The Very Best of 2011 Kids' Graphic Novels with Links and Excerpts!

As 2011 draws to a close, it's time to share my list of 2011's "Very Best" graphic novels for kids (although I LOVED them and last time I checked, I was considered - by most- to be an adult).  I am only a recent avid fan, and I rationalize my newly found passion by the fact that in the last few years this industry has exploded with diverse, quality, works that MUST be included in homes, schools, and libraries. I have included books with intelligent content, and quality art and prose.

So here are my recommendations (note that I have also included accessible web sites that either deal with important issues or have online previews and excerpts):

FOR KIDS 4-8

Bake Sale by Sara Varon weaves a salivating tale of friendship, chemistry, and baking, and marching bands. It is about friends using creative ideas to help each other with life's dreams and unavoidable obstacles. Life's solutions (at least in this book) revolve around baking. There are seven recipes from classic cupcakes and cookies to sugared flower petals to marzipan.  It is wonderfully heart-warming and creative. Please see this YouTube clip for more about the book.

Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell is a series of books about Antimony Carver, a girl with special talents attending a strange school called Gunnerkrigg Court.  It is a fictional school in a fictional world and the story weaves political intrigue, science, fantasy and mythology into a beautifully (verbally and visually) told story.  The books are published by Arehaia Studios Press but the stories are updated online three days a week at Gunnerkrkigg Court.
 
Nursery Rhyme Comics edited by Chris Duffy is a compilation of nursery rhymes classics retold by 50 of today's most talented cartoonists and illustrators.  Each rhyme is one to three pages long, simply paneled and lettered for an easy read for all ages, and each one isa feast for the eyes and mind.

Squish:  Super Amoeba by Jennifer and Matthew Holm is about the world of single-celled friends (Squish, Peggy and Pod) and as they navigate school, bullies and life.  It is wonderfully creative and these ameoba and paramecium move and interact with their environment in a very creative (and relatively true to life) way.  It is a great introduction to pond life and the single-celled world and a great way to discuss fact, fiction, and an author's use of both to tell a story.  I just loved this book and recommend it for home and school use. They have a second book out already (Squish:  Brave New Pond) with a third one coming out soon "Squish:  The Power of the Parasite"
 
Zita Space Girl by Ben Hatke -  invites the reader from the first panel.  Art and story are incredibly engaging for kids of all ages.  This is a great book to read aloud or have your child read on their own.  It is about Zita who knows she shouldn't touch an unidentified object while walking with her friend Joseph, but she just can't resist.  (Sound like any child you know?).  Even with Jacob's warning, she touches it and sending Jacob to another universe.  She knows she must go to rescue him and embarks on the adventure of her life. For more details see my previous post which has a YouTube video clip excerpting this book.



FOR KIDS 8-12
Amelia Rules by Jimmy Gownley is a funny, witty, intelligent series of books that follow Amelia as she adjusts to life in a new town after her parents' divorce.  These books deal with issues of friendship, loyalty, school, various family life issues, and social ' belonging' issues.  Gownley shows (not tells) kids how they can navigate life's lessons in a wonderfully fun, supportive and empowering way, while dealing with very real issues.  It is one of the best kid's book I've read in a long time. In 2011 alone, four different Amelia books have been published - the are ALL SUPERB and well worth the read.  Here is a YouTube video excerpt from one of the Amelia books.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol is a story about how a ghost (named Emily) who is 'rescued' by Anya when she falls down a well, helps Anya deal with the awkward teen years.  She helps Anya address her self consciousness about her looks, her friends and being popular, with Anya's embarrassment of her family (they are very ethnic), and with her rebellious, confused emotions.  It is a lovely coming of age book. Here are the first 17 pages of the book, courtesy of First Second Books.

City of Spies by Susan Kim and Laurence Klaven depicts life in the summer of 1942.  Evelyn's dad is getting remarried and he sends her to her aunt's house in New York City. Evelyn discovers herself and with the help of Tony, the super's son, they uncover a German spy ring after seeing newsreels asking citizens to help in the war effort.  It is exciting, empowering, and a lovely coming of age story. Here are 8 pages from the book, courtesy of First Second Books.

