Free Fun

I never miss the model train exhibit at the Transit Museum Annex in Grand Central Terminal this time of year.  The exhibit is fantastic.  It runs until the end of February and it is FREE!!!!

The Arsenal At Central Park

Lost Gloves

 Bottle Caps

 Cans

 Surge Protectors

New York Condoms

One of my all time favorite exhibits this time of year--wreaths at the Central Park Arsenal made from recycled and very unusual materials.  The added bonus is the magnificent building it is housed in-on 64th St and 5th Ave.  I almost forgot, it is free1

Ughh!

The boy needs the class to graduate but he spends class time chatting with a friend, texting and checking Facebook updates.  He does not hand in homework.  He fails 3 out of 5 exams and then gets a 51 on the final.  He finds his grade and is devastated.  He fires off an e-mail begging the teacher to pass him or to at least give him extra work to get him through.

The teacher answers no.  You'd think a boy ready to graduate would know better.

My Favorite Time Of Year

No city does it better-Rockefeller Center

Christmas Tree

It's not a holiday tree, it is a Christmas tree and it rocks.  This origami tree is magnificent, one I visit and enjoy every year at the Museum of Natural History.  It is a Christmas tree that non Christians can view and enjoy and love.

IEP Question

I was just catching up on blog reading and came across one that really upset me.  A new special education teacher could not understand how a kid with a kindergarten reading level could have scored over 80 on two of her regents exams.  The teacher was tasked with writing an IEP and had no clue what to write.  One set of scores showed the child to be severely disabled and the other showed him to be extremely proficient.

I don't know the teacher, the student or the school but I do know what I saw when I taught.  I saw teachers leading students to the correct answers on regents exams.  I saw grades that were failing on Friday end up passing on Monday.  In the college I see kids who can barely write their names yet they have regents diplomas.  Cheating has to be the answer.  There is no other way.

Get ready for a rant that has nothing to do with teaching.

1.  The US would not allow the St.Louis to dock and sent innocent Jews back to the Nazis and back to death.  People like Trump are repeating this horrendous deed by campaigning against allowing Muslims into this country and in particular, not admitting Syrians who are fleeing the horrors of their own country.  Jews were forced to wear yellow stars to identify them.  Will we be doing the same to Muslims if we make them carry identification cards?

2.  Japanese internment camps were set up during WW  II because of the danger these citizens with Japanese blood represented.  They were loyal Americans who had their lives disrupted and destroyed for nothing but fear on the part of the white majority.  Today politicians are talking about internment camps for Muslims because of some, claiming to be Muslims, committing acts of terrorism.  (Islam is a peaceful religion-those terrorists are not true believers.)

3.  In the 50's and 60's Congress interrogated and threw in prison members of the Communist Party whose only crime was exercising their constitutional right to free speech.  Thousands of hours and millions of dollars were spent ruining the lives of innocent victims who posed no danger to the nation.  There was even talk of setting up an internment camp for Communists.  I saw the movie Trumbo today.  Replacing Muslim for Communist is what is coming out of the mouths of people like Trump and Carson today.

We as a nation have done many despicable things in our past.  We can't change what we have done but we can work for a better future by not repeating them.  There are bad people in every race, religion and nationality but to single one out for unfair and hurtful actions is wrong, no its unconstitutional and it is criminal.

(Rockefeller Center Christmas tree pictured above--symbol of love)

Rainy Night In NYC

Keeping retirement fun with two Broadway shows in one day and a walk around this beautiful city on a rainy evening.

Sunset In The Desert

No other views like this.

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

One park in Arizona is more beautiful than the next.

Great place to practice all I learned in photo shop class at UFT retired teacher center.

FIT-Fashion Underground

Fashion Underground by Susan Bartsch at FIT-fun and free exhibit but only until 12/5/15

Central Park Zoo

Bird House

Practicing Panoramas--Gantry Park

Ineffective Teacher

Two months have passed since the independent evaluator observed the "ineffective teacher."  The teacher said the lesson went well but she has not receive any feedback.  Her livelihood depends on this and still, nothing.

What's going on?  If the evaluator truly believes the teacher is ineffective, she should be out the door.  I know the teacher.  She is far from ineffective.  Could it be this evaluator is not as independent as claimed?  Could he be in cahoots with the administrator who does not like the teacher and wants her gone?

Treating Teachers The Chihuahua Way

Teacher Demos Best For Math

The latest issue of the UFT newspaper had an article by Rhonda Rosenberg with the title "Teacher demos best for math instruction."  The research is based on 1st graders and it was found that teacher directed instruction was much more effective than student centered lessons, group work and incorporation of music and movement.

I taught high school for years and have been teaching college for over 10 years and have found this to be true for older students as well.  Time is used more effectively when the teacher demonstrates.  The work is presented in a clearer manner and the students have a good model to follow on their own when they leave the classroom.

I remember talking to an English teacher.  She and I were both laughing at the rave review the Principal had given us when he walked in to the room and saw the kids working in groups.  What he didn't see was the kids fooling around and doing nothing until he appeared.  He didn't see us walking around from group to group getting them to put away their phones and get back on target.  He didn't see the 20 minutes of real instruction prior to his visit.  I guess that was a good thing.  He wouldn't have liked the chalk and talk that was going on.  He wouldn't have liked the kids not talking.  He wouldn't have realized that was where the learning was taking place.

(picture from Canstruction exhibit at Brookfield Place.  Wonderful sculptures made of food cans which are donated to food pantries before Thanksgiving)

Subway Art Tour

Another benefit of retirement--UFT subway art tour with Phil-walkaboutny.com

Prospect Park

Not having to work on a 70 degree day in November is wonderful.  

Comparing Apples and Oranges

Several months ago, while at a fair at Flushing Meadow Park, I signed up for a year subscription to the NY Daily News, a paper I had not read for years.  The paper came with a really cute umbrella that I wanted and 4 tickets to a wrestling event at Citifield that I wasn't particularly interested it but I did want to see the new stadium and since I don't like baseball, this was a good opportunity.  (We were already parked and the stadium was just a short walk from where we were.)  The paper was only $98 for the year and came with a $50 gift card so I figured this was a winning proposition.

The beauty of retirement is that I have time to read the paper daily and get pissed off by the often obnoxious editorials, primarily those about education.  Saturday had one titled "The real moral duty of charter schools."  The writer, Michael Petrilli talks about how parents want the discipline of charter schools, how kids can't learn in disorderly classrooms and strongly suggests public schools start following the model of charter schools in regard to discipline.  No one would argue with this need.  but, I would like to know what Mr. Petrilli would do with these serial disruptors, a term he uses to describe these challenging students.  Unlike charter schools, these students cannot be counseled out.

If I were the parent of a young child, I might want my student in one of these charter schools, in a safer environment.  I don't blame the parents.  And maybe he is right, we shouldn't pile disruptive kids and kids with learning problems into these schools but then we have to stop comparing charter schools which educate the select to public schools which educate them all.  We have to find a way to educate everyone and charter school selection is not going to do this.