My Life...My Take

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? I Do!

2008-08-19T15:23:00.001-04:00

Well, I just may be able to join the private banking at JP Morgan Chase. I have made it into the contestant pool for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" It's a long story, so here is an abridged version.

Towards the end of May a substitute teacher at my schools comes up to me first period. "Mark, can I ask you a question?" A digression, if you will allow me..."Can I ask you a question?" I really hate when people ask that. You've just asked me a question and I didn't give you permission. How about we try this folks. "Hi, Mark. I have a question for you." If I don't have the time or if I don't like your ass, I'll stop you from asking. Okay, back to the story...The substitute teacher goes on for about 10 minutes without asking me the question. He tells me he is trying out for "Millionaire." He explains why he's trying out (Like I give two drops of monkey piss), how he signed up to try-out, and the rules of the game. Like I didn't fuckin' know there were "lifelines."

So here's the question, "Mark, you're young. You know about this stuff I don't. Like the rap and who is dating who and who is sleeping around with who [sic]. And the rappers." He kept mentioning how I would know about rappers. Little does he know the only rap album I've ever owned was M.C. Hammer's Can't Touch This. "So, since you know these things. And I've heard you hear in the lounge. You're pretty smart. You know things. Could I have your phone number? I'd like to use you as a 'lifeline,' if I make it on the show."

Before I could say yes, he goes on to explain again why he selected me. I agree. He thanks me myriad times that day for agreeing to be a "lifeline."

Two weeks later or so, he comes into the lounge. "Mark, I won't be needing your number. I didn't make it again." Again? How many times as he tried out? Apparently three or four and this last time, he didn't get his free t-shirt. He was very upset. But he did encourage me to audition myself.

I told my colleague Ricardo, who is the sexiest Puerto Rican in the world, the story. He goes, "Oh, we should totally tryout. Hell, let's sign up. I'll go down with you." We go online later that day and find that the New York auditions were closed. We would have to check back into the future.

Fast forward to August 15. Ricardo sends me a text that he is going to audition Monday night for millionaire. I check online and sign up myself. I am also assigned the Monday night audition. Ricardo was given the 5:00 PM session, while I was scheduled for the 5:45 PM session.

Ricardo comes out from his audition, he didn't make it. We bullshit about our summer and he tells me he'll wait for me and give me a ride home, unless I make it through. Because he'd be waiting for an hour and a half if I made it through.

So, I go in for my audition. There are thirty multiple choice questions. I'm not sure about three of them. And of those three, only one I am clueless about. At any rate you have ten minutes to answer the thirty questions. I finish in 3 minutes.

The tests are collected and put through a scantron grading machine. By the way, we are taking this test and conduct the subsequent interviews in the commissary at ABC Studios on W. 66th Street. They thank everyone for coming and tell us they would announce the names of the people who got a passing score on the test. Well, my name is called and they pronounced my last name correctly.

I go on to an interview with a production assistant. We talk about what I do for a living. We talk about how short freshmen are and make fun of kids. Nice, right? Then she notices that I mentioned I have a crush on Meredith Vieira on my application. She asks me, "Would you flirt with Meredith, if you made on the show?" My resounding response, "Oh, hell yeah." I was then told to sign this yellow sheet consenting to an on camera interview.

I now meet with another production assistant, who has me wave and say my name into the camera. We talk about why I became a teacher, if kids had a nickname for me since my last name is a mouthful, etc. She also notices that I have a crush on Meredith and asks me why. She then ask what I would do with the money. Then she questions me about the question on the application which asks, "What do you do to make others laugh?" I had written I do voices and imitate a co-worker and Bill Clinton. She asks me to do a voice. I do Bill Clinton and say, "It is a shame Hiliary didn't get the presidential nomination for the democrats. If she did, she would be away and 'Big Willie' would come out to play." The production assistant cracks up! I thinking to myself, "Self, this is going so well!" She informs me I've made it into the contestant pool and I would know in two or three weeks if I would be appearing on the show.

I walk out onto 66th Street and my man Ricardo is still waiting for me one hour and twenty minutes later. What a friend! He drives me back up to White Plains and we go out for sushi.

But now, it's a matter of waiting.

The Half of a Million Dollar Man

2008-07-23T14:04:00.004-04:00

Last week I received an envelope from JP Morgan Chase in the mail; an envelope that looked like an invitation to a wedding or christening. I open it up and it is a small booklet about Chase Bank's new private banking program. I discard of it. What do I need private banking for?