Resistance (2010) and Resistance Book 2: Defiance (2011) by Carla Jablonski & Leland Purvis is a story about World War II from the perspective of  a boy, Paul Tessier and his family.  In Book 1 the Tessiers have to decide how to live under German occupation as they weigh their options of joining the French Resistance, remaining 'neutral', or sympathizing with the Germans (in the hope of more and better rations and privileges). They also must decide whether to help Paul's best friend, a Jew.  In book 2 Defiance the story continues. Paul is now 14 and he still wrestles with helping his beloved torn France. Please view some excerpt pages.

Rust:  Visitor in the Field by Royden Lepp is a gripping story of Roman Taylor who struggles in a world similar to ours (which looks a lot like dust-bowl Oklahoma) to save his family's small farm which was devastated by a war.  One day a boy with a jet pack lands in the field and Romam begins to discover the secrets of Jet's past as he develops greater hopes for the future.  This is really a story for young teens, older teens and adults, which I reluctantly place here.  20th Century Fox has already picked up the rights to this awesome story.  Please check out these preview pages.

The Olympians (Zeus, Athena, Hera) by George O'Connor are a collection of books on Greek mythology.  The latest is Hera.  The story is true to classic Greek myth, and the illustrations and panel /page arrangements are breathtaking.  Greek myths truly come alive in this series and it is a GREAT bet for any kids interested in Greek mythology. Note that Hades is the fourth book coming out in 2012.  I saw a galley and it is spectacular as well.  Also note that each book comes with suggested lesson plans, suggested supplemental reading lists, and a family tree of the Greek gods.  Please view the first 12 pages, courtesy of First Second Books.



For 12+
Americus written by MK Reed and illustrated by Jonathan Hill is about a book-loving boy from Americus, a small town in Oklahoma who eagerly awaits the latest edition of his favorite fantasy series starring a young sorceress who hunts monsters and tyrants.  Trouble arises with a movement to ban it from the library.  This book deals head on with book-banning in a sensitive, honest manner. The book appeared first on the web (and while now only available in print, this is a very cool link that deals with book banning), and is now available in book form.  Here is a 13-page preview for those interested (compliments of the publisher, First Second Books).


Feynman written by Jim Ottaviani and illustrated by Leland Myrick visually and verbally illustrates Richard Feynman's life from his childhood in Long Island NY to his college days at MIT to his work on the Manhattan Project, career at Cornell and CalTech,  his dramatic exposure of the Challenger disaster, his work on quantum electrodynamics and his antics in art and music (bongo drums).   This work is  an adaptation of Feynman's books ("Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman" and "What Do You Care WHat Other People Think?" are two of my all-time favorite books) which are also well work a read. No science background is required for these books, although it may help with some sections. Here is a slide show excerpt of the book. 

The Silence of Our Friends by Mark Long, Jim Demonakos and Nate Powell is a semi-autobiographical story (about one of the author's father) who was a "Race Reporter" in Texas, 1976.  It is actually not out until January 17, 2012, but is available on Amazon for preorder. I was given a galley to read and it is powerfully honest, sensitive, and does a spectacular job relaying a very complicated, troubled time in our history. It is the story of prejudice, humiliation, degradation and a living testament of the growing civil rights movement in Houston Texas.  It talks about families who try to do the right thing, raise their kids' "right", make mistakes, but mostly make an effort to find the right path in a questioning time. Here is a preview - 13 pages from the book.  It is sensitive, smart, and honest.  A must read!


Honorable mentions from previous years:

Anne Frank:  The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon.  The authors infuse this authorized biography with relevant history and perspective as Anne's story is retold.  It is an excellent read in which World War II and the Holocaust come alive, and lives lost all to early are remembered. 


Drawing Words and Writing Pictures by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden is a GREAT gift/book idea.  I recommend it for kids ages 12+.  It is actually written as a course and has won multiple awards including: BCCB Recommended Title, Publisher's Weekly Comics Week Best Comic of the Year. I has chapters on lettering, story structure, and panel layout and comes with homework, extra credit activities and supplemental reading suggestions.


