2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and the US Women's National Team

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If you ask me what I did this summer (2011), an honest answer would have to be that I became obsessed with the Soccer Women's World Cup. The World Cup is a series of international soccer games between countries that takes place every four years. I remember enjoying the Men's World Cup games last year, but my involvement with the men's teams in no way compares to the depth of my admiration of and love for the women's teams. I love the power, strength and committment of these players. They are beautiful, smart, strong and interesting women who love soccer, as I do, and who are great at playing the game (unlike me.) The tournament was broadcast by ESPN, and while some might have complaints, I enjoyed the coverage, the commentaries, the interviews and the replays. I especially enjoyed the stories of the teams: Japan was unable to practice on fields after the tsunami, and the players could only run to prepare for the tournament, for example. These stories brought the players to life for me. Now, as a devoted and avid fan, I feel as though I know some of them.

My favorite team is the US team. I also fell in love with the Japanese team and, ironically, these two teams played in the final. In the end, if the US was not to win, I'm happy that Japan was the team it lost to. I also felt the nature of the Japan win was random, as any soccer fan knows, because to win in PKs does not mean the stronger or better team won, at all.

In this article, I will try to upload some video highlights of goals, the most exciting and spectacular momemts for me.






The final game, US v Japan, was played July 17 in Germany. It was a heartbreaker because the US did not win. Both teams played excellently and seemed evenly matched although. The game was exciting as both teams played clean, efficient, beautiful soccer, devoid of fouls, tricks, fakes and flops, things that are so common in men's games. (With the exception of Brazil, the women in the World Cup played true soccer, and for this reason, it is more enjoyable to watch.) Japan answered each US goal with one of their own. In the end, despite the fact that the US made every PK against Brazil to make it into the semi-finals, three shots did not make it into the back of the next in this final game. Each of Japan's did. The US lost to Japan in PK's after two overtime sessions.

So, while the US v Japan game was great, it had a heartbreaking ending. The happiest and most exciting outcome for me was when the US beat Brazil in PKs, after two overtime sessions, in the semi-finals. Unlike the US loss to Japan, Brazil's loss to the US was especially just because of several bad referee calls, or lack thereof, and the fact that the US played a man down for 55 minutes of regulation and overtime play. The cincher was when a Brazil player flopped and was carted off the field on a stretcher, only to pop back up again seconds later in a effort to stop the US's momentum at the very end of the game. The fake backfired however, because the US scored in the stoppage time awarded. Here is a video of the result: the tying goal scored by Abby Wambach, forcing the game to go to PKs: 











Homare Sawa is captain of the Japanese team. Against Mexico, Sawa had a hat-trick (3 goals in one game) in which Japan beat Mexico 4-0. She is my favorite non US player.







My favorite US players are Hope Solo...








...and Abby Wambach, whom I admire because of their talent and their confidence. I believe these traits are especially important for women, not just athletes. I love that these players are role models for hundreds of thousands of young girl athletes all over the world. They inspire me




Yes, I am obsessing, and I am transferring, I know! My own daughter no longer plays varsity soccer after years and years of this being a huge part of our lives. But I think having watched how hard Elsa worked and trained, week after week, month after month, season after season, I understand the committment these players and their families have made and it makes me appreciate their dedication, their talents and their game all the more.

I am going to be much more aware when the USNT players will be playing locally and will try to post updates as I learn of them, in case any readers are avid soccer fans and want to keep this World Cup momentum going with me.

Here is a video Hope Solo posted on her Facebook wall. I think it's very inspiring:



Here is a video of Abby Wambach:


There are more on YouTube as well. Search "Pressure Makes Us" by Nike.

Earlham CollegeThe First Stop on Jeremy's Spring College Tour

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Earlham College is 660 miles from just outside the Holland Tunnel, on the Jersey side, where we gassed up on our way out west. Although the trip took nearly one whole day (11 hours) of driving and two tanks of gas, the school is definitely worth the trip!

Earlham is a small college in Richmond, Indiana, minutes from Dayton, Ohio. The school was founded by Quakers in 1847, and, like Guilford, has a philosophy strongly rooted in Quaker beliefs and values. The school sits on 800 acres, some wooded, and is made up of Georgian style red brick buildings. The overall architectural theme is one of simplicity, and although the campus is not the most beautiful we have seen, it has an extremely pleasing look and is peppered with lots of old, tall trees, many smaller, colorful flowering trees and lush green lawns in between. The buildings are clustered around a quad affectionately called “The Heart,” making the walk from one to the next relatively short.


