Comments by Christopher Sloan

How could I apply these ideas to a book like "Educated" by Tara Westover?

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 02:57:31 -0400

Fantastic, you've selected a highly relevant concept for your AP English Language and Composition class. Let's keep digging into how you can draw out and work with pre-existing student understandings, which is at the core of your original question about applying ideas to a book like "Educated" by Tara Westover. ### Quoted Concept From Chapter 1 of "How People Learn": "Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works... teachers must 'draw out and work with the preexisting understandings that their students bring with them'" (pp. 14-15, 19). ### Practical Application to "Educated" Given the rich narrative and the complex themes present in "Educated," you should start by tapping into the students' existing knowledge about key themes such as education, family, and self-discovery. For instance, before beginning the book, engage your students in a discussion or a reflective free-write with questions such as: - "What preconceptions do you have about formal education and its value?" - "How has your family influenced your perspective on education?" - "What personal obstacles do you think can impact one's educational journey?" This approach anchors new learning in familiar territory, allowing students to connect personally with Tara Westover's experiences and insights in "Educated." ### Why It's Important By focusing on students' preconceptions, you ensure that their initial understanding is actively engaged. As noted in "How People Learn," failing to connect new concepts with existing knowledge can result in superficial learning that doesn't translate beyond the classroom. In the context of "Educated," engaging pre-existing understandings helps students relate to Westover's narrative deeply and thoughtfully. ### Further Concept Expansion From Chapter 3 of "How People Learn": "Transfer begins with background knowledge, which means that background knowledge must be engaged, explored, challenged, and leveraged" (p. 62). ### Practical Application to "Educated" Leveraging the concept of transfer, connect the themes in "Educated" with previous texts or personal experiences your students have explored. After reading a section of the book, prompt them with comparative analysis questions, such as: - "Compare Tara Westover's educational journey with that of a character from another book you've read. What similarities and differences can you identify?" - "In what ways do Tara's experiences challenge or reinforce your views on the importance of self-education?" These exercises encourage students to apply their background knowledge and create a bridge between various texts and their own lives, deepening their understanding and fostering critical analysis. ### Reflective Question As you ponder how to apply these educational psychology concepts to "Educated," consider, "How can I create opportunities for students to link their preconceptions with the transformative journey of Tara Westover?" Reflect on the unique ways your students can draw parallels between their lives and the text, leading to richer, more nuanced interpretations. ### Invitation to Reflect Revisit these chapters from "How People Learn" and examine additional strategies to bring students' preconceptions to the forefront. Can you integrate more activities that make their thinking visible, such as group discussions, thematic debates, or creative projects centered on the themes of the book? How can you adapt these approaches to meet the diverse needs and backgrounds of your students in the AP English classroom? By continuously exploring these educational psychology principles and intertwining them with the themes of "Educated," you'll effectively draw out and build upon your students' pre-existing understandings, guiding them toward deeper learning and insightful analysis. Keep experimenting, reflecting, and adapting—your students' journey with "Educated" will be profoundly enriched by your thoughtful and innovative teaching strategies!

I teach AP English Language and Composition. I would like to find effective methods for drawing out and working with pre-existing student understandings. Can you give me advice on how I can do that in my classroom teaching?