I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly - a superb book about fifth grader Barbara who kills giants - we just don't know if she really kills giants, thinks she kills giants but is living (or retreating) to a fantasy world, or if this is a metaphor for something greater.  Please see previous blog post that illustrates how graphic novels like I Kill Giants are not only enteratining, but actually help shape inference skills and critical thinking (it has some excerpts from the book as well).

Laika  by Nick Abadzis tells the story of Laika, the first sentient being sent into space by the Russians and of the political posturing of the 1950's space race.  Please see a previous blog post of mine for more details.


Mouse Guard by David Petersen  Please see a previous blog post of mine for more details on this and other great reads.  It is the story of Medieval Mouse times.  It is already a classic work, the art and story are spectacular and it is well worth your time.

The Sons of Liberty by Alexander and Joseph Lagos tells the story of Colonial America with a bit of a twist as two young run-away slaves are are left with superpowers as the result of an encounter with Ben Franklin's son who was experimenting with electricity.  This is the first story of a series and is wonderfully engaging.

The United States Constitution Please my December 5, 2011 post for more details about this truly outstanding publication which seeming effortlessly describes the United States Constituion (Preamble and Amendments) as well as providing background and perspective to this work of genius.

Tribes: The Dog Years by Michael Geszel and Peter Spinetta, art by Inaki Miranda is an outstanding science fiction adventure that considers the effect of a medical research lab's experiment with nano virus' gone awry.  While there is some violence (hence the older age guideline) the story and art are spectacular and worth the read (for older kids and ALL adults).  Please see  my previous blog post for details as well as this post dealing with Tribes and social cognition.  Here is a great YouTube post trailer for Tribes: The Dog Years that is spectacular and shows you Inaki Miranda's spectacular art. 

This is a long posting, but these are all spectacular books that I fell passionately about.  Please leave some of your passionate suggestions as well - or questions. 

Understanding The United States Constitution

"We the people...."

So often we take these words opening the U.S. Constitution Preamble for granted.  NEVER before had the right of rulers been questioned or the individual rights of the masses been so considered. Never before had people constructed and set up their own form of government.

How much do you know about the US Constitution?  Take this quiz now or after reading this post.  They're a lot of fun:

Ten question quiz

Take the advanced 50 question quiz

Which of the Founding Fathers Are You?

Real or Fake?

Whether you need refreshing or not (I did), there is an awesome book - and graphic novel to boot - that not only details our Constitution - it explains it and puts the rationale behind many of its measures into an enlightening perspective.

The United States Constitution:  A Graphic Adaptation (written by Jonathan Hennessey, art byAaron McConnell) is one of THE BEST books detailing our Constituion - by far - for kids and adults.  IF you haven't read it - get a copy it is truly outstanding.  This graphic novel describes the precipitating factors and events that led to our Nation's birth and clearly and succinctly details the Preamble and the Twenty-seven Amendments of our Constitution.  It is a vivid, accurate adaptation that totally blew me away.  This comic adaptation portrays the story of our history with incredible power, depth, and insight.

Hennessey and McConnel use metapthor, art, and prose as they explain why the Constitution was - and still is - so special and how it set up the three branches of government trying to check and balance our inherent greed for power.  Here are some of their most striking points:

• For the first time in history, a resistance movement, "dared to break the colonies away from the richest and most powerful nation on earth.. A nation where most Americans' ancestors had been born... Few even questioned that the right of rulers to rule came from on high (pp. 8-9)."
• Many, many factors led to the American Revolution. This book, rife with metaphor, details how Britain and the Colonies "wrestled"  bitterly with the growing rebellion and the question of the rights of man as John Locke argued that "all men are created equal with the natural born rights to life, liberty and property..."
• Hennessey and McConnell argue that the U.S. Constitution was"the greatest compromise of all time. " They explain the thinking and compromises made in order for the very different colonies to form a union and our current form of government. They also explain the elastic and basket clauses the framers put in to help this work adapt to changing times and needs.
• This book visually and verbally explains the Preamble and each Article of the Constitution detailing not just the laws but the rationale behind them, and the checks and balances put into place to help keep one branch of the government from overpowering the others.

It really is amazing to read this and realize how much thought went into setting up our system of government.

