David Tennant Contributes To Doctor Who At The BBC: Lost Treasures

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhGypK4FDVlfPjFbqCr-CyJjM3_QIq9TEwEExlI1WgGO4n4JaFdlFhwb74eI4QayTvaP5-Ftr54EGYRljNP3_oHvSbd4V3QSnzHGA9wKhlYpggpFuS-Ick6bwRdwRLMlsgXSJfX9XwOA/s1600/lost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhGypK4FDVlfPjFbqCr-CyJjM3_QIq9TEwEExlI1WgGO4n4JaFdlFhwb74eI4QayTvaP5-Ftr54EGYRljNP3_oHvSbd4V3QSnzHGA9wKhlYpggpFuS-Ick6bwRdwRLMlsgXSJfX9XwOA/s1600/lost.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David Tennant is amongst a host of Doctor Who stars to have contributed to the new Doctor Who audio Doctor Who At The BBC: Lost Treasures.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A time travelling behind the scenes journery of Doctor Who presented by Lousie Jameson.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.4375px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you remember when the Fourth Doctor called in on Pete Murray's Open House? Or when Louise Jameson was menaced by a Dalek? Do you remember June Whitfield auditioning a Dalek? If not, now's your chance to catch up! Featuring rare recordings, this collection is full of gems. There are contributions from six lead actors - Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith - plus co-stars Louise Jameson, Lalla Ward, Nicholas Courtney, Karen Gillan and Jenna Coleman, and production personnel including Delia Derbyshire, Peter Howell, Pennant Roberts, Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat. There are also features on the show's theme tune; the recovery of a lost TV episode; the cancellation of Shada and the legendary Blackpool exhibition, along with clips from a radio programme broadcast live from a Doctor Who convention!</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.4375px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.4375px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Doctor Who At The BBC: Lost Treasures is out now!</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.4375px;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.4375px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1471305066?ie=UTF8&camp=3194&creative=21330&creativeASIN=1471305066&linkCode=shr&tag=dtennant-21&qid=1382369824&sr=8-1&keywords=doctor+who+at+the+bbc+lost+treasures" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK fans can buy the CD online here</span></b></a></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.4375px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1471305066?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=1471305066&linkCode=shr&tag=datethsi-20&qid=1382370062&sr=8-1&keywords=doctor+who+at+the+bbc+lost+treasures" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">USA fans can buy the CD online here</span></b></a></span><br /><br />

audio Audio Book David Tennant Doctor Who David Tennant Contributes To Doctor Who At The BBC: Lost Treasures

David Tennant is amongst a host of Doctor Who stars to have contributed to the new Doctor Who audio Doctor Who At The BBC: Lost Treasures. A...

Read more »

Fans Won't Have Long To Wait To See The Day Of The Doctor Trailer

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOV_0z4nqXfWu9l6kXRjz43GXMW_CZkHVY_HC06XfXdJOx7O8zgedAox8_L7GsQxsibZFcMUNvSzS0tkgamOCUJblY6UhyRaWtXbZZjVjD-Qi72KpKPxvqrjXABsoGVp9gyKWNd4iRMY/s1600/DO84C21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOV_0z4nqXfWu9l6kXRjz43GXMW_CZkHVY_HC06XfXdJOx7O8zgedAox8_L7GsQxsibZFcMUNvSzS0tkgamOCUJblY6UhyRaWtXbZZjVjD-Qi72KpKPxvqrjXABsoGVp9gyKWNd4iRMY/s640/DO84C21.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Radio Times reports that fans won't have long to wait until they see a trailer for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary episode, The Day Of The Doctor.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday saw the premiere of the spectacular new 50 Years Of Doctor Who trailer, but what it didn't feature was any actual footage from The Day Of The Doctor, but according to the Radio Times this will soon be rectified as they quote Steven Moffat as telling them:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <br /><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"If it were up to me, the BBC would only publicise Doctor Who and Sherlock, however, in their biased and wrong-headed view, they have a number of shows on before Sherlock and Doctor Who that they have to publicise now, so they’re waiting to publicise Doctor Who and Sherlock until later.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I agree it is a <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">crime</em>! Who cares about those other shows? I don’t! But I have to wait in line, so the reason you haven’t see the 50th trailer yet is it’s too early to put it on.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"But it’s not going to be very much longer..."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-10-21/steven-moffat-not-very-much-longer-until-uk-doctor-who-fans-can-see-real-50th-anniversary-trailer" target="_blank">Source.</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the meantime here's Saturday's trailer again:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/loGm3vT8EAQ?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe>

David Tennant Doctor Who Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Matt Smith Steven Moffat The Day Of The Doctor Fans Won't Have Long To Wait To See The Day Of The Doctor Trailer

The Radio Times reports that fans won't have long to wait until they see a trailer for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary episode, The Da...

Read more »

Win Tickets To See David Tennant In Richard II With The Guardian

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhJzVHkyE2kmUrofwL7FnRb7H9nP4qwv9xnv50j7ofSOT8psJROrVb3yaxodBF_SvfT5_W_FkyzIYkWMGDd_EsJR_jFodvXKraqtitM5EA0xHwwFt-y2LbI-CjaFgyD77A-TS2F5kowo/s1600/rich5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhJzVHkyE2kmUrofwL7FnRb7H9nP4qwv9xnv50j7ofSOT8psJROrVb3yaxodBF_SvfT5_W_FkyzIYkWMGDd_EsJR_jFodvXKraqtitM5EA0xHwwFt-y2LbI-CjaFgyD77A-TS2F5kowo/s1600/rich5.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Guardian Extra have 15 pairs of tickets to see David Tennant in Richard II at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on Tuesday 12th November up for grabs in an exclusive competition.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/extra/2013/oct/15/1" target="_blank">Click here to find out more.</a></span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentcolor; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; orphans: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Richard is King. A monarch ordained by God to lead his people. But he is also a man of very human weakness. A man whose vanity threatens to divide the great houses of England and drag his people into a dynastic civil war that will last 100 years. RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran </span><span style="color: black;">directs David Tennant in the title role.</span></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentcolor; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; orphans: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">Richard II will play in residence in Stratford-upon-Avon until 16th November 2013 when it will then transfer to The Barbican in London.</span><br style="background-color: #fafafa; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">The run is completely sold out, but there may be returns. You can get returns by phoning the RSC Ticket Hotline on 0844 800 1110.</span></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px currentcolor; color: white; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; orphans: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div>

Competition David Tennant Richard II Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre Win Tickets To See David Tennant In Richard II With The Guardian

The Guardian Extra have 15 pairs of tickets to see David Tennant in Richard II at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on Tu...

Read more »

Tenth Doctor Month: Quote Of The Day #21

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9APD6WdZPX7XnT0Q3ygJNiZdD5sykISA_TLN0W0DTtznbqwYApvmoI5IYdrF3rKy2WHgQpa2P0Ifb5x6IKOihqlheekHu6C72gmowJ8_UkBUieBVviSMOWY9Tfev9kpRmY9s3RQ6Wkg/s1600/429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9APD6WdZPX7XnT0Q3ygJNiZdD5sykISA_TLN0W0DTtznbqwYApvmoI5IYdrF3rKy2WHgQpa2P0Ifb5x6IKOihqlheekHu6C72gmowJ8_UkBUieBVviSMOWY9Tfev9kpRmY9s3RQ6Wkg/s640/429.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Doctor: </b>Keep moving, fast as you can. And Martha, be careful. There may be something else onboard the ship.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Martha: </b>Anytime you want to unnerve me, feel free.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Doctor: </b>Will do, thanks. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">42 (2007)</span>

Doctor Who Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Tenth Doctor Month Tenth Doctor Quotes Tenth Doctor Month: Quote Of The Day #21

The Doctor: Keep moving, fast as you can. And Martha, be careful. There may be something else onboard the ship. Martha: Anytime you want to ...

Read more »

i'm in HGTV magazine, let's celebrate with pillows!

