Wordle Middle School Movie Reviews

Synergy Summer film club for middle school students. We are using wordle to review movies. The word clouds spark discussion and are sometimes used as the foundation for writing projects.

All images were created using Wordle @ http://www.wordle.net

What Are We Doing

I love schools. I thrive on the energy in the hallways and classrooms. I am delighted by the chatter on the play yard. I adore talking to children and watching excellent teachers work their magic. I believe in the possibilities. I'm an optimist. I buy that cheesy bromide "children are the future," and I know that educators have a tremendous opportunity to influence the future through guiding children. I admire most of my client schools and treasure every day I spend at Synergy but the truth is I fear that too often we fail to effectively reach children. I am sure that schools, all schools, need to change. Formal education, from elementary school through grad school, is in need of transformation.

Public schools will change last because state legislatures and federal mandates never drive authentic transformation; at best they follow the lead of others and more often, as Sir Kenneth Robinson says, they look to the past for direction. In theory independent and other private schools have the freedom to define their own metrics of success, try new teaching methods, take risks and tilt at windmills. Sadly exciting innovation and authentic educational reform is too rare in non-public schools but that's another post- hell that's an entire book!

Eighteen years ago John Taylor Gatto wrote,

A few years back one of the schools at Harvard, perhaps the School of Government, issued some advice to its students on planning a career in the new international economy it believed was arriving. It warned sharply that academic classes and professional credentials would count for less and less when measured against real world training. Ten qualities were offered as essential to successfully adapting to the rapidly changing world of work.

Here are the ten qualities Gatto attributed to Harvard:
1) The ability to define problems without a guide.
2) The ability to ask hard questions which challenge prevailing assumptions.
3) The ability to work in teams without guidance.
4) The ability to work absolutely alone.
5) The ability to persuade others that your course is the right one.
6) The ability to discuss issues and techniques in public with an eye to reaching decisions
about policy.
7) The ability to conceptualize and reorganize information into new patterns.
8) The ability to pull what you need quickly from masses of irrelevant data.
9) The ability to think inductively, deductively, and dialectically.
10) The ability to attack problems heuristically.

Are these the qualities that a well educated person needs for the 21st century? Think you can come up with a better list? Please share- I'd love to see it.

How would you answer any of the following questions?

What is the curriculum of necessity for the 21st century?

What should schools do to prepare today's students for their future?

What does a well educated 21st century person need to know and be able to do?

Thanks

100 Days- No Regrets!

Early in 2008 I decided to support Barack Obama for president. It was not an obvious choice. As a woman and mom I was attracted to Hillary Clinton but the more I listened to the debates and watched Barack Obama navigate the campaign it became obvious that he had the temperament and the intelligence to be the leader we need. Dreams of My Father is one of the best autobiographies I have ever read. It is a remarkable story about families, cultures and self discovery and it is honest and elegantly written. When I put down the book I was certain of two things. First, I wanted my children to read the book and second, for the first time in my life, I wanted to work in a campaign.

One hundred days into his term I have no regrets. My life and expectations for the future have altered in the past eight months but my certainty that Barack Obama is the right president for these difficult times has not changed. I believe he is atransformation leader in a time that calls for transformation.

My strong desire for societal transformation may seem strange. Like many of my generation, the early 50-somethings, I am lucky. We were too young for Vietnam, we benefited from opportunities made possible by the Civil Rights and Feminist movements and have, for the majority of our adulthood, enjoyed low interest rates and soaring stock values which allowed us to travel, shop and dine in a manner once reserved for the super rich. But the legacy we are leaving our children and grandchildren is shameful.

Our self-absorbed consumptive practices have contributed to planetary peril. Our low tax, big spending ways made our social entitlements unsustainable long before the stimulus bill. Ignorance of science and history has left the masses susceptible to manipulation of fear mongers, hate groups and corrupt leaders. Our culture of desire celebrates the Gordon Gekko philosophy, greed is good and it is rare to hear religious or political leaders inspire people to work for the greater good.

In his inauguration speech, which I like more every time I read it, President Obama described the transformation we need:


What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

I am glad we have a president who reminds us of our duty instead of deriding the role of government. I will pay my taxes without complaint because that it is the way I support armor for tanks in Iraq, surveillance technology for soldiers in Afghanistan, hot breakfasts for poor children, health care for those less fortunate than I, steel beams so bridges won't fall down and engineering fees so levees don't break.


Through the stock market's roller coaster ride, the dismal reports of job losses and home foreclosures, the threats from Iran and North Korea, the alarming situation in Pakistan and the sickening affirmation that our worst fears about CIA torture are undeniable, through it all, Barack Obama has been the leader I hoped he would be. With no regrets and belief that we are gradually building a better future for our children and grandchildren I am glad Barack Obama is our president.

There will be a lot of commentary about Obama's first 100 Days. Here are links to some of the most thought provoking, from both sides of the political spectrum:

Conservative David Brooks and more liberal mark Shields discuss Obama's approach to the torture memos and his first 100 days here.