As we face so many internal and external threats today, I find myself in awe of our founding leaders and the compromises they were willing to make NOT for their parties, but for the PEOPLE and the NATION.  It feels today that because our two-party system is so entrenched, the party cogs -our senators and congressional representatives- vote more to maintain their party, their status, and the system.  What must we do to return to that state of understanding compromise?   Just look at the compromises that were made then:

• Slavery was a huge issue that nearly broke the union. The founding framers could not immediately resolve this issue. So the right to bring in slaves was granted only until the year 1808; the South could not count their slaves as residents (thus limiting the slaves states' power in government); wording about slavery was very carefully controlled in the writing of our Constitution.
• Possibly the greatest compromises, however, were over power - balancing the power of the people, the states, and the federal government ( a struggle which we grapple with even today).
• Representation was a compromise - in the Senate each state has the same number of representatives (giving each state the same voting power and thus granting smaller states the same voice as larger states) and in the House of Representatives the number of congresspersons is based on its population (giving larger states more voting power because they represent more people).
• Who counts as a resident?  Free women (who wouldn't be allowed to vote for another 131 years) were included but native Americans were not.  AND then there was that ever prickling issue of slaves.  The South wanted slaves to be counted as the increased number would give them more voting power, but the North argued that would have given too much power to the South. Thus arose the three-fifths compromise: referring to the slaves as 'other persons' each slave would be counted as 3/5 a person when determining the number of residents per state the the number of representatives for the given states.
• The electoral college was also developed to help balance the power of large and small states.
• [One area of no compromise:  the right to vote or hold office.  That was given ONLY to free men and in many cases exclusively to those who owned land. None of the men had any argument with this.]  

I usually post about learning, parenting, and education, not politics but I just couldn't help myself. And, I think there is so much we can learn from this - both politically and personalll. As Spock said to Kirk, "Sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one." 

Let's hope in this next election we find those representatives who can turn from their parties and the needs of the 'one' (or few) and compromise effectively to meet the needs of the many!

Please let me know what you thought of the quizes and materials presented here.

It's About TIme: Temporal Sequential Processing and Telling Jokes

Time is a concept that grabs our attention from birth and doesn't let go.

Time to be fed... time to be changed..."are we there YET?", " WHEN is my birthday?"... "is it Christmas already?... " Time seems to drag when we are kids and fly by as adults. And, for all our fascination with time - it is one of the most difficult concepts for us to grasp.

According to Jean Piaget, child psychologist, time is an abstract concept that kids don't truly grasp until approximately eight years of age. Words relating to time are also one of the most difficult for kids to grasp (soon, yet, when, almost).

Even as adults, we are constantly wrestling with time. We juggle time schedules in our daily lives and are fascinated with studies and stories of time and relativity,  time travel, and time seen through space and multiple dimensions.  Adults, be they scientists, physicians, psychologists, writers, musicians,or fashionistas all wrestle with how to turn back the effects of time.

Time is literally all around us and effects just about everything we do.  Temporal sequential processing is all about how we recognize and follow time. It refers to the skills and steps we take to accomplish things in a given time, place, and order.

Telling a story or a joke, for example, is all about temporal sequential processing.  We have to understand the order (in time) that events take place, twist the story so the punchline is unexpected, and deliver that punch line with the correct timing (pausing for listeners to think and then zing them).

Notice how Ray pauses before the punchline and moves from topic to topic - they all relate but you don't quite know where he's going until he zings you.

For joke telling tips here are some links:

•  http://youtu.be/mNazT3GY7z0

• Toastmasters International: How to Tell a Joke
• Please leave your own tips on how to tell jokes (or just leave your favorite joke) in the comments below.

