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| THE EDUCATION COMPANION NEWSLETTER
October 1999 Issue #7
============================================================ This is the
companion newsletter to Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational Voyage Janet
Young, Newsletter Developer, Editor and Co-Author Subscribe: http://educationcompanion.listbot.com/
Archives: http://www.theeducationcompanion.com
============================================================ ==== IN THIS
"EDUCATION COMPANION" NEWSLETTER ========== + Welcome Message /
Announcements ~ Janet R. Young + Mrs. Young's "New Pages On..."
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS UNITED NATIONS HALLOWEEN + The Education Companion Survey ~
Last month's poll results ~ The June poll: Summer Homework + CONTENT AREAS ---
Current trends, opinions, tips, etc. ~ Janet R. Young's: The Editor's View ~
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS- UNSUNG HEROES ~ Dr. Robert Kizlik's Teacher Education
101 ~ TEACHER EDUCATION STANDARDS ~ Tammy Bailis' Senior School Musings ~ NEW
SEASON - MATH WELCOME ~ Life is One Big Classroom with Joan Berger ~ I WANDERED
LONELY AS A CLOUD...... ~ Technically Speaking with Kathleen A. Catapano ~
CHANGING THE WAY WE TEACH... ~ Including the Physically Challenged With Sheila
Estes ~ THE JOY OF MUSIC ~ Steve McCarty's East-West Perspectives from Japan ~
"THE WOMAN DIVER": DISCOVERING EAST ASIAN VALUES IN A BUDDHIST
FOLKTALE ~ Audrey Ciuffo's Library Connection ~ BOOKS TO HOWL ABOUT + Call
for Ideas ==== WELCOME MESSAGE / ANNOUNCEMENTS ======================= Welcome
to the September issue of The Education Companion. IN THIS ISSUE: Our Editor,
Janet R. Young starts off with a copy of a post she made in support for
classroom Educational Assistants. Tammy Bailis shows us how she brings the music
of math to life in the classroom in "New Season - Math Welcome." The
music plays on in Sheila Estes' series on inclusion, in her article on "The
Joy of Music" in her son's class. Dr. Robert Kizlik discusses the
importance of "Standards in Teacher Education." On the same track, is
Kathleen A. Catapano's column on ensuring that new teachers will be able to
implement technology in their classrooms. We are delighted by a
"lofty" article by Joan Berger on a fantastic weather project, in
"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud..." We are treated to a wonderful
cross-cultural [Buddhist] folktale lesson by Professor Steve McCarty. Bring your
students to a frenzy of October reading with ideas from Audrey Ciuffo's offering
of "Books to Howl About!" ~Janet R. Young (AKA: Mrs. Young)
>>>Feel free to forward this to friends and colleagues, if copied in
its ENTIRETY.<<< ==== TEAM MEMBER UPDATE
==================================== ~ Congratulations to Bonnie Bracey on her
recent move to her new home. ==== WEB SITE REACTIONS
==================================== ~ Web Site Productivity Survey ~ Take a few
minutes to share your needs regarding this web site. AOL USERS PLEASE NOTE! Just
send a plain old-fashioned email to mailto:mrsy@jrydevelopment.com . Your forms
DO NOT get sent to me. When you fill out the form, all AOL send is a blank
email. Just start with the plain E-mail and give me a few sentences telling me
how to better meet your needs. Offer article topic ideas to our Education
Companion authors. Be heard! http://www.fortunecity.com/millenium/garston/49/survey.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "THE EDUCATION
COMPANION SURVEY!" THE RESULTS OF THE LAST POLL THE QUESTION WAS: Do you
feel that teachers and students benefit from teachers "getting the
scoop" on next term's students from their previous teachers? POLL RESULTS:
The votes were 50/50 of whether teacher should "get the scoop" on
incoming students! - - - [ED. NOTE] None of the pollsters who voted provided
comments to post. If you have an opinion you would like posted, indicate it at
the top your "Poll Vote" message. Make sure that you state 'how' you
want your comments signed. >>>END<<<
---------------------------- THE "October Poll!"
---------------------------- As school gets back into full swing, many
classrooms are staffed with two adults, a Teacher and an Educational Assistant.
This issue came to the forefront via a posting on another list to which I
replied. My reply in below in this newsletter. Do you feel it is necessary to
have an extra person in the classroom? What do you think? Here are two camps. 1:
Yes, I think it is money well spent to have two adults in the classroom. An
Educational Assistant can provide individualized assistance to students who need
extra help. An Assistant can perform clerical duties, which free up the teacher
to work more with the students. Having an extra pair of hands and eyes in a
classroom, offer the opportunity to better assess student performance and needs.
