SMART thinking!

Here’s a terrific program more schools need!!  This from fathers.com:

Background

WATCH D.O.G.S.^® is the father involvement initiative of the National Center for Fathering that was founded by Jim Moore, a concerned father who chose to take action in response to a 1998 middle-school shooting in Jonesboro, AR. Moore wanted to help prevent violence from occurring at his children’s school or at any school. The first program was launched at George Elementary in Springdale, AR, the school of Moore’s oldest child. Today, more than 2127 programs in 40 states and New Zealandparticipate in WATCH D.O.G.S.^®

Program Goal

To help every school in America be positively influenced by the committed involvement of fathers and father figures in lives of their children and students.

How WATCH D.O.G.S.^® Works

WATCH D.O.G.S.^®, a K-12 program, invites fathers, grandfathers, uncles, or other father figures to volunteer at least one day all day at their child’s/student’s school during the school year. Individuals sign up at a kick-off event such as a “Dads and Kids Pizza Night” or “Donuts with Dad” or in the office at any time throughout the school year. The program is overseen by a “Top Dog” volunteer who partners with the school administrator to coordinate scheduling and identify opportunities for WatchDOGS to provide assistance at the school. WatchDOG volunteers perform a variety of tasks during their volunteer day including monitoring the school entrance, assisting with unloading and loading of buses and cars, monitoring the lunch room, or helping in the classroom with a teacher’s guidance by working with small groups of students on homework, flashcards, or spelling.

SMART thinking!!! What do you think??? Comments above left.

Related SMART thinking articles

Blessings in a Backpack

Cool Cafeterias and Healthy School Lunches

Feeding America Backpack Program for Kids

I’ve seen this fan at several trade shows …thought you might be interested too.

How They Work

Big Ass Fans are the highest quality, most meticulously engineered HVLS fans on the planet. HVLS stands for High Volume / Low Speed, meaning Big Ass Fans move a lot of air with their size (which is up to 24-ft. in diameter), not speed. Moving at a low speed means less energy used for operation, translating into more energy savings for you. And Big Ass Fans aren’t just for the warmer months. Big Ass Fans can save you money and keep you comfortable year-round.

SMART thinking! What do YOU think? Comment above left.

SMART thinking! The draft version of the EPA’s new School Site Guidelines are now out for review at

http://www.epa.gov/schools/siting/criteria.html.

According to the website:

State and local policies should support school sites that facilitate physical activity, healthy behaviors, and healthy communities.  School siting decisions both influence growth and development patterns and are influenced by these patterns.  Many communities across the country are increasingly interested in ensuring that growth and development meet multiple community goals, including revitalization efforts, fiscal responsibility, increasing transportation choices, providing opportunities to live, work, play, and attend school in convenient locations, and, importantly, limiting greenhouse gas emissions, criteria air pollutants (nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide), and air toxics. Locating schools in the neighborhoods of the students they serve encourages students to walk and bicycle between home, school, and centers of community activity. In addition, the family’s access to school playgrounds and facilities encourages physical activity outside of school time. The location of schools in neighborhoods may allow more children to participate in after school activities sponsored by the school such as clubs, intramural sports, or interscholastic athletics, or activities sponsored by the community by local libraries, parks, and community centers.  These are important factors for the community.  Schools located within neighborhoods will also increase the likelihood of access using public transportation for students, faculty, and staff located both in the neighborhood as well as in surrounding communities.

Finally – we are seeing some great advice about school siting that involves the health and well-being of the WHOLE community.  Thanks EPA!

Related SMART thinking! Articles

Why Kids Don’t Walk to School

Urban High School in a Median Strip

Target of Vandalism Turned Playful

K12 Green Existing Schools Toolkit

Creating Successful Playspaces

What do YOU think?  Comment above left.

I love this poem by Taylor Mali……www.taylormali.com. It reminds me of my children, you know? LOL

In case you hadn’t noticed,
it has somehow become uncool
to sound like you know what you’re talking about?
Or believe strongly in what you’re saying?
Invisible question marks and parenthetical (you know?)’s
have been attaching themselves to the ends of our sentences?
Even when those sentences aren’t, like, questions? You know?

