The Education Carnival: Edition 107

Welcome to the 107th Carnival of Education! There are over 50 exhibits for your viewing pleasure here at the carnival. I’m honored to be able to host for a second time here at History Is Elementary.

There is something here for everyone and more. I’ve tried to organize submissions by topic as best I could in no particular order. Unless clearly labeled otherwise, all entries were submitted by the writer’s themselves.

If you have a website and are interested in hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let The Edwonk know via this email address: edwonk [at] educationwonks [dot] org.

Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word about last week's midway over at The Education Wonks. As always, links to the midway are much appreciated while trackbacks are adored. Visit the Carnival's archives here.

Next Week's Carnival midway will be hosted by Dr. Homeslice. Writers are invited to send contributions to: drhomeslice [at] hotmail [dot] com, or use this handy submission form. Submissions should be received there no later than 9:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 PM (Pacific) Tuesday, February 27 , 2007. Please include the title of your post, and its URL, if possible. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the midway should open next Wednesday morning.

Let the free exchange of thoughts and ideas begin!

I’m taking some liberties here by linking first to my Wordless Wednesday image. Each week I post an image from history and invite others to guess what it might be or what it might be about. It’s proven to be a great way to educate others about the interesting little nooks and crannies of history. Click on over and give this week's image a whirl.. I usually publish an explanation post by Friday.

Teacher Certification, Qualifications, and Professional Development

Dr. Homeslice has been busy reading through the 200 page Aspen Report, and wants to let us know that HQET Is a Four-Letterword.

Ryan says, “Part of what is implied with state certification is that it screens out individuals with a criminal record. If districts are going to be saddled with the expense and work of conducting background checks on applicants, then go the rest of the way and let them decide who is qualified from an academic standpoint. It seems to me that, in Arizona at least, the certification process isn't what it's cracked up to be.” Check out Ryan’s Edspresso post titled Arizona Issues Teaching Certificate to Admitted Killer. The former teacher mentioned in the article has responded to Ryan’s post in the comments.

Ms. Q from Teaching in the Twenty-First Century needs your input. Visit her Question of the Week: What would Your Ideal Professional Development Situation Look/Sound/Feel Like?

Politics...That Presidential Election Is Closer Than You Think

Margaret, our Poor, Starving College Student is already gathering data regarding The Education Policy of 2008 Candidates through their websites, events, and media. Good job, Margaret! Keep us informed.

Literature for Students and Adults

The Tourmarm provides a wonderful post called Poetry for School and Soul where she questions, “Are there any curriculum requirements for poetry and memorization anymore? Where’s the poetry in their lives?!!” [referring to students] The Tourmarm remembers her own poetry filled youth and shares how she introduces many of her tours with poetry. This is a new spot in the edusphere and is a must read for us education minded folks.

Yes, Tourmarm, there are some of us who still use great literature and poetry with students. Terrell from Alone on a Limb shares A Poem to Start the Week: Just My Size!

I have a feeling this is going to catch on like wildfire. Dana from Huffenglish asks Could This Be a Meme?

Do our lives provide content for our books? Or is it really the other way around? Click through to the post Booking, a very thought provoking examination from the Autumn Rain at The Autumn Rain.

Is Scrotum a Dirty Word? Ok, now that I have your attention head on over and visit Greg at Rhymes With Right. He provides some commentary on the furor over the Newberry Award winning book, The Higher Power of Lucky, which uses the word on the first page of a book intended for ages 9-12. Should school libraries stock the book? Go weigh in with your opinion.

Parental Involvement

Richard over at Shadowscope provides a parent view regarding our public schools. It’s honest, it’s frank, and I know that many of us on the frontlines feel his pain. Visit Richard at Public School.

Matt over at Going to the Mat gives us a view of what can happen when we have Parental Involvement In VA Schools.

Does a Flower Turn to the Sun? No, this isn’t a science post. Here’s a partial quote, “…parents don’t really have the knowledge to make decisions about the quality of schools.” See how Casey of What Would You Say If You Weren't Afraid? responds to that kind of idea.

Those Lovable Men and Women Involved in Education…Who Are Your Faves?