2: No, I think it is a waste of money to have an Educational Assistant in the
classroom. One salary is enough. If a teacher is truly qualified, then they
should not need another person in the room to help them. How do you feel about
this? Do you believe that it is desirable to have an Educational Assistant in
the classroom with a Teacher? Share your opinion now! I will post relevant list
member ideas on the next issue. I do prefer to share opposing views. However, in
order to do this, folks need to share their comments in addition to just voting
on the current poll. If you want your comments posted here follow this
procedure: -->Be sure to include a short signature tag to follow your
comments. This can include your name, location, organization/company and other
information you feel would make you accessible to others who may want to
exchange ideas with you personally. Do not put any information you want private
(like an email address or unlisted phone number!) I will not post any comments
that are abusive, contain expletives or are not of a "G" quality. We
all know what that means... I will also email you back to confirm that you want
your comment posted. To vote YES- I agree, it is valuable to have an Educational
Assistant in the classroom with the teacher, go here: E-mail: mrsy@jrydevelopment.com?subject=Oct_YES
To vote NO- I disagree, it is NOT valuable to have an Educational Assistant in
the classroom with the teacher, click here: E-mail: mrsy@jrydevelopment.com?subject=Oct_NO
The survey results will be posted in the next issue of The Education Companion!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ==== THE CONTENT
AREAS ================================== ~ Janet R. Young's: The Editor's View ~
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS- UNSUNG HEROES [The following is a copy of a reply I made
to an administrator list regarding a member post by a teacher who was vehemently
opposed to working with an assistant. This teacher felt that she had no time to
"train" someone to do their job, that her district's training for
assistants was ineffective, and that she can do the job herself "just
fine." For copyright and privacy concerns, I have not copied the person's
post, or listed the name. I welcome your views on it, which can be added to your
email on this month's "POLL."] [MY POST FOLLOWS...] I usually lurk on
this list, but I have to reply to Jennifer's post. I understand that Jennifer is
uncomfortable sharing her classroom with anyone with fewer credentials than a
"certified teacher." It can be difficult working with a partner, and a
negative experience, can be hard to put aside. Teaching the whole class, with
someone else in the room working individually with a child and talking too
loudly can be a distraction and frustration for the students and teacher.
However, as an early childhood teacher, I have to point out that one does not
need to be a "certified" teacher to provide highly valuable, effective
support and encouragement, not to mention indispensable educational
contribution. After all, someone invested a great deal of energy in his or her
classroom to train you, when you were interning as a student teacher! Working
with an Educational Assistant, like team teaching, requires a commitment by both
parties. You MUST conference together and establish both of your functions, and
how you can best both work together to accomplish those goals. There is no
"Mommy vs. Daddy," when both parties clearly establish the ground
rules. Whether you have a class of 35 or 15, there is nothing more valuable than
an extra pair of eyes and hands. Little ones need all the help and encouragement
they can get. Working with a partner must be a sensitive and highly focused
partnership. Everyone must be on the same page. If you are working with someone
who is new, and not trained the way "you want them to step in and be
trained," then exercise the sensitivity and organizational skills you use
to help your students, to guide your assistant along. Courtesy is a way of life.
The time and energy you put in during the first few weeks, building a
partnership, will reap benefits for the rest of the year for both your students
and you. If you are one of the fortunate ones, you will be able to work with
your "partner" for years to come, as I have. My Educational Assistant
is not a "certified" teacher. She has gone to school over the years
and earned an Associates Degree, among other certification. Her input and advice
for students, parents and myself, is a gift I always cherish. We may not agree
on everything, but we respect each other and tag-team in the classroom with the
ease that old partners develop over time. If you are experiencing personality
conflicts, you need to address the problem and move on. No one is perfect. We
all have our own little personality quirks. You may want to get the advice of a
more senior teacher or supervisor, on how you can better cope with your new
partner. A poor previous partnering relationship does not mean that every future
one will be as disappointing. If your district is supportive enough to fund
positions for school aides and educational assistants, rejoice. Revel in the
knowledge that you can team up with someone who has the same goals as you- to
help the children! We all started as newbies, regardless of our title. No one
comes out of college and steps into the classroom as "Perfect
Teacher." All of us struggled, made mistakes, and grew. We got help from
others along the way. Admittedly, there are times, when it is apparent that an
assistant or teacher made a poor career choice. That they are not cut out to
hold those positions. Then changes need to be made. This is, to my experience,
not the rule, but the exception. Since (Person X) does not have an assistant
right now, she can run things without having to share her energies with an
assistant. Just bear in mind, that working with anyone, a student, a parent,
Educational Assistant or Team Teacher, requires solid planning and commitment
from all parties for an effective end. The following links offer more on this
subject: Inclusion: The MESH Manual for Inclusive Schools: Teamwork http://www.newhorizons.org/spneeds_meshteam.html
The outline here is generic to all, not just the intended audience. This spells
out organization clearly. Conferencing forms and additional materials are free
to print! Collaboration, Team Work, and Mentoring http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/stw/sw5ment.htm
Paraeducator Support http://www.uvm.edu/~uapvt/parasupport/index.html Nature of
the Work http://www.claitors.com/ooh/ooh00506.htm I hope everyone has a healthy,
happy, successful year! Janet R. Young [END OF POST] If anyone has thoughts to
share on this, send it to: mailto:ed_asst_article@jrydevelopment.com Janet R.
