Victory Lap: Pondering the struggles of being a teacher

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjqaQGv_iJcXAk1sbs0sozAvmvWBIM0KtJg8_hwCtR7A0R52hD5a5aJB-8EkTSZlE30ascVv6sPylb0R1Y3XXXb7ruyAs13vt-ay30QdyKBFqhkR09x3jOHVALhzUjQ5XHW1isCnV4dx0/s1600/bigstock-runners-jogging-group-in-park-26729189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjqaQGv_iJcXAk1sbs0sozAvmvWBIM0KtJg8_hwCtR7A0R52hD5a5aJB-8EkTSZlE30ascVv6sPylb0R1Y3XXXb7ruyAs13vt-ay30QdyKBFqhkR09x3jOHVALhzUjQ5XHW1isCnV4dx0/s400/bigstock-runners-jogging-group-in-park-26729189.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Sometimes we all have a down day. Then we have a down week. Suddenly, we realize that we are down too much. Exhausted and no longer excited, we've sat down, laid down, or been flattened and wondering where the encouragement will come from.<br /><br />The other day someone said something unkind to me on twitter about being middle aged and middle class and it hurt. (Plus the fact he was making fun of my Christian faith, but I'm about to get used to that these days.)<br /><br /><h3>It is easy to get down when you're a teacher. </h3>Just like preparing to speak for a keynote, I have that same rush of adrenaline that I feel each time the bell rings for a new class to come in. I know that if I'm leading the conversation that I must perform - I must be on top of my game. So, by the end of the day (as when I'm writing this) there's no game and no energy left for me. Going to the grocery store, cooking dinner, or preparing for an online meeting are the furthest thing from my mind. All I want to do is completely collapse in my chair and watch an old episode of Numb3rs or Monk with a big old hot brownie and some Blue Bell Ice cream on top.<br /><br />I get the great opportunity to be a full time teacher and Mom and to write about it. This is my niche. <b>If you're reading this and have nodded your head at what I'm writing</b>, you're my audience. I don't get a quiet office, I get up at 5 am when it is quiet to have my quiet time and write quietly for you each day. On my knees, I ask God what people need to hear out there and how I can be helpful.<br /><br /><h3>Retreat and struggle.</h3>But lately, with some private things in my life that I've had to do, I've felt as if I'm in retreat.<br /><br />What will happen if I open up and let you know that my schedule this school year is really getting to me? Will you think I'm a bad person? Not a worthy person? Do all speakers and authors that you read really have to be skinny, energetic, and perpetually young? Do they all have to be excited about every day and act like they've had 6 cups of coffee in their cereal for you to like them?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvVGaKgtdxqvp30t6sRpf2u6DkOJe7T633oNzmtNc-3XebIjZJ0cbJCqSeGjN-L-wIkBjl0pRHXiJbvIkQfudxD14Gu7uo1Nv1CGbH_kIWNEOoMIEjFvtEZ1dh1bhfDPshIANpWHAma-U/s1600/bigstock-Hoeing-5212379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvVGaKgtdxqvp30t6sRpf2u6DkOJe7T633oNzmtNc-3XebIjZJ0cbJCqSeGjN-L-wIkBjl0pRHXiJbvIkQfudxD14Gu7uo1Nv1CGbH_kIWNEOoMIEjFvtEZ1dh1bhfDPshIANpWHAma-U/s320/bigstock-Hoeing-5212379.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teachers have a tough row to hoe.</td></tr></tbody></table><h2><br /></h2><h2>Reality.</h2>Reality for teachers is that we may get away to a conference for a few days but we've got a hard row to hoe every day of the week. We're up past midnight grading papers and have parents who send us emails and expect an immediate reply. We might have a tad of time and if we read our reader or education news we see another teacher basher who has written a damning article from the quiet of their office while their secretary holds their calls and their own children are off at school.<br /><br />I feel like most edreform articles are unrealistic diatribes by the clueless for the clueless. Meanwhile, those of us doing this for a living are attracted to articles about how to do it better and rarely can stomach the edreform debates swirling around us that will determine the future of education in America or the country in which we reside.<br /><br /><h2>There has to be a balance. </h2>So, for me right now, I'm not in retreat, I'm prioritizing.<br /><br />My husband and I have been working hard to balance our budget using Dave Ramsey's <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Financial Peace University">Financial Peace University</a>. It has meant packing sandwiches and cutting out extra expenses and my book budget was slashed to $20 a month. It will likely also mean that I won't be able to go to ISTE 2013. We have a son to send to college in the fall and this is the way it is.<br /><br />Maybe I am middle class. Maybe I am midway through my life. But it isn't going to to turn into a crisis.<br /><br />As I type this, I'm about to go put on my shorts and walk around the track (and run a bit too) as I listen to my new favorite Christian group, Veritas.<br />I'm going to fix a good dinner and spend time talking to our Flat Classroom Certified teacher cohort... a fantastic group of educators who excite and motivate me.<br />I'm going to know that I'm not thinking clearly right now because I'm EXHAUSTED.<br />I'm going to read some more of my <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_Rapp" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Mitch Rapp">Mitch Rapp</a> book tonight as conducts black ops and gets the bad guy.<br />I'm going to fix an incredible dinner that my husband will love to come home to and put on my lipstick and give him a big kiss when he walks in that door.<br />I'm going to chat with the people who hang out on my Facebook fanpage as we talk about being teachers.<br /><br />I'm not going to judge the success of my day by whether I got to inbox zero or got some more followers on Twitter.<br />I'm not going to look at my Klout or Peerindex to measure what kind of person I am.<br />I'm not going to look at my list of 60 things that I have to get done RIGHT NOW or else.<br />I'm not going to get down on myself any more.<br />It stops now.<br /><br />I'm thankful to be a teacher. Teaching isn't like anything else. I rarely  have things I do in class that  I can mark off a list. But I can put my head on my pillow tonight knowing that I gave EVERYTHING to my students and that I was a fantastic teacher today. I gave it all. As our football coach says, "I left it all on the field" and I paraphrase, "I left it all in the classroom" -- I gave everything I had.<br /><br /><h3>An obscenely long paragraph of what I did today (you might want to Skip ;-)</h3>I was prepared when they walked in the door, I'm working hard to stay up on my grading, I've responded to all of the parents who have questions for me and I have appointments to teach all the kids before or after school who have missed because they were sick. I did an incredible job with study hall today as I helped the kids list all of the work they have to do on the board and I made sure they stayed on task so their parents won't have to worry about it tonight. I encouraged eighth graders who were sad about losing elections and helped my ninth graders Blackboard Collaborate with a classroom in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.4166666667,-98.5&spn=0.1,0.1&q=29.4166666667,-98.5%20(San%20Antonio)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="San Antonio">San Antonio Texas</a>. My tenth graders understand the 10 flatteners in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.thomaslfriedman.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Thomas Friedman">Thomas Friedman</a>'s book The <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.amazon.com/World-Flat-History-Globalized-Twenty-first/dp/0713998784%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dhttpwwwbrighc-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0713998784" rel="amazon" target="_blank" title="The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Globalized World in the Twenty-first Century">World is Flat</a> and are ready to start collaborating. They understand the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot-com_bubble" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Dot-com bubble">dot com boom</a>, the dot com bubble, and the implications of Y2k, the IIT's in India, and the history of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Tim Berners-Lee">Tim Berners-Lee</a> and the protocols that created the Internet. My homeroom is ready for Homecoming next week and I've got seniors doing SAT prep for the test Saturday. I've been conversing with teachers on the Flatclassrooms Ning as we brainstorm symbiotic learning opportunities and how e can creatively make more and been awe struck by Sue Levine's post about the <a href="http://flatclassrooms.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-sweet-taste-of-synchronicity" target="_blank">Sweet Taste of Synchronicity</a>. Heck, I even finally got my insurance company and the local hospital to admit a massive billing mistake when my son was in the hospital with pneumonia that is going to give me a lot more peace of mind. In between classes, I helped our science teacher upgrade the software for her Ken-a-vision electronic microscope and made sure the new Accelerated Reader system was working and removed a trojan horse from a computer that was preventing an important order from being placed.<br /><br />^^^<br />Look at this list. I didn't even list everything but I think I did a lot more than I thought I did. I even went and retitled the paragraph and deleted some things! I bet if you type a paragraph about what you DID today you might be as shocked as I am. I felt like I did NOTHING today. I was sitting here feeling like a loser like I didn't get a THING done and look at that list!!<br /><br />I even marked seven things off the list in my planner too.<br /><br /><h2>Routines, Classes, People Everywhere All the Time</h2>Teaching isn't like the business world. It isn't. We don't have lists, we have routines. We don't have meetings, we have class -- all the time. And we never have an empty room. We are often on the edge of hyperventilation and capitulation and yet we don't.<br /><br />I am a teacher and I'm not going to have a guilt trip about the fact that I don't get a list of 50 things done any more. I gave all I had today and that is enough.<br /><br />So, to those of you reading this, my dear friends.<br /><br />It is enough.<br />You are enough.<br />If you give all you have to your students and you grade, communicate with parents, and work hard to study and stay abreast of your subject.<br />If you juggle the clubs and the events at your school and work hard to help others.<br />If you work with a passionate intensity to better the lives of those around you.<br /><br /><h2>YOU ARE ENOUGH.</h2>You've done enough.<br />You are important, beautiful, wonderful people and YOU ARE MY HERO.<br />In fact, if the world really understand what it takes to do what you do, they'd call you a hero too.<br /><br />But they don't, and it is OK.<br />It is OK because as teachers, we MUST appreciate each other.<br />I'm not here to be thanked now, I'm here to be thanked when my students get out into the world. They'll see then that I gave them a world class education in my tiny room in my tiny school in my tiny town in my tiny county. <b>They'll see that the tiny-ness of where we live never meant that was the size of our minds.</b><br /><br />You are the modern nobility. You are teachers. I am proud to be among you.<br />Teach well. Be well.<br />I'm going to go run a mile around the track right now and the last lap will be a victory lap. It will be a victory lap because this is a good life and I am rich and I am young. Rich in experiences and young because I work with the young. I will not let a person on Twitter belittle me or make me feel any less of the winner I am because I work with CHILDREN and I love them and I love this job. It doesn't matter that people put me down, I'm doing IMPORTANT work.<br /><br />I am ashamed at my guilt trip and upset that I didn't see clearly that I did good, noble things today.<br />But I will be happy if you too see the error of our ways as teachers.<br /><br />Victory Lap, here I come! I hope that you'll find a way to do a victory lap of your own today - whether it is around the grocery store or walking around the school -take time to walk with your fellow teachers and talk about what it means to be a teacher and why you do it. You are the modern nobility.<br /><br />Take a victory lap.<br /><br /><br />Photo credits: <a href="http://www.bigstockphoto.com/" target="_blank">Big Stock</a>, may only be used with proper licensing.<br /> <div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=beef183b-8659-4b93-970a-f46f255043cd" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