A prospective student visiting Earlham is given a schedule created by the admissions office. Celeste just signed up for a tour, but Jeremy attended a class at 9am, (computer science-artificial intelligence,) went on a tour at 10am, and was interviewed at 11.




At 12 there was a lunch tour and all of the visitors and their parents who were visiting that day walked to the dining hall and we all ate together at two big tables! It was so welcoming and, well, fun! We made many new friends and chatted with people visiting Earlham form all over. Celeste and I actually toured twice, once with Emma and once again with Mallory. Interestingly, there is no info-session. It is up to us to speak to people and gather facts and information about the school ourselves. So we chatted with almost everyone we met. It makes for a warm and very personable experience.






What makes Earlham so special, in my opinion, is that it is a little oasis in the middle of no-where. It’s a beautiful college in the middle of a lesser known little town in an area of the state that is open and flat, and lacks the beauty of mountains or rolling hills. And, Earlham is full of friendly, sophisticated, liberal, like-minded folks who seemed to have gathered in this out-of-the-way place to make a great school that does wonderful and important things. Earlham is, hands down, the most racially diverse school I have ever seen, and it has the most diverse soccer team of all. We were told that only a small percentage of students hail from the immediate area. The bulk, like 80%, come from other places, and many, maybe 18% are international students. It seems Earlahm attracts a certain caliber of student and facluty to gather in this magical place. This makes for a rich and diverse student body, and an interesting place to be.

I must mention the beauty of the buildings, both inside and out. The student center, for example, is open, bright, clean and wonderfully appealing-something that stood out especially after our next tour. There is a student art gallery inside! The living and learning areas are pleasing and comfortable-I saw no cinder blocks! I wish I had photographed the large, bright dining hall that everyone calls SAGA. There is just one, and everyone eats together at big round or rectangular tables at specific times. Students who miss a meal can use their card at a coffee shop. I've always believed that schools with one dining hall help build community that way.


Jeremy had a lovely meeting with the men’s soccer coach, who met him at lunch with other players. Afterwards, he took us around to his office and then down to the soccer fields. He spoke at length and with pride about his school and his team’s accomplishments. He has been at Earlham for 31 years, and plans to continue on for at least a while longer. He invited Jeremy to return in the fall for an overnight and to see a game.

Next time, Jeremy will be flying…

McDaniel

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McDaniel is a small LAC located in cute, historic Westminster, MD. The college is perched on a hill and offers many views in every direction. The numerous quaint and attractive buildings are clustered closely together so that walking the length of the campus can be done in a few minutes.

We toured the school after hanging out for most of the morning with nothing in particular to do. We were invited by admissions to eat in the dining hall for $7.50 each, which we did. We sat amongst students and faculty eating, and noticed a variety of seating options that we had not seen before: single tables, like desks, in long rows that swivel toward a giant TV screen, and long and round, tall bar tables and seats placed in different areas around the cheerful and new dining hall. I ate a Mongolian stir-fry, new and popular campus cuisine (it was also touted at F&M) and the kids ate pizza as part of their survey of to find which campus has the best. F&M is currently in the lead but Juniata is not in the running as we did not lunch on campus there.




After lunch, we ventured back to admissions and Jeremy was visited by the assistant soccer coach, himself a recent McDaniel graduate. They had a friendly chat that was ended by an admissions officer who was ready to begin her information session, upstairs in the quaint house that houses the admissions offices. That speech was canned and pretty void of enthusiasm and excitement. It would have been actually dull had it not been for the presence of newbies from CA on their first tour ever, expressing surprise, glee and excitement about many things she described about the whole college application process. One thing to note: there is plenty of money for merit awards at McDaniel!


The tour was, by far, the highlight of the visit as we had two very charming and entertaining tour guides. Both love the school shared their favorite aspects of McDaniel with us. It really does make a difference seeing the inside of buildings and learning the stories behind them. We each felt a greater admiration for the school afterwards. Highlights for me are: the diversity, the “red square” (the quad), the football field with lights, the library, the lone lecture hall, and the athletic center.




