174 Matching Annotations
  1. Dec 2016
    1. What Exactly Is The 'President's Daily Brief' And Why Is It Important?

      Prediction: As part of larger NPR series "Trumps First 100 Days", I'm predicting that this article may take a more critical stance on Trump's attitude towards his daily briefings. Also, this picture is a key feature in this headline because it's been part of a firestorm of Trump memes of late that have definitely taken a negative tone.


  2. May 2016
    1. “Just as growing up in a particular region or having particular professional experiences is likely to affect an individual’s views, so too is one’s own, unique experience of being a racial minority in a society, like our own, in which race unfortunately still matters.’”

      Wonder: What can we learn here about sending our students to college? Why is it that race and ethnicity still play a role in college admissions?

    2. Following the Supreme Court ruling that declared affirmative action unconstitutional in 1996’s Hopwood v. Texas, the Texas Legislature created the Top 10 Percent Law. This law, which originally admitted the top 10 percent of high school students in each class, now fluctuates between 7 and 8 percent at UT.

      Summarizing: affirmative action never was passed, but Texas took on another role where they now only admitted students based on their merit.

      Connection: I think this could relate back MLK's speech because he is asking us to not judge based on the color of our skin, but by our character.

    3. 16 of the 100 seats for students were reserved for minority students.

      Visualization: I can imagine just walking on campus and not seeing much diversity while on campus.

    4. Fisher, a white applicant, was not admitted to UT in 2008 and is suing the University because she claims she was denied based on her race.

      Wonder: I wonder why this student was denied admission to this school? What could be UT's reasoning?

    1. [Dre] The jury has found you guilty of being a redneck, white bread, chickenshit motherfucker [Cop] But wait, that's a lie! That's a god damn lie! [Dre] Get him out of here! [Cop] I want justice! [Dre] Get him the fuck out my face! [Cop] I want justice! [Dre] Out, RIGHT NOW! [Cop] FUCK YOU, YOU BLACK MOTHER-FUCKERS!

      Summarizing: In the end, the black community feels targeted and fails to have a voice in which people will listen to.

    2. But that shit don't work, I just laugh because it gives em a hint, not to step in my path For police, I'm saying, "Fuck you punk!" Reading my rights and shit, it's all junk

      Wonder: How can there be progressive movements if there is no respect for one another?

    3. Visualization: I can picture them speaking to an officer and neither of them showing one another a sign of respect. Reflection of real life instances?

    4. I don't know if they fags or what Search a nigga down, and grabbing his nuts And on the other hand, without a gun they can't get none

      Wonder: I wonder if this angst to get revenge is real or not, is it just because they are public figures they can say what they want to say?

    5. Thinking every nigga is selling narcotics

      Inference: Police officers make assumptions that the black community always sell drugs. Categorizing and stereotyping this community.

    6. Fuck the police coming straight from the underground A young nigga got it bad cause I'm brown

      Connection: this song can connect with today's #blacklivesmatter movement because they both centralize on police brutality and how their community is targeted based on their skin color.

    7. [MC Ren as Court Officer] Right about now, N.W.A. court is in full effect Judge Dre presiding In the case of N.W.A. vs. the Police Department; prosecuting attorney's are: MC Ren, Ice Cube, and Eazy-motherfucking-E [Dr. Dre as The Judge] Order, order, order Ice Cube, take the motherfucking stand Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help your black ass? [Ice Cube as Witness] You god damn right!

      Visualization: I can imagine MC Ren, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube reenacting a scene from the court, but put their own twist to how they perceive the judicial system sees their community.

    1. He said the bill was destructive of the system of divided powers and states' rights, and was directed solely at the South.

      Wonder: I wonder why its direction toward the south made him upset.

    2. "no sense of triumph but a profound humility"

      Summarizing: Instead of celebrating the success of the bill we should recognize our privilege and offer it to help others in need.


      Connection: This reminds me of MLK's speech and how he longed for social justice and the unification of blacks and whites.


      Wonder: What does this mean? Is Senate trying to only push this on a state level rather than a federal level? Is this a good decision?


      Connection: This reminds me of Brown v. Board of Education because of the whole idea, "separate, but equal" phrase. I think in this article however, this dissolves that idea.

    6. President Johnson hopes to have the bill on his desk by July 3 at the latest so that he can sign it on the Fourth of July.

      Historical context: Johnson was a huge supporter of the civil rights movement because he believed in equality for all and made sure that the bill moved along, unlike Kennedy who pushed it to the side a little too much.

    7. Voting for the bill were 46 Democrats and 27 Republicans. Voting against it were 21 Democrats and six Republicans.

      Wonder: I wonder why there were some democrats that opposed the bill. Was it so they wouldn't upset their constituents back in their home states?

  3. Apr 2016
    1. Kathryn deBros,

      I followed this link to her page and learned that she writes a good deal and has some fantastic references she draws on and that you might draw on in this project. Follow articles with tags on the home page of her noodle and scroll down to sources for more (if you're looking).

    1. Rap music and capitalism, from an outsider’s perspective, are as intermixed as ever; there’s even a subgenre that Spotify recognizes as “pop-rap.”

      Inference: Rap is now considered as a money making genre, rather than a platform for the African American community to speak out.

