pictures right. (ie thought Cowpens was the French and Indian War or thought the Gold represented taxation rather than mercantilism) But their reasoning was good. They may have misunderstood the pictures but were able to use their understanding of the concepts. To me that is a good thing.

During the process a student asked if she/they could use their notes. My split second, gut instinct was to say no. But I didn't. I figure if they are going to show the initiative to look something up why would I stifle that? The information is out there they just need to know how to put it together and do something with it. The mantra of 21st century education.

pleased,
dt

Rebellion, the Conclusion

2006-09-05T19:31:00.000-05:00

Nothing too spectacular. A few minutes after class started the principal marched "on the classroom" with the SRO, our two ROTC officers in their fatigues, and all assistant principals. The students were a bit shocked, but seemed to grasp the joke from the beginning. They even kinda laughed when the principal cited the school board policies that had been broken and declared all with 12 days After School Detention.

He did give a chance to back out. We only had one Loyalist to break ranks, but the rest of the class did try to put it off on me. Blame the leader--the American way I guess. "He typed it." "It was an assignment, we didn't have a choice."

One thing is clear. The students will remember that the Declaration of Independence was not merely beautiful ideas on paper, but required the sacrifice of thousands, and indeed could have ended with the signers "all hanging together."

dt

Rebellion, part II

2006-09-01T14:57:00.000-05:00

The following was the response that I got back from my principal--and former US History teacher--which was sent to all administrators and the Student Resource Officers in the building--even and invitation to the deputy superintendent (what have i gotten myself into?:) The outcome of the rebellion will be posted in part III sometime on Tuesday afternoon.

"Daniel Thomas' first period Honors Civics class has declared themselves in rebellion. They have declared their independence from Crest High School and announced that they are not under my authority any more. (It's an absolutely wonderful lesson.) My attempts to peacefully address their grievances has been rejected. As of this date, I am declaring that room 107 is in a state of rebellion against the lawful authority of this school. I am assembling an army to suppress this rebellion. Please assemble in the main office just after 8:00 AM on Tuesday. We will march on Mr. Thomas' class and reclaim the lost colony. These insurrectionist will pay for this disloyalty with their liberty. Roger Harris The LAWFUL authority of Crest High School 1 September 2006 Dr. Hartness, I don't know what is on your schedule, but do you want to play army with us?"

Rebellion, part I

2006-09-01T14:49:00.000-05:00

I have many thoughts to get down this weekend about what went right and what went wrong in this first week with my new lot. But I would like to share--in a series of posts--the activity I did with my Honors Civics class. After putting the Dec of Independence into their own words, the students then listed the grievances they had with the Principal and subsequently drafted their own DoI from the principal's authority. Text of the document is below:

"Dear Principal Harris,

There comes a time when every student should break away from the chains of oppression. We have come to a conclusion, after many debates, that the rules and guidelines of the school are way too strict; and that the opportunities given to us are limited. We shall explain the reasons why we desire to separate from your rule.
We have devised a few simple changes to your despotic system. We base our objections on the fact that we believe that democracy should be applied in this school, because we have natural rights.
The “long train” of our grievances:

YOU have taken away our right to text message and receive cell phone calls at school.

YOU have made money off of our families by charging too much for lockers that do not even work.

YOU have shut off the vending machines from which we obtain nourishment.

YOU have limited our creative expression by enforcing the dress code.

YOU have crushed our freedom by enforcing tardies and absences.

YOU have not allowed the existence of a dance team.

YOU have raised the price of lunch and the quality has dropped.

YOU have stifled creativity by not building an auditorium.

YOU have charged us heavy fees to take elective classes.

YOU have frozen us and given us the flu by not changing the outdated heating and air conditioning units.

YOU have taken away our homework and sleep time by enforcing detention.

Therefore, we the students of Mr. Thomas’ HONORS Civics class hereby declare our independence from your authority. We will seek to fulfill our rights on our own accord henceforth."

10 Years Later.

2006-08-27T20:13:00.000-05:00

Went to the reunion for the Crest class of 1996 last night. What a blast. It was great to see people that I haven't seen in years. It was also pretty cool getting down with my people just like it was day one.

I've been thinking about PROGRESS. That is an amazing term. Do you think that humans exhibit progress. If so is it societal? individual? both? I think about other animals and living things and it seems as if they have little purpose. I mean as far as progress goes. Ants and dogs just do what ants and dogs have always done. They don't sit around and wonder why they do those things. They don't ponder how to grow and mature. They just do. They just are.

But humans... I guess a lot of folks just do. Some maybe aren't as aware or cognizant of their purpose or of progress. Maybe they're just good at putting that question out of their minds, because it does tend to bring about anxiety at certain junctures.

This train of thought crept up while I was walking and trying to figure out why what I do is meaningful. I mean beyond job skills and the obvious. What can I do that will truly impact life.

I guess as soon as I figure it all out, I'll let you know.
dt

Optimism.

2006-08-21T14:23:00.001-05:00

I love the feeling of the new school year. I'm more experienced. I've read more. I've thought more. Now I'm ready to apply. Here are a couple of pics of my new bulletin boards. I've been experimenting with my crafty side. The Red and Black is a makeshift blog. Our county filter "errs on the side of caution" so blogs, Flickr, Delicious, and of course MySpace are all out. So I decided to make a manual blog. The right side of the board is filled with quotations from the likes of Aristotle, Plato, Thoreau, Uncle Walt, W., Bubba Clinton, Reagan and even Chris Rock. The caption READ, REFLECT, REFEREE and REACT was stolen from my brother who may have stolen it from someone else. But that's the way these days. The white poster board is divided into 3 X 5 squares in which students can respond to the question and to each other's responses. The first question is "Do you think George W. is a good President? Why or why not?"

The Green and Yellow (Charger Gold) board is my civic action board. The quotation is from JFK's inaugural--although I'm not sure he was the first one to say it. The white pieces of paper are articles(1,2,3) in our local paper about community and civic mindedness. The patch is from when my father in law was in Kuwait, and the pictures are of Habitat for Humanity and the One Campaign.

Not sure these are revolutionary, but I've been cutting out letters and pasting and stapling all weekend. I even went to an education store and bought some border:)

dt

Charged.

2006-08-17T17:26:00.000-05:00

Well today was our district wide pep rally to start off the school year. Following that this afternoon we had a different type of motivational meeting. Boss man said that we needed to raise our test scores. Social Studies is lagging behind. Test scores are going to become more of a focus for him and therefore for us.

My gut reaction is here we go again. Testing Testing and more Testing. Why is it that so many teachers agree that this current form of education is practically useless, yet we simply accept it and convince ourselves that "it's the way it is." I've heard "I don't like it, I think it's stupid, but we've got to do it" so many times sometimes I'm afraid I will start repeating that mantra as well.

On the other hand, however, the fact remains that NCLB and ABC is the current form and the students are now held to even higher standards. So I'm looking forward to blogging this year's civics classes. And hopefully receiving some beneficial comments--preferably from many of the folks that I teach with...

Of course I will need to find an acceptible blog format because blogspot is forbidden by our county's internet filter.

dt

Really?

2006-08-10T09:51:00.000-05:00

This CNN quick vote poll blows me away. I know it's not supposed to be scientific. But does 50% of any population believe that gas prices are a more pressing issue than terrorism? This on a day in which a plot to blow up airplanes over the ocean was foiled.

Of course maybe Rove and the gang are up to it again. They must have planned to disrupt this attack the day or so after Lieberman was defeated. Of course, the master plan to illustrate the weakness of the Dems on national defense.

Look. I know that the administration is weak and less than skillful. But gas prices as important as terrorism? Call it by a different name. Explain the perspective that they are upset because our troops are on their soil. Make the point that our history is rife--is that a word?--with examples of 'terrorism' as well. I'm fine with all of those, but don't make the point that attacks, or potential attacks on us are not as important as how much you pay at the pump.

Confused.
dt

House Built on Sand

2006-08-08T08:46:00.000-05:00

The iMonk has a very interesting article which explains the shift in my own thinking as of late. It's worth reading the entire article--though lengthy--and checking out the links especially this one about the possibility of a growing trend. The iMonks conclusion first:

My Conclusion

I am suggesting, therefore, that the increasing interest in the culture war among evangelicals is not an example of a reinvigorated evangelicalism remaking its culture. Instead, I believe the intense focus by evangelicals on political and cultural issues is evidence of a spiritually empty and unformed evangelicalism being led by short-sighted leaders toward a mistaken version of the Kingdom of God on earth.

so that's a pretty powerful statement. it is a tragic statement that the assertion can be made that the islamic right and the christian right are leading towards the same vision of existence... but i digress and leave you with a chunk from the iMonks article.

American evangelicals can point to hundreds of publications and programs aimed at some kind of spiritual formation result. The fact is that any honest, but generous judgement would say that after a century of moderate success, the twentieth century and beyond have witnessed an unparalleled failure of evangelicals in the area of spiritual formation. In other words, evangelicals are increasingly spiritually empty, and they are susceptible to a message that the world needs to be changed rather than themselves.

Both families and churches struggle in turning out disciples. American churches specialize in an consumerized, gnostic, experiential Gospel that is increasingly inseparable form the culture in which that church exists. American evangelicals have become as much like the dominant culture as it is possible to be and still exist at all. In fact, evangelicals continue to exist, in large measure, because they have mainstreamed the culture into their religion so that one’s Christianity hardly appears on the radar screen of life as any in any way different from the lives of other people. We are now about values, more than about Christ and the Gospel.

Evangelicals should come to terms with this: they are in every way virtually identical to suburban, white, upper middle class American culture. They are not as bad as the worst of that culture, but they are increasingly like the mainstream of that culture and are blown about by every wind of that consumerized and materially addicted culture. In fact, go to many evangelical churches and the culture is so present, so affirmed, preached and taught that one would assume that there is nothing whatsoever counter cultural about the affirmation that Jesus is Lord...

Human Condition

2006-08-07T14:30:00.000-05:00

This is an excerpt from The Brothers Karamazov. Which as of 300 pages in has overtaken the top spot in my all time favorite books. It comes from the chapter Notes on the Life of a Deceased Priest.