When I first arrived at the admissions office, I sat and read the tiny amount of literature available about the school. I picked up a new book, America’s Best Kept College Secrets. I was happy to read about McDaniel in that book because it is not included in my bible, The Fisk Guide to Colleges, at least not in the edition that I have. Many good schools are omitted. However, after reading the description of McDaniel, I have to say it was pretty thin and devoid of accolades compared to that book’s descriptions of other schools we have visited and really liked. It was hard for that author, as it is for me, to pinpoint what is is that makes McDaniel really special. It's a nice, generous little LAC in a nice area and its acceptance rates are fairly high.

The Great Doctoral Degree Hunt: Part VI

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By Leah MacVie

Mission 10: Apply to Scholarships

Going into the scholarship process, I didn't realize there were so many specific scholarships out there for individual differences. I found scholarships for left handers, triplets,  little people, tall people, duck calling, and animal care experience.

I wondered if there was a scholarship out there for a Buffalo bred, writing, Star Trek TNG loving, cupcake connoisseur?

Probably not, but I am working to dwindle down application possibilities. I'm finding a bit of time this week and next week to apply. Before I begin the application process, I decided to set up a chart, much like the one's I used to keep track of doctoral applications. This chart will help me to organize the scholarships by due date and awards. Some I have already applied for and I think it's important to keep track of those as well to find out which one's were awarded.Scholarship Search
 Have you ever applied for scholarships before? Do you have any scholarship application tips? 


Leah MacVie is a blogger, instructional designer, photographer, and former graphic and Web designer. She possesses a BFA from the University at Buffalo and a Master’s in Educational Computing from the SUNY College at Buffalo. In her spare time, she is focusing on finding out more about DIY and informal learning. You can read more at www.leahmacvie.com.

My Dissertation in a Nutshell

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Professional development at most K-12 schools across the country is generic, out-dated, and most-often delivered on a one-size-fits-all-basis. This top-down approach has very little meaning to teachers (Thompson, 2009). According to Minott (2010), “teachers are actively constructing their own work-related knowledge by interpreting events on the basis of existing knowledge, beliefs and dispositions and by learning from experiences” (p.327). That is to say teachers rely on their personal experiences to filter and make meaning of what they see and learn from within their environment. As such, professional development should not only take into account teachers’ prior knowledge, teachers should be given a choice in the kinds of professional development they receive (Thompson, 2009).

The purpose of my action research study is to determine the extent to which Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) will support the individual professional learning needs of teachers. Likewise, my study will establish the viability of using Twitter to build a Personal Learning Network (PLN).

This video is representative of how millions of teachers around the globe are using a PLN via Twitter for professional development.


Twitter in D123 from OLHD123 on Vimeo.

The Great Doctoral Degree Hunt: Part VII (Big News!)

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I waited all of February to hear back from the two colleges that I applied to: Union Institute and University and Michigan State University. The pros for Union were that the program was Interdisciplinary, meaning my focus and final project wasn't limited, and I knew someone already in the program who gave me the inside scoop. The pros for MSU was that it was half the cost of Union (ugg the cost!) and not as many credit hours (it was also a great program- very widely known). I was really happy with my two choices and I was confident in my applications.
The bad news is that I did not get into MSU. In the rejection letter, they referenced my less than average GRE scores and my proposed research area. I contemplated taking the GRE again, but the thought of spending another 5 hours on the brink of insanity with a good chance that I could actually do worse on the second try has influenced my decision to accept the rejection and move on.The great news is that I was accepted to Union! I sent in my residency deposit and I've been receiving loads of communication about the residency, program, upcoming webinars, and meet-n-greets from program personnel.  I am so excited to be part of this program and I can't wait for the residency over the Summer. I attended my first virtual session last week and everyone seems so nice and supportive.Now that I've gotten past this hurdle, it's time to focus on my studies. Look for a new series that highlights my quest for scholarships and grants (NOT going so well!), my research, and my learnings.
Have you ever been rejected from a program you applied to? Did you reapply and get in or just accept the rejection? 

Leah MacVie is a blogger, instructional designer, photographer, and former graphic and Web designer. In her spare time, she is focusing on DIY and informal learning. Sign up for her newsletter at www.leahmacvie.com and let her help you discover free tools that help you conquer!  