Victory Lap: Pondering the struggles of being a teacher

Sometimes we all have a down day. Then we have a down week. Suddenly, we realize that we are down too much. Exhausted and no longer excited,...

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Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 10/02/2012

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://1to1inpractice.blogspot.com/2012/10/why-i-gave-back-macbooks-and-asked-for.html">1:1 in Practice at Sinarmas World Academy: Why I Gave Back the MacBooks and Asked for iPads</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This teacher wanted ipads instead of MacBooks. Here's the rationale including that the teacher can better differentiate. Now, the teacher has been using iPads for 3 weeks and captures reflections. This is what a good implementation SHOULD look like. Sadly, the teachers who use them as epaper don't get to see these sorts of results because they are missing the point. Great read.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/ipad">ipad</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/teaching-with-the-presidential-debates/?partner=rss&emc=rss">Teaching With the Presidential Debates - NYTimes.com</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">The New York Times has some options to allow students to participate and learn from the US Presidential debates. If you're teaching and you are wanting to use this as a topic, this is a great lesson plan.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/politics">politics</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/currentevents">currentevents</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/history">history</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-web-tools-blooms-taxonomy-weekly-news">In the News: Five Web Tools to Help Teach Bloom's Taxonomy</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Here are some great options from Edutopia for promoting higher order thinking in the classroom.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/blooms_taxonomy">blooms_taxonomy</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 10/02/2012

1:1 in Practice at Sinarmas World Academy: Why I Gave Back the MacBooks and Asked for iPads This tea...

