WWP Rd 13, Chunky Pages! closed, send July 25!

[RondaS]

next WWP will be a shrine swap for mabon - which I will start sign ups as soon as everyone has the chunky pages in the mail and I get a feedback from somewhere - there will be some overlap between that and the chunky page swap maybe with us sending some international pages, and then maybe a little overlap between the shrine and the Samhain as well...

Then the one after that will be for Samhain, which will be a regular style swap (1 large, 1 medium and 2 smalls) and likely will be starting early in Sept with send outs in mid to late Oct - depending on how soon I can get it going as per needing to get feedbacks on other swaps so I can organize that.

I have two swaps with send out dates this week, and another that will go out next week I think (if I get the rest of my stuff done) so should have feedback in time to stay on schedule.

meanwhile - I started the elements swap this week in case someone didn't notice and might be interested in doing that as it is a more traditional swap but still encompasses a lot of the belief systems we all have

Ronda
Bright Blessings!

[DanniQuee]

meanwhile - I started the elements swap this week in case someone didn't notice and might be interested in doing that as it is a more traditional swap but still encompasses a lot of the belief systems we all have

I sent you my info.  If you started the shrine swap tomorrow I'd be all over that as well... Is there a recovery group for swap addicts yet? lol!

[Windoverireland]

Me too Rad - Samhain is my next endeavor - I too wouldn't mind knowing what approaches we are taking for that one:): shrine and craft, chunkie and craft, card and craft?

Wow and I thought I found some weird stuff when I started cleaning out craft boxes and tubs and bags, etc.! I have supplies for some weirdness too LOL - We should have a "what was i thinking" craft swap and we could exchange our weirdnesses LOL

I'm half way through my second course: Learning styles and Multiple Intelligences - This one is going to demand serious lesson planning for the Application portion.

I thought back was doing better and then I did some bend and reach - ouch! Oh well

[Windoverireland]

I'm pretty sure I'm out for Mabon, but I'm in for Samhain - regular paycheck by then - I can't wait!!!

[RondaS]

that is some strangeness there Kerallyn, LOL! sometimes I think the Fill a Box is a "lets get rid of the stuff I can't use anymore" swap - and some people are more likely to use it to clean house than to come up with interesting things to send their partners 

Me too Rad - Samhain is my next endeavor - I too wouldn't mind knowing what approaches we are taking for that one:): shrine and craft, chunkie and craft, card and craft?

mabon is shrine and card, and Samhain will be craft and card! 

and I love that you are taking a class in learning styles and multiple intelligences - application is not so hard as you think, if you have some flexibility in the classroom - a lot of times audio and visual can be combined easily with a lecture plus visual aids and you can get the verbal and kinetic in there by having the kids work in groups on things they have to touch and manipulate to do the assignments - it is easiest to apply the multiple methods in math, if you ask me.

It is why the college I went to was trying to incorporate group work into calculus classes but the prof I had was too rigid to pull it off well

your English and Spanish classes it may not be so easy to incorporate all the styles but there are ways (having them cut words and letters out and use them to make word collages, sentences and maybe some chunky pages    could pull in the kinetic and visual, and if they have to present it that adds the verbal/visual)

I was always big on trying to get the kids to work out how to teach other kids things too - the best way to learn is to teach, and kids can come up with some interesting and unique teaching methods!

did I remember all the learning styles or have they come up with new or different ones? did they teach you the tricks for recognizing which students think which way most often? I can't remember it off hand but it had something to do with which way the eye was looking when the student was asked a question I think...

Ronda
blessings!

[Windoverireland]

Wow are you sure you didn't write the textbook I'm using?
Yup - the original 4 - now thanks to  G.... there are 8 intelligences and the 4 modes and then processing versus sensing and they have these blended personalities - each with it's own style and intelligence - then they couple them with real world jobs and then with real world activities they might do - it is huge but there are several questionnaires and surveys to help you with yourself and then some charts to help you see how to incorporate into lessons.
Actually, Spanish is very easy because of all the culture - I'm very project oriented - I work with my hands - so I teach that way LOL - guess that's why I'm here
My English classes - AP level - are proving to be a challenge - Myth is pretty easy and Creative Writing not too bad, but straight Lit is a bit much.

My 11th grade Pre-AP are working on Moby Dick and my 12th grade AP are reading Jane Austin's Emma. I'm searching for extension projects that take them away from only writing. They'll come to school on August 31 with their novels done and their journal portion finished. Then we'll work on themes and historical context and symbolisms and the main conflict forms and how they transcend to modern times. I always emphasize why we still read, so I show them modern adaptations and references to modern issues. For Moby Dick we'll watch some of The Deadliest Catch to show that it hasn't changed all that much at sea. For Emma we'll talk about modern roles for women and marriage rules according to society. It gives them discussion time and meaty subjects to write about. For Emma (my fav author) I have some books my Mom gave me before she passed - landscapes of the times, recipe books, a book of manners, and a book that explains all the games and things talked about in Austin's novels. I think we'll have high tea and I'll make one of the shortbread cookie/scone recipes in the book. We'll look at landscapes to see what Highbury might have looked like and I'll get some music from the period. We might even try our hand at one of the dances. If that isn''t Multiple intelligences, I don't know what is - plus hopefully it will be fun - I'd love to do a period costuming if I could - Wish, wish, wish - maybe I can check with the local costume shop. Hmmmm. I love to think aloud! Thanks