Two days later I receive a phone call from Shamir who works at one of the Chase Bank branches in White Plains. He asks me if I received the private banking invitation. I said yes. He then asks me if I had the chance to read through it. I told him no. He then asks me if I would be interested in coming into the downtown Mamaroneck Ave. branch to learn more about the private banking program. I said yes. I mean, why the hell not? I'm off for the summer. I had nothing better to do on Tuesday.

So I go for my appointment. I approach the customer service desk, where I tell the representative that I am here to see Shamir, as I have an 11 am appointment. The representative ushers me to the back of the bank away from all the other bankers who have desks. He takes me to a back office. The doors are frosted glass. The walls are walnut wood paneled. There is a secretary at the entrance. He asks, "Mr. Spiconardi, right?" Wow! They are prepared for me. "Please follow me." He takes me to an office with frosted glass sliding doors. Two men are inside sitting at a round wood table in leather chairs. There is a laptop, a conference call speaker phone (you know the ones that look like an UFO), and tons of JP Morgan Chase literature.

They welcome me. Give me their business cards and offer me sparkling water or cappucino. I think to myself, "Hell, if this is private banking...sign my ass up!"

The two men explain how the private banking system works and its target audience. There are no transaction fees or atm fees if you draw money from a non-Chase bank, increased interest rates on your savings account, and lower mortgage rates. They then tell me that Chase realized that they were missing a specific type of customer; a customer they referred to as part of the mass affluent. But it made me wonder, why do the mass affluent need breaks on fees and mortgage interest rates? Isn't the struggling every day Joe that could use those breaks?

Well, I am not part of the mass affluent. But they must of thought I was for sure when I walked in. I was wearing a linen charcoal gray blazer, a Calvin Klein slim fit liquid cotton t-shirt, and boot cut John Varvatos jeans. I've been sporting a goatee this summer and walked in wearing my sunglasses. They must of thought I was some young, trendy, rich, hipster. Well, they were about to find out I wasn't rich.

They ask me what I do for a living and I tell them I'm a teacher. They both look at one another with a look of moderate surprise. They go on to ask what I think of the program and if I had any questions. My first question: "Is there a fee associated with this?" One of the gentleman answered, "No. You just have to keep a minimum balance." I foolishly ask, "What is the minimum balance?" He answers, "Five hundred thousand." If I had sparkling water in my mouth, I surely what have spit it out." I then asked, "Um...you have my account on the your laptop there. Surely you see I don't have half a million dollars in my account."

The banker goes on to explain, that it's just not my bank accounts with Chase, but other money accounts I may have. He tells me that private banking used to be for people with account balances of $25 million, but Chase was looking to expand its private banking services. He then asks me, "Chase to a degree knows if you have other accounts, but do you have other accounts where your money would add up close to five hundred thousand dollars?" I replied, "Uh, no. I have a 403b, but that ain't no where near half a million dollars."

We shoot the breeze some more about my job and history, as the other banker majored in history. We talked about NYU and Columbia as one of the bankers went to Columbia for grad school. Then the moment of truth, "So, do you think our private banking platform is right for you?"

Hahahaha! Are you kidding me? I tell the banker, "Um, I am going to have to say that since I don't have half a mil lying around that this isn't the right platform for me." He says, "I agree. But you have our business cards and if you ever have any questions or need anything from Chase, don't hesitate to call."

I leave there wondering why the hell did Chase think I had $500,000 in cash assets? There was some computer error I suppose when the mailing list for the program was created.

As I leave the bank and walk back to my apartment I call my father. "Hey dad...um question for you. Did you ever set up an account for me that contains half of a million dollars and not share it with me?"

Needless to say the answer was no, but I did win a whopping ten dollars in last night's $125 million dollar Mega Millions jackpot. Hey, I'm on my way to $500,000 and a private banking accoung with JP Morgan Chase.

I'm the angry young man...

2008-07-19T13:05:00.005-04:00

So today I'm not as huge of a Billy Joel fan as I used to be. If you read the previous post, then you know I had tickets to what was supposed to be the final concert at Shea, but two days later Billy Joel added one more show, so I got screwed. I didn't realize I would get screwed like a porn actress until this morning.