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 02:57:31 -0400

Fantastic, you've selected a highly relevant concept for your AP English Language and Composition class. Let's keep digging into how you can draw out and work with pre-existing student understandings, which is at the core of your original question. ### Quoted Concept From Chapter 1: "Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works... teachers must 'draw out and work with the preexisting understandings that their students bring with them'" (pp. 14-15, 19). ### Practical Application Given your role, an effective method is through Socratic seminars. This allows students to voice their pre-existing understandings and debate them in a structured manner. Before diving into a new text or rhetorical concept, you could ask your students questions like: - "What do you know about the author's historical context?" - "How do you think this context might influence the author's writing?" - "What are your predictions about the themes or rhetorical strategies used in this text based on the title or first paragraph?" This not only makes their preconceptions visible but also allows you to gauge their initial thoughts, providing a clear starting point for deeper learning. ### Why It's Important Engaging students' preconceptions ensures that new information is integrated into their existing knowledge framework. This approach aligns with the book's assertion that without engaging initial understandings, "they may fail to grasp the new concepts" or revert to old ways of thinking (pp. 14-15). ### Further Concept Expansion From Chapter 3: "Transfer begins with background knowledge, which means that background knowledge must be engaged, explored, challenged, and leveraged" (p. 62). ### Practical Application To facilitate transfer, you can use comparative analysis. When introducing a new text, have students compare it to a previous text they’ve studied. This way, they can draw on their background knowledge to make sense of new material. For instance, you might ask: - "How does the rhetorical strategy in 'Text A' compare with the one used in 'Text B'?" - "What similar themes can you identify, and how are they addressed differently?" Such comparisons help students see patterns and deepen their understanding, fostering an ability to apply learned concepts across different contexts. ### Reflective Question As you revisit the concepts from the text, consider how you might adapt your instructional methods to better draw out pre-existing understandings. Ask yourself, "What are effective ways to reveal the depth and complexity of my students' prior knowledge?" Would incorporating more discussion-based activities, like Socratic seminars or comparative analyses, help in bringing those preconceptions to the forefront? Reflect on your classroom experiences and the specific needs of your students to decide on the best strategies. ### Invitation to Reflect Revisit these chapters from "How People Learn" and think about additional ways to implement these strategies. Could there be even more questions or activities to engage students' preconceptions? How might you tailor these approaches to fit the unique dynamics of your AP English classroom? By continuously exploring these connections and integrating these principles into your teaching, you'll be able to draw out and build on your students' pre-existing understandings effectively. Keep experimenting, reflecting, and adapting—your students will greatly benefit from your thoughtful approach to their learning journey!

I teach high school AP English Language and Composition. How could I implement some of the findings of this research into my own teaching?

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 02:57:31 -0400

Great question! The text provides several insights that can be invaluable for teaching high school AP English Language and Composition. Let's dive into one of the key ideas: ### Quoted Concept "[T]eachers must 'draw out and work with the preexisting understandings that their students bring with them'" (p. 19). ### Practical Application In your classroom, you could start a new unit by first engaging students in a discussion or quick-write activity about what they already know or believe about the topic. For example, if you are about to start a unit on rhetorical analysis, ask students to share their thoughts on what makes a piece of writing persuasive. This can be in the form of a brainstorming session, where students can freely express their preconceptions before you guide them into the academic frameworks and models they'll be studying. ### Why It's Important By acknowledging and working with their preconceptions, you ensure that students are connected to the material on a personal level, which can facilitate deeper learning and understanding. This also allows you to identify and address any misconceptions right from the start, paving the way for more effective teaching and learning throughout the unit. ### Further Concept Expansion "The authors recommend that 'superficial coverage of more topics be replaced with in-depth coverage of fewer topics'" (p. 20). ### Practical Application In terms of curriculum design for AP English, consider focusing on fewer key texts or authors but engaging in more profound, detailed analysis of these works. You could include activities like detailed rhetorical analysis essays or in-class debates focused on the themes and rhetorical strategies of the selected materials. This method reinforces deeper understanding and helps students organize their knowledge in meaningful ways. ### Why It's Important Deep engagement with the material fosters better retention and allows students to transfer their learning to new contexts—a crucial skill for both the AP exam and their future academic endeavors. ### Reflective Question As you revisit the text, how might you further incorporate students' pre-existing knowledge and emphasize depth over breadth in your teaching strategies? What methods do you find effective for drawing out and working with pre-existing student understandings? Reflecting on these aspects will help you better bridge the gap between theory and practice in your classroom. Keep exploring and refining your approach—you're doing great work!

The element of surprise, maybe? I think the author mentions that it's like playing slot machines sometimes.

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 13:21:26 -0400

Is there another cause of teen anxiety and depression?

