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September 2012

You Are (Not?) Special: Self-Esteem Curriculum

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2012-09-28 16:49


Last spring, a high school teacher from Massachusetts made international headlines when he told the graduating seniors that they were “not special.” In his address, David McCullough, Jr. told the graduating class that despite their “pampered, cosseted, [and] bubble-wrapped” lives, “You are not special. You are not exceptional.” Taken out of context, some excerpts of McCullough’s speech raised eyebrows.

Peggy's companion column: 
Developing the "I Can" Attitude
Resources mentioned in this post: 
The Myth of Self-Esteem
Self-esteem
Chalk It Up: Self-Esteem

The Continents

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2012-09-21 11:30


Every year, a new crop of students begins to learn about the continents. In the U.S. and Canada, students learn that there are seven continents, while students in some other countries may learn that there are as few as five or six continents (with North and South America combined into a single continent, called “the Americas”, and/or Asia and Europe combined into “Eurasia”). They learn about the distinguishing features of continents, such as the topography, geology, native plants and animals, and so forth. They also learn that, despite their massive size, the continents are constantly in flux.

Peggy's companion column: 
Putting it all Together with Pangea
Resources mentioned in this post: 
Exploring the Continents Through the Arts
Cut-Out Continents Mobile
At the Edge of a Continent

Teaching With Common Core State Standards

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2012-09-14 16:24


In 2004, a report entitled Ready or Not: Creating a High School Diploma That Counts was released by the American Diploma Project. The report was the culmination of several years’ work, with data collected from hundreds of high school teachers, college professors, and managers from U.S. corporations. The report concluded that American high school graduates are falling far short of the expectations placed on them by the workplace, and by colleges and universities.

Peggy's companion column: 
Straight to the Core: A Common Core State Standards Primer
Resources mentioned in this post: 
Adding Jumping Lima Beans
Money Makes the World Go Around: Exchange Rates
Avoiding the Path to Panem

The Power of Myth

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2012-09-07 16:33


One of my absolute favorite units as a middle school student was mythology. Since we were learning about ancient civilizations in Social Studies, my Social Studies teacher and English teacher developed the unit together. Although we focused primarily on Greek mythology, we also touched briefly on mythological allusions in books such as The Lord of the Rings and in films such as Star Wars, and the role of the archetypal hero.

Peggy's companion column: 
Going Greek: Studying Myths in Every Classroom
Resources mentioned in this post: 
Greek Mythology and the Forms of Energy
Learning Myths, Writing Myths
Point of View and Myth