Declarative sentences – so-called
because they used to, like, DECLARE things to be true
as opposed to other things which were, like, not -
have been infected by a totally hip
and tragically cool interrogative tone? You know?
Like, don’t think I’m uncool just because I’ve noticed this;
this is just like the word on the street, you know?
It’s like what I’ve heard?
I have nothing personally invested in my own opinions, okay?
I’m just inviting you to join me in my uncertainty?

What has happened to our conviction?
Where are the limbs out on which we once walked?
Have they been, like, chopped down
with the rest of the rain forest?
Or do we have, like, nothing to say?
Has society become so, like, totally . . .
I mean absolutely . . . You know?
That we’ve just gotten to the point where it’s just, like . . .
whatever!

And so actually our disarticulation . . . ness
is just a clever sort of . . . thing
to disguise the fact that we’ve become
the most aggressively inarticulate generation
to come along since . . .
you know, a long, long time ago!

I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you,
I challenge you: To speak with conviction.
To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks
the determination with which you believe it.
Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker,
it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY.
You have to speak with it, too.

Thanks to Peter Lippman, Assoc AIA, REFP of JCJ Architecture, author of Evidence-Based Design of Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Responsive Approach to Creating Learning Environments for pointing out this lovely school in his recent article The Responsive Designer in the Spring Issue of Learning by Design.

The Gateway School Program Strengthens Individual Learning Styles

The Gateway School, New York, NY – designed by Andrew Bartle Architects Studio is a wonderful example of a school built around the problem-based style of instruction.  The Gateway School is a leader in  the education of children with learning disabilities.  The following is an excerpt from the program’s description statement.

The Gateway Lower School Program is a unique setting in which the academic, social, and emotional growth of students with learning disabilities is carefully fostered. Enrollment is limited to allow small classrooms of eight to ten students where learning is highly individualized as well as opportunities for the student body to meet together for large group learning experiences. These larger learning contexts facilitate a strong sense of school community and help prepare students for transitions to mainstream educational programs.

Instruction in reading and math is conducted in smaller group settings in order to teach to the specific needs and skill levels of each child. …These multi-sensory approaches to learning ensure that students develop a strong structural basis for future academic success.

…Gateway’s atmosphere is structured, warm, and nurturing. Emphasis is placed on the development of each child’s strengths and talents as well as the foundational instruction necessary to address his or her specific learning challenges. Gateway is committed to helping each child develop a strong sense of self-worth and independence, a concomitant respect for others and an ability to function well as a member of a group.

Because the program calls for small group, individual, and group activities, the school is designed to be highly flexible and agile – allowing students independence within the learning setting.  The reception provides a sense of lightness and color with intimacy and texture, providing a kid-scale, welcoming entry.

Welcoming Entry at the Gateway School

The classroom area is small but flexible with integral small group breakout.  Individual attention can be provided to students by teachers or peers in a way that is subtle and non-threatening.

Gatway Classroom is highly flexible with integrated small group rooms.

Hallway alcoves cleverly provide an area for one-on-one interaction that is fun and “cave-like”; they are located adjacent to classrooms so as to provide maximum visibility with auditory privacy.  The alcoves make great places for students that prefer a higher level of privacy and quiet for reading or study.

Alcoves off the Hallway provide areas for Study and One-on-One Learning

The Gateway School is SMART thinking!  What do YOU think?  Leave your comments on the upper left.

Related SMART thinking! Articles

To See or Not to See

Emotions in Working and Learning

Creativity Crisis in American Schools

Jump Up and Learn

15 Things to Consider in 21st Century Learning Environments

Modern One Room Schoolhouse

School of One Turns Educational Models Inside Out

With the HOKKI, wiggling in your chair is no longer an offense punishable by exile to the hall.

I had the great pleasure of seeing the HOKKI in action at the CEFPI San Jose Conference in 2010 and actually snagged one of these clever little stools for my office.  VS International launched the HOKKI at NEOCON in Chicago last year.  I definitely recommend taking a look at what a great tool they can be in the classroom – linking movement and learning.  Below is an excerpt about the HOKKI from the VS website:

HOKKI comes in a variety of heights for any age group

Our HOKKI is something special:

Sitting on HOKKI means playful movement, activity and high spirits. A dynamic stool for everyone, for use in kindergarden, school, play areas and at home. HOKKI is available in three sizes, so that children and adults can enjoy HOKKI in equal measure.