Doctoral Confessions: Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

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By Will Deyamport, III
















This blog post is the start of a series titled: Doctoral Confessions. I started the series to share mine as well as the stories of other current doctoral students in addition to those brave souls who have graduated. There is so much that admissions counselors, professors, and advisors don't tell you. Hopefully, this series will tell the good, the bad, and the ugly about pursuing a doctorate. As the founder of this blog, I will share my story first.

I started my doctoral program in July 2009 with the plan of leading an education-focused non-profit organization. I was excited, focused, and ready to kick some ass.

A year into the program, my career interests changed. I was no longer interested in working with young people; I wanted to be a part of the digital revolution. So I took a quarter off from school to see if earning my doctorate was still the best move to make. I, mean, I hadn't come across anyone working in digital media who had their doctorate and let's be honest, I was 36, unemployed, and needed to make some career moves. As fate would have it, I began an internship with JT O'Donnell - Career Expert and Founder of Careeralism. My work with her taught me that I could merge my interests in education with digital media, so I enrolled in school the next quarter.

Now back in school I focused my coursework and research efforts on leadership in the digital age ,and on the educational applications in digital media. I landed another gig as the Chief Social Strategist for StrengthsFactors, and my very own blog was gaining traction. The course stage of my doctoral program ended, and that's when the hammer dropped...

The dissertation phase of the program was nothing like I had ever experienced in my life. I had walked away from the coursework phase with a 3.8 GPA, and praise from professors and outside industry executives who reviewed my PSSA's (assignments that required us to solve a real world problem within an organization). I entered the dissertation phase under the impression that I knew how to write clearly, succinctly, think critically, and present a cohesive idea. You know what I learned instead? Karma isn't a bitch; it's a rewrite.

From October 2011 to February 2012 I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote. It took me all of that time to get my topic and the design of my study approved by my mentor, my committee, and the school's reviewer. I was getting my tail handed to me, and I seriously thought about quitting. But the amount I owe in student loans and the point I was at in the program made quitting a non-issue. Finally, on February 23, 2012, my SMR (Scientific Merit Review) was approved, and I was cleared to apply for IRB approval.

No one told me about the hurdles/ approvals in the dissertation phase. I had no idea that it would take so much time, or that my study would have to be approved by so many people. Nor did I expect to to do so many drafts and revisions, but in the end my study was actually better.

On March 20, 2012, I received IRB approval to begin my study. I felt disbelief, happiness, fear, and hollow all at the same time. I start recruitment on Monday, and I am crossing my fingers that I get at least 10 teachers to sign on to be in my study. It has taken me 2 1/2 years and many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many drafts and revisions to get to this point. I am about six months from hopefully completing my dissertation. When my committee signs off on my defense, I am going to go outside and scream: I am Dr. Will! Trust me. I have earned it.

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, a social media leader, and digital academic. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, was born out of the idea to curate expert voices. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using Personal Learning Networks via Twitter to support the individual professional learning needs for teachers.

Financial Aid Process

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By Jodi Okun

























It may be hard to imagine, but your child will be a college student before you know it. You’re not on your own when faced with the bill, however. Financial aid makes up the difference between college costs and what your family can afford to pay. More than half of the students currently enrolled in college receive some sort of financial aid.
Paying for a college education is no small undertaking. There are many questions to consider: what will it cost, how much can you save, how much can you and your family afford to pay, how much will you need to borrow, and what scholarships are available to you? Not sure where to start? Here’s an overview:

• Find out what college will cost: The price tag depends on the college and when you plan to attend. The cost calculator located on each college web site will help you estimate college costs whether you plan to start in one year or ten.
• See if you are saving enough: The College Board Savings Calculator will show you how compound interest helps you make the most of what you save, now and in the future.
• Estimate your share: Before you apply for aid, first determine what you can afford to pay based on family income, savings and other financial holdings. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculator on Finaid.org will provide an estimate.
• Search for scholarships: Scholarships or grants are one of the best sources of aid because they don’t have to be repaid. Find scholarships as well as loan and internship opportunities with Scholarship Search websites such as Fastweb.com and Finaid.org.
• Apply for aid and loans: Know your financial aid and loan options. Both are a part of most students’ complete aid package, so it’s important to understand the differences in the financial aid and educational loans available to you.
• Compare your aid awards: Each college awards financial aid differently. One may give more grant money, another more loans. I can help you compare your aid awards and make sense of the numbers.

