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May 25, 2006
Zero to Five Year Olds
I write this blog piece from the center of a conference on children ages 0-5. It’s the First Five Conference for the state. There must be 800 people or so here. There’s a great turnout of people learning and becoming more and more prepared for providing services for preschool children.
What children learn in the ages of birth to five is so huge in how well they’ll do later on. I talk about those early years like building blocks. When the base blocks are solid adding more blocks of top of the base means a tall tower can be built. If the base blocks are shaky or there aren’t many, the tower is short or falls over very quickly. Solid learning blocks ages 0-5 means a tall learning tower as children grow.
The major base for little ones is language-talk, interact, communicate, listen, read stories. If you have young children or grandchildren, talk. Language is one of the most critical skills a child needs as he or she grows up.
Funny that’s what the speaker is talking about this morning. He’s using 5 dollar words to say it, but he’s encouraging everyone in the room to keep language happening. I’ll do it in 10 cents worth-talk with your child and enjoy it!
Posted by Dr Joni at 06:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 24, 2006
One Last Class
This weekend was graduation for Chico State. Most everyone was finished the day of graduation and ready to move on with lives and jobs. There were, however, a few students who hadn’t quite finished. It wasn’t that they hadn’t done well. Their program of study still had one of two more things left to do before they could be considered graduated.
Early Monday morning one of these groups met with me. They were good sports to be there after their ceremonies. They were even better than good sports because the class they were finishing with me was special education law. For some, a class in law may be a fate worse than death. Law at 8:00 AM on the Monday after graduation. Ugh!
Because law can be deadly, I’ve always considered it my responsibility to make it interesting and important to their teaching. Considering these circumstances, it needed to be even better this time.
Fortunately, this was a great group. This is their last class before they are considered fully credentialed teachers so many of them were interviewing as the two last days of class were conducted. Some had jobs already and some were waiting to hear from their last interview. Some were anxiously waiting to hear if they were going to get interviews.
For two mornings we talked about Federal and State laws, compliance with those laws, how they and their classrooms will be monitored for compliance, and how to turn the law they need to follow into something meaningful for the kids they’ll teach.
I always enjoy teaching. It makes me remember why I’m in the profession. I also am blatant about looking for quality new teachers to hire for our schools. There were a number in this class who would be a great match for Glenn County.
I wish this group the best. After 18 years of teaching for Chico, this will be my last special ed law class. It’s time to do other things. I only hope what I have contributed to them is half of what they have given me.
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May 17, 2006
Air Force Academy
I met Lieutenant Silva at the Visitor’s Center at the Air Force Academy around 10 on Friday morning. He asked me if I’d like to see a short movie and let him talk with a group of Upward Bound students. Of course I was more than happy to do so. When he asked if I knew what Upward Bound was, I assured him I did and was pleased to see high school kids exploring career options.
The kids listened to the film, had only a couple question and the Lt. was free. We headed toward the chapel, but bypassed it for the moment since there was a funeral scheduled in a short while.
We walked on to a major parade area surrounded on three sides by buildings. He said we were headed for mess hall, the buildings on the right, where the cadets ate. I was expecting a cafeteria and was surprised to see lunch settings for 4000 complete with white table cloths and place settings for 10 at each table. It seems one half of the table is lower classmen who make sure the other half of the table, the upper classmen, are served first.
On the upper class side were the “goodies,� a bottle of chocolate syrup, a bottle of cherries, etc. He mentioned that the underclassman could have any of the goodies they wanted, but first they had to be able to tell the upperclassmen what the bar codes were on the jar. Bar codes? Yes, bar codes, and not only the numbers on the bar code, but the line size as well-fine, two thick lines, one slim. Why?
It seems, since most of them will be pilots or supporting pilots, they have to recognize codes and situations quickly, deal with them. And make decisions. Memorizing the bar codes is just a way of recognizing and remembering the details and codes quickly.
That was just the beginning. The Lt. continued telling me about meals and military reinforcements as we continued through the military side of the buildings. Shortly, though, we passed over the Academic Bridge to the buildings at the far back of the parade ground. Once over the bridge we left military training and we were into the school which, as he put it, was about like any other University.