Sitting on the HOKKI is a Delight

 

The old contrast between sitting and moving has now been broken up: HOKKI is a product with simple and clear basic design which, through its simplicity, allows versatile use. It  is easily manageable and intuitively understood. Children continuously discover new ways to play with HOKKI, it sets no barrier to a child’s imagination.

The controlled free movement stimulates the entire body in different ways. This kind of acitivity liberates and increases the sense of well-being. Body and mind are activated and an existing urge to move  is supported productively.

HOKKI Comes in a Variety of Colors

 

The seat-contact surface makes for increased sitting safety. With the recessed structure of the rounded down seat edge and the firm stand HOKKI offers children flexibility as well as manifold hold.

SMART thinking!  What do YOU think?  Would you purchase this stool for your classroom?

Related SMART thinking! Stories

One Desk. One Chair. K-12. Really.

Jump Up and Learn

Stand Up for Learning

Ball Chairs Get Students’ Attention

Flexible Teaching Walls

Library Learning Fun

The Third Teacher

Got this one from schoolbusdriver.org – too funny!

I love this blog entry by J Bevacqua recapping idea from author Marcia Tate…. on his blog Figuring it Out:

Five things to Look for in a Purposeful Classroom:

1. Students Talking
The research tells us that the person talking is doing the most learning

Students Talking

2. Students Moving
The research tells us that moving activates muscle memory and procedural memory

Students Moving

3. Students making connections with their learning
Some brain based learning strategies that help students make connections include: writing, the use of storytelling, using visuals, role playing, games, using technology and listening (or creating) to music.

Making Connections

 

4. Positive Atmosphere
Classrooms that are imbued with humour and build students’ confidence increases learning.  In addition, teachers that are passionate  and show enthusiasm create a climate conducive for  learning.

Classroom Humor

 

5. Purposeful Classroom
Students do better when they understand the learning goals for the lesson and when they can relate to the lesson on a personal level.

Purposeful Classrooms Make Positive Students

 

SMART thinking!  What other qualities would YOU add?

 

Related SMART thinking! articles:

The Amazing Khan Academy: Open Source Education

Animated Ken Robinson Talk

“What Teachers Make” by Taylor Mali

EdTech Lesson Plans

“Do Schools Stifle Creativity?”

Heard about this great design guide (click below to download) from Playscapes:

 

Here’s an excerpt for the Playscapes blog about the Design for Play Guide -

Another helpful playground rubric is the set of ten design principals offered by the organization Play England in their publication “Design for Play: A guide to creating successful play spaces”, by Aileen Shackell, Nicola Butler, Phil Doyle, and David Ball.

Successful Play Spaces:

1. are ‘bespoke’

2. are well-located

3. make use of natural elements

4. provide a wide range of play opportunities

5. are accessible to both disabled and non-disabled children

6. meet community needs

7. allow children of different ages to play together

8. build in opportunities to experience risk and challenge

9. are sustainable and appropriately maintained

10. allow for change and evolution

The Design for Play document illustrates each design principle with further explanation and illustrative photos…many of natural playgrounds recently constructed in the UK, as excerpted here. A must read!

Here’s a few photos of great playspaces featured on the Playscapes Blog –

Mounds Inspired by the Lord of the Rings Hobbit House Spa Fields London

 

"Hobbit" Mounds Spa Fields London

 

Compacted Soil Makes a Delightful Path

 

Path at Pittsboro Kiwanis Park

 

Garden of Senses in Copenhagen DK

 

Playground at Garden City Canada

Playground at Garden City Canada

 

Playground at Garden City Canada

 

Wavefield by Maya Lin

 

Play on the Wavefield by Maya Lin

 

Playscape by Groundwork - London

 

Pretty SMART thinking! What do you think?  Leave your comment here.

Since 2008, Sal Khan has produced over 1,400 videos that are viewed all over the world by anyone (students, parents, teachers…) interested in learning more about any one of a variety of subjects:  Algebra, Calculus, Chemistry, Banking, Finance…you name it.  The website is so popular Khan Academy boasts over 24 million hits and is growing.