In honor of Valentine’s Day last week and the fact that the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition has debuted, Alexander Russo of This Week in Education provides us with Hot For Education 2007. Click on over and view the hotties!

Half of the Battle is Just Showing Up

S. Richards provides up with two links and these very apt words, “How do you spell absent?
A-B-$-E-N-T.
It seems in Scotts Valley, California they are Fining Parents for Unexcused Absences and at the University of Georgia (Go DAWGS!!!!!!!) Athletes Are Being Fined as Well for unexcused absences.
Of Math and Men (and a Couple of Women)

Sometimes the trick to a puzzle is not in the math. The math is easy. The trick is in the visualization. So says Brad over at HUNBlog in his post titled My Favorite Problem.

Ken at D-Ed Reckoning is thinking about Testing Higher Order Thinking Skills. This is a two part piece. Look for the link that will take you to part one.

Denise over at Let's Play Math provides us with Math Quotes of the Week VI to inspire students concerning math and logic.

Did you know that if you teach students that their intelligence can grow and increase they do better in school? Andrea at Wise Bread does, and she wants to share some interesting information with you in her article Mind Over Math Believing Makes it So

Finding Fault

Michelle at AFT over at NCLB: Let's Get It Right is writing about The World According to Dr. Paige. Everything is the fault of you guessed it, teacher unions.

IB a Math Teacher from Three Standard Deviations to the Left fame has written a letter that unfortunately has to be written more and more. Dear Counselor...

Some of us are in the homestretch….others are just about there….Testing

Mister Teacher of Learn Me Good is my new hero! He has aptly voiced his concerns over testing, but instead of just complaining he has some ideas for improvement as well. Head on over and read his epic TESTIVUS.

Discipline and the Two Motivations….Students and Teachers

The British blog, Scenes From the Battleground offers Five Incidents that Didn't Result in a Permanent Expulsion. It would seem that it has become very difficult to get students thrown out of British schools these days, no matter how bad their behavior is.

NYC Educator in response to the non-action of an administrator states, “I am always amazed when people have no notion whatsoever that actions have consequences, and that they’re often within our control. Why such people choose to be school deans baffle me utterly.” Click through and find out why NYC Educator is so baffled in his post Discipline.

I’ve also written about discipline lately at my baby blog Georgia On My Mind by explaining The Problem With Georgia Schools.

Mrs. Bluebird from Bluebird's Classroom thinks she got “some” teaching in during A Day In the Life of a Middle School. Mrs. Bluebird states, “…many people outside of education have no clue what a typical day is like for those of us in the trenches, so to speak…”

The Science Goodess at What It's Like on the Inside is writing about two emails she received from two educators----one at the beginning of her career and one at the end. It should be no surprise The Science Goddess found herself Stuck In the Middle. Should we be surprised that each teacher was facing the same types of problems?

The Hoosier Schoolmaster, Rob, advises us about Another Female Teacher Charged With Seducing a Boy, But Does This Reporting Go Too Far?

Maintaining Your Sanity

Calgon, take me away! Help! I’m surrounded by Jerks! Are these things you find yourself saying more and more? So just Who Pushes Your Buttons? Barbara at HomeBisnessWiz wants to help.

Do you have a talented tongue? Carol, our Median Sib asks Scratch Your Nose With Your Tongue? OH! That Feels SO Good!

Play on words? Check out the offering from Mad Kanes Humor Blog called
Edu-Gaffe

The Structure of Education…There Are Several Roads to Travel

Dana at Principled Discovery provides a well written post on her thoughts regarding the centralization of our education system and asks Does America Need A Central Teacher?

Over at JD2718 the topic is charters. Are charters back door attacks on public education? Find out what this educator things as they consider Organize Charters; Convert Charters.

Can/Should schools be run like a business? Nitin at Edpol-Your Education Policy Resource discusses several business practices that could be applied to improving education in his post titled Balanced Scorecard-The Business Solution. I’m already familiar with balanced scorecards, but I’m interested in knowing more about 360 feedback and “Kaizen”.

Well, in case you haven’t heard Steve Jobs has been criticizing our nation’s teachers again. Michelle at Texas Ed: Comments On Education From Texas asks So Who Would Work for Apple?