Well, maybe. Class sizes were 20 to 1 or less for most classes. Professor’s offices were right within the classroom area where teaching took place. Classrooms were extremely well equipped and the whole area was set-up for wireless access. Every student was issued a laptop. And what really impressed me were several rooms labeled EI. These areas were for tutoring and extra help. They idea was for each student to succeed. The Lt. assured me they did not want students to leave school. They wanted them to finish their schooling and be very successful in one of the 32 majors they could select.
We went from the classroom area to the library, two stories of books and research possibilities. It was a good thing I was being escorted and we had a timeline. I can overstay my welcome in any library.
The third building, the one on the left, was dorms. I made a comment about them being right next to the academic area. He told me there was no excuse for being late to class. I could see his point.
Several students were wearing red hats. When I commented on them, he told me they were seniors and that’s why things were a little loose this week. They were 3 weeks from graduation and finishing finals. All the awards had already been given and now it was just time to finish up.
As we walked back through the parade grounds, cadets were beginning to gather for the lunch formation. It took less than 10 minutes for all 4000 of them to gather, be in line, and file in for lunch. He told me they had 25 minutes for lunch, then it would be back to class until 3:00, then intramurals or training until 5:00, dinner, then study from 7-10.
We visited the chapel and he explained the unique architecture. There are 17 spires that make ahuge arch. He told me there were two reasons for the 17-one right and one wrong. I asked for the wrong one first. “Well, the wrong reason is that there were 12 apostles and 5 branches of the service.�
“Oay if that’s the wrong reason, what’s the right one?� I asked.
“They ran out of money,� he said.
Sounded right, but the building, regardless, is gorgeous. I was truly impressed and said so as we headed back to the visitor center.
I may be a bit prejudice since I have two boys in the Air Force, but I can’t imagine any visiting one of the military academies without being impressed. I’ve interviewed students for years to go there. Now I see what they do. I’ve always been impressed with the caliber of students who plan to attend. Now, I’m even more impressed with the caliber of student who finishes.
Posted by Dr Joni at 07:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 12, 2006
Colorado
Getting home from the East Coast generally requires a stop somewhere halfway across the country. This time, instead of running from one terminal to another, I decided to take the one stop in Denver and stay for a couple days in Colorado.
There was a method to my madness other than not being able to figure out one flight from another. My son, Christopher, was just finishing up his medical tech studies at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. The timing worked that I could actually fly home with him. Timing was great.
So if I was going to be staying in Colorado for a day or two, what was there I could see or visit? The Air Force Academy was first on my list. For years I’ve been helping interview high school students for the military academies. What a great opportunity to see where I was sending them!
In addition MCREL, the Mid-Continent Regional Education Lab, is in Denver. I’ve used MCREL’s materials in my work for many years. Some of their staff has written my favorite materials. We’ve used so much of their work on standards and assessment. What a chance to meet some of them.
Okay, so while I’m here, Denver Public Schools in here too.
So that’s been my last few days. MCREL was fabulous. I came away with all kinds of ideas for preschool planning, using technology in the classroom, as well as their newest work on leadership. A Denver Public group was working with their local Universities and I was invited to their meeting. It felt a good deal like being at home solving the same problems.
Today it was the Air Force Academy. What an incredible experience. 4000 cadets studying, learning, marching, with a quarter of them getting ready to graduate. They were all wearing red hats, and they were very excited. I got a personal tour of the military side of the campus, the academic areas, barracks, the class wall, and the chapel. Everyone had told me to be sure to see the chapel. Now I know why.
I’m going to stop here for tonight. I really need a whole blog on this last visit. I’ll wait for tomorrow on the plane home and give you a real flavor. It was really worth the trip. Christopher and I will be leaving tomorrow and he can spend a week at home before going to Arizona. We’ll enjoy the trip.
Posted by Dr Joni at 07:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 09, 2006
East Coast Tour Summary
Okay so now you get the rest of the story. I also got some touring over the weekend. I spent time in Philadelphia and Boston. Talk about a art and history tour. Wow.
In Philadelphia I started with the Art museums both the Philadelphia Gallery and the Rodin Gallery. I could have spent days in the Art Gallery alone. It was huge and contained everything from Rubens to Degas and Rodin to Chinese vases. I didn’t grow up learning about art, but I have acquired a bit of a taste over the years. What a treat for the eyes.