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:55:56 -0500

Why we do this It's essential to consider counter-arguments when reading because it broadens our understanding and sharpens our critical thinking. By engaging with opposing viewpoints, we can better appreciate the complexities of an issue and enhance our ability to think objectively. Considering different perspectives often leads to more robust and nuanced conclusions, which are increasingly important in our information-rich world. Counter-Argument While Larry Rosen and Jonathan Haidt assert that smartphones and social media are significant contributors to teen anxiety and depression, other researchers argue that multiple factors contribute to these issues and that focusing solely on technology can oversimplify the problem. For instance, societal pressures, family dynamics, academic stress, and economic uncertainties also play substantial roles in affecting teens' mental health. Consider this excerpt from Rosen: "Our phones deliberately incite anxiety by providing new information and emotional triggers every time we pick them up." Certainly, frequent notifications and social media updates can be overwhelming, but it's crucial to acknowledge that environmental, genetic, and socio-economic factors also play significant roles in psychological well-being. Types of Evidence 1. Societal Pressures: Surveys and studies showing high levels of academic and social expectations placed on teens. 2. Family Dynamics: Research articles examining the impact of household instability, parental relationships, and family income on children's mental health. 3. Academic Stress: Case studies or longitudinal studies investigating the correlation between educational workloads and anxiety levels among students. 4. Economic Uncertainties: Data and reports highlighting the psychological effects of economic status, such as the stress experienced by teens in low-income families. Find Reliable Sources To research and find reliable sources for these counter-arguments, you can: 1. Look for peer-reviewed journal articles on platforms like PubMed, JSTOR, or Google Scholar. 2. Access reports from reputable organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). 3. Review books by authoritative experts in psychology and sociology. 4. Examine studies and data from governmental health and education departments. 5. Consult meta-analyses that summarize multiple research findings, providing a comprehensive overview of the factors influencing teen mental health. Your Turn Now reread the text with this counter-argument in mind and let me know what you are thinking about the text in your reply. Are there aspects of the argument that you find more or less convincing? Do the additional factors highlighted change your perspective on the main argument given by Rosen and Haidt? How does the consideration of multiple influences on teen mental health affect your overall understanding of the issue?

Echoed most recently by Jonathan Haidt in "The Anxious Generation" https://www.cbsnews.com/video/jonathan-haidt-on-the-anxious-generation-how-kids-are-growing-up-in-the-smartphone-era/

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:55:56 -0500

Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:00:25 -0500

The cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon are testament to the drought in the 1100s. According to Wikipedia, "A severe drought from 1130 to 1180 led to rapid depopulation in many parts of the San Juan Basin, particularly at Chaco Canyon. As the extensive Chacoan system collapsed, people increasingly migrated to Mesa Verde, causing major population growth in the area. This led to much larger settlements of six to eight hundred people, which reduced mobility for Puebloan, who had in the past frequently relocated their dwellings and fields as part of their agriculture strategy. In order to sustain these larger populations, they dedicated more and more of their labor to farming. Population increases also led to expanded tree felling that reduced habitat for many wild plant and animal species that the Puebloan had relied on, further deepening their dependency on domesticated crops that were susceptible to drought-related failure." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesa_Verde_National_Park

Agreed. We can't get complacent after one record year.

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 11:40:06 -0500

reservoirs are in better shape as a result of last year's record precipitation

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 11:39:33 -0500

95% of our water comes from snow pack

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 11:37:21 -0500

To me this means that everybody needs to do their part to conserve water, including me

Even though things are looking up, this last line is something we should always keep in mind. Things can change fairly quickly in a changing climate

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:57:53 -0500

Irrigation of water for alfalfa farms are a frequent target when people are advocating for water conservation

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:49:33 -0500

Article mentions some industry effects of the decreased levels. Also the affect on birds and larger ecosystem.

It will be interesting to see how much the Great Salt Lake rises because of the release of Utah Lake's excess water.

