OK, here's a word of the day I want to remember. All the rest entirely from dictionary.msn.com:
mer·e·tri·cious [ mèrrə tríshəss ]
adjective
Definition:
1. superficially attractive: attractive in a superficial or vulgar manner but without real value ( formal )
meretricious extras that don't really add to the car's value
2. misleadingly plausible: seemingly plausible or significant, but actually insincere or false ( formal )
Don't be swayed by this meretricious argument in the project's favor.
3. of prostitutes: relating to or like a prostitute ( archaic )
[Early 17th century. < Latin meretricius< meretric- "prostitute" < mereri "serve for hire"]
mer·e·tri·cious·ly adverb
mer·e·tri·cious·ness noun
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Let's see if this things works...
OK--I did an animoto video for art class as a music "reconceptualization" project. I tried to post it in the sidebar, but it only showed the left half of the video. La-ame! So I'm trying to embed the youtube video. It worked for my ning blogpost for the class; we'll see how this goes. Pretty much it's awesome; I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. The music is good cuz it's fast-paced and intense, and it reminds of pranks and dance parties and LOTS of ridiculousness, and I like the effects it does for you. I'm now a huge fan of animoto, minus a few kinks in the process. One frustration is that my high-quality photos look pretty dang LOW quality in the video:P, but such is life. I'm still happy. OK, I'm done yapping. Here goes:
Blast--it didn't work. I'll just give you the youtube link:
Arts Integration Music Project Video.
Sweet--it works!!! I just wrangled with embedding the post for a bit, and I don't know what I was doing wrong, but it's right now! Take advantage of my amazing technological advancements (Whoo hoo--go elementary ed program!) and go watch my sweet video!
Peace, friends:)
Blast--it didn't work. I'll just give you the youtube link:
Arts Integration Music Project Video.
Sweet--it works!!! I just wrangled with embedding the post for a bit, and I don't know what I was doing wrong, but it's right now! Take advantage of my amazing technological advancements (Whoo hoo--go elementary ed program!) and go watch my sweet video!
Peace, friends:)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Resiliency Theory
Alright--at last! I was saying that my intent on Friday was a quick post about resiliency theory, and here is what I've got, via a presentation by one of my fellow ed students and the comments of my professor, Debbie Dougan. Actually, most of it is based off what Debbie said.
There are three factors which contribute to the ability of a child to be resilient despite adverse circumstances.
1) High expectations: don't dumb it down. Expect great things from them; don't make excuses for them or let their lame excuses slide. Believe that they are capable. Obviously there are cases in which excuses apply, but consider the experiences of Erin Gruwell, the teacher who began the Freedom Writers Institute and upon whose life the movie Freedom Writers is based. She says somewhere in the movie "Don't you think they know you're dumbing it done for them?" or something like that. She refuses to present her class with low-level Shakespeare and instead presents them with brand new novels. (These comments are actually based on a presentation by another classmate, which was done on the Freedom Writers, so I could have a few facts off, but you get my point.)
2) Opportunities to participate in meaningful activities: let them know they're worth it. Take kids to museums, libraries, theatres, let them know they are worth it. There are way too many things that kids at increased risk for adverse circumstances (e.g. students in low-income schools) miss out on. Do art projects, introduce the world as if it were attainable, encourage them to work hard in order to attain it.
3) A relationship with a caring adult: I believe she said that this is the factor which is most commonly found to be related to resiliency in overcoming adversity by children in adverse circumstances, and she definitely said that most often that adult is a teacher. Yes, believe it--teachers are so influential and so important. But, hey, if you're not a teacher, don't stop there. I imagine that the reason that person is usually a teacher is that teachers are the adults to whom we are most exposed during our childhood, besides family. But think about mentoring. You can get involved in a mentoring program through places like the YMCA and probably social services and whatnot. Debbie used to be a social worker, and she says that there are never enough mentors to fill the need for them. A teacher can only deal with so much, but imagine mentoring just one or two children in need of high expectations and opportunities to participate in meaningful activities--in need of a chance to see that they matter. Anyone can do that. So think about it.
Yeah, "brief"--I lied. I am rarely brief, even when I try. But fare thee well to all, and to all a good night.
There are three factors which contribute to the ability of a child to be resilient despite adverse circumstances.