Image from Fast Company

According to a recent Fast Company article, Khan wants to “disrupt” education ….a term that has become popular in recent years referring to the need for new paradigms in teaching in learning.  Here’s an excerpt from the article -

How would he change education? By turning it upside down. First, he says, we should “decouple credentialing from learning.” Instead of handing out degrees, standardized assessments would be the measure of employee competence. Anyone could learn at their own pace in their own way: in an internship, as an entrepreneur, or at home on the Internet. Then, everyone, no matter how they were educated, would be equal before the evaluation. Additionally, he thinks the assessment could be more meaningful than whatever abilities a college degree actual signals to employers.

Second, lectures would become homework and teacher tutoring would occur during class time. In traditional classrooms “despite the fact that you 30 humans in the room, it’s a very unhuman experience.” Some of Khan’s devoted following of teachers are already substituting his lectures for their own, and assigning the videos as homework. It saves them time and allows more personalized education during school hours.

You can visit the Khan Academy website at www.khanacademy.org.  SMART thinking!!

Related SMART thinking! posts:

Nine Great Educational Websites

EdTech Lesson Plans

100 Video Site Resources for Teachers

50 Best Blogs for Education Leaders

Back-Channeling in Schools

Was this article helpful?  Tell us about by clicking Comments on the left.

Here’s of the biggest complaints I hear from educators regarding student computers:

• Desktop units take up too much space, are hard to power (cords everywhere) and limit the use of the classroom (which leads to the other problem – they have to BE in a room for security);
• Desktop units and laptops are expensive! Not near enough $ to fund and maintain computers for the elusive 1:1 kid to computer ratio;
• Laptops are expensive, get dropped, don’t get shut down properly and are, therefore, never charged when you need them – which should be (of course) on a spontaneous basis- cause learning’s organic isn’t it?!!!
• Laptops don’t hold a charge long enough;
• PC’s and laptops require training of the teacher and the student and who has time to be a technology wiz anyway?!

But now we have the Apple iPad (R) - a cheaper (maybe affordable! *finally*) technology tool that engages children immediately with little or no instructions or training.  Believe me when I say this – two of my children received them for Christmas.  By the end of the day they had: a) customized their screens, apps, and passwords; b) explored a plethora of social media; and c) grudgingly (at Mom’s insistence) learned to use the “Pages” app ($9) similar to Microsoft Word ($55-365).  The iPad is light and moveable -highly conducive to differentiated teaching methods and settings.  The lower price allows for easier damage replacement as well.

Now Bretford is offering a PowerSync mobile charging cart for IPads.  Here’s what’s great about the product:

• Charge 30 iPads in one cart;
• The PowerSync Cart for iPad allows you to sync up to 30 iPad devices with iTunes, moving all your selected apps, books, videos, music, and Podcasts to each iPad, according to your specifications,
• To enable syncing, simply configure each iPad in your collection to sync with iTunes, place it in the cart, and connect the included 30-pin dock connector cable. When all your iPad devices are configured, you can connect the cart to your Mac, and sync all 30 devices with iTunes.

Apps for the iPad/ Related Info:

IEAR.org is a non-profit organization comprised of educators who evaluate and grade educational apps for iPads. Click here to see tons of recommended apps..most free.

Related SMART thinking! Blog Entries:

India’s Amazing 35$ Tablet Computer

Do Schools Stifle Creativity?

Creativity Crisis in American Schools

100 Video Site Resources for Educators

Schools not Prepared for e-Textbooks

15 Things to Consider in 21st Century Schools

50 Best Blogs for Education Leaders

Upcoming Technology Trends in Education

SMART thinking!  What do YOU think of this product idea?  Comment by clicking “comments” on the left.

Teachers and students alike will definitely need to bookmark the Snow Day Predictor Webpage!!

Click here to predict snow days

Heard this at the Huffington Post and Hub Bub Blog:

New Jersey High School Junior, David Sukhin wanted to create a way to predict snow days with accuracy. So he dreamed up an algorithm that predicts the likelihood of his school district cancelling classes.