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:46:24 -0500

Not really my inquiry question, but I also wonder if this will help alleviate the algae bloom in Utah Lake

most helpful

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 10:39:38 -0500

After I had my students use all four of these templates/persona, the "So What?" persona is the one they found most helpful.

analogy

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 12:55:22 -0500

Good writers try to make abstract concepts more understandable by using analogy (see Einstein’s reference to geometry in the first paragraph of his Theory of Relativity (p.1): http://www.f.waseda.jp/sidoli/Einstein_Relativity.pdf Since cells are so tiny, Skloot wants the reader to get a sense of how many of Henrietta’s cells are alive today. In this sentence and the next, she chooses to make analogies to help readers understand how much trillions of cells would be: “50 million metric tons” and “350 million feet”

The SLC Director of Homeless Policy would be a good source. Here's an interview with him: https://saltlake.citycast.fm/3-questions/an-interview-with-slc-s-director-of-homeless-policy

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 12:31:34 -0400

What are these stakeholders saying about the outreach effort?

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 11:49:53 -0400

If it began about a month ago, how is it going?

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 11:53:24 -0400

This article describes how SLC officials went to Reno, Nevada to see how their program is going: https://www.ksl.com/article/50728312/will-salt-lake-citys-sanctioned-homeless-campground-model-renos-success

Here's an example of an entry from a high school's student handbook.

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:09:52 -0400

Guidance for higher ed

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:08:01 -0400

I also am an instructor for MSU's Masters in Educational Technology program. Lots to like about this document.

Goes back to what I said in paragraph 7 of last week's AI notes. "Show me your sources."

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:55:38 -0400

This brings up a couple of questions though. Where is the line between student-produced and AI-produced? Another minor point, but how do we cite AI as a source?

acknowledging that AI detectors can be wrong.

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:52:02 -0400

This reminds me that what we know about good writing pedagogy. I think that if I structure writing activities well enough, there shouldn't be much of a need for dishonesty.

I like the framing of AI as a tool

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:47:33 -0400

There are a lot of negatives that potentially come with using AI in high schools, so I like that this policy begins with the potential of AI for learning

A little background on my thinking here...

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 14:16:05 -0400

In the ChatGPT feature on Youth Voices I created a scenario where a teacher engages a conservative school board member on the issue of upgrading school facilities to mitigate climate change's effect on students and learning. This is based on the template from Mollick and Mollick's "AI as Simulator." https://nowcomment.com/documents/349850 I used this approach because role-playing is part of the Wicked Problems activity that I already use with my current Masters students. According to Mollick and Mollick, "Role-playing is an effective way to challenge students to think about the skills that they have learned; it can serve as a form of deliberate practice, or activity aimed at improving the current level of performance (Ericsson & Pool, 2016)." In this exchange the character of the school board member asks repeatedly for evidence. For every time that character prompted for more evidence, I produced more evidence arguing that the environment has a strong effect on student learning and well-being. The evidence came from the US Department of Energy, the Association of Texas School Boards, and education institutes at Penn State and Harvard. In the end the school board member stopped asking for more evidence and agreed with some of the "teacher's" evidence-based responses.

How would you respond?

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:23:33 -0400

Now to begin the discussion, School board member 1 poses the following questions: "What is the school doing to mitigate the effects of climate change on students' learning environments, nutrition, and health? What can the school implement to make sure that students are getting the education they need despite the effects of climate change, and what resources are available to ensure that?" As the discussion leader, I would acknowledge School board member 1's questions and thank them for bringing up such important topics. I would then explain what measures the school is taking to mitigate the effects of climate change on students and their learning environment. I would point out that due the severity of the threat posed by climate change, our school is, in fact, taking proactive steps to create an awareness in our students and work with the local authorities to create solutions to reduce the impact of climate change. I would also explain that the school is making an effort to ensure students receive the education they need to thrive despite the effects of climate change. We are trying to offer students an education that prepares them to live in a world affected by climate change by promoting climate-based strategies such as environmentally conscious behavior, climate-based planning, and other sustainable solutions. Furthermore, I would explain the resources available to the school to ensure climates challenges can be effectively tackled, including government grants, partnerships with local organizations, partnerships with industry, and funding opportunities from foundations. I would emphasize that in order for the school to remain competitive in a world of climate change, we must use all the resources available to us to ensure students get a quality education, even in the face of climate change. School board member 2 then poses a question, "How can the school ensure that it's spending resources responsibly and efficiently in order for the students to get the best education possible?" I would thank School board member for their insight and explain that our school takes great care in ensuring that the resources available to us are spent responsibly. We conduct regular reviews of our policies to ensure that we're staying up to date on the latest trends in education and climate change and that our decisions are effective and in the best interest of our students. We also execute evaluations to ensure that the resources we allocate are efficiently used in order to achieve the best possible outcome. I would then explain that we have taken methods in place to ensure our resources are allocated to impacted areas first, such as providing resources to low-income areas that experience more severe effects of climate change, or mandating climate education in all subjects of study to ensure our students are prepared to face the world's ever-changing climate. At this point, I have made my case and presented the resources available and the measures implemented by the school.The board members must now make a consequential choice: do they support the school's initiatives and approve the proposed actions to ensure students safely and responsibly access their education, or do they reject the proposal and deny the students the right to an education in the face of climate change? You led the discussion well by providing clear and concise responses to the questions posed. You also demonstrated the ability to defend the school’s initiatives and explain the resources and measures the school has put in place to address the challenges caused by climate change. However, next time, it may be beneficial to provide more examples of successful initiatives that the school has implemented in order to foster the discussion and provide concrete solutions.

