Experts predict that a new standardized test could change the way science is taught across the state. And they say that even if educators teach to the test, Idaho’s students will benefit.
That’s because this multiple-choice exam will focus on the thinking behind science instead of limiting test items to fact-based, content questions.
The approach is intended to push Idaho’s science education in a new direction.
Read the full article on Page 2 (PDF).
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Friday, January 14, 2005
Educator Profiles
Here are four of my stories, published by the Idaho State Department of Education. Go to the department's winter 2004 newsletter for the full articles. It will open as a PDF.
Principal earns national award
Not every educator gets to hire his former students. Randy Jensen, principal at William Thomas Middle School in American Falls, said that’s one of the rewards for sticking it out in a single place.
“Right up front, I knew I was here for a long time,” Jensen said. “I wanted to live in a small town. I really have a commitment to the success of this school.”
Jensen, a 20-year veteran at William Thomas, has been principal for 16 years, following four years at the school as a teacher. Now he hires teachers.
“On my staff right now, I have four that were students,” Jensen said. “They can’t get past calling me Mr. Jensen.”
His commitment is paying off in other ways as well. Jensen recently was named National Middle School Principal of the Year. He’s Idaho’s first administrator to win the award.
Read the full article on Page 1.
Coeur d'Alene's Conley named Teacher of the Year
Bringing a dog to school started as a student management experiment in Paula Conley’s classroom. But Bentley, the dog, was such a significant help that Conley made the canine her classroom aide for eight years.
“He did a lot to establish a warm, comfortable feeling in my room,” Conley said. “He had a way of knowing which kids needed a little extra something.”
Read the full article on Page 3.
Madison first-grade teacher wins Milken prize
Peggy Rogers was troubled by the number of students coming into her fourth grade classroom, who couldn’t read. So she asked her principal for a chance to take on a first grade class for one year, hoping she would learn to teach beginning readers. But after one year in first grade, Rogers stayed for another year and then another and then another.
Now, 13 years later, Rogers is still teaching first grade students how to read at Rexburg’s Burton Elementary, and she may never go back.
Read the full article on Page 3.
Meridian third-grade teacher wins Milken prize
Dawn Nistal doesn’t play favorites. She makes sure all her students get what they need. So when the third grade teacher at Meridian’s Seven Oakes Elementary learned that one of her students couldn’t speak, she knew what she needed to do. Learn sign language. And to help the boy feel included, all her students are learning as well.
“The kids are excited to help this little boy and learn how they can speak through sign language,” Nistal said. “The kids are learning sign language quicker than I am.”
Read the full article on Page 3.
Principal earns national award
Not every educator gets to hire his former students. Randy Jensen, principal at William Thomas Middle School in American Falls, said that’s one of the rewards for sticking it out in a single place.
“Right up front, I knew I was here for a long time,” Jensen said. “I wanted to live in a small town. I really have a commitment to the success of this school.”
Jensen, a 20-year veteran at William Thomas, has been principal for 16 years, following four years at the school as a teacher. Now he hires teachers.
“On my staff right now, I have four that were students,” Jensen said. “They can’t get past calling me Mr. Jensen.”
His commitment is paying off in other ways as well. Jensen recently was named National Middle School Principal of the Year. He’s Idaho’s first administrator to win the award.
Read the full article on Page 1.
Coeur d'Alene's Conley named Teacher of the Year
Bringing a dog to school started as a student management experiment in Paula Conley’s classroom. But Bentley, the dog, was such a significant help that Conley made the canine her classroom aide for eight years.
“He did a lot to establish a warm, comfortable feeling in my room,” Conley said. “He had a way of knowing which kids needed a little extra something.”
Read the full article on Page 3.
Madison first-grade teacher wins Milken prize
Peggy Rogers was troubled by the number of students coming into her fourth grade classroom, who couldn’t read. So she asked her principal for a chance to take on a first grade class for one year, hoping she would learn to teach beginning readers. But after one year in first grade, Rogers stayed for another year and then another and then another.
Now, 13 years later, Rogers is still teaching first grade students how to read at Rexburg’s Burton Elementary, and she may never go back.
Read the full article on Page 3.
Meridian third-grade teacher wins Milken prize
Dawn Nistal doesn’t play favorites. She makes sure all her students get what they need. So when the third grade teacher at Meridian’s Seven Oakes Elementary learned that one of her students couldn’t speak, she knew what she needed to do. Learn sign language. And to help the boy feel included, all her students are learning as well.
“The kids are excited to help this little boy and learn how they can speak through sign language,” Nistal said. “The kids are learning sign language quicker than I am.”
Read the full article on Page 3.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Googlewhack
The game's been around for at least three years, but I played for the first time this morning. Here are the rules:
1) Put two words into the Google search box.
2) The words must be real words as defined at www.dictionary.com. (Hint: If one of the words isn't underlined in blue, then it doesn't count.)
3) The words may not be in quotation marks. They must stand alone.