Jodi is the founder of College Financial Aid Consultants where she works closely with students and their families to successfully navigate the financial aid process. Jodi not only helps identify grants, loans and scholarships available to students, but also helps submit the multitude of forms associated with obtaining them. Jodi also works at Occidental College in their Financial Aid office as a Financial Aid Consultant.
This year Jodi began the #CollegeCash live twitter seminar held every Thursday from 10:00-11:00 pm EST. Each week participants include industry professionals, students, parents and teachers coming together to share information. The live twitter seminar covers all topics within the college prep process and many financial aid tips. 
You can follow Jodi on Twitter or on Facebook. 

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and the US Women's National Team

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If you ask me what I did this summer (2011), an honest answer would have to be that I became obsessed with the Soccer Women's World Cup. The World Cup is a series of international soccer games between countries that takes place every four years. I remember enjoying the Men's World Cup games last year, but my involvement with the men's teams in no way compares to the depth of my admiration of and love for the women's teams. I love the power, strength and committment of these players. They are beautiful, smart, strong and interesting women who love soccer, as I do, and who are great at playing the game (unlike me.) The tournament was broadcast by ESPN, and while some might have complaints, I enjoyed the coverage, the commentaries, the interviews and the replays. I especially enjoyed the stories of the teams: Japan was unable to practice on fields after the tsunami, and the players could only run to prepare for the tournament, for example. These stories brought the players to life for me. Now, as a devoted and avid fan, I feel as though I know some of them.

My favorite team is the US team. I also fell in love with the Japanese team and, ironically, these two teams played in the final. In the end, if the US was not to win, I'm happy that Japan was the team it lost to. I also felt the nature of the Japan win was random, as any soccer fan knows, because to win in PKs does not mean the stronger or better team won, at all.

In this article, I will try to upload some video highlights of goals, the most exciting and spectacular momemts for me.






The final game, US v Japan, was played July 17 in Germany. It was a heartbreaker because the US did not win. Both teams played excellently and seemed evenly matched although. The game was exciting as both teams played clean, efficient, beautiful soccer, devoid of fouls, tricks, fakes and flops, things that are so common in men's games. (With the exception of Brazil, the women in the World Cup played true soccer, and for this reason, it is more enjoyable to watch.) Japan answered each US goal with one of their own. In the end, despite the fact that the US made every PK against Brazil to make it into the semi-finals, three shots did not make it into the back of the next in this final game. Each of Japan's did. The US lost to Japan in PK's after two overtime sessions.

So, while the US v Japan game was great, it had a heartbreaking ending. The happiest and most exciting outcome for me was when the US beat Brazil in PKs, after two overtime sessions, in the semi-finals. Unlike the US loss to Japan, Brazil's loss to the US was especially just because of several bad referee calls, or lack thereof, and the fact that the US played a man down for 55 minutes of regulation and overtime play. The cincher was when a Brazil player flopped and was carted off the field on a stretcher, only to pop back up again seconds later in a effort to stop the US's momentum at the very end of the game. The fake backfired however, because the US scored in the stoppage time awarded. Here is a video of the result: the tying goal scored by Abby Wambach, forcing the game to go to PKs: 











Homare Sawa is captain of the Japanese team. Against Mexico, Sawa had a hat-trick (3 goals in one game) in which Japan beat Mexico 4-0. She is my favorite non US player.







My favorite US players are Hope Solo...








...and Abby Wambach, whom I admire because of their talent and their confidence. I believe these traits are especially important for women, not just athletes. I love that these players are role models for hundreds of thousands of young girl athletes all over the world. They inspire me




Yes, I am obsessing, and I am transferring, I know! My own daughter no longer plays varsity soccer after years and years of this being a huge part of our lives. But I think having watched how hard Elsa worked and trained, week after week, month after month, season after season, I understand the committment these players and their families have made and it makes me appreciate their dedication, their talents and their game all the more.

I am going to be much more aware when the USNT players will be playing locally and will try to post updates as I learn of them, in case any readers are avid soccer fans and want to keep this World Cup momentum going with me.

Here is a video Hope Solo posted on her Facebook wall. I think it's very inspiring:



Here is a video of Abby Wambach:


There are more on YouTube as well. Search "Pressure Makes Us" by Nike.