Great question

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 03:10:00 -0400

A big part of how I hope to use this with my students hinges on them buying into the idea of AI as a tool, not a replacement for their own work. In a sense it's like we've always done when telling students not to cheat. But in the past when plagiarizing or copying someone's homework, at least they were pretty sure the work they had copied was accurate or correct. But now they might complacently accept AI output as correct when it's misinformed, disinformed, etc. So part of the motivation piece is getting students to see themselves as informed citizens.

Reminds me of the lawyer who used ChatGPT

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 02:54:18 -0400

In May of 2023 a lawyer created a legal brief for a case in Federal District Court that was filled with fake judicial opinions and legal citations, all generated by ChatGPT. They must have seemed really helpful to the lawyer but it's a vivid example of confabulation risks. “I did not comprehend that ChatGPT could fabricate cases,” the lawyer said in a NYTimes article. For more: https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-fake-case-lawyers-d6ae9fa79d0542db9e1455397aef381c

What does this mean for jobs that might be available for me?

Wed, 24 May 2023 21:47:22 -0400

In this passage, the author writes, "Prompt engineering is increasingly being used by businesses large and small across many different industries," which seems to suggest that prompt engineering can apply to many aspects of business. How can prompt engineering be used to streamline the workflow of a company, and how has its implementation changed the traditional roles of CIOs and other corporate executives? What other advantages does this technology provide to companies, and what potential issues might organizations need to consider when implementing a prompt engineering system? Lastly, how do the various industries mentioned make use of prompt engineering and how might other industries benefit from this technology? Are there any other themes or applications that could be explored in relation to prompt engineering and its use in business?

What are some businesses that use prompt engineering?

Wed, 24 May 2023 21:47:22 -0400

Prompt engineering is increasingly being used by businesses large and small across many different industries. Examples include: 1. Automotive industry: Automotive companies can use prompt engineering to quickly generate copy for vehicle descriptions, sales materials and repair instructions. 2. Banking and finance industry: Banks andother financial institutions can generate customer contracts, financial reports and loan applications through prompt engineering. 3. Hospitality industry: Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality businesses can generate copy for menus, reviews, and customer recommendations with prompt engineering. 4. Retail industry: Retailers can generate copy for product descriptions, digital advertisements and email campaigns with prompt engineering. 5. Education industry: Schools and universities can generate copy for academic papers and textbooks with prompt engineering.

How long has prompt engineering been around?

Wed, 24 May 2023 21:47:22 -0400

At the time, no one was talking about prompt engineering, though its roots go all the way back to the dawn of computing in the 1950s and the advent of both artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Over the last few years, advances in natural language processing (NLP) have accelerated the development of prompt engineering to the point that businesses can now quickly and easily generate copy using AI tools.

How long has prompt engineering been around?

Wed, 24 May 2023 21:43:00 -0400

Everybody needs to do something

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:01:03 -0400

$40 million in addition to the $500 million described in the paragraph below?