...the isolation that prevails everywhere, above all in our age--it has not
fully developed, it has not reached its limit yet. For every one strives
to keep his individuality as apart as possible, wishes to secure the greatest
possible fulness of life for himself; but meantime all his efforts result not in
attaining fulness of life but self-destruction, for instead of self-realisation
he ends by arriving at complete solitude. All mankind in our age have
split up into units, they all keep apart, each in his own groove; each one holds
aloof, hides himself and hides what he has, from the rest, and he ends by being
repelled by others and repelling them. He heaps up riches by himself and
thinks 'how strong I am now and how secure,' and in his madness he does not
understand that the more he heaps up, the more he sinks into self-destructive
impotence. For he is accustomed to rely upon himself alone and to cut
himself off from the whole; he has trained himself not to believe in the help of
others, in men and in humanity, and only trembles for fear he should lose his
money and the priveleges that he has won for himself...

also

"Until you have become really, in actual fact, a brother to every one,
brotherhood will not come to pass."

and

"...in truth we are each responsible to all for all, it's only that men don't
know this. If they knew it the world would be a paradise at once."

one more quote from my favorite movie that seems to fall in line with the thoughts above:

"every man lookin' for salvation by himself... each like a coal drawn from the
fire."

Clean and Unclean

2006-08-01T22:32:00.000-05:00

The Hebrews 13:11-13 reference in the previous post comes from a message that I heard this past Sunday. These few verses describe Jesus' method. Everything inside the gate was "clean" and the "unclean" were outside the gate. Where was Jesus? He was encamped outside the gate. He wasn't concerned about his reputation. He wasn't concerned with political power--he rejected that temptation from Satan. He was moved to compassion and Love when he encountered the world.

Yet, the Church proper seems to be comfortable inside the gates. Trying to direct morality and truth from within. But Truth and Grace cannot be separated. Faith and Works. The tree shall be known by its fruit. On and on goes the teaching of the Christ.

Yet so difficult to follow. Fear and pride are destructive forces.

The Good must be/should be/is common. Communal. Voluntary community. You before me. Him before us.

I suppose to explain the misdirection in my thinking of late is to admit that I believed that Truth was under attack. And well, I suppose it is and always has been... but the flaw was in believing that Truth could somehow be defeated... and perhaps it was up to me to somehow stem the tide of the advancing corruption. Wow. So much for humility in that line of thought.

"Speak not as one who has the Truth, but as one whom the Truth has." Another quote given to me by that same wise man...

Re Defined II

2006-07-31T08:16:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we went to an upstart in Charlotte. I'd call it a church, but wouldn't that poison your mind with preconception from the start? Well, part of the teaching yesterday was about that very fact. The Church brings with it connotations--and most of the time those are not all that warm and fuzzy.

I remember very clearly the events of September 11. I also remember words from a wise man after that attack occurred. He said, "You've got to temper your patriotism with your religion."

For the past years I have bought into the notion that my enemy was the Islamic terrorists and the Post Modernists who would have everyone believe in--well nothing. Politically, I'm not quite sure what the solution to these particular problems/issues is... but I'm going to retreat from that particular sphere for a while.

So. If those mentioned above are not the enemy, and the enemy is clearly defined... well then?

Pride. Arrogance. Apathy. Avarice. Greed. Selfishness. Prejudice.

The Book explains all this over and over, yet somehow we are willing to miss it. Somehow, we buy into the Us vs Them mentality so easily. Somehow we are enamored with the prospect of political power and influence. Somehow we miss the message of the One who explains it so very simply.

I hope to flesh all of these ideas out a little more in my next few posts with a few quotes from a book I just finished and an explanation and photograph of my brother-in-law's latest work of art.

Hebrews 13:12-13

dt

Re Defined

2006-07-30T18:53:00.000-05:00

Isaac Avery (currently the front runner in the name game if our newest is a boy) was a confederate officer who offered this quotation upon his death:

"Tell my father I died with my face to the enemy."

Confession: I have misidentified the enemy.

I thought about creating a new blog for my upcoming line of thought--but why separate?

dt

Shattered.

2006-07-25T09:55:00.000-05:00

I watched the BBC last night to see the updates of the current Middle East tragedy as well as the escalating violence in Iraq. (This was after I watched the Antietam episode from Ken Burns' Civil War documentary)

I got the same feeling watching the news last night that I got when I was on the battlefield in Sharpsburg a few weeks ago. It was a sinking feeling... deep in my gut. I saw the kids that were being separated from their mother as the transports left with refugees from Lebanon. The thing is that the kids don't really know... they just know they aren't with their mother. They don't understand the death. They don't understand the destruction. They don't understand the torment.

But that's what war brings: always. You want absolute truth? War is terrible!

I'm really conflicted. I went to New York two months after it was attacked. I saw the terrible destruction. I saw the makeshift memorials with the letters to Daddies and Mommies that would never return. I wept.

I don't want that same feeling for other peoples. I want to pray for my enemies as my Lord instructs. But how does it play out when other peoples want conflict? Hezbollah and Israel... who is guilty? What about Iraq? The intent is to bring hope to those people. Now what? Ethnic cleansing? Maybe the idea of democracy in that region simply is untenable. I pray that we will look back at these days as the low points of the war. Maybe we will have our Gettysburg soon. The turning point in the world where the forces of victory will emerge.

I'm afraid we're merely at the beginning though.

RePondered...

2006-07-24T13:14:00.000-05:00

Wired News: Marines Use MySpace to Recruit:

I've blogged before (notes from a NECC session presented by Mark Wagner) about the US military's great ability to educate/train our nation's youth -- often the same youth our K12 system betrays -- using modern techniques of video games and simulations.

Now it looks like they've caught on to the importance of MySp@ce to America's teenagers.

So far, over 12,000 web surfers have signed on as friends of the Corps in response to the latest military recruiting tactic. Other military branches may follow.

MySpace.Com, the internet's most popular social networking site with over 94 million registered users, has helped redefine the way a generation communicates. Users, many in their teens and 20s, post personal profiles and accumulate lists of friends and contacts with common interests.

The Marine Corps' MySpace profile -- featuring streaming video of barking drill sergeants, fresh recruits enduring boot camp and Marines storming beaches -- underscores the growing importance of the internet to advertisers as a medium for reaching America's youth.

"That's definitely the new wave," said Gunnery Sgt. Brian Lancioni at a Hawaii recruiting event. "Everything's technical with these kids, and the internet is a great way to show what the Marine Corps has to offer."

Patrick Baldwin, an 18-year-old recruit from Saratoga, New York, who linked his profile to the Marines' site after hearing about it from a friend, said MySpace was a good place for interested teens to start learning more about the Marines.

Teens get it. The military gets it. And K-12? Um. Not so much. As Will Richardson says, "we need to teach myspace, not ignore, not ban it, not pretend it doesn't exist."

Concept Based Instruction

2006-07-21T15:45:00.000-05:00

Ok. So it seems as though we're going to emphasize building our curriculum via concepts. In a sense--at least as far as I understand it so far--to provide the students with the proper schema in which to categorize information/events.

My initial question came after reading "Ernie's Big Mess" to my little boy. I realized that the premise of the book was the same as in the classic "Puddle Duck." (you'll have to read for yourselves to discover the connection:)

"So," I said to myself, "why is it that students aren't able to do that?" I mean why do we have to deliberately provide them with these critical thinking skills? I read stuff and incorporate it with the other stuff I know without anyone providing me with the proper schema...

Why does it not work to simply teach the content and allow the thinking to ride on top of that wave of increasing knowledge? Is it because of the changing economy--global competition? Is it lack of interest/motivation on the behalf of the students? Is it poor home education--parents relying too much on the state for their children's education?

Related: one of the suggestions was that in teaching about African Nations one could enhance the learning by changing the focus to Changing Perspectives on African Nations. Why do teachers not already bring in more than one perspective? These latter thoughts need more refinement--of course don't they all.

This should be an interesting journey through the ebbs and flows of educational theory.

dt

Distance Education

2006-07-20T10:30:00.000-05:00

I'm realizing that one of the shortfalls of Distance Education/Online Learning is the lack of accountability concerning the instructor. The pitfalls associated with authentic work on the students' behalf has been discussed. But in my experience with an online class through NCCU, the professor has provided little assistance.

There are many instances of quizzes not matching up with assigned readings--and I don't mean the material is in another chapter... it simply is not in our textbook or online reading.

There are instances of the prof not being cooperative with technical difficulty. Most of the students were having trouble finding posted quizzes, and the prof took the attitude that it was the students' fault.

Questions on the midterm are outdated. For example, one asks about the "current leader of Afghanistan." Hamid Karzai was not listed as an option. Mullah Mohammed Omar was--I assume--the correct answer, but uh, Dr. W, that was so 2000.

Overall, I have queried the instructor, politely and respectfully, 4 or 5 times during the course via email. The Discussion Board has not been opened. Each response from the instructor has been a one word answer? Example: (me) "Am I looking in the right place for the quiz because it is not there?" (him) YES.

another (me) "will we be able to view the questions we missed on the midterm once the time has expired?" (him) "NO."

one word answers with no explanation or reason. FRUSTRATING.

this takes me to a whole 'nother issue and that is that i'm having to take all these classes in order to be "highly qualified." but that's a box to stand on for another day...

dt

...in an Age of Hunger

2006-07-13T09:24:00.000-05:00

About halfway through Ron Sider's Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. It is quite a punch in the teeth. Here is one of the many passages that has my wheels turning. Kinda long but worth reading the whole thing: in fact worth buying the book. I got the '96 version off Amazon for 7 bucks. The newest is 2006.

"Please do not misunderstand my point. I am not saying that the resurrection is unimportant. The bodily resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is absolutely central to Christian faith and anyone who denies it has fallen into heresy. But if centrality in Scripture is any criterion of doctrinal importance, the biblical teaching about God's concern for the poor ought to be an important doctrine for Christians

Those who consider themselves most orthodox have fallen into theological liberalism on this issue. We usually think of liberalism in terms of classical 19th century liberals who denied the deity, the atonement, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus our Lord. And that is correct. People who abandon those central biblical doctrines have indeed fallen into terrible heresy. But notice what the essence of theological liberalism is--it is allowing our thinking and living to be shaped by society's views and values rather than by biblical revelation. Liberal theologians thought the belief in the deity etc, was incompatible with modern science, and they followed science rather than scripture.

Theologically conservative Christians rightly called attention to this heresy--and then tragically made exactly the same move in another area. We have allowed the economic values of our affluent, materialistics society to shape our thinking and acting toward the poor..."