Then there was the whole Rodin Gallery. It wasn’t huge, but I did ask the docent if the man ever slept. I have seen his pieces in Washington DC and now here and I know they are other places as well. He was really prolific as well as a master of sculpture.
Next was history-Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the drafting of the Constitution, and the famous names in history for Philadelphia. What a place for history. It was like being there only not.
Then on to Boston. I spent all day yesterday learning more about Paul Revere, the Boston Tea Party, the USS Constitution, as well as Cheers and the Boston Red Sox. I guess it wouldn’t be Boston without a little newer stuff thrown in. By the way did you know the word harbor is pronounced ha-ba? Just like park doesn’t have an r in it. It’s pa-k. I’ve been listening for two days to people who have no idea there’s a letter between q and s in the alphabet.
Yesterday afternoon it was Harvard and MIT. I did mention to the MTA person handing out tokens she was going to have to tell me how this worked. Northern California doesn’t use subways. She was amazed and asked how we got around. When I told her by car, she couldn’t understand it. “That would be way too hard,� she said.
There are almost 300,000 students in the Boston area. It’s their third largest industry. Harvard, MIT, Boston College, Boston University (different than Boston College), Tufts, and a bunch more with numerous students make up almost a third of the population. It’s very different than what we know, but really fascinating especially when you stand in Old Harvard Square and realize how many famous people have graduated from there. I was just impressed to be there.
What’s next? I have a meeting with the Boston Public Schools to find out about how they work. Then I’m off to New Hampshire overnight for a early morning flight to Denver.
This weekend was tremendous fun and I learned a great deal. Sometimes it’s fun to just be a tourist.
Posted by Dr Joni at 06:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 06, 2006
Friends Select
Friday morning I woke up in Philadelphia with plans having been changed. I had originally planned to leave Washington DC and travel to New Hampshire to visit a friend. Philadelphia was to be my first stopping point on the trip. However, I hadn't heard from my friend in a month and had no way to connect with her. My plans had changed and I was on my own. Gee, a few days on my own. I wonder what I can do?
One thing I always do in a different city is visit a school. I didn't expect to be able to do that since I had made no plans, but as I drove to my hotel I passed a school in the middle of downtown Philadelphia I knew would be one I'd like to see. Just to make sure the school got my total attention, my room overlooked the playground on the top of its roof. Guess I knew where it was and how to get there.
So Friday, bright and early, I showed up on the doorstep of the Friends Select School http://www.friends-select.org. Ann Wallace, Assistant to the Head of School, met me for a whirlwind tour which I greatly appreciated. As we walked she told me about the school's make-up. It's 500 college-prep students, pre-kindergarten through 12th grades and is based on Quaker philosophies. The particular philosophies emphasized are "respect for all, simplicity, the peaceful resolution of conflict, and a constant search for truth." I have a friend with Quaker upbringing and I know there aren't many left. Ann told me only 11 of the students were actually Friends.
We started, in this very downtown school with only a limited space to expand, in the theater. A play was being practiced she told me, and this was the place they held their forums for visiting authors. They'd had some very significant authors over the years.
Next, on the first floor, we looked into classrooms or down hallways toward classrooms of lower schools children (pre-k through 4th grade). A wonderful cafeteria donated not to long ago looked more like a stopping place in a mall. A parent group was meeting in one area discussing various topics. A library and art area were tucked into smaller rooms.
On the second floor were the uppper school classrooms. Many of the middle school students weren't there. They were at camp. She explained a relationship with a school in Italy where students from the Friends School went and the Italian School sent some of their students. They weren't doing that this year because the Italian School had run out of money.
Science labs and a great library were quickly looked into before we went up to the roof. This was the playground I had seen from my window. It wasn't grass, but it wasn't carpet either. It felt almost real and the tennis courts and basketball setups could feel like they were on solid, but not quite solid ground. It was certainly large enough for a playground feel even if it was a rooftop.
Then a quick tour of the basement-swimming pool, dance studio, large art studio that also housed all the sets and pulleys for the theater. Ann had told me the school had had to stop talking more pre-k, kindergarten, and first graders by last March. They could have taken more, but they didn't have the space. They were looking to renovate the basement and use the space better.