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 17:41:27 -0400

Kicking the can down the road

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 17:39:02 -0400

Representatives of Save Our Great Salt Lake don't think the legislature did enough, instead just relying on an above-average snowpack to raise the lake level (which they say isn't enough to really address the problem). See paragraph 20: “They are unfortunately attributing this good snow year to not needing to do anything about the lake,” Veilleux said, noting that the snowpack will only account for a small fraction of water that the lake needs to get up to a safe level.

Utah legislators feel good about progress this year

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 17:17:43 -0400

but not everyone agrees

turf buyback incentives

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 17:17:03 -0400

This is the program I'm most interested in since it's an aspect of water usage I can do something about.

looks like this is an area where we can cut back on some usage

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 13:13:04 -0400

What are ways that we can cut our water usage by 30%

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 13:04:36 -0400

we're above 130% so far this year

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 13:03:31 -0400

The appeal to people's morals and religions makes for a strong emotional appeal

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 09:28:28 -0400

A lot of the mainstream news coverage is about the border itself, but not so much about the factors that cause people to leave their homes and undertake such dangerous journeys.

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 09:28:28 -0400

He was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 2017-2019

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 17:12:42 -0400

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Zinke

too soon to tell what the impact this spring season's storms will bring

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 16:24:49 -0400

Better than bad news

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 16:23:59 -0400

The past few months have dumped a bunch of water in our area, but according to the Utah Division of Water Resources, we need a more prolonged period of storms to end the drought.

Looks promising

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 16:21:30 -0400

Why do you say that?

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 16:03:40 -0500

not getting the math

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 15:55:01 -0500

the berm seems a lot lower than the lake level. Berm is being raised to 4,192 but the all-time low is 4,211. What am I not getting here?

How high might the level rise this year?

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 12:55:14 -0400

According to the Utah Division of Water Resources, "When snowpack melts in the spring, the lake usually rises about 2 feet. In years with above-average snowpack, it can go up 3 to 4 feet. In 2022 and 2021, the elevation only went up about 1 foot because of the poor snowpack." The article also says that in July 2022 the level was at 4190. The highest it's ever been was 4,211 in 1986. So by my calculations the level could rise to 4,215 or 4,216. Not great, but a few feet above the historical low anyway.

level of the Great Salt Lake

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 15:43:36 -0500

A lot of people have been concerned with the decreasing level of the Great Salt Lake since it was at a historic low. See this CNN article from Jan. 2023: https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/06/us/great-salt-lake-disappearing-drought-climate/index.html The fact that it's already above the historic low even before the spring runoff is good news. But I'd like to find out how much the lake is expected to rise as a result of the big snowfall this year.

The outlook through spring looks even better with the Salt Lake area in the "drought removal likely" category

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 15:28:09 -0500

As of December 2022, "a little over 31% of the state being in extreme drought. A year prior, 70% of the state was in extreme drought."

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 15:13:15 -0500

This is improvement

National program

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:54:07 -0500

In addition to the state of California providing incentives, there's national funding available too.

solution is part political

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:53:01 -0500

The state is providing incentives for the farmers to plant more native vegetation

analogy

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 12:52:00 -0500

I used one other source, a TED Talk by a teen with ASD Ethan Lisi. https://www.ted.com/talks/ethan_lisi_what_it_s_really_like_to_have_autism?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 08:41:55 -0500

thanks for making it easy to get on the site

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 22:38:57 -0400

definitely interested in more collaboration between students from different schools

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 04:07:53 -0400

reminds me of Moffett's "universe of discourse"

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 15:28:36 -0400

I'm thinking now about incorporating 3D Flipbooks and Web stories as a way to present their thinking, in addition to discussion posts. There's some scaffolding that needs to take place though, and I need to think about how to best do that

Agreed. This seems different than just "knowing" or "anticipating" your audience. More of an active stance toward how you want the audience to engage with your composition

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 20:53:08 -0400

Yes, I have questions about that too. "Single contexts" just seems grammatically inconsistent. I should probably read this too.

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 20:51:53 -0400

megadrought definition

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:50:32 -0500

Caption: A spillway at Hoover Dam has been dry for years, a result of the low level of Lake Mead.