    2. Reaganomics

      Connection: top people get the most money, but the people at the bottom don't get much. Artists like Jay Z and Drake are paid for their talents that is accepted by popular culture, rather than underground rappers.

      Wonder: This shift of accepting certain artists, but not others can result in tension among the African American community. Should there be a sense of unity within this community?

    3. Rappers were met with much resistance from the rest of pop culture: They represented a more marginalized stance that those on the inside couldn’t relate to, or at least didn’t wish to address.

      Wonder: Why is it that rap is approached with resistance from popular culture?

    4. hip-hop itself has changed

      Predicting: I think that this statement will turn back to making hip hop more about the marginalized because of artists like Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, and Beyonce. Artists are realizing that it's their voice that matters to create change.

    5. Rodney King trial

      This is a project where they are working to count the number of people killed by police and other law enforcement agencies in the United States throughout 2015 and 2016, to monitor their demographics and to tell the stories of how they died.

    6. Public Enemy

      This song represents Public Enemy and how they wanted to exercise their right to freedom of speech and bring awareness to the injustices of not being able to use their voice.

    7. are two of the black community’s loudest voices speaking out against matters of racial injustice, capitalism, and economic inequity

      Summarizing: J Cole and D'Angelo are two artists that express the real experiences of African Americans.

    8. falsity of the American ideal that success in a capitalist society leads to happiness

      Inference: J Cole is making a statement on how we are too focused on American capitalism rather than our own happiness.

    9. He reconnected with his mother and redeveloped his previous worldviews

      Connection: When people are lost or feel uneasy about something, they return to their roots to better understand that issue. I have felt that way all throughout college.

    10. musicians and other people of color with a platform have not fulfilled an inherent duty they have as public figures in the line of those earlier acts who spoke out and spoke up for their people

      Wonder: Why does society expect public figures to be representative of their "people?" Is it only for publicity of the movement?

    11. the voice of a people who didn’t have the same sense of optimism and complacency regarding their place in society

      Connection: I remember talking to my family about how we as Mexican Americans are very similar to African Americans because we are all just trying to reach the "American Dream"

    12. the message has continued to resonate

      Inference: The Black Lives Matter Movement has strong ties to the Rodney King trial. Except now people are speaking out about it and not taking no for an answer.

    13. N.W.A’s “Fuck tha Police” simmered in the air,

      Visualization: I can picture the author walking around and listening to this song. I can imagine how this song reflects the people and how they feel about police brutality currently.

    14. Black artists were more inclined to speak out against systemic injustices when they were considered outcasts, not cultural heroes.

      Summarizing: Rappers no longer speak out about their hardships anymore, but now focus on their success.

    1. A visual schedule can also be created for the purpose of helping student direct their own behavior throughout the work period

      Visual schedules not only benefit children with ASD, but they are also helpful for all children in the classroom

    2. Models have been designed to ensure that necessary information that is gathered by an interdisciplinary team that includes parents to plan and develop supports

      Models are used in both classroom and at-home settings to ensure fluidity and structure in helping a child with ASD learn effecitve ways to communicate and learn other important skills

    3. Visual supports are tools that are used to increase the understanding of language, environmental expectations, and to provide structure and support for individuals with ASD. Visual supports can be provided in a variety of ways across multiple settings. For instance, you can incorporate supports in school, home, work, and within the community.

      Visual supports are useful tools for children with ASD and can be used in a variety of settings but for the same purpose: to ensure that the child learns and develops an effective communication and interaction skills, as well as a way to provide structure for the child.

    1. nterventions to support individuals with autism typically begin very early in life

      Stating how visual supports can be used as an effective intervention tool to ensure that a child with ASD recieves the assistance they need when communicating and learning.

    2. The Autism Society of America defines autism as “a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first 3 years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.”1

      I plan on using this definition when defining that Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder are;

    3. tools typically include speech-generation functionality, eye tracking, and other advanced features, such as those shown in the DynaVox suite of devices.2 In other cases, these artifacts represent activities that will take place (or have taken place) arranged in temporal order to augment understanding of time, events, and places, a tool known as a visual schedule

      What types of tools are used; visual schedule

    4. In these cases, visual supports are used to augment communication, in much the same way that sign language can be a visual representation of language for someone with a hearing impairment. High-tech devices for augmentative and alternative communication can also help children with special needs build language skills over time

      VI used as a means of communication for individuals with autism; similar to sign language

    5. wide variety of visual tools. These artifacts draw on words, images, and tangible objects to represent both concrete and abstract real-world concepts. Use of these visual artifacts has been shown to reduce the symptoms associated with cognitive, communication, and social disabilities, in particular for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [9].

      Question: Why is it important to integrate the use these visual tools/supports into the classroom for children with autism?

    6. The inherent communicative nature of educational settings makes learning challenging with limited verbal communication

      Some children with autism experience difficulty with communication, and this often makes learning challenging

    7. Visual supports are “those things we see that enhance the communication process” [22] and can be an incredible aid for children learning about the world around them

      One reason why visual supports are important both in and out of the classroom

      Specifically classroom setting?

    8. Visual supports can be the kinds of things that we see in everyday life to support communication, such as body language or natural cues within the environment [22]. They can also be tools explicitly created to support individuals who may have trouble interpreting naturally occurring visual cues (Fig. 1). These constructed artifacts sometimes use images or tangible objects to represent simple everyday needs and elements of basic communication

      Question: What are visual supports and what do they consist of?