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nantucket style - guest post

Happy Tuesday!<br /><br />I'm over at <a href="http://mycraftyhomelife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Crafty Home Life</a> today talking about my idea of Nantucket style. Head over and <a href="http://mycraftyhomelife.blogspot.com/2012/10/nantucket-style-little-black-door.html" target="_blank">check it out</a>!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-_EgvQNLKn3ZKqzbdL7BPF1S19NiJq2yrcS3sIvfUzmNRAWKGJZe4KahjghU-ZBhBJ43Fz0roNYbP_w_-Ev0YtU78R4Ejf0Ui-XWH5umBfSNoCgscyWHIp2xEuTENdQ60dladhrekqzF/s1600/-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-_EgvQNLKn3ZKqzbdL7BPF1S19NiJq2yrcS3sIvfUzmNRAWKGJZe4KahjghU-ZBhBJ43Fz0roNYbP_w_-Ev0YtU78R4Ejf0Ui-XWH5umBfSNoCgscyWHIp2xEuTENdQ60dladhrekqzF/s400/-1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />

nantucket style - guest post

Happy Tuesday! I'm over at My Crafty Home Life today talking about my idea of Nantucket style. Head over and check it out !

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Turn up the heat without burning people out

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQpEhcnm-VXs44SLNvKqo__NuVTP5tROyR7uQKigW5MazCMhyphenhyphen3JOJKRI07AFtzhqrb8oxyHab69hC3jreX16LGXILK3WNn_FHnRvuLa9Pg_2LtqqgoCC2HaSr5DMP3k56RErUksXsDCtd/s1600/bigstock-An-image-of-food-burning-in-a--21055262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQpEhcnm-VXs44SLNvKqo__NuVTP5tROyR7uQKigW5MazCMhyphenhyphen3JOJKRI07AFtzhqrb8oxyHab69hC3jreX16LGXILK3WNn_FHnRvuLa9Pg_2LtqqgoCC2HaSr5DMP3k56RErUksXsDCtd/s320/bigstock-An-image-of-food-burning-in-a--21055262.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My house reeks of burnt brownie. My eleven year old (mistakenly) thought that if 20 seconds made a brownie, ooey, gooey and delicious, that 2 minutes in the microwave would make it ooey-er gooey-er and delicious-er. He was wrong. It was inedible.<br /><br /><b>There are times we do this with each other. </b>If my students do well with a little stress, maybe if I up the stress for a bit longer, they will perform better.<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>If we do one practice test, maybe four or five will bring up the intensity level so they work even harder?</li></ul><br /><br /><ul><li>IF my staff gets that much done in an extended work day, maybe we should extend our work day more often and get more done?<br /></li><li>If one sharp remark gets that kind of response, maybe I'm being too nice and I should be more firm all the time? After all, don't I want them to jump when I speak?</li></ul><br /><br />And on and on.<br /><br />While sports teams can handle buzzer beaters, they couldn't physically play at that level the entire game. They aren't made to handle it.<br /><br />Brownies are awful and burnt if overcooked and humans become frazzled, upset, and unproductive if they are overworked.<br /><br />There is a fine line between the perfection that comes from a little heat and extra effort at the right time and burning the people and things you care about to a blackened, stinky, mess.<br /><br />Think about the balance required in cooking and realize that you need that same balance with managing and motivating. People don't mind you turning up the heat a little if they know there is a sweet reward at the end.<br /><br /><i>Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.bigstockphoto.com/" target="_blank">Big Stock</a>, you do not have permission to reuse without licensing from the website.</i>

Turn up the heat without burning people out

My house reeks of burnt brownie. My eleven year old (mistakenly) thought that if 20 seconds made a brownie, ooey, gooey and delicious, that ...

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Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/02/2012

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/10/01/newspaper-test-security-inconsistent-among-states/">Newspaper: Test security inconsistent among states</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution demonstrates that many states have no security and no measures to detect irregularities. The ostriches are rewarded. Sadly, ignorance is not only bliss, it makes states money. Consistent test administration is required before anyone can look at the test scores with any measure of credibility. "The newspaper surveyed the 50 state education departments and found that many states do not use basic test security measures designed to prevent cheating. And nearly half the states, the newspaper found, make almost no attempt to screen test results for irregularities."</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edreform">edreform</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://edudemic.com/2012/10/education-technology-in-india/">The 5 EdTech Trends Happening In India Right Now</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">India is upgrading and evolving in its education system with an emphasis on how to learn instead of what to learn as well as social and game based learning. It is important to keep an eye on all areas of the world. The country that will succeed will be the one that can truly personalize learning. The country that invents that will export that model to others and bring in money by the fistful. Education is permanently evolving and those in silos will likely suffer the most.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edreform">edreform</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/India">India</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/10/01/skydrive-adds-recycle-bin.aspx?m=2">SkyDrive Adds Recycle Bin -- THE Journal</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Microsoft Skydrive has a recycle bin. This is great because Dropbox literally saves copies of just about any file deleted. Last week one of my students accidentally deleted my "Turn In" folder and all of the files, I was able to go into Dropbox and restore everything with a click. Dropbox still far exceeds everything else for cloud syncing for this reason.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/productivity">productivity</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/microsoft">microsoft</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tumblr">tumblr</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.bethkanter.org/facebook-promote/">To Promote or Not to Promote? (…and Is That The Question?):GlobalGiving’s Experiment With Facebook Promoted Posts</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Beth Kanter, the nonprofit social media guru, discusses research about promoted posts on Facebook and nonprofits. Targeted, timely posts can represent as much as a $600 per post uptick, however, general promoted posts don't make a difference. Interesting research. If you are in charge of fundraising at your nonprofit or school, you should follow Beth's Blog and should buy her book, the Networked Nonprofit.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/nonprofit">nonprofit</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/Facebook">Facebook</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/donations">donations</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=59159">A Disruption Grows Up?</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Stephen Downes reports on the first competency based degree. If one takes the tests, one can earn an associates degree. Of course, this begs one to require authentication of who a person really is that is taking the test. Just ask the college board - they still struggle with making sure the right people are taking the test and they give it face to face. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/downes">downes</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 10/02/2012

Newspaper: Test security inconsistent among states This report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution...