A few months ago I was sitting on the beach, sipping a cocktail (no lie) and watching my girls giggle in the sand. Life couldn't get any better. And then my phone beeped and I saw an email from HGTV magazine. What the what?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGF1Th39wRoY4jKsKl_Zk9HMUUIwdEEzQsv3osl6Ju0twphna2P5-B4Bf0jJLE3kArDfZysaxukS5yfL65aRgtEsuxrQuZe4st3VMKLT5MTNTkhijtqEl83oXSTQzpalZhw23eCdDtd6gO/s1600/HGTVMagazineFeatureNov2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGF1Th39wRoY4jKsKl_Zk9HMUUIwdEEzQsv3osl6Ju0twphna2P5-B4Bf0jJLE3kArDfZysaxukS5yfL65aRgtEsuxrQuZe4st3VMKLT5MTNTkhijtqEl83oXSTQzpalZhw23eCdDtd6gO/s400/HGTVMagazineFeatureNov2013.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br />I am over the moon to be featured in their "WOW! What Color is That?" article. And not only do I get to show off the raspberry dresser I painted for my living room, but I'm thrilled the picture is also showing off some of my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/59201519/the-merchant-on-green-11x14-giclee?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank">favorite work</a> from my dear friend Jennifer at <a href="http://blog.thepinkpagoda.us/" target="_blank">The Pink Pagoda</a>.<br /><br />It is so good to get one of my little secrets off my chest and share the good news with you all! I didn't think it was coming out until Tuesday, so y'all should have seen me when I spied it at Target on Saturday night (yes, I was at Target on Saturday night). As Ice Cube would say, it was a good day.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ozCvdzD6gUzfDK82TtJv1piW_zp040QarthDOCArpES8uxaJp9mukdKMTPA7LcWx7L_Qv7pvnMgL5124CplMO5focEVwx8oTh_hcAa2lUWWo_lf2eXMhRiMJxiGb-6iKFQxJqqQpxIQ_/s1600/HGTVMagazineNov2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ozCvdzD6gUzfDK82TtJv1piW_zp040QarthDOCArpES8uxaJp9mukdKMTPA7LcWx7L_Qv7pvnMgL5124CplMO5focEVwx8oTh_hcAa2lUWWo_lf2eXMhRiMJxiGb-6iKFQxJqqQpxIQ_/s400/HGTVMagazineNov2013.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><br /><br />So be sure to check it out! Wahoo!!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCM7T8gcqtiFlz_neCE2CO6WoakNq3ixUuuMy7iU98OmNeld1QFyAfjmCSOoInsN9upCr6kyKbCBtjeN1S8sIF5uA8bIGtLEaarITl2naJX01p7fBp-AZFTGNRoQdv_pDgx7SByl7rKuhs/s1600/BelquestPillows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="52" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCM7T8gcqtiFlz_neCE2CO6WoakNq3ixUuuMy7iU98OmNeld1QFyAfjmCSOoInsN9upCr6kyKbCBtjeN1S8sIF5uA8bIGtLEaarITl2naJX01p7fBp-AZFTGNRoQdv_pDgx7SByl7rKuhs/s400/BelquestPillows.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And to celebrate, I have a special treat. My friend Brittany of <a href="http://www.classicallyb.com/" target="_blank">Classically B</a> is expanding her amazing pillow collection onto <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/Belquist" target="_blank">Etsy</a>, and she is offering 15% off her already great prices to all little black door readers. Make sure you are a follower of little black door and you can use the code HAPPY15 at checkout. The offer expires on October 28th so make sure to order up before then! Early Christmas shopping people.<br /><br />Magazines and pillows. Now that's a good Monday!

i'm in HGTV magazine, let's celebrate with pillows!

A few months ago I was sitting on the beach, sipping a cocktail (no lie) and watching my girls giggle in the sand. Life couldn't get any...

Read more »

Today's Teamster News 10.21.13

<a href="http://aattp.org/tea-party-rep-farenthold-disabled-vets-hurt-gop-shut-make-sacrifices/" rel="nofollow">Tea Party Rep. Farenthold To Disabled Vets Hurt By GOP Shut-Down: ‘You have to Make Sacrifices!’</a>  aatp.org   ...Congressman Blake Farenthold (R- Texas...) told veterans about to lose their disability checks due to the government shutdown, that they would have to make sacrifices...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/20/democrats-social-security-cuts_n_4132087.html" rel="nofollow">Why Democrats Might Cave On Social Security Cuts</a>  Huffington Post   ...Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Sunday opened the door to Social Security cuts as part of a budget deal with congressional Republicans...<br /><a href="http://www.thenation.com/article/176715/farmworkers-hit-nyc-protest-wendys-labor-practices#" rel="nofollow">Farmworkers Hit NYC to Protest Wendy’s Labor Practices</a>  The Nation   ...The members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) had just arrived in the city from Immokalee, Florida, and were gathered to pressure Wendy’s to sign on to CIW’s Fair Food Program (FFP), an initiative that ensures fast-food chains purchase tomatoes from ethical produce suppliers...<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/10/19/how-stores-use-your-phones-wifi-to-track-your-shopping-habits/" rel="nofollow">How stores use your phone’s WiFi to track your shopping habits </a> Washington Post   ...in a retail environment, other in-store equipment can pick up your WiFi card, learn your device's unique ID number and use it to keep tabs on that device over time as you move through the store...<br /><a href="http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2013-10-20/indirect-slavery-we%E2%80%99re-all-guilty" rel="nofollow">(In)Direct Slavery: We’re All Guilty</a>  Pivotfarm   ...There are 29.8 million slaves in the world. They mostly work in developing and emerging countries producing goods that are destined for the Western world and our own markets...<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-mexico-cartel-honcho-reportedly-killed-by-clowns-20131019,0,4576466.story" rel="nofollow">Mexico cartel honcho reportedly killed by gunmen dressed as clowns</a>  Los Angeles Times   ...Gunmen dressed as clowns burst into a children’s party and shot to death the eldest brother of one of Mexico’s erstwhile largest and feared drug-trafficking families, Mexican officials and press said Saturday...<br /><a href="http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_20/10/2013_523992" rel="nofollow">In Greece, wisdom of privatizations under question</a>  Ekathimerini   ...Unions have long warned that the planned offloading of stakes in utility and transport companies will impose higher water and gas prices to a population already struggling through a six-year recession. Wages have fallen by over 22 percent since 2010 according to state statistics, and unemployment has soared to over 27 percent of the active workforce...<br /><a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/10/19/the_birth_of_fox_news/" rel="nofollow">The birth of Fox News</a>  Salon   ...From day one, Rupert Murdoch's baby was louder and angrier than its competitors. The media has never recovered...<br /><a href="http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/19519-meat-so-cheap-you-could-die" rel="nofollow">Meat So Cheap You Could Die</a>  Other Words   ...The first known salmonella cases from this latest bout of bad chicken occurred in March. They continued through at least late September. That means consumers bought and ate contaminated meat for at least seven months before they learned that something might be amiss. Since it takes a few weeks to report and confirm a new case, it’s likely more people will get sick than the early numbers indicated....<br /><a href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/19510-the-abject-failure-of-reaganomics" rel="nofollow">The Abject Failure of Reaganomics</a> (opinion)  Consortium News   ...If a large segment of the American public continues to buy into the Tea Party’s fake reality, then it is likely that both the political damage and the economic decline will continue apace, with fewer good-paying jobs, a shrinking middle class and more of the bitter alienation that has fed the Tea Party’s growth in the first place. In other words, the United States will remain in a vicious circle that is also a downward spiral...<br /><a href="http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2011/05/03/ohios-hidden-bob-evans-subsidies?fb_action_ids=10153408293135347&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210153408293135347%22%3A10150171024484651%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210153408293135347%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D" rel="nofollow">Ohio's Hidden Bob Evans Subsidies</a>  CleveScene   ... a just-released study … found that more than one in every eight Bob Evans employees qualifies for Medicaid, food assistance, or cash assistance from the state. The taxpayer cost is pegged at $14 million annually…

farmworkers fast food workers food safety Fox News Greece mexican drug violence slavery spying tea party veterans Today's Teamster News 10.21.13

Tea Party Rep. Farenthold To Disabled Vets Hurt By GOP Shut-Down: ‘You have to Make Sacrifices!’  aatp.org   ...Congressman Blake Farenthol...