Billy had special guests the night I saw him (see previous post), but last night...He pulled out all the stops. Not only did Tony Bennett make a return engagement, but Garth Brooks came out, as did Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Roger Daltrey of The Who, and then what I knew would fuckin' happen...Paul McCartney hit the stage during the encore to belt out I Saw Her Standing There and Let It Be.

Fuck you Billy Joel. We the fans that got tickets believing we were the real "Last Play at Shea" should have been the ones who got Paul McCartney.

The Last Play at Shea...actually it was the second to last

2008-07-17T02:28:00.020-04:00

As you may know, I am a HUGE Billy Joel fan. He's my absolute favorite. So when it was announced back in February that he would play the last concert at Shea Stadium, I was psyched to get tickets. I scored six tickets (the maximum allowed), only to find out two days later that another show was added, so the concert I would be going to really wasn't the "Last Play at Shea." At any rate I went to the concert on July 16. I have probably seen Billy Joel seven times previously, but was more excited about this concert than any other. Rumors swirled about special guests. I was hoping for a Paul McCartney cameo, but didn't get one. The special guests were Tony Bennett, John Mayer, Don Henley, and John Mellencamp. Only Bennett's appearance made any sense to me. Shea Stadium itself is a dump.

The set-up of the stage and speakers was horrendous. My seats were okay, but many people couldn't see the screens and some people complained in the upper sections they couldn't hear clearly. Billy's singing was mumbled to them. Luckily, while I couldn't see the stage well, I could hear perfectly and see a screen. The set list was basically every song with a New York reference, which was apropos, but I would have preferred different songs. Of the three songs I really wanted him to play, Miami 2017, Vienna, and Sleeping with the Television on, only Miami 2017 was performed. Here is the set list and some photos:

The Star-Spangled Banner
Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)
Prelude/Angry Young Man
My Life
Everybody Loves You Now
The Entertainer
Zanzibar
Allentown
The Ballad of Billy The Kid
New York State of Mind (With Tony Bennett)

Big Man On Mulberry Street
Root Beer Rag
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
Goodnight Saigon
Dont Ask Me Why
This Is The Time (With John Mayer)

Keeping The Faith
The Downeaster Alexa
Stand By Me
An Innocent Man
The Boys of Summer (With Don Henley)

She's Always A Woman
Captain Jack
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
The River of Dreams
A Hard Days Night
Pink Houses (With John Mellencamp)

We Didn't Start The Fire
It's Still Rock and Roll To Me
You May Be Right
Please Please Me
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Only The Good Die Young
She Loves You
Take Me Out To The Ball Game
Piano Man
Souvenir

Kids say the darndest things...

2008-07-11T14:33:00.014-04:00

As a teacher, you here some absolutely outrageous things in a classroom. Especially in a social studies classroom where there is discussion and the possibility that students will confuse people, places, and events. Sometimes it's like a bit Jay Leno does on the Tonight Show called "Jay-Walking."

Last year I had a class that said some mind-blowing shit. I after a month or so, I started to write down some of this stuff. I decided I would blog these questions, observations, and absurd statements by students. I never got around to it. This past year, I heard more ridiculous shit and continued to write it all down. I am finally going to share it with the rest of the world. I cannot remember the context in which some of the comments were made by the students, so I can't post them. Here is a Top Fifteen List of Outrageous Student Comments:

15. Back when Castro gave up his power and left his brother in charge, I brought up the topic in class. Somehow the fact that there are no flights from the U.S. to Cuba came up. I mentioned that if you want to visit Cuba, you probably should go to Toronto, then from Toronto to Cuba. A student interjected, "I thought you had to go through Korea."

14. I showed a You Tube clip from the BBC that re-enacted/simulated the atomic bomb dropping of Hiroshima. Through computer animation it shows the bomb being dropped from the point of view of "Little Boy" and the reaction going on inside the bomb. Open seeing the clip and student asked me, "Who was inside steering the bomb? Didn't they know they were going to die?"

13. During a lesson on Marco Polo and Kublai Khan, I went off on one of my rants as to why "Marco...Polo" is the second stupidest game ever after Seven Up. One of my students then made this comment: "It's not stupid! It makes perfect sense. Pools were invented by Marco Polo, so why not play a game using his name?"

12. Somehow in class the topic of giving birth came up. One student alluded to a birthing video they watch in health class. A student posed a question to me, which I can't remember, but the student started off the question by stating, "When the woman poops out the baby..."