US WNT Will Play in September!

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From ussoccer.com:
U.S. Women's National Team to Visit Kansas City and Portland in September for First Matches Following FIFA Women's World Cup

The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team will return to the field for the first time since the conclusion of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup when it faces Canada in Kansas City, Kan., and Portland, Ore., during friendly matches in September.

USA to Play Canada on Sept. 17 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on FOX Soccer at 6PM
and on Sept. 22 at JELD-WEN Field on ESPN2 at 8 PM.

U.S. WNT Voted USOC Team of the Month for July

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The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team has been named the United States Olympic Committee Team of the Month for July.

The U.S. team captured the imagination and hearts of a nation with its dramatic run to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup final that took place on July 17 in Frankfurt, Germany. The U.S. team reached the final with two emotional knock-out round wins, first defeating Brazil in penalty kicks in the quarterfinal after equalizing through an Abby Wambach header in the final minutes of overtime despite playing almost an hour down a player. The U.S. went on to beat France in the semifinal with two late goals. Even though the U.S. fell to Japan in penalty kicks in the championship game, the team's performance in the match and throughout the tournament earned it a legion of fans across the country and the world.

Every month, each National Governing Body may nominate one female, one male and one team per discipline. A voting panel selects the winners from the pool of nominees, with online fan voting via Twitter accounts for 10 percent of the total vote.

Swimmers Rebecca Soni (Plainsboro, N.J.) and Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) were selected as the U.S. Olympic Committee's Athletes of the Month for July as both came off multiple gold medal performances at the 2011 FINA World Championships.

TEAM
1. U.S. Women's National Soccer Team
2. Women's Swimming 4x100m Relay Team
3. USA Softball Women's National Team

The B103, A New Discovery

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I would guess that most NYC residents and frequent users of public transportation know about this bus, but I didn't!

I was trying to get to the NYC Department of Finance, Parking Violations Bureau at Borough Hall to fight a ticket (I won, Yay!) and thought from my house, I would have to take the B68 to 15th Street and transfer to the F train there. While I was waiting, a curious bus with the destination DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN/TILLARY STREET passed me on Coney Island and Slocum, and stopped closer to Beverly Road. I walked to the stop, hoping to see the bus' route, but did not. (Is it new?) So I decided to be adventurous (at my age, riding an unknown bus qualifies as an adventure) and try the bus. Well, five 68s passed me while I waited for the next B103 (there was also no schedule posted) so I gave up and got on the next 68 to come along. Hoever, on my way home from Barclay's Teacher Supply, at Smith and Livingston streets, what should happen to come along but the B103? So, still feeling adventuous, I jumped on and for one fare, I got to Westminster and Cortelyou, right where the fancy express buses stop! Thank you, MTA.

Earlham CollegeThe First Stop on Jeremy's Spring College Tour

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Earlham College is 660 miles from just outside the Holland Tunnel, on the Jersey side, where we gassed up on our way out west. Although the trip took nearly one whole day (11 hours) of driving and two tanks of gas, the school is definitely worth the trip!

Earlham is a small college in Richmond, Indiana, minutes from Dayton, Ohio. The school was founded by Quakers in 1847, and, like Guilford, has a philosophy strongly rooted in Quaker beliefs and values. The school sits on 800 acres, some wooded, and is made up of Georgian style red brick buildings. The overall architectural theme is one of simplicity, and although the campus is not the most beautiful we have seen, it has an extremely pleasing look and is peppered with lots of old, tall trees, many smaller, colorful flowering trees and lush green lawns in between. The buildings are clustered around a quad affectionately called “The Heart,” making the walk from one to the next relatively short.


A prospective student visiting Earlham is given a schedule created by the admissions office. Celeste just signed up for a tour, but Jeremy attended a class at 9am, (computer science-artificial intelligence,) went on a tour at 10am, and was interviewed at 11.




At 12 there was a lunch tour and all of the visitors and their parents who were visiting that day walked to the dining hall and we all ate together at two big tables! It was so welcoming and, well, fun! We made many new friends and chatted with people visiting Earlham form all over. Celeste and I actually toured twice, once with Emma and once again with Mallory. Interestingly, there is no info-session. It is up to us to speak to people and gather facts and information about the school ourselves. So we chatted with almost everyone we met. It makes for a warm and very personable experience.






