1600 views passed a short time ago for this blog. That's not bad for someone like myself who is oblivious of how to use the Web properly. Let's give you some new stuff to read and also avoid using the advice you're about to get.
Advice you don't need:
If you wish to be unassuming, unnoticed, and unappreciated in the 21st Century, here is how:
1) Don't learn social media sites. They're all fluff and nonsense. Even if only 1% of those who look actually care about what they read and learn from it, and that's only 1% of the population of the planet, and only 1% of those that care and read are actually going to say anything about your posts, and only 1% of those will give you credit...that's, let's see, only 1% of 1% of 1% of 1% of 7,302,249,331 that's 73 people. 73 people for a page of words...is that worth it?
2) Don't share your knowledge and links with other industries, companies, non-profit groups, hobby and social groups that have their own newsletters about related subjects. Surely someone else will give them content relating to their interests and they may ask you to write for them, adding to your burdens.
3) Don't interlink your social media...links are passé, and if you do, leave off explanation of where the link goes; people like surprises.
4) Overestimate yourself; everyone writes about what is important to them from their own perspective. So why write? Besides, it's already been done, right? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said (through his vehicle, Sherlock Holmes), "There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before." They've said the same thing for centuries. Must be true.
So follow the advice above.
That leaves more people reading this blog.
(Darn, did I write that openly? Keep speaking up, everyone, and here is the key: Teach your children about these things; prepare them before they are adults. Actively create social networks with them rather than let them create them on their own and consider it something "kids do". Parental involvement cannot protect your child from everything, but there is nothing like having a parent show you how to do the fun things to give the parent the opportunity to point out the dangers. Social media is a tool for helping your child succeed. Give them the tools they need to use it. I had them but didn't realize how important they were. Now I do. So do you.)
Special thanks to a certain editor of a local but wonderful newspaper that I'd happily credit if I had her permission; she made my year, and restarted my blog.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
The New Generation of Detectives
This generation has entire databases online about each and every one of them.
That's not an exaggeration - it's a fact. There is no single organization trying to mindread, brainwash, or otherwise have a soccer game with your head - it's a collection of many different organizations quote openly and often honestly trying to learn as much as possible about you - as a consumer; as a customer; as a voter.
But that often results in nothing but better tailored ads (nothing like getting feminine care product emails in my inbox, as I'm sure most of you are tired of the ads for male enhancement nonsense).
Why bring up those specific things? They can get you fired.
Your boss is one of the new detectives.
Your Facebook, your blog, your friend's blog, in fact, everything you or anyone you know posts about you can be and often is read by your employer.
And whether they are capable of making good decisions based on what they read or not, they are making decisions based on it. Your career, and sometimes your private relationships, are based on what people read about you online.
And so you search your information, and the result? You just fed the computers even more information about yourself. The age of privacy is over - all hail the all-seeing eye. I'd start citing the Illuminati were it not debunked decades ago (or was it? Forget it - not interested).
Real people making career decisions based on partial information that they are embarrassed to take the time to double check by asking you are terrifying enough.
So here, before anyone digs up any dirt about me, is the dirt on me:
1) I have a personal life and personal history. I will never be President because of some of it. I've never taken drugs or been a drunk, though I smoked for six months after I had to for a part in a play. Decided it was worth the pain to stop and never smoked again. Never broken the law, either, in any serious way (I've sped, but actually follow the speed limit normally, much to the chagrin of many a driver). I've had rough times, and even been homeless for a short time (hardly worth the mention). When employers read such things, they make up all sorts of garbage in their heads instead of asking you.
So, since you are my audience, If ANY of this has ANYTHING to do with the veracity or accuracy of the posts I make or pass on to you, kindly prove it first before trying to waste our time with using character assassination as an attempt to evade the issues or try to fool us into dismissing them altogether. Such unethical methods of debate will be pointed out and their user revealed fully. Don't do it. Stay on topic.
2) I have a spiritual side - experienced a Cosmic Consciousness experience (read Cosmic Consciousness, by Bucke - you'd be surprised how many famous people have had such an experience of one sort or another). It's perfectly possible it was a psychotic break, or could have been something else. It's only resulted in good effects in my life and it never repeated. I'm no guru, saint, master, or anything of the sort, but it left me with some interesting side-effects that have served me well for life. But all of that is hearsay - not evidence. It's a personal experience that I write about elsewhere. Just prefer it not be interfering here. Nothing like having a boss (or audience) think they are helping people by pointing out you are a Mormon, a Catholic, a Muslim, a Jew, or whatever at your job because of their own biases and issues thinking they're actually helping anyone. Want to talk my spiritual side? Go to that blog, not here.
