twilight zone

Still working on computer issues but here's a great way to spend all that time you're not working on your Big Question. Remember the episode of the Twilight Zone I compared to Sartre's "No Exit"? The episode is called "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" and it's on the syfy channel in 15 mins (6:30 PM).

best laid plans of mice & me

Standing in line @ computer fix-it counter & posting from my phone-- will post tonight [UPDATE: er... as soon as possible] with new test date/time. Sorry for hiccup. I will re-send meemli invitations to those of you who emailed.

Riley on Marketing

This is extra credit opportunity #1 for spring semester. Comment to this post with your own example of marketing that is supposed to be cool but actually: a) Tells you what to do/think against your own self-interest, b) Reinforces a negative stereotype or self-image, c) Treats kids like they're morons, or [bonus] d) All of the above.
[thanks, BoingBoing!]

Blog Design

I'm sort of tired of the way the blog looks--maybe just because I spend a lot of time looking at it-- but I'm not exactly inspired to do much about it, either. I reviewed templates for a few minutes. I like the dynamic views (Isaac's blog looks cool) but they don't have the gadget/widget capability. I'm way too busy/lazy to look through all the templates or move the whole thing over to WordPress. What do you think? Get over the aesthetics and keep it the same for spring semester? Ask everyone to help pick and vote on a new template? Make a collaborative working group out of the question and get our best artists/designers on the job? Post a comment and let us know what you think.

Kicking Off 2012 (in 2011)

I hope everyone's enjoying the break!

I'm starting my New Year's Resolutions early:

1. I will not give any more tests with open-ended questions (MAN I hated grading those vocab/lit terms finals!);
2. I will get more sleep (it's so much easier to type on my computer when the screen's not so blurry);
3. I will schedule the meemli sessions so we can test it and get started on your Big Question research.

Hmm. Open-ended tests tell me a lot and sleep is boring. Well, I'll get around to #1 (you hope) and #2 (I hope) soon. But for now I'm focusing on #3. If you are a mentor, or a techie, or you'd like some practice figuring out meemli, or if you're just insanely bored and want to get a head start, meet me on meemli tomorrow (Thursday, 12/29) at 2:00 P.M. After we monkey around with it to get comfortable I will give the group the first chunk of instruction and the outline of what we need to cover between now and the first day of school, and I'll ask for suggestions on the number and duration of sessions needed to get everything done. Then I'll put together a calendar and post it to the blog. See you tomorrow. If you have any questions please comment or email.

Happy Holidays

I wish you and your families happy holidays and all the best for 2012.

In the spirit of the season, special one-time offer in class tomorrow.

SOPA

Ordinarily, K-12 teachers (this one included) make every effort to stay out of current political debates. As generations of students know, I strongly believe in researching, considering, and presenting all sides of an issue or a candidate so that each of us can make effective decisions and improve our own thinking in the process.

However, there is an issue currently in the House of Representatives that threatens Americans' use of the Internet-- this blog included-- without having any discernable positive effect on our culture or our economy. I think we should all be informed about this. And, since the vote is tomorrow,