From today's NYT:
"...In cooperation with Georgetown University Law Center and Arizona State University, Justice O’Connor is helping develop a Web site and interactive civics curriculum for seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade students called Our Courts (www.ourcourts.org). The initial major elements of the site are scheduled to become available this fall.
Since retiring from the bench in 2006, Justice O’Connor, 78, has spoken forcefully and often about the dangers posed by efforts to politicize the judiciary. Her thoughts are well known to legal scholars. With Our Courts she hopes to foster a deeper understanding of American government among schoolchildren. The site will have two parts, an explicitly educational component for use in schools and a more entertainment-oriented module that will more closely resemble games. ..."
Showing posts with label middle school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label middle school. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Laptops Lead to Higher Writing Test Scores
From the Boston Globe:
"Maine's program to give every middle school student a laptop computer is leading to better writing. 4real!
Despite creating a language all their own using e-mail and text messages, students are still learning standard English and their writing scores have improved on a standardized test since laptop computers were distributed, according to a new study.
And the students' writing skills improved even when they were using pen and paper, not just a computer keyboard, the study says." ...
You can read the entire article by clicking on the link above or see the raw data and study report from the University of Southern Maine by clicking here.
Perhaps handwriting really does get in the way of developing higher level writing skills.
"Maine's program to give every middle school student a laptop computer is leading to better writing. 4real!
Despite creating a language all their own using e-mail and text messages, students are still learning standard English and their writing scores have improved on a standardized test since laptop computers were distributed, according to a new study.
And the students' writing skills improved even when they were using pen and paper, not just a computer keyboard, the study says." ...
You can read the entire article by clicking on the link above or see the raw data and study report from the University of Southern Maine by clicking here.
Perhaps handwriting really does get in the way of developing higher level writing skills.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
300: Boys and Ancient History
Last week marked the long awaited (at least at my house) release of the DVD version of 300, the Frank-Miller-based epic about the Greek stand against the Persians at Thermopylae. This is one I previewed before deciding whether Wolfie and Xavier could see it (see my previous post about Movie Mom) because the other Frank-Miller-based movie I saw Sin City gave me nightmares. One look at the naked, writhing and historically inaccurate "Delphic oracle" was enough to make them wait for the DVD. (We just skip the naughty bits.)
Why am I telling you this? Two reasons: first, because the release of 300 on DVD seemed to be kind of underplayed and second, because I think there is some value to using this noninteractive video game to hook middle school boys on ancient history. Victor David Hanson writes in History and the Movie "300":
"Recently, a variety of Hollywood films — from Troy to Alexander the Great — has treated a variety of themes from classical Greek literature and theater. But 300 is unique, a sui generis in both spirit and methodology. The script is not an attempt in typical Hollywood fashion to recreate the past as a costume drama. Instead it is based on Frank Miller’s (of Sin City fame) comic book graphics and captions. Miller’s illustrated novelette of the battle adapts themes loosely from the well-known story of the Greek defense, but with deference made to the tastes of contemporary popular culture.
So the film is indeed inspired by the comic book; and in some sense its muscular warriors, virtual reality sets, and computer-generated landscapes recall the look and feel of Robert Rodriquez’s screen version of Sin City. Yet the collaboration of Director Zack Snyder and screenwriters Kurt Johnstad and Michael Gordon is much more of a hybrid, since the script, dialogue, cinematography, and acting all recall scenes of the battle right from Herodotus’s account."
These swords-and-sandals epics can be useful to bring middle and high school boys into the world of history. The History Channel often has "the real story" documentaries that air about the time the movie debuts, like "The Last Stand of the 300", which will be on again on August 12. There is also a critical analysis component if you read and watch various accounts of these ancient battles. History is a slippery thing, often written by the victors to show a particular point of view, resurrected in times of crisis to reflect ourselves. (In Iraq, are we the Spartans or the Persians?) History and historical epics allow us to identify and wrestle with these ideas.