Young Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational Voyage: http://www.fortunecity.com/millenium/garston/49/
P.S. 161 and The Crown School for Law & Journalism http://www.ps161.com The
Class 1-309 Home Page http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/suede/145/index.html
Member, International Webmasters Association http://iwanet.org Member, Webgrrls
[NYC] http://www.webgrrls.com/ny/ Member of WAOE [World Association for Online
Education] http://www.waoe.org/ http://www.jrydevelopment.com E-mail: jry@jrydevelopment.com
======================================= ~ Tammy Bailis' Senior School Musings ~
NEW SEASON - MATH WELCOME The academic year has begun -- and now that I am not
teaching in a school anymore, I rather miss meeting a group of new students for
the first time. Therefore, I have decided to greet you, my readers, with the
usual goings-on you would have witnessed had you been a new student in my math
course. Once they were all seated and quiet, I would ask my students: "How
many of you are completely convinced that math is difficult -- that you are not
smart enough to understand the material in this course?" I rarely had to
coax a response. Most of them thrust their hands up vigorously and grinned at me
sheepishly -- as if to say -- "She really knows where we're at!"
"That's not fair!" was my unanticipated response. "If you people
walk in here thinking that way, I haven't got half a chance of succeeding at my
mission to teach you math. Give me a break!" Invariably, they laughed. They
had never heard it put quite that way before. I then made them promise me that
they'd psyche themselves up to be smart whenever they were coming to math class.
"You won't believe how easy math can be if you just adjust your attitude to
"open" instead of "blocked". And one more thing. Open your
ears. Listen to the math words because they tell you all you need to know."
"Next question. Who believes that math is absolutely useless in everyday
life?" A few hands went up like a shot. These folks were thoroughly
convinced that math had nothing to do with reality. I'd look at them seriously
and ask "Do you shoot pool? Do you bowl? Do you buy stuff?" They'd
answer "Yes." "Well, you need math to do all those things."
Then I really got them interested. "Do you like music?" I'd ask.
"Of course," they'd say "but what does music have to do with
math?" "Music is the sound of math" I'd answer. And of course
they'd ask "HOW?" I would tell them a number of things. "What
does the maestro do when he wants the orchestra to start playing?" I'd ask.
After a second or so, someone would say, "he counts." "Well if he
counts, he's using math, isn't he? Another thing. You all know about Pythagoras
and his theorem and that he was a great mathematician. However, most of you
don't know that Pythagoras became a mathematician because he was a frustrated
musician. He was a composer of songs but his frustration arose from the fact
that he didn't have a language with which to express his music. He went to Egypt
to study math so he could write his music. He realized that math is the language
of music. Every note in a music score is a mathematical symbol for a frequency
and a time interval. Every rest represents a time interval too. One who can't
count or measure time, can't play music. When you look at a word, it means
something very specific to you just as when a musician looks at a musical
phrase." This impressed most of them. However, were still a few who were
skeptical, so I told them this story. I am not only a math teacher. Amongst many
other things, I'm also a singer/songwriter, record producer. The first time I
was working on a recording project without production help, we had a marvelous
time recording the 24 tracks of drums, vocals, guitar etc. Then, however, it was
time to mix all that sound down to 2-track stereo. I had no idea what
"mixing" meant. So we put the project on hold, I took home a cassette
of the music we'd recorded and went to work trying to learn how to
"mix". For 6 months, I listened to that tape from upstairs, from
downstairs, with the headphones on, with the headphones off -- but I didn't
figure out a thing. The "Eureka Moment" came on the second day of
Christmas vacation. I was listening to the tape and trying to visualize an event
that was similar to the mixing of the sound. That's when it came to me. I had to
graph my mix. I realized that I was trying to put symmetry to the sound.
Symmetry means a graph to me -- so I got a pad of graph paper, graphed my mix,
called my recording engineer and told him to book some studio time, we were
going to mix. In the studio, I handed the graph to my engineer and said
"Mix it like this." He did. I heard in my ears exactly what I had
heard in my mind when making the graph. Therefore, math can make you a better
record producer as well as a better bowler, shopper or pool shark. Have a good
time in math class. If you run into trouble, there's a news group named
alt.algebra.help where you can usually get good explanations and assistance. I'm
presently working with a team of people to set up a math tutoring service online
and have just completed Mathways Volume 1, a workbook on pre-calculus math,
which will be available online, hopefully by next January. For now, it's in book
form but that's about to change. ~ Tammy Bailis, Montréal, Québec BA (McGill
U.) Masters in Teaching Mathematics (Concordia U.) Author: - Mathways, Volume 1:
covering pre-calculus Algebra, Euclidean Geometry and Analytic Geometry. -
Sinostrology: A Guide to the Zoo (published 1998 by The American Federation of
Astrologers); (French version published 1990 by les Editions de Mortagne)
E-mail: piglet@vif.com ======================================= ~ Including the
Physically Handicapped with Sheila Estes ~ THE JOY OF MUSIC It is hard to
realize that it is time for the first grade cards to be issued. As the parent of
a high school Senior, the time seems to be flying. Nate is doing well this year
with his classes and has some very companionable aides. He has joined a couple
of clubs and is an office assistant. Despite his limited physical abilities, he
is able to deliver messages to the classrooms, sort mail and stuff envelopes. He
enjoys the camaraderie with the staff and other assistants. He continues in band
with a very understanding teacher. Being a part of band, art or choir is just as
important to the physically challenged student as to any other. Perhaps more so
because of the inability to play sports. Nate began by playing a B flat
clarinet. We used a neck strap to aide in holding the instrument. As his muscle
strength deteriorated, the school loaned him an E flat clarinet which is shorter
and less heavy. He could rest it on the edge of his wheelchair seat for better
control. Although the E flat clarinet is seldom used in this area he could play
the same music as was written for the alto sax. When the fingering became too
difficult he switched to percussion. As there are many instruments in that
section he was allowed to play a variety. A favorite of his was the high hat
cymbal. We purchased a small electronic drum set which can set on a small table
and produce a variety of sounds. For performances, the teacher hooks it into an
amplifier and Nate remains a contributing member of the band. This experience
has allowed him to feel he belongs to a student group working together to
produce a beautiful creation. The first several weeks of school in the fall is
the marching season for band. During his first year of band, Nate would play the
clarinet while someone would push him in his manual chair. After that he was in
a power chair and couldn't play and drive at the same time. He was excused
during the marching season and rejoins the group when their competitions are
over. Some bands have a "pit" area for students unable to march.