The web calculator uses hard data, updated hour by hour from weather.gov and incorporates soft data too, such as how much “buzz” there is about the coming storm from parents and peers. Here’s a quote from David about how his magical website works:

The calculator digests hour by hour information from weather.gov and extracts what time the storm will start, the time it will end, the probability of precipitation, and the average strength (inches per hour) of the storm.

Using that information it calculates the amount of inches expected to give a raw prediction. Then, accounting for things like snow removal, salting and when schools usually begin, it adds or subtracts from the chance. The amount it subtracts is based on the value from a mathematical curve for each factor. I tried to make curves that correctly simulate how the roads are and how schools react based on these factors. After averaging all the information together, out comes the prediction.

According to the New York Time Freakonomics Website, David had over 150,000 hits to his website on Jan 20th alone. Pretty Impressive…and Pretty SMART thinking!

What do YOU think about our talented youth? Comment here….

Love this adaptation of Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk by RSA Animations!  SMART thinking!

Here’s the Youtube description: 

In this talk from RSA Animate, Sir Ken Robinson lays out the link between 3 troubling trends: rising drop-out rates, schools’ dwindling stake in the arts, and ADHD. An important, timely talk for parents and teachers.

If you’ve been following SMART thinking! for awhile, you probably remember our story on Feeding America’s Backpack Program (click here to read that entry).  Today’s story follows a similar vein with the Blessings in a Backpack story from Huffington Post Edu:

Breakfast and lunch meals at school may help needy students get access to food during the week. When the weekend comes, however, many are left to fend for themselves.

Teacher Elaine Heyler saw her students struggling at her South Florida school because of this. She told NBC Miami:

“Parents are working and they’re not at home because they need to keep two jobs, [some are] single parents. Some kids have no food.”

So she decided to act. Heyler joined the national Blessings in a Backpack program, leading student volunteers in packing backpacks full of food for needy students to take home on the weekend, reports NBC Miami.  Click here for the full story…

SMART thinking! Ms. Heyler….

What do YOU think? Are you interested in incorporating this program in your school? COMMENT Here!

Hi All….Hope you like the new Blog Look.  We’re endeavoring to make the blog as “readable” as possible.  Let me know if you have suggestions! Molly Smith…blog editor

Hope you like the new format!!

Here’s a great resource for educators, architects, and facility planners! Wenger has published a great planning guide for music facilities.

Click here for the free download

This Planning Guide is designed to help you — music educators, administrators, facility planners, architects and consultants — focus on the fundamental requirements of the Music Suite. Though it is written from the perspective of the music educator, your entire planning team can use this information to create a Music Suite that is both effective and exciting. The following guidelines are the culmination of 50 years of Wenger experience. By visiting with thousands of music educators, we understand what it takes to make a Music Suite successful and what seemingly insignificant design elements can jeopardize its effectiveness.

This Planning Guide is designed to help you — music educators, administrators, facility planners,architects and consultants — focus on the fundamental requirements of the Music Suite. Thoughit is written from the perspective of the music educator, your entire planning team can use thisinformation to create a Music Suite that is both effective and exciting. The following guidelines are the culmination of 50 years of Wenger experience. By visiting with thousands of music educators, we understand what it takes to make a Music Suite successful and what seemingly insignificant design elements can jeopardize its effectiveness.

SMART thinking!  Thank you Wenger!!!

What do YOU think? Is this guide helpful? Post your comment below.

SMART thinking! from SIS-USA

One desk and chair for all grades - even adults. No kidding.

SIS-USA has launched a unique new line of classroom workstations designed to accommodate ALL grades, with NO special tools. The product line, called up.grade was the result of collaboration between educators, educational facility planners, architects, interior designers and industrial designers.

Multiple chair and desks heights - from one desk and one chair.

The criteria for design was simple – create student workstations that can fit every student, any time, anywhere, any grade – that the teacher can adjust with one simple tool and not have to call maintenance. No more “special desks” for the bigger kids. No more furniture graveyards of broken, mismatched furniture parts.

Desktops can be cut in many shapes - scale shape shown.