Why am I telling you this? Two reasons: first, because the release of 300 on DVD seemed to be kind of underplayed and second, because I think there is some value to using this noninteractive video game to hook middle school boys on ancient history. Victor David Hanson writes in History and the Movie "300":
"Recently, a variety of Hollywood films — from Troy to Alexander the Great — has treated a variety of themes from classical Greek literature and theater. But 300 is unique, a sui generis in both spirit and methodology. The script is not an attempt in typical Hollywood fashion to recreate the past as a costume drama. Instead it is based on Frank Miller’s (of Sin City fame) comic book graphics and captions. Miller’s illustrated novelette of the battle adapts themes loosely from the well-known story of the Greek defense, but with deference made to the tastes of contemporary popular culture.
So the film is indeed inspired by the comic book; and in some sense its muscular warriors, virtual reality sets, and computer-generated landscapes recall the look and feel of Robert Rodriquez’s screen version of Sin City. Yet the collaboration of Director Zack Snyder and screenwriters Kurt Johnstad and Michael Gordon is much more of a hybrid, since the script, dialogue, cinematography, and acting all recall scenes of the battle right from Herodotus’s account."
These swords-and-sandals epics can be useful to bring middle and high school boys into the world of history. The History Channel often has "the real story" documentaries that air about the time the movie debuts, like "The Last Stand of the 300", which will be on again on August 12. There is also a critical analysis component if you read and watch various accounts of these ancient battles. History is a slippery thing, often written by the victors to show a particular point of view, resurrected in times of crisis to reflect ourselves. (In Iraq, are we the Spartans or the Persians?) History and historical epics allow us to identify and wrestle with these ideas.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Output and the Twelve-Year-Old Boy
I've been having a lot of discussions lately about output--essays, worksheets, projects, book reports--those pieces of paper that "prove" your child has learned something. My boys are allergic to output. I'm not entirely sure whether it's an age-thing or if it's a hold-over from public school busywork. I suspect it's a little bit of both.
Xavier is much worse than Wolfie is at this. We do most of his math and vocab work orally because he doesn't want to have to write out the problems (or do workbook pages in the case of vocab). It's fine with me, for the most part, because as a sixth-grader, he's still considered to be in elementary school by the online schools that we work with. He doesn't have a lot of output to produce. Seventh grade, which he is almost ready for, is going to be another matter entirely.
Wolfie, on the other hand, is taking high-school-level classes that are supposed to be pitched for middle schoolers. His EPGY course is excellent--dealing with the tough intellectual issues of literary analysis with output requirements more appropriate for 7th graders. For example, he's asked to write a four page paper that could easily become 8-10 pages in a high school class.
Some of his other classes seem to be even harder than the equivalent high school class would be. His biology book is thicker than the one Klaus used last year for a similar class. The reading assignments are huge. It's not that he can't understand the material, he just doesn't read fast enough to be able to keep up a good pace. I'm sure his algebra class is covering more information more quickly than a 9th grade algebra class would do.
Part of this is just Wolfie's nature. He's slow-moving, always has been. When he was two, he spoke so slowly he had to take a breath in the middle of pronouncing his name. His name has one syllable. I kid you not. When we talked about being able to go at his own pace in virtual school, he thought we meant he could take as much time as he wanted. And he can, if he doesn't mind working through the summer, but somehow I don't think he's going to be down with that.
I've very proud of him for stubbornly sticking with classes that challenge him intellectually even if the workload is tough. As I said, he can understand the material. And he's getting faster (and certainly more independent) about writing essays because of EPGY. But I as parent and teacher would sure like to have some papers to show that he and Xavier are "making progress." And I sure wish I knew if I was requiring too much or not enough.
Xavier is much worse than Wolfie is at this. We do most of his math and vocab work orally because he doesn't want to have to write out the problems (or do workbook pages in the case of vocab). It's fine with me, for the most part, because as a sixth-grader, he's still considered to be in elementary school by the online schools that we work with. He doesn't have a lot of output to produce. Seventh grade, which he is almost ready for, is going to be another matter entirely.
Wolfie, on the other hand, is taking high-school-level classes that are supposed to be pitched for middle schoolers. His EPGY course is excellent--dealing with the tough intellectual issues of literary analysis with output requirements more appropriate for 7th graders. For example, he's asked to write a four page paper that could easily become 8-10 pages in a high school class.