Read more »

Robert Morris Shakedown at LifeChurch: Don't Pay Rent or Electric Bill Until FIRST You Pay the Church - Or 100% of Your Money is Cursed

<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV_l57Utj3s04EHg-am9BHncbAf0YNO2Fd7q7vLlQryBkEwoW-V0Bt29Dn-wTjTcNxRBAWAx9POYaBG9drrxX0ozrsPJCGbvYczmE1ULKfyzmOa47Yq71hzZMmPeLQ4GVQMZ7qcQTjdaZ/s1600/MorrisLifeChurch.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV_l57Utj3s04EHg-am9BHncbAf0YNO2Fd7q7vLlQryBkEwoW-V0Bt29Dn-wTjTcNxRBAWAx9POYaBG9drrxX0ozrsPJCGbvYczmE1ULKfyzmOa47Yq71hzZMmPeLQ4GVQMZ7qcQTjdaZ/s320/MorrisLifeChurch.png" width="312" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"Don't give the first portion [of your income] to the mortgage company because the mortgage company does not have the power to bless your finances. Only God does. Don't give the first portion to the electric company, the electric company cannot bless your finances, only God can. Would you rather live with 100% of your income and all of it cursed, or 90% of your income and all of it blessed. That's what the Bible says."</i> Robert Morris at Life Church, October 2013</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">-------------------------</span></b></div>Above is more October tithing nonsense from Robert Morris - but to be fair, he delivers his any month of the year. <br /><br />Robert Morris was invited this month to preach his first-fruits, multiplication tithing gobbledygook to Craig Groeschel's <a href="http://lifechurch.tv/" target="_blank">Life Church</a> - touted as the largest church in North America with 46,000 members at multiple sites. Craig's church is starting a new fund-raising drive called "Multiply" (by 0.9 apparently), and he brought the master tithing shake down artist Robert Morris to kick things off.<br /><br />When Robert goes to these churches all over the country he basically <a href="http://fbcjaxwatchdog.blogspot.com/#uds-search-results" target="_blank">gives the same message</a>: that your income is cursed, and needs to be "redeemed" by you forking over the first 10% of it to your church. If you don't do this, God will take it anyways, and you'll be cursed, and your family, marriage, children are all at risk from a "devourer".<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/77398413?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It is hard to believe that someone who spews such nonsense is taken seriously, but he is. The only thing more disturbing than what he says, is that pastors actually invite this man and expose the people they are supposed to be helping to this man's garbage that will either hurt them financially, or turn them against Christianity altogether.  I saw it happen here in my own home town of Jacksonville, Florida, when <a href="http://fbcjaxwatchdog.blogspot.com/2013/09/invasion-of-prosperity-gospel-in.html" target="_blank">Stovall Weems of Celebration Church - now the largest church in Jacksonville - had Robert in to preach a few months ago</a>.</div><br />And some advice from the Watchdog that is based on truth and not fables, that is designed to help you and not hurt you:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>"Do give the first, and biggest and most generous payments to the mortgage and to the electric company - and to your kids' college education and to your wife and to your retirement account - BEFORE giving large sums of money to your church. Don't ever, EVER, put the needs of a 501(c) organization above the immediate and long-term needs of your family and then be fool enough to say you're doing it for Jesus. Furthermore, the church does not have the willingness or the ability to "bless you" financially, and all of the aforementioned DO have the ability to bless you as they will return services commensurate with the payments you make." </i></b></div><br />And THAT, Robert, is what the bible says. Like here:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"</b></span></i><span class="text 1Tim-5-8" id="en-CEV-27665"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>People who don’t take care of their relatives, and especially their own families, have given up their faith. They are worse than someone who doesn’t have faith in the Lord." I Tim 5:8</b></span></i></span></div>

Robert Morris Shakedown at LifeChurch: Don't Pay Rent or Electric Bill Until FIRST You Pay the Church - Or 100% of Your Money is Cursed

"Don't give the first portion [of your income] to the mortgage company because the mortgage company does not have the power to bles...

Read more »

LATIN AMERICA: Watch Episode 4 Of Broadchurch Tonight

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zskbe0GnpVGVHE4c4xBUfgXVkF1WkEa-t-sbnH_jpru7Q3s0gEh92O7KxSBHh7xC08F-phsF5leuY_R1w6A670LF5_bCQry5f1J0vDg5WtgTDzlkCvXImR5s4SnbBXBfePCEJdWbyqKB/s1600/BC-E4+Bench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zskbe0GnpVGVHE4c4xBUfgXVkF1WkEa-t-sbnH_jpru7Q3s0gEh92O7KxSBHh7xC08F-phsF5leuY_R1w6A670LF5_bCQry5f1J0vDg5WtgTDzlkCvXImR5s4SnbBXBfePCEJdWbyqKB/s1600/BC-E4+Bench.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewers in Latin America will be able to watch episode 4 of Broadchurch on OnDIRECTV tonight, The series stars David Tennant, Olivia Colman and Arthur Darvill and follows the events in a small town in England after a young boy is found dead on the beach.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Broadchurch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Episodio 4 - OnDIRECTV</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">En la búsqueda <st1:state w:st="on">del</st1:state> asesino del Danny la paranoia se apodera <st1:place w:st="on">del</st1:place>pueblo y cualquiera puede ser el enemigo.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Broadchurch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Episode 4 – OnDIRECTV</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the hunt for Danny’s murderer paranoia takes over the town and anyone can be the enemy.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Watch at the following times</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><st1:city w:st="on">Columbia</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Ecuador</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Peru</st1:country-region>   19.00  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:country-region>   19.30  </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Argentina</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chile</st1:place></st1:country-region>   21.00</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other countries should check their local TV listings guide</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Watch a trailer for the new episode here:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lOyI2-5dlEg" width="420"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>

Arthur Darvill Broadchurch David Tennant Latin America Olivia Colman TV Drama LATIN AMERICA: Watch Episode 4 Of Broadchurch Tonight

Viewers in Latin America will be able to watch episode 4 of Broadchurch on OnDIRECTV tonight, The series stars David Tennant, Olivia Colman ...

Read more »

Hey? Did You Know..?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cheeeeeeeers Chuckleheads!!<br /><br />Hey?  Did you know that it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month?  I’m not kidding.  So folks out there, check out your breasts.<br /><br />Hey?  Did you know that this coming Thursday is my son’s 19th birthday?  If you are going to his birthday party this Saturday, tell him I said hi.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9cAKp5sJKe2PDazh1xy5VcFpUY6aXUlz3dymIAsLzFuMDNrg0D7jgCc3jHF3TLDDXtToexg47CVfNPdvC3B9k32tSkBncHW5ymPk1SE6nzC-1R1JUi96rs17H0aOPfDMw6m58uTW0dUQ/s1600/Tamron-Hall+Hot+Sexy+NBC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9cAKp5sJKe2PDazh1xy5VcFpUY6aXUlz3dymIAsLzFuMDNrg0D7jgCc3jHF3TLDDXtToexg47CVfNPdvC3B9k32tSkBncHW5ymPk1SE6nzC-1R1JUi96rs17H0aOPfDMw6m58uTW0dUQ/s400/Tamron-Hall+Hot+Sexy+NBC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hey?  Did you know that today is National Babbling Day?  So c’mon folks, go out there today and be yourselves.</div><br />Hey?  Did you know that the suggested serving size of Great Value Tater Tots is ten tots?  It’s true, so let’s not make a pig out of yourselves at your next meal.<br /><br />Hey?  Can you tell I woke up around 10:06 PM Sunday night and realized that it was my turn to post on the IWS website?<br /><br />Hey?  Did you know that around here at least, Pizza Hut still has the any pizza for ten bucks offer.  Schmoop and I took advantage of that yesterday and we bought two.  We’re such pigs.<br /><br />Hey?  Did you know that IWS Radio is the #1 comedy show on Blog Talk Radio?  It’s true…you should scurry off and listen to it…multiple times a day.<br /><br />Hey?  Did I tell you that my BFF Schmoop started her period yesterday?  Perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned that.<br /><br />Hey?  Would you take you the trash sometime?  Thanks.<br /><br />Hey?  Can you tell that I am just phoning this one in?  I thought so.<br /><br />Hey?  Did you know that Jay is positive that his life sucks and will never get any better.  That’s so sad.<br /><br />Hey?  Are you a Wiccan or know somebody who is?  We’d like to interview a Wicca type folk on next Sunday’s show.<br /><br />Hey?  I’m outta here, but before I go, I have something to ask of you…<br /><br />Give yesterday’s IWS Radio Show a listen.  Jayman, myself, and even the uber-hot Schmoop got all reflective and introspective n’shit.<br /><br />Annnnnnnnnnd folks….Thanks to Martin, we got naked with Tamron Hall; LIVE on the show!!  It was awesome.<br /><br />So listen up and give it a laugh…<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="370" src="https://player.cinchcast.com/?show_id=5569619&platformId=1&assetType=single" width="400"></iframe></div><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;"><br /></div><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br />Matt-Man<br /><br /><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">@mattman_iws</span></a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mattmaniws" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">My Facebook Page</span></a></div>

Hey? Did You Know..?