  4. www.autismspeaks.org www.autismspeaks.org
    1. Examples

      Examples of Physically Setting Parameters- Physical Boundaries: placing the visual on a physical boundary that is already defined (i.e. a door or window) and referring to it when the rule is followed

      Limited availability: deciding the number of times (or length) of time that an item or activity is available

      Wait: Start by display the symbol for ‘wait’ for a short/set amount of time before the child can receive the desired item or activity

    2. ensure the teaching and compliance ofthose steps. It is also helpful in decreasing anxiety and rigiditysurrounding

      Visual Schedule's are helpful because they break down certain tasks, especially tasks that have multiple steps; they help enforce the completion of these tasks by the ASD students

    3. earn new skills. A First-Then Board motivates them to do activities that th

      First-Then Board helpful when teaching ASD children how to follow directions and when learning new skills

    4. Visual Schedule

      Visual Schedule's display to children a set list of activities that will occur throughout the day; it may also display specific actions that will occur within certain activities

    5. First – Then Board

      First-Then boards are visual displays that show children a preferred activity that will occur after a previous task is completed; ex: First: Eating lunch, Then: Go to playground

    6. round items or activities and to communicate basic expected

      Visually Setting Parameters: involves using visuals to set clear boundaries for activities and items, and is used to communicate behaviors

    7. h ASD use them on their own in so

      VS used with ASD children to (1) help teach social skills, (2) help child communicate wants and needs, and (3) assist children in coping with change and paying attention

    8. limited interests or repetitive behaviors. Visual supportshelp in all three area

      VS used to help ASD children who struggle when interacting socially, using language, and having limited interests/repetitive behaviors

    9. p their child communicate

      VS used as a communication tool between children and parents, and between children and other adults/peers

    10. r visual item to communicate with a child who has difficulty understanding or using language. Visual supportscan be photographs, drawings, obj

      What is a visual support

    1. information about sex should only be taught at home, where parents can impart their own values to their children.

      Connection: I can find some sympathy with parents who feel this way because of my own experience at home. However, it is not necessarily about all you currently know, it is about what you still need to know more about. My parents never truly took the time to explore or understand the perspectives or point of views of others because that was their way, and it was the only way. A lot of students have parents who uphold this mindset, so it is our job to be of value by communicating with parents, and being sympathetic to them, while also doing our job.

    2. “It’s programs that don’t provide any information that we’re against. ... It’s as if you’re trying to prevent kids from riding motorcycles by forbidding them to wear safety helmets.”

      Visualization: There needs to be a message behind everything presented in education. If there is no purpose to what is being asked of, how can students, especially younger ones, find meaning in valuable information when it is just presented as useless. This imagery seen here puts this into perspective.

    3. Advocates of comprehensive sex education say the abstinence-only message ignores information critical for teens to protect their health. But they are not against the abstinence message itself.

      Interpretation: Balance is the key. In order to truly create a plan, curriculum, format, etc. on how sex education should be presented, it is key to take benefits and positive notes from both sides and put them together. Rather than trying to choose one or another, the debate players should work together.

    4. The study also concluded that abstinence-only programs are less effective than comprehensive classes

      Seems as though my prediction from earlier was right.

    5. Currently 18 states and the District of Columbia require schools to provide sex education and 32 do not. In some states, such as Louisiana, kids might learn about HIV/AIDS, but not about any other STDs or how to prevent pregnancy. In other states, like Washington, teens receive information on everything from birth control pills to homosexuality.

      Interpretation: So what I am noting is that sex education curriculum whether implemented or not, varies across states. So while one state may be learning about some sexual diseases, other states may be learning about other diseases completely different. Content is widely varied, which poses a bit of concern for educators in terms of consistency and in making sure students are learning similar material.

    6. The opposing side pushes for an abstinence-only message

      Wonder/Question: I wonder if this side will try to achieve this through a formal/structured curriculum format, or through simply eradicating sex education from the table all at once? Curious to know what this side is aiming to achieve.

    7. One side in the debate favors comprehensive sex education, including detailed information about sexually transmitted diseases, contraception and abstinence.

      Prediction: I predict that this will be the most favorable or popular way to go about the debate on sexual education. Before proceeding to the rest of the reading, I predict this because I feel society has become more willing and acceptive to this type of content. While everybody contains there own beliefs and opinions on the topic, it is better to be informed, then to be in denial of reality.

    8. others are taught how to put condoms on bananas in preparation for the real thing

      Visualization: I participated in an activity similar to this when I was a health student in high school. While it may seem like a cliche type of way to go about protection methods in sex, I feel as though something as little as this, can go a long way for a student. As a future educator, especially in health, it is our job to be real with our kids and make sure that they have the skills needed to be prepared for anything. This activity is real because it is a way of simulating the "real thing."

    9. The average kid today is immersed in sexual imagery.

      Interpretation: Very true. Although we can go back and forth saying that we should or should not include sex education in the curriculum, we cannot neglect the fact that we live in a society were sexual content is very much alive, and is going to be forever. As educators, we need to come to an agreement on the best balance for kids in terms of sexual education.