Now add the criteria that the furniture line must be easily reconfigured, be able to be moved around in the classroom simply and easily by students, and accommodate the bouncing and movement of students in the chair. Voila! Up.grade.

Read more from Facility Management News…..

Tell us what YOU think! Would you use up.grade in your classroom?

Thanks to Janell Weihs of CEFPI for pointing out this GREAT video/poem by Taylor Mali.

From PCMag:

The following are nine of the top blogs or websites (we think) to share with students and colleagues:

Bubbl.us

www.bubbl.us
By Corinne Iozzio
This free Web application helps you organize your thoughts into easily readable and colorful mind maps to print or post online. Bubbl.us lets you interact with your team to pool and sort out your thoughts in a clean, crisp way that leaves the usual conference-room mishmash and endless e-mail threads behind.

Evil Mad Scientist

evilmadscientist.com
By Lance Ulanoff
Learn about wacky, interesting, and unusual inventions and devices from technology, food, mechanics, industry, and so forth on this incredibly entertaining blog. There are neat invention dissections, and projects that help you re-create great “mad scientist” inventions from years gone by.

Footnote

www.footnote.com
By Lisa Ruefenacht
For genealogists, history buffs, and even the average passerby, Footnote is the quintessential Web-2.0 example of how to use your Web-browsing time wisely. This site has a deal with the National Archives to digitize and upload every document housed in the archives. You can find anything from handwritten notes from the Continental Congress to Project Blue Book UFO sightings. Users can even upload their own content, so you may be able to find your own high-school yearbook plastered on one of Footnote’s pages.

Futurismic

futurismic.com
By Carol Mangis
This forward-thinking blog divides its focus among news and opinions on current cutting-edge science andtechnology, its impact on culture and people, and extrapolations on how all this will affect our future. Futurismic also features enjoyable “speculative fiction”—sci-fi stories. It’s a feast for those who love to think about the future in all its manifestations.

Librivox

www.librivox.org
By Sean Carroll
Audiobooks are ridiculously expensive: The latest “Harry Potter” title lists at $80 on CD. Librivox, however, provides pod fodder for free. The site features a collection of public-domain books read by volunteers—and anyone can volunteer. The audio quality is good (MP3s at 64 or 128 Kbps, as well as OGG Vorbis files). Some narrators are better than others—some may have listened to a little too much NPR—but almost everything is at least decent, and some performances are quite good. The collection (a bit more than 800 Project Gutenberg works so far) is a bit of a hodgepodge, with everything from Walt Whitman to Edgar Rice Burroughs. You’ll have to wait about a hundred years for The Deathly Hallows, though.

MAKE: Blog

makezine.com/blog
By Carol Mangis
Are you a hands-on type who can’t resist taking gadgets apart, figuring them out, and trying to make them better? An offshoot of the quarterly print magazine of the same name, MAKE: blog features tech-focused content from the mag and lots more in the way of projects, contests, and fun reading in general-enough to keep any DIYer busy for years.

ScienceHack

www.sciencehack.com
By Jennifer L. DeLeo
ScienceHack is a video search engine dedicated to the world of science, including physics, green energy, and space. What sets it apart from the rest is that every indexed video is screened and approved by real scientists. Search for a video by keyword or by selecting a tag. Clicking on “Chemistry” led us to over 20 videos on the topic, such as “Jay Leno and Josh Duhamel Sniff Sulfur Hexafluoride.”

Ugallery.com

www.ugallery.com
By Christopher Ewen
Ugallery.com helps college artists find recognition; it includes artists from more than 60 universities nationwide. They’re not all Picassos, but the site vets artists’ work before letting them in and claims to accept only 25 percent of applicants. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a complete newbie when it comes to buying art, Ugallery is worth a look. It’s a pleasure to browse and anaffordable way to get your hands on a beautiful piece of original art.

Wikisky.org

www.wikisky.org
By Kyle Monson
Much as Google has figured out how to harness user-submitted content to improve Google Earth, Wikisky.org turns the collective wiki-eye on the vast reaches of space. Check out the draggable space model with constellations highlighted, learn more about distant stars (or submit your own info) or you can even see a model of the stars that are above you right now.

SMART thinking!