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You know you live in Dublin when.....

<span style="font-size: large;">You know you live in Dublin when you can smell the hops from the Guinness factory as you drive to work in the morning!!!</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">If you want to experience all that Dublin has to offer (including the smell of the hops - has to be smelled to be believed!) come to Ireland in 2013 for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd5TwdVGnyE&list=UUnC3_Nah5LoigGNyj03wy1A&index=0&feature=plcp">The Gathering</a>!!!</span>

You know you live in Dublin when.....

You know you live in Dublin when you can smell the hops from the Guinness factory as you drive to work in the morning!!! If you want to expe...

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Taking My Anger Out on Others

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hola y’all! For some reason I had been in a pretty bad mood for the last week. I don’t really know why. Things haven’t been any suckier than they normally are. But, I was actually feeling kind of angry. You know one of those moods where you’re just begging somebody to cut you off in traffic. Or actually hoping some snot nosed punk at some store smarts off to you? Yeah, well that was me.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfWFo65T3MkFw4belzdmVSv68b18pFSwWnY-Rmn-mcE58h69ztpFE4_yG2UwHynyx5w2zzmdtLwwFvN2u9_RZP09Xunoyy3E2lVQygGJPk-99QGGvjAER3Dip4oz7VpR_EAVKRce9q5o/s1600/The+Godfather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfWFo65T3MkFw4belzdmVSv68b18pFSwWnY-Rmn-mcE58h69ztpFE4_yG2UwHynyx5w2zzmdtLwwFvN2u9_RZP09Xunoyy3E2lVQygGJPk-99QGGvjAER3Dip4oz7VpR_EAVKRce9q5o/s320/The+Godfather.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I get this way from time to time but usually something happens to snap me out of it. Or, I take the initiative and do something to get out of that mood. I remember one day at work a few years ago I went <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Corleone" target="_blank">Michael Corleone</a> on some of my coworkers.<br /><br />I was completely frustrated with the place. Every little thing about all my coworkers and everything about the company I worked for sucked. Everybody was getting on my nerves and I couldn't get any cooperation from anyone. So, one day, in my little daydreams I took care of all family business:<br /><br /><b>The Paint Room Guy.</b> This guy started out doing as little as possible on his first day there and got worse as time went on. Eventually he was producing at about 50% of what was expected. I listened to the bosses bitch about him almost every single day, but when I reminded them that they had the ability to get rid of him they would decide not to.<br /><br />Until he walked into the oven room and the oven wasn't working properly. He pulled the stuff out of it and walked into the oven to look at a couple of things. Then “somehow” the oven door shut and it clicked on!! He was crispy bits in about 4 minutes. Poor guy.<br /><br /><b>Pretty Boy.</b> We had this guy who thought he was God’s gift to women. He was always all over the place bothering them. Actually he was only there 3 days out of the week, but when he was there he spent most of his time chasing girls around. Again, nobody wanted to do anything about him. So I had to.<br /><br />To avoid having to do his job he was building a crate to ship off a big die to be worked on. He was using a nail gun cause he was too lazy to just use a regular hammer. The nail gun never worked right and of course it jammed. When he tried to unjam the thing, it went off like 27 times right into his face. Poor guy.<br /><br /><b>Materials Guy. </b>We had this sawed-off little prick that worked in the warehouse. He was about 5’2” and had a definite Napoleon Complex. He was always refusing to release stuff, not because he was busy or because there was paper work or any of that, but because he was just an ass-hole.<br /><br />Unfortunately, a huge pallet full of extremely heavy raw plastics material fell on him. SPLAT! The only thing sticking out from under the pallet was his little feet.<br /><br /><b>The Boss.</b> Our supervisor really didn't know much about the product of the lines he was boss over. He also wasn't very good at dealing with stress. Generally he just delegated it.<br /><br />So, after he made an idiot out of himself griping at some people on the assembly line about something that he was totally wrong about he headed back to his office. The office was a modular free standing room made out of the same stuff as the cubes in the main offices.<br /><br />He noticed that his computer was turned off. So he reached down and when he pushed the button to turn it on, his office went <i>KABLOOEY!</i><br /><br />Oddly enough after taking out all my enemies that day I remember feeling much better. And I was able to get past all the annoyances and get some things done.<br /><br />So, apparently wiping some people out in my own mind is enough for me. So far anyway. <br /><br />Jayman<br /><a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768@gmail.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws" target="_blank">@Jayman_IWS</a><br /><br /><br /></div>

Taking My Anger Out on Others

Hola y’all! For some reason I had been in a pretty bad mood for the last week. I don’t really know why. Things haven’t been any suckier than...

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The Google Teacher Academy in New York #2: Jeffery Bradbury's TeacherCast podcasting site