    1. In our efforts to feed the dragon, the quest to eliminate sleep has veered toward the surreal. Once confined to coffee and tea, caffeine is now showing up in topical sprays that promise the rush without the crash, soap that says it’ll give you a buzz in the bath, stockings from Australia that keep you perky and (supposedly) eliminate cellulite and toothbrushes that wake you up while cleaning your teeth. Not to mention the plethora of food products that now contain caffeine: Beer, marshmallows, “perky jerky,” lollipops and bottled water are just a few examples.

      Wonder: Are the things we use and consume stopping us from getting a good nights rest becasue of what is in those products?

    2. Hence the cycle of sitting up in bed, listlessly refreshing our email (a recent Pew study found that 83 percent of millennials sleep with their phones nearby) even when it’s way past our bedtime and we really should put our computers and phones down.

      Connection: My mom tells me not to sleep with my cell phone close to my face because she says it might explode. Confusion: How did they conduct this study? Did people have their cell phones on or were they on silent? Should have a percentage of people who have their phones on while they are sleeping versus being on vibrate or silent.

    3. Research shows that every time we check our email, Twitter feed or Facebook timeline and find a new piece of information, we get a shot of dopamine—a chemical our brains release to simulate pleasure.

      Wonder: I wonder how different the world would be if we did not have twitter, facebook, or email.

    4. So reading in bed with an iPad, he says, or any other backlit device, makes it harder to fall asleep at night and makes you more tired the next day.

      Connection: The last thing I do before I go to bed is stare at my computer screen. I bet if I stopped looking at my computer half an hour before I go to bed I would sleep better.

    5. Modern technology, which seems particularly adept at messing with our sleep schedules, is certainly a large part of the problem.

      Prediction: The light from our computer and television screens makes it harder for us to fall asleep.

    6. Indeed, our classic eight-hour-night only dates back to the invention of the light bulb in the late 1800s. Historians believe that before the dawn of electric lighting most people got plenty of sleep, and practiced what they call “segmented sleep,” snoozing for several hours in the first part of the night, when darkness fell, then waking in the middle of the night for a few hours of eating, drinking, praying, chatting with friends or maybe even canoodling, before ducking back under the covers again until morning. The arrival of electricity, argues sleep historian A. Roger Ekirch, led to later bedtimes and fewer hours of sleep overall.

      Connection: People started staying up later because of the creation of the light bulb. This allowed for them to stay up and do whatever they wanted to do because they could still see. Today, we stay up on our cell phones because it is small enough to hold in our hands and we can communicate with people until we get tired.

    7. Our Sleep Problem and What to Do About It

      Question: Why is it difficult to get a good nights rest? What do we do before we go to bed? When do we go to bed? When do we get out of bed in the morning?

    1. closer to what my own parents experienced than you might guess.

      Here it comes, the plug for algorithmic love or at least the comparison to arranged marriage. Are the services akin to parent arrangements?


      Gets me thinking he's going to debunk traditional love narratives. I'm going to think of some I know and anticipate that he'll knock them off one by one. He starts with the arranged marriage. I'm guessing high school sweet hearts will be next and at some point, one marriage or monogamy might be up for revision too.


      Seeing the disciplinary possibilities of parallel readings to this (to go deeper) and recalling the book "starter marriage" that I ironically read right after I got engaged. While the term wasn't the same, the book echoed this article as it traced a contemporary marital phenomenon that marked a generation legally, psych-emotionally, financially, etc.. Searching for starter marriage I came across this huff post starter marriage blog LIST! Seems the phenomenon isn't over.


      This number seems staggeringly low compared to my experience with friends. Really? I may look this stat up or find out where it comes from.

    5. along with the sociologist Eric Klinenberg

      Aziz is doing research?! I'm visualizing him doing a focus group interviewImage Description


      This surprises me. Sounds like Aziz is skeptical of "natural" love. Will he be making an argument for algorithmic match-making?

    1. Eliminate boredom by minimizing repetition for students • Increase students’ independence, motivation and class participation

      I think these two go hand in hand and are important because if a student is "bored" of the content that the teacher is trying to convey then the students will give minimal participation and feedback when the teachers asks.

    2. Learning Contracts are written agreements between students and teachers that grant the student certain freedoms and choices about completing tasks yet require the student to meet certain specifications

      I like the idea of Learning Contracts because while they give students the opportunity to complete tasks in their own unique ways, they also hold students accountable for their actions while completing assignments. With learning contracts, both the teacher and the student have an equal understanding of what material is being learned, as well as the steps that will be taken/met in the process.

    3. Examples

      Which one seems the clearest to you? Which one seems the most challenging? Why?

    4. expect all students to like contracts.

      What experience do you have with them? What do you think of them?

    5. Components of Learning Contracts

      How does our class statement of inquiry assignment include, neglect or extend these components?

    6. Select specific tasks to be evaluated; it is not necessary to evaluate every task.

      What might you accomplish independently, and responsibly? What might require evaluation along the way? How might peers evaluate your work? How might the professor?

    1. laborators be geographically distant, but they can also participate in a discussion when it works best for their schedules, regardless of time zones or office hours.

      All the new gadgets that we have today are so convenient to us. We can access information at literally whatever time we desire with our smartphones. Workplaces, schools, etc. are all stay connected so easily now-adays. I think sometimes we take these things for granted and don't realize how much easier we have it than other generations.

    1. I think the third trend is not to be looked over. Making sure you have someone there to both support and encourage you can have a huge boost in finding ways to learn and succeed.