During contests they play in a designated side area near the performing
marchers. When the concert band goes to contest the school arranges for the
handicapped needs bus to go, so Nate can attend. Occasionally his father or I
would drive him in our van or ride the bus to assist with any of his needs.
Participating in competitions, performing with a group and learning to create
music or art is a valuable growth experience that needs to be extended to those
with limited abilities. With a little creativity, these students can be
worthwhile additions to the group. Sheila Estes, Greentown, Indiana USA Writer
and Guest Inspirational Speaker. Mother, caregiver and personal slave to son
with Muscular Dystrophy Creator and author of Mr. Leviticus, the Library Kitten.
E-mail: sher51es@netusa1.net ======================================= ~ Dr.
Robert Kizlik's Teacher Education 101 ~ TEACHER EDUCATION STANDARDS Everyone who
knows anything about education eventually comes to the realization that
competent, motivated teachers are an indispensable component of the total
process. Competence is gained in a myriad of ways, but motivation comes from
something deeper and more personal. In my career, I have seen every combination
of these two attributes. The worst, of course, are incompetent, unmotivated
teachers. They are the poison pills that taint and besmirch the profession. How
such persons became teachers in the first place is problematical, but it is a
safe bet that many who become a part of that two million new teacher cohort in
the next ten years will be incompetent and unmotivated. Ah, but we have
standards, you say. Nowadays there are seemingly standards for everything,
including teacher education. At least two major organizations both share and
compete for recognition. One is the National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education (NCATE) and the other is the Association of Teacher Educators
(ATE). Both proffer standards for how teachers should be educated. I think the
readers of this would benefit by visiting the web site of the ATE and looking at
the standards they propose. After reading them, ask yourself whether a
competent, motivated individual would want to "experience" all that
for a beginning salary that is often times less than the beginning salary of a
municipal sanitation worker. No offense is intended about the relative merits of
teachers and sanitation workers, as our society needs both. The ATE site is at:
http://www.siu.edu/departments/coe/ate/atestand.html ~ Dr. Robert Kizlik, Boca
Raton, Florida, USA Associate Professor, Florida Atlantic University Social
studies, curriculum, educational technology, thinking skills Member, Phi Delta
Kappa, ASCD. Editorial Board, International Journal of Instructional Media
Publications include articles on dropout prevention, thinking skills, writing
objectives, teacher education and the popular culture, curriculum innovation,
and using standardized test scores to predict academic success. My web site is
ADPRIMA: Serious educational tools and information. URL: http://www.adprima.com
E mail: bobk@adprima.com ====================================== ~ Life is One
Big Classroom with Joan Berger ~ I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD......" Have
you ever just sat and contemplated a cloud? What images they can conjure up! The
possibilities of curriculum involvement with clouds is monumental, and best of
all, I have got one great science activity where your students will be assisting
NASA in keeping their satellite data on track, the CERES S'COOL Project. This
project can be used on any level with additional teacher involvements for lower
levels. You can balance what the students handle and what you handle to make it
work for you. There are currently three satellites orbiting the Earth, gathering
data to help analyze climate and the impact clouds have on the changing climate
and weather patterns: TRMM, NOAA 14, and NOAA 15. Ground observations are needed
to help determine if the readings of the satellites are on target. In the S'COOL
project students coordinate their observations within 5 minutes (or at most 15
minutes) of the satellite's overpass. Their observations are used to validate
what the satellite is seeing and is an integral part of the research being done
by the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) team at NASA, Langley
Research Center, located in Hampton, VA. (The information to register for this
free project and materials is in the info that follows.) The observations
include determining cloud type by comparing what they see with charts, (which
the project will mail to you or you can use other sources)and percentage of
cloud cover. They also need information on ground conditions: clear, dry, wet,
snow covered, etc. The overpass time is determined by the latitude/longitude
coordinates. This is put into your database and is automatically taken into
account when you request a schedule of passovers. To begin the project, give
your students a background about the various aspects of weather predicting and
what the elements are that make up the weather. You will need to teach them
about temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity vs. relative humidity, and
cloud formation. Talk about how clouds form when they exhale outside in cold
weather, or create condensation on a cold pane of glass with their breath.