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Tuq43V5vwMMjfdCW1_pbIJcZl0AoFCQYj0455yHE7uHaPAgops5iyz3f46J9KysJfiPWnN-mtklxBqPVzRBmtRspx_a9TjV1wNxKfk6GAyTe8vfA13DbLp2IuYw4vypVv1Ah-BFBPqA/s1600/teachercast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="71" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Tuq43V5vwMMjfdCW1_pbIJcZl0AoFCQYj0455yHE7uHaPAgops5iyz3f46J9KysJfiPWnN-mtklxBqPVzRBmtRspx_a9TjV1wNxKfk6GAyTe8vfA13DbLp2IuYw4vypVv1Ah-BFBPqA/s320/teachercast.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is just  day or two before the greatly anticipated Google Teacher Academy, and I thought I would take a look at what some of the other 49 attendees get up to in their daily technology explorations. This podcasting site, TeacherCast <a href="http://podcast.teachercast.net/" style="line-height: 115%;">http://podcast.teachercast.net/</a> caught my attention. It is hosted by Jeffrey Bradbury, one of the Google attendees,  and it contains many really<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 115%;"> interesting educational podcasts, blog posts, app reviews and much more! I follow Jeffrey Bradbury on Twitter (@teachercast) but never thought I would get to meet him in person!</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Jeffrey has conducted three podcasts recently that are related to the upcoming Google Teacher Academy in New York. He asked folk to volunteer to be interviewed (but of course I didn't!). Let me tell you about the three posts.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: small; line-height: 13.2pt;"><b>1. TeacherCast Podcast #63 “Welcome to the Google Teacher Academy” (@edtechschools @remedy1978 @dwmalone @MatthewPMoran)</b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: small; line-height: 13.2pt;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">Jeff sits down with Sean Beavers, Tanya Avrith, Matthew Moran and David Malone to discuss the Google Teacher Academy and their recent appointment to the Google Teacher Class of 2012. Read more </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">and/or listen to the podcast</span></span> <a href="http://podcast.teachercast.net/teachercast-podcast-63/" target="_blank">here</a> .</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;"><u>Featured topics</u>:<br />*Google Teacher Academy<br />*Application process for GTA<br />*Making a GTA video<br />*Thoughts on GTA<br />*Things to do while in New York City<br />*New school year<br />*Tech for the school year</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 11.25pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #333333; line-height: 12pt;">2. TeacherCast Podcast #65 “Google Teacher Academy Part 2″ @elh @lthumann #GTANY</b></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">Jeff sits down with two of the leaders from the upcoming Academy, Google Certified Teachers Erica Hartman and Lisa Thuman to discuss the 2012 Google Teacher Academy which is to be held in New York.   Read more </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">and/or listen to the podcast </span></span><a href="http://podcast.teachercast.net/teachercast-podcast-65_google-teacher-academy/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;"><u>Featured topics</u><br /> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">*Google Teacher Academy<br />*Application process for GTA</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">*What does Google look for in a GTA?<br /> *The GTA commitment<br />*Instructing at a GTA<br />*How hasa GTA opened up your educational world? </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: small; line-height: 13.2pt;"><b>3. TeacherCast Podcast Special: Google Teacher Academy #GTANY</b></span></span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />Jeff sits down with the rest of his team - Brent Catlett, Cory Pavicich, Mark Coleman, Jenny Kirsch and Kelly Croy to discuss the Google Teacher Academy. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">(We are divided into teams of 6, each with a leader, for the Academy).</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 115%;">Read more about the interview or listen to the podcast  </span><a href="http://podcast.teachercast.net/gtany-podcast-3/" style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 115%;">. </span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 115%;">It's amazing to think that I will soon meet all these people in person at the Google Teachers Academy. New York.  </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div></div></div>

google The Google Teacher Academy in New York #2: Jeffery Bradbury's TeacherCast podcasting site

It is just  day or two before the greatly anticipated Google Teacher Academy, and I thought I would take a look at what some of the other 49...

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Today's archidose #623

Here are some photos of 173 Park Street Residence in New Canaan, Connecticut, by <a href="http://www.joebmoore.com/">Joeb Moore + Partners</a> (2010), photographed by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/">John Hill</a>. For more information on the project see <a href="http://www.homedsgn.com/2011/10/26/173-park-street-residence-by-joeb-moore-partners/">HomeDSGN</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8045599019/" title="173 Park Street Residence by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="173 Park Street Residence" height="853" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/8045599019_394506b181_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8045608882/" title="173 Park Street Residence by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="173 Park Street Residence" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8320/8045608882_e04d88f1ba_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8045608174/" title="173 Park Street Residence by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="173 Park Street Residence" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8032/8045608174_24356a1fe6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8045607630/" title="173 Park Street Residence by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="173 Park Street Residence" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/8045607630_807215b6f3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/8045607040/" title="173 Park Street Residence by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="173 Park Street Residence" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/8045607040_671e689e3d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:<br /><blockquote>:: Join and add photos to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/archi-dose/">archidose pool</a>, and/or<br />:: Tag your photos <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/archidose/">archidose</a></span></blockquote>

Today's archidose #623

Here are some photos of 173 Park Street Residence in New Canaan, Connecticut, by Joeb Moore + Partners (2010), photographed by John Hill . ...

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Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 10/01/2012

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news-impact/2012/09/bringing-learning-to-life-in-the-classroom/">Bringing Learning to Life in the Classroom | Harvard Graduate School of Education</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This article at the Harvard School of Education blog breaks my heart. A teacher was trying to facilitate discussion but the observer realized that after 5 months, the kids didn't even know each other's names. This is sad and heartbreaking. Students matter and a name is music to their own ears. Not knowing each other is heartbreaking and I know it is hard, but we have to work to help kids know each other in the classroom.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/personalizedlearning">personalizedlearning</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://flatclassrooms.ning.com/profiles/blogs/popplet">Popplet - Flat Classrooms</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Some teachers are using Popplet with their students. Here's a tutorial by one of our Flat Classroom teachers.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/tutorial">tutorial</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://flatclassrooms.ning.com/profiles/blogs/a-reflection-on-the-digiteen-project-from-a-two-year-veteran">A Reflection on the Digiteen Project from a two year Veteran. - Flat Classrooms</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">It isn't enough to talk about digital citizenship. Experiential teaching is the most powerful teacher. As your students are learning about it, they should be experiencing it (not just the privileged few who have it at home) but at school. The Digiteen project is one high-intensity way to do it. Here's a teacher's reflections upon what the project is about.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/digital_citizenship">digital_citizenship</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 10/01/2012

Bringing Learning to Life in the Classroom | Harvard Graduate School of Education This article at th...