    2. I like the Learning Environment section that includes the ideas of flexible learning spaces and multi-age co- teaching. I think it is important for people of all ages to collaborate and provide input about different ways to personalize and utilize a functioning PLE because each age group or individual is going to have a different point of view about how to create an effective learning environment, and it's important to share ideas because you never know what may work for you.

    1. use it as is or modify to suit your needs. Or create your own

      Adding or modifying someone else's PLE would be easiest for me in identifying what learning environment I best work in. Either way, creating something that fits your PLE is what will make it personal and unique.

    2. The Four C’s Model

      Not only do I like this model because the Four C's are easy to remember, but also because it encourages a person to work independently (i.e. gathering information, data, etc.) as well as collaboratively with others, such as sharing and discussing thoughts and ideas.

    3. is this: a self-directed and evolving environment of tools, services and resources organized by a person seeking a way to accomplish lifetime learning, to create, and to connect with others of similar interests.

      I like how this definition uses the terms 'self-directed' and 'evolving' when referring to what type of environment a PLE is. As we continue to grow as individuals, our needs are constantly changing, and thus we must change things around in order to meet those needs. The words 'self-directed' highlight the fact that we are in control of our own unique personal learning environment and we can change it any time we want to in order to meet our changing/'evolving' needs.

    4. Because it is personalized, everyone’s PLE will be unique. Because it is collaborative, information may be continually created and shared. In the workplace, designing a personal learning environment has the potential to partially replace conventional courses.

      I think this is interesting because it brings meaning to personal learning, while helping build knowledge in a collective. I wonder how different individuals help shape a collective understanding, and even shift its directions because of the questions they raise or the diverse experiences and background knowledge they have to offer.

  5. Feb 2016
  6. specialedwitheva.weebly.com specialedwitheva.weebly.com

      I can feel your excitement here, but think you might convey that with an exclamation point in lieu of all caps. All caps seems REALLY LOUD :)

    2. Currently a Special Education major with hopes of becoming a down syndrome specialist. 

      Long term plans convey your seriousness and vision for yourself.

  7. jackymumford.wordpress.com jackymumford.wordpress.com
    1. education

      If you can, you might share some of your pre-ed work experience. This often conveys seriousness and valuable experience coming into the classroom.

    2. Family, friends, coworkers, parents, & anyone else

      big audience! may shape the tags you use to categorize posts as they accumulate. maybe some are more for some folks than others?

  8. sharigulam.weebly.com sharigulam.weebly.com
    1. Experience

      You have had a lot of experience for a sophomore! For all the different age groups you've worked in and block experiences under your belt you might share a focused detail about each one or link to the schools where you've interned to give more depth to these "references."

    2. helping her out

      This connection to your mother is instant credibility! You might list some of the ways you helped her out here (perhaps err on the unexpected or concrete side of things to keep our attention) to make this story stick and begin to establish your authority from a very young age.

  9. jacqgonzalez.wordpress.com jacqgonzalez.wordpress.com
    1. This is a great start. I hear your hopes, your credibility and authority (long past and present line of ELA eds), and your love (quote). Be sure to use the visual affordances of the webtext and consider hyperlinking, even if it's to your favorite author's open online collection or your goodreads feed (just a shot in the dark, but brainstorming here with you).

    1. I instantly knew it was something I wanted to do

      I love your story and want you to continue to sharpen it. I think it speaks volumes. Explaining what you felt in this moment, what appealed to you, how it shaped your vision might take this story one step closer to really helping your reader get a sense of your motivations from this moment.

    2. speech pathology

      Clear, long-term, multi-tiered goals demonstrate your level of focus, intensity, and vision for yourself.

    3. I am a double major in spanish and special education

      This detail conveys your seriousness as a student and your marketability in a city full of bilingual folks.

  10. arianarvillegas.weebly.com arianarvillegas.weebly.com
    1. South Austin native

      I like this mention of your home alongside a pic of yourself in Chicago (for those who recognize the bean :) ). Inserting a caption or referencing this juxtaposition might clarify the selection for outside audiences. They seem to convey your love for cities and your movement beyond Austin.

    2. actively involved

      Show this a bit more, if you keep it here. I feel like there is a one sentence story possible (see Ruben's page for an example)

    1. I feel like I have a cultural connection in these classrooms

      Worth another sentence, I think, to establish your cultural connection.

    2. I have been working with students on understanding how to graph information, aspects of 3-Dimensional shapes, and we are now moving on to fractions beginning with halves.

      These images and this caption speak volumes about experience you are getting in the field. They go above and beyond the about page assignment.

  11. rubenaf.weebly.com rubenaf.weebly.com
    1. purpose

      I get a sense of your purpose. I wonder if you might define your audience just a bit more, for your writerly sake :)

    2. Living in such a small town there is really not much to do, so to pass time, me and my siblings would play basketball at the one court that my town had just about every night (the days were too hot).

      I have an instant image of this routine in my mind. This is such a quick story and it contributes to your credibility and authority as a physical educator. You've got to display your lifelong learning and identity as a physically active person and you're doing it, concretely and credibly.

    3. It is surrounded by farms and windmills!

      I love the pics and the captions help us understand their connection to the messages above and how they take use even closer to you. I am wondering about their placement on the page. Is there a way to break up the text or move beyond the centered alignment for the whole page? It feels awkward.