Demonstrate how to create a cloud using a cloud chamber. Then, using the chart
the CERES project will send you, learn to identify clouds by their shapes and
altitude. For relative humidity, make simple sling psychrometers (how-to info
comes in material sent by project) from small thermometers. Teach how to read
the temperature of the dry and wet bulbs. Then, using the chart sent in the
materials, determine the relative humidity. You can always take whatever
readings you need directly from the local weather station or Internet weather
site that you frequent if this is too cumbersome or time-consuming for you.
Next, look over the observation report form, which is on the website. To
determine when you will observe go directly to S'COOL homepage and select
"When to Observe" and then select "overpass calculator." It
will ask for your login which is your last name, (all lower case) and your
password which is your first name, (all lower case). Then select TRMM satellite.
If TRMM schedule does not give you a convenient schedule for your school that
particular month, you can select NOAA 14 or 15 satellite. Select the correct
time zone and submit.You should receive a schedule within 24 hours. If you don't
have access to the Internet let the project coordinator know and she will
request a schedule for you and have it emailed to you. Make observations.
Instruct your students about Universal time as you must report your data in that
time. An explanation of how to determine that is given on the website. You can
send your observation results by web, email, fax, phone or postal mail, so there
is no excuse for not getting in your data. :-) The project has established a
database of all data inputted, and you can use that data for some application
lessons found on the website. At the moment there are lessons on beginning
statistics, graphing and mapping. You don't want to miss this wonderful project.
To register, go to: http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/ Your contact will be:
carolyn.j.green@larc.nasa.gov I'm sure you can think of dozens of curriculum
tie-ins, but just in case: Literature & Language: The poetry about clouds is
endless...Read from one of the dozens of collections of poetry that include some
"cloud" poems. Remember, "I wandered lonely as a cloud that
floats on high....etc.?" Have students create their own clouds out of
cotton balls. Then write a poem, perhaps a cinquain or diamante about them.
Elicit word lists of words that have the "ou" sequence in them.
Geography: discuss the occurrence of rainfall when clouds rise up over
mountains, cool, precipitation occurs, leaving areas beyond mountains as
deserts. I'll leave the rest of the cloud research to you! I bet you clever
people can even tie Halloween into clouds if you put your minds to it! (We
teachers are really good at that stuff! :-) I'd love some input from our readers
on how your science activities have been progressing, based on the info you have
used from these columns. See your experience in print! Become a part of Internet
recorded history. :-) Until next time... Joan Berger Internet Educational
Consultant jberger5@concentric.net jberger@li.net http://www.concentric.net/~jberger5
http://www.li.net/~jberger ====================================== ~ Audrey's
Library Connection ~ BOOKS TO HOWL ABOUT Trick or Treat! It's October. The
time when all children start to think about what they will be for Halloween and
all the treats they will be collecting. It's also a good time for librarians to
highlight books from that holiday that will capture their interest. I display
books about Halloween from different genres to help children have variety in
their holiday book choices. For the youngest students, I would recommend Best
Halloween Book--ABC Adventures by Pat Whitehead, Troll Books 1985. While
capitalizing on children's love of Halloween, they can reinforce their alphabet
skills. Other books in the picture book/easy to read category that I use are:
Dinosaurs' Halloween by Liza Donnelly, Scholastic 1987, Scary, Scary Halloween
by Eve Bunting, Clarion Books 1976, Five Funny Frights by Judith Bauer Stamper,
Scholastic Hello Reader 1993, The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey, Blue Sky Press
1995. Young children who have ever been made fun of, could certainly identify
with the last mentioned book. The title character shows himself to be brave and
turns around the feelings of his peers from derision to admiration. At the same
time, the book is illustrated so attractively by the author, that it is a book
to be read again and again. Halloween is a good time for children to make crafts
and decorations. A popular book in that genre is Crafts For Halloween by Kathy
Ross, Millbrook Press 1994. Another favorite is The Scary Halloween Costume Book
by Carol Barkin and Elizabeth James, Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard Books 1983.