This resource identified by the Council of Educational Facility Planners, International:

With the support of the National Clearinghouse of Educational Facilities the 21st Century School Fund has sought to identify all of the federal programs available to local districts, public charter schools and states that can be used to ensure that public school children, teachers and staff are in healthy, safe and educationally appropriate public school facilities for teaching, learning and community use.

A comprehensive summary of federal spending on schools can be found in the report.  Click the image below to access the full report.

by 21st Century School Fund and NCEF

The group now has another report out on State Funding of PK-12 Facilities…click HERE for access.

SMART thinking!!

From CNN:

In Memphis, Tenn., middle school principal Bobby White has introduced a comical policy to keep students from wearing baggy pants, WMC-TV reports.

Inspired by 90s T.V. character Steve Urkel, White and the staff of teachers use zip ties to transform each pair of baggy pants into a high-waisted nerdy pair. For students, being “Urkeled” is an embarrassment that administrators hope will change their clothing choices.

Noting that students often act the way they dress; i.e. “like a gangsta”, Mr. White hopes to change student behavior with proper dress.

SMART thinking!!

Transparency has been a much debated topic in schools lately.  At odds are several issues:  student security, visibility, natural daylighting, and distractions.

Numerous studies show that students’ test scores as well as teacher retention are directly related to daylighting in schools.  Teacher retention is also related to the quality of the work environment (Buckley and Schneider, Teachers College Record.)

With the increase in project-based learning, teachers are using areas such as circulation corridors and patio areas to extend classroom work areas.  This is possible through visibility: more windows, transparency in doors, sliding glass doors, glass roll up doors and semi-transparent panels.  The transparency allows for the extension of the classroom and simultaneous supervision of all of the students.  Some have worried about the distractability of students in such spaces yet many schools say that – with consistent expectations of classroom behavior – this is an issue that can be overcome within a short period of time.

Security experts who subscribe to the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design tout the value of “watching” – or the process by which the collective help to passively supervise the few who may seek to make trouble.  Informal and engaged watching help keep schools safe by keeping many eyes on the action.

Here are some examples of how schools today are using transparency to enhance the learning environment. SMART thinking!!

If you’ve been reading SMART thinking! for awhile you know that we’ve done a couple of stories about the Urinal Fly (see “Something to Aim For”) – a great concept to help boys reduce …um…”spillage” at the urinal.  So here are some funny urinals “aimed” (sorry couldn’t help the pun) at keeping restroom floors clean from Xinjo.com.

Don't Know if it makes music or not!

Robot Urinal

Cartoon Character Urinal

Flower Urinals

For Soccer Fans

SMART thinking! This from Nourishlife.org

The Nourish Middle School Curriculum Guide offers a rich set of resources to open a meaningful conversation about food and sustainability

Nourish is a multi-year media and education initiative. The purpose of Nourish is to open a broad public conversation about our food system that encourages citizen engagement, particularly among young people and families. To inform and inspire, Nourish combines television programming, short films, web content, and learning tools. With a distinctly positive vision, Nourish celebrates both food and community.

The Nourish Middle School Curriculum Guide offers a rich set of resources to open a meaningful conversation about food and sustainability. Beautifully designed and brimming with big ideas, the materials contain a viewing guide, six learning activities, action projects, student handouts, suggested resources, and a glossary.

Download the Guide

Nourish is a project of WorldLink, an Emmy Award-winning media group with twenty years experience in designing education and outreach programs. To maximize the effectiveness of Nourish, WorldLink is collaborating with more than 40 organizations dedicated to creating a sustainable food future.

Wow. These are some powerful statements about the condition of our schools – as viewed by students. Please take time to visit the “Through Your Lens” exhibit by clicking HERE.

Linda, New Orleans

This From the 21st Century School Fund:

Through Your Lens is a collaboration of The 21st Century School Fund, Critical Exposure, and Healthy Schools Campaign to raise awareness of the need to fund school buildings that support learning and provide a safe, healthy environment for students and teachers.

By sharing photos and stories of what they see every day at school, students and teachers will provide us all with an honest window into today’s school buildings.