  12. meganewills.weebly.com meganewills.weebly.com
    1. CJ

      Obligatory dog pic, please!Image Description

    2. I am eager to enter the field of education with the same passion for kids that I have as a coach. 

      Immediate credibility and a rationale for sharing this in relation to your future as an educator. Well-stated.

  13. sammiecurtin.weebly.com sammiecurtin.weebly.com
    1. :)

      This gives me a feel for the casual tone you're working to strike, but I'm wondering if given the initial clause about letting us in on a secret, you might end the sentence with a ... for drama instead and to fend off some of the more conservative audience members who might judge you for using emoticons as a teacher (I don't, but have their imaginary lenses on my shoulder as I read).

    2. About me

      I love the pallette of the whitewashed fence and your image below. They're aligned, so to speak. That being said, the mint green of the title of the page gets a little lost. I wonder if you might bump it up and provide a bit more contrast.

    3. I will keep y'all posted while working with these kiddos.

      I appreciate that you're speaking to me as an audience. This is also giving me a sense of how you will use this site right now (purpose), to check in and consider the road to your first position as you move through the st. ed's program.

    4. I even saved up my money to buy an overhead projector

      Unexpected fun fact is concrete, credible, and story-like.

    1. She is the reason I want to work with students.

      Sounds like a real inspiration. I wonder if you might quote her? I am also looking at this and wondering about balance. How can we fit you and your strengths back into this page before we leave it, as readers? Is there a way to bring us back to you through a moment mentioning the image or the metaphor it might illustrate, experience it conveys about you and who you are as an educator? (just brainstorming)

    2. The next step I am planning to get my masters in Speech Pathology in hopes of someday working with the deaf who are hoping to become vocal. For now, I plan on focusing in the field of Special Education.

      Having a multi-tiered, detailed plan really establishes your credibility as a serious student of special education.

    1. what are your views on education?- students from Alta Vista charter HIgh school KC

      Nice to see youth reaching out, BUT thinking his views are explicitly stated all over the site. Strange question to ask. Must be part of the assignment, to reach out. It's recent.

    2. Thanks, John. I honestly appreciate it. Hope to be in contact with you soon.

      I liked hearing his voice here. Sounds like someone who's easy to relate to and available. Also shows he's "contact-able" through the site (in 2010).

    3. 100

      After such a list, thinking a few hyperlinks might have enhanced the webtext, BUT that's also another area of the site to "maintain" and he's writing often, so...probably a wise authorial choice.

    4. TEDxNYED

      Internationally renowned context for public speaking listed first.

    5. named

      Lots of recent honors (past 2-3 years).

    6. writes

      LOTS of popular, widely circulating blogs and online news sites listed here.

    7. serves

      Invited service on a board

    8. click here.

      Communication line established. One sign of a credible site, according to the University of Maryland Libraries' criteria for establishing web site credibility

    9. He’s also a committed writer, activist, web designer, and father.

      Lots of education related and enhancing identities here, e.g., parenting, web design (ed tech!), social action, etc.. He establishes a lot of authority in and beyond the classroom.

    10. This Is Me

      Clear, to the point, no frills, no fear.

    1. That’s probably why information about sex, whether from parents or schools, is so often delivered in serious, white-coat fashion, its clinical messages heavy with the fear of consequences

      Interpretation: Very true. Rather than discussing sex as an educational component of health care, teachers, schools, parent's, etc. simply try to instill fear in the term, thus making teens resistant to knowing more about it, and overall giving the term a negative connotation.

    2. sexual identity

      Wondering/Questioning: I wonder how many students actually know about this term? And when should we as teachers introduce this? I can see where this would be a bit controversial in discussing in a classroom, but then again this course is centered around openness, so I hope to see this term again.

    3. “I guess I didn’t want to grow up. I was happy with the way things were. I am realizing now that the class was superhelpful. Julie sends you away with this greater message that we are all in this together, that you’re fine,”

      Summary: The greater message of the course clearly stands on the notion that girls are not alone in their resistance to sex ed. I had to pause here and think for a minute because the overall message and learning experience is what truly matters. This inference is important to make bc what students can take from a lesson and apply it to their lives, is what teachers hope to achieve.

    4. And then Metzger won them over. At one point, she handed out a diagram of a woman’s reproductive organs and challenged the girls to go home, stand naked in front of a mirror and superimpose the image over their abdomens to get a sense of where things were in their bodies.

      Wondering: I wonder how many girls actually did this? I mean it's a good tool in sparking curiosity about their bodies, but I don't think this would work for all girls. As a matter of fact, it might scare some of them away. A method or tool that all girls would be interested in, is something I would aim for as a health teacher.

    5. There was an undercurrent of nervous tension as we waited for the class to start.

      Connection: This is how I anticipate my classroom culture/environment to be at first due to my own experience in school waiting to start on another sex ed lesson. Again, going back to some of the feelings student's experience when talking about a touchy subject like sex ed, I won't be surprised as a teacher when I start sensing the nervousness in the room.

    6. The class was so crowded, she says, that “we had to run it twice.”

      Wonder: I wonder how this course got so crowded if the notion lies on the fact that most teens are "resistant" to going? I had to stop and think about this because the article states numerous times, that the kids are often resistant about going, as well as just not interested in going. Are the parents forcefully dragging their children to go, or is there another incentive in attending the course?

