Thinking Maps

Does anyone use thinking maps - a lot - in their teaching? Does anyone use it in teaching math? I have four preps next year, each with a different special ed teacher. And we just got an email that tomorrow, the first day back, we will be having professional development on using thinking maps - because we will be using them at lest every week. Help.

Stacked Ranking

Stacked ranking is where a certain percentage fall at the top, a few at the bottom and most in the middle. It is the favorite concept that Bill Gates is pushing to make the schools better. It is a major part of all this Race to the Top crap. If you don't embrace it, you lose funds.

But there's a problem. It doesn't work at Microsoft, where Gates is king.

Forbes points out that it discourages collaboration, which is what I am seeing at my school.

Let's start school in the hottest month.

It is summer.

August is the hottest month.

We are in Georgia.

This is a list of the start dates for schools.

Monday, July 30
Rockdale County

Wednesday, Aug. 1
Cherokee County
Decatur City
Floyd County
Paulding County

Thursday, Aug. 2
Barrow County

Friday, Aug. 3
Buford City
Newton County

Monday, Aug. 6
Atlanta Public Schools
Coweta County
Douglas County
Gwinnett County
Henry County

Wednesday, Aug. 8
Clarke County

Thursday, Aug. 9
Forsyth County
Marietta City

Friday, Aug. 10
Bartow County
Hall County

Monday, Aug. 13
Carroll County
Clayton County
Cobb County
DeKalb County
Fayette County
Fulton County
Griffin-Spalding County

Six Word Saturday

Easy to get, hard to eliminate.

For more Six Word Saturday participants, click here.

Why is it so easy to acquire stuff that it is so difficult to dispose of? And so easy to be overwhelmed by.

No Man is an Island.

President Obama, one week after his controversial "you didn't build that" remark, claimed Friday that the criticism he's taking from Republicans is "bogus."

Though Republicans say the president was implying that business owners didn't build their businesses, Obama said he was just talking about roads and bridges.

Read more here .

You can watch the video (he was on the radio, so it is actually an audio) - the statement is at 1:01. I don't care about the blowhard who follows. But, please, Mr. President: I have heard enough about "it depends on the meaning of 'is'" to recognize backpeddling. Have the courage of your convictions or quit lecturing us.

I can't get the embed code to work. The video is here www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DwJE1VbJtU

No Man Is An Island

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.
John Donne

I love these things!!

Two men from Seattle were stopped at the border for smuggling. They had Kinder eggs.

I love those things! Just not enough chocolate.

Summer is ending

I am trying to finish up the must-dos before school starts up again. It is the South. It is July. It is hot as ..... out there.

So on that note I leave you this visual from Switzerland. (Switzerland? Don't they have snow there all the time?



Here is the whole picture.