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Steve Spangler is our Hero!
When my kids were younger, it was difficult to find good science toys for them. Everything in the stores was more "toy" than "science!"
Now the kids are grown and gone, but there always seems to be somebody's children in my house - and I love that. But even now, most of the science toys I find in stores are still more "toy" than anything else.
Since my household loves science, and since getting children interested in science has always been one of my "things," there are simply no words to describe my joy in discovering Steve Spangler's blog (http://www.stevespangler.com/), and when I sat down with the kids and looked through the Spangler science toys (http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/ category/science-toys) it was honestly like I'd died and gone to heaven, because the science toys on that Spangler website really and truly are SCIENCE TOYS!
I use the Insta-Snow in my college classroom, and without the Water Jelly Crystals, I'd never be able to keep my patio flowers alive. No child ever visits me without going into the back yard and setting off a Mentos Geyser.
Oh, and even though I seldom watch television, I can't bear to miss "Ellen" when Steve Spangler is one of her guests.
I signed up for his "Experiment of the Week" last year, and I get a free, detailed science experiment in my email every week. The kids are crazy about that!
Sometimes, old as I am, I go to YouTube and just watch video after video of Steve Spangler's science experiments. I love to watch the wonder and excitement in the kids' faces as they participate. And when he teaches the teachers, I see the same expressions on THEIR faces!
My entire family would agree that Steve Spangler is our HERO!
Now the kids are grown and gone, but there always seems to be somebody's children in my house - and I love that. But even now, most of the science toys I find in stores are still more "toy" than anything else.
Since my household loves science, and since getting children interested in science has always been one of my "things," there are simply no words to describe my joy in discovering Steve Spangler's blog (http://www.stevespangler.com/), and when I sat down with the kids and looked through the Spangler science toys (http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/ category/science-toys) it was honestly like I'd died and gone to heaven, because the science toys on that Spangler website really and truly are SCIENCE TOYS!
I use the Insta-Snow in my college classroom, and without the Water Jelly Crystals, I'd never be able to keep my patio flowers alive. No child ever visits me without going into the back yard and setting off a Mentos Geyser.
Oh, and even though I seldom watch television, I can't bear to miss "Ellen" when Steve Spangler is one of her guests.
I signed up for his "Experiment of the Week" last year, and I get a free, detailed science experiment in my email every week. The kids are crazy about that!
Sometimes, old as I am, I go to YouTube and just watch video after video of Steve Spangler's science experiments. I love to watch the wonder and excitement in the kids' faces as they participate. And when he teaches the teachers, I see the same expressions on THEIR faces!
My entire family would agree that Steve Spangler is our HERO!
Carnival of Education
The latest Carnival of Education is up, and can be viewed here: view link
I encourage all of you to submit your own posts to this carnival. Calls for articles are put out on Tuesdays, and the new Carnival is posted on Wednesday morning.
I think the younger teachers desperately need to read about the experiences of us older folks.
(Old on the outside, not the inside.)
I encourage all of you to submit your own posts to this carnival. Calls for articles are put out on Tuesdays, and the new Carnival is posted on Wednesday morning.
I think the younger teachers desperately need to read about the experiences of us older folks.
(Old on the outside, not the inside.)
Greetings
I taught middle school for 26 years, and three years ago, I walked out in a huff and have never looked back. I am now an adjunct professor at a community college and I LOVE IT. I am also a personal and a professional blogger, and I love that, too. My blood pressure is down and my general attitude is great. I have no money, of course, but the trade-off was worth it.
It's Just A Piece of Paper
It bothers me that we as a society take testing so darn seriously.
I'm sitting here watching my students take their final exam, and they all look so scared and serious. . . I want to hug them all and scream, "It's just a piece of paper! It doesn't define you!" but I guess that would hardly be PC. Not that I care about PC; I just don't want to get sued.
The class next door is having a very loud party. (I wish I'd thought of that) That's actually against the rules, so next semester, maybe I'll just take my students across the parking lot to Pizza Hut instead of (being really, really loud in a room with thin walls during the official college finals week) celebrating in the regional campus building itself where (we might get caught) we might disturb someone.
Oh, students dear, don't take it so deadly seriously; it's just a test. You're all lovely people no matter what a percentage on a piece of paper might end up being.
Precious people: it's just a piece of paper. It doesn't measure worth. It doesn't measure attitude. It doesn't measure talent, or propensity for lending a helping hand to people in need. It doesn't measure your capacity for love and devotion and caring. It doesn't measure personality traits, or good manners. It doesn't even measure work ethic, although application of such might help relieve some of the stress of the moment.
I want you all to do well on this test, but even if you don't, you're the best class I've ever had, collectively, and some of the finest people I've ever met, individually.
Relax. Calm yourselves. Take a break and run down the hall and get a Sprite. It's going to be all right. Really. You've all been out of school for a very long time and your nervousness is natural. Just try to tone it down; this test really isn't worth the strain you're putting on yourselves. Chill, my darling students.
It's just a piece of paper.
I'm sitting here watching my students take their final exam, and they all look so scared and serious. . . I want to hug them all and scream, "It's just a piece of paper! It doesn't define you!" but I guess that would hardly be PC. Not that I care about PC; I just don't want to get sued.
The class next door is having a very loud party. (I wish I'd thought of that) That's actually against the rules, so next semester, maybe I'll just take my students across the parking lot to Pizza Hut instead of (being really, really loud in a room with thin walls during the official college finals week) celebrating in the regional campus building itself where (we might get caught) we might disturb someone.
Oh, students dear, don't take it so deadly seriously; it's just a test. You're all lovely people no matter what a percentage on a piece of paper might end up being.
Precious people: it's just a piece of paper. It doesn't measure worth. It doesn't measure attitude. It doesn't measure talent, or propensity for lending a helping hand to people in need. It doesn't measure your capacity for love and devotion and caring. It doesn't measure personality traits, or good manners. It doesn't even measure work ethic, although application of such might help relieve some of the stress of the moment.
I want you all to do well on this test, but even if you don't, you're the best class I've ever had, collectively, and some of the finest people I've ever met, individually.
Relax. Calm yourselves. Take a break and run down the hall and get a Sprite. It's going to be all right. Really. You've all been out of school for a very long time and your nervousness is natural. Just try to tone it down; this test really isn't worth the strain you're putting on yourselves. Chill, my darling students.
It's just a piece of paper.
