BlogHer - teaching - Comments

Thanks for the encouragement!

fionacrosbie — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:59:33 -0500

Hello Gena,

You can't imagine how excited I was to find your posting. This is a red letter day for me, the first comment on my first post in my first blog! Thank you for your kind comments and I'm delighted that you liked the website. If you think the 'front end' is cool, you wouldn't believe the teaching area that sits behind it. It's our baby and we're really, really proud of it.

We had some great news today. Our partners, the University of Hertfordshire (just outside London in the UK), who validate our Degree courses, have given us the go ahead to develop the final year of our Design Degrees for online delivery. This means that people can study for a UK Design Degree from anywhere in the world. We've also been approved to develop a Digital Media Degree, which was the subject next on our list. This means a lot of hard work to come, but we're used to that and we are extremely excited about it. Keep checking the website from time to time and you will see what's happening.

PS. Thanks for the tips about bugaboos (that's a new word for me) Also, seeing your lovely picture has encouraged me to upload mine, so fingers crossed, here goes....

More Education In All Forms Please

Gena Haskett — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 06:38:27 -0500

I think it is great that your company is providing online educational access to creative topics like design. I went to your site and it looks very cool.

Keep posting and be on the look out for the bugaboos. Yank them out when you can before you hit send. I speak from way too much experience.

Gena - Out On The Stoop

Blogging and spelling....

fionacrosbie — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 04:45:27 -0500

I've just re-read my posting of late last night and identified a number of spelling errors. Affer instead of after can be put down to a typo, but it's particularly embarrassing that I can't spell embarassing.

Humanities Stimulate Mind and Spirit

mochadad — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:50:40 -0600

The humanities are important because they provide a well-rounded education. Education should not only stimulate your mind, but also your heart and spirit. That's what the humanities do. I think that I am a better person because of my humanities education. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Mocha Dad

www.mochadad.com

Teaching

KLinnea — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:01:58 -0600

I quite agree. One needs years of practise to teach effectively. Method seminars are very important. There are many well qualified people who have no idea about how to communicate what they know.

http://madhattersapprentice.blogspot.com/

Excellent ideas for educators

Virginia DeBolt — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:19:37 -0600

I'm about to Stumble this great article.

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer Technology Contributing Editor
Web Teacher
First 50 Words

I work in a middle school as

conversemomma — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:59:50 -0600

I work in a middle school as a reading teacher. I am fortunate that my district is cutting edge in regards to educational technology. We currently have a one-to-one computer initiative that gives each student grades 4-12 a take home laptop. Most teachers at these levels are afraid of the social networking. They are slow to see the educational value in it. However, my district realizes that it is our responsibility to harness these networks to let students explore the global community. The internet is changing the way we think, read, write, and experience our world and the world of others. We as educators have to tap into that. So, I have recently created a classroom blog. We are going to launch in next week. I'm excited for students to see the power of self-publishing. I'm excited for them to learn about diverse opinions and beliefs. I'm hoping we can tap into what we as women bloggers understand, that we can be the creators of our own story, and that our stories are worth sharing. Not sure how it will go, but looking forward to learning alongside my students.

Conversemomma

http://www.ordinaryartblog.com

But without coverage...

Backpacking Dad — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:00:29 -0600

...I wouldn't know....

....hang on...I'll think of something....

You know, I can't really remember anything I learned in coverage-style classes.

But ask me about the evolution of the image of the witch in popular culture during the medieval and early modern periods and I can go on and on and on.

http://backpackingdad.blogspot.com

Wonderful Post, Leslie

debra roby — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:51:45 -0600

Wonderful post. I felt myself thinking: been there, done that from both sides of the desk.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Michelle Rhee

Leslie Madsen Brooks — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:59:32 -0600

For more on Michelle Rhee, check out my blog post from this past August.

I haven't yet read the Time article, but I imagine it provides even more concrete examples of rewarding teachers for good work. I'm looking forward to reading it--thanks for the tip.

Best,

Leslie

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Research and Academia
My blogs: The Clutter Museum, Museum Blogging, and The Multicultural Toybox

See related article in Time Magazine

gringainteguz — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:11:12 -0600

I read the aritlce by Gladwell with keen interest this week. Yesterday I picked up a copy of Time Magazine from December 8. The cover story is about Michelle Rhee, and her crusade as superintendent to reduce the number of incompetent teachers in the Washington, DC district. As a former US educator, I vividly recall the wide range of capabilities of my peers. Tenure created an environment that fostered mediocrity as well as downright ineptitude. I agree with almost of the points made by Mr. Gladwell in his article.

Laurie, a gringa in Honduras,

laurieishere.blogspot.com

"Withitness" isn't intuitive

Kim Pearson — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 11:56:43 -0600

Gladwell is precocious, but sometimes he strikes me as the embodiment of Pope's warning that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." What he calls "withitness" is what Du Bois called "sympathetic touch" -- the belief that each child can learn, the ability to establish a rapport with your students, and the understanding of the practical steps needed to get each student to the desired learning outcomes.

The first problem that colleges of education have is that they were set up to serve a public education system that was created for an economy and culture that no longer exists. An additional problem is that most new teachers come from backgrounds that are very different from those of the children they are teaching, and they are often at a loss for how to relate to them. There are lots of people working on those problems, and only some of them are in Colleges of Education.

Still, my colleagues who are specialists in this area tell me that the ERIC database is full of research that explains what works in public education:

1. Small classes

2. Culturally responsive pedagogy

3. Subject mastery

4. Ongoing professional development and mentoring for teachers

5. Effective strategies for supporting parent and community involvement

It would be wonderful to see Gladwell use his status to encourage more conversation about these research-based solutions.

KimBlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Thanks

mashadutoit — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:58:24 -0600

This is excellent, and the links you provide very interesting. At a gut level, the idea of a "four month intensive training camp" is pretty scary. Sounds like a indoctrination sausage machine to me. And I agree with the people who point out that the team aspect of teaching is essential.

Teach-orex

rebellious thinker — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:53:16 -0500

In school, I could have the instructions on the board, on the handout, and say it numerous times, but they often don't remember what I say--because they're not listening. I think that the human ear is highly attuned to the tone of all sounds that have a hint of a demand, a request, or an instruction. It seems to be a survival technique for them, which, of course, causes the exact opposite reaction in us. Someday, someday when that child tells her child to stop bunching up the towels you will realize that she was listening to you. But by then you may be immune to her, since she might be telling you to remember to take your pills.

Laura, www.rebelliousthoughtsofawoman.com

I agree...

mara — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:54:48 -0500

I agree. I think children grow up way to fast in this day and time. You are on the right path and your son will be better for it.

Mara http://24stepstogo.blogspot.com/