Reagan biographer, Lou Cannon, writes of the similarities, both good and bad, between Reagan and Obama here.

My favorite blogger and commentator Andrew Sullivan does not opine on the first 100 days but discusses the difficulty decisions ahead for Obama here.

Nothing Is Better On A Warm Spring Day......

Gavin Newsom, the politically ambitious San Francisco mayor, once again proved that he is not afraid of smashing barriers in areas once considered taboo. Today he announced that his office was issuing an edict to decriminalize the consumption of edible cannabis. Medical marijuana has been legal since Prop 215 was passed in 1996 but usage and possession for non-medical purposes has remained technically illegal. The state's extreme budget woes have prompted discussion of legalizing all forms of cannabis. Fearing that former supervisor Tom Ammiano was scoring political brownie points by pushing legalization in Sacramento Newsom announced his bold move today.

San Francisco has a long history as a culinary capital so it is only fitting that our fair city launch the legalization of edible marijuana. Many of our star chefs and world renown restaurants will inaugurate new dishes that incorporate the slight blueberry flavor of ganja into old favorites. We look forward to new adventures for the palate and the mind.

Our family debated where to sample the new San Francisco treat. We thought we would try the new version of It's It but did opted instead to visit Mitchell's, a family favorite famous for unusual and tasty flavors. Mitchell's offers free samples and I welcomed the opportunity to give the kids their first experience in a small amount and while under my supervision. Claire, always a the picky eater, declared that the odd color(green tub pictured above) was unappetizing. JW, always ready to take a risk, gobbled down her sample and his own before enjoying a double dip of his old favorite Ube, or purple yam, pictured above. I was going to ask him his opinion of Cannabus and Cream but as soon as he climbed in the back seat he went sound asleep while listening to Michael Franti's Ganja Girl on his iPod.

I don't smoke and wine is the only mood altering substance I imbibe but I am grateful to Mayor Newsom (see his news conference here) for his latest burst of creativity. What a great way to celebrate the first day of April!

Gotta Laugh Every Day

I figured out how to post a video with music. It's really simple. You can't use iTunes music. Boo! Just buy the music from Amazon or obtain MP3 tracks from somewhere. itunes used to let you change tunes from MP4 to MP3 but not anymore!

I am a true NPR fanatic but lately the news is so dismal that we listen to satellite radio on the drive to school. This morning the kids tolerated my choice of stations and I was really excited when Classic Vinyl played Van Morrison's Into The Mystic, one of my all time favorite songs. As soon as I heard the first few bars I exclaimed, "Oh, I love this song," and as soon as those words were out of my mouth JW groaned, "I detest Van Morrisson. He is really baaaad oldies." Rolling my eyes I retorted, "JW I love this song so much I want it played at my funeral." Totally deadpan he replied, "Well I guess that means I won't be going."

So the news makes me woozy, my dad calls me at 1:50 in the morning and upsets me so much I loose two hours of sleep, my remodel is a financial nightmare and I try to take solace that my real estate value is no worse than my stock portfolio but really that does not make me feel any better but.........there is always something that makes me laugh. Today it was JW.

At least I hope he was kidding.

How can you not like this song? It is perfect for my pictures of Crissy Field and Fort Point. If you are reading this on FB follow this link to see pictures of the Golden Gate. I am a rank amateur with only an iPhone but you really can't go wrong with pictures of San Francisco Bay and, no matter what JW says, Van Morrisson.

http://www.acivilizationworthyofthename.blogspot.com/

It's Not Morning In America Anymore

I learned my lesson- never, ever blog from my iPhone. Yesterday I was writing in 'stream of conscious', meaning to go back and edit this morning. I did edit and post a decent revision of my thoughts on my dad's decline and the implosion of the conservative movement (see below) but after posting I realized that my unedited mess had already appeared on my FB profile. YIKES!

So however rambling and messy my thoughts it was affirming to hear them articulated today by David Brooks on the ABC Sunday morning show with Cokie Roberts and then to read David Frum (former columnist for NRO). Here is the take away quote from Frum:

The conservatism we know evolved in the 1970s to meet a very specific set of dangers and challenges: inflation, slow growth, energy shortages, unemployment, rising welfare dependency. In every one of those problems, big government was the direct and immediate culprit. Roll back government, and you solved the problem.

Government is implicated in many of today's top domestic concerns as well … But the connection between big government and today's most pressing problems is not as close or as pressing as it was 27 years ago

Here is the video of Brooks on the ABC Sunday Morning Show saying that a spending freeze now would be "insane".

Homer, The GOP, My Dad and Microsoft's Steve Ballmer

I love to find myself in literature. It is why I never tire of reading. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about epic journeys, the fall of heros and tragic flaws. Literature is full of smart people who do really stupid things. I am a reasonably smart person and I have certainly been guilty of some real bonehead moves. Eventually though I stop hitting my head against brick walls, own my failures and move on, able to laugh at my meltdowns, dead-ends and idiocies. But now I am having a hard time accepting my failure to rescue my dad. Long ago I accepted that Daddy was not the hero in my story and now I am struggling to accept that I am not the hero in his. I make progress and even find peace with the difficult and final truth but then a phone call lassoes me back into the drama of Daddy’s dumb choices......

