Cheesy Jokes and Serious Thoughts for St. Patrick's Day

We're all Irish on St. Patrick's Day--and since the Irish diaspora was over  600 years long, and the Irish lived long and prospered wherever there was a Catholic church worldwide--it's probably true we're all Irish. Geneticists say that Genghis Khan was the foremost contributor to Y chromosomes worldwide, followed by O' Neill of the Nine Hostages (Irish).
My grandmother was completely Irish, her mother immigrating from the Old Sod, so I have been successfully  indoctrinated about the Isle of Saints and Scholars. Trust me, no demeaning stereotypical jokes about the Irish in my growing up. Sister Francis Eileen, O.P., was the principal of St. Louis Bertrand's School in Oakland, California, and her lilting Irish brogue came over the P.A. system every morning. She was cool, all the nuns I had were cool; I never had a negative experience in parochial school. Many were from Ireland, many were Irish Americans like my sainted grandmother. And I was in that school both when John F. Kennedy ran for president, was elected, and was assassinated. Powerful stuff.

I am so thankful I didn't have to unlearn prejudice and bias--my Oakland elementary school was perfect. The only almost-bias I had to unlearn was that not everyone was from my church.

http://www.tolerance.org/hiddenbias

I was stunned when I heard my first negative joke about the Irish. Didn't they realize we saved western civilization?
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/cahill/irish.html

The Isle of Saints and Scholars-to be sure

And I didn't even say, "Pog Mo Thoin." Which shows a lot of maturity and restraint.

Ethnic jokes and teasing are a form of bullying--so kids and adults really need to knock it off. Are we that desperate to feel superior? The quiet kid in the back of the room won't be able to stand up for herself in the midst of  biased-based laughter. Bullying includes those jokes about physical appearance, churches, where you're from, and let's throw in sports teams since kids are so sensitive about them. Kids should have the right to be in school without bullying or humiliation of any type. Grown-ups, too.

 So, anyway, here are the jokes. (That's pretty Irish of me:  stick up for the underdog and then tell jokes.)

Green, and Garfield provides the orange

How did the leprechaun get to the moon?

In a shamrocket.

Why is Ireland like a bottle of wine?

Because it has a Cork in it.

What would you get if you crossed a leprechaun with a Texan?

A pot of chili at the end of the rainbow.

No relation to Bono. Or the Edge.

What kind of music does a leprechaun band play?
                                      Shamrock and roll.


What do you call a leprechaun's vacation home in Fort Lauderdale?

A lepre-condo.

 Love Irish music. O'Sullivan's March, The Chieftans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vffqnYUyFVQ
My gggrandmother (later immigrated to Kansas)  was a Sullivan leaving from Cork in 1844, and who survived a coffin ship to Grosse Isle Quebec. 

Top o the mornin' to ya, from Betty O'Boop

Tweets of the Week: Learning Differently

Mom working with her autistic child.

Learning differently leads us to much research.

Why does autism happen?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/opinion/25kristof.html?adxnnl=1&smid=fb-share&ref=healthguide?pagewanted=1&adxnnlx=1330356402-Wz93frnsOSp7FYr1SNOglQ

Several interviews with persons who have autism. This gives amazing insight into the experience. Please listen to them, autism speaks.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/04/02/health/healthguide/TE_autism.html?src=tp&smid=fb-share

All kids find sensitive moms a blessing, but children with disabilities in particular. Soon I will share more information on 'Gentle Teaching' and other non-aggressive forms of behavior modification.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/02/26/autistic-children-benefit-from-sensitive-moms/11735.html

Emotionally Disturbed is a category of learning disability. The learning team is made up of family, medical staff, teaching staff, and, of course, the student. This is an article from the L A Times about a little girl named January diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Jani draws a picture of her imaginary pet, 400 Cat.

http://discussions.latimes.com/20/lanews/la-he-schizophrenia29-2009jun29/10

How is mental illness and other processing disabilities identified? BTW, I don't know why this article places learning or processing disorders  under the category of mental illness.
One is not connected to the other.


http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-illness-children?page=4

Teacher for the Emotionally Disturbed teaching reading

An effective class for the Emotionally Disturbed is orderly, interesting, and empowering. Here is a glimpse of one that made it to the news--there are thousands of great programs that do not get publicity.

 http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/12/19/teacher-works-magic-with-emotionally-disturbed-children/

What are the classroom policies?