Schools differ from place to place. This isn't the first school I've visited on the East Coast. It is my first Friends School and I appreciated their values and focus. The school was delightful and the children in it certainly have major learning opportunities. My thanks to the Friends and especially Ann Wallace for her time and tour.
Left to my own devises for the remainder of the day, I visited the historical parts of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Museum of Art http://www.philamuseum.org/ as well as the Rodin Museum http://philadelphia.about.com/library/gallery/blparkway15.htm. There wasn't nearly enough time for all of that, but what I got was wonderful. Now I'm on my way to Boston for more history and another school.
Posted by Dr Joni at 04:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 05, 2006
Washington DC Summary
Having now spent several days in Washington, let me give you a tour of who, what, and why we’re here. The we in that description is a delegation of County Superintendents of Schools. We range in size from Orange County with hundreds of thousands of constituents to Alpine County with a few hundred. I’m on the low end from Glenn County, but we all have issues and concerns common to schools and county offices throughout the state of California and many of those concerns are also nationwide.
What we’ve found, however, when visiting here is there’s a very limited amount of time and capacity for taking in information. We therefore limit the message to a few brief items and make sure we stay focused on those. This time there were two concerns under No Child Left Behind, a medicaid issue which is a $100,000,000+ program for California special ed students, a bill on schools and roads, preschool especially Head Start issues, and a social security issue for attracting new teachers into the field. Although there are hundreds of other items we deal with, we chose those the legislators and department people here have direct influence over and can help us with. That’s the what we do here.
So who do we see? Well this week we talked to a member of the White House staff on education, Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein, and at least two dozen Congressmen and women, Assistant Secretaries for Elementary and Secondary Education, Special Education, and Vocational and Adult Education, as well as the Associate Commissioner for Head Start.
The why is a big question for some people. Why would you spend time and money to come to Washington DC? Isn’t it pretty pointless? Aren’t they going to do what they want anyway? Well, I’m sure some will, but over the time we’ve been coming here, we’ve seen changes and when a change is made from Washington, a change happens, not only in California, but all over the country. It’s not a small change. It’s quite far reaching.
What we’ve found is when they hear a concern from California and a similar one from Pennsylvania the same one from Iowa, they begin to realize they need to so something different. If no one tells them there are problems in implementing the laws, they just assume we’re doing fine. We come back here to tell them. Our approach is generally positive and grateful when changes are made that help us do our jobs better. We are pretty specific when things make life hard for us and especially when they make life hard for kids and families.
The highly qualified teacher issue for No Child Left Behind is a good example. It’s very hard to find teachers for very small school districts who are credentialed in History, Math, Science, and Forestry. Yet in a small school a teacher may be asked to teach all of the above. Under NCLB he or she can’t without going back to school or passing a very rigorous test. We don’t disagree with qualified teachers. We just don’t want teachers deciding to go to work at Walmart instead of getting certified in 8 areas so they can teach in a small school. So we ask for a different way to make this happen. A way that makes sense for small schools.
So we come to work with the folks back here to have them understand what it’s like to work in schools under their laws. It’s an interesting process watching how all of this plays out. Each time I’ve been here I’ve had amazing experiences.
After dinner on Wednesday a friend and I took an evening cab ride around the monuments. Standing at the Lincoln monument, look across the reflecting pool to the Washington monument and then on to the Capitol Building was about the most awe inspiring view any American could see. It makes you know what it's like to live in a country where you can debate with the person next to you in absolute freedom even when you disagree completely. Knowing that, you know you make a difference.
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May 03, 2006
Washington DC Day 2
Most people don't put Washington DC and education together. It's so far away and removed, but as the old Kenny Rodgers song goes "you can't outrun the long arm of the law."
No Child Left Behind has been the law we've been working with from Washington DC for several years now. It's the reason we have standards, assessment, and highly qualified teachers. I don't disagree with the direction it's going, but implementation of it is not easy and one size doesn't fit all. That's why we're here.