Cheeeeeeeers Chuckleheads!! Hey?  Did you know that it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month?  I’m not kidding.  So folks out there, check out you...

Read more »

Will the Valley see frost tonight?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnT1ZVHpey-1N-sMV2EFpGkCAFidQPDxggWj2c4Ie7erITWp5xG5ekoJRuV0AVmUvG-VRPFo9MbzthjvebrdXdG57_NyqcvmjIdTdasu0mkO_crDAbq6bTGczUqFE3KGrmXAuKI5RvB89/s1600/weather+map+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnT1ZVHpey-1N-sMV2EFpGkCAFidQPDxggWj2c4Ie7erITWp5xG5ekoJRuV0AVmUvG-VRPFo9MbzthjvebrdXdG57_NyqcvmjIdTdasu0mkO_crDAbq6bTGczUqFE3KGrmXAuKI5RvB89/s400/weather+map+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.nbc29.com/">NBC-29's</a> weather map shows there's a possibility of frost tonight in the Shenandoah Valley. We've been enjoying late-season tomatoes and peppers but looks like we may be coming to the end of the road for this season.

Will the Valley see frost tonight?

NBC-29's weather map shows there's a possibility of frost tonight in the Shenandoah Valley. We've been enjoying late-season tom...

Read more »

Employee Hours Worked: Durable Goods / Nondurable Goods

The following chart shows employee hours worked in durable goods divided by employee hours worked in nondurable goods. I'm looking for signs of excess.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian_zDggpBudQT6DjXxn9QKVpJpI1tgM-AMBZ2QW-mFcl1kEIOUDkxa1SdYJMSUvQTtgLOnGKKYB3sjd9nRvFfAcJksmbvwD5BonY9o82XJTCCteO22-rD1CL_2iH3VouSAMmvVDt-Hgg/s1600/Durable+vs.+Nondurable.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian_zDggpBudQT6DjXxn9QKVpJpI1tgM-AMBZ2QW-mFcl1kEIOUDkxa1SdYJMSUvQTtgLOnGKKYB3sjd9nRvFfAcJksmbvwD5BonY9o82XJTCCteO22-rD1CL_2iH3VouSAMmvVDt-Hgg/s320/Durable+vs.+Nondurable.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />I can't speak for you, but I see plenty.<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://www.bls.gov/data/#employment">BLS: Employment</a>

Employee Hours Worked: Durable Goods / Nondurable Goods

The following chart shows employee hours worked in durable goods divided by employee hours worked in nondurable goods. I'm looking for s...

Read more »

