Teaching is thought of as a realitively safe profession.  However, an article in the New York Times reminds us that for some, curiosity and the desire to know more and share that knowledge, education is dangerous.  Reportedly, a French teacher was arrested over a year ago in Iran after taking some pictures of a political demonstration.  While this case represents the extreme, curiosity is often coupled with danger, or at the very least trouble.  But isn't curiosity at the very foundation of education?  If we lack the desire to know more it is essentially a lack of curiosity.  Curiosity encourages us to seek out the unknown and observe the, as yet, unexperienced.  As the French teacher found out, curiosity is not always viewed as an admirable character trait.  While her pictures were simply taken out of a desire to observe and understand another culture, they were viewed as a threat.  I believe that her need to snap those shots is part of what fuels her as an educator. 

An article in the New York Times highlights the increasing pressure being put on young children.  The article refers to the fierce competition that exists in NYC for children to participate in certain Gifted and Talented school programs.  There were statistics and percentages quoted but my mind focused in on the tidbit that mentioned the great lengths to which parents are willing to go.  For example, some parents hire tutors for their pre-schoolers to prepare them for this testing or screening process.  Others purchase curriculum to aid them in preparation.  And still others send their precious four-year olds off to a preschool that spends a significant amount of time preparing the students for this test.  I am tempted to report these parents for child abuse.  Since when are the words gifted and prepared synonomous?  It seems to me that those students who come from a wealthy background have a much greater chance of being accepted because their financial status affords them the opportunity to pay for whatever it will take to get them in.  I must have misunderstood what it means to be gifted or talented in a particular area. And don't you feel sorry for these kids whose childhood is robbed from them in the name of education?  I don't think it was ever meant to be this way.

My background is in foreign languages.  I find words and their various usages, applications, and meanings very interesting, throw in another language and culture and I'm hooked.  The New York Times has an article that I find fascinating.  Reportedly, because New York City is home to as many as 800+ languages, there is a growing effort to systematically record and catalog some of the endangered languages of the world. What a worthy undertaking!  Language is a window, like no other, into a specific culture.  Once a language becomes extinct the window closes and the culture remains obscure or misunderstood.  I find it very interesting that as our global awareness is raised that the desire to remain distinct and culturally different diminishes. Linguists and native speakers are teaming together to record these languages.  Unfortunately the appeal and pressure to assimilate into the culture is so great that many folks forget there roots or deny those roots which results in the loss of language.  What a great combined effort to preserve history, culture and heritage.

What can we learn from the Olympics as they are broadcast and make headlines across the world?  First, we can examine the lives of those athletes who are participating and conclude that dedication and committment to victory, to being the best, must take priority over everything else.  That, after all, is how those few athletes from each country got there.  They have dedicated themselves to their sport.  Second, we can know that each of those Olympic participants has made great sacrifice in order to gain a place on the Olympic team.  They have probably given up other "hobbies" to train instead.  They have skipped family events to compete.  They have spent money of equipment and supplies to prepare for their events.  Third, we can know that these athletes are persistent.  Certainly, each one competing has not only tasted the sweetness of victory but also the bitterness of defeat.  However, these guys got back up at tried again.  They were persistent, even after loss.  In the education world we can apply the dedication and committment to our profession and to our students.  We already understand the meaning of sacrifice, when it comes to being an Olympic-style educator.  But perhaps, the most important is this idea of persistence.  We should never give up trying to reach a student or trying to improve our game.  We must contiunally pursue excellence through persistence, not just for ourselves but for our students as well.

On the east coast many students are enjoying a break from the typical routine of school and attending classes.  We have had snow and ice create conditions that leave many school authorities no other option than to close school.  Students are home.  Are they diligently pursuing the academics they ought?  It's doubtful, very doubtful. Here we see yet another benefit to online education and training programs.  In whatever kind of weather, class is in session.  Students have the luxury of accessing their educational institution no matter what is falling from the sky.    Complications only arise for those who may experience power outages or who must travel to access the technology necessary to complete coursework. Online education and training programs allow students to have continuity that others might not get.  The ease and convenience of online education is accentuated today because so many in our area are unable to attend their scheduled classes due to the weather. 