Children get a chance to use their skills of following directions and creating a
project. They can explain how they created the project, thereby helping to
enhance oral communication skills. The class, while listening, can increase
their listening comprehension skills. Children can learn factual information
about Halloween by reading Halloween by D.J. Herda, Franklin Watts Press 1983
and How We Celebrate Halloween by Bobbie Kalman, Crabtree 1985. Poetry can be
used to enjoy this holiday also. I like Who Said Boo? by Nancy White Carlstrom,
Simon and Schuster 1995. This delightful book of Halloween poetry is a real
crowd pleaser designed to put smiles on the faces of even the most cynical
audiences. Another laugh getter is The Wacky Book of Witches by Annie
Civardi,Scholastic 1991. This poem in rhyme, amusingly illustrated, is one I
always choose to read aloud to many classes. For those that like to visit the
fairytale/folktale stacks, I recommend Diane Goode's Book of Scary Stories and
Songs, Dutton Children's Books 1994. There is something in that collection for
everyone. In the fiction section, I like The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury,
Knopf 1972. When I see my classes at the time, I shut off the lights, except for
my lighted pumpkin. Then, I proceed to read one of the stories, folktales, or
poems from the above mentioned books for our fright fest." We all have a
frightfully good time!!! ~ Audrey Ciuffo, New York, New York USA
Teacher, Mentor, Library Technologist http://www.ps161.com/libpower.html
E-mail: aciuffo@ps161.com ====================================== ~ Technically
Speaking with Kathleen A. Catapano ~ CHANGING THE WAY WE TEACH... Recently a
colleague and I were discussing critical issues in education and she said to me,
"I know computers are fun, but we really have more important things to do
in education." Again, I was reminded that educators must experience the
process of learning with technology in order to realize the tremendous potential
that it holds for revolutionizing how we teach and learn. Current research in
effective teaching focuses on active learning of skills and knowledge,
reflective development of ideas, and use of critical thinking skills. The
computer can be the catalyst in creating this kind of learning environment. Use
of the computer for teaching changes the atmosphere and organization of the
classroom. Having students using the computer moves them into an active learning
mode. Students must process the broad spectrum of information available through
technology and incorporate relevant ideas into their own. The computer uniquely
provides us with a vast amount of information as well as the tools to organize
and use it. How one analyzes and organizes the information is the essence of
critical thinking. Computers will not do this alone. Good teaching will always
require good teachers to foster and guide the learning process. The computer
can, however, create the environment in which this process takes place. ~
Kathleen A. Catapano, Brooklyn, New York USA Educational Technology, Medgar
Evers College - CUNY E-mail: catapano@mec.cuny.edu
======================================= ~ Steve McCarty's East-West Perspectives
from Japan ~ "THE WOMAN DIVER": DISCOVERING EAST ASIAN VALUES IN A
BUDDHIST FOLKTALE One of the oldest professions is that of the diver for pearls
or humbler offerings of the sea. Akiko Takemoto and I have translated a
heart-rending story from various Japanese versions, as a prehistoric legend
moved from oral to written traditions over millenia. To help readers ponder its
significance, brief discussion points for college or secondary school classes
follow the story. 'The Woman Diver' About 1,300 years ago, a very handsome young
man sailed over from Nara to the small seaside village of Shido. Nobody knew who
he was or what he was there for. However, the young man fell in love with a
lovely girl in the village. She was a humble seaweed diver like many others in
that area. Soon they married and had a pretty baby boy, whom they named Fusazaki
after a place name in the vicinity. They should have been as happy as anyone,
but the husband was often seen brooding over something, to the great
apprehension of his loving wife. One day she said to him, "Please tell me,
my darling, what makes you so sad?" "Nothing, my love."
"Nothing? Oh my darling, I do see you have something on your mind. Please
tell me what it is if you really love me," said the wife with tears in her
eyes. Then the husband told her the following story, revealing his noble origins
and what had brought him to this hamlet so far from his home in the Capital. The
young man was Tankai [Fuhito]; son of the late Fujiwara Kamatari, a most
distinguished aristocratic statesman of the central government. Tankai's younger
sister, who was married to the Emperor of the T'ang Dynasty in China, had sent
forth three very precious things as her offerings to the Fujiwara family on the
occasion of a grand memorial service for the deceased patriarch Kamatari. One of
the gifts was a magic drum which, once beaten, never ceased emitting a most
exquisite sound until it was covered with nine layers of silken robes. Another
was a unique inkstone, which if rubbed with an inkstick, could produce the
finest ink without applying a drop of water to the stone. The last was a crystal
ball enshrining an image of the Buddha who never failed to face you at whichever
angle you looked into the ball. These three things of rarity were meant to
gratify the departed soul. But while the ship was sailing through the Inland Sea
off the coast of Shido, a Dragon King got wind of the treasures and wanted them.
He at once sent out a tremendous thunderstorm as well as legions of dragons
against the small vessel. The men fought bravely, but to avoid losing everything
they were forced to give up the Ball of Buddha to appease the dragons. The
memorial service for his father was a magnificent one; the two offerings from
his sister the Empress of China were immensely admired. But Tankai could not
forget the last one - it was the treasure of treasures. Thus he sailed over to
Shikoku and came upon the coast closest to the sea-battle, but he could find no
way to retrieve the crystal ball from the dragons. The nobleman heaved a deep
sigh when he finished his long story. But the woman said, "I am a diver. I
could bring it back to you, my lord." "Oh, could you?... But what
if?..." "Let me try my best if it may please you. But..." Turning
her tearful eyes to her baby son, she added, "If I could bring it back to
you, then could you make this son of ours, Fusazaki, your heir?" Tankai
consented without hesitation, assuring her that the boy would have a brilliant
future as his heir. The next day they sailed out into the sea. The woman put a
long lifeline around her waist and said, "Hold the end of this line, will
you? Haul me up when I pull on it. That means I've got it." Her husband
nodded, gripping the end of the line. Then, with a knife in her hand, she
quietly disappeared into the depths. Down, down she went, through the cold
darkness of the deep. It seemed fathomless. But the love of a devoted mother and
wife had made the little woman fearless. On and on she went until she found
herself in front of a towering palace ferociously guarded by eight dragons and
swarms of crocodiles. For a moment, she hesitated, but praying once more for the
help of Kannon, she burst into the palace brandishing her knife, dashed to the
ball, snatched it and ran, closely pursued by the infuriated sea-monsters. As
they caught up with her at the gate of the palace, she quickly cut herself below
the breast, inserted the crystal ball and fell down as if dead. Abhorring blood
and death, the dragons fell back, while the woman pulled on the lifeline held by
her husband above. The man hauled and hauled until he had hauled up his wife.