Jeonjutarheel is a teacher in Korea and uses Skillet Blogging to dish up a little bit of everything. My take on Bigger Lies and Bad Science is this is the negative side of school competition. It just might not be what we think it could be.

So, let’s see…..we’ve looked at centralizing our education system, charters, choice, and schools being run as a business. What’s left?

Missy, a former school teacher, over at Life Without School wants us remind us about The Luxury of Freedom and her choice to pursue a personally defined quality of life important to her as she educates her children.

How We Learn and “How-tos” to Help

Mike at MikeEstep.com reminds us that talking about loud can be one of the best tools when learning something in his article Talking to Learn. Gee, my students must be learning a lot.

Waskish from Wakish Wonderz provides information on Writing and How to Write Good English

Zantor at the Student Help Forum says Your Writing Can Improve in 2 Simple Steps.

What do you do when something is scarce? Well, you make the most of what you have. John Wesley at Pick the Brain provides 5 Simple Ways to Make the Most of Your Intelligence

So what would an 18 year old know about How To Raise Talented Children? Head on over and visit Scott at Dirty Mechanism-Personal Development and find out. It’s a very interesting read.

Joseph at Learn Chinese explains you can Learn Chinese Visually

Teaching Strategies.....Shhhh....Very, Very Quiet Now......Direct Instruction

REACH is a Direct Instruction program that was newly implemented in Ms. Teacher’s school district this year. Read her thoughts on this program and why it's not as effective as it could be in her article Teaching Using REACH Mid Year over at Calfornia LiveWire: Teaching in the Golden State.

Redkudu of Redkudu begins the post Saturday Circular with this statement, “Today’s circular has a focus for once. Direct Instruction. Do you really need an additional teaser?

Technology

Miss Profe from It's a Hardknock Teacher's Life is discussing using technology in the classroom and bemoans the fact that so many educators don’t seem to see the value in it. Check out her thoughtful and honest post titled The Same Old Same Old

Mamacita over at Weekly Scheiss says Help Us If You Can; This Could Happen to Any of Us, and Has. Mamacita’s story is one of the reasons why so many veteran teachers hesitate to use the Internet in their classrooms.

EdWonk wants to know, “What can be done to teach students which “voice” to use in their writing?” New techno-speak is causing concern. Click through to EdWonk’s post Students Using IM-Speak 4 School Speak

Have you tried podcasting yet? Elias over at Ramblings of an Australian Teacher has. If you are thinking about exploring this interesting use for technology find out What the Students Didn't Say.

Rebecca Newburn from Information Age Education clues us into another video site your school filter might not know about yet. Rebecca says, “There are some fabulous educational videos on it.” Click on through to Metacafe, An Alternative to YouTube Videos

Sam at Surfer Sam and Friends opines on the Amazing Space at MySpace

Getting Involved----Speak Out, Investigate, Mentor, and Advocate

Jack Yoest from Reasoned Audacity wants us to know Charmaine will be speaking at the Second Annual Conservatives Women's Conference Conference at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 24, 2007. The alert reader will note conservative and Harvard in the same sentence. Who knew? Alert the media.

Lisa at Let's Talk Babies provides advice for Finding the Right Preschool

Melinama at Pratie Place is a mentor to Menticia and, she paints a picture of True Bliss: Space Stations and Number Lines

Royce Wells of Wells on Education has some great advice on Becoming Involved: Joining Your Local Gifted Advocacy Group

College: Degrees to Newspapers

A college degree is just the beginning. Visit Michelle at Aridni to discover Four Things College Grads Need to Know

Ted at Campus Grotto gives us the scoop on Best College News Sites and gives us the Top 10 Best Colleges to Attend based on academic and overall campus resources.

And finally: In the words of the immortal Edwonk this, like most of our journeys around the EduSphere, has been both enjoyable and informative. Our continued thanks to all the contributors whose submissions make the midway's continuing success possible, the folks who donate their time to help spread the word, and the readers who continue to make it A Free Exchange of Thoughts and Ideas.

This midway is registered at TTLB's carnival roundup. See our latest EduPosts here, and the complete Carnival archives (soon to be updated) over there