BUT Temporal sequential processing is involved in a whole lot more than just telling jokes and stories.  You need solid temporal sequential processing to function in just about everything you do:

• Knowing when to wake up to get to work/school on time - (knowing how long it takes to dress, eat breakfast, commute, etc.)
• Knowing how long various chores/tasks/activities will take as the day's schedule (and required tasks) evolves and knowing how much to schedule (or not schedule) given the day's agenda.
• Setting aside enough travel time to get to appointments/classes on time.
• Cooking is ALL about temporal sequential processing - from following the directions in the right order, to knowing how the oven heats and how long to mix, stir, bake and fry.
• In school there are even more demands:

• Social studies:  kids must sequences of events over time that shaped a particular individual or enabled a specific event /plan to succeed;  
• Math: students must understand WHEN to apply different solutions and different sequences of solutions
• Science:  experiments in science are all about timing and following sequences of actions
• Writing:  students must keep track of the sequence of the story or content while keeping track of spelling, and grammar (past, present, future).

How to help strengthen temporal sequential skills:

• Keep a calendar handy and fill in your daily /weekly / monthly responsibilities
• Checklists for chores, assignments, etc. 
• Install good word processing programs on computers to help check for grammar and spelling
• Consider software programs that help plan out writing sequences, organize notes, even map quests that will give you estimates of how long it will take to get somewhere
• Play games that require sequencing and timing (tennis. for example, is great because timing is important in vollying)
• Cooking and baking are great ways to reinforce sequences of steps and time
• Comics and graphic novels are GREAT ways to work on sense of time, sequence and order of events (just following the panels reinforces following sequence and time).
• For social studies in school, make timelines to help visually reinforce the sequence of events as well as how closely they played out  within a given time frame.

Me?  I am not a good joke-teller and I have had to add a lot of structure to my day and my life to handle time efficiently - get to where I need to be on time, meet deadlines, and juggle home, parenting, and work responsibilities.  I keep calendars, set my clocks a few minutes fast (even though I know they are fast, it still helps me) and I leave the joke telling to others.

How do you deal with time?

Saucy Slams

From: resources-teachers.info

When in need of a sharp jab and putting in one's place, how can you go wrong with a Shakespearean spar and jab? I really do try to be considerate and (relatively) well-mannered, but there are moments when a good insult just eases the stress.  Besides, it's a great way to exercise the mind and tongue while introducing wonderfully creative wordplay. There certainly are fewer 'teachers' more capable than Shakespeare. What better way to insult someone than to use such sophisticated, newly fabricated, or defunct words - that it takes so long for them to process - you're long gone and score on the cool, creative intellectual side!

So I thought we could all do this together, take a break, and have some fun:

• Please create your an insult following the chart directions below and leave the insult in the comments.  Feel free to add an optional note why you constructed this particular jab.
• Read the deposited insults aloud with gusto and verve (and spittle out those "s's" and "p's" when appropriate)!!!!! 
• But most of all, sling some silly slights and smears so we can smirk and smile the rest of the day.
• Optional:  Leave some creative teaching ideas for all my homeschooling, teaching, parenting followers to share and savor.

Shakespeare Insult Kit

Combine one word from each of the three columns below, prefaced with "You" or  "Thou": 