A close look at introducing project-based learning into your classroom in 7 steps. Try it!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><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/AVvXsEiH7I8jKp0oXy8q58kctOLsGJey5VIh7Mauk5GWWhiqVI63oyrL1QmuzC6KXT8g0xdhTV8-nnfkLe0HQTDAdfRE2XFnfdwbvHn2AwtcFELXm0XPlSn0q2ddsFOGIzbkniI-Nyo5cXFbfRg/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSK8gVP_IN1nx-Uszz2FbK4Qkk-c5cbelFw-JlFJNAkHahvTvUuGc88OgQ1udG4DTuiYoLV9v7LvrCvFFJCd1tjcpXPahNK7-qGTljIbJLrTm-2O56xf8pNqur61BAIX96hYQMpXSEYo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl">http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br />In this post we'll go through the steps to implementing project-based learning in your classroom and then we’ll hear from an expert in designing projects – Michele Botha from Somerset House and see how she does it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Introduction</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The old-school model of passively learning facts and reciting or memorising them out of context is no longer sufficient to prepare our students to survive in today's world with its complex problems. In order to be a problem solver students need both the fundamental skills (reading, writing, and maths) <b>AND</b> 21st century skills (teamwork, problem solving, research gathering, time management, information synthesizing, utilizing high tech tools etc). With this combination of skills, students become directors and managers of their learning process, guided and mentored by a skilled teache<b>r</b> – a great preparation for the work world. This process is known as<b> </b>project-based learning (PBL). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let’s just add to the 21st century skills mentioned above the following: </span><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">personal and social responsibility</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">planning, critical thinking, reasoning, and creativity </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">strong communication skills, both for interpersonal and presentation needs </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cross-cultural understanding </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">visualizing and decision making </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">knowing how and when to use technology and choosing the most appropriate tool for the task</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This video, made by Common Craft for the purpose of introducing teachers to project based learning, is a good place to start.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LMCZvGesRz8" width="420"></iframe> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8</a> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What is project-based learning?</span></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what is project-based learning? In it’s simplest form project-based learning is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges. With this type of active and engaged learning, students are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they're studying. Project-based learning has been developed in response to the results of studies done on how children learn most effectively. The most important thing is that studies show that PBL can increase retention of content and improve students' attitudes towards learning, among other benefits. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-introduction-video" target="_blank">video</a> from Edutopia gives us an introduction to a project that is being done as a project-based learning approach. Would you say this is the same as the general current approach to doing projects at school? </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dFySmS9_y_0?rel=0" width="480"></iframe> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The video showed students designing, planning, and carrying out an extended project that produces a publicly-exhibited output such as a product, publication, or presentation.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What is the difference between 'doing projects' and 'project-based learning'?</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a useful <a href="https://app.box.com/s/6h6a67co94y8lfzlivh1" target="_blank">downloadable </a>chart created by Amy Meyer of <i>Fried Technology</i> showing the difference between </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the way projects are often done currently and project-based learning.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="400" src="https://app.box.com/embed/xo0qxtsu9rhixvs.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="466" wmode="opaque"></embed><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What does PBL essentially involve - in a nutshell?</span></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Project-based learning essentially involves the following factors. Let’s list them and then tackle project-based learning step by step. </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">students learn knowledge in order to tackle <b><i>realistic problems</i></b> as they would be solved in the real world </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">increased <b><i>student control</i></b> over his or her learning </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">teachers serve as <b><i>coaches and facilitators</i></b> of inquiry and reflection </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">students (usually, but not always) work in <b><i>pairs or groups</i></b> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>the end result</i></b><b> </b>is presented to a wider audience than the classroom</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Results of project-based learning</span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><u>Ownership</u> – students work harder when they take ownership of a project and have some say in the choices for the project. For instance, these days, it's common for students to know more about technology than their teachers. They may have some computer shortcuts or ideas for the final product that you didn't even know were possible.<br /><u>Creativity</u> – in a carefully constructed project creativity can soar<br /><u>Collaboration</u> – together we can achieve more<br /><u>Critical thinking</u> - improves radically. Allow the students to solve problems<br /><u>Fun</u> - brings fun to learning<br /> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Project-based learning step by step </span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i></i></b><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>So let’s imagine that you want to get started in project-based learning in your classroom. What are the steps? </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><b><u>Step 1. The Big Question</u></b><b><u> (Begin with the end in mind)</u></b></span></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></b> <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/AVvXsEhnpPl_sGFlw-CQ8nvx9giVNcRcwKxWO5JEPnOxx05glXNP6dD-n-eZYdKC8Y8AnfnNGJNmnsHOgozwEGvA4Q9xscAAtGV0fIvAWvrfpIbGSYWMbsO3SnELVJmeN4vBLJBVL4W2btkpAdU/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D%25255B2%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="clip_image002[4]" border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JJgOIG07YnGMNve1snXV0tHpicIduzynIRF9L0Kzv80KnXaACPLsH-tkA3JZpIgjYY6jV1WUfrHdlRwe9mfhBiA5I01ua4eroIv6Prj4KWp-AwK-gDaAH41uyubVTBekiraD-WW6-9o/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="clip_image002[4]" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-resources#pbl_ppt" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This comes from Edutopia's free downloadable PBL PowerPoint</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u></u></b> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This question focuses your project. It should be compelling and open ended and should appeal to your students.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) <strong>So what is this ‘big’ question?</strong> </span><br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be a question that people ask in the ‘real world’</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be a question that has no easy answer, and stretches students’ intellectual muscles</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be a question that ignites students’ imaginations.</span></li></ul><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding a question that fits these three criteria is not easy: it takes time. The ideal answer to the question will result in a product or performance that has personal and/or social value.<b></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) To get started<b> take a look at your CAPS curriculum</b> and perhaps consider combining two subjects (Microsoft’s research says that a project should combine at least two subjects). Think of a <i>big question</i> to ask. This is an open-ended question that is often referred to as an Essential question. SO: </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start with the Essential Question. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a real-world topic and begin an in-depth investigation. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make sure it is relevant to your students.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This open-ended question should be something that engages your students, engages you and will lead to meaningful learning at the end. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) <strong>Examples of big questions:</strong> </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How have the simple inventions of the past helped to create the complex life of today? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can an idea be transformed into a product that could make us millions? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do humans need to protect the earth, and how can we as 12-year-olds play a role in this? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How have ancient civilizations influenced each other? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do drugs impact our bodies, our families, our community, and our world? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is war ever justified? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How have maritime discoveries, advancements, and events shaped our world? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can an election candidate effectively persuade voters to elect her/him? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can a home be designed to have minimal impact on the environment?</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) Once you have your question, think of a<b> fun way to express this question</b> to make it really seem real and exciting to solve. We’ll provide a relevant example from Michele Botha at the end of this post. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 2: Plan</span> </u></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If this is all new to you start small. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a favourite project and turn it into project-based learning. The interesting part of planning is that you mainly do it WITH the students so that they take ownership of the project ALTHOUGH you will have thought it all out before you start. Involve students in the questioning, planning, and project-building process.</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teacher and students brainstorm activities that support the inquiry. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plan your structured group work taking into account the student suggestions </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use groups of three to four students, with diverse skill levels and interdependent roles </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Implement team rewards </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Encourage individual accountability, based on student growth </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plan an exciting entry event. This could be something like be a guest speaker (make sure the person is an engaging storyteller), field trip, lively discussion, puzzling problem, interesting video, or thought-provoking activity or piece of reading. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclude the project with a bang. This should be an event that has a real audience other than classmates, and a real-world connection.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1) Before planning the project with your students make sure you have thought around it carefully.</b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decide what you want your students to learn, and <b>plan ‘backwards’</b> from there. I’s a good idea to make a list of the things you expect your students to have learned: this should include subject content, skills, as well as attributes to be developed (e.g. confidence, resilience,resourcefulness). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2) To begin, write down everything that you expect your students to learn from doing this project. </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This could include all kinds of things: knowledge of subject-specific content (CAPS), ‘generic’ skills like working in teams and critiquing drafts, specialist skills, (which could range from statistical analysis to carving wood), and personal attributes such as self-confidence. It’s helpful to write everything down in your own words, but this is a good time to see what ‘required’ content (such as CAPS) your project can cover. Once you have your list of ‘learning goals’, decide how you will be able to tell whether or not a student has learned each item on the list. Once this is done, you have the project’s learning outcomes and a plan for assessing them. This will make your project more robust, and give you something to show anyone who comes around asking to see some evidence that you’re doing ‘serious’ work. Also, don’t forget about the final exhibition – it’s never too soon to start thinking about how and where the work will be exhibited. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3) By the way – test drive the project yourself first before you start the project with your class. </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are asking your students to conduct research and build, design, paint, draw, or write something, you will have much more success if you do it yourself first before you ask them to. There are several reasons for this such as - If the project is unworkable, you’ll find out in advance (this does happen). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4) Particularly when you’re starting out, it’s much easier to plan your project using a template </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following a template will also ensure that you don’t forget about anything important. Here is an example of a template from <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/files/existing/teachingmodules/PBL/pdfs/Project_Template.pdf" target="_blank">Edutopia</a> that you can <a href="https://app.box.com/s/f9ehi915h6f6jx0joqch" target="_blank">download. </a></span><br /><br /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="400" src="https://app.box.com/embed/u26au0tdtezgg0j.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="466" wmode="opaque"></embed> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first thing to do is fill in the plan with everything you’ve already done - the project idea that you’ve already sharpened up with a colleague, the things that you want every student to have learned by the end of it, and the ways that you intend to assess them. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your project plan won’t be complete until you’ve gone through every step in this section – and even then, it will be substantially revised after you hold a tuning session.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5) Once you have designed the project you can then include your student’s thinking</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adapt what you have planned. It is important that you first know how to go about things yourself so that you can set parameters.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 3: Schedule</span></u></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Setting a schedule is one of the most important ‘structures’ a teacher imposes on a project, because it makes a potentially daunting project feel manageable to students, and helps you make sure that they will have time to accomplish everything that you expect from them. If possible, post your timeline online so that students, parents, and other members of staff can check it whenever they need to. This involves: </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The teacher and students together design a timeline for the project components. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set benchmarks </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep it simple and age-appropriate.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 4: Monitor</span></u></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Facilitate the process </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mentor the process </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Utilize rubrics</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1) It’s a good idea to hold weekly check-ins with all your student</b>s (or all the groups, if the students are doing the project in groups). At each check-in, work with students to set tasks for completion by the next check-in, and make sure you both have a copy of the tasks you’ve agreed (again, it’s best if this can be stored online). Check-ins also give you the opportunity to find out how the project is going so that you can make adjustments to your plans. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2) In addition to the check-ins, you will need to set interim deadline</b>s. This will include deadlines for drafts, and final deadlines for specific components of a product (such as the videos in the Blood Bank project – see page 92). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3) You may also want to schedule quizzes </b>to make sure students are gaining the knowledge that they need to be acquiring. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4) Make sure you have some checklists for the students to look at for guidance </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 5: Assess</span> </u></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assessment is not something that happens once, at the end of a project – you assess your students’ work throughout the process. On your timeline, plan in a series of ‘check-ins’ to take place throughout </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make the assessment is authentic. (Know that authentic assessment will require more time and effort from the teacher.) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vary the type of assessment used.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1) On your timeline, plan in a series of ‘check-ins’ </b>to take place throughout the project, to make sure students are on track. These may be short papers, quizzes, journal entries, meetings with the teacher, and critiques. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2) Types of assessment tasks: </b></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">true-false or multiple choice </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Constructed-response items: a student has to state the answer to a problem. These tests often can allow more than one answer letting all students have a chance to demonstrate their new knowledge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Essays: students are asked to analyze and synthesize their new knowledge and then write about it. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Performance tasks: students are asked to perform a task that will demonstrate the application of the new knowledge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Exhibitions and demonstrations: these projects can be done individually or within a group and demonstrate the application of the new knowledge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Portfolios: students keep a collection of work that best demonstrates the understanding and application of the new knowledge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Classroom presentations and oral discussion: students can orally demonstrate the application of the new knowledge.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 6: The final presentation</span></u></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When students know that the work they are creating in a project will be displayed publicly, this changes the nature of the project from the moment they start working – because they know they will need to literally ‘stand by’ their work, under scrutiny and questioning from family, friends, and total strangers. This inspires a level of ambition and commitment much greater than is fuelled by the incentive of ‘getting good marks’. In addition, students’ families, as well as other people from the local community, get to see what is going on in the school, providing an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the school and community.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 7: Evaluate</span></u></b> </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take time to reflect individually and as a group. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Share feelings and experiences. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Discuss what worked well. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Discuss what needs change. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Share ideas that will lead to new inquiries, thus new projects.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">An example of project-based learning from Michele Botha of Somerset West</span></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michele is the Head of Curriculum and also the Technology Integration Specialist at Somerset House Primary. She creates wonderful projects using the project-based learning approach and I have learned so much from her. I asked her to give her views on project-based learning and she created this screen cast for me: </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like the link to Michele’s <b>prezi</b> here it is:</span><br /><a href="http://prezi.com/scmmw9ja9csq/project-based-learning/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://prezi.com/scmmw9ja9csq/project-based-learning/</span></a><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) In this great<b> screencast </b>Michele explains her Prezi</span><br /><br /><h4></h4><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe height="385" src="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9-gFsvcYaRhWFE2RFI3b3ZBZk0/preview" width="420"></iframe></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) <a href="http://www.bie.org/tools/freebies/project_essentials_checklist" target="_blank">The PBL Essential Elements checklist</a> (from the Buck Institute of education)   that Michele refers to can be downloaded. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="400" src="https://app.box.com/embed/gesd4bfxydnuk5x.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="466" wmode="opaque"></embed><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Resources</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Edutopia, the Buck Institute of Education and Intel have some amazing project-based learning resources:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.75pt;">1) </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-resources" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.75pt;" target="_blank">Resources for Project-Based Learning</a></div><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">2) <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/project-based-learning-getting-started-basics-andrew-miller" target="_blank">Getting Startedwith Project-Based Learning (Hint: Don't Go Crazy)</a> </span></h1><h1 style="line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.75pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">3) </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-activities" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">Hands-on lessons you can adapt for your PBL workshops</a></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">4) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18.75pt;"><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/teachingmodules/PBL/pdfs/Project_Template.pdf" target="_blank">Project-basedlearning template</a></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.75pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">5)</span> <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/stw-maine-project-based-learning-ten-key-lessons" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">10Takeaway Tips for Project-Based Learning</a></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18.75pt;">6) <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-introduction" target="_blank">WhyTeach with Project-Based Learning?: Providing Students With a Well-RoundedClassroom Experience</a></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.75pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">7) <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning" target="_blank">Project-BasedLearning</a></span></span></h1><div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8) <a href="http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/k12/project-design/design.html" target="_blank">Project design from Intel</a></span></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We hope that you will try out project-based learning if you are not familar with it. Start small! Enjoy!</span></div>

