I should be doing something else with my time...but I like to make the non-standard choice. I'm middle-aged and I decided to blog. I've got old parents, young kids and occasionally something to say.
I'm thinking this young lady could incorporate the ways she has been asked out into a college application essay. Good for her. The young man has already demonstrated his creativity. I expect to to show when it is his time to apply to college.
I needed to test dropping a blog post via email today. Without a particular topic of primary importance I went to the most unusual thing I read this morning that made me chcukle & shake my head.
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.
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.
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
