Comments for Doth Grin: The Blog

Comment on In an age of computers, the pen is back! by Cheri Petty Winter

Cheri Petty Winter — Thu, 09 May 2013 05:10:11 +0000

Cary, you are so right; a nice writing instrument can make a huge difference in one’s attitude toward writing. I work in a local pen shop and enjoy the opportunity to introduce my young techie friends to old school fountain pens. It has been especially fun to see some of them beginning to participate in the local pen collectors’ club to learn more about pens and inks, but even more so, to hear about new writing or drawing projects that have been started as a result of discovering the joy of putting pen to paper.

Happy writing!

Comment on New Teacher ≠ Bad Teacher* by Liza

Liza — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:20:34 +0000

Here, here, Cary! Great post. You know, when given the opportunity to hire 10 teachers, I chose 7 who were new to the profession. I can’t image you “sucking” as a teacher, but I value your desire to improve your craft and your strength to share it with us. Kudos, my friend.

Comment on Time for Mastery versus Grade Levels by Adrienne Royce

Adrienne Royce — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 05:25:01 +0000

This brings up my argument about taking away the social stigma of “having” to finish high school in four years. I have students every year (the vast majority of whom are boys) who realize how far behind they are and basically give up. It took me six years to get my Bachelor’s degree, and I was a fairly competent student. The maturity needed to master certain subjects comes at different times. For some it is three years, for others it may be five. We need to let students know that it is ok either way.

Comment on Do People Actually Know HOW to Read? by Kimberly Hearne

Kimberly Hearne — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:41:56 +0000

Cary, I am with you 100%. Your last comments regarding manipulators struck a cord with me in light of all of the changes coming down through the state and district. There was an email sent sometime last year regarding changes being made. I found the email rather insulting because whoever wrote it must have believed that we (the teachers of critical thinking) were morons and couldn’t see through their empty and ambiguous rhetoric. It was embarrassing to think that they feel we (those who teach others how to examine language) could not see the truth of the matter—that they didn’t HAVE a plan and that they didn’t KNOW what they were doing. It also made me realize that though it is a daunting task at times to help the regular level student read texts like we expect advanced students to, it is worth the effort. I was just telling my students the other day (when they asked me why their class is doing activities that the other classes are not doing) that I am trying to prepare them for the future so that they will not embarrass themselves, their parents, or their nation. They laughed. Nonetheless, we press on in the hope of making a difference.

Comment on Do People Actually Know HOW to Read? by Clarissa "O"

Clarissa "O" — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 05:50:42 +0000

I want to dye my hair green and wear a ton of hunger games memorabilia when I go to see the movie as a statement that we’re being like people from the capitol following the fad of the hunger games not really understanding what it’s about.

Comment on Do People Actually Know HOW to Read? by mike whittaker

mike whittaker — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:58:05 +0000

Why was everyone hurt a couple of characters were black,that’s all I wanna know? Does it specify in the book about race? I could go on,but im tired!

Comment on End the (Educational) Fear of Wikipedia by Elias McConnell

Elias McConnell — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 04:38:44 +0000

As one of your AP students I find Wikipedia a great tool to start my research and have been able to understand what some complex issues are. Case and point, while I read the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini I was supposed to study Aghani culture and what caused the downfall of their society. If I had not looked up on Wikipedia what the People’s Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (PDPA) was I would have been a stick in the mud, understanding nothing about the last 40 years of Afghanistan.

Thanks for the great teaching Mr Tyler

Comment on The Education (and Tech) gap widens… by admin

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:36:33 +0000

If you notice the article from 1985, I think you are hitting it pretty solid T.J. with the relationship between access to technology and the gap. Think about it: More and more colleges are shifting their instruction online (which pretty much makes my current Masters a major bonus– ed tech). That means that if we do not prepare students at the high school level for even basic use (which is handled with ease by those who have tech at home), even if they get to college they are right back at a disadvantage.
Also, how many teachers are prepared to easily instruct with an iPad? It has only been in the last couple of years that I have been able to seamlessly mix my online structure with the brick-and-mortar teaching. Yes, I had a web site, but it was simply to download materials. Now I use it to add video and other instruction, giving me more time to work with students in class, which has helped tremendously with my AP class (they only meet four days a week at my school due to their work commitments, plus our actual seat time is significantly less than when I taught at Manzano and in Arizona).

Comment on The Education (and Tech) gap widens… by TJ

TJ — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:14:47 +0000

I wonder what the possible solutions are. Of course awareness of the gap helps, but I don’t see the gap narrowing until technology playing fields are leveled. The internet has to be freer and devices that can access it cheaper. I do see the general tablet trend promising in this regard, but it’s a feat of epic proportions to get every kiddo an iPad let alone a lesser Android tablet.

And I also wonder how much we should correlate the widening gap to the widening of access to technology. Thoughts on that?

Comment on Hello world! by Mr WordPress

Mr WordPress — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:05:04 +0000

Hi, this is a comment.
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