    7. Metzger believes that having kids pose questions fosters intimacy and allows parents to hear for themselves what their children’s concerns are.

      Interpretation: I agree, children are more prone to respond when they are the ones leading the discussion. and not just being lectured to. When will kids ever learn to formulate their own thoughts and ideas if all we do as parents is direct their thoughts and ideas. Children want to have a voice and want to state their opinions, so letting them pose questions is a start to independent exploration.

    8. As the girls scribbled on their index cards, some used their elbows to block an inquisitive mother’s gaze.

      Visualization: I remember being a middle-schooler having a cell phone for the first time, and shielding my incoming texts from my mom at the dinner table. It is clear to me that privacy is important for these young girls, and they have come to a point in their lives where they don't wish to share everything with their parents anymore. I can picture the transition in these girls from being open, to being more secretive and private about their lives.

    9. Boys and girls experience puberty differently. For girls, puberty typically begins at 10 or 11 and lasts five to six years, punctuated by distinct events — breast development and the onset of menstruation. Puberty for boys starts later, around 11 or 12, and lasts longer. Many girls are done with puberty — over, by definition, when growth stops — in their sophomore year of high school. Boys, on the other hand, may still be growing in college, and some secondary sex characteristics, like beard growth, may not show up until they are in their 20s.

      Summary: Puberty in girls and boys occur at different time periods and are noted by distinct physical qualities. It is interesting to point out that puberty seems to be occurring at younger stages than previously seen. Puberty is a major topic in health care, so I found it necessary to give this paragraph a quick run down.

    10. More than 100 years later, there is still no standardized curriculum. Detailed guidelines, released in 2012 as a resource for school districts, recommend minimum standards for comprehensive K-12 sex ed, but compliance is voluntary.

      Confusion: This made me stop to re-read this sentence. Is there really no compliance for standardized curriculum in health education? So every district adopts there own curriculum for how they wish to implement sexual health care in the classroom? This is a bit upsetting to me as a student majoring in the field, because I feel as though this subject is not being taken serious.

    11. class were fun and funny and interactive?”

      https://www.ted.com/talks/al_vernacchio_sex_needs_a_new_metaphor_here_s_one# This video also provides a refreshing and modern approach to sexuality in discussing it as a fun metaphor. It promotes enjoyment rather than a boring informative session.

    12. No Bad Q's Slideshow: This is interesting and very applicable in a health classroom, especially when you are trying to build openness and participation. However, a teacher might want to censor some of the words used when discussing as a group. This made me pause to make my own note of this activity, because it is a simple and anonymous activity that everybody can engage in, as well as be heard.

    13. What if that class were fun and funny and interactive?”

      Connection: I remember being a student unmotivated to participate in class because of how static and lecture-based it was, so it is refreshing to see how this course is hoping to take on a more engaging approach. When I was in school, I did not even think you could use the word "fun" in a classroom. For some reason I resonated fun with "not learning."

    14. 14,000 attendees

      Interpretation: It seems as though this course is doing a good job at drawing in the attention of many teens and their parents with just word of mouth and pediatricians. This took me by surprise because in reality, they are not really using a variety of modes to help spread the word about this course. Its impressive to see how many people actually attended with minimal promotion.

    15. But Leah had plenty of company, peers who shared her resistance, their arms crossed, their eyes downcast

      Connection: As a once middle school student getting ready to learn about sexual health care and personal health, I also often felt resistant, even uncomfortable to speak on such a touchy subject. I viewed it as a topic that simply required "common sense", and thus required no teaching. I had to pause and comment on this, because as a new teacher getting ready to teach health, I am going to expect students to feel this type of way. Especially those new to the concept.

    16. Let’s Talk (Frankly) About Sex

      Prediction: I predict this article will dive into a modern outlook into the integration of sex education in a modern classroom. The (frankly) makes me think that this article will take on the concept in a direct and honest manner. This will hopefully promote comfort and openness amongst the teens engaging in the discussion as well. What is your prediction on the article's title?

    1. Her work is exquisite, delicate, crafted

      Connection: I feel like this is how traditonal women's work would be described

    2. these women are reappropriating traditional feminine crafts, re-imagining traditional ideas of femininity, and creating some elegantly radical feminist fiber art.

      Wondering: I wonder how other feminine artist doing the same but with different materials that don't include fiber art.

    3. And I'm saying that the feminine, even the traditional, has always been just as complicated, interesting, and aesthetically beautiful."

      Connection: I like this quote because in historic art, men were more commonly the famous painters and sculptors because women had specific roles. Even then though, some women artists broke through because their fathers were artists who taught them or they learned on their own and their work was just as beautiful if not, arguably in some cases, more.

      (EX: mary cassatt): Story starts at 00:35 https://youtu.be/u4iX0PZPg0o

    4. Climbing

      Questioning: Why was this piece named "climbing"? What message might it be sending?

    5. Her work is less obviously feminist than the others, however, it is decidedly feminine

      Questioning: Do you think that it is a bad thing that her work is "less obviously feminine?" Do feminine works need to be screaming femininity in order for it to be really appreciated?