11. Sometimes students' prejudices and even racism come out in their comments. Here is a two for one...At the start of almost every unit I do an activity called KWL. Students make a web of terms they know about a topic, what they associate with a topic, and what they would like to learn in the upcoming unit. During our unit on Africa two answers I got were Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley. Apparently all things black come from Africa. The other example deals with China. Part of the New York State curriculum is to stress how Chinese culture impacted the development of other East Asian cultures. So during a review lesson on our unit, I asked the class, "What are some examples of cultural diffusion that took place between the Chinese and Japanese? What cultural aspects did the Japanese adapt from the Chinese?" I called on a student who said, "Their eyes."

10. We were discussing weather and the amount of rain some region gets (I can't remember) and a students makes this observation/question: "Isn't it sunny all the time, even when the sun is out?"

9. Students were comparing the way of life during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. They analyzed the differences in architecture. During that comparison I showed a picture of Notre Dame in Paris. A student comments, "Oh, that's where Quasimodo lives." I said, "Yes, in Victor Hugo's book he did ring the bells and fell in love with Esmeralda. But you probably saw the Disney film and haven't read the book." The student responded, "Yeah, I saw the Disney cartoon. But he's still rings the bell there. I want to go there someday." I then informed the student, much to her shock, "You know, Quasimodo isn't real. He's a literary character." The disappointed student asked, "Wait...he isn't real?"

8. A student was sharpening his pencil in the electric sharpener. He complained, "This thing doesn't work." I innocently said, "You're not putting it in hard enough." To which another student sharply responded, "That's what she said!"

7. Going back to the atomic bomb...I had shown the students an amazing documentary by HBO called "White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction." It contained a series of interviews with survivors. They shared their stories, showed their scars, etc. After viewing the documentary, we had a discussion, during which a student asked me, "Did people survive the bombing?"

6. A student wanted to go to the bathroom, but asked permission this way: "May I use the utilities?"

5. I asked some review question to the class. I called on a student and the first student answered incorrectly. So I called on another student who happened to answer correctly. The first student then comments, "That's what I said! But not today."

4. Out of nowhere a student raises her hand in the middle of my lecture. "Is Canada a state?" I raise my eyebrow like the Rock and retort, "Uh, no." The student persists, "But on the I/O commercial it says one flat rate to Canada and Puerto Rico."

3. Upon presenting a PowerPoint on the modern Middle East to students that contained a picture of Clinton with Arafat and Rabin, a student asks for reassurance, "He was assassinated, right?" Now I assume he's referring to Rabin and was impressed. I tell the student, "Yes, that's right Rabin was assassinated." He interrupts, "No, not him. Clinton. He was assassinated."

2. During a lesson on the medieval Europe, I was discussing the role of the Church and monks. A student had a question about monks. "Monks are psychic, aren't they?" I responded with look on my face that that indicated, "what the fuck?" I said, "No, they aren't psychic. Why?" The student in all earnest asked, "So, they aren't like that detective on TV?"

1. During a lesson on the Han Dynasty and their achievements and legacy, I showed how paper is made and credited the Han Dynasty with inventing the modern way of making paper. A student attempted to correct me. "Wait, didn't trees invent paper?"

City boy goes camping...

2008-07-07T23:31:00.006-04:00

So, I have decided that the summer of 2008 is going to be summer of me. Let selfishness and megalomania reign supreme. In being the summer of me, I determined to have fun and try some new things. The first new experience was camping with colleagues I am friends with. Now those of you that know me, know I am not the outdoors type. I like cities, buildings, and private bathrooms. I hate birds, trees, and communal bathrooms. But why not hang out with friends and lose my camping virginity? So we camped up in Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park in Staatsburg, NY. My views on camping...Well, the first day and night were actually fun. I enjoyed viewing the sunset on the Hudson River, roasting marshmallows, and hanging out and grilling with friends. However, by the second day...I was itching to return to civilization. I can only take so much of Mother Nature and her battalion of trees, bugs, and hiking paths. Hell, I had to pee in the bushes since the communal bathroom was far away. It was almost as bad the toilets in Argentina that couldn't handle toilet paper. You'll have to ask me to explain that one...

Next Blog: Stupid things my students said over the past school year.