Project-based learning A close look at introducing project-based learning into your classroom in 7 steps. Try it!

http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl Submitted by Fiona Beal In this post we'll go through the steps to implementing project-based learn...

Read more »

A most inspiring visit to Somerset House Primary in Somerset West

<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/AVvXsEj4hEbsMkEyP_95c9GXMp3pfIJVQYCTBx7mAF3sNqUZwi8k27nvkwuTxjcq0WYZF0I99dJ_NIEoWPllkg9O373KpLKb0G1BWMv8DtM1bnuyCbq3FD-_lOkbL4NewnNoerkLgXH6YJplwCY/s1600/somerset+house.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hEbsMkEyP_95c9GXMp3pfIJVQYCTBx7mAF3sNqUZwi8k27nvkwuTxjcq0WYZF0I99dJ_NIEoWPllkg9O373KpLKb0G1BWMv8DtM1bnuyCbq3FD-_lOkbL4NewnNoerkLgXH6YJplwCY/s320/somerset+house.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somerset House is a really beautiful school in the Helderberg area of Somerset West.  I have been wanting to visit Somerset House for such a long time as I have heard so much about the great things they are doing curriculum-wise. This is a school that is on the move! For example:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They have incorporated Bring Your Own Device into their Grade 6 and 7 classrooms in a <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2012/11/webinar-recording-bring-your-own-device.html" target="_blank">very successful pilot</a>. Michele Botha from Somerset West presented a webinar about this for SchoolNet. In fact I have often attended events where Michele Botha has presented. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They present TeachMeets regulary.  I have always attended and <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2013/02/teachmeet-at-somerset-house-on-weds.html" target="_blank">reported back</a> on their TeachMeets.  </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have also seen their teachers being selected as Microsoft teacher finalists with great entries (such as Jenny Martin and Siobhan Thatcher). </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are busy piloting Project-based Learning for Social Sciences in Grades 7</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are upgrading their library to a Knowledge Centre</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their Head of Curriculum, Michele Botha, is also their IT Integration Facilitator which makes for a great combination for implementation of the various programmes. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A great programme with regard to school lunches and healthy eating</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and much more….</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, the long-awaited visit took place a couple of months back. There were a few visitors on that day. I quickly sneaked a photo of the visitors being welcomed by Pam Roberts and Julie du Plessis from Grade 1. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDx2CA9W0xyYk7Tz00pLxiWpy45t6KCpAMpWwumDPCbkYUpyxpB0-FLhm2LvYYHf09O9rwTCBO1YowOfEm6dCCpFWOXVF5uUxb54jJY0itmJ0byqQHfwq0ifvpzCiO5QWgtVnr_Inw4Y/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_2lATXS06bevbx__k3CvNYGKDSArrCkQBOl4sNYix5rf0u74aD_rY1eqpugkrThlPSkefGu3SAeH4RxlJNEdJKBZGHk0zPt7arpn9U_vf4RB06ZW16Sq8n1EsYacvVFRkVatlSjQWWo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The plan was that some of the Grade 7s would show us around the school. They would then take us to the Foundation Phase.After that we would witness Michele Botha introducing the "big question" of the new PBL project that the Grade 7s were doing on Medicine. We would attend the first part of the School staff meeting and would then chat to the progressive principal Chris Storey about the Knowledge Centre they are building and other ideas that they are busy implementing. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Foundation Phase</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The classrooms are beautiful. The Grade 1s were at a music lesson so we were able to pick Pam and Julie'’s brains about how they use technology in their Grade 1 classrooms. They gave us a lot of great ideas. Both were extremely enthusiastic about what they do. I have heard Pam presenting at school TeachMeets on some of her great ideas. (At the last TeachMeet Pam gave an inspiring presentation on how she uses Youblisher.com in her Grade 1 classroom.  She demonstrated this by showing a lovely e-book that her Grade 1 class had created. Each student contributed an illustrated page of writing. Pam also showed how you can make lovely 2nd language books on various topics with Youblisher, and other ways of using Youblisher to encourage reading in a Grade 1 class i.e. for Big Books.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <br /><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 400px;"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRs6Y00khVdE0CBqlyywBCo2L6dv5zgTF0cObXSZ894WP4kxtsHwAVebSJtznQ3cxescdeONpROZNZQn8I1evY-_38kcGmm6JvuGkKP3dIyTXFGZtkd8l1LQQSUiKXYylVN4ExxXDFYM/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsfqF-mJO_EUZ8hqBeg6r7RVlnTXJvMjKZJ7GRw9H-8evB_bCmNMPycySukbPGdlgSSOH-Rd1ftw2574nK_Xgk4n7EEYJcKIkhDQZCfRQEzh2tsRMH-lFjdnG5dJ4bz5ZvFJXcwMXMvo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></span></a></td> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC7iuZ_duYun4169IXEUIl1sSP4l3nEFaA4AFpp2pZgECx6ccIGeakcET-v0hlcwAWzH1TgES0Gyg94vEXk4xvi6aZlh9RwUg6qIOxugnxqOFafFfIEo4auzcjUtEZyPhMsnAH5TMs98/s1600-h/image%25255B9%25255D.png"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0WrIYfIIg_24NDvRdOsXuVV4eAkF0Nu4l2JHaim5-yMmImxAfSf3LViYgX5TtOerzzFMQBUknCna-M1TQS2r6cKlzJ-hsHVmH3n8rG8pTuJC7b8vWOV_2VZGUCyKrZ8I0LLN1-sUI0k/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="227" /></span></a></td></tr><tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4oXK0urzLdZx2BhOTVj4FTy5nU1H08dhta9vNWkGfEjv9yPdEO2CyEstx1ZHk4yUZsflczYto1IvKFIzuxT5fu8nUi-JA_gEF017q_7DvMztz-KUFeBRhyphenhyphenv3ViPz0lI42sOKqwT5S6U/s1600-h/image%25255B12%25255D.png"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2ssa6aACkjksMzPU_AQnuI8IBvZTePkproulOqXMf9fPAWhuBmqQ0HL9r5lZyLJQo-RyUxoQSrH67L73WUlnLJZwDoHPyFGGXoQ0GnErYUKROi57e4I2VUj0WJbqz5d5Vh6JiylSvag/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></span></a></td> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJxeb3_vuspK0-IRb-RzKUQnXw3Fe-PjzFf2ha-0bfuK2s-2dbt4IaJS4YJmPOTE2g85Vh6ioQOlCIdJJbgNCOerTmMwstRTAaO3Vys1J7PGXXpbL7FtnV4wJBUX_bdCNc8gSctjcIPs/s1600-h/image%25255B16%25255D.png"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYM4w0JsfP-36X_zwD5qU3PgsQno9bjUAI1y9py2XbiArd-eNXF_wTQudyXnIYtxcZ4RNMSGKZuGptHbiwWCZgYKcNxU9S97nA-Ak949CvPj4SkO5bssZrB-suk5iL7Go6z_oiVyanXEE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="222" /></span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><br /></strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Chatting to the principal, Chris Storey</span></strong> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We felt honoured to be able to chat to the principal, Chris Storey,  about the vision for the school and their Knowledge Centre that is busy being constructed.  </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">  </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtszqRfkiBorRSYT3BdYbBYDLEK_VICA5ScoqvOKgm0qmw6Zqzl6Mv5TWBtI2tq0JBIOE4r-fOgB8DzMcNvvSd-y8UDdjRim_zeyHscjs0qTEqXlR96aM2rj62oVTJZFukMzBo-_cplo/s1600-h/image%25255B22%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXTwQl07aD5cfGas5CAZfnbtxFS93CNp5yc3Qdhs1QlqLnXdGGQTXK7w-uTuQm26MMxmojmBhdOGlzycOgDqbz1HWg8B-plVxlEtrQo4nEH89BC2okUMgpvyLI4SnGzN4CC1b7C3NYao/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was interesting to hear about the developments that had to take place in the school first before introducing BYOD and then Project-based Learning:<br />1. Teacher readiness and integrated curriculum planning and delivery.<br />2. Parent receptiveness, buy-in and planning ahead.<br />3. Wireless infrastructure and management software. This WIFI is available everywhere on the school grounds. <br />4. Lockers outside every classroom for the students to keep their devices locked away during break and sports sessions etc. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><strong style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Project-based learning</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were very fortunate to be able to attend one of Michele Botha’s Project-based Learning (PBL) lessons with the Grade 7s. Michele is a master at devicing exciting PBL projects! This was one of the initial lessons where she introduced the ‘big’ question and was busy getting feedback for forming the content questions from the rest of the class. I will be mentioning more about Project-based Learning and particularly Michele Botha’s views in the next post. We were impressed with the engagement of the students and the variety of devices that each group used.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 400px;"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4i1B4cJ81N-8Qq9NJaOjv_t2ij6wBrC9i6EUGDXznFNNPIYOz_bSmujYPnu5IPcKqHMZYXh-Ryf0q-rzwlApOndLt25WVAsTIH7vB2TtOmeSIczTOv6ZuT3fPhZb2pZ-VLzN_DIymdXk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></span></td> <td valign="top" width="200"><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRs3yrSJjSghrpqtRjudibezwLT9onAOsYvBUW1cK1Mj-gGjk2sDBhUBjt6vDitcb2XamN06bZE3RssgFDEMSD3zc5opbb_frvpfyowQgwPSIjMHGmPj6juPSD9IPUmxHuJPv-d6-l4qw/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="180" /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somerset House places its </span><a href="http://www.somersethouse.co.za/articles/7.%20Curriculum/General.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">curriculum on the school website</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> where one can see exactly what is covered in Social Sciences using project-based learning. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please take a look at the<a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2013/10/can-project-based-learning-really-work.html" target="_blank"> blogpost that follows this</a> which will outline project-based learning and focus in particular on the way Michele at Somerset House is implementing it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for arranging for us to visit Somerset House, Michele! We can’t wait to visit your new Knowledge Centre once it is up and running.</span></div>