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Reference Librarian (Substitute) - Westport Library

<b>Reference Librarian (Substitute) - </b><b><span style="color: #48286d;">Westport Library</span></b><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> 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Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" 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Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style><![endif]-->. Energetic, forward thinking, service-oriented professional to work part-time in Information Services Department of a fast-paced public library. Must have superior customer service skills and experience working with library patrons of diverse backgrounds and expectations. Responsibilities include: providing individualized reference assistance, assisting users with computers and all manner of electronic devices (including tablets, readers, etc.), offering readers' advisory. Required qualifications include ALA-accredited MLS, knowledge of online and print reference sources, and excellent written and verbal skills. Job is for 19 total hours per week.  Must be available to work Saturday, Sunday and be flexible with weekday scheduling. Salary is $26.50/hr with MLS. Email resume and names of three references to Wafaa Naggar, <a href="mailto:wnaggar@westportlibrary.org">wnaggar@westportlibrary.org</a>. EOE.

Reference Librarian (Substitute) - Westport Library

Reference Librarian (Substitute) - Westport Library . Energetic, forward thinking, service-oriented professional to work part-time in ...

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monday monday

I'm down with a bad cold today. I tried to call in sick, but the girls didn't give me the day off. However, I will be spending a lot of time looking over the new issue of <a href="http://www.adoremagazine.com/read/" target="_blank">Adore</a> which is always filled with amazing spaces and is featuring a new space by <a href="http://absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Anna Spiro</a>. Sure to make me feel better.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrvuom3eDlmfkjiwOWRWuL_pu4jLLaCS0zl4zQ8VTsIwXMs7btCsuE3yMeT2ZyG3f0VsRl87N_KC1d5dK_69rjaKBS7roKLZWD7iiaBPE5TQcpQr6YohOaUYxAJSMxmu-cAzYycZvIaUy/s1600/adore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrvuom3eDlmfkjiwOWRWuL_pu4jLLaCS0zl4zQ8VTsIwXMs7btCsuE3yMeT2ZyG3f0VsRl87N_KC1d5dK_69rjaKBS7roKLZWD7iiaBPE5TQcpQr6YohOaUYxAJSMxmu-cAzYycZvIaUy/s400/adore.jpg" width="345" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And scouring the new <a href="http://www.luluandgeorgia.com/" target="_blank">Lulu & Georgia</a> site. I've already found about 4 things I want on there and I didn't even get past the first page.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGX_VqHRnzf2jvhCWK5KLCTYW-HapGu_79KR-iep7tJvQinln95bPEA8sFNezs78iE5cfqU5tJZ2XiuYkDaywXGB4krRgMFRqNwFUMYdjDBOH7Z0ZkNzG7auiZB9jszK2xkyMOEG3eySXs/s1600/+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="56" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGX_VqHRnzf2jvhCWK5KLCTYW-HapGu_79KR-iep7tJvQinln95bPEA8sFNezs78iE5cfqU5tJZ2XiuYkDaywXGB4krRgMFRqNwFUMYdjDBOH7Z0ZkNzG7auiZB9jszK2xkyMOEG3eySXs/s400/+logo.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy79VfxNv8_g6uzM8Q0K1BMK-hmhQdf-7S7BnYylt8p-cyH1_Hj6li58Sudf-V9cGNTvNCX499I3_DqaOSoPLK5CkmNC6ODJcMEaXlTAcU7AsbGm0zRnOhpP-d7E3CbhONf8IZ0gyWV8XH/s1600/inslee-illustration.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy79VfxNv8_g6uzM8Q0K1BMK-hmhQdf-7S7BnYylt8p-cyH1_Hj6li58Sudf-V9cGNTvNCX499I3_DqaOSoPLK5CkmNC6ODJcMEaXlTAcU7AsbGm0zRnOhpP-d7E3CbhONf8IZ0gyWV8XH/s400/inslee-illustration.jpeg" width="326" /></a></div><div>Be sure to check them both out!</div>

monday monday

I'm down with a bad cold today. I tried to call in sick, but the girls didn't give me the day off. However, I will be spending a lot...

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10 Ways to Listen More. Talk Less. Teach Well.