Independence

2006-07-04T09:10:00.000-05:00

Though it is a concern that more and more of our population seem to be growing ever more dependent on the state, we can still celebrate our Founders' vision of what this country was about.

It is easy to look back and declaim all of the evils that America has perpetrated on races and peoples, but overall one will still be hard pressed to compare this country to another in terms of freedom and opportunity.

Let us be ever vigilant as we protect our natural rights from others as well as from our own government. We desperately need a return to civic responsibility which includes first and foremost a decent education on what that actually means--with that comes the understanding of relevance and the desire to motivation. If we wait until the motivation comes by itself then I fear it may be too late in the game.

Patriotically,
dt

Standards Debate

2006-07-02T20:50:00.000-05:00

This is my response to an infant debate in our Social Studies department about needing to raise our test scores because one of our sister schools is constantly outperforming us.

By my figurin', Civics/Econ scores were only 17 or 18 students behind KM--one class. Not that we needn't improve, but that ain't too bad.

Also, I'm not trying to be a contrarian, why do "we lose to Kings Mtn"? It's about the students, right? Maybe this is just semantics, but it would seem that if we start judging our own work by test scores, then we've lost sight of the purpose of what we do in the first place.

I suppose I understand the sentiment that "we can either master the test or become slaves to it," but I just wonder when we will begin to be honest about the real situation. There is no question that methods could be improved. Unfortunately, most standard classes are not going to do very well sitting there while we talk about our particular subject. They have to be convinced that what we are telling them is relevant to them, and that is difficult to accomplish since obviously the case hasn't been made very well up to this point. So a bit of creativity and a dose of respect towards the students will probably go a longer way than we realize.

But that brings me to the bigger point. I've been studying the philosophy and history of curriculum for one of my GWU classes. The differences between the conservative and liberal/progressive philosophies are worthy of discussion as well--probably moreso--but the agreement is that curriculum should focus on the goal of creating "educated citizens that are capable of contributing to society." But dad gummit (I don't think I've ever spelled that word before) that starts at home!

So, let's really raise the bar. Let's take education where it needs to be. Why not challenge parents to do their part? Why not work our butts off so that we are above reproach, and then truly be honest with folks as to why test scores are the way they are? I suppose the answer to the previous questions is one of job security. But if teachers aren't going to be honest about the status of education--I mean if we are simply going to play the game as it has been set up for us, then how can we possibly expect results?

Maybe this is my idealism creeping up again. Maybe I need to be convinced that I need to think practically and pragmatically. But to me, this is not a competition between me and Anne Pasco or anybody else; this is about hundreds of students who regardless of whether they pass an EOC or not, are not going to possess the thought processes or skills to get a decent job when they graduate. Which it would seem will continue this vicious cycle that we find ourselves in...

DT
"Tell my father that I died with my face to the enemy." --Col. Isaac Avery

Curriculum Philosophy

2006-06-29T15:54:00.000-05:00

I am going to try to blog my ideas fairly regularly from my grad course "Curriculum Foundations"

The first entry is about the first philosophy that I've read called Perennialism:

It is basically the idea that truth is knowable and that human nature is constant in being able to know that truth. To get there one must read the "Great Books" (Plato, Rousseau, Shakespeare, to name only but a few) and the mind will become disciplined as a result--which will ultimately lead to understanding/analysis/investigation--a stretching of the mind so to speak.
I suppose one of the big proponents was Allan Bloom who in his work The Closing of the American Mind, argues that as a society we are in decline because we have subjected our education to cultural relativism and have lost sight of the rigor and discipline that is necessary to produce truly educated individuals.

Now, this entry is only based on a quick reading of the Perennial section in my Text Book. Please comment on the merits of said philosophy and drawbacks as well.

dt

Conviction.

2006-06-24T16:43:00.000-05:00

Charge of the 1st Minnesota

Ready and ripe for the harvest lay the acres of golden grain,
Waving on hillock and hillside and bending along the plain.
Ready and ripe for the harvest two veteran armies lay,
Waiting the signal of battle on the Gettysburg hills that day.
Sharp rang the blast of the bugles calling the foe to the fray,
And shrill from the enemy's cannon the demon shells shrieked as they flew.
Crashed and rumbled and roared our batteries ranged on the hills,
Rumbled and roared at the front the bellowing guns of the foe
Swelling the chorus of hell ever louder and deadlier still,
And shrill o'er the roar of the cannon rose the yell of the Rebels below,
As they charged on our Third Corps advanced and crushed in the lines at a blow.
Leading his clamorous legion, flashing his saber in air,
Forward rode furious Longstreet charging on Round Top there-
Key to our left and center-key to the fate of the field-
Leading his yelling Southrons on to the lion's lair-
And our Third Corps broken and scattered and only one battery there.
And there,-its only support,-the "Old First" regiment stood-
Only a handful of heroes from many a field of blood-
Bearing the banner of Freedom on the Gettysburg hills that day.
Down at the marge of the valley our broken ranks stagger and reel,
Grimy with dust and with powder, wearied and panting for breath,
Flinging their rifles in panic, flying the hail-storm of death.
Rumble of volley on volley of the enemy hard on the rear,
Yelling their wild, mad triumph, thundering cheer upon cheer,
Dotting the slope with slaughter and sweeping the field with fear.
Drowned is the blare of the bugle, lost is the bray of the drum-
Yelling, defiant, victorious, column on column they come.
"The Old First"-only a handful-there in the gap of our lines,
Holding the perilous breach where the fate of the battle inclines,
Only a handful are they-column on column the foe-
Flaunting exultant their colors-column on column they come.
Thunder of cheers on the right!-dashing down on his stalwart bay-
Spurring his panting charger till his foaming flanks dripped blood-
Hancock-the hero-the lion-rode down where their Colonel stood.
"Charge those lines!" thundered Hancock; Colvill shouted the charge to his men:
"Charge-Double-quick,-Minnesota!"-They sprang to the charge and away
Like a fierce pack of hunger-mad wolves that pant for the blood of the prey.
Two hundred and sixty and two-all that were there of them then-
Two hundred and sixty and two fearless, unfaltering men
Dashed at a run for the enemy, sprang to the charge with a yell:
On them the batteries thundered canister, grape-shot and shell:
Never a man of them faltered, but many a comrade fell.
"Charge-double-quick, Minnesota!"-Like panthers they sprang at their foes;
Grim gaps of death in their ranks, but ever the brave ranks close:
Down went their sergeant and colors-defiant their colors arose!
"Fire!"-At the flash of their rifles grim gaps in the ranks of their foes!
"Forward, my First Minnesota!" their brave Colonel cried as he fell-
Gashed and shattered and mangled-"Forward!" he cried as he fell.
Over him mangled and bleeding frenzied they sprang to the fight,
Over him mangled and bleeding they sprang to the jaws of hell.
Flashed in their faces the rifles-roared on the left and the right;
The foe swarmed around them by thousands-they fought them with desperate might.
Five times their colors went down-five time their colors arose,
Shot-tattered and torn but defiant, and flapped in the face of their foes.
Hold them! They held them at bay, as a bear holds the hounds on his track,
Steel to steel, banner to banner, they met them and staggered them back.
Desperate, frenzied, bewildered, the enemy fired on their own;
Like reeds in the whirl of the cyclone columns and colors went down.
Banner of stars on the right! Hurrah!-It's the gallant "Nine-teenth!"
With a yell and a rush and a roar the Old Bay State heroes they come!
Thunder of guns on the left! 'Tis our own Gibbon's cannon that boom!
Shrapnel and grape-shot and canister crash like the cracking of doom.
Baffled, bewildered and broken, the ranks of the enemy yield;
Panic-struck, routed and shattered they fly from the fate of the field.
Hold them? they held them at bay as a bear holds the hounds on his track;
Steel to steel, banner to banner, they met them and staggered them back;
Two hundred and sixty and two, they held the mad thousands at bay;
Met them and baffled and broke them, turning the tide of the day:
Two hundred and sixty and two when the sun hung low in heaven,
But ah! when the stars rode over they numbered but forty-seven.
Dead on the field or wounded the rest of the "Old First" lay;
Never a man of them faltered or flinched in the fire of the fray,
For they bore the banner of Freedom on the Gettysburg hills that day.
Honor our fallen comrades-cover their graves with flowers,
For they fought and fell like Spartans for this glorious land of ours:
They fell, but they fell victorious, for the Rebel ranks were riven,
And over our land united-one nation from sea to sea-
Over the grave of Treason, over millions of men made free,
Triumphant the flag of our fathers waves in the winds of heaven-
Red with the blood of her heroes she waves in the winds of heaven.
Honor our fallen comrades-cover their graves with flowers,
For they fought and fell like Spartans for this glorious land of ours;
And oft shall our children's children garland their graves and say-
"They bore the banner of Freedom on the Gettysburg hills that day."

by Hanford Lennox Gordon, 1884.

1,826 Days.

2006-06-09T07:54:00.000-05:00

Five years ago today was the best day of my life. The paradox of life is that days have been getting better and better ever since. At about 8pm on Saturday June 9, 2001 the white horses pulled the carriage around the lake at GWU at sunset. When they arrived at the three in one tree, the most beautiful woman jumped out. We became one that day. Not in a figurative sense, but in a Real sense. The mystery of union was made clear.

dt

Charge to the class of 2006.

2006-06-03T14:49:00.001-05:00

This charge was directed at this year's graduating class of Statesville Christian School. It was delivered by one of the more intelligent, thoughtful, and well respected persons that I have come into contact with. It was a powerful and stern charge. The speaker's stated goal was to deliver a challenge that not only "penetrated, but resonated." There were three components to the charge framed in the context that the students were about to leave the comfort and nurture of a relatively safe environment that espouses the Word of Truth.

1) Tolerance: the world wants tolerance and that is the mantra of your generation. But they are also speaking of a tolerance of evil. You do not have the privelege of tolerating evil. You must be patient with all men, but you must not back down or compromise on the Truth.

2) Thinking for yourselves: though the world declares the value of "free exchange" and free speech, there are certain limitations. You are a minority of people in your generation who hold to the reality of Truth. You will be chastised and mocked and perhaps shouted down for expressing your views of the Truth--but you must not falter.

3) Neutrality: the world will have you to be neutral, to ride the fence. The prevalent philosophy of the day is that Truth cannot be known, therefore it is up to the individual to decide his/her own truth. You must be willing to stand for the one True God and His Word--even unto death.