Background

This year, Congress met to discuss the future of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), known most recently as No Child Left Behind. ESEA is the major federal vehicle for providing funds and support to K-12 education in low-income communities. It also sets the criteria and standards by which the federal government measures school improvement. However, through numerous Congressional hearings and the issuance of a White House Blueprint for Reform, school buildings have largely been absent from the conversation.

Participating Students from McKees Rocks, PA

School buildings must be part of nation’s conversation about education. Quality education requires quality spaces, something that millions of students lack.

We know that millions of children, especially those living in low-wealth school districts, spend their school days in poor quality, unhealthy, and overcrowded buildings that cause health problems and limit educational opportunities. All students and teachers have the right to adequate, appropriate learning conditions that will allow them to strive for and achieve the goals being set for them. No single level of government can accomplish this alone. We must create a new federal, state, and local partnership to ensure that each and every single community has sufficient resources to provide high-quality school buildings to their students.

We need to show our elected leaders what our nation’s school buildings really look like and how important they are to student learning. That’s why we’re gathering and exhibiting photos from students and teachers across the country showing the reality of their school building conditions.

Help make sure that decision-makers at all levels of the conversation have a clear view of our nation’s public schools: invite your legislators to view the exhibit today!

SMART thinking! kudos to 21st Century School Fund.

Counter Productive

We could do with more SMART thinking!!

spotted on “Rising Tide” at http://risingtide.org.uk/resources/cartoons/5

Here on SMART thinking! we write alot about creativity and it’s place in education.  We came across this orchestra and just HAD to post their video. Talk about creative!!

Worldwide one of a kind, the Vegetable Orchestra performs on instruments made of fresh vegetables. The utilization of various ever refined vegetable instruments creates a musically and aesthetically unique sound universe.

This first video is of the Vegetable Orchestra making their instruments and in concert and the second is of the group making their new album Onionoise . You can see more about them on their website http://www.vegetableorchestra.org or at PRI’s The World Website

David Denby of The New Yorker reviews “Waiting For Superman”… read this review for a short version.

See what it's all about.

Whether you agree or disagree with the film, it is definitely a wake-up call to parents and community about the challenges faced in the public education system and some reasons why things may not be changing quickly.

Davis Guggenheim, director of An Inconvenient Truth has created another thought-provoking documentary: Waiting for Superman. Waiting is a “deeply personal exploration of the current state of education in the US and how it is affecting our children.”  The documentary follows five children and their journey through the educational system.  The project proves to be electrifying – fostering conversation amongst educators across the country.  The film is premiering in selected cities on Oct. 1, 2010 and adds cities each week thereafter.

Anyone who’s worked on a new school facility or a remodel knows that one of the main problems is parent drop off and pick up.  Hundreds of cars line up every morning and afternoon to drop off and pick up kids.

Congested line to pick up kids

Safe Routes to School is a great program encouraging kids to bike, walk and even has a walking school bus program.  The program was created by Section 1404 of the federal transportation bill, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users Act (SAFETEA-LU). Housed in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety, the SRTS program has been funded at $612 million over five federal fiscal years (FY 2005–2009).  School communities across the country are using grants from SRTS to improve walkways in their community, create programs for awareness, and a variety of other strategies to alleviate the morning mash-up at the school front door.

Kids walking to school in a "walking school bus" supervised by parents..safe and fun!

Another idea we’ve heard recently is the ”parent cell phone lot” – modeled after the lots found at most airports.    Schools contract or create agreements with nearby churches, shopping centers or other parking areas found within a one to two block radius of the school. The parents then drop kids in the pre-assigned lots in the morning and/or pick them up there in the afternoon (calling them on their cell phone first.)  For elementary students, volunteers supervise the short walking distance to the school to ensure students’ safety. For middle and high schoolers, students walk on their own.  The strategy alleviates the big traffic jam at the school and makes parents happier with the MUCH shorter drop off/ pick up times.  Also, cars don’t have to idle in the lots – easing the air pollution problem.

Another way to encourgage kids to be healthier and eco-friendly is to provide bike racks and  skateboard lockers.  Skateboard Lockers makes a great product for kids to store their skateboards safely at school.  The nifty design allows the student to use their own lock and the skateboard stays out of textbook locker or classroom areas.  SMART thinking!