1) High expectations: don't dumb it down. Expect great things from them; don't make excuses for them or let their lame excuses slide. Believe that they are capable. Obviously there are cases in which excuses apply, but consider the experiences of Erin Gruwell, the teacher who began the Freedom Writers Institute and upon whose life the movie Freedom Writers is based. She says somewhere in the movie "Don't you think they know you're dumbing it done for them?" or something like that. She refuses to present her class with low-level Shakespeare and instead presents them with brand new novels. (These comments are actually based on a presentation by another classmate, which was done on the Freedom Writers, so I could have a few facts off, but you get my point.)
2) Opportunities to participate in meaningful activities: let them know they're worth it. Take kids to museums, libraries, theatres, let them know they are worth it. There are way too many things that kids at increased risk for adverse circumstances (e.g. students in low-income schools) miss out on. Do art projects, introduce the world as if it were attainable, encourage them to work hard in order to attain it.
3) A relationship with a caring adult: I believe she said that this is the factor which is most commonly found to be related to resiliency in overcoming adversity by children in adverse circumstances, and she definitely said that most often that adult is a teacher. Yes, believe it--teachers are so influential and so important. But, hey, if you're not a teacher, don't stop there. I imagine that the reason that person is usually a teacher is that teachers are the adults to whom we are most exposed during our childhood, besides family. But think about mentoring. You can get involved in a mentoring program through places like the YMCA and probably social services and whatnot. Debbie used to be a social worker, and she says that there are never enough mentors to fill the need for them. A teacher can only deal with so much, but imagine mentoring just one or two children in need of high expectations and opportunities to participate in meaningful activities--in need of a chance to see that they matter. Anyone can do that. So think about it.
Yeah, "brief"--I lied. I am rarely brief, even when I try. But fare thee well to all, and to all a good night.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Ooops...
I totally meant to be all awesome and stuff today. I was going to get home from class and do my homework and get a head start on next week and go to bed at a decent hour. Well, that didn't happen. I forgot that after class I get home, make lunch, have a one-on-one with Jamie, needed to pack stuff for Meg to take home this weekend, had a Good Friday service I really wanted to go to--and it didn't even play out all in order like I would expect it to, and other things happened here and there. Chris O'Dell parked here so he could go to Angie's concert at Bryan, so he invited me and Jamie during our one-on-one, and we went. It was fun, but I was already sleepy, so I definitely fell asleep during parts. Saw the organ played for the first time ever--SO COOL! I don't really understand how it works, though. The organ's in the middle of the stage, and the pipes or on the stage-left wall. No comprendo. Also balanced my checkbook, called my family, looked at jobs, went through quite a few emails, and made a delicious dinner:) For anyone who cares, dinner was as follows:
Layer 1: a toasted piece of five-seed bread spread with a thin layer of cream cheese.
Layer 2: raw red peppers; some long slices, some halved slices
Layer 3: an omelet composed of 1 egg, an ounce or two of left-over Italian sausage, 2 green onions, and a handful of diced yellow onion.
It was delicious, though I think next time I'll leave out the sausage. Actually, I certainly shall, because it's gone now, and I still have all the other ingredients:) It's just that the sausage overpowered the rest a tad. I also have an avocado--might spread that on top of the cream cheese...so many options--this reminds me of Ratatouille when Remi's trying to describe to Emile all the deliciousness of differing combinations.
And now I'm done. Going to get ready for bed. This isn't even what I wanted to blog about--I was wrote down notes on resiliency theory in Social Foundations this morning so that I could post them and hopefully remain mindful of them in the future. Good stuff--but I'll hopefully do that tomorrow. Tomorrow's my Sabbath, so good option. No school work will be done on my Sabbath:) Yay God!
Love to all:)
Layer 1: a toasted piece of five-seed bread spread with a thin layer of cream cheese.
Layer 2: raw red peppers; some long slices, some halved slices
Layer 3: an omelet composed of 1 egg, an ounce or two of left-over Italian sausage, 2 green onions, and a handful of diced yellow onion.
It was delicious, though I think next time I'll leave out the sausage. Actually, I certainly shall, because it's gone now, and I still have all the other ingredients:) It's just that the sausage overpowered the rest a tad. I also have an avocado--might spread that on top of the cream cheese...so many options--this reminds me of Ratatouille when Remi's trying to describe to Emile all the deliciousness of differing combinations.
And now I'm done. Going to get ready for bed. This isn't even what I wanted to blog about--I was wrote down notes on resiliency theory in Social Foundations this morning so that I could post them and hopefully remain mindful of them in the future. Good stuff--but I'll hopefully do that tomorrow. Tomorrow's my Sabbath, so good option. No school work will be done on my Sabbath:) Yay God!
Love to all:)
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