<blockquote class="tr_bq">"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk." Doug Larson</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua-PQbHSU3qLsVuXblP77yQzdZyALaqOYVes4TyWlp2oDcIgyUAwZF9znIm2pEFeo6HiEoM0ZPsJcrGecSLmW9Bl0VfnKrwdI5q0JXqr9orl-L4pbwkkpWYr-cGkLgtaQ-JdPcV3zZKoI/s1600/bigstock-White-clock-with-words-Time-to-24719780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua-PQbHSU3qLsVuXblP77yQzdZyALaqOYVes4TyWlp2oDcIgyUAwZF9znIm2pEFeo6HiEoM0ZPsJcrGecSLmW9Bl0VfnKrwdI5q0JXqr9orl-L4pbwkkpWYr-cGkLgtaQ-JdPcV3zZKoI/s320/bigstock-White-clock-with-words-Time-to-24719780.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />So often, people don't hear what you say because they're too busy formulating their own response. Let's focus on listening, especially to our students.<br /><br />Set a personal goal to be a better listener this week.<br /><br /><h2>1. Listen to your students daily.</h2> If your students never get to talk, how will you know what is going on in their minds? Unless you have developed the sense of telepathy, you're missing out.<br /><br /><h2>2. Ask Open Ended Questions</h2>Take time every class period to ask open ended questions that require more than a yes/ no answer.<br /><br /><h2>3. Speak Less. Model active listening.</h2>Decide you are going to empty the room of every emotion, thought, and opinion on this topic before revealing my own.<br /><br /><h2>4. Model <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_listening" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Active listening">Active Listening</a></h2>Take notes with names so you can show what active listening looks like. When it is your turn to speak, demonstrate that you listened by quoting who said what and your response. Ask your students to do the same.<br /><h2>5. Listen to everyone. </h2><br />Have a box of coins or tokens and give each student two. Each time he/she talks, they deposit the coin in the box. After their tokens are gone, that student may not share until everyone's tokens are gone. Your more vocal students will begin to realize they are monopolizing the conversation. (Some will even ask other students for their coins, don't let it happen.)<br /><br /><h2>6. Promote open dialog.</h2>"I'm sorry, did the middle of my sentence interrupt the beginning of yours?"<br /><br />Let students finish their thoughts. Your interruptions often stymie good conversation. Encourage your students to do the same.<br /><br /><h2>7. Enjoy the stories of others.</h2>Find enjoying in hearing the stories of others. You'll find great entertainment and fascination in the lives of the amazing people around you.<br /><br /><h2>8. Learn regardless of the speaker's style. Model good manners.</h2>Resist the temptation to allow a person's speaking style and bad habits prevent you from learning. If a person is speaking, it is because they have something to share. Educators who rudely leave in droves when a conference speaker doesn't meet expectations are not setting good models of the etiquette we want from students. IF they did that in a boring assembly, we'd call it disrespect. If you know you have to leave early, sit at the back where your leaving won't be misconstrued or distracting. If you're not sure about the speaker, sit at the back. Educators should model what we want to see in society.<br /><br /><h2>9. Treat the time of others as valuable.</h2>When you have the chance to speak, time yourself. Plan out what you will say and never take speaking to others for granted. They are people of worth. Before I speak, I literally pray and practice for hours to give the right message for that unique audience. Spend time getting to know that audience and the people there. Work to make them feel like they are the only person on the planet, because right now, they are. The attention of others is a once in a lifetime gift. Treat it as precious because they are giving you their most precious gift... their time.<br /><br /><h2>10. If you have trouble with interrupting</h2>Use a cue. Hold a pencil or pen in your hand. As long as someone else is speaking, grip it. Let loose of your grip when he/she finishes talking and then take your turn.<br /><br /><h3>When it is OK to interrupt.</h3>There are places and times where people rudely interrupt. I've found this is often the case in the business world. I learned some bad habits of interrupting in a world where if you didn't interrupt, you literally wouldn't be heard. It is sad but it is true that this happens. If you're in such a situation, you're going to have to use good judgement about the social mores in the room.<br /><br />Some will say it is never OK to interrupt, but in places where a strong manager doesn't allow everyone to be heard, you will relegate yourself to being quiet and not being heard or noticed if you quietly sit by and let the room pass you by. <i>(I've seen some studies that show this is why women are often not heard in business, because most women won't interrupt.)</i> There are times you need to step up and be heard. Just make sure you don't dominate the conversation. Eventually in business meetings, I would interject to call attention to a person who wouldn't speak up for themselves. It shows you're trying to help everyone be heard and people appreciate that.<br /><br /><h2>In Conclusion</h2><br />Remember that sometimes your behavior shouts so loud people don't hear what you say. If you're talk about listening well and you don't do it yourself, you're a hypocrite and so am I. Let's be true to what we believe in our classrooms.<br /><br />Listen more. Talk Less. Teach Well.<br /><br /> <div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=c8496515-e5c1-4c84-91be-e9577f05dc59" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

10 Ways to Listen More. Talk Less. Teach Well.

"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk." Doug Larson So often, people don...

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Librarian: Information Services - Greenwich Public Library

<strong>Librarian: Information Services -</strong> <span style="color: #48286d;"><strong>Greenwich Public Library</strong></span>. Part Time. Salary: $24.65/hr. Job qualifications/desciption: Assist, advise and instruct patrons in the use of library materials, print and electronic resources. Provides technical support for patrons using public computers. Provides reference and readers advisory services to all users. This position will be approximately 15-18 hours per week. Mimimum qualifications: Master's Degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA accredited college or university. One year of work experience in reference service preferred, but will consider a recent graduate with focus on technology. Job description: Strong interpersonal and reference interview skills. Ability to provide exceptional customer service to patrons of all ages. Proficient technology and computer skills. Knowledge, skills, and abilities: Familiarity with social media. Familiarity with eBook collections. Knowledge of names and content scope of library databases. Ability to keep current with rapidly changing technologies. Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new web services. Submission address/instructions: Please visit the Town of Greenwich website at <a _fcksavedurl="http://agency.governmentjobs.com/greenwichct/default.cfm" href="http://agency.governmentjobs.com/greenwichct/default.cfm">http://agency.governmentjobs.com/greenwichct/default.cfm</a> to apply. Applications will be accepted until <span style="color: red;">October 12, 2012</span>.

Librarian: Information Services - Greenwich Public Library

Librarian: Information Services - Greenwich Public Library . Part Time. Salary: $24.65/hr. Job qualifications/desciption: Assist, advise...