"As hard as it is, Luna doesn’t let sympathy for her students interfere with her ability to help them. Her teaching style is loving but firm. She sings fun songs, imitates animal sounds and ends books with a spirited shout of “Ta da!”
"At times, she is picky about even the little things, like whether students raise their hands and how they walk across the classroom. It's all part of retraining their brains to behave in a school appropriate manner. They won’t get out of completing their work, no matter how much they whine, protest or act out."

These are comments from her administrator.

“Jennifer is structured yet flexible and genuinely cares about every student she has,” Alexander said. “The children know they can count on her. She works and works and works until something works.”

Lots of individual attention--here is hand-over-hand writing.

Here is an incident during the schoolday:

 One morning in early December, Luna sat with a student wading through a book about babies. When they finished, Luna turned back to the first page so they could read it again.
The student, who had not learned to control his emotions, banged his left fist on the table.

“Why are we reading it again?” he demanded. “I don’t want to read this dumb baby book.”
He continued to slouch in his chair and then threw himself on the floor. Luna made no eye contact.

Teacher reading with student.

When she got up to help another student, the boy moved to the top of a table. By the time Luna returned, he was back in his chair. She started to read the book, and slowly he began reading with her.


"Because of bad experiences in preschool, this student is working through old hurts." Luna said students often feel bad because they don’t know how to read or do math problems as well as others do. Compared to what he used to get upset about, Luna says this incident was minor.
“In May, he’ll be walking back to table to read without whining,” she said with confidence.

A wonderful accomplishment: playing together.

 I have experience teaching students designated emotionally disturbed. This teaching assignment is very rewarding as well as requiring authentic professionalism on a superior level. Our students had family, counselors, teaching staff and other therapists that were tremendous. It was a privilege to serve on their teams.

Here is a dramatic graphic presentation of Van Gogh's painting  'Starry Night.'  Vincent Van Gogh was hospitalized late in his life for what sounds now like bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia. But did that affect his painting? Who knows. New research suggests he may have been murdered. This is a moving creation of his work. (Sorry about the pun.)

 http://vimeo.com/36466564

Detail, one of Van Gogh's paintings of sunflowers

 We had the opportunity to see "Sunflowers" at the National Museum in London last summer--a deep experience of profound communication from the artist to the viewer that I can't fully explain.  Wouldn't it be powerful if all of us-- labeled 'handicapped' or not-- could find our venue to reach out to others like Vincent Van Gogh did?

Don McClean's "Starry, Starry Night" beautifully describes Van Gogh's effect on people. This is a slow version of the song. The YouTube presenter's choice of paintings is exquisite. Maybe YouTube should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize afterall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD1ih3Q9otE&feature=related

Tweets of the Week

Hola! que tal Blogamigos!
This week a diverse mixture of articles. So interesting!
Learning two languages is an advantage. Si, como no! (That's about the extent of my Espanol.)
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/01/30/tln_boutin.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-FB

http://etmbayarea.org/ Education Through Music S F Bay Area

Love music--it can make the learning more palatable for kids, and teachers.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/music-classroom-gaetan-pappalardo

Paul as I think of him

I can't resist a detour for some great music for kids (and kids at heart.) "Accentuate the Positive" is a song that is good advice for all. Paul McCartney just included this in his new CD 'Kisses on the Bottom.'  Its fun to singalong while commuting to work.
http://store.paulmccartney.com/kissesonthebottom/eur.php
 
I remember Perry Como singing this when I was really little. And who knew that the list of artists that have renditions include Peggy Lee, Bing Crosby, Bette Midler, Sam Cooke?

Just for Black History month here are two just-great versions.

Queen of Soul with a swing band

First, Aretha Francklin from 1962,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IP9h40z0sk

And Louis Armstong's swinging rendition recorded for the radio in 1945 for troops during WWII. Probably during the Battle of the Bulge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC7DO-luqYw&feature=related

Good message! and a welcome break in the classroom. And, not to kill the fun, learning the lyrics of this song can help illustrate syllabication.

Great musician, great singer, great human being

 http://www.lyricsdepot.com/Johnny-mercer/accentuate-the-positive.html

Dr. Judy Willis agrees that the arts aide learning. 
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/strategies-executive-functions-arts-judy-willis

 More research on how kids learn... from video games!
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/video-games-learning-student-engagement-judy-willis

Dr. Willis has also been a teacher.
 http://www.edutopia.org/blog/improving-executive-function-judy-willis-md

Don't try to overteach, it just overflows out of the kids' minds.
http://www.edutopia.org/pd-brain-research-judy-willis

"With the help of their teachers, students can develop the skillsets needed to solve problems that have not yet been recognized, analyze information as it becomes rapidly available in the globalized communication systems, and to skillfully and creatively take advantage of the evolving technological advances as they become available." Dr. Judy Willis.
I declare that the quote of the week.
It might be a mouthful, but it is true...our kids are on the brink of an achievement curve not seen since the Renaissance. Hold on to your hats! (As my Grandma used to say!)