    6. From stitched images of women putting on makeup to embroidered photographs of women sewing themselves closed,

      Visualization: I visualize the faces women make when putting on makeup. It doesn't look comfortable or pleasant. "beauty is pain"..... right?...


      Observation: Makeup- "cosmetics such as lipstick or powder applied to the face, used to enhance or alter the appearance." Connection:The two different views of the work, where one is clean and clear can only be made by the messy unruly stitching that is on the back. Questioning: What is the meaning of "MAQUILLAJE"?

    8. women sewing themselves up and ripping themselves open

      Connection: again, using a traditional woman craft in an untraditional way.

    9. These tensions are all central to  her work, and this understanding of a shared experience is critical.

      Inferencing: The tension is very physical in the work but i feel that the meaning behind it has even more tension, especially her comparison of female and male.

    10. This re-evaluation of "women's work" is happening internationally, which indicates a seismic shift in the way young women understand their identity.

      Wondering: I wonder how "women's work" is defined internationally. I also wonder how some women's shift in their understanding differs from others.

    11. sewing, stitching, quilting and knitting

      Visualization: I picture my grandmother's craft work. she knew really intricate stitching patterns and would do most things by hand.

  14. Jan 2016
    1. Connection: Have you visited any of these before? -Natural cultural district -Artist spaces -Neighborhood districts -Downtown districts

    2. "Additionally, there is no one right way for stakeholders to engage with the arts. Occasionally conflict arises between arts a nd community interests, not because they both do not believe in building better worlds, but because they have different ideas of how to achieve that goal."

      Think back at Chang's piece Before I die... could you see any possible conflicts that arose from the piece?

    3. Visualize: How do you visualize arts, culture and creativity? Is there a difference when you visualize these terms?

    4. Interpret: What do you think about these words? Do they have different meanings to you or do they have similar meanings? Do you think it is important to distinguish these differences if any?

    5. Summarize: What makes a community a community?

    6. Predict: After you watch the video skim through the article. Look for clues that will allow you to predict what the article is about. Look at pictures, graphics, headings etc.

    7. Predict: What do you predict this "ecosystem" consists of?

    8. Before: Watch the following TED talk by artist Candy Chang.

      Have you seen pieces like Chang's before? What made them appealing to you? What caught your attention? What inspired Chang to create her piece? Do you think she predicted the impact her piece would have in her community and more? What lasting impacts do you see happening in her community?


    1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u0Ql2Hnl8I

      Before: Watch the link. What are some reactions to the video? Why would a man alone on an island put a face on a volleyball? What is he thinking? How would you feel being all alone? Why do you think relationships are important?

    2. (Researchers Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler have found that men’s life expectancy benefits from marriage more than women’s do.)

      Wondering: I wonder if that is because women typically take better care of themselves compared to men.

    3. The support offered by a caring friend can provide a buffer against the effects of stress.

      Connection: When I am stressed, I let out my feelings to a close friend. I usually feel much better after talking about what is stressing me out.

    4. In a study of over 100 people, researchers found that people who completed a stressful task experienced a faster recovery when they were reminded of people with whom they had strong relationships. (Those who were reminded of stressful relationships, on the other hand, experienced even more stress and higher blood pressure.)

      Confusion: I am confused by this study. I wish there was a more illustrated example. How did they remind the people? How did they know what relationships were good versus bad to tell the participants? What were the stressful tasks?

    5. Depression. Loneliness has long been commonly associated with depression, and now research is backing this correlation up: a 2012 study of breast cancer patients found that those with fewer satisfying social connections experienced higher levels of depression, pain, and fatigue.Decreased immune function. The authors of the same study also found a correlation between loneliness and immune system dysregulation, meaning that a lack of social connections can increase your chances of becoming sick.Higher blood pressure. University of Chicago researchers who studied a group of 229 adults over five years found that loneliness could predict higher blood pressure even years later, indicating that the effects of isolation have long-lasting consequences.

      Summary: The negative health effects of having few relationships/ low social support.

    6. A survey by the National Bureau of Economic Research of 5,000 people found that doubling your group of friends has the same effect on your wellbeing as a 50% increase in income!

      Confusion: How was this survey completed? How would doubling a group of friends be equivalent to a 50% increase in income?

    7. And hanging out with healthy people increases your own likelihood of health—in their book Connected, Christakis and Fowler show that non-obese people are more likely to have non-obese friends because healthy habits spread through our social networks.

      Connection: I was once told about a study of how a group of researchers would put 100 random people in a room and out of those 100, only 2 were totally healthy. At the end of the night, the two healthy people would find each other almost every time they did this study. I think that supports how we create relationships with people similar to ourselves.

    8. The research is clear and devastating: isolation is fatal

      Visualization: I visualize a dying person all alone. :(

    9. Similarly, Dan Buettner’s Blue Zones research calculates that committing to a life partner can add 3 years to life expectancy

      Connection: Someone once told me that every time we laugh, we add 5 minutes to our lives. I think when an individual finds a person that makes him/her happy and is supportive, we are more likely to live longer because we have something to live for.

    10. Conversely, the health risks from being alone or isolated in one's life are comparable to the risks associated with cigarette smoking, blood pressure, and obesity.

      Question: How can having few or no relationships have such a powerful impact on the body that are comparable to cigarette smoking, blood pressure, and obesity?


      Prediction: The article is going to list some evidence supporting how our relationships help us live better lives.