What makes Earlham so special, in my opinion, is that it is a little oasis in the middle of no-where. It’s a beautiful college in the middle of a lesser known little town in an area of the state that is open and flat, and lacks the beauty of mountains or rolling hills. And, Earlham is full of friendly, sophisticated, liberal, like-minded folks who seemed to have gathered in this out-of-the-way place to make a great school that does wonderful and important things. Earlham is, hands down, the most racially diverse school I have ever seen, and it has the most diverse soccer team of all. We were told that only a small percentage of students hail from the immediate area. The bulk, like 80%, come from other places, and many, maybe 18% are international students. It seems Earlahm attracts a certain caliber of student and facluty to gather in this magical place. This makes for a rich and diverse student body, and an interesting place to be.

I must mention the beauty of the buildings, both inside and out. The student center, for example, is open, bright, clean and wonderfully appealing-something that stood out especially after our next tour. There is a student art gallery inside! The living and learning areas are pleasing and comfortable-I saw no cinder blocks! I wish I had photographed the large, bright dining hall that everyone calls SAGA. There is just one, and everyone eats together at big round or rectangular tables at specific times. Students who miss a meal can use their card at a coffee shop. I've always believed that schools with one dining hall help build community that way.


Jeremy had a lovely meeting with the men’s soccer coach, who met him at lunch with other players. Afterwards, he took us around to his office and then down to the soccer fields. He spoke at length and with pride about his school and his team’s accomplishments. He has been at Earlham for 31 years, and plans to continue on for at least a while longer. He invited Jeremy to return in the fall for an overnight and to see a game.

Next time, Jeremy will be flying…

Ursinus College

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Our second college search continues...
Jeremy clearly expressed an interest in seeing some schools closer to home, but in warmer climates than NYC. We have put together a list using CLTL as a guide, looking for small, nurturing places in PA and MD. And, because of his athletic commitments this spring, it seemed prudent to visit schools open to seeing juniors early in the year before the soccer club season starts. We were very lucky weather-wise today as it was a spring-like 50 degrees as we toured the school. Ursinus was sunny and livened up as students emerged from their dorms to head to brunch at the main dining area. Jeremy, his cousin Celeste, and I were guided through the campus by a lovely junior named Kristin who was frank, informative and very friendly. This was Celeste's first formal tour and it was evident how much she enjoyed seeing the school. Highlights for both prospective students were the special freshman two-semester CIE seminar, the possible majors and class offerings, the housing options, the size, look and feel of the campus, and the friendliness of everyone we met today.
More photos of Ursinus:

Dear Mayor Bloomberg

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For a long time, I have wanted to write weekly letters to the mayor to tell him what it is really like to be a teacher in a NYC public school. In my opinion, our mayor is anti-teacher, anti-union and anti public school. I don't agree with his assessments of how most teachers work, I don't agree that there needs to be an evaluation of teachers' effectiveness that is tied to standardized testing, and I don't believe that teachers' pay should be linked to the "success" of the students' performances on tests when there are so many other influential variables at play. So here we go:

Dear Mayor Bloomberg,

I want you to know that my colleague, Diane, and I worked at school in our classroom until 8:40 Friday, February 3rd. We were preparing our room for our upcoming museum, February 7th and 8th. Perhaps you can stop by. We were thrown out at that time by our custodian, who wanted to lock up. We had more cleaning and organizing to do, but were not able to. We were not the only teachers in school, either. Other teachers on our grade who are also participating in the museum, were there cleaning and setting up late into the evening as well. Steve was planning to go in for a few hours today, Saturday, to clean and set up his classroom.