No, this is not a self-portrait of either me as student or teacher.

More about humor in the class, how to use is and defuse it. Wow, sounds like I'm rapping.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/educator-sense-of-humor-mark-phillips?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=funnyteaching
I am usually in Seventh Grade classes, so I know all about teaching in the Cartoon Network.

 http://www.edutopia.org/clowning-around
 Of course, none of us were class clowns. Ha!

Don't forget how kids love their Beethoven in the classroom background. When I taught a class for the Severely Handicapped, we played 'Name that Tune' with classical music. It surely seemed the kids were not musically handicapped. We would vote on favorites; Ludwig usually won. An autistic student told me that he didn't like Mozart, except (and he said this perfectly), "Except for 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.'" I respected Mozart more after that. We would monthly have sort of a karaoke with current pop songs. Even students who would never learn to read, would be a singing dynamo. And the kids got their moment in the spotlight; even if the spotlight was with their peers, instructional assistants and special education teacher in a little portable classroom in the back of the middle school.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT7_Y1pIBb4

Mozart as a whippersnapper.

Poetry: Whoa, Dude!

Romantic poet looking pensive

Would be a 'whoa, dude!' experience

That's awesome! Not exactly what Wordsworth said, but almost. This is a very famous poem with lots of mixed metaphors, but still great for this time of year with all the tulips and daffodils popping up

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Wandered_Lonely_as_a_Cloud
The theme of feeling a part of nature and having joy in reflecting back on a beautiful experience is worth reading this poem with kids. Plus, they will meet 'I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud'  many times in English literature class. I do like the daffodils dancing spritely. Personification does it for me every time.

in Just
by e e cumming

http://www.poetry-archive.com/c/in_just.html
Springtime is an excellent time for teaching poetry because it seems poets get very inspired during this season. e. e. cummings even made up new words for spring--mudluscious (You can hear your galoshes go schluppp as you try to extract them out of the newly melted snow/mud. Like hot fudge being pulled out of a sundae. That's mudluscious.) And everyone knows what puddlewonderful is; none of us resist splashing in a puddle. Of course, we in SoCal can't fully appreciate the ecstacy that the folks Back East experience having a puddle to splash after everything freezes for half the year--but we sort of empathize.

That's not eddieandbill or bettyandisbel. Maybe its bettyandeddie or isbelandbill; or bettyandbill or isbelandeddie.

 Kids also love music. So it is no surprise that Spring from Vivaldi would really tickle them with the marvelous sounds of a  spring day--that they can identify on their walk to and from school. The music even sounds like flowers burst-blooming in the sun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRxofEmo3HA
Performed by the Budapest Strings.

 

 

 

 

 

Tweets of the Week

Lots going on in Tweetland this week.

News! Good news!
 http://multiamerican.scpr.org/2012/02/why-english-language-content-for-latinos-is-the-future/
 As a nation we are using the information highway together!

This article references the many questions about the source(s) of autism.
 http://www.latimes.com/news/local/autism/la-me-autism-science-sidebar-html,0,5744660.htmlstory

This article describes a teaching technique for the autistic that sounds like 'Gentle Teaching' and would be appropriate for everyone, I think.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/autism/la-me-autism-therapy-sidebar-html,0,544346.story

We all hope to find teaching techniques or therapies to solve learning hindrances. We will keep at it! http://www.latimes.com/news/local/autism/la-me-autism-day-three-html,0,3438178.htmlstory

Living your life is the best educational therapy.

Are there more students with autism, or are we more aware of the problem and therefore identify them?
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/autism/la-me-autism-day-one-html,0,1218038.htmlstory

Parents can make a positive difference in procuring help for their kids in school--all kids.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/autism/la-me-autism-day-two-html,0,3900437.htmlstory

There are different levels of autism, and sometimes it goes undiagnosed.
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-me-autism-day-four-html,0,2311211.htmlstory

Don't panic, parents! But it is a good idea to know what developmental milestones your baby should be near.
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-autism-eyes-20120126,0,7724152.story

Writing phobia---let's wipe it out! Teachers project confidence!
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/writing-for-an-audience-strategy-elena-aguilar

Good question, teachers. Do kids see you write?
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/writing-students-literacy-rebecca-alber

Let's go national with those pencils!
http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/doc/about.csp

Love this quote from the National Writing Project. But then several wonderful somebodies taught me to write.