Use of Games in the Classroom

2006-07-26T13:35:00.000-04:00

Games are a legitmate and practical way of educating students. Especially those that simulate events or allow students to experience history through various points of view. By interacting with history and having history come alive through these games, many students will hopefully be able to remember important information and make historical connections. For some students history is too abstract. It's a bunch of dates and wars betweend dead people, who have no impact on their life. Games will put students in the postion of Neville Chamberlain in the 1930s during Nazi agression, or in the position of G. Julius Caesar in the civil war with Pompey. Learning is not only experiential in this sense, but fun.

I do not believe the learning that occurs during game play is testable. However, it is assessable. Students should take their game playing experience and produce a finished project. Whether it be a journal entry, and evaluation or analysis or the moves they made in a game, or creating their own civilization after playing Civilization IV. I don't think it makes sense to have students learn WWII through the game Making History and then giving them a test on the cause, events of, and legacy of WWII.

Games can oversimplify situations. Students can miss out on important details and miss substantial points. The story Jim mentioned about the student who stated that people riot when taxes are raised is the perfect of example of this. Games should be used as enrichment and as a way of reinforcing concenpts and ideas from other lessons.

I would not be worried about promoting agressive behavior or passive learning. A teacher has to chose the right games. I would never use America's Army or any game like that. A game like that would clearly make some boys a little agressive. And cames that make students think and challenge them won't produce passive learners. I remember playing Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego in 4th grade. We had to research the clues, write down information, and keep track of it. There was nothing passive about it and nothing that promoted agressive behavior. And I believe I learned a lot about the culture of other countries by playing that game. Games like Carmen Sandiego have a place in the classroom and should be utilized.

iMovie/Documentary Reflection

2006-07-25T12:35:00.000-04:00

Using a video camera to make a documentary is a wonderful teaching tool. First of all, it really allows students to demonstrate their creativity. Almost everyone has though about making their own movie or at the very least, upon viewing a movie, said themselves, "Oh, if I were the director I would've done that." This is simply a fun and creative assignment for students.

Secondly, unlike the other projects we've done, group work was a necessity on this one. Making a documentary/movie allows students to work cooperatively. Even the shy student gets involved because perhaps they do the editing on iMovie or operate the camera.

Thirdly, making a documentary can allow students to become "experts" in a particular topic, as making a documentary requires research. Also, has a social studies teacher, students can recreate history and show an understanding of events and turning points by filming a movie. In effect making a movie can make history come alive for my students.

The pitfalls...This can be a very time consuming assignment and thanks to the high stakes testing and standards movement, it would be very hard to allot some much class time to students to do this sort of project. They would have to do it on their own. And not every student has access to a video camera. My school doesn't have enought to lend out to students and they don't lend them out to students.

Webpage Design Reflection

2006-07-18T10:49:00.000-04:00

One of the advantages of assigning a project that incorporates web design is that students are truly learning something new. It's a skill that many people don't have or know about. It gives students an answer to that daily question at dinner, "So honey, what did you learn at school today?" Web design also allows for students to be artistic and express creativity in the colors, fonts, pictures, etc. they choose for their web design.

One of the pitfalls is having the time to teach the web design skills. At the high school level where I have to prep the kids for a Regents exam in June, I don't know if I can afford the time to teaching Dream Weaver. Another pitfall for some teachers is that they may not have such a program at their school or the school may not provide teachers and students server space.

I also think that using Dream Weaver is better suited for making a WebQuest and that the project Angel and I did could have easily been done on PowerPoint.

What makes the technology aspect of this more motivating than traditional teaching methods is that students can view one another's webpages, which is more interesting by far than sitting through a PowerPoint or going to posters and reading from them. Now does this foster more critical thinking? Only if you have a problem with the technology. I don't think the use of web design fosters deeper critical thinking than would students creating a poster board exhibit.

Response to July 13 Readings

2006-07-12T16:13:00.000-04:00

Response to Min Liu Study
First off, let me start by saying that the projects described in the study sound interesting and something I would've liked to have done as a student. Now it's time to criticize the study.

Okay...Basing the many of the results and outcomes of the study on a student questionnaire is the most reliable way to extract information. Anyone who has given high school students a questionnaire knows that many students do not answer seriously. Some even answer the way they think the teacher wants them to answer. While most students probably answer truthfully, there are a large number that do not.