4) If Google only finds one page that contains both words (out of billions on the Web), then that is a Googlewhack.
5) Unless the page is a word-list, in which case it is not a Googlewhack.
I tried brainless binturong.
1) Put two words into the Google search box.
2) The words must be real words as defined at www.dictionary.com. (Hint: If one of the words isn't underlined in blue, then it doesn't count.)
3) The words may not be in quotation marks. They must stand alone.
4) If Google only finds one page that contains both words (out of billions on the Web), then that is a Googlewhack.
5) Unless the page is a word-list, in which case it is not a Googlewhack.
I tried brainless binturong.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
First Time in 18 Years
A word of warning: trying to eat an entire stick of butter may cause discomfort, followed by vomiting. That's what happened to me. I'm not sure how I got trapped in the butter-consumption contest, but I think Luke appealed to my pride and competitive spirit. It didn't hurt that I am a known lover of all things butter. (Real butter, please. If God had intended for us to eat margarine, we wouldn't have to come up with clever slogans and brand names to sell the stuff.)
But this isn't just a gross story. It was a moment of significance in my life. I never vomit. Correction: I rarely throw up.
The last time I tossed my cookies was just over 18 years ago. It was a Friday afternoon in early October 1986. I had a slice of Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza for lunch along with my first (and last) soy burger. I'd had trouble with hot flashes and dry heaves all through the last three periods of the school day, including a couple false alarms. It finally resolved itself as I stepped off the bus and into my front yard.
Of course, the house was locked. I cleaned out my mouth with blades of grass and water from the dog's bowl while I waited for my mom to get home. But I lived.
For years, I've used this story as a kind of conversation-starter.
"Really? Well, the last time I threw up was on a sunny Friday afternoon in October of 1986 . . ."
Now, I have a topper, a story I'll pull out if someone regales us with his own ralphing record. And I hope this one will be good for at least another 18 years. Because even if you get a good story out of the experience, vomiting just isn't worth it.
But this isn't just a gross story. It was a moment of significance in my life. I never vomit. Correction: I rarely throw up.
The last time I tossed my cookies was just over 18 years ago. It was a Friday afternoon in early October 1986. I had a slice of Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza for lunch along with my first (and last) soy burger. I'd had trouble with hot flashes and dry heaves all through the last three periods of the school day, including a couple false alarms. It finally resolved itself as I stepped off the bus and into my front yard.
Of course, the house was locked. I cleaned out my mouth with blades of grass and water from the dog's bowl while I waited for my mom to get home. But I lived.
For years, I've used this story as a kind of conversation-starter.
"Really? Well, the last time I threw up was on a sunny Friday afternoon in October of 1986 . . ."
Now, I have a topper, a story I'll pull out if someone regales us with his own ralphing record. And I hope this one will be good for at least another 18 years. Because even if you get a good story out of the experience, vomiting just isn't worth it.
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Mind Over Matter
An early snow, followed by rain and more snow, left a thick crust on the windshield of my 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage. But it's not winter, and I refuse to give in to whims of weather and pull out the old ice scraper. Instead, I turned the heat on full and drove (slowly) for almost 10 blocks while peering over the dash and waiting for my wipers to thaw. I took the back streets, crawled along in first gear, and eventually, I won.
Friday, November 26, 2004
Tragic Death
Two years ago, a 15-year-old girl committed suicide. I went to her funeral. The Friday before, she was in my sophomore English class. I couldn’t even remember what she looked like. I asked God, “Where were you?” and he answered, “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.”
The following Monday, I planned to speak about God’s salvation to a group of kids, many of them classmates and friends of this girl. A man invited me to the front. I wasn’t ready, but God put words in my mouth. I spoke of mistakes, destructive choices. I spoke of wrong decisions that can’t be erased, decisions that kill. I spoke of a 15-year-old girl who took her own life because she didn’t want God to have it.
I sat down, embarrassed for having said so much. Another leader prayed. We broke for snacks. A boy approached me to talk about what I’d said. We talked a long time. I looked around the room. The other five leaders were having conversations similar to mine with kids who wanted to know more of God. Usually they just wanted snacks. This night was different.
Read the full article (click link and scroll down to page 4).
The following Monday, I planned to speak about God’s salvation to a group of kids, many of them classmates and friends of this girl. A man invited me to the front. I wasn’t ready, but God put words in my mouth. I spoke of mistakes, destructive choices. I spoke of wrong decisions that can’t be erased, decisions that kill. I spoke of a 15-year-old girl who took her own life because she didn’t want God to have it.
I sat down, embarrassed for having said so much. Another leader prayed. We broke for snacks. A boy approached me to talk about what I’d said. We talked a long time. I looked around the room. The other five leaders were having conversations similar to mine with kids who wanted to know more of God. Usually they just wanted snacks. This night was different.
Read the full article (click link and scroll down to page 4).