Some of his other classes seem to be even harder than the equivalent high school class would be. His biology book is thicker than the one Klaus used last year for a similar class. The reading assignments are huge. It's not that he can't understand the material, he just doesn't read fast enough to be able to keep up a good pace. I'm sure his algebra class is covering more information more quickly than a 9th grade algebra class would do.
Part of this is just Wolfie's nature. He's slow-moving, always has been. When he was two, he spoke so slowly he had to take a breath in the middle of pronouncing his name. His name has one syllable. I kid you not. When we talked about being able to go at his own pace in virtual school, he thought we meant he could take as much time as he wanted. And he can, if he doesn't mind working through the summer, but somehow I don't think he's going to be down with that.
I've very proud of him for stubbornly sticking with classes that challenge him intellectually even if the workload is tough. As I said, he can understand the material. And he's getting faster (and certainly more independent) about writing essays because of EPGY. But I as parent and teacher would sure like to have some papers to show that he and Xavier are "making progress." And I sure wish I knew if I was requiring too much or not enough.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Are Those Alarm Bells Ringing, or Is it Just Me?
Apparently, it's just me. With Wolfie's report card (he made the B Honor Roll for the year. Yay, Wolfie!), we got a report comparing his standardized reading test scores from last year and this year. His score dropped 5 percentage points. The report states that: "Growth in grades 4 through 8 averages about 4 DRP units per year, so you should be pleased with your progress if your growth was 4 DRP units or more." His "growth" was -3!
I don't know, maybe I'm just a pushy parent, but I think negative growth is worth a call home. Maybe even an action plan? Granted, his instructional level of comprehension is still above college freshman, even with the backward slide, but still. Shouldn't he at least be holding steady?
The only conclusion I can draw is that middle school is making him dumber, either actively or passively by boring him out of his tree and breaking his spirit such that he just didn't care how he did on this test. Either way, I'm glad he's not going back there in the fall.
I don't know, maybe I'm just a pushy parent, but I think negative growth is worth a call home. Maybe even an action plan? Granted, his instructional level of comprehension is still above college freshman, even with the backward slide, but still. Shouldn't he at least be holding steady?
The only conclusion I can draw is that middle school is making him dumber, either actively or passively by boring him out of his tree and breaking his spirit such that he just didn't care how he did on this test. Either way, I'm glad he's not going back there in the fall.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Fun (and...shhh...educational) Site for Kids
I found this awesome site this morning. ExploreLearning.com has over 300 "gizmos"--interactive, web-based games/simulations--that teach concepts in middle and high school math and science. It's particularly well-suited to visual and kinesthetic learners and works equally well for homeschool/after-schoolers/individual learners and class learning via computer/media lab.
ExploreLearning has already correlated their gizmos with major textbooks and state curriculum standards, so homeschoolers who are worried about keeping up with the public schools can be sure they're covering everything they need to. Just click on your state, the standards are copied word-for-word with the list of appropriate gizmos just beneath. The gizmos all come with five or so assessment questions at the end of the activity and reports the score to the student and to anyone designated as teacher, so you can keep track of how much your child is doing and comprehending easily.
Xavier and I played around with the Chicken Genetics gizmo and had lots of fun. You get five minutes to play without registering, which isn't quite enough time to complete an assessment. ExploreLearning does offer a free 30-day trial subscription, after that there is a subscription system available. I plan to use this to extend the boys learning come fall. Too many textbooks makes Jack a dull boy. :D
ExploreLearning has already correlated their gizmos with major textbooks and state curriculum standards, so homeschoolers who are worried about keeping up with the public schools can be sure they're covering everything they need to. Just click on your state, the standards are copied word-for-word with the list of appropriate gizmos just beneath. The gizmos all come with five or so assessment questions at the end of the activity and reports the score to the student and to anyone designated as teacher, so you can keep track of how much your child is doing and comprehending easily.
Xavier and I played around with the Chicken Genetics gizmo and had lots of fun. You get five minutes to play without registering, which isn't quite enough time to complete an assessment. ExploreLearning does offer a free 30-day trial subscription, after that there is a subscription system available. I plan to use this to extend the boys learning come fall. Too many textbooks makes Jack a dull boy. :D
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