The study claims that student motivation was increased, increased on-task time, and increased belief in the value of the class. The reason these statements are probably true is because the project seemed as if it was well structured and each student had a role and task. This didn't necessarily have to be a technology project. Any project that is well organized, explained, structured, and clearly defines the expectations of students will increase motivation, on-task time, and belief in the value of the class. This could've been done with poster board and markers and could've had the same effect, as long as it was a well planned and structued.

However, I will not dismiss the impact technology had on these students. Anytime you learn something completely new, especially a skill, you are motivated. One student was quoted as saying that he now knew how they created a particular graphic magazine. The students feel as if they are in the know. Graphic design/web design/multimedia design skills are skills that the vast majority of people do not possess. Students will feel good about themselves because they have a skill most people don't. It makes them feel "cool" and smart, as well it should. That was the beauty of this project.

It also had the fringe benefit of interesting students in a multimedia design career. The study noted that many students talked about getting internships and jobs with the skills they had acquired and that's fantastic.

Response to Lynch & Horton Chapter 2:
I really don't have much to say about this. Everything that was stated about web page design made sense. I agree that you should never be more than 2 clicks away from the homepage, but really it should be 1. I think there should be a link to the homepage on every page of the site. And how impatient is America that the average person gives up on a web site dowloading after 10 seconds? I think I go about 20-30 seconds before I hit refresh or give up, which doesn't make me all that patient myself.

And lastly, I never knew there was World Wide Web Consortium that had guidlines, in particular to regards to those who happen to be deaf or blind. I had never really thought about the blind navigating websites and how audio could enable them to do so.

Web Quest Thoughts

2006-07-11T11:47:00.000-04:00

For me, web quests provide students with an opportunity to research and explore a topic on their own, with minimal guidance (in the form of websites and guiding questions) from the teacher. Web quests also allow for the possibility of collaborative work and a project based assessment at the end. Ideally, after introducing students to web quests and having them complete a few, it would be great to have students create their own web quests and have their classmates complete them. Student created web quests would really demonstrate student understanding of technology and the purpose of a web quest.

I do not think that a web quest is a "mind tool." For me a mind tool helps students make connections and understandings in an organized way unique to the student. I view the web quest as an activity to explore a particular topic on their own. Connections and understandings might be a by product of the web quest, but it doesn't fall into my definition of a "mind tool."

I do not believe that web quests stray to far away from traditional classroom settings. The use of a web quest does not alone make a teacher progressive versus traditional. Using a web quest as one of many methods and approaches makes a teacher progressive. Does a web quest allow students to learn information from something other than a chalkboard? Yes. But that is assuming our definition of a traditional classroom setting is students sitting in rows, with notebooks out, while the teacher writes notes on the board.

Web quests are fun for students, but they are not this great method of teaching. What makes a web quest worth doing is with students is the fact that they are in charge. They are exploring. They are researching information. They are creating a project. When students take ownership of they learning, they typically learn better and take an interest in school.

Response to July 6 Readings

2006-07-03T12:10:00.000-04:00

Response to Mayer's Theories of Learning...:
There is no doubt that the more we understand about the way learners learn, the more effective our pedagogy will become, and in turn we will be able to help students learn to their full potential.

I agree with Mayer's statement that "The main idea is that more learning occurs when more channels are used for delivering the information." Using narrative, visual, and animations aid students in retention and making understandings/connections. However, we must be mindful, as to not over stimulate. Too many things presented simultaneously can distract students and they won't be able to make any connections or retain any information.

I do have a few criticisms. In some ways rote learning is made out to be "bad." Personally I was a rote learner. I could remember a formula or fact after just hearing it once. And I can see some of my students, not many, but a few learn best the same way. We have to be careful not to confine ourselves in classify they types of learner. Everyone learns differently. With that being the case, it is imperative that we address all types of learners in the classroom. Teachers need to mix up.

Another criticism is that all the evidence Mayer presents deals with either math or science. Take the formula and construct something. School is more than math and science. Evidence/examples in an English or Social Studies or Foreign Language class is needed for a stronger case.

Response to Oppenheimer's The Computer Delusion:
While computers aid in the educational process, they should not been seen as the savior of our schools. For nearly a hundred years, as long as public education has been a mass institution, schools functioned without computers in the classroom. And isn't funny how many people complain how schools are no longer doing their job; schools are no longer effective. And critics are saying that in the age of classroom computers. I think the quote from Wired magazine's interview with Steve Jobs sums it up nicely, "What's wrong with education cannot be fixed with technology. No amount of technology will make a dent...You're not going to solve the problems by putting all knowledge onto CD-ROMs. We can put a Web site in every school - none of this is bad. It's only bad if it lulls us into thinking we're doing something to solve the problems with education."