3) I have hobbies, including role-playing gaming. You'd be amazed at the ignorant comments I've received telling me what I do and what I am for such a simple thing, and what is now pretty much a mainstream hobby, not just by kids, or teens, but by adults. Some of us never lost our childhood and still play - we just do it with entire ecosystems, sociological studies, governmental conflicts, in-depth studies of cultures and mythology and more. Favorite game of Mensa for many decades has been Dungeons and Dragons (TM); the adults - not just the kids. I post elsewhere about that, but you may see a post here and there about the benefits for kids. Just please, don't take up our time here with my personal hobbies; I tend to get rather scathing when faced with personal attacks by people who don't know how to stay on the topic with relevant posts (my personal hobbies are not relevant). Save yourself the bad day.
4) I am a crusader. I'm also nobody. We all have our things we tilt at and sometimes it takes almost losing everything to make it worth your while to speak up.
I've reached that point, and am a disgruntled human. Any person who isn't a disgruntled person either hasn't lived very long or doesn't comprehend what is going on around them. If you disagree, you are disgruntled person in denial being disgruntled. Disgruntled persons welcome here, even if they are disgruntled about what I post. In fact, they are extra welcome - because it is those that disagree with you that most shape the accuracy and effectiveness of your ideas.
That all being said, I think it's time to post freely about everything in my life, each in a place where it serves the audience best. Hopefully this will be the WORST case of going off subject you'll experience from me.
We'll see.
But don't join the "web detectives" without adding three other things to your repertoire:
1) An open and honest relationship with those you research so you can talk freely about things you discover.
2) The ethic "Innocent until proved guilty" to be liberally used for everyone you research.
3) A quick reread about "Whose house is of glass, must not throw stones at another," and "There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford" are in order, and in their original form to remember that what you see on the web is but a shadow of the truth of a person, if true at all.
Discretion, people, is the virtue of necessity in the 21st Century.
That's not an exaggeration - it's a fact. There is no single organization trying to mindread, brainwash, or otherwise have a soccer game with your head - it's a collection of many different organizations quote openly and often honestly trying to learn as much as possible about you - as a consumer; as a customer; as a voter.
But that often results in nothing but better tailored ads (nothing like getting feminine care product emails in my inbox, as I'm sure most of you are tired of the ads for male enhancement nonsense).
Why bring up those specific things? They can get you fired.
Your boss is one of the new detectives.
Your Facebook, your blog, your friend's blog, in fact, everything you or anyone you know posts about you can be and often is read by your employer.
And whether they are capable of making good decisions based on what they read or not, they are making decisions based on it. Your career, and sometimes your private relationships, are based on what people read about you online.
And so you search your information, and the result? You just fed the computers even more information about yourself. The age of privacy is over - all hail the all-seeing eye. I'd start citing the Illuminati were it not debunked decades ago (or was it? Forget it - not interested).
Real people making career decisions based on partial information that they are embarrassed to take the time to double check by asking you are terrifying enough.
So here, before anyone digs up any dirt about me, is the dirt on me:
1) I have a personal life and personal history. I will never be President because of some of it. I've never taken drugs or been a drunk, though I smoked for six months after I had to for a part in a play. Decided it was worth the pain to stop and never smoked again. Never broken the law, either, in any serious way (I've sped, but actually follow the speed limit normally, much to the chagrin of many a driver). I've had rough times, and even been homeless for a short time (hardly worth the mention). When employers read such things, they make up all sorts of garbage in their heads instead of asking you.
So, since you are my audience, If ANY of this has ANYTHING to do with the veracity or accuracy of the posts I make or pass on to you, kindly prove it first before trying to waste our time with using character assassination as an attempt to evade the issues or try to fool us into dismissing them altogether. Such unethical methods of debate will be pointed out and their user revealed fully. Don't do it. Stay on topic.
2) I have a spiritual side - experienced a Cosmic Consciousness experience (read Cosmic Consciousness, by Bucke - you'd be surprised how many famous people have had such an experience of one sort or another). It's perfectly possible it was a psychotic break, or could have been something else. It's only resulted in good effects in my life and it never repeated. I'm no guru, saint, master, or anything of the sort, but it left me with some interesting side-effects that have served me well for life. But all of that is hearsay - not evidence. It's a personal experience that I write about elsewhere. Just prefer it not be interfering here. Nothing like having a boss (or audience) think they are helping people by pointing out you are a Mormon, a Catholic, a Muslim, a Jew, or whatever at your job because of their own biases and issues thinking they're actually helping anyone. Want to talk my spiritual side? Go to that blog, not here.