news schools A most inspiring visit to Somerset House Primary in Somerset West

Submitted by Fiona Beal Somerset House is a really beautiful school in the Helderberg area of Somerset West.  I have been wanting to visit S...

Read more »

SchoolNet Webinar Recording from Tues 15th Oct at 3:30pm ‘Use Padlet and Linoit for collecting student responses’

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPA2YCSTyyzrcQWw805KIkEy8Clt_VLxmLvRDnBwwnFjQFJmUe5j7SkKJ0QKvZcqlg6WlKkYsP8h0b3QIGBfoWz_ikU4sabt_CGJ8vHtGpYlIM46opRU_PQF1galv3PunT67tAuXhqXM/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8VVvVjT9HpQ8daVyo_MImhkHWX-bVpwAygaJEozyyh8X1qdOZsUxjlEKw1Lq977Lhito9k_mqqoFPJVP6TYaiYO8znrjahLlRF8OksmIUAcJP-dkB-Ik59zxsfgLc6TBOxuso9UOuTY/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="240" /></span></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Tuesday afternoon (15th October) at 3.30pm we held a webinar entitled ‘Use Padlet and Linoit for collecting student responses’ presented by Fiona Beal. Thank you to all who attended the webinar.<br /><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Presentation</span></strong><br />Fiona’s presentation is given below via Slideshare and you can download it should you wish to.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="356" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/27385276" style="border-bottom: #ccc 0px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; margin-bottom: 5px;" width="427"> </iframe><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/padlet-and-linoit" target="_blank" title="Use Padlet and Linoit to collect student responses ">Use Padlet and Linoit to collect student responses </a></strong>from <strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">Fiona Beal</a></strong> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Summary of the webinar</span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Name</b></u>: Use Padlet and Linoit for collecting student responses</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><strong>Summary</strong></u>: This webinar takes a look at two very useful, free webtools for recording student responses with no sign-in required by the students, namely Padlet and Linoit. The responses appear on the created board like online sticky notes. We will look at ways of using this tool in the classroom.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><br /></strong><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Webinar recording</span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you wish to listen to the presentation the recording link can be found at <a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/p9nfax473z4/">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/p9nfax473z4/</a></span></div><br /></div>

webinars SchoolNet Webinar Recording from Tues 15th Oct at 3:30pm ‘Use Padlet and Linoit for collecting student responses’

On Tuesday afternoon (15th October) at 3.30pm we held a webinar entitled ‘Use Padlet and Linoit for collecting student responses’ presented ...

Read more »

Private Hours Worked per Capita (Musical Tribute)

The following chart shows the 12-month moving average of annualized private production and nonsupervisory employee hours worked per capita.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Li00c6Hfw_tpdzU5VlNvctTaZJmDo9XzvUQa3Fb2LN55ejMmk4Ivp3t55Ut7OLGetPHIeXpVaGDFy084IHI1US_bhoFchq8jow29uT3_YF50qgKV7uq9V9Xm0uvKnvQlQr7471kXzWs/s1600/Private+Work+per+Capita+-+Long-Term.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Li00c6Hfw_tpdzU5VlNvctTaZJmDo9XzvUQa3Fb2LN55ejMmk4Ivp3t55Ut7OLGetPHIeXpVaGDFy084IHI1US_bhoFchq8jow29uT3_YF50qgKV7uq9V9Xm0uvKnvQlQr7471kXzWs/s320/Private+Work+per+Capita+-+Long-Term.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />By looking at hours worked instead of the number of those employed, we will not be swayed by the illusionary job growth created by more people working but with fewer hours worked each.<br /><br />And we wonder why the economy is doing so poorly since 2000?<br /><br />Let's zoom in a bit and look at growth rates.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oCuTkbWSiUSh7Vleo_81kVz-41yXhZtVp_0MUSBDIYWWn1qX98ruI_JKuCv74stv0ywru1gjV6ifiQ_-ZYc8_qvzuGzfqkiL3zCc39s2d4P6WJwXak33LFHLQnyMqvSAALazcY6unhE/s1600/Private+Work+per+Capita+Growth+-+Short-Term.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oCuTkbWSiUSh7Vleo_81kVz-41yXhZtVp_0MUSBDIYWWn1qX98ruI_JKuCv74stv0ywru1gjV6ifiQ_-ZYc8_qvzuGzfqkiL3zCc39s2d4P6WJwXak33LFHLQnyMqvSAALazcY6unhE/s320/Private+Work+per+Capita+Growth+-+Short-Term.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />As seen in the chart, the growth peaked at just over 2%, just like it did heading into the Great Recession.<br /><br />The first derivative (growth) is still positive. However, the second derivative (change in growth) is looking toxic. It was looking similarly toxic in August of 2007. In hindsight, August of 2000 was no picnic either. There was less advance warning then though.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LOZuxwVk7TU" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><div style="color: #666666;"><i>It’s dangerous<br />I’m fallin’<br />There’s no escape</i></div><br />Nothing is locked in stone. I'm not claiming to be able to accurately predict the future here, although I am definitely not optimistic. We all better hope that there is an escape, otherwise we'll enter the next recession while still in ZIRP. With the stock market hovering at record levels, a party that would be. Not.<br /><br />In any event, I will be shocked if this is a great Christmas season for retailers. I stand by my relatively long standing prediction that the next recession will hit <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/05/recession-prediction.html">on or before October of 2014</a>. And yes, if I am correct we'll still be in ZIRP when it hits. Sigh.<br /><br />This is not investment advice.<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://www.bls.gov/data/#employment">BLS: Employment</a><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/POP">St. Louis Fed: Population</a>

Private Hours Worked per Capita (Musical Tribute)

The following chart shows the 12-month moving average of annualized private production and nonsupervisory employee hours worked per capita. ...

