tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post5503805132938410950..comments2024-03-21T05:30:03.220-04:00Comments on Science teacher: Ungated communitiesdoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-24404345107416381582013-03-26T18:05:16.746-04:002013-03-26T18:05:16.746-04:00Dear Kathryn,
Leslie is like having a tide pool a...Dear Kathryn,<br /><br />Leslie is like having a tide pool around all the time. <br /><br />In the end, I truly believe that life will go on, as it has, as it will, and conscious beings will continue to appreciated the water's edge. Just not sure those conscious being will be <i>H. sapiens</i>. Not even sure the modern forms count as conscious beings anymore.doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-53565643368821166802013-03-26T11:24:57.810-04:002013-03-26T11:24:57.810-04:00Leslie's quote is truth. Water is the most am...Leslie's quote is truth. Water is the most amazing substance - based on its size, it should not be a liquid at room temperature but the electrons and their distribution make it so. It is small enough to slip between atoms and dissolve things we need so that they can be transported to and through our bodies. It is the most essential substance for human life.<br /><br />Yet the best part might be the way it can soothe just by being near a still pond or watching waves roll into shore.<br /><br />OK I just went completely off topic but I was depressed at the end of this blog post because there is so much truth. I am very glad I read to the end of the comments because just thinking about water calmed me down a bit. Perhaps enough to be effective when my next group of Chemistry students enters in just a few moments.Kathryn Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16757414380685368592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-86756434654759439812013-03-24T07:52:11.607-04:002013-03-24T07:52:11.607-04:00Dear Jeffrey,
Whole post started when Leslie quot...Dear Jeffrey,<br /><br />Whole post started when Leslie quoted a line from him in the morning:<br /><br /><i>If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.</i><br /><br />Still working on that....<br /><br />doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-32376455991833356422013-03-24T07:50:35.944-04:002013-03-24T07:50:35.944-04:00Dear Cope,
I like the attitude. While I hope publ...Dear Cope,<br /><br />I like the attitude. While I hope public education maintains a shred of "public" (and "education" for that matter), right now things not looking so good. That edufolks adopt nonsense like Marzano-speak and Gsrdner's multiple intelligences as gospel only fuels our demise.<br /><br />No matter--I'm teaching science in Room 362 while I can, and will continue to teach it so long as I can on the bay, under the stars, or wherever my feet take me.<br /><br />doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-16369461165386006072013-03-23T22:30:10.131-04:002013-03-23T22:30:10.131-04:00Stopped me in my tracks when I saw your Loren Eisl...Stopped me in my tracks when I saw your Loren Eisley quote--he the man! I have reread his Immense Journey more times than I can count. (Glad to nip that quotes website, also.) Funny to hear him mentioned (by others) in the same breath with Thoreau, whom I am also drawn to.Jeffrey Michals-Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11875231268940338643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-32255244872819791712013-03-23T22:01:00.747-04:002013-03-23T22:01:00.747-04:00Teachers in my district are fighting a holding act...Teachers in my district are fighting a holding action...no raises in some several years; heaps of standardized, computer-based high stakes testing, oppressive Marzano bullshit...you know the drill. I have chosen my classroom as my Alamo, so to speak. I want to last as long as the class of 2020 but have my doubts.<br /><br />I try to lead my science department, I try to lead my students and I try to squeeze in some appreciation of the natural world in my astronomy and earth/space science classes. However, I am hard pressed to compete with the shiny geegaws and gimcracks that seem to give my students so much delight.<br /><br />My personal mantra is simply to go about sharing what I (and others) know and hope that some of it sticks. Maybe things will change but if they don't, I will be comfortable in knowing that I did my best.<br /><br />Western "civilization" is not looking like it has its own best interests in heart. I am always telling my students that I am glad I am old but I am also sorry that my generation is leaving them such a mess.copehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06470278603925838339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-84682176474426781012013-03-23T18:28:06.692-04:002013-03-23T18:28:06.692-04:00Dear Lee,
I will--it's all I can do (lessen I...Dear Lee,<br /><br />I will--it's all I can do (lessen I go back to pediatrics...).<br /><br /><br />Dear William,<br /><br />Not sure Thoreau charged for his wisdoms, but that was one of the nicest compliments I ever received....<br /><br /><br />Dear riskymom2four,<br /><br />Read my other posts--I am not allergic to the wealthy, my Dad married well the second time.<br /><br />But when the wealthy think that their wealth gives them a right to dictate how the rest of us live, they can kiss my psoriatic, crinkly ass. Let them drink their fancy grapes, and let the rest of us live.<br /><br /><br />Dear Mike,<br /><br />Amen.doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12901661320505882735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-10422811612643284152013-03-23T11:00:14.016-04:002013-03-23T11:00:14.016-04:00@niskymom2four: Bill Gates is not "The Enemy&...@niskymom2four: Bill Gates is not "The Enemy" because he is wealthy. Bill Gates has a vision for public schools that has no basis in anyone's reality but his own (and those like him). And because of his money, he can influence policy like few others can.<br /><br />Let's be really clear about this: what Michael is describing in his own district is coming to yours. Maybe sooner, maybe later, but it's coming. Art, music, and extracurriculars are going to disappear because of the pursuit of almighty test scores - which Gates and his ilk believe is the only measure of the quality of a school. <br /><br />You can choose to ignore this or you can choose to do something.Qhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01222812519913852182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-63706688538460631902013-03-23T10:51:28.003-04:002013-03-23T10:51:28.003-04:00I love your vision for teaching students what is f...I love your vision for teaching students what is fundamentally important through science...though perhaps I joined the conversation late...is Bill Gates<br />The Enemy (an enemy?) just because he is wealthy?niskymom2fourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13230393288105102383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-27421380236183165972013-03-23T10:46:44.153-04:002013-03-23T10:46:44.153-04:00Your writing always rings with a poetic truth. You...Your writing always rings with a poetic truth. You give a way for free what Henry David Thoreau charged good money for. Wm Chamberlainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06692221214846665588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956989639073843954.post-32164461684845815302013-03-23T10:46:17.751-04:002013-03-23T10:46:17.751-04:00I confess to not understanding much of what is hap...I confess to not understanding much of what is happening in the education world these days, only gleaning what I can from the "news" (and I use those quotations on purpose), but what I hear scares me. <br /><br />Keep fighting the good fight, Michael! Even if only one of your lambs makes it through unscathed, it has to be worth it in the end.Leenoreply@blogger.com