Off to put the twins to bed!!
Blessings
Love, peace, harmony
windoverireland

[RondaS]

Wow are you sure you didn't write the textbook I'm using?
Yup - the original 4 - now thanks to  G.... there are 8 intelligences and the 4 modes and then processing versus sensing and they have these blended personalities - each with it's own style and intelligence - then they couple them with real world jobs and then with real world activities they might do - it is huge but there are several questionnaires and surveys to help you with yourself and then some charts to help you see how to incorporate into lessons....

Off to put the twins to bed!!
Blessings
Love, peace, harmony
windoverireland

nah - took a class on it in grad school though, LOL!

sounds like it has been expanded a lot since my grad school days - that is great they didn't let it stagnate and worked to make it more multi-dimensional 

I love watching you think out loud! your thought processes are grand! 

on a swap related note - I did not get anything done today for this swap today    as I was running around getting my choc swap box in the mail so the organizer would not be the last to send, LOL! Will get to work on this swap tomorrow - as I did take the time to clean all the un-needed beading supplies off the table! well, half the table anyways...

Ronda
Blessings!

[robotarsonist]

I'm so PUMPED for the shrine swap. Truly I am. Only one more chunky page to finish and I'm sending! 

[Kerallyn]

Ok, I need an opinion and to bounce some thoughts before I post them to my school forum...

I recently questioned the decision that boys can wear shorts during warm months, but girls cannot. 

This is the response that was posted:

OMG....Does every school that opens have this much bickering...I'm almost sorry that the school is giving the parents any say in the way things are done because a lot of these emails are a parent complaining about one stupid thing or another. I have 2 girls and am not complaining that they can't wear shorts. They have skirts and jumpers. Should all the parents who have sons going to this school email and complain that they can't wear those items? This is ridiculous. You will never get everyone to agree on everything and so what? Some of you parents need to wake up to the real world. Just be grateful that we are getting this great chance at something new in our community and if you don't like the choices we are given, then go back to the public schools where your kids can wear whatever they want....

and this is the reply that I have not yet posted:

"OMG....Does every school that opens have this much bickering"

I'd guess that, yes they probably do.  With 240 kids and families coming together, and each parent sure that his or her child's needs take precedence over any other, well of course we're going to disagree about things.  Shorts vs. skirts isn't the heart of the issue; it's a reflection of an attitude that is sadly prevalent in most schools, one that tends to draw a clear line between boys and girls and rarely for the better. 

I have stood in defense of this school and the very concept it's based on countless times to my friends and family who question whether we've made the right choice.  I believe in the school and in it's stated goals.  For a school that claims it will "prepare them for the most challenging opportunities as they continue their education and life preparation" and teach them "acceptance of others without regard to race, religion or other differences", this doesn't seem like a good start to me. There are societal and cultural reasons why American boys do not wear skirts and dresses.  There are no such limitations on girls in shorts in our culture, so I don't see why there should be in our school.  If there is this sort of differentiation right from the get-go in the uniforms, then where else might the same preconceptions affect my daughter's education and to what effect?  I don't know, and I don't want to have to find out the hard way.

I can only assume and hope that I am just as determined as the next parent to be sure that I'm doing everything I can to ensure that my daughter grows to be strong, confident and proud of who and what she is.  You know that song from "Annie Get Your Gun" that goes "Anything you can do I can do better; I can do anything better than you?"  Well, that's what runs through my head every time my kid says she wants to be the "first woman _________" when she grows up.  She's only six and she already makes the distinction between doctors and woman doctors or astronauts and woman astronauts. It breaks my heart that already she dreams of being the best ~woman~ astronaut instead of just the best astronaut.

I wish that it were possible to express my questions, thoughts and concerns, and maybe even discuss them, without someone saying "sit down, shut up, and be grateful for what you have."  That is hardly productive, and certainly not an attitude that I want my child to learn. While I am grateful, I will still question, poke and prod, and do all that I can to be sure that our daughters have every choice, option, and opportunity available to our sons.

I guess I just need to step back before I post it and make sure that this is really a can I want to open and that I'm not just over-reacting...

[edelC]

Kerallyn I think that is an excellent response, really good, its firm, respectful and to the point, i think you should post it

I also think it ridiculous that only the boys wear shorts.

In my old high school (which I mercifully left many many years ago!) all girls, they eventually allowed them to wear trousers instead of skirts/tunics, now the principal of the school is bringing back skirts and not trousers. To put this in context, its late july and 62 degrees F outside and pouring rain. This is the summer!