Tuesday Open Thread

I was fortunate enough to go to the ACLU dinner on Saturday night and they premiered a new promo by Macklemore for ACLU.  It's pointedly funny (he is, as he says, a rapper) and effective.

From Gizmodo, a pretty great domino smackdown featuring a card trick and imploding domino structures - show the kids.

Also for the kids about resiliency, Doodlealley's "Be Friends with Failure."  Maybe something in there for all of us.

What's on your mind?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Melissa,

Thanks for sharing this Doodle Alley strip. I'd love to see it blown up and hung in every middle and high school.

It reminds me of a book one of our teachers recommended to me, Mindset, by Carol Dweck. I just started it, but it seems in her mind, our success is determined by how we react to failure (failure is a friend).

ML mom

11/12/13, 10:27 AM
Anonymous said…
Education Matters: 5 Reasons Why the Seattle School Board Election Matters Nationally

http://www.parentmap.com/blog/27375/education-matters-5-reasons-why-the-seattle-school-board-election-matters-nationally?shared=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.parentmap.com%252Fblog%252F27375%252Feducation-matters-5-reasons-why-the-seattle-school-board-election-matters-nationally&post_id=1019535267_10201854

Alison Krupnik editorial on Sue Peters win.

HP
11/12/13, 12:18 PM
Lynn said…
Michael DeBell in the Seattle Times
11/12/13, 12:32 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
I'll have to go over that Krupnik editorial because Dale Estey says somet things that make me glad for my vote for Sue.
11/12/13, 12:43 PM
mirmac1 said…
Thanks for that link HP!
11/12/13, 12:59 PM
mirmac1 said…
"They prepare, support and respect their teachers as professionals. Singapore pegs starting teacher salaries with those of engineers."

Who is this DeBell? Not the guy who regularly dissed teachers, pushed more work for no more money, trumped up principals as "instructional leaders", and advocated turning the screws on teachers and their union. And does he expect to take "improved teacher preparation" to scale? Not with the Seattle Teacher Residency eventually costing an additional $40K per recruit.
11/12/13, 1:06 PM
Anonymous said…
"Dale Estey enjoys doorbelling, which she says is one of her favorite campaigning methods.

When I read this, I first thought, well, a "people" person, who wants to meet her constituents. That's not me, but I admire people who sincerely enjoy ringing a stranger's doorbell and saying hi and taking the brief moment to get to know the stranger. I think our politicians benefit from being people like that.

But then, we get this.
“Data shows that if someone looks you in the eye, they are much more likely to vote for you,” she tells her volunteers during the pre-doorbelling strategy session. "

So the wrong reason for why I do appreciate politicians taking the time and effort (and risking my annoyance) to ring my doorbell. And, then, we hear about the strategic plan of getting the most bang for the buck, completely undermining any credit for being a doorbell ringer.

I hope that Sue Peters will take the time to work *with* the board, because, in order to be effective, she has no other choice. In some organizations, the board included, consensus is required to make progress, and a savvy advocate has to figure out how to build that consensus and not be the lone voice with the right point of view.
zb
11/12/13, 2:58 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
ZB, I always say that School Board is a team sport. Every single person elected to the Board needs to know and understand that fact. And, that includes our newest members, Sue Peters and Stephan Blanford.
11/12/13, 3:11 PM
mirmac1 said…
OMG! The Seattle Times editorial page is a hot mess!

On the one hand they argue "Make sure they pressure the Federal Communications Commission to prevent further media consolidation!"

Then they put up essentially one-sided ads for the (m)(b)illionaires talking points and wish lists, including:

Teachers United is actually Chris Eide United; and,

News Flash! Outgoing School Board member DeBell suddenly acknowledges that teachers deserve respect!

BTW, did you notice that Sue Peters' lead over her well-funded opponent Estey continues to grow? Guess those media experts in the first link didn't know what they were talking about.
11/12/13, 5:36 PM
Anonymous said…
Ney Mirmac1,

That link says Chis Eide, Seattle teacher....

So where is Mr. Eide teaching this year?

-- Dan Dempsey
11/12/13, 6:35 PM
Linh-Co said…
Kshama Sawant is leading in the polls.

49.91% 79,751 Sawant

49.88% 79,710 Conlin

Hooray!
11/12/13, 9:28 PM
Anonymous said…
Interesting story on education in Kenya... Teach for Kenya-esque.

http://kuow.org/post/do-profit-schools-give-poor-kenyans-real-choice

-middleschool mom
11/12/13, 9:31 PM
katie said…
Did anyone go to the SCPTSA meeting tonight?
11/12/13, 10:04 PM
Meg said…
I went. The Superintendent was there, along with Flip Herndon, Tracy Libros, Harium Martin-Morris and, a little late (but it went late, late, late), Michael DeBell.

I doubt that one meeting will change the course of this particular vote. That said, the SCPTSA did a really good job of showing the district (in a collaborative way, no less) that there are more and better ways of engaging communities.
11/12/13, 11:16 PM
Anonymous said…
To Meg:
I thought this meeting was about the upcoming boundary changes, the amendments, the latest version called Version 3.0 plus x.
SPS mom
11/12/13, 11:53 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Meg, that is SCPTSA president Katherine Schomer's career - engagement. I think the district should take her up on offering tips on how to do better.
11/13/13, 7:50 AM
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