As I was listening to this message to the class of 2006, I understand how perception of these words could cast them in a negative light. I realize that there are too many who call themselves by the name of Christ, that use buzz words such as these to legitimize their hatred of certain groups of people.

In fact, the great difficulty or challenge of the gospel, is that we are to hold fast to Truth and Purity through Love. We must be patient and compassionate to those who do not believe. The message of Christ is not a game of gotchya. It's not about finding all of the folks out there who may be doing something sinful outwardly. We all have sinned and fall short of the Glory. The point of the gospel is that we can gain salvation because of His Truth. Because of our knowledge of that we must resist impurity and falsehoods, but we must do so for the sake of Love. We must do so for the sake of Glory.

I throw this out to see what comments may come from the few that read this blog... A conversation of True substance.

Collabo Doo Wop

2006-05-27T08:42:00.000-05:00

So after a few long years of teaching, I am planning on integrating all--or as much as possible--of the progressive line of thinking/teaching into my Civics classes. This title--heretofore CDW--will serve as my planning zone. The first thing that I have been thinking about are some rules/practices I found for a successful group learning activity. Rules such as make eye contact, don't use negative body language, disagree agreeably, communicate your ideas effectively and so forth.

And I admit that I have taken these skills for granted. I don't remember ever "learning" these in class. I think that I acquired these from my folks and the other folks around me. But for whatever reason--and the absence of effective parenting is probably the biggest--these skills are not present in many of our students. So I'm willing to go back to square one. I've always been skeptical of the notion that teaching kids to think/understand without some base of core knowledge can be successful--and certainly there is little time to work with both of these concepts. But I'm feeling more and more conviction that that's what I get *ahem* paid for, so as Matusow might say, "I'm all in."

An issue for a later debate is what to do with students like me. I'm really not a fan of group work. I always opt out of group projects in favor of solo work if allowed. I am able and enjoy learning on my own. So do we force those students to perform just as well in a group setting?

dt

Art.

2006-05-16T20:12:00.000-05:00

It's about this time each year that the artform of being an educator comes into play. The skill and science of teaching is certainly helpful, and perhaps underrated, in many respects. We've been through the process during the semester, however, and now comes time for review. There are so many factions in the classroom that make figuring out the right balance difficult. So the remainder of this particular post will simply be brainstorming on getting my students towards mastery of the Civics/Econ. curriculum.

I feel fairly confident about the historical aspect of the course. The colonial period through the War for Independence was removed from US History and few years ago and now resides in Civics. We will still drill and role play some, but for the most part I think it's time to move on from here.

I've got some kind of idea in my head with the Amendments--especially the Bill of Rights and a few select others--but I can't seem to flesh it out. I had the students today collaboratively create rough sketches of the amendments with illustrations/pictures/etc. (ie 2nd amendment they get to put guns, 8th electric chairs, and so on...) I think that by placing these images along with them and then perhaps selecting the better ones for production and display in the classroom will serve most of the students well for trying to remember them. Even if they don't translate the knowledge into correct answers on the EOC, I think that at least they will retain the knowledge of their rights as citizens.

Let me point out how backwards our system of education is. Notice the last sentence in the previous paragraph. What are we doing?

Legislative powers (delegated/reserved/concurrent) I'm not too concerned about, but we'll see how the review goes tomorrow. Currently I'm thinking some kind of matching game with the three categories posted somewhere, and the students would be charged with placing the particular power in the correct category. I want to make some kind of baseball game out of it, but I haven't quite figured out the details of that yet. I'm good at big picture stuff, not great at translating into practice...

As for structure of Congress and How a Bill becomes a Law, I feel that a few more trial runs with our 'mock Congress' addressing issues such as dress code/lunchroom food/etc, that the process will be learned fairly well by the students.

Executive branch is a different monster. There are so many executive agencies--some independent, some regulatory, and then the Cabinet, and the bureacracy... It's tough to convey the breadth and depth of governmental power in this respect, so if anyone has any ideas feel free to post a reply. All 1/2 of you that happen to read this weblog.

The Law is fairly straightforward as well. The process they can grasp; the jurisdiction is a bit trickier.

Political parties and elections. Yeah, so since probably 75% of the American people in general don't seem to understand the Electoral College, that stacks the odds against me for convincing 15 year olds of how it works. I was thinking of a campaign commercial for the effects of media and a bit of political spectrum... We'll see how the time constraints play on that one.

Economics. Yuck. Who really cares about the producer price index? Supply and demand is easy to convey, but the differences in GDP and GNP--I love the blank stares when we try to get that one across. Much creativity will be needed to address the Econ section. Need to hit local govt some too.

Ok, enough incoherent rambling for now. Three weeks from tomorrow is the End of Course exam. So plenty of time for good, thorough review. I just want it to count and be meaningful rather than just effective for test taking. Does that make me weird? hahaha

dt

Sigh.

2006-05-10T15:55:00.000-05:00

AP Exam has come and gone. Early reports are from fairly confident students. We'll see the damage in early July or so. Not much time to blog due to intense review. Now it's time to turn focus on preparing my Civics students for the EOC. Oh, testing how do we love thee?

On a different note, I've been reading like a madman as of late. Finished Gibbon, read CICERO by Anthony Everitt (highly recommended) and am now about halfway through the Metaphysical Club by Louis Menand--excellent so far but very heady.

T Minus 4 Weeks:) WOO HOO!

dt

Gibbon

2006-04-25T20:09:00.000-05:00

Reading The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Chew on this quotation:

The name of Poet was almost forgotten; that of orator was usurped by the Sophists. A cloud of critics, of compilers, of commentators darkened the face of learning, and the decline of genius was soon followed by the corruption of taste.

Refreshed.

2006-04-23T18:43:00.000-05:00

Physically, Mentally, Spiritually... This has been a great break and a great time for a break. Now I'm ready--I think--for the final 6 week push towards the end. Only a few weeks until the AP Exam in Psych, so these coming days will be full of stress and pressure, but I think we can pull it off. Then it will be full focus on getting the C/E kids ready for the vaunted EOC. But enough about that...

I finished reading Smart Schools by David Perkins over the break and it has given me a lot to chew on. I do look forward to trying to implement the new ideas in education next year, but maybe I can squeeze some of them in these last few weeks.

I'm now on to Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. It's tough reading in parts, but the author packs so much insight into the history it's often hard to put down.

Time to go make some lesson plans and reflections for the TAH Grant.

dt

Saturday.

2006-04-15T08:33:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered what the Saturday was like? I mean we have Good Friday and Easter Sunday, but what was it like on that Saturday? Were there any who thought that just maybe... just maybe He isn't really gone? Were there hearts filled with utter despair, or were there some who thought about the words that He had used and began to wonder? Did any anticipate what was to come?

I can't imagine the grief. I can only try to imagine the despair. I wonder what the conversations were.

dt

Long Hard Slog

2006-04-12T15:47:00.000-05:00

It's been a trying couple of weeks. Acid Reflux, Big Family Decisions, and a mutual weariness on the part of both students and teacher. But Easter is just around the corner. Birthday party (go team orange), High Rock Lake, the Beach, and the Zoo, and some much needed R and R will surely bring about renewal.

After all, that's what this holiday is all about. Renewal. Perhaps a post for a later time. Now I must to the television to watch Clifford the Big Red Dog.

dt

The Condition.

2006-04-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

I've heard the phrase "human condition" so many times in the past. But it is really only in these past few days of physical/psychological stress that I've truly begun to get a grasp on the meaning. It is amazing the amount of pain we can feel as humans. Pain can be physical but often it seems as if the worst kind is psychological/spiritual/mental...

Millions of people are suffering all over the world. Many are within mere miles of me. Yet I am only consumed with emotions of sympathy and empathy and grief when suffering directly touches my own existence.

To be a Christian must mean more than that. It must mean that I should seek to empathize with those who are suffering all over, whether that is a newly made widow in Iraq or some random person down the street. We strive for happiness in this great land. Happiness is for sale all around us. But Life is not happiness--at least not always, and for many it is rarely.

Happiness is too shallow. Joy is what has roots. The understanding that despite the sorrow that I may feel from time to time, that Joy comes in the Morning. That Truth gives strength to not only bear my own burdens, but to bear the burdens of all others. All others!

dt

Confrontation.

2006-04-02T09:03:00.000-05:00

One thing that we learn in Psychology is that as humans we desire homeostasis. That balanced state is achieved in large part physiologically--the body is wondrous. We do have battles in our minds as well, however. We like to be in that "comfort zone" psychologically and spiritually as well. But once in a while--for some more often than not--we are faced with THE motivator that disrupts that sense of stability.

I speak of mortality.

Once in a while we come face to face with the prospect--no the certainty--that life is not in our hands. People deal with this reality in many different ways. Some turn to religion for a short time only to resume fulfillment of personal desires once the crisis has passed and things seem back to "normal." Others maintain their commitment. I, unfortunately, fall in the former category... Still others I'm afraid disregard death as anything to be concerned about and continue to live out the desires of the flesh.

When I think about Death, the biggest worry that I have--worry is probably not a strong enough term--is the fate of my family. I have a beautiful wife and a son that brings us joy that cannot be described. I tremble at the thought of leaving them alone; at the thought that I will not be here to provide for and Love them with all that I am.

But who am I? Who am I to believe or think for one second that I deserve another day of life on this Earth? I am but a sinner. I am but a man. Sometimes I make pretensions of moral striving, but in reality my own desires and thoughts rule the day. I am weak. I have little self control. And I look and think about the lives of so many others across this world and throughout history, and see that life is not guaranteed for even one more minute.

Therefore, Lord, let me learn from You. Let me serve You. Let me glorify You. Let me trust in your Glory and Love and Promise. May I rest in the fact that regardless of any outcome that I am safe within your hands and beyond that the ones I love are also found in your Embrace. Let me not forget these desires for You, when my confrontation with the thought of my own mortality has passed. Let me persevere.

dt

Feedback.

2006-03-29T18:55:00.000-05:00

Using myspace to manage and further discussion outside of class has been very interesting. It took a few days before it took off--partly because I came with the thunder on the first topic post--but now discussion is quite beneficial. The students are able and willing to tell me how they learn best and what motivations and incentives respond to. (at, by, with from for)

I'm starting to dig this technological revolution thing.

Free Exchange of Ideas

2006-03-27T13:54:00.000-05:00

Ok, so this article doesn't stand up too well. There are specific issues to be dealt with, but overall his argument is built on faulty premises.