3) I have hobbies, including role-playing gaming. You'd be amazed at the ignorant comments I've received telling me what I do and what I am for such a simple thing, and what is now pretty much a mainstream hobby, not just by kids, or teens, but by adults. Some of us never lost our childhood and still play - we just do it with entire ecosystems, sociological studies, governmental conflicts, in-depth studies of cultures and mythology and more. Favorite game of Mensa for many decades has been Dungeons and Dragons (TM); the adults - not just the kids. I post elsewhere about that, but you may see a post here and there about the benefits for kids. Just please, don't take up our time here with my personal hobbies; I tend to get rather scathing when faced with personal attacks by people who don't know how to stay on the topic with relevant posts (my personal hobbies are not relevant). Save yourself the bad day.
4) I am a crusader. I'm also nobody. We all have our things we tilt at and sometimes it takes almost losing everything to make it worth your while to speak up.
I've reached that point, and am a disgruntled human. Any person who isn't a disgruntled person either hasn't lived very long or doesn't comprehend what is going on around them. If you disagree, you are disgruntled person in denial being disgruntled. Disgruntled persons welcome here, even if they are disgruntled about what I post. In fact, they are extra welcome - because it is those that disagree with you that most shape the accuracy and effectiveness of your ideas.
That all being said, I think it's time to post freely about everything in my life, each in a place where it serves the audience best. Hopefully this will be the WORST case of going off subject you'll experience from me.
We'll see.
But don't join the "web detectives" without adding three other things to your repertoire:
1) An open and honest relationship with those you research so you can talk freely about things you discover.
2) The ethic "Innocent until proved guilty" to be liberally used for everyone you research.
3) A quick reread about "Whose house is of glass, must not throw stones at another," and "There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford" are in order, and in their original form to remember that what you see on the web is but a shadow of the truth of a person, if true at all.
Discretion, people, is the virtue of necessity in the 21st Century.
Been a while since I posted.
It's time to take off the gloves.
Help organizing this blog would be very welcome - it's about to become much more interesting:
1) Specific criminal behaviors by schools and how to watch for them;
2) Specific unethical behaviors by schools and how to watch for them;
3) How to create a school that is modular and made to grow with research while not squelching innovation by teachers or children.
4) Creating a program for developing the rest of the brain during the forgotten years of birth to age five; A school for creating a supporting network of neurons in the rest of the brain so that later learning is easy and well-supported based on sensory-motor activities.
5) How to teach - Remembering that it is a toolbox and there are tens of thousands of tools and experts on those tools.
6) Discipline is a useful word, not a negative word - and one that can bring pride and security to "adults in training", as I call children.
We'll have sections for these as well as news stories and how the news story can be adapted to education and your child.
I'm at a point in my life where there really isn't anything anyone can do to me if they disagree, and any kind of attention is likely to just open people's eyes up to the situation more. Do post your response, but consider carefully the way you respond - it reflects YOUR ethics, your side's ethics, and your upbringing. Represent them well. I'll remind once and then erase. Then block if nothing else works. Being civil and being firm are not opposites. Do speak up - opposing views are a challenge, not an affront, and are welcome here.
Category: Blog Business
It's time to take off the gloves.
Help organizing this blog would be very welcome - it's about to become much more interesting:
1) Specific criminal behaviors by schools and how to watch for them;
2) Specific unethical behaviors by schools and how to watch for them;
3) How to create a school that is modular and made to grow with research while not squelching innovation by teachers or children.
4) Creating a program for developing the rest of the brain during the forgotten years of birth to age five; A school for creating a supporting network of neurons in the rest of the brain so that later learning is easy and well-supported based on sensory-motor activities.
5) How to teach - Remembering that it is a toolbox and there are tens of thousands of tools and experts on those tools.
6) Discipline is a useful word, not a negative word - and one that can bring pride and security to "adults in training", as I call children.
We'll have sections for these as well as news stories and how the news story can be adapted to education and your child.
I'm at a point in my life where there really isn't anything anyone can do to me if they disagree, and any kind of attention is likely to just open people's eyes up to the situation more. Do post your response, but consider carefully the way you respond - it reflects YOUR ethics, your side's ethics, and your upbringing. Represent them well. I'll remind once and then erase. Then block if nothing else works. Being civil and being firm are not opposites. Do speak up - opposing views are a challenge, not an affront, and are welcome here.