He refuses to live in my home or to let me manage his small income. Every month he runs out of money, doesn’t buy enough medicine, verges on homelessness, falls so ill that he lands in the hospital where he gets better and is discharged just in time to collect the next social security check which he quickly spends and the whole cycle starts again.

I’m not making this up. In less than twenty years he has gone from living in one of Tulsa’s most prestigious neighborhoods, Southern Hills, to getting evicted from the Motel Six.

Why does this remind me of the Republican Party and the collapse of the markets? Because the implosion of the party, the markets and my dad’s integrity are all rooted in the same sick soil- hubris, denial and reliance on short term rescues that don’t work because they don't make fundamental changes.

Hubris is more than pride or arrogance; it is an unquestioning confidence in one’s own ability and a distortion of reality. Hubris is a tragic flaw in many characters from literature. In one of my favorite epics, The Odyssey , Odysseus led his men in a brave battle and clever escape from the cyclops. Full of hubris and sure he was out of danger, the hero mocked the wounded giant who predictably become enraged and doomed Odysseus to twenty years of misery during which all of his men all perished.

My dad is at the end of his odyssey, incontinent, can’t drive or find his wallet but his is full of hubris. He was a great geologist who made a lot of money, had some interesting life adventures and did many generous and wonderful things for other people. But things have changed. Despite twenty-five years of loosing battles with the IRS and only intermittent drilling success my eighty-year old dad has unwavering confidence that the next big deal is just around the corner, within his grasp. When he slams the door on my offers to help he is like Odysseus shouting to gods. It is a foolish attempt to bolster his courage.  

His hubris is coupled with denial. He refuses to accept his extreme physical challenges and the abysmally low price of oil. He cannot acknowledge the fundamental changes of his life and his actions are harmful not only to himself but to  lifelong friends who have helped him. He has lost their trust and respect as Odysseus lost his men. 

Like my dad the Republican party has enjoyed many authentic successes. Like Odysseus, the conservatives preformed heroics. Inspired by Ronald Reagan,  they vanquished high interest rates, inflation and bloated government spending. But like Odysseus they lost their way and, in the last eight years, gave us huge deficits (despite inheriting a balanced budget) and a war that is probably the worst foreign policy move in the history of the U.S. While getting us into deep do-do at home and abroad they turned a blind-eye to serious attacks on the rights and freedoms that are this country’s foundational elements. Andrew Sullivan description of the Republican legacy is much better than mine:

.....invoked the power to suspend the First and Fourth Amendments for seven years, authorized the seizure and torture of American citizens, launched two decade-long wars of attrition, doubled the national debt, presided over the worst financial bubble since the 1930s, provided the weakest level of economic growth in decades, and left the US in the grip of the steepest depression since the 1930s

.

Based on their recent history it requires lethal amounts of hubris for the Republicans to assert they have any moral authority or wisdom to lead. Their tax cuts and big spending brought us the depressing headlines and the destruction of our investments. Now, having no real ideas or plans to debate, they cannot admit the failure of their ideology.  The country needs engaged problem solving and fresh ideas but the Republican leadership (if there is any leadership in the GOP) clings to the past of culture wars and Reaganomics. Once upon a time the party responded to challenging times with vision and hard work but now, like my decrepit and stubborn father, they refuse to make fundamental changes in response to hard realities. 

In my dad's life and in the current national crisis the short-term fix is worse than no solution because it will fuel more lethal hubris and denial. My father thinks he is maintaining his independence but in truth he must be rescued every day by friends who have taken care of his daily needs at great cost to themselves. Now, having exhausted their good will for short term rescues, he faces life in the shelter or public housing. The short term rescues have only delayed the inevitable. 

The Republicans claim that they are fighting for free markets and our children's financial security but low taxes and for the rich and a spending freeze will leave millions unemployed and our children will inherit massive entitlement debt and a country with third rate infrastructure. Another bubble will not prevent the collapse that is inevitable if we do not make fundamental changes in the way we consume, spend, invest, save and pay taxes. 

Americans have been blessed with wealth and freedom and my father was blessed with talent and health. Now my dad is a self indulgent old man who refuses to clean up his act and live responsibly. I fear that too many Americans will refuse to accept that our planet is in peril and that, with the retirement of the baby-boomers, health-care and entitlements will collapse unless we change course. We can't hide from the harsh realities and we can't continue short term fixes.

I don’t really have an ending for this post. I don't have any answers or inspiration from literature. I think I will always be sad about my dad who was a good man with tragic flaws he refused to address.  Our country must address serious problems and I am excited about the economic and cultural adventure our generation has been forced to begin at midlife. I am excited to see and be a part of the changes that will result from this economic reset.
(I detest Microsoft but this Ballmer speech is really great!)