Local Readers Approve
My daily Bits & Pieces column has been running in the Idaho Press-Tribune for just over a month, and here's a comment written in a letter to the editor from one local reader: Eric Muhr's Bits and Pieces is definitely the best contender for the daily Trivia spot.
Friday, November 19, 2004
Culture Inspection
The holidays are the best time of year to inspect a culture. Throw strangers together with bright lights, loud music, and jam-packed parking lots. Add a dash of cold weather, gift lists, and high expectations. Most likely you'll find consumption is king. Here in America, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are commercial enterprises, but we seem to be slipping further and further away from the very ideas of happiness and satisfaction. No matter our effort, they remain out of reach.
A friend and his mother physically fought their way into a store for the Day after Thanksgiving Sale. He wanted to go early, but his mom said they could show up just before the store opened and cut in line. He confided his nervousness at breaking unspoken social rules, but his mom assured him she gets away with it every year. My friend said when they arrived he was surprised at the vile words coming from "grandmotherly types" when they perceived his mother's dishonest intentions. Many had been waiting for hours. Between chants of "Don't let her in!" the women interspersed four-letter words describing her forebears with comments on her weight, grooming, and probable profession.
Visiting another friend's house, I marveled at the Christmas light display, silently calculating the money, time, and sheer effort involved. He proudly paraded me around his home, showing off the multiple extension cords and electrical outlets required to avoid overloading the system. Inside, his wife had covered almost every surface with red and white candles, miniatures, poinsettias, needlepoint holly leaves, and Santa and Mrs. Claus salt and pepper shakers.
It is all too easy to dismiss such stories. We console ourselves with the idea that the real problem is over-consumption. We are exactly right, and we are guilty as charged.
Read the full article.
A friend and his mother physically fought their way into a store for the Day after Thanksgiving Sale. He wanted to go early, but his mom said they could show up just before the store opened and cut in line. He confided his nervousness at breaking unspoken social rules, but his mom assured him she gets away with it every year. My friend said when they arrived he was surprised at the vile words coming from "grandmotherly types" when they perceived his mother's dishonest intentions. Many had been waiting for hours. Between chants of "Don't let her in!" the women interspersed four-letter words describing her forebears with comments on her weight, grooming, and probable profession.
Visiting another friend's house, I marveled at the Christmas light display, silently calculating the money, time, and sheer effort involved. He proudly paraded me around his home, showing off the multiple extension cords and electrical outlets required to avoid overloading the system. Inside, his wife had covered almost every surface with red and white candles, miniatures, poinsettias, needlepoint holly leaves, and Santa and Mrs. Claus salt and pepper shakers.
It is all too easy to dismiss such stories. We console ourselves with the idea that the real problem is over-consumption. We are exactly right, and we are guilty as charged.
Read the full article.
Monday, November 08, 2004
It's Academic
Andrew Yankey is on track to graduate with honors this spring from Nampa High School.
If everything goes according to plan, at least one of those honors could mean hefty college scholarships.
Nampa High School Building administrator Byron Holtry said that's because Yankey, a straight-A student, earned high test scores that put him in the running for recognition as a National Merit Scholar.
Yankey said the secret to his academic success has been to take the most difficult courses available.
"These are my favorite classes because they're challenging," he said, adding that in some classes, his view is that an "A" grade can be a relatively low standard. "You have to independently want to learn."
Read the full article.
If everything goes according to plan, at least one of those honors could mean hefty college scholarships.
Nampa High School Building administrator Byron Holtry said that's because Yankey, a straight-A student, earned high test scores that put him in the running for recognition as a National Merit Scholar.
Yankey said the secret to his academic success has been to take the most difficult courses available.
"These are my favorite classes because they're challenging," he said, adding that in some classes, his view is that an "A" grade can be a relatively low standard. "You have to independently want to learn."
Read the full article.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Bovine Business
It's easy to lose money.
That's what Tyson Nielsen learned when he started up his own cattle operation. The 14-year-old Marsing student secured a loan from the Farm Service Agency, purchased black Angus calves and went to work, developing his herd.
But tragedy struck in his second year when he lost two cows and a calf.
"It was a $3,000 loss," Nielsen said. "It felt awful."
The honor roll student -- now 17 and a senior in high school -- dug into his savings to make the loan payment and kept working.
The effort paid off. Last year, Nielsen made $2,000 after expenses, selling off some of his calves. But he said the real benefits of having his own business can be seen in his level of commitment.
Read the full article.
That's what Tyson Nielsen learned when he started up his own cattle operation. The 14-year-old Marsing student secured a loan from the Farm Service Agency, purchased black Angus calves and went to work, developing his herd.
But tragedy struck in his second year when he lost two cows and a calf.
"It was a $3,000 loss," Nielsen said. "It felt awful."
The honor roll student -- now 17 and a senior in high school -- dug into his savings to make the loan payment and kept working.
The effort paid off. Last year, Nielsen made $2,000 after expenses, selling off some of his calves. But he said the real benefits of having his own business can be seen in his level of commitment.
Read the full article.
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