Staying on the conservative side of the spectrum, I would now offer this article as, perhaps, a better summation of the thoughts of those on the right regarding illegal immigration. I find the rebuttals of the arguments that "they do jobs Americans won't do," and "we can't possibly enforce such a law," to be especially valid.

I'll look forward to dissent.

dt

9 weeks to go.

2006-03-23T16:14:00.001-05:00

Time to reflect a little bit. This semester has flown by it seems--although, it actually has gone by at the same speed as always. Ok, enough about perception and reality.

I'm the king of the rabbit trail. See? Teaching two AP classes has been challenging. The numbers for the class grew in size a bit and we were in a bind the first 3.5 weeks. We only had about 30 books for 50 students. The plan was the ol' A and B schedule, although 3rd period kept them a few extra times I think. Instruction was fair during that period. I'm not as solid on the anatomy of the Brain or the scientific aspect of the subject in general. I'm a liberal arts guy. The discussions within Learning and Intelligence and Motivation are fascinating to me. We still have motivation/emotion, personality, stress and health, treatment, and Social Psychology remaining, but I'm on schedule to finsh the content by May 1. That will leave about 7 school days for review before the exam, which is the afternoon of May 10. Review will be critical.

The students are exceptional. 3rd period has more characters and 4th period is laid back, but both sections have worked as hard as any students I've ever taught--as a whole I mean. I think they can reach the stated goal of 70% passing. I'm not sure that many of them are doing the reading anymore. They're trying to get by only listening to the lecture, but the test scores haven't been that great. A good per centage of that is that the tests need revising, but I think much is due to the lack of/ineffective studying. I also think that I need to tweak my grading system.

Teaching Civics to 1st period has been interesting as well. I would think that we are several days ahead of last semester's pace. Much less time spent on the Revolution. The Boston Massacre lesson plan that we devised last year during the Teaching American History Grant was pretty effective. It's kind of tricky to switch from teaching History to teaching Civics and then to Economics. 4th amendment always generates good discussion. Bill of Rights, in general, was a successful unit. The Month of May will be critical for Civics. I think Congress is going pretty well currently, and I'm not too concerned about the Executive or Judicial branches. I need to brush up on law. I think Shields is right to focus on State and Local government as well--and more time on Economics.

The air is on in the building, Easter break is around the corner, and June 7th will be here before we know it--May 10th before that! Finish the race then rest for a few weeks. Refine and revise and then start all over again. What a profession!

dt

Speed of light.

2006-03-20T15:52:00.000-05:00

Maybe it's faster than that. Things are moving that quickly these days. Products/values/ideas... all moving so quickly via the WWW. The times have been tumultuous in many regards, but there are many out there who are progressive. I don't mean to intend the political/social value that "progressive" bears. There's no stopping us as we tumble forward, so progression--or adaptatation--is key. In fact that's what satisfies the definition of intelligence.

Anyway, enough waxing philosophic... here read this about a few progressive guys.

dt

Midterm.

2006-03-19T00:22:00.000-05:00

Note to self: midterm interviews.

it's unbelievable that it's March 18th, 2006. Much to write, but no motivation to do it this late. March madness is upon me. Spring fever, too.

Abridging the freedom of speech?

2006-03-07T20:19:00.000-05:00

I disagree with pretty much everything that this guy has stated--or at least with the context that he uses to frame his statements. But don't we want our kids to learn how to think critically? Isn't this the point of education?

"Now I'm not saying that Bush and Hitler are exactly the same. Obviously
they're not. But there's some eerie similarities to the tones that they use.
Very, very ethnocentric. We're right. You're all wrong. I just keep waiting. I
mean, at some point in time I think America and Mexico might go to war again,
you know? Any time Mexico plays the USA in a soccer match, what can be heard
chanting all game long? (student answer — unintelligible) Pretty close. Pretty
close. Now, do all Mexicans dislike the United States? No. Do all Americans
dislike Mexico? No. But there's a lot of resentment, not just in Mexico, but all
across the whole world, towards America right now." (Check out the entire
story--or at least one of them--here.)

When does the age of non-impressionability begin? Am I still impressionable? Is that a legitimate argument to stifle the opinions of an educator? of anyone? Is it okay for students to be exposed to Howard Zinn? Is it only okay if they are also exposed to Paul Johnson? I mean, I understand the desire for objectivity, but that's a myth. Even if its implicit, teachers are human beings and have biases. Why not admit those biases up front, and challenge students to develop their own, based on as much knowledge as possible? I guess this is the unpopular position to take on this story. Most I have talked to today say that the teacher being put on administrative leave was appropriate. I say, long live debate and the free exchange of ideas. If this guy wants to put his liberal mantra out there to be absorbed, then let someone counter with her conservative response. Are we afraid of truth? Is that why we have decided that there is none? It's just all spin, now. If I get 5 minutes to espouse my views, then you must get the same 5 minutes. Regardless of how ridiculous my argument--or yours--may be, it's only fair to get equal time. Our political debates are canned. Our media is canned--and sensational--and ratings driven. Our education is canned and a farce at best.

Disgruntled, (could you tell?)
dt

Apples and Oranges.

2006-03-06T16:51:00.000-05:00

A weekend or so ago, someone told me that my former school--private, Christian--is starting teachers at $28,000. And that 28K is pretty much all take home--what I mean is that health care is not taken out of the monthly pay check.

Now, I am currently credited with being a 3rd year teacher. I did get credit for teaching two years at the private school, but I have made no progress towards tenure--which requires 4 years. I cannot make any progress towards tenure until I have a "cleared" license. I am seeking lateral entry licensure. That means that I am having to take somewhere in the neighborhood of additional hours of college classes in order to be/stay a teacher. The average class costs about $450. The county does reimburse up to $300 per class, so that is a pretty good deal. The point is that I am going to spend probably $1500 net on tuition, another $800-1000 on those "required" textbooks. I spent $190 this past weekend forthe opportunity to take the Praxis II. I will have to cough up some cash in order to pay for my license when I do get the "cleared" status.

As I mentioned, I'm a 3rd year teacher so that correlates to about 27,900 on the salary schedule for NC. The problem is that health care/other benefits are deducted out of that sum. Because of skyrocketing health care costs--and the fact that I cover my entire family--close to $500 per month is deducted. Then Uncle Sam gets his cut and then all the old people get their cut. All that said, now I'm bringing home less than $1500 per month + I have all of the expenses mentioned above just to keep my job.

I'm not complaining per se. I get off before 5pm almost every day, I never have to work weekends, and I get about 2.5 months of vacation each year.

But when trying to understand why more people aren't energized to get into the public teaching field, it's easy to see.

Pinnacle.

2006-03-04T20:39:00.000-05:00

Is there anything better in sports?

Charades.

2006-03-02T21:16:00.000-05:00

I need to prepare for the Praxis II--Social Studies coming up on Saturday. One of those things that goes into being "highly qualified". I went to a workshop the other day with one of the few professors of education that seems to have some clue about how things should work. In the Praxis workshop, however, he basically taught us how to BS our way through the exam. Granted, the multiple choice portion is designed to guage content knowledge, but the pedagogy section is set up such that if one knows the language that ETS desires can be easily handled.

A better example is National Board Certification. I've been watching a few of our teachers who are aiming to gain their NBC. It's just that they are performing for the camera. The portfolios and video taped classes are all made up. The teachers don't really teach that way. But if they can fool enough people on video and paper then they will receive recognition--amd more importantly a 12% pay increase.

It just seems like these patterns continue to emerge the longer I witness the bohemoth public system. We use smoke and mirrors in the testing process, we pretend to be good teachers for the camera, we learn the right language to use to impress and maybe even to move up to--dare I say? dare, dare--ADMINISTRATION.

I'd love to have a significant pay increase. But I don't think I would want too many more of my tax dollars to go to fund the status quo. More money has been issued over the past decade with what results? I don't remember the situation being so dire when the class of '96 came through. But now with the class of '06 on the verge, we are facing tangible economic concerns abroad and at home.

To Be or Not to Be...

2006-02-24T15:01:00.000-05:00

One of the clearest summaries of this soliloquy was provided by Schopenhauer :
'The essential purport of the world-famous monologue in Hamlet is, in condensed form, that our state is so wretched that complete non-existence would be decidedly preferable to it. Now if suicide actually offered us this, so that the alternative "to be or not to be" lay before us in the full sense of the words, it could be chosen unconditionally as a highly desirable termination ("a consummation devoutly to be wish'd" [Act III, Sc. I.]). There is something in us, however, which tells us that this is not so, that this is not the end of things, that death is not an absolute annihilation.'

"What Dreams May Come..."

2006-02-24T13:58:00.000-05:00

Last night was amazing. We went to G'ville to see a production of Hamlet. As we walked out of California Dreaming--stuffed to our faces--we heard the news that another of our former SCS students was killed in a car accident. Nathan was killed on Thanksgiving. Wednesday night John Nichols died as well. I had a dream last night that I didn't realize was a dream until early this morning. I was having a conversation with Michael Stemler and we were talking about whether John and Nathan know each other again. We began to weep together... I had similar dreams after Nathan passed on.

I wonder what it's like for them now. I remember the two young men as having purpose. They were sure in their mission. They wanted to love other people, they were excited about the Lord, even passionate.

They are two young men whose faces are imprinted on my memory, and I pray they would remain.

Sensation and Perception

2006-02-20T16:26:00.000-05:00

Check these out.

dt

Remember Who You Are.

2006-02-13T17:17:00.000-05:00

"it's not what you do as a parent; it's who you are..."

What a phenomenal statement by the authors of Freakonomics. In the chapter on "What makes a perfect parent," the writers provide ample evidence from several studies that would seem to back this statement up. By the time it comes time to worry about parenting, it is often too late.

The institution is generational. We may need to increase federal funding of education--although the Constitution seems to say something about reserved powers. We certainly need more technology available for the students; we need quality teachers in every classroom who are committed to continuing to be students themselves; we need innovative administration without the baggage of bureacracy...