But to his horror, she was dying, terribly wounded and empty-handed. He held her
in his arms, only to hear her last gasp: "...my breast." There in her
breast the husband did find the Ball of Buddha for which he had come to these
shores. He left for the Capital with the crystal ball and his son Fusazaki, to
fulfil his filial duty and his promise to the poor woman diver. *****
Discussion: What East Asian values are portrayed in this story that are more
important than survival? What value conflicts are involved, and ultimately why
does the woman diver willingly sacrifice her life? Which values are East Asian,
and which may be universal? Your conclusions are welcome, by e-mail to
. Consider consulting with students or teachers who are Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, Vietnamese and so forth. For an interpretation of the historical
significance of the story, see the following English-Japanese journal article
online: "Legend of the Woman Diver" (March 1998) http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/ejdiver.html
Or select it from the menu of online publications at the Bilingualism and
Japanology Intersection: http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/epublist.html (an
Asian Studies WWW Virtual Library 4-star site). Mirror Site: http://www.geocities.co.jp/CollegeLife-Labo/4001/epublist.html
Steve McCarty Professor, Kagawa Junior College, Japan President, World
Association for Online Education: http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/WAOE-founding.html
Home Page: http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/presence.html
======================================= Mrs. Young's "New Pages/Links
On..." [This list is reprinted from the October Addendum] ~ CHRISTOPHER
COLUMBUS ~ http://members.aol.com/Donnpages/USHolidays.html#COLUMBUS A
Christopher Columbus Timeline http://www1.minn.net/~keithp/cctl.htm Editor's
Choice: Christopher Columbus http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/educate/columbus.htm
You'll find a whole page of links to web sites on Christopher Columbus. A very
timely resource. Columbus Day worksheets (in the social studies section) http://www.schoolexpress.com/
Columbus http://deil.lang.uiuc.edu/web.pages/holidays/Columbus.html Go West with
Columbus - N,S,E,W game to print out http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6459/actpag10.html
The Columbus Navigation Homepage http://www1.minn.net/~keithp/ Christopher's
Crossing http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec670/Cardboard/Board/C/Columbus.html
Columbus Day (Native American Perspective) Mini-UNIT http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/TLresources/longterm/Byrnes/columbus.html
The Indians Discovery of Columbus UNIT http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/guides/1992/2/92.02.01.x.html
CORE KNOWLEDGE Christopher Columbus UNIT: Special Ed (4 weeks) http://www.coreknowledge.org/CKproto2/resrcs/lessons/SPSECOLUMB.htm
Columbus Day; A Famous Explorer http://www.educast.com/arc/lp/soc/9710134o.html
Indigenous Persons Day (lesson plan and activity sheet) [grades 7-12] http://www.educast.com/arc/lp/soc/9710137o.html~
Columbus Myth Busters http://marauder.millersv.edu/~columbus/data/art/LAUFER02.ART
~ UNITED NATIONS ~ The United Nations Home Page This is the official Web Site of
the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Here you will find daily UN News,
UN Documents and Publications, UN Overview information, UN Conference
information, Photos, and other UN information resources. WORLD FEDERATION OF
UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATIONS http://www.wfuna-art.com/ Founded in 1946 as a
people's movement for the United Nations, the World Federation of United Nations
Associations (WFUNA)is the only international, non-governmental organization
devoted entirely to the support of the purposes and principles of the United
Nations Charter. While convinced that fostering genuine peace, security and
justice throughout the world depended on a strong United Nations, WFUNA's
founders realized that this strength could only develop with the support of
informed public opinion in the member states. SEMINAR ON THE UNITED NATIONS AND
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~sunia/ A program for all high
school (ages 15-18) Students... UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM http://www.unsystem.org/index.html
Official Web Site Locator for the UN System including UN Headquarters, UN
programs, specialized agencies, autonomous organizations and the inter-agency
coordination bodies. UNDCP - United Nations and Other International
Organizations http://www.undcp.org/unlinks.html Links to relevant UN
organizations American Model United Nations http://www.amun.org/ International
collegiate UN simulation held annually in Chicago. With information on past and
upcoming conferences. Booker T. Washington Model U.N http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/9310/index.html
High school UN simulation plus research links for world issues. Harvard Model
United Nations http://hcs.harvard.edu/~hnmun/ National collegiate model United
Nations program. Provides details for applying for the next annual session. MUN
Resource http://members.aol.com/mrremm/private/mun.html Information and
resources available for Model United Nations delegates. Find position paper
guidelines, topic information, and the MUN handbook. Model UN Mailing List
http://muhu.cs.helsinki.fi/mailing_lists/edu-texts/msg37.html Explanation of how
to subscribe to a model United Nations mailing list maintained by the University
of Chicago. Rider Univ. Model United Nations http://www.rider.edu/users/phanc/model_un/index.htm
History of the Model UN program at Rider from 1968 to date. Teams and Alumni
directories, with news updates provided by alumni. University of Pennsylvania