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:48:18 -0500

definition of grey water, and some quick facts

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:40:57 -0500

Great example of a teen finding solutions nobody else has

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:40:13 -0500

Nice short video feature on her here: https://utah.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/greywater-recycling-video/power-of-us/

How much of our water supply comes from snowpack?

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:36:44 -0500

it's a global issue

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:35:43 -0500

and so it makes sense to look at all of the solutions found by people who've already experienced water shortages

sometimes the solutions are just waiting to be found

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:33:35 -0500

Soap nuts have been around for a long time. I like how it's the grandma from India who provides the breakthrough

Economic incentives

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:13:13 -0500

While all of the goals are laudable, finding the political will is always a difficult thing. In the case of vineyards, the economic incentives also help solve the problem.

from "Our Shared Water Future: Cape Town's Water Strategy"

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:09:55 -0500

The report has a disclaimer that it's a strategy, not a detailed plan." The strategy identifies five commitments: 1. safe access to water and sanitation, 2. wise use, 3. sufficient, reliable water from diverse sources, 4. shared benefits from regional water sources, 5. a water-sensitive city

an ominous warning

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:03:01 -0500

the threat of "Day Zero" resulted in a decrease in the city's water consumption by about half.

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:02:38 -0500

"rain catchment systems"

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:00:30 -0500

aka rain barrels? or are these systems more complex?

desalination

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 13:55:34 -0500

This solution might work for coastal cities, although I wonder what's the environmental impact?

perspectives

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 09:52:00 -0500

Terry, on TTT the other night a group of us started a collection called, "What's happening in Ukraine? How did we get here?" Can you add one of the sources you mentioned to this group? https://nowcomment.com/blogs/307295

he was almost at Ground Zero

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 17:36:12 -0500

trauma, shock

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 17:35:23 -0500

patriotism, national unity

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 17:35:03 -0500

https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.02137/

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:59:22 -0500

images of towers burning

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:57:20 -0500

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/911/911-serial.html#objects or https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.02137/

It also makes me wonder why so much poetry was written during WWI. Or is there a lot of poetry written during all wars, and I just didn't know about it?

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 23:07:31 -0500

slowing down search

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:54:34 -0500

I like the emphasis on different ways of thinking about searching. So often my students (and I) equate searching for information with finding information quickly. Being more cognizant of how we search for information seems worthwhile.

not a fad

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:51:14 -0500

The fact that Army verse was considered a "necessity" surprised me. But when they mention the volume of poems the read each week (500), it shows that writing poetry must have been a widespread activity for the soldiers.

“Black soldiers used military service as a strategy to obtain equal rights as citizens. Paradoxically, they sought to achieve this by engaging in government-led wars meant to overtake the Southwest and Great Plains from Native Americans.”

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:51:14 -0500

sad, complicated, tragic

Captain Jack represents other people who were early inhabitants of national parks who were then outcasts

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:51:14 -0500

The photo is attributed to Carleton Watkins too, who was one of the first photographers of Yosemite. Not sure of the story behind Captain Jack, but here's the caption from Flickr Commons: Repository: California Historical Society Collection: Photographic portraits of Modoc Indians of the Modoc War Photographer: Heller, Louis Herman Date: 1873 General note: Printed on mounts: I certify that L. Heller has this day taken the photographs of the above Modoc Indian prisoner under my charge. Capt. C.B. Throckmorton, 4th U.S. Artillery, Officer of the Day. I am cognizant of the above fact. Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, U.S.A. General note: Photos were published by Carleton E. Watkins. Watkins' Yosemite Art Gallery advertisement on verso. Format: Carte de visite Call Number: PC 006 Digital object ID: PC 006_01.jpg Preferred citation: Captain Jack, Photographic portraits of Modoc Indians of the Modoc War, PC 006, courtesy, California Historical Society, PC 006_01.jpg

Portland police response

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:51:14 -0500

With all that's going on in Portland, I think the police made a good decision here. I don't think taking discarded food out of a dumpster is a crime.

That probably triggered the store's reaction.

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 22:51:14 -0500

People were giving away their discarded food for free, and that probably upset the store managers. Is a store responsible for people getting sick on the food they threw away. I don't think so.

seems like things escalated unnecessarily