Category: Blog Business
Thursday, January 9, 2014
The Cutting Education - a Newsletter for 21st Century Pioneers in Education
We're publishing a newsletter we hope to grow into something unique called "The Cutting Education" about what education could be doing, and possibly should be doing to innovate, creating a 21st Century school system. It's about exploring the very edge of the educational pioneer and bringing it to parents and professionals, as well as bringing professionals and parents together. It's about giving options to parents on how to educate their children and giving children every means for development.
We're free, right now, and would love to remain that way. The first four issues are out and available, stored in the files section of
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/spiralmatrixeducation/conversations/messages
Suggestions, ideas, etc. welcome, or come join us in making this a better resource for us all.
We're free, right now, and would love to remain that way. The first four issues are out and available, stored in the files section of
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/spiralmatrixeducation/conversations/messages
Suggestions, ideas, etc. welcome, or come join us in making this a better resource for us all.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Started South Austin to Buda Enrichment Resources, a free program on
MeetUp for to create playgroups, find resources for educators/parents.
Local businesses even have a place to post if their product or service relates to kids and there is no spamming because the parent has to mark that they want data from that section.
Local businesses even have a place to post if their product or service relates to kids and there is no spamming because the parent has to mark that they want data from that section.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Teaching Our Children About Money
One teacher has a way.
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/22210982/teachers-creative-way-of-teaching-money-lessons
What impresses me is the administrator that allowed it.
I've tried it myself - and gotten in trouble for it.
I've tried money systems (class money, savings accounts, checking accounts) and gotten in trouble for it.
How is your child learning about money?
What does an allowance teach your child?
What if they don't do their chores to earn that allowance?
Amazon has some wonderful suggestions for books:
http://www.amazon.com/Books-Teach-Children-About-Money/lm/RM5SZ3F1COQV7
But this article by Money Magazine gives some simple advice for the rest of us who barely balance our checkbook.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson12/index.htm
Spiral-Matrix Academic Resources & Tutoring (S.M.A.R.T.)
New Post Titled:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spiral-Matrix-Academic-Resources-and-Tutoring/325670834147480
http://spiralmatrixeducation.blogspot.com/
http://spiralmatrixeducation.wikidot.com/start
and Twitter
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/22210982/teachers-creative-way-of-teaching-money-lessons
What impresses me is the administrator that allowed it.
I've tried it myself - and gotten in trouble for it.
I've tried money systems (class money, savings accounts, checking accounts) and gotten in trouble for it.
How is your child learning about money?
What does an allowance teach your child?
What if they don't do their chores to earn that allowance?
Amazon has some wonderful suggestions for books:
http://www.amazon.com/Books-Teach-Children-About-Money/lm/RM5SZ3F1COQV7
But this article by Money Magazine gives some simple advice for the rest of us who barely balance our checkbook.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson12/index.htm
Spiral-Matrix Academic Resources & Tutoring (S.M.A.R.T.)
New Post Titled:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spiral-Matrix-Academic-Resources-and-Tutoring/325670834147480
http://spiralmatrixeducation.blogspot.com/
http://spiralmatrixeducation.wikidot.com/start
and Twitter
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
News Stories #2
Plans to move exams online receives positive feedback
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10880715&ref=rss
Online lessons and exams are the future, but what to do about the easy access to information? How to avoid cheating? Suggestions:
1) Have exams at monitored sites with computers, community centers that allow colleges, universities, and other organizations to rent time, allowing the community to keep it up and use it for other projects during off times.
2) Video connection to observe students with a movable camera to look around the student for other monitors as well as an audio connection and a program that dominates (full screen) the computer while testing.
Regardless, start your children using these resources ASAP.
State Ed should pay attention to concerns about tests
http://www.buffalonews.com/20130429/State_Ed_should_pay_attention_to_concerns_about_tests.html
There are a lot of ways that administration and teachers min-max the testing process to give themselves the best scores. When you see such abuses, it is the ethical thing to do to report it, if only for the sake of your child in that school. If they are doing that, they are cutting ethical corners elsewhere. You decide what kind of school you have by what you tolerate.
New Methods to Explore Astrocyte Effects On Brain Function
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130429164917.htm
Calcium - it's not just to "do a body good".
Your brain does depend on it.