There are several parts of this particular law that are hard to implement in a small rural county. Finding highly qualified teachers is one. The law says each teacher has to be qualified, either have a credential in or have passed a rigorous test, in each subject area they teach. Well, that sounds right. I don't disagree. However when you have a small high school with only 4 teachers in it, the math teacher may also teach chemistry, biology, and an English class. Teachers who have to go back and get certified in chemistry and biology and English may decide to retire or work at Walmart. It's just too many classes to take.
We're here asking for some help for these folks as well as the folks who teach kindergarten through 12th grade special education or the teachers in the court school who see middle school through high school. The law just doesn't fit them.
NCLB isn't the only thing we're here for. There's special ed, medicade and preschool too. We have several issues. These are intense days going from one office to another, meeting with Senators and Representative, and directors of various national programs. It's interesting and informative.
Yesterday I even had a face to face conversation with Hilary Clinton. That was right after I had a conversation with Barbara Boxer. Today it's Wally Herger and who knows who else is on my list. It's only 8:00 and I haven't seen the schedule.
We make laws here and we try to work with them or change them to better meet the needs of the country. It's an amazing process. It's fascinating to be part of it.
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May 02, 2006
Immigration Issues
I am in Washington DC this week. Yesterday, May 1, I expected to see a lot of activity around the immigration issues. There was one small demonstration going on around the Capitol building when I was by there, but that was about it.
When I got back to my room last night I watched the news and saw many more demonstrations and work shutdowns all over the country. Not much here.
My biggest conversation was with a cab driver. He was disgusted with the whole thing. He felt that he was not being treated fairly as a citizen of the United States. "These people" should speak English and be a part of the country not sneak in and keep him out of things.
I found it interesting because I had a tough time understanding him through his heavy Jamacan accent.
It's odd this week I should be here right now in the nation's capital during such controversy over whose right it is to live here. On the plane I sat between an MBA from India and a Black attorney from Washington DC. We are a country of so much diversity and such richness of culture, but sometimes it's hard to see that.
I spent a couple hours in the National Art Gallery looking at paintings from Italians, French, German, and American painters and sculptors. It is truly a global society.
So what do we want our children to learn from all of this? We need to figure it out because they are learning whether we know it or not. So what do you want to teach them? What do you want them to know? When you answer that question, do that behavior. That's what they'll learn from you.
Posted by Dr Joni at 04:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 01, 2006
Samples Kids Update
I do this every once in a while for those of you who kept up with my children in my column. For a long time I chronicled a lot of the learning activities of my kids. They were great examples of what “kiddom� is like. Since I have four of them, if we didn’t get it right the first time, we were sure to have another opportunity soon.
So now and then I let you know how they are and this is definitely time to do that. It’s birthday month for everyone.
Carolyn turned 19 yesterday. She’s finishing up her first semester at Sonoma State. Last year’s open heart surgery postponed her entrance until Spring, but she’s making up for lost time. My friends with college age or older kids all tell me they change tremendously between the time they start and Thanksgiving. With Carolyn, it was between the time she started and Easter. What a difference. She’s very grown up and making decisions on her own.
The boys turn 23 today. Now they may be turning 23, but I haven’t aged since they were born. Besides, I can’t imagine where the time went. They are both in the Air Force and, when the Air Force isn’t managing their lives, they seem to be doing a good job of managing their plans.
James just had surgery on a broken shoulder. It’s really hard for him to be out of action for any length of time so I expect this to be a trial. He’s decided to finish school and the Air Force and go on to law school. He can convince you of almost anything so I’m sure he’ll do well.
Christopher is finishing his last round of med tech training at the Air Force Academy. I will be seeing him as well as visiting the Academy next week as I travel home from Washington DC. He’s been doing medical work for several years, but like Carolyn, I heard a change in his voice last week when I talked to him. He’s different and he’s just discovered it.
Jennifer, who will turn 21 in a couple weeks, just got married. Jordon is delightful and the wedding was designed and orchestrated by Jennifer. Of course, it went extremely well. She’s been doing things like this since she was 11 and joined the Rainbow Girls. Jordon’s comment: “My job is to show up and say I do.� He did. She’s working full time and going to school. I wouldn’t expect her to do any less.
So thank you all for asking. They are great kids and I enjoy their differences and their lives. If you haven’t guessed yet, I think “kiddom� is about the most important thing we parents and educators can engage in. Enjoy yours.
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