Column 1                     Column 2                Column 3 

artless                   base-court              apple-john
bawdy                     bat-fowling             baggage (encumberer)
beslubbering              beef-witted             barnacle (tenacious)
bootless(useless)            beetle-headed           bladder (filled with air)
churlish(rude )             boil-brained            boar-pig
cockered(pampered)            clapper-clawed          bum-bailey
craven(cowardly)             common-kissing          canker-blossom
currish(contemptible )         crook-pated              clack-dish
dankish(damp,soggy)           dismal-dreaming         clotpole(oafish)
dissembling(hypocrite)        dizzy-eyed              coxcomb(conceited dandy)
droning(dull,monotone)         doghearted              codpiece(pant's crotch piece)
errant(deviant)              dread-bolted            death-token
fawning                    earth-vexing            dewberry(fruit)
fobbing(deceiving)            elf-skinned             flap-dragon
froward(contrary)             fat-kidneyed            flax-wench
frothy(mad)                 fen-sucked              flirt-gill(girl of light behavior)
gleeking(tricking)            flap-mouthed            foot-licker
goatish                    fly-bitten               fustilarian(scoundrel)
gorbellied(tasteless)         folly-fallen              giglet(frivolous)
impertinent                fool-born                 gudgeon(slimey)
infectious                 full-gorged              haggard
jarring                    guts-griping            harpy(fierce-tempered woman from Greek myth)
loggerheaded               half-faced              hedge-pig
lumpish(boring)              hasty-witted            horn-beast
mammering(hesitating)          hedge-born              hugger-mugger
mangled                    hell-hated              joithead(dunce)
mewling(whimpering)           idle-headed              lewdster
paunchy                   ill-breeding             lout
pribbling(vain chatter)        ill-nurtured             maggot-pie
puking                     knotty-pated            malt-worm
puny                       milk-livered             mammet(idiot, puppet)
qualling(cowering)            motley-minded           measle
rank                       onion-eyed              minnow
reeky                      plume-plucked           miscreant
roguish                    pottle-deep             moldwarp(mole)
ruttish(lascivious)           pox-marked              mumble-news
saucy                      reeling-ripe            nut-hook
spleeny                    rough-hewn              pigeon-egg
spongy                     rude-growing            pignut
surly(bad-tempered)            rump-fed                puttock(buzzard)
tottering                  shard-borne              pumpion
unmuzzled                  sheep-biting            ratsbane
vain                       spur-galled             scut
venomed                    swag-bellied             skainsmate(messmate)
villainous                 tardy-gaited              strumpet
warped                     tickle-brained           varlot
wayward                    toad-spotted             vassal
weedy                       unchin-snouted          whey-face
yeasty                      weather-bitten          wagtail

For some more fun, the Shakespearean Insult Generator will 'technomagically'create one for you.

Here are some more super Shakespeare sources:

• Shakespeare Insults Dictionary
• Shakespeare Dictionary: A List of Troublesome Words
• Absolute Shakespeare Glossary
• William Shakespeare Elizabethan Dictionary 
• The Elizabethan Insult: Or How to Cuss Like an Elizabethan Sailor 

My insult: You spongy, clapper-clawed, hugger-mugger!

Why: I like some spittle, I love alliteration, and hugger-mugger just feels good getting out!

And, if you have time, here is a brief glimpse at some wonderfully saucy slings slung in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing by two of my favorite actors:

So now it's your turn.  Don't forget to leave a spicy slam in the comments.

For teachers here is a lesson suggestion for introducing Shakespeare's gifted wordplay:  

• Divide your classroom into three groups and assign them one of the insult columns to each group.  
• Have students from each group select their favorite curse word from their assigned column. Ask students to write and define their chosen word neatly on a large sheet of paper.  Illustrating the word is encouraged.
• Set up the room with chairs rows of three chairs.  Play Shakespeare's musical chairs (I suggest beating a drum as they randomly move up and down their row).  See what whimsical insults fate deals you.
• Talk about what worked and what did not - what were your students' favorites/ least favorite insults. Talk about how Shakespeare played with language to 'coin' some of these terms.
• Read a selected snippets from the Bard and discuss his use of insults in the selected scenes.

R is for "Remodeling" and for "Rethinking Education"

I tend to like change... when it's on my terms (which is not always easy to navigate).  I like shaking things up just a bit as I get bored of the same routine easily.  Hence the changes you see here.

From: remodel.net

I wanted to remodel this blog for some time and, while I had hoped for more significant changes, I could not figure out (yet) how to do what I wanted and so have resolved to keep the change cosmetic (at least for now).

That said, I think remodeling is important.  After all, it's about 'improvement' (or the hope of improvement). It feeds creativity and helps us see our worlds differently.  It adds perspective.  It also, in some way teaches us  how to negotiate change.

With my personal remodeling out of the way, I came across an article about a more drastic remodeling - in The Wall Street Journal's Review section (Saturday/Sunday, November 12-13, 2011) "My Teacher is an App:  More kids than ever before are attending school from their living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. The result: A radical rethinking of how education works" (by S. Banchero & S. Simon).

According to Banchero and Simon:

From: unplggd.com

"In a radical rethinking of what it means to go to school, states and districts nationwide are launching online public schools that let students from kindergarten to 12th grade take some or all of their classes [online]... Thirty states now let students take all of their courses online...

Advocates say that online schooling can save states money, offer curricula customized to each student and give parents more choice in education. A few states, however, have found that students enrolled full-time in virtual schools score significantly lower on standardized tests, and make less academic progress from year to year than their peers. Critics worry that kids in online classes don't learn how to get along with others or participate in group discussions.