Pop culture quiz: Educators use media trends in the classroom as teaching tools
http://www.lohud.com/viewart/BK/20130429/ENT/304290009/Pop-culture-quiz-Educators-use-media-trends-classroom-teaching-tools
All intelligence is based on connections. Memory is based on strong connections with past events. Creativity is the ability to connect two or more things normally not connected. Using cultural references is an effective way to connect concepts for your students. The more connections, the more powerful your child's mind works.
VolsTeach: A 'new direction for teaching math and science'
http://www.oakridger.com/article/20130429/NEWS/130429936/1001/NEWS?rssfeed=true
The future of education will focus on students learning to: "observe, experience, record, compare and evaluate,", while trimming unnecessary memorization. Our children have access to huge amounts of data at the touch of their fingertips. There is one concern I have.
As our memorization skills drop due to lack of use, how do we effectively connect concepts we aren't able to hold in our heads? What about when or if we lose all that electronically stored data? Do not sacrifice memorization as a skill - make it an essential, even as the topic for memorization changes.
Englewood teacher surprised with Golden Apple Award
http://cltv.com/2013/04/29/englewood-teacher-surprised-with-golden-apple-award/#axzz2RyuIz0pq
Just a thought: In the four decades as a classroom educator I never saw the huge list of educational techniques and ideas of "teachers of the year" individuals from my school, my district, my county, my state, my country.
Why not? Why aren't we collecting all of these into a single location for teachers to use?
Add your own thoughts.
Keep the dialogue on education going.
Spiral-Matrix Academic Resources & Tutoring (S.M.A.R.T.)
New Post Titled: News Stories #2
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spiral-Matrix-Academic-Resources-and-Tutoring/325670834147480
http://spiralmatrixeducation.blogspot.com/
http://spiralmatrixeducation.wikidot.com/start
and Twitter
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10880715&ref=rss
Online lessons and exams are the future, but what to do about the easy access to information? How to avoid cheating? Suggestions:
1) Have exams at monitored sites with computers, community centers that allow colleges, universities, and other organizations to rent time, allowing the community to keep it up and use it for other projects during off times.
2) Video connection to observe students with a movable camera to look around the student for other monitors as well as an audio connection and a program that dominates (full screen) the computer while testing.
Regardless, start your children using these resources ASAP.
State Ed should pay attention to concerns about tests
http://www.buffalonews.com/20130429/State_Ed_should_pay_attention_to_concerns_about_tests.html
There are a lot of ways that administration and teachers min-max the testing process to give themselves the best scores. When you see such abuses, it is the ethical thing to do to report it, if only for the sake of your child in that school. If they are doing that, they are cutting ethical corners elsewhere. You decide what kind of school you have by what you tolerate.
New Methods to Explore Astrocyte Effects On Brain Function
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130429164917.htm
Calcium - it's not just to "do a body good".
Your brain does depend on it.
Pop culture quiz: Educators use media trends in the classroom as teaching tools
http://www.lohud.com/viewart/BK/20130429/ENT/304290009/Pop-culture-quiz-Educators-use-media-trends-classroom-teaching-tools
All intelligence is based on connections. Memory is based on strong connections with past events. Creativity is the ability to connect two or more things normally not connected. Using cultural references is an effective way to connect concepts for your students. The more connections, the more powerful your child's mind works.
VolsTeach: A 'new direction for teaching math and science'
http://www.oakridger.com/article/20130429/NEWS/130429936/1001/NEWS?rssfeed=true
The future of education will focus on students learning to: "observe, experience, record, compare and evaluate,", while trimming unnecessary memorization. Our children have access to huge amounts of data at the touch of their fingertips. There is one concern I have.
As our memorization skills drop due to lack of use, how do we effectively connect concepts we aren't able to hold in our heads? What about when or if we lose all that electronically stored data? Do not sacrifice memorization as a skill - make it an essential, even as the topic for memorization changes.
Englewood teacher surprised with Golden Apple Award
http://cltv.com/2013/04/29/englewood-teacher-surprised-with-golden-apple-award/#axzz2RyuIz0pq
Just a thought: In the four decades as a classroom educator I never saw the huge list of educational techniques and ideas of "teachers of the year" individuals from my school, my district, my county, my state, my country.
Why not? Why aren't we collecting all of these into a single location for teachers to use?
Add your own thoughts.
Keep the dialogue on education going.
Spiral-Matrix Academic Resources & Tutoring (S.M.A.R.T.)
New Post Titled: News Stories #2
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spiral-Matrix-Academic-Resources-and-Tutoring/325670834147480
http://spiralmatrixeducation.blogspot.com/
http://spiralmatrixeducation.wikidot.com/start
and Twitter
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