But more than anything, we need a renewed commitment to the idea of family stability. I could easily boast about the fact that I'm 28 years old, own my own house, and only bring home around $20,000 annually. Of course, the bragging doesn't lie in the sum of money, but in what I've been able to accomplish with such a paltry amount. But the reality is that we are in this positive position because of the stability of my parents. They worked hard to get an education and to do a little bit better than their folks before them. That's the American dream after all. Now because of their example and my grandfolks before them, my wife and I are in the position to understand the responsibility of parenting. We understand the value of education, hard work, values, perseverance, community, etc... and because of that--at least according to those Freakonomics professors--Samuel Adams Thomas has a pretty good chance in this ol' world.

It's not about ME. That's what the Spirit has always taught us. Somehow, we have to return or perhaps move forward towards strong family structures. We can debate the methods, but shouldn't we agree on that principle?

Swamped.

2006-02-07T18:03:00.000-05:00

This semester I'm teaching one Civics class, two AP Psychology classes... I'm taking 9 hours of online course work--including Geography, Secondary Methods, and Cultural Diversity--

I'm participating in a T.A.H. Grant that requires tons of reading and reflection, and on top of it all I'm studying for and planning to take the Praxis II next month.

Time and money, two things a classroom teacher has little of, but is required to spend in order to remain a teacher. Even though I've been at it for 4 years now.... not complaining, just saying.

dt

Pieces.

2006-02-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

So these are the job skills that students need to possess ? High tech clerical jobs. Working for people who have the best ideas and can implement those ideas with their access to capital. Seems like that's the way it has always been. Sounds a bit like Atlas Shrugged I guess.

The ICT Literacy Assessment touches on traditional skills, such as
analytical reading and math, but with a technological twist. Test-takers, for
instance, may be asked to query a database, compose an e-mail based on their
research, or seek information on the Internet and decide how reliable it
is.

I'm pretty sure we have a few business classes that emphasize the use of technology. I will try and develop ways to integrate it into AP psych and Civics classes.

Relevance

2006-02-03T20:37:00.000-05:00

First of all, you should go and check out the 2 part pondering podcast(1,2) on education/india/china etc. fascinating.

the purpose of this post, however, is simply to mention a few plans i used in the classroom this past week--both in AP Psychology. earlier in the week as we were discussing neuroscience i had the students read the first chapter of Daniel Pink's newest "A Whole New Mind." In that chapter he discusses left brain/right brain function as well as giving description to fMRI and the like. The reading led to a decent discussion on the specifics of right/left lobe function--which was the point as far as the curriculum, and it also provided me the opportunity to expose the students to the tripartite problem of ASIA, ABUNDANCE, and AUTOMATION. That discussion wasn't as active as I would have hoped, but i think in large part that has to do with the fact that these students have never even thought of such things.

Another thing that I did this week had to do with evolutionary psychology. i don't necessarily subscribe to this theory all that much, but it did give me a chance to put up some "animal behavior" pics on my powerpoint. the one with the lady bugs doing it was a hit... i also used a pic of GWBush scratching his head and making a patented face to illustrate the similarities in genetics between humans and chimps--i know my left leaning friends will appreciate that one.

shall i return from yet another rabbit trail? so the relevant issue i used today in class came from the book Freakonomics. it was from the part that talks about people's preferences on EHarmony.com and like sites. I then related it to Evo. Psych. But again, it provided me with the opportunity to explain to them some of the premises of the text.

Igniting the conversation is what it's all about right? I even admitted not knowing how evolutionary psychologists would explain the issue of racial preference, but analyzed/synthesized and extrapolated right in front of their eyes/ears. On top of it all, I let them know that's what i was doing--that's tough sometimes with the ego of a teacher:)

I've never worked/prepared/innovated as much as I am doing this past 2 weeks in AP Psych. But they make it easy, because they provide the reward by eating it up/soaking it in and striving to do better and learn more. That type of effort doesn't get rewarded in the same way, nor nearly as often in less advanced classes. That certainly doesn't mean we should subtract time or resources from less advanced students, but it does indicate that mental/emotional-- dare i say-- spiritual toughness is required to make a dent in some of their lives. (that would be a positive dent)

Why Johnny Still Can't Read...

2006-01-30T21:05:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty excited about class tomorrow. I was involved in a Teaching American History workshop today--which reinforced the fact that students get bored to tears listening to lecture for 6 hours. I left copies of the first chapter of a Whole New Mind for my AP Psychology students to digest. I hope the majority of them read the text, and if so come ready for a lively discussion tomorrow.

But as engaging as the conversation may be, the fact is that most of the students at school cannot read to understand. It's so easy to put the blame on parents/cultural deficiencies/historical discrimination (all of which do deserve immense blame); but much more difficult to stick your nose in and take some risks on teaching these young'ns to read a little. Check this site out. Interesting stats and strategies. My desire to teach Af-Am History in the mornings--zero period--has been put on hold for now. There's just not enough cash in the "current budget environment." That while our new and improved merged and streamlined School System continues to add more and more adminstrators at the central office... Doing what I'm not sure.

But I digress... perhaps there's a need to create some sort of after school club/organization/study group to enhance the literacy skills of the students. What should that look like? How would I sell the concept to the students? --I'll worry about officials later on.

Diversity of texts, interesting texts, technology... self directed learning (what does that look like when it works), collaborative learning (same question),

what else would be needed?
dt

Finding a place for 9/11/01

2006-01-28T17:15:00.000-05:00

Joseph Ellis' article in the NY Times recently is very interesting. One cannot argue with his assessment of the top tier of threats to the survival of the republic. Certainly not much disagreement either, about the perceived abuses of power by certain presidents over time. But there is one sentiment within this article--and please understand, I have great respect for Joseph Ellis (I have read His Excellency and most of Founding Brothers)--expressed in the following quotation:

Sept. 11 does not rise to that level of threat because, while it places
lives and lifestyles at risk, it does not threaten the survival of the American
republic, even though the terrorists would like us to believe so.

What about two September 11 type attacks? What if the next time a large scale attack is carried out, then Wal-Marts are bombed across the republic? Would that create a threat to the republic? What if one of the groups of terrorists does get armed with the much maligned WMD?

Have I simply bought this reasoning hook line and sinker? Is the more reasonable approach to dealing with 9/11 to place the threat somewhere towards the bottom tier? Terrorism certainly doesn't pose a threat that is readily visible. The battle lines are obscure at best. Does that, however, lead us to conclude that the threat is not as real?

Chicken and Egg?

2006-01-26T17:03:00.000-05:00

I tend to agree with the sentiment behind the pondering post on people being the curriculum--the post beginning with Wes Fryer. Wes states, among other things, that

"Yes, of course we want students to gain more knowledge and skills as a result of their school experiences--so content is important... but an authentic environment of teaching and learning is all about helping others change and expand their perceptions."

Two things: First, I'm not sure that it is necessarily my role to change a student's perspective--but perhaps we are simply dealing with semantics here.

Secondly, my argument always comes back to this: How can a student create relationships/synthesize outside information/draw analogies if she does not have prior knowledge of content. I read the history of the middle ages and the fall of Rome being based on lack of cities/agricultural economy based on forced labor and I immediately relate that to the ante bellum South. Again, I read a book called Blue Like Jazz which makes some iffy statements about the crusades and I know exactly where/how/why to search for that information on the web.

So, I do believe in--and hopefully practice in large part--the sentiment that passion and teachable moments and growth in students lives (not test scores) is what education is all about. But there has been a breakdown in reading education as well as parental involvement over the past X years. That, of course, doesn't mean let's give up and teach the test and play along with the smoke and mirrors of government style schooling, but it is a factor that must be considered. Content is important.

Day 1

2006-01-23T16:30:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day of second semester. I have a regular Civics and Economics class 1st period and then two sections of AP Psychology 3rd and 4th--in which I'm looking forward to using some of the information from the text and the portfolio sections of a WHOLE NEW MIND.

Civics started off by me giving out different envelopes with make believe cash--from the Republic of Thomas--depending on which number the student drew out of a hat. The amounts of cash ranged anywhere from $200,000 to $12,000 with three of the envelopes being empty to represent the unemployed. At first I told them that it would cost them $40,000 to go to the bathroom, $60,000 for a homework pass, and $100,000 if they wanted a free test grade.

This exercise drew the responses I was looking for of that being unfair to the lower moneyed folks. We then discussed income distribution and taxation and tomorrow we will go hard on those particular topics. The bulk of the discussion today was in illustrating the differing economies from different time periods.

I tried to illustrate--although they were a bit reluctant to participate being the first day--how the richest people could control the land and factors of production and that that is what happened during the ancient period relegating the lower folks to serfdom or slavery. I continued the discussion into the feudal period where I attempted to establish that the wealthy could have hired out some of the others as protection (aka knights) while the majority were still bound to the land and to the lord.

We also talked about dictatorship and communism/socialism using this same model.

Tomorrow I plan on taking tax money from each student based on the current per centages and beginning the discussion on Social Problems/Issues and Public Policy.

As for Psych = we began with the Knot exercise (each student grabs the hands of another in a big circle) in which they try to get untangled. We observed the emergence of leadership, periods of frustration, the use of humor, and the analysis used in problem solving, etc.

For the most part it was merely an introductory day with overconfidence illustrations (Wreat-->Water and "Absence makes the heart grow fonder**these only for my benefit**) and then I allowed half the class for beginning to read the introduction and chapter 1 as I have 50 students and 30 textbooks. Hopefully that will be rectified before too much longer.

All in all, a pretty good first day. Hope yours was as well.

dt

Synthesis

2006-01-20T16:58:00.000-05:00

Ok. So I went for a walk. I've been doing that surprisingly regularly since the turn of the new year. Lifting too. But uhhh... oh yeah. I went for a walk and about halfway through I got a yelp from one of the students that attends Crest. This guy is the future of the vaunted Charger offense--which is stellar in large part due to the new offensive coordinator... hahaha.

But this guy rolled down his window and gave me a shout. I responded with my patented finger point in the air. I'm down, what can I say? But as he was driving off I began to think about this post. This is kind of an amendment to the previous rant on the spectre of the new economy and its effects on the status quo.

This student was billed to me as a trouble maker. I haven't had him in class, but I do engage him in the hallway. I acknowledge him and he responds. We talk about LT--his favorite RB--and the Denver Broncos--who are super bowl bound!. All this to say, that I don't want the previous post to reflect that I have a defeatist attitude towards the next generation. I don't believe that there are many if any human beings that cannot be redeemed and guided towards the proper path. Or whatever you want to call it.