Read more »

Winning Sunday for Redskins, Panthers, Falcons

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbfk7AyfQaQ_-bXcueED6j05X2aTIQK-LCHXyUdYZB4i6Ptcx3QF7qDwW9Zvc8QVxmaDGFv1VRk1vZQsyT69Vz9FTtiMi4iO5OxvAbDRef-rTwNi9fLP6rx9TYBXcuXgmUWMSmPhfkLlD/s1600/NFL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbfk7AyfQaQ_-bXcueED6j05X2aTIQK-LCHXyUdYZB4i6Ptcx3QF7qDwW9Zvc8QVxmaDGFv1VRk1vZQsyT69Vz9FTtiMi4iO5OxvAbDRef-rTwNi9fLP6rx9TYBXcuXgmUWMSmPhfkLlD/s1600/NFL.jpg" /></a></div><br />Sunday. Family together to watch football. All the teams won. Celebratory dancing all around ... happy happy.

Winning Sunday for Redskins, Panthers, Falcons

Sunday. Family together to watch football. All the teams won. Celebratory dancing all around ... happy happy.

Read more »

Just Keep Telling Yourself, Corporations Are People Too.

Then explain to me how you put one in fucking jail.<br /><br /> <b><a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5b840688-38f6-11e3-a791-00144feab7de.html#axzz2iIOOyUlJ">JPMorgan reaches $13bn deal with US authorities</a></b><br /><br /><blockquote>JPMorgan Chase has reached a tentative deal to pay $13bn to resolve state and federal investigations into its mis-selling of mortgage-backed securities, people familiar with the matter say....<br /></blockquote>

Just Keep Telling Yourself, Corporations Are People Too.

Then explain to me how you put one in fucking jail. JPMorgan reaches $13bn deal with US authorities JPMorgan...

Read more »

Natural Weight Loss The Healthy Way

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Samuel Gilbert</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Extensive exercise and starving are not the best solution for losing weight. Many people take the help of various drugs and supplements for losing excess fat. Though these serve the purpose, yet, it is not recommended to reduce weight at the cost of what your body actually requires. This article will help you correct the misperception that losing weight means starving and unusual level of workouts, by making you realize the importance of essential elements required by your body. You might lose your health, because of the unnatural ways of losing weight. You can attain both weight loss and healthy body if you pursue certain natural weight losing techniques.<br /> <br /> Have you ever thought you can lose weight naturally? Weight loss through natural ways is the most effective and easiest way to get rid of excess weight permanently. This is because it is not about extensive work out or dieting, it is about slow, but steady changes in your eating patterns and life style that help you lose weight and keep your body fit. Following are some of the easy and high quality natural ways to help you start losing weight naturally.<br /> <br /> 1. Make achievable goals<br /> <br /> Planning your weight losing objective and setting targets help you keep on the track and monitor your progress. Make some wise and reachable goals that you can pursue. Goal planning helps you determine necessary actions to be taken and by taking those actions you can successfully go on the track of losing weight.<br /> <br /> 2. Improve lifestyle- Your eating and sleeping patterns<br /> <br /> Don't believe that eating just two or three times a day will help your reduce your weight. Unless you stop taking heavy meals, you can't reduce your weight. Therefore, experts suggest that it is best to split your meals into 5 or 6 portions and then taken them at various points in a day. Further, going to bed early at night and waking up early in the morning also act like a catalyst in maintaining the optimal weight. These natural techniques don't let your body deprived of necessary nourishment. Take a frank look at your eating patterns; you might not know just how much you eat during a day. Making simple variations and taking control of whatever you consume is critical if you wish to lose weight without any dieting.<br /> <br /> 3. Heavy meals lead to excess weight<br /> <br /> It is necessary to have frequent intake of meals, however in lesser proportion. You can divide your entire day meals into smaller frequent meals such as 5 or 6 times a day. Instead of eating 3 heavy meals during a day, this technique will allow you to keep your weight at a constant level. This is because it increases your metabolism rate and thus reduces excess fats.<br /> <br /> 4. Stop taking fats<br /> <br /> Saturated fats especially are the most basic contributors in weight gain. You can never lose weight if they are present in your diet. Reduce your fats intake and cut the amount to the minimum. Replace processed foods, snacks and drinks with fruits and juices. Avoid fried foodstuffs, as well.<br /> <br /> 5.Eat fruits<br /> <br /> Fruits must be included in your diet. Fruit is the most excellent and natural contributor in losing weight. Fruits are filled with various vitamins and antioxidants that are essential for your body. They contain very few calories but a lot of energy. Make seasonal fruits a component of your diet. They accelerate your weight losing capability.<br /> <br /> 6. Water intake<br /> <br /> We all consider water a something too ordinary to help our weight loss. This is entirely incorrect as hydrated body loses weight rapidly. Increase your metabolism speed by drinking 8 glasses of water per day, minimum, as suggested by experts. In addition, toxins are also eliminated from the body by water.<br /> <br /> 7. Green tea is effective<br /> <br /> Trainers suggest green tea for losing weight. It helps you reduce weight by increasing metabolism rate. Also, green tea is enriched with antioxidants.<br /> <br /> 8. Keep your body active<br /> <br /> Not just diet, but physical activities plays a significant role in reducing your weight. These will help you lose weight on a long-term basis. Even walking can also facilitate your weight loss targets by enhancing your muscles extension that increases rate of metabolism. Even minor and simple everyday activities like walking can greatly can help you to lose weight by escalating your muscle, which increases the metabolism. Regular workout of 30-40 minutes daily burns fat, improves your blood circulation, and body's fitness. Yoga is also an important part in your workout plan since it calms both body and mind.<br /> <br /> To accomplish effective natural weight loss, changes in your lifestyle that will aid you, in maintaining your optimal weight and fitness.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Men and Women choose now you chose a <a href="http://www.physicalmentalstrength.com/146-2/">Fitness Programs</a>.</div><br /> </div><br />

Natural Weight Loss The Healthy Way

By Samuel Gilbert Extensive exercise and starving are not the best solution for losing weight. Many people take the help of various drug...

Read more »

Slippery When Wet

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWs4wTxE8G5yRVP1dk0W08NiRLASu1Pnn6kl9-qbYm2AvJ3d6jLdCYxl6DEwAeSm76IG3Mxk0Sd4z_qIJVX6__kFuh4bAjq_WMgriazA0mtCRKNlEgt-vBYIpF9vVLfwSmXoeQBYClqDM/s1600/tumblr_mrbbp5PODz1rz73x8o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWs4wTxE8G5yRVP1dk0W08NiRLASu1Pnn6kl9-qbYm2AvJ3d6jLdCYxl6DEwAeSm76IG3Mxk0Sd4z_qIJVX6__kFuh4bAjq_WMgriazA0mtCRKNlEgt-vBYIpF9vVLfwSmXoeQBYClqDM/s640/tumblr_mrbbp5PODz1rz73x8o1_500.jpg" /></a></div>

Slippery When Wet

Read more »

A Nice Stocking Stuffer For Wirecutter

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtghm7V7Suyl6gMl1snYqvUM2cj49h44RoOpKhYxKl9gwuoNZrt6eK8rsaC2Hyg-l84MaosbCpTSVPx6eKYyFVxjnJTISK-iqPOAeJRLELO6ekB0TS83tjRTvhQq90PxGnQei22BhqmWLW/s1600/eat450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtghm7V7Suyl6gMl1snYqvUM2cj49h44RoOpKhYxKl9gwuoNZrt6eK8rsaC2Hyg-l84MaosbCpTSVPx6eKYyFVxjnJTISK-iqPOAeJRLELO6ekB0TS83tjRTvhQq90PxGnQei22BhqmWLW/s640/eat450.jpg" /></a></div>

A Nice Stocking Stuffer For Wirecutter

Read more »