tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post1917696685594994598..comments2024-03-15T09:26:02.796-05:00Comments on PROJECT MAYHEM: THE VOICE OF THE MG TEACHERProject Mayhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05154342399869089664noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-63441066338024226482013-01-01T09:20:43.740-06:002013-01-01T09:20:43.740-06:00Extremely proud to announce that my short story, S...Extremely proud to announce that my short story, Strikethrough, has been nominated for "Short Story of the Year: All Genres" at Preditors and Editors.<br /><br />The award is a reader's poll, and the voting is live from now until January 14th. You can vote here : http://www.critters.org/predpoll/shortstory.shtml<br /><br />It was a great writing year for me, and this nomination was just a bit more icing on the cake, and any support you can offer would be much appreciated.<br /><br />Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03597817384432679249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-3044552923156319572013-01-01T09:18:53.636-06:002013-01-01T09:18:53.636-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03597817384432679249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-1855783495043825832013-01-01T07:02:31.669-06:002013-01-01T07:02:31.669-06:00I'm late to the party, but this post was so ph...I'm late to the party, but this post was so phenomenal, I had to say: thanks, Matt!Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-52106992400288875982012-12-27T18:12:31.749-06:002012-12-27T18:12:31.749-06:00Excellent, excellent post. I remember reading that...Excellent, excellent post. I remember reading that the president of the college board said, in defensive of this initiative, that schools are focusing too much on self-expression. ......I'm sorry, and that's a bad thing because why?Michelle Schustermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00305225733392025447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-4409978405284898222012-12-23T12:20:38.035-06:002012-12-23T12:20:38.035-06:00I've seen Matt in action. When I was in NJ as ...I've seen Matt in action. When I was in NJ as a visiting author, I could see the love and respect those kids had for him. It is a balancing act with kids, letting them feel at ease in their adolescent awkwardness while maintaining the strength they need to learn boundaries and understand integrity. Those kids were psyched to be there with Matt. All kids should be so lucky.eden unger bowditchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17874537224610872095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-88833572953257054962012-12-21T17:52:49.566-06:002012-12-21T17:52:49.566-06:00Here's a link to a TED talk given by Seth Godi...Here's a link to a TED talk given by Seth Godin:<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXpbONjV1Jc<br /><br />...and the free text of his book on education, "Stop Stealing Dreams":<br /><br />http://www.squidoo.com/stop-stealing-dreamsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03597817384432679249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-7046673943528165532012-12-21T17:50:12.586-06:002012-12-21T17:50:12.586-06:00The way it's being sold, versus the way it wil...The way it's being sold, versus the way it will be implemented, is where the real problems begin. There will be a trickle down effect that will begin to reduce our children's experience in school to a very quantitative model. The role and importance of "Instructional Texts" becomes the main vehicle of assessment as students get older, and teachers will try to game this system by inserting more and more in the lower grades as a way of "gaming" the tests, which are more and more tied to teacher "performance". It's a terrible cycle, and one we know to be against what w know to be true in terms of the neuroscience of learning. <br /><br />Seth Godin's "Stop Stealing Dreams", as well as many other publications are addressing the continued industrialization of our current model. If we want to switch to something that begins to approach individualization, it will take teacher's viewing their roles in the classroom differently. No longer can we be the font of information, the gatekeeper, or access point. Our role switches to that of coach or mediator. When that occurs, the standardization that is being attempted in schools ceases to be an acceptable practice. Please check out my blog, as well as some of the others posted there, to see where we hope education is changing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03597817384432679249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-74172133160968880752012-12-21T15:34:34.751-06:002012-12-21T15:34:34.751-06:00We only find our voices through a lot of experimen...We only find our voices through a lot of experimentation and exposure to a variety of styles. The more opportunities kids have to play with language and read broadly, the richer their writing (and lives) will be.<br /><br />I've been out of the classroom for a few years, and I'd love to know more about Common Core. I thought there was a push for a variety of genres in the classroom, or does most of the reading fall in the nonfiction/technical side of things?Caroline Starr Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04597510685273079757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-47318942964006241582012-12-21T14:18:52.084-06:002012-12-21T14:18:52.084-06:00Wonderful post, Matt. As an author and a 5th grade...Wonderful post, Matt. As an author and a 5th grade teacher, I appreciate this dilemma. I shudder at the Common Core being forced upon us -- which is essentially a common denominator. I want to promote the creative process in my classroom, but I need to get kids to pass a standardized writing test. (And let's not get started on the artificiality of standardized writing.)Dianne K. Salernihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16459839567235304842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-32642350251961838832012-12-21T10:22:57.310-06:002012-12-21T10:22:57.310-06:00Makes a lot of sense. I appreciate the teacher per...Makes a lot of sense. I appreciate the teacher perspective.Kim Van Sicklerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04957877837203134260noreply@blogger.com