I do believe in the potential of humanity. If I didn't I wouldn't be in the education field. So, I am skeptical of many of the assumptions made by the author of The Whole New Mind, but I'm not skeptical that if we as a society will focus on the proper methods and goals then we can begin to transform the current situation--as bleak as it may seem sometimes.

All this while I listen to the "Captain and the Kid" by Mr. Buffett.

dt

A Whole New Mind... Completed

2006-01-20T15:21:00.001-05:00

It's not that there's that much to disagree with concerning Pink's analysis... it's just that all the things he says seem to be common sense. Ruling out a few problems that I have with the work--like using GM as a good example, or focusing on eastern meditation and laughing farms as the route to meaning--sure most of the stuff makes sense.

BUT... I teach high school kids. The video game aptitude is one of their strengths. Though I'm doubtful about all the learning that Pink says is going on in their minds while they're playing, if it does turn out to be true, they'll be in good shape.
Humor, empathy, meaning, story... well these aptitudes are another issue. I don't buy into the hype that if these qualities--or "senses"--are not present that survival becomes an issue, simply because we're talking about the majority of people. There are certainly students that I see coming through my classroom that display many if not all of these characteristics, but these students are usually advanced/honors/AP students. The vast majority of students are lacking in these areas...

Now, I do understand that part of my role as educator is to attempt to harness these senses--as well as the standard stuff--and I do take that role seriously. But, I suppose my biggest issue with "The Whole New Mind" is that it seems to imply that these 'senses' can be created.... or.....

In other words = I believe that I search for meaning in most things that I do because my father has always displayed the same + the fact that I believe in the Father and read the Scripture and that prompts and challenges my mind to move towards Truth.
I believe that I can empathize with people for much the same reasons, along with the fact that I read and read and read, and that I have travelled across most of this country as well as to India. This goes for ability to understand and create narrative as well....

But what about these students that have come all the way to 16 years of age without really being challenged to read? What about the students whose parent--notice the singularity--has to work or something and so has little time for her kid? What about the kid whose only reality with humor is SouthPark--and I don't mean the subtleties that Trey and Matt sometimes pull off ("they're takin' our jooooobbbs")--I mean the fact that there's a fat kid who says GodDammit a lot and a dancing turd?

So, after all that, I can see this transition to the so called Conceptual Age happening for the upper levels, but I cannot see it being sustained to handle the huge masses of kids who for whatever reason have certainly been left behind. I hope that I am wrong, mind you. I hope that programs like CHAD will flourish and spread... but how many kids have product design or fine arts in their futures? Is that something that can really drive the economy of the 21st century?

"A Whole New Mind"

2006-01-19T18:39:00.000-05:00

I suppose I'm about half way through this work by Daniel Pink. I'm probably one of those who is skeptical of the "artsy fartsy" crowd, so I'm having to take what I can from the book. The design portion I could have done without. Fancy toilet bowl cleaners and affordable designer pocket books are nice... but I'm not convinced that all of these items designed for 'beauty' as well as utility, are not a reflection of our shallow culture with nothing better--so they believe--to spend money on. I can see the quality of having warm, well lighted hospital rooms and such, but....

The section on story is a bit more intriguing to me as an educator--perhaps that's why the book hasn't impacted me as much as it may some, because I don't fear my job being outsourced or being taken over by software. (As a high school teacher where kids lack literacy/analysis/synthesis/comprehension skills the human role is certainly still necessary... on the college level I'll have to agree with big brother see here)

But as I was saying... the story part of the work is interesting and is something that I will attempt to employ in the classroom. I certainly agree that learning takes place in narrative form.

As far as yearning for meaning in this world of abundance, I have been telling you so for a while. The search for meaning has been removed from education. Spiritual issues cannot be discussed in any tangible way without fear of a lawsuit by the ACLU. I'm not a proponent of evangelizing any religion, but discussions of life and love and truth and beauty and justice and peace and existence are tough when limited to human existence--because it is so simple to point the finger at someone who may propose such notions. I'm sure my position here is unclear at best....

I do look forward to finishing the book over the weekend.

dt

Ideas Part 2

2006-01-16T19:28:00.000-05:00

I spent most of the afternoon on the CBO and Census websites compiling figures. I want to make this civics class coming up as accurate as possible. I will distribute money based on mean incomes and distributions... i will tax them accordingly. First I think I will allow them to figure out how they want to spend the money. We may even hold campaigns and class elections based on who has the most popular ideas for ways to spend the tax revenue. I hope by allowing them to deal with practical, reality based figures that they will be able to attach the theories and concepts to that the rest of the year.

dt

Ideas...

2006-01-14T10:54:00.000-05:00

This post is mainly brainstorming and really serves the purpose to not let my scattered brain forget what it was I was thinking about...

I thought I would give the students money--of the play variety of course--on the first day of the new Civics course. I will then take 33% or so from each of them to start and ask them how to divy up the cash. Hopefully this exercise can be built upon not only to illustrate taxation, but how and why we have a government set up in the first place. I could change the amount of money I take from each student to illustrate progressive taxation... I could take polls about which social problems they think necessary to spend money on... I could then work in elections based on who the class thinks would spend the money the wisest...

I could even illustrate the differences between our republican system of government with the forms of days gone by... If the kids with the most money wanted to, they could buy their own armies and set up camp in some remote farming area (ie the middle ages). I could have the ones with the most money make deals with each other in an effort to control the economy and the govt centrally (ie command economy/communism)....

I could illustrate the revolution that is the American system by showing that our system--for the most part--is based on merit and not on birthright.

Any suggestions?

dt

Book Reviews

2006-01-12T19:38:00.000-05:00

I've been a reading machine lately... so here's just a few thoughts on some of the works I've completed in the last few weeks:

CLUETRAIN MANIFESTO = this book--or compilation of essays--is groundbreaking. I'm not sure that i necessarily agree with all of the posits of the authors, but their handling of the coming internet revolution (which has already started) is fascinating. The assertion that markets are changing and will change due to the connectedness of consumers/laborers is very interesting. Furthermore, I appreciate the idea about humans getting their voice back. The rhetoric gets heated at times, and hurts my conservative ears, but all in all, I'm glad I read the work, and will certainly refer to it over time as I attempt to transform my personal teaching habits to fit in with the coming age of the web.

AMERICAN JESUS: HOW THE SON OF GOD BECAME A NATIONAL ICON= This is one of the better books I have read in a while. The author, Stephen Prothero, of Boston U. does a magnificent job of writing without bias, first of all. He deals with the subject of Jesus not from a theological standpoint--evidenced by his unwillingness to attempt to settle theological disputes say between Mormons and Christians--but instead speaks of Jesus from a cultural perspective.
The first half of the book speaks of Jesus in the context of the intense debate between mainline Protestants and Liberal Protestants... the feminization, masculinization, de-mystification of Jesus. The 2nd half looks at Jesus through African American, Jewish, Mormon, and Eastern (mainly Hindu) eyes. Being interested in history and Christianity, this was the perfect book for me.

BLUE LIKE JAZZ= I go to a semi non traditional church. We don't have music very often, I rarely dress up, and we believe strongly in community. There is, however, an emerging movement among some of the folks in our community and elsewhere, that calls itself... well, the "church emergent." A while back some folks told me I should read the book but I deferred. A few days ago I was researching Emergentism and found that Blue Like Jazz was on the list of books to read for anyone interested... so i picked it up and read it in 3 days.
It is a very quick and easy read. The author tries to hard to be "relevant" and "post-modern" in many cases. He like, writes as someone in their late 20's would speak, or write or something, you know? He references Katie Couric a few too many times for my taste and speaks well of the folks masquerading as hippies at anti WTO/BUSH/war rallies....
All that aside, however, I found the book rather enjoyable. The author's musings rarely--if ever--deviate from theology that I would consider sacred and essential--this unlike many of those in the emergent philosophy. Furthermore, his emphasis on anti-selfishness and consideration and love for others just because they are was quite uplifting. As I was almost finished with the work, the student mentioned in the Inspiration
post came in which nailed those sentiments squarely in my head.

MEDIEVAL EUROPE: A SHORT HISTORY = just started this one with my trusty hi liter. What can I say, I'm a glutton for this stuff. Did you realize that the economic/social conditions that led to the decline of the western Roman empire were much like that of the ante bellum South? More on this one in a week or two...

dt

Review... Review... Review

2006-01-12T17:23:00.000-05:00

That's all it's been for the past few weeks--since returning from Christmas break, really. Drills and worksheets and rapid fire questions and the like. And it all comes to a head tomorrow... State testing begins.

My kids may not be able to tell the difference between GDP and GNP; they may not know the difference between Gibbons v. Ogden and Gitlow; but they know and understand the importance of separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, civic responsibilities/duties... they understand the benefits of the free market, they understand the sacrifice and compromise that was necessary to form this union in the first place. They may not know where Selma is, but they understand the gravity and revolution that was the Civil Rights Era.

They know a little bit more about citizenship than they did 5 months ago... More than that, they understand a little bit more about their own individual roles. I'll take that.

Of course a 90% passing rate wouldn't be too bad either. Hey, I'm just a lowly teacher who could use a bonus check:)

dt

Inspiration

2006-01-11T16:25:00.000-05:00

Today was one of those days... I had a student come back and talk to me early from lunch. He started by telling me about some drama going on in his life with some of his friends fighting and he's kind of in the middle of it... Typical teenager boy stuff for the most part--although it could escalate I suppose.

But then he told me that he wanted to go to college. In fact, he's got Chapel Hill on his mind. He came to me because he said that I was one of the only teachers who tries to understand where he is coming from. He told me about his step father and mother getting separated and how that hurt him... Then I proposed that I would come up with a plan to help him stay organized and motivated for next semester and beyond, so that he could meet his goal of going to college.

I'm not one of those teachers who wonders why I do what I do very often. But there are those times when I am inspired. Thank you BW!

dt

01/08/06

2006-01-09T17:41:00.000-05:00

Today was not bad. Spent some time reviewing during class and a little after school... I think it may be starting to click for some of the scholars. A few more days of heavy hitting until the EOC's roll in next week.

I haven't stopped listening to WSP from NYE. I would have to say that the first night and the acoustic set sound the best... but I'm sure those covers were special. Rock on, boys!

Haven't gotten to see too much on the Alito hearings. Seems like standard stuff so far. I guess we'll see what the Dems have up their proverbial sleeves.

Otherwise, there are fires in the lower midwest, floods on the pacific, snow in the northeast, but here in the sunny Southland, it's a cool 60 degrees at 5:45. I love this global warming stuff.

dt

Questions...