An article in the NY Times is reporting on a growing trend in elementary schools to have recess before serving lunch.  The article discusses the benefits, such as increased food consumption, increased attention span in classes after lunch, better behavior during lunch and after, decreased food waste, and more.  Historically, lunch and recess have been approached in order of importance, with nutrition being more important than recreation.  Presently, a shift is being made to the importance of order focusing on the best use of time and most effective way to achieve nutritional balance with physical activity and recreation. Granted, this concept of 'doing the important things first' is not new.  But, perhaps, it should be questioned.  In the workplace, are there tasks that we automatically do first because we view them as more important than the others?  Would our work be more efficient if we re-evaluated to see if those tasks would fit better during another time of the day? Sometimes we need a shake up.  We need to take a fresh look at the same old same old.  Occassionally, when we do this, we will find a new and better way to do the important things in life.

The Washington Post is reporting on the trouble with teens and technology.  It comes as no surprise to anyone who know a teenager that technology is, for them, a type of addiction.  Teens seem to have an extra appendage, be it an iPod, Ninentendo DS, cell phone, or other.  Everyone has one....or two for that matter. According to this article, the use of this type of technology among teens and tween is on the rise, if you can beleive it.  Teens, who reportedly, are spending hours upon hours on the computer are neglecting their studies and grades are suffering.  While technology typically facilitates the accomplishment of a goal, here we see it preventing students from achieving their full potential.  Parents are advised to keep technology devices in open spaces in the home where activity can be monitored and limited.  My kids aren't tweens yet, but already I must regulate the amount of time they spend playing the Wii and watching movies.  Of course, the kids put up a fuss but if I didn't limit their time they would play every waking moment, literally.  Like most things, technology is great in moderation.

I've got good news.  For all of you forgetful, sometimes confused, middle-aged adults who struggle to learn.  Here it is:  You are not alone and your brain is not malfunctioning.  According to an article in the NY Times, your brain is acting exactly as it should be developmentally.  Reportedly, the adult brain continues to develop but rather than growing, like the brain of a child, it becomes more complex, deepening the connections and memories. Based on the information in the this article, Adult educators should know three things: One, that adult learners will likely be susceptible to forgetting data and information.  Two, that adult learners can often recall significant information if their memory banks are jogged.  Three, that adult learners must be given opportunities to challege preconcieved ideas, thoughts, and patterns. As an adult educator you must present new information in a way that will require the shifting of thoughts, or at the very least, the questioning of thoughts.  And for the Adult learner there is good news.  You are not too old.  Your memory is not too far gone.  You are not alone.  Challenge you brain to operate full throttle.

The NY Times is reporting about the effects of technology on the blind.  The question is: will Braille be replaced completely by technological advancements?  According to the article, Braille is becoming obselete, being replaced by small, relatively inexspensive technology that appeals to the auditory functions.  For many visually impaired, Braille has been a way of life. But learning to read by using the sense of touch is not the most convenient or cost effective method.  Reportedly, Braille textbooks can cost up to $1,000.  For that price, one can purchase multiple MP3 players or similar devices that can "read"to you. In addition, Braille is an exclusive form of communication.  There aren't many non-visually impaired folks who can read Braille.  Sometimes this form of writing can lead to further isolation. However, my husband recently taught a student on the college level who uses Braille, almost exclusively.  It is fascinating to know that this student, an F Horn player in the brass ensemble, reads his music in Braille while also using auditory cues from other players to play along.  In his case, Braille facilitates his activities. Braille may not be the method of choice anymore, but I don't believe it is going away anytime soon.

The headlines are always full of great football players, extraordinary basketball players, "the" next baseball player, and so on.  Too often, these headlines are negative, bringing to light the player's poor choices and consequences that result.  Unfortunately, our students, young and impressionable, see these guys as role models and idols.  They attempt to imitate every detail, down to the poor choices, of their lives. This article wasn't one of the front page headlines and I am sure these names are not well-known but the kids in this article in the NY Times, they are the real stars.  These players know how to work hard and play hard.  They understand that at the end of the day, and really at the end of their careers, that football is just a game.  Education is where it is at.  These guys know the value of a diploma and all the knowledge that goes into it.  How I wish that their faces, their stories, and good choices with the consequences that result, would be splashed all over the front page.  Wouldn't it be nice if the evening news and celebrity talk shows would interview these guys?  Let's make them famous.  I guarantee that the kids who make these guys their role models will make better choices.