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KOSOVO

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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZsw09JdXr9d2mWEiT0gT2QLMby455ccttCXs0n2gMtsL-1YT9EqD-PmGoslt5ziPdFRwrOq4PvyFpI-HnU6x-v2uXB0XL8comHwmQSIsuHC61gDSdtBKAIvOcd3NciN4J9ciTcFsxPq-/s1600/kv-lgflag.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZsw09JdXr9d2mWEiT0gT2QLMby455ccttCXs0n2gMtsL-1YT9EqD-PmGoslt5ziPdFRwrOq4PvyFpI-HnU6x-v2uXB0XL8comHwmQSIsuHC61gDSdtBKAIvOcd3NciN4J9ciTcFsxPq-/s320/kv-lgflag.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">EXTREMISTS ESTABLISH FOOTHOLD IN THE BALKANS</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Peace TV, an enterprise directed from INDIA, SAUDI ARABIA, and DUBAI by a fundamentalist Islamist preacher, Zakir Naik, has established a 12-hour daily program in KOSOVO, a country 90% Muslim.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The entry into KOSOVO of Naik's Peace TV, broadcasting each day in ALBANIAN from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., appears to be an element in a novel campaign by SOUTH ASIAN Islamists to establish a foothold among EUROPE'S indigenous BALKAN Muslims. Peace TV's message is hard-line <b>Wahhabism</b>, which insults, in aggressive terms, spiritual <b>Sufis, Shia</b>Muslims, non-fundamentalist <b>Sunnis, Jews, Christians</b>, and <b>Hindus</b>, among others. Radical Islamist interlopers and their financiers, mainly from SAUDI ARABIA and other Gulf states, have also been relocating to MACEDONIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, MONTENEGRO, and SERBIA.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Peace TV is coordinated in KOSOVO by a local "<b>Center for Islamic Studies</b>," which appears to exist only online and via television – and, in addition to Naik's propaganda, offers academic studies and <i>fatwas</i> [religious opinions]. The "Center" also does not identify its officials or financing – except for its link to Naik.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The channel, via satellite, broadcasts mostly in English and Urdu, to audiences in SOUTH ASIA and SOUTH ASIAN Muslim immigrant communities elsewhere, and into KOSOVO since 2009.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5oQQZSgmom3_o2wu1eGkSC9CCOrxUSBcHewU4Ulx2hXvZJqo24G4ghLdZhI-4NqkXXeOLFUjaeUOqmAbBWMERglM3BdtSbCCSH0IRA0cZHL9P6_WvUKyREK45rlXy9ZUnUVorXtDKZBh/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5oQQZSgmom3_o2wu1eGkSC9CCOrxUSBcHewU4Ulx2hXvZJqo24G4ghLdZhI-4NqkXXeOLFUjaeUOqmAbBWMERglM3BdtSbCCSH0IRA0cZHL9P6_WvUKyREK45rlXy9ZUnUVorXtDKZBh/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Naik, a physician with no Islamic religious training, has praised terrorism – including that of the late Osama Bin Laden; both he and his efforts have been condemned by Indian Muslim authorities. He was banned from entry into BRITAIN in 2010, after which his multiple-entry visa to CANADA was cancelled.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Peace TV now includes interviews in the ALBANIAN language with Kosovo Muslim figures under the influence of <b>Wahhabism</b>. Previously, Peace TV featured lectures by Sabri Bajgora, named "chief imam" of the Balkan republic by Naim Tërnava, KOSOVO'S <b>Wahhabi</b>supreme Islamic cleric since 2003.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">PEACE TV PROPOSED THE ERECTION OF A WAHHABI "MEGA-MOSQUE" IN PRISHTINA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Bajgora has been the focus of several controversial incidents in the KOSOVO Islamic community. In 2011, for example, Tërnava, Bajgora and two other Muslim functionaries were denounced by seven highly-qualified and notably-moderate professors who had been dismissed without cause from KOSOVO'S Faculty of Islamic Studies.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The expelled scholars pointed out that Tërnava, Bajgora, and their group lack advanced credentials in religious instruction.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In March 2012, Bajgora also made news after removing a moderate cleric, imam Musli Verbani, from a mosque in the northern KOSOVO town of Kaçanik. The expelled imam was supported by some 1,800 local Muslims in Kacanik, who demonstrated for his reinstatement.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In July 2011, along with Peace TV, the "Center" produced videos supporting the proposed erection of a <b>Wahhabi</b> "mega-mosque" in Prishtina, the KOSOVO capital.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Muslim extremists assembled in Prishtina – which has 22 mosques at present, some distinguished by their beautiful decorations – to demand a "big mosque" as a counterpart to a Roman Catholic cathedral currently under construction in the center of the city, and dedicated to Mother Teresa – an ALBANIAN who was born in neighbouring MACEDONIA.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Catholics, about 10% of the populace of two million, are the second largest religious community in KOSOVO, which is constitutionally defined as a secular state; and Catholics, although a minority, are prominent in KOSOVO culture and politics.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">OFFICIAL ISLAMIC COMMUNITY OF MACEDONIA IS UNDER FUNDAMENTALIST CONTROL.</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The campaign for a "mega-mosque" was viewed by many ALBANIAN Muslims as an extremist provocation. Observers of the demonstrations for a new and large structure reported that many participants were ALBANIANS from MACEDONIA, where the official <b>Islamic Community</b> is under fundamentalist control.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">"Rahma (Mercy)" is a charity operated out of Bolton and Leicester in the UK and following the radical <b>Deobandi </b>sect of Islam, which inspired the Taliban. The charity has also supported a radical preacher, Kastriot Duka, alias Xhemajl Duka – who, before he was expelled from KOSOVO to his birthplace, ALBANIA, in 2010, established a mosque and a program for orphans in the KOSOVO village of Marina, near the city of Skenderaj.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Traditional Muslims in the Skenderaj vicinity obtained 6,000 signatures for a petition demanding closure of Duka's compound, in which, they complained, young girls were forced to wear <b>Wahhabi</b>-style face veils and full-body covering.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In August, however, Artan Haraqija and Visar Duriqi of the KOSOVO Center for Investigative Reporting revealed that since his expulsion, Duka has repeatedly reentered KOSOVO and visited his mosque and orphanage, while money from "Rahma (Mercy)" in BRITAIN is sent there through bank wire or by courier.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">"Rahma (Mercy)," created in 1999, had the alleged purpose of assisting KOSOVO war refugees. Peace TV and "Rahma (Mercy)" apparently chose to target KOSOVO as a poor country ravaged by war a decade ago and in need of substantial aid.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The moderate interpretation of Islam and the respect for people who believe in other religions – for which KOSOVO Muslims are known -- may also have persuaded the SOUTH ASIAN agitators that KOSOVO was in need of an "Islamic revival" of the kind <b>Wahhabis, Deobandis</b>, and other extremists apparently deem necessary for the moral and spiritual health of the global Islamic community. KOSOVO, for instance, is the only continental EUROPEAN region, outside the small part of TURKEY bordering on BULGARIA and GREECE, in which Sufi spirituality is a major element in Islamic culture. As many as 40% of Muslims in western KOSOVO are Sufis, with Sufi Tekkes (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khanqah) and mosques open to anyone.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">For Zakir Naik and the luminaries of Peace TV, as well as the Deobandis of "Rahma (Mercy),'" the prominence of Sufism in KOSOVO may be another incentive to "cleanse" local Muslims of their alleged "deviations."</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">KOSOVO ALBANIANS are devoted to their own Muslim legacy and can become combative when faced with ideological aggression from abroad. In addition to ARABS, IRANIANS and TURKISH fundamentalists have also attempted visible inroads in the KOSOVO Muslim community. The possibility of fundamentalist subversion of KOSOVO Muslims merits close scrutiny, and committed assistance to moderate believers.</span></span></div>

KOSOVO

EXTREMISTS ESTABLISH FOOTHOLD IN THE BALKANS Peace TV, an enterprise directed from INDIA, SAUDI ARABIA, and DUBAI by a fundamentalist Islam...

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