Unfortunatley some people are lulled into thinking we're doing something to solve the problems with education. When computers are placed into classrooms, parents and tax payers see their money at work. Their school district is making an effort and modernizing.

While it's acceptable and necessary to budget funds for computers and technology labs, other programs should not be cut in order to do this. There is more evidence of the positive impact that art, music, and sports/physical education classes have on student achievement. To cut those programs in order to by a 25 brand new Dell computers is ridiculous. We should not bring in more computers at the expense of other programs.

The reading also brings up issues about the priority of computers in terms of teaching skills. Is it the job of a public school to provide "real job training?" Well, at the high school level, the answer is probably yes. However the question then becomes, what skills should be taught? Students do not need to become experts in computer programming. They need basic skills. They need to know how to type efficiently (we don't need 90 words a minute) and should probably have a basic grasp of some Microsoft Office programs. Most companies have their own programs and software suited for their needs and provide training to new employees. All that is necessary, is a familiarity with computers.

The reading suggest that big business is a driving force behind the computer in every classroom craze. There is a modicum of truth to that belief. But the most frustrating part of that is the fact that within the profession of teaching, the professionals (teachers) have little say or control. Big business? What do they know about education? Why do they know what's best for a classroom? They don't. Teachers continue to lose power, authority, and decision-making ability within their profession. You don't really see this happening in other professions.

And lastly...One teacher was quoted as saying, "Every single child will do more work for you and do better work with a computer. Just because it's on a monitor, kids pay more attention. There's magic to the screen." Now, there is clearly a teacher who hasn't a clue. Hey, let's just throw a kid in front of a monitor...Magic will happen. I couldn't disagree more. Computers themselves don't inspire students. A well planned, structured, and exciting lesson does.

Response to Readings for June 29

2006-06-28T16:39:00.000-04:00

Response to Tom March's Article: I'm going to be straight-forward and blunt about his ideas about webquests when there are computer limitations. March suggests that if there is not a computer, then print out the webpages. Okay, that is not a webquest then. Like students want to go through printed papers to find information. Not nearly as exciting or engaging as actually using a computer and exploring the websites.

I do agree, however, with March that webquests do lend themselves to cooperative learning. Within each group students can have different tasks and be responsible for finding certain information, or designing solutions. Then each group can share their solutions and students can learn from one another, see different approaches, and evaluate one another's solutions.

Response to Computers as Mindtools...: The article mentioned Inspiration. While some teachers rave about this program, I believe it is an over glorified graphic organizer maker. And in my opinion, graphic organizers are vastly overrated themselves.

I'd like to learn more about the Experts System. That sounded promising. I wonder what are some examples used in classrooms today, especially in social studies classrooms.

The Systems Modeling Tool example thoroughly confused the hell out of me. All that the demonstrate the theme of The Lord of the Flies? I would never use anything like that.

The best argument the article makes is that computers should not be used to "disseminate" information. The computer should not act as a TV and give out information as students passively absorb it. The computer is a tool for students to demonstrate their skills, understanding, and present their solutions/findings.

Bio & Expectations

2006-06-27T18:52:00.000-04:00

Biography:

My name is Mark. I just finished my 4th year of teaching social studies at the high school level. I am currently teaching at White Plains High School, which is a large comprehensive and diverse high school of 2100 students. This past year I taught Global History I and ESOL Global History II. Next September I'll be teaching 4 sections of Global History I and 1 section of US History.

This is the last class I'll be taking here at NYU. I will finally be done with my masters degree. I received my bachelors from NYU as well, so it seems as if I've been here forever.

Expectations:
I'm really looking forward to this class. I hope to learn certain technological skills and computer programs, so that I can incorporate these skills and programs into the classroom. In an age where students are bombarded with technology (i.e. iPods, Playstations, myspace accounts, et.al.), traditional methods of education just don't cut it. Technology is essential in order to stimulate, motivate, and interest students. Technology is a part of the great need to make our students active and engaged learners. I hope this class helps do a better job of creating lessons to actively engage my students in their education.