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January 10th, 2008
This book has been on my shelf for a while and taken longer to get through it (not because of the content, but because of my busy life): Black ants and buddhists: thinking critcially and teaching differently in the primary grades by Mary Cowhey.
It’s really quite a good read. I work mainly with pre-service teachers in early childhood; and Mary’s classroom is first and second grade. So it’s necessary to think as you read about how you might transform and negotiate some of the material and ideas she has used in her classroom. When I was reading it, I thought it would be quite a good book for writing up a book review; but as I searched the web for others’ opinions about it, I found this review at the Michigan State University ruleta fororuleta de la fortunajuegos portaljuegos apuestas lineavideo poker portalganar dinero pagina internetjuegos de casino onlineruleta europea onlinejuegos azar paginas internetcasinos espana onlinejugar dados onlineruleta europea paginas webpremio dinero onlinejugar seguro paginas webpremio dinero paginas webruleta internetgames onlinecasino online españolsunstar casino netкомпютриroulette online gameroulette strategiegames roulette onlinerussisches roulettecasino games freewareparty casinoslot maschinen online spielenamerikanisches roulettecasino tropezslotmaschinen spielenkostenloses kasinosroulette spielregelngratis casino bonusgewinn spielepc spiele casinowww casino onlineflash casino gamesbaccarat online spielecasino online shopslot maschine online spielenbaccarat regelnroulette online kostenloscasino tycoonroulette online spielencasino bonus,swiss casino bonus,casino bonus codeskasino spiele mit echtem geldcasino bonus coderoulette online gratisonline blackjackplay free baccaratkasino on net Library which sums up quite well most of my thoughts and reactions to the book.
I’m a huge fan of the theorists and workers Ms. Cowhey uses to think about her work, and had the good fortune of taking a class with Sonia Nieto at UMass/Amherst during my doctoral work. I mention that because it’s always of interest to me who writes forewords: I think to have a forward by Dr. Nieto speaks volumes about the book and what you will find to think hard about between its covers.
I had two additional thoughts as I read the book. One is based upon the facts that I live in the area that the book is written in, and more than likely know professionally the administrators or other support folks Ms. Cowhey mentions. If you read any of Jonathan Kozol’s work, I think you would be inclined to really put that in relationship to this work. There’s nothing like support and resources to make a lot of things possible in a classroom. I’m still waiting for the book to be written by a teacher who manages to teach in this fantastic way without colleges nearby, nice parks to walk to and the other resources Ms. Cowhey has at her disposal. The very idea that for several years, students of philosophy have been coming once a week to discuss this topic with her young children is not to be found in many classrooms. More books for teachers need to be written that encourage this type of authentic work in the classroom, most importantly for those places with little resources.
I also agree with the book review that she gives very little coverage to the strong reality of state mandated standards, testing and curriculum that complimentary right ringtones | nextel ringtones program | 100 free ringtones | free u.s cellular ringtones | ringtones for prepaid phone | info motorola personal remember ringtones | cell phone ringtones verizon | convert mp3 to ringtones | new ringtones | info nokia remember ringtones | download free alltel ringtones | sprint pcs vision ringtones | free nokia phone ringtones | tv theme ringtones | free verizon wireless ringtones | free ringtones for motorola cell phone | free t mobile ringtones for cell phone | info polyphonic remember ringtones | cell phone ringtones verizon | free gospel ringtones | I see taking a lot of the time during a day.
But, overall, this book is well worth a read - or three really! If nothing else, skim the book for the really terrific children’s books she has used and suggested. Any classroom would be the “richer” for having these books read and talked about by the children.
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November 28th, 2007
I started this task with looking up the word fact, defined as “something that actually exists; reality; truth.” Yet, somedays I do wonder if anything other than the moment I’m living in is actually the truth or fact! So many things that happen in the past seem to become changed over time, but here goes anyways, a few past and presentfacts:
1) I love pop country music! Only a weird fact if you know me — I appear (and actually do love) to be someone who should love folk music, and such music as Moody Blues. But, Garth Brooks does make my heart sing!
2) I dislike grits and hominy (smells like Ajax to me).
3) My life would be easier with short hair and my aging face would probably look less aging, but I hate fussing with hair; so I keep my hair long and braided (most of the time).
4) I love books and am an eclectic reader. (My husband and I have over 5000 volumes in the house.)
5) I have no fear of the house collapsing due to those 5000 books.
6) I love to cook and entertain.
7) I’m often more frightened of life than I appear to be.
Writing this up is a good learning for me. I teach adults in community college and I often play a warm up game during the first class or two where you take from a toilet paper roll as many sheets as you “normally use.” You then have to tell that many random facts about yourself. Fun, silly, but not as easy as it appears.
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November 25th, 2007
I spend a good share of my work days enveloped in the theories of early childhood. My day job is teacher education where we spend our time reading and talking about working with young children. Although I get to spend some time in the world of real children fairly often in a month through volunteer work with Reading is Fundamental and field supervision, I am an empty nester and don’t have daily contact with young children. This week my granddaughter and daughter spent the week with us. Mornings were early, snacks were often, every object in the house was material for learning and exploring! Practice is indeed so important in really understanding theory! Of course, I know this and say it to my pre-service teachers all the time, fortunately I had the pleasure of enjoying it this week! We visited a newborn, had a 4 month old and a 2 year old visit with us, and spent the week attempting to not step on anything that would hurt too much!
