STEM-ulating Action

It's been awhile since I have stopped to blog. However, my recent concern about the need to expose more students to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) options moved me to act. Kids need to be exposed to different things before high school & college. Exposure helps students to gain clarity on things they like and things they don't. It's easy to locate interesting things via the internet. It's tricky to get those things in front of interested students. After trying some traditional routes to share information, I realized someone new needed to put a plan into action.

No one stopped me, so I'll be responsible for the content of a 6 session STEM class for middle schoolers in Atlanta. Thanks to the help of people that understand educational rigor more than I do, we should bring some insight and STEMergy to the class.

I'll even share some of my thoughts here just in case someone else wants to try this in the future.

At a minimum, the students will be exposed to some physical science, robotics, project management, and the ups and downs that come with innovation & creativity. I know I'll learn something (k)new during the journey.

Preparing for the class, I needed to come up with a way to inflate a balloon in approximately one minute. Some ways work better than others. This was the 3rd method attempted.

A bit too quick, but it does get better...just cannot show that yet. The kids need to figure it out.

We've got work to do, but I take inspiration from the letter Q & some quadcopters.

Bye Blackberry

This weekend I let my Blackberry go. After years of wating for better options where Apple (iOS) & Google (Android) had passed them by, I finally stopped waiting.

I loved having the biggest screen on my monochrome Blackberry 6200. It was cool when the RIM team gave me color. I went to the little Pearl & back to a full QWERTY keyboard. However, the dominant team in the early 2000s slowed down as the new guys came to market. As I got older, and I wanted a larger screen. Apple & Google responded with bigger screens. RIM finally put a large, touch screen Blackberry into play with Verizon, but at that time I was on a contract with another...and all the major carriers had non-RIM, large screen options.

CNET does a great job showing Blackberry through the years.

Debate Kids Need Your Help

I have found debate to be one of the most diverse, powerful, learning experiences that students can have.


I volunteer as a middle school debate judge for the Atlanta Urban Debate League (AUDL - atlantadebate.com). When I started, I had zero experience with debate. The AUDL needs more adults to volunteer as judges for their monthly debates. That means you, your alumni group, fraternity, sorority, and friends.


AUDL debates are on these dates
(2011) November 12 (Tri Cities HS), December 3 (McEachern HS)
(2012) January 21 (South Cobb HS) , February 11 (Tri Cities HS), March 3 (Tri Cities HS)


We will have a judge training session at 8:45 a.m. to help along any of the reluctant potential judges acclimate themselves to the activity.


Interested parties should email atlantadebate@gmail.com.


Thanks.




You can also find the AUDL on Facebook.  http://www.facebook.com/atlantadebate

Another Education Idea?

I pay attention to many people who speak about K-12 education. As a parent, I recognize that the topic touches many of us--most as parents, and more as taxpayers.  Because almost all adults have experienced at least some of the K-12 Amercian education adventure, most people have an opinion on education. Without digging in on a particular side, I would say that parents want a good education for their kids. What defines a good education is very subjective, depending on your view. Different people want different things that are usually better fit for some, but not all kids. I'd prefer that the discussions have some common, easy to understand points that we all can look at during the evaluation of these ideas.

Once we work through the schools, school boards, local & state politicians, parents, communities, & local businesses, there isn't much space left for the advocacy of 5, 10, & 15 year olds that don't have jobs or vote. We have to do right for them, not take advantage of them. If you expect retirement money in your 70s, someone has to keep the economy moving in a positive direction. The generations of students that grew up after you will have to fuel the future economy.

I would ask those that push an agenda to help the average person understand basic things in the educational pitches for the ideas you advocate.

1. How does it help the students? Which students? (All, elementary only, disabled, economically disadvantaged, etc.)
2. Where do the consumers of those students weigh in? (employers, colleges, next level of K-12 education)
3. What do you expect of the parents & K-12 schools to get your proposal done?
4. How long to implement?
5. What's the cost? How do we pay for it?

As I see news that highlights lack of preparation for college or the work force, I have to question--are we doing the right things to help our kids succeed? When I see proposals that tell us to do more testing, but the results seem more impactful to the principals & teachers than the kids--I question the focus on testing. When school budgets continue to get cut and we lose certain subject areas, I ask, why these? Were they the least valuable? When it takes 5 years to make a change, what happens to the kids that will graduate in the next 4 years? As schools lose funding due to loss of property taxes, how do we afford anything new? Should there be a different way to fund schools? I see lot's of controversy around charter schools. Is the competition good? Should the competitor (local school board) determine if you can exist? Can local schools take ideas from charters & implement them in ways that help some students?

Answering the 5 questions will help us understand the next education proposal.