What took us so long? Yes, we dismiss our students at 3:20, but it is only after the children are gone that we have the ability to get work done. We began by just tidying up from weeks of project time, during which we collect tons of research and materials for students to use to make models and projects to show others what they have learned about ancient China. Some of the projects include a Great Wall of China, a bridal litter, porcelain pottery, models of bronze vessels, two models of a Chinese Scholar's Garden, models of the Terra Cotta Warriors, models of bronze weapons and more. As a result, the room has papers (drafts of captions students have written about what they learned, how they made their projects and reflections about what they might do differently next time,) and models all over, as well as extra sheets of cardboard, old clay, glue guns, pebbles, pipe ceaners, paint-well hopefully you get the picture. Next we had to mount and hang the artwork, calligraphy and informative posters children made that will be displayed in the museum. After that, Steve and Ilana went down to the art room and outside to collect clay plates that children had made and fired in an outdoor kiln project earlier in the week. Those plates will be on display in the museum, but right now they are sitting in the middle of the classroom and will have to be moved before our students, all 30 of them, come to school on Monday morning. Once we were all back together, we teachers sat in the hallway on the floor, exhausted, and planned next week. We organized which projects will be displayed in which rooms and planned out how to label the classrooms. Oh dear, those signs need to be made. Oh well-Monday! Then we had to make a schedule for 90 children, in two teams, to clarify when they will "work" as docents for 20 minutes, and when they will have breaks for 10 minutes to view the museum themselves. Oh, did I mention scheduling the three shadow puppet plays that will be performed? Those have to be rehearsed and staged on Monday and Tuesday morning.

We also had to spend some time planning the upcoming Read-A-Thon fundraiser we are holding to raise funds for a camping trip that we take each spring. Three days in the Poconoes (for which we teachers receive NO extra pay and is NO vacation,) and transportation costs about $300 per child which the city does not fund. Each year, we raise the money ourselves. After we teachers met and planned, we had to search through our computers to find the necessary documents to send home so that families will know the dates of the Read-A-Thon and how to record the names and addresses of the 20 or so sponsors they are to collect to pay our students to read. After we assembled the documents, Ilana graciously went down to the teacher's room to make copies for all three classes. Fortunately, our school copier was working!

After we met and planned, Diane and I resumed cleaning and organizing the classroom, including climbing on ladders to store stuff away, wiping down tables, sweeping and mopping the floor, scouring our sink-well hopefully you get the picture.

Because of the museum prep and having children up each day to finish their projects during our lunch period, I was a little behind on other paperwork. This morning, Saturday, when I got up, I finished writing our weekly class newsletter. I imported photos and a museum flyer to inform families of where and when to come. Then I emailed the flyer out to all of the parents in our class. After that, I updated our class website to include the newsletter and to post photos of the recent clay making and firing project. Later this afternoon, I went to Manhattan, to Blick Art supplies to buy colorful paper and a poster board to make a sign for the three puppet shows which will be performed. None of these supplies are available at school, and we are a school with at least some funds for teacher and classroom supplies-we are lucky. After Blick, I stopped by the restaurant where we will take our students on Friday to celebreate the completion of our China study to make the reservation and to plan the menu for 75 at $8 per person. Next week we will have to remind families, collect the $8 and find a way to cover the cost of the meal that some families will not be able to afford. Now that I am home, after I finish this letter, I will sit down and make the sign for the puppet show.

Tomorrow, I will spend marking and correcting homework that has accumlated during this busy week. I will have to also prepare my lessons, worksheets and homework for the periods that the museum does not cover next week. Thankfully, Diane does the bulk of this planning and makes and copies the homework sheet for the week for our class, but I must prepare the lessons I will teach. I must get everything done on time on Sunday so that I can get to bed early and be on time, 8:20 am, on Monday. If I am late, my time card will be pulled and I will clock in upon arrival so that my pay can be docked!

Thankfully the IEP meeting for a student transferring out of our class has been postponed until after the museum. It was originally scheduled during our lunch period on Monday which is when I will be having a dress rehearsal for ONE of the three plays. But we may also have to meet this week with one or both supervisors of the student teachers we have in our clasroom this semester. We will also have to carve out some time to meet with the student teachers themselves to help each of them plan the lessons that they are to teach this and next week.

In fairness to you, this is an especially busy period. We don't often have quite this many additional responsibilities. But, very, very often, our jobs require so much more than working 8 to 3, that I am motivated to inform you about what teaching children and our lives are really like. I am going to continue to write to you each week to keep you posted about our school year and all that we teachers at BNS do each day, each week, each month, every year.

How could you measure the caliber and the quality of the teaching work I've done in the past 24 hours by my students' test scores after 6 days of testing in May?

If you have questions or need more information, call me after 7pm. I'm usually busy working until then.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hardy


BNS 3rd grade teachers planning and resting...


The finished sign for the shadow puppet plays.