For years, I’ve posited the idea that if every teacher in training - including those from pre-K to college - had to spend six months with newborns to two year olds, the education system would be much improved. Those who work in the field of education would take all that theory and understand in clear terms: temperament, nurture vs. nature, rates of development, and so much more. Instead of teaching to the test, we would teach with integrity.
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October 30th, 2007
I found a very interesting collection of research and personal experience.
No is a powerful word; used well it keeps its power, used without purpose, it eventually means nothing. It’s a lot like saying “Good job,” to a child; it doesn’t give any feedback just continues to remind the child who has the power.
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=516517#comments
Posted in education, thoughts, general | 1 Comment »
October 10th, 2007
I’ve found two new resources to share with you:
Mother Goose on the Loose - a reading program for pre-literate children
Harold Grinspoon Foundation Funds Online Early Childhood Insitute - “A collaboration between Hebrew College Online and the Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education’s Early Childhood Institute (ECI), funded by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the Online Early Childhood Institute combines Internet classes, videoconferencing and traditional classroom instruction to deliver ECI courses to a select group of educators in the Springfield area.”
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September 27th, 2007
Last week’s Peace Pole dedication here on campus.
The student behind me is holding up part of a huge dove a student made.
I read a poem.
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July 19th, 2007
Okay, so for the past two weeks, I’ve been planning a book review of the book “Black Ants and Buddhists” by Mary Cowhey. I’m still planning it, read the book, outlined some points and it sits alone (not even in a pile) on my desk. Have I written it? No! What has happened? Life, liberty and the pursuit of home maintenance! I was away for two weeks the end of June, and home for three weeks before a trip that begins tomorrow — plenty of time, right? Nope again! We live in a 110 year old home located in New England. That means that home maintenance happens sometime between May 15 and Oct 15 depending on the whim of the weather. So you call all those maintenance guys and schedule what seems a reasonable distance between each — then what happens? The weather - first it’s rainy, then it’s a 100 degrees and so they all show up on the same day. Some of you are having a laugh because you’re talented enough to do all this yourself (actually I don’t know too many people who would clean third floor 100 year old windows on a ladder outdoors). But I’m not. So the book review will be forthcoming. It really is a good read. I will try to be on time next week! Well, okay, maybe the book review will happen the week after that, considering I’m in Denver at a family Bat Mitzvah (but we won’t go into that saga as yet!).
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July 5th, 2007
For many reasons, we were just my granddaughter, my daughter and I for Independence Day yesterday (I realized yesterday that when I was a child that that is what we called it – it’s now Fourth of July.). It was raining, and although that didn’t stop the local New Hampshire residents from shooting off lots of noisy fireworks; it kept us indoors but thoroughly enjoying a hot dog and burger and chips! Yesterday during the two-hour drive to her home, I passed many a family gathering and flags galore; and the usual marches and advertisements on the radio of celebrating our freedom. As a WWII veteran’s daughter and a friend of many who served in Vietnam and Korea, there’s much I could say about any war. But really what I was thinking about is this word bandied about yesterday – freedom. Being passionate about young children; those I serve and those I can only imagine in those war torn places; for me it’s the fact that for those I serve and know – including that little grandbaby – it’s freedom to play in a safe place with safe toys with caring adults looking after you. We, as citizens, are asked by our politicians to honor the warriors there who fight for our freedoms. I wish to honor today those who fight for children’s rights. They do it without adequate funds or supplies; but thank goodness that someone is trying to provide children with freedoms. While I am deeply appreciative of being a US citizen; I am often ashamed that we, “the people” chose to fund wars while children – here and abroad - are homeless, without food, without safe toys, without caring adults.
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June 28th, 2007
Probably seems an odd topic for a hot - scalding hot day actually - summer day in New England, but it’s related. I went to the opening of a new little room in our town’s public library called the “PictureBook Room” last night. Our library is in a very old Victorian home, and even with opening the main spaces; there are some odd little side rooms. They were able to move a librarian’s office and put in a space specifically for the young child. It has its own bathroom awash in a cute mural done by a local artisan volunteer. There are little chairs and tables and places to read and be read to. What’s the relationship to a hot summer day? It was an unusually hot June day - 102 degrees and high humidity. In a small town (pop. 17,000) with a large population who live at or below the poverty line; it was joyfully clear to me that many families had come for after dinner book readings in a place that was not only new and crisply clean, but really cool as well (in more ways than one if you were three and trying out the new little rockers just your size). I oohed and ahhed of course; but mainly left being reminded how important libraries really are to access to not only information and the written word, but shared experiences with other readers of all ages. Libaries very well could be the best community center there is for young children and those who care for them.
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June 20th, 2007
Most think separation and its related feelings of anxiety are just for babies. We had a family reunion this past weekend. Just two parents, one child with spouse, one child (recently separated) with 9-month-old grandchild. All had a wonderful four days. When it came to say goodbye, grandchild cried really loudly (she knew something was happening); and Gramma Shannie cried the hardest. Separation anxiety began for me at that first separation each time I gave birth (I’m sure there are similar moments for those who have children join their family in other ways). As I discovered yesterday on a beautiful summer afternoon, I’m still experiencing it. The rental bathroom sink, filled for 4 glorious days with all kinds of toothbrushes and several flavors of matching paste, was a now a wasteland featuring splashes of dried paste and two lonely toothbrushes belonging to the sad grandparents already planning the next reunion.
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