For those of you who couldnt attend last weeks Donnell-Kay Foundation Blended Learning Summit (or attended and want to revisit portions), the foundation has posted several podcasts of presentations from the summit. You can download them here.
Photo by Chuck Kirman // Buy this photo
Deborah Martinez helps fourth-grader Lynn Abagatnan at Julien Hathaway School in Oxnard. The California Association for Bilingual Educators selected Martinez as its Distinguished Teacher of the Year.
Deborah Martinez is neither shy nor falsely humble, but she does express surprise that the California Association for Bilingual Education chose her as its Distinguished Teacher of the Year.
Born 33 years ago in Los Angeles, Martinez was raised in Oxnard and now lives in Fillmore. For the past nine years, she has taught fourth-grade students at Julien Hathaway School in the Hueneme School District.
“I’m flattered,” she said. “I didn’t expect it because I haven’t taught very long. Most who get this recognition have taught longer.
“It does affirm that what I do is quality,” she added. “It’s a commitment to what we (teachers) are responsible to do.
Lusines music provides a fitting backdrop to this animation that illustrates the songs relationships-as-trigonometry analogy.
Here are the lyrics.
two dots joined by a line might be detached by a crime
who is responsible when the line is stretched who is responsible when it becomes a triangle how irresponsible when the line is stretched how irresponsible when it becomes a triangle
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Now, lets watch the video.
The Dividends of Understanding and Embracing Your Failures
No one likes to talk about the dreaded F word. Nonot that one. The meaning of the word Failure has joined the ranks of words and phrases that traditionally are regarded as lewd or vulgar to the point that its almost taboo to discuss someones failures.
But in some arenas, the tide may be shifting a bit. Recognizing that innovation comes only from risk taking and that employees will shy away from experimentation if they fear retribution, some companies have begun rewarding employees courageous enough to seek new, creative ways to solve problems. That concept signals a fundamental shift in perspective about what it means to fail. Under this emerging theory, a failure merely represents a bump in the road toward success and should not be regarded as defeat.
Embracing failure may seem like a novel concept, but the idea of trial and error is the foundation of some vocations.
Assistant Superintendent Bill Dabbs will take over as chief administrative officer of the Oxnard Union High School District through the end of June, the school board announced Wednesday night.
The board met in closed session to discuss the appointment of an acting or interim superintendent. It announced no such appointment, instead saying Dabbs will help lead the 16,500-student district over the next few months as chief administrative officer.
Last week, the board unanimously accepted Superintendent Bob Carter’s resignation. With one more year left on his contract, Carter plans to step down June 30. Since the resignation was announced last week, however, Carter has told district officials that he plans to take much of his vacation time over the next few months.
“We have a phenomenal staff,” board President Socorro Lopez Hanson said after Wednesday’s meeting. It has demonstrated team spirit and performed well in the past 10 or so days, and she expects that will continue, she said. “I am especially grateful to Mr.