2006-01-08T19:13:00.000-05:00

Can the Broncos beat the New England Patriots? or

Will the Bengals pull out a miracle over the Steelers?

Will my students be able to pass the Civics EOC?

How does DPI baseline the test?

Why don't people care about how DPI baseline's the test?

Does the Jew at the wailing wall pray to the same God as I do?

What are the ramifications for that particular Jew if not?

If the miraculous is taken away from Jesus, is he still Jesus?

If we can take or leave what we want from the text, then does the text still have authority?

...according to whom?

How important is educating children?

When will Widespread announce their Spring tour?

What is "the way?"

dt

What does it mean to me?

2005-09-29T21:33:00.000-05:00

I've been reading a great deal about new learning environments and mulling over the possibilities of different methods and perhaps even different modes of educational thought.

I'm wondering, at the moment, about how I can convince my students that the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, in general, is worthwhile for them to study. Yeah, the spill about being an educated citizen and protecting freedom is fun to say, but what impact does that really have on average students--or any students?

What does it mean to me, anyway? I cherish the freedom that I have in this country, and I know that by and large those freedoms are protected by the ideas in the Constitution. But these ideas are so abstract. I could talk to the students about wearing an armband to class, and allow them to see that they do have some rights. But, they really aren't that interested in protest. I could discuss with them the limits of the freedom of the press, but they aren't publishing much on their own; so they're not that concerned with libel and slander. I could talk with them about the establishment and free exercise clauses, but religious freedom's not really on the top of the list these days... cynical, I know.

Unfortunately, maybe the 2nd and 4th amendments will draw some interest. Maybe guns and searches and seizures are more of a reality to many of the students than free speech and petition of government. We could talk about the 10th amendment, but even the Feds ignore that one these days.

I suppose I've gone on a bit more of a rant than I first intended. The ultimate goal is to determine how to intrigue the students. I really want them to want to learn about their government. I want them to want to know about their rights; not just for a test. Woe is me. Back to the whiny teacher mantra....

Congressman

2005-09-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

I've been fuming all day because of the comments made yesterday by my congressman. The "Honorable Patrick T. McHenry." He and some of the other cronies out running for reelection soon were stumping on their "Operation Offsets." Clever name, eh? I understand the principle: we owe a bunch of money, especially with Katrina and Rita, and we need to figure out some way to pay for these expenses. But McHenry called for the end of public funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Now I have personal affection for PBS. My son--who is 20 months old--can count to 23 or so, because of the Count and Elmo and all his friends on Sesame Street. And maybe Sesame Street could be picked up by a competitive network in the free market, but what about Ken Burns? broadway performances such as Les Miserables? What about NOVA?

I'm a fairly principled conservative on most issues. I don't like my tax money being spent for worthless things. But slashing PBS? That would save me... wait... that's right a whopping $2.70 a year. Then there's $990 billion dollar budget that we passed. McHenry's vote: AYE. Then there's the pork laden Transportation bill. McHenry's vote: AYE. And the pork laden Energy Bill. McHenry's vote. AYE.

So, please, congressman, don't stand on your stump and rant about principled conservative spending, when your record clearly shows that it's all for political gain. I know that you dislike Bill Moyers and BBC; I don't particularly agree with their points of view either. But I can handle the elevated discourse. I prefer the elevated discourse, to the ratings driven talking head shows: like when McHenry was on Hardball defending that old time Conservative principle of government intervention in state affairs. Remember Terry Schiavo? Sarcasm noted.

I'm sick and tired of demigogues controlling the political process. The American people--at least some of us--can handle honest debate. I realize that things aren't as black and white as we would all prefer. But I am intelligent enough to handle big issues. I look forward to McHenry's response to my emails.

john q.

Don't be afraid to punt!

2005-09-15T15:53:00.000-05:00

Maybe this is inspired by being at the Panther game Sunday, or the turnover prone Chargers...

Yesterday, I ended first period quite frustrated. We've spent 3 weeks now on the roots of American government (historic, philosophic, events, etc), and very few of my students are "getting it." I've used different methods such as lecture, question based learning, guided reading, journaling, standard discussion, etc., and not much was working. We've had some really productive class periods, but the assessments were falling short. So, today I remembered the advice I got from Dr. Eastman a few years ago: "Sometimes you gotta drop back and punt."

So we came screeching to a halt today. I typed up 30 why questions--why do we value limited government? being the first. I realized two things.

1) Many of the students don't have a grasp of the questions. For so long--too long--they've been taught memorization of facts and facts alone. They are accustomed to answering questions in a few sentences (that may be generous) and being able to find those sentences very close to the bold word in the text. And so today, all I wanted was for them to learn the questions. Not to regurgitate them later, but to begin to develop an understanding of what they are being asked.

2) They know that they value limited government. They may not know that it is "limited government" that they value--which is an argument for factual learning as well. But they don't want the police to barge in their houses at night and arrest them and hold them prisoner for an indefinite time. But they are not able to communicate these ideas very well. My brother and his compadres http://topics.typepad.com/pondering/ talk quite a bit about New Literacy and it is obvious--painfully sometimes--that many students don't have a grasp of new or old literacy. I'm developing as an educator, but still lack in many areas... we'll see how these next few days pan out.

Here we go raleigh...

2005-09-03T23:26:00.000-05:00

The subject is a Widespread Panic reference. FYI. Whew. 2 supreme court vacancies, immigration?, Hurricane Katrina fallout, Iraqi Elections and Constitution ratification... Should be a crazy fall.

Not to mention the playoff bound Broncos. Too many Blue and Oranges for one night. No, I didn't name my son after a beer. The brewer, people, the brewer.

ihl
dt

Locke, Hobbes, and Disaster...

2005-09-01T20:06:00.000-05:00

I've been preparing this afternoon for the upcoming lesson on the philosophy behind the creation of the American government. Whether I can engage the kids on such heady matters is yet to be determined, but I always enjoy some good philosophical reading. Within the subject matter, of course, is the Social Contract theory. I've been reading excerpts from Hobbes' Leviathan and Locke's Two Treatises.

All the while I've been keeping up with the madness that is New Orleans. The contrast between the political philosophers mentioned above seems to be playing itself out in real time in the streets of that ravaged city. Locke took a friendly view of the State of Nature: claiming that in Nature we would all live relatively peacefully because of the Law of Nature which lends a moral compass (paraphrased loosely). I can see this particular viewpoint in the thousands and tens of thousands who left with no civil authority are taking their own flat bottomed boats and going out on search and rescue missions, who are looking out for neighbors in many cases before they consider their own well being...

And then there's Hobbes version. The two both agree on the necessity of a Social Contract to form some sort of civil government--but I'll leave that for my lucky students tomorrow--, but their vision of the State of Nature are quite contradictory. Hobbes sees an all out war as the original Nature. One in which every man is warring with every man. One in which the chaos is so tremendous that people begin to long for some sort of authority.... But this version of the State of Nature is also present in the Big Easy. (not such a fitting name anymore) The thugs that are raping and carjacking and killing and looting--yeah I can accept the difference between stealing food and water and even clothing. Ones who shoot at helicopters that are attempting to evacuate people from hospitals. It seems that Hobbes was right. And so was Locke.

What causes these differences? The desperation argument only takes me so far. I can't move with that cause into the reports of gang rape and senseless murder. Can anyone help me out on this one?

dt

Etc.

2005-08-28T14:39:00.000-05:00

As is noted by the title of my weblog, not all of my posts will consist of theories and/or practice of education. Though it's all education after all isn't it?

I was thinking of what we discussed at our newly formed Broad River Community Church this morning. Paul says that he was "not ashamed of the gospel"--of the good news. Matt O. reflected this morning that he was not ashamed of the gospel either, but that he was ashamed of some of the folks--especially in the good ol' USA--that claim this same good news. Pat Robertson is a good example. Anytime the gospel of Christ is brought up to an unbeliever or simply to a skeptic, the association is likely to be made with Mr. Robertson's comments about Hugo Chavez, et al. But the Truth is not the Truth because Pat says so or because I say so or not. It is. He is.

Now, I've gone round and round and round the arguments and postulations of relativism and absolute Truth. The snagging point for me comes in the fact that at some point folks simply have to agree to disagree. The message that Jesus brought was not one of condemnation, but one of salvation. He even urges his followers to try his message out (John 7) and see for themselves. The criticism of Christianity in modern circles usually focuses on the misdeeds of the faith (i.e. the Crusades, Inquisition, Slavery, etc), but if Christianity is followed to the point of leaving your father and mother and all that you hold dear in this physical reality, then the Lord himself says that it will work. Loving one another through the Father seems so unlikely to cause so much division, yet it is so offensive to so many. Or does that offense generate with often self proclaimed followers who foul up the perfection?

I understand that on the practical level confusion over Truth is inevitable, and that because so programs that are implemented or espoused will necessarily cause division--even among fellow believers. But the students that I see parade through my classroom year in and year out are yearning for genuine, authentic love. We theorize on learning styles and debate on best methods and even agree that disparities exist. We are concerned and even heartbroken to see dismantled families and moral bankruptcy in our children. Yet we are unwilling to even allow the discussion of Truth in the halls of scholarship.

I'm sure much of this is logically flawed, and I apologize for the rambling nature of my second attempt on the ol' Blog, but my motivation is pure. Despite all of the horror and destruction that we all have witnessed over the past several years--or 5000 but who's counting?--, that I still hold a bit of idealism somewhere deep inside. The hope that I know, I also know can and will sustain generations. Hope and Love and Peace and Justice and Compassion and Humility and Honesty and Faith.... These are not illusions, they are Reality. Eternal Reality.

dt

First Days of School

2005-08-27T12:40:00.000-05:00

Every year about this time, I get really excited. All summer long, I've been linked to several blogs and 21st century literacy sites by my new media savvy brother; I got to spend a week in Philadelphia as part of a Teaching American History grant, and I've had the chance to read several books. I get really excited about entering the classroom. I spent more time than ever making plans, fixing up my room, and rehearsing the first few plans over in my mind.... But after the first few days a little steam has been knocked out of me. The students just aren't excited as I am. It is always a wake up call for me. They have little to no interest in education, world affairs, and certainly not history.

So, this weekend I'm forced to step up my game another notch. So I'll let you know how that goes...

No longer a blog virgin,
DT