Model UN http://www.upmunc.org/ Information about participation in a major model
UN conference held each year. Includes links to other conferences. THE UNITED
NATIONS CYBER_SCHOOL_BUS [Outstanding!} http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/
The United Nations CyberSchoolBus brings global information and global expertise
straight to your school and classroom. Project-packed, fun-filled, loaded with
lessons and interactive activities, the CyberSchoolBus offers teachers and
students an educational site with a global perspective. Key subjects: Global
Studies, Geography, Social Studies, Environmental Studies, History, Government,
Civics, Language Arts. PREAMBLE TO THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS http://historyplace.com/specials/calendar/docs-pix/june-un-charter.htm
USICEF - USA http://www.unicefusa.org/ The United States Committee for UNICEF
works in more than 160 countries and territories providing health care, clean
water, improved nutrition, and education to millions of children in Africa,
Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. CHARTER OF
THE UNITED NATIONS http://www.un.org/Overview/Charter/contents.html UNDP - The
United Nations - What it is and What it does http://www.undp.org/un/un_what.html
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS WEBSITE http://www.unhchr.ch/hrostr.htm This chart,
which is not exhaustive, is intended to describe the functioning of the United
Nations system in the field of human rights. Emphasis is given to those bodies
and programs with major human rights responsibilities. ~ HALLOWEEN ~ Haunted
Carnival Shock Wave Games http://www.adveract.com/games/haunt/haunt.htm Really
Ghoulie! Great fun... Ben & Jerries Haunted Ice Scream Pages http://www.benjerry.com/halloween/index.html
More fun! The Story of Echo the Bat http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/intro/story.html
This is a great interactive story of Echo the bat. You will help Echo find his
way back home after being lost in a storm. You will love this delightful
interactive web site from NASA. Frankenstein http://www.georgetown.edu/irvinemj/english016/franken.html
Go here for the complete text of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein."
Information and stills from various Frankenstein movies are also available here.
The National Library of Medicine has an exhibition on Frankenstein Frankenstein
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/frankenstein/frankhome.html This is a site which
"looks at the world from which Mary Shelley came, at how popular culture
has embraced the Frankenstein story, and at how Shelley's creation continues to
illuminate the blurred, uncertain boundaries of what we consider 'acceptable'
science." Halloween HQ http://www.netfix.com/poptart/hallo.htm Visit this
site to read about the history of Halloween and practical safety tips for
tricksters and treaters. The really scary part of this site is the bad Halloween
jokes. Here's a sample: "Why does the Mummy keep his Band Aids in the
refrigerator? He wants to use them later for cold cuts!" Happy Halloween
http://www.holidays.net/halloween Find more information about the history and
traditions of Halloween at this site. You can also read about Los Dias de los
Muertos (I like the dancing skeleton graphics) and download holiday music.
ParentsPlace.com Halloween http://www.parentsplace.com This site offers trick or
treating safety tips, costume ideas, recipes, party games, and ideas for crafts.
Click on "Halloween" and take Halloween History 101. DEM BONES Scroll
down and you can hear and tape the song!!! http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/apollo/176/jukebox.htm
Cool interactive bone lesson. http://www.cs.brown.edu/people/oa/Bin/science.html
The Realm of Spooky Tales http://www.bconnex.net/~mbuchana/realms/page8/index.html
From Ghoulies and Ghosties, And long-leggity Beasties, And all Things that go
bump in the Night, Good Lord deliver us. Stories to read aloud. Welford and
Wickham School Scary Halloween Room http://www.wickham.newbury.sch.uk/haloween/haloween.html
This is a nice example of a teacher who used the Halloween theme to spur her
class on to create a cool Halloween site. PUMPKINS http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/9673/pumpkins.htm
Tons of curriculum ideas with pumpkins. GENERAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS Greg's
Place http://homepages.infoseek.com/~c0ffee1/SuperSitesIII.html This is a great
listing of some extensive sites for teachers, with comments on each. ==== CALL
FOR IDEAS =================== Do you have tips or opinions on current
theories/methodologies to share? Do you have a great site you think I should add
to Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational Voyage? Submit it! E-mail:
mrsysuggestions@jrydevelopment.com =======================================
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======================================= The contents of the newsletter do not
necessarily reflect the opinions of Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational
Voyage, Janet Young, or her company, JRY Development Corp. Mrs. Young's Super
Charged Educational Voyage, Janet Young, or her company, JRY Development Corp.
make no warranties, either expressed or implied, about the truth or accuracy of
the contents of the Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational Voyage Web Site and
The Education Companion Newsletter. -----------------------------------------
These pages are copyrighted ©1999 under JRY Development Corp., AS WELL AS each
author's name. ----------------------------------------- ~~ End of Mrs. Young's
Super Charged Educational Voyage "Education Companion Newsletter" ~~ |
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