The amount of teacher interaction varies.  At online-only schools, instructors answer questions by email, phone or the occasional video conference...Teachers give short lectures and offer one-on-one help, but most learning is self-directed and online."

From: gadgetrivia.com

Note that the authors reported primarily about two companies, K12 and Connections Academy which currently dominate the public cyberschool market. They note that some schools offer part classroom-part cyberschool options as well, although the article focuses on cyberschool alone. They further detail that while reading scores of online students match traditionally taught peer scores in reading, they fall short in math and writing.

I was disappointed that this 'radical rethinking' of education merely addressed funding and and did not adequately discuss education per se. And, while not to diminish the importance of financial issues, I believe there are larger concerns such as providing meaningful and effective education for all. Making learning meaningful requires a personal element, as does addressing diverse student needs and skills.  


Furthermore (from what I understood from the article), it is the delivery that has changed but not the content, the curriculum, the goals or the philosophy.  As our culture and times change, so too must education.  And, meeting and addressing diverse student needs should not only deal with allowing vertical movement in reading and math levels  - it must address learning skills (such as attention, memory, visual and verbal literacy, sequencing skills, critical thinking) while incorporating various learning profiles and affinities of diverse student bodies and cultures.

Radical rethinking of education should address issues of our multi-media world and promote classrooms that:

From: martyrobertsblog.com

• Incorporate real life issues (making the curriculum meaningful) - this demands knowing your students and tweaking discussions and projects to embrace their affinities, diverse skills, and cultures.
• Demand original critical thinking - also requiring a personal touch - one where teachers help push comparisons, expose gaps in reasoning, and encourage creative perspectives.
• Present materials via multi-modal methods involving visual and verbal literacies - so that various student strengths and weaknesses are met in lessons.
• Focus on writing and communication skills through essays, letters, poetry, creative writing, critical analyses involving peer and educator feedback.
• Motivates students - with online courses motivation must come from the students.  The programs rarely inject enthusiasm.  And, while many classrooms also fail to inject enthusiasm,  dynamic teacher - class discussions frequently spark the'fire'.
• We must stop teaching to the 'average' student.  Who is that student, anyway?  Educators must push students to reach lofty goals, and goals must vary according to skills and affinities.  Sometimes this means smaller homogeneous groups (when teaching specific content that is dependent on previous knowledge and abilities), and sometimes larger heterogeneous groups (when discussing broad issues where divergent opinions help develop critical thinking). 

The critics' worries that "kids in online classes don't learn how to get along with others" - is a bogus criticism (especially when there are so many better ones).  Having worked as a teacher and a consultant in private and city schools, I know that there are many students attending traditional classrooms who do not get along well with others.  The reverse is also true - most homeschooled students do not have social issues. I taught a summer course for Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth summer program, and before the course began I was informed that I had a homeschooled student in my class and I should look out for social issues that may arise. That homeschooled student turned out to be one of the best socially adjusted students in my class - a true leader socially and academically, and was one of the most popular kids on campus.  

Sitting in a classroom with other students does require greater social skills, but that does not mean these skills aren't also learned through church groups, sports teams, book clubs (to name a few) that require both working and at times competing with others. These options can provide similar 'socialization' process that classrooms serve.

From: sghealthyliving.wordpress.com

While I am not familiar with K12 or Connections Academy, I do teach a critical reading course for Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Online Division (for 4th-6th graders).  I have 8-12 students per ten-week session.  There is a set curriculum requiring students read three books and respond weekly with a creative writing piece and two discussion essays related to that week's reading.  I give detailed feedback of their writing mechanics, critical thinking and creative content, and am available via email or phone.This is a program that is both in schools and available on an individual basis.  


There are good online learning programs.  The trick is finding them and, at this point, integrating them with other forms of learning.  Teacher input and feedback must be personal.  Like all other educational programs and fads, it must be balanced.

What do you think?  Especially my homeschooling followers/readers. I'd love to hear from you. 


[And please comment on my 'remodeling' along with suggestions if you have any.]