Writing is Essential

Writing is essential to communication, learning, and citizenship. It is the currency of the new workplace and global economy. Writing helps us convey ideas, solve problems, and understand our changing world. Writing is a bridge to the future.

Thank you, Sister Mary Patricia, CSJ. You were so kind and persistent. Still appreciate how you used to pencil in 'Try again, M,' in my journal next to really awful freshman poetry. I did try again.

Previews and Movie Review: Journey 2

Reading the book is always better. Period. But sometimes films get the kids curious about the real books and authors, and this film does that. Its a quick romp with references to Jules Verne, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jonathan Swift and various Greek myths, with some charm and humor. Dwayne Johnson and Michael Caine enliven the story, though one should see better graphics from Disney. The younger actors (Josh Hutcherson and Vanessa Hutchens) aren't given much to work with. Luis Guzman does wonders in his role. There are some clever interludes.
 For those of us who rode the old Nautilus at Disneyland, reminicse.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1397514/  Here are some trailers.

Best adventure ever. Aaaarrr.

Parents may wish to read the extraordinary books referenced in the film with children as an adventure in itself. The description of Jim Hawkins climbing the rigging in Treasure Island, I won't say why, but it is alone worth reading the book together.

This would also be a good opportunity to get Greek myths straight in kids' heads. Fables and myths are always part of standardized testing, beside those Greeks invented the horror genre, so kids actually like them. Find a simplified version of the famous heroes--Perseus is coming along big again soon. And it is also excellent to see the film after you are acquainted with the characters.

This is some horrible stuff: kids love it.

Lots of paperbacks if you can't find what you want at the library.
www.dealoz.com/Textbook
There is another Greek myth film coming out soon, Perseus in the forefront.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646987/
This is without Kraken. You can check out the preview. The Wrath of the Titans!

The trailer should entice you to read the book.

Please don't miss this wonderful opportunity to travel to Middle Earth with your child or class before December 12, 2012, when the Hobbit comes out. Most everyone has seen Frodo's films, but this is a headsup, obvious chance to share an extraordinary experience prior to seeing what is actually, amusingly, a prequel. It's Bilbo's turn. I am going to nag you about this. J.R.R. Tolkien writes settings so fantastically that you will always be thrilled that you and your 10 to 32 year old read this book out loud together.
Just the spider scenes are worth it. You just have to read this before what appears to be the best of Peter Jackson's Middle Earth films is out. It is a most endearing experience to share, my Precious.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/ 

NFL Coaches With 'Super' Advice To Teachers

Pats' coach Bill Belichick

Well, I'm willing to listen. Here's what the NFL is telling teachers on Super Bowl Sunday.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2045812,00.html?xid=fblike

And Tiquan had his Pats' hair cut.

This is really interesting. The NFL folks give reasonable advice about evaluating data to create a more effective game plan (lesson.) Good idea, but hardly news.  But then the 'Widget Effect' comes up in the conversation, basically stating that weak coaches/players, teachers/administrators should be identified and eliminated. I guess like Tiquan Underwood who was fired the day before the Super Bowl. We'll see if the Pats win. (It's 3:52 pm PST)
http://widgeteffect.org/overview/

Bill Walsh, one of the best ever coaches

  http://www.edutopia.org/coaches-pep-talk
Now, Bill Walsh, that's the coach of coaches. He wrote some very positive advice for teachers and everyone who works with kids.

"Kids who take part in any sport get to feel the euphoria of victory, but they also learn how to deal with loss."

"Having to play a role determined by coaches, whether it is exactly what a player hopes for or not, teaches the acceptance of authority -- but not an automatic, robotic acceptance."

"Athletes have to also understand that anxiety is not a flaw, and that overcoming it is possible -- and sometimes a lot easier than they thought."

"The social elements of team sports have far-reaching effects. Team members develop the ability to communicate under stress. They learn to respect others whether they like them or not, and if a team is ethically coached, its members also are taught to respect their opponents no matter how fierce the rivalry."

Thanks, Coach.

And for all of us underdogs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHQdpnYFl7k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7CaiWxKYBo&feature=related

Inspirational and cheesy both--just what kids love.

I couldn't choose between 'Gonna Fly Now' and 'The Eye of the Tiger.'

I always wished Mr. T was my Big Bro.