Data Is or Data Are?

So yeah, I was reading about the publication of the NYC teachers' student-test-score data and I saw the phrase "the data were."

Now, I know that data is the Latin plural for datum. But in modern use in English, I don't see it used in a typical plural sense - that of "many datum(s)." Like "many facts" would be the same. Rather, it's used as a general collective, more like the word "information." You know there's a bunch of stuff there, but it's still all kind of one THING. And as a result, I'm much more comfortable with hearing "data is" than "data are."

Readers, what do you think?

Image thanks to http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/

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Survey Says:

I decided to take a survey posted over at the EC Ning.

Details after the cut.

What grades do you teach? High school; mostly sophomores right now, but others 9-12.

Do you have a classroom library? yes

How did you collect your books? And how do you get new ones? (Garage sales, gifts, bookstores, grants, school money, book fairs, etc.) Mostly through donorschoose grants, giveaways at conventions, and used bookstores.

Do you make a point to continue adding to your classroom library? yes

What sorts of resources do you have in your library? Books (fiction, non fiction, graphic novels, etc), newspaper articles, magazines, music, movies, etc? Just books - fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels.

What materials do you wish you had? I always want more books, but at this point I need more bookshelves. I wish I could have a fluffy rug and a reading lamp, but I'm not allowed to have those because of fire code (or so we've been told). I'd like some floor pillows.

What books do you think should be in every classroom library? I doubt there are any books that belong in every classroom library, because it really depends on what kind of reading the students are doing. A classroom library in a 3rd-grade room probably won't have any of the same books I do.

Do you have suggestions for how a new teacher can build a library? Donorschoose has been very helpful. If you're in an affluent area, ask parents to donate books. It takes time; I've been building my library since I started teaching, and it's taken me seven years to get it to where I'm actually proud of it.

How do you use your classroom library? The students have daily reading; we also use the books to study grammar, writing, and literary techniques. This prevents copying and (in theory) ensures that each student is working with material at a comfortable challenge level.

Do you have a system for students to check out books or can they borrow them at will? They show me the book and I keep a record of what book each student currently has.

What are the most popular books? I currently do not have a copy of Hunger Games because the three I've bought have all been not-returned by someone. I've never had a student ask to switch out of The Graveyard Book.

Do you keep potentially controversial books in your library? Why or why not? Yes; I live in an area that is so conservative that EVERY book is "potentially controversial." So if I wanted to avoid all controversy I couldn't have a classroom library.

Do you require parental permission for students to borrow certain books? A few, due to language or thematic issues. I like my job and would prefer to keep it.

What do students think about your classroom library? It's an interesting change of pace, I think, from their other classes. I get new books on a fairly regular basis, though, so sometimes I think they kind of take it for granted.

What do you wish this survey had asked, and how would you answer? Hm. I can't think of anything right now. If I do, I'll come back and add whatever it is I think of.

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Walking Away

There has been a LOT of discussion of late about just what teachers should and shouldn't be allowed to post online. The general consensus seems to be that while Natalie Munroe certainly shouldn't be prosecuted (free speech and all that), workers shouldn't curse about their work in public and expect to keep their jobs.

And, I dunno, I can kinda see that? I mean, in fairness, that's one of the reasons I blog pseudonymously. If I'm giving you money, and I find out that you're ragging on me to all your friends, I will probably want to stop giving you money. Pretty simple. So I keep this pseudonymous so that hopefully the people who give ME money will keep doing so. Because I like money.

[Side note: Money is nice. Money lets you do fun things. Yaaay money!]

But what I don't get are the people who are saying "she said mean things about children! how could such a person EVER become a teacher!!!" Seriously? Get a grip, people. If everyone who ever said anything negative about children was barred from the profession, there wouldn't be any teachers left! Anyone who has been around children for any length of time can tell you that loving children doesn't mean you are suddenly blind to their faults.

So awhile back I let Mrs. Procrastinator (the AP to whom I am forced to report for all things Journalisty) that I am interested in NOT advising the yearbook-and-newspaper next year.

And ONLY because this blog is pseudonymous am I saying anything about it online. My department head knows (I spoke with her before going to the AP) and several of the other teachers in the department, but most significantly, I will not be saying anything to my students.

Of course, what I did NOT say to Mrs. Procrastinator (who has demanded the right of prior review for all our publications and sat on our first 25 yearbook pages for like a month and a half) was that the reason I'm throwing in the towel is because I can't stand the thought of working with her any longer.

It was a tough decision to make, and it's been tough sticking to it, especially when students talk to me about their ideas for next year's theme or layouts or cover, or when I get PMs on Facebook asking me about next year's classes and next year's publications. And I don't want to say anything either way, because it's entirely possible that they won't find anyone to take the spot and they'll drop me right back into it.

But as time goes on, I'm starting to think more and more about what I'll do with my time when I'm not always drowning in photo shoots and pages and dead netowrks and sales receipts and deadlines - OH, the deadlines - and I can do other things instead.

I'm really looking forward to being able to focus on my language arts classes. And I'll get to play with costumes and jewelry and wigs more. I'll re-hem my white jeans (I lengthened the hems but now they roll). I'll read even more!

And maybe some years in the future (when AP Procrastinator is gone) I will feel completely secure in my language arts classes and I'll want to challenge myself in another way again, and I can come back to it.

But for now, it's time to close the book for awhile.

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Interview

Teacher, I Don't Get It posted some interview questions that intrigued me, so I answered them behind the cut.

Interview:

How was actually teaching different than what you expected it to be when you went into teaching?

Well, I've got the yearbook, for one thing. And it's not too bad. Frustrating and stressful, definitely, but also liberating.

And I'm better at it than I thought I would be. I'm not being arrogant, here; it's just that I didn't think I'd be much good at all. I really sucked as a student teacher. Management - classroom order, at least - isn't a problem for me any more. Now getting ALL the students to do their work? Still a struggle. But I don't feel too bad about that, because I think there are very, VERY few teachers who can accomplish that. And I haven't given up. :)

What do people not know about schools or teaching that you wish they did?

That tenure does not mean a teacher cannot be fired; it means a teacher cannot be fired because the principal needs to create a position for a friend of his, or because the teacher has lots of experience which, while useful in the classroom, costs more money than a fresh-from-college n00b.

What do you think is the biggest problem facing educators today?

(1) We are being othered. I hear ALL THE TIME that "everyone knows who the bad teachers are." I call BS. And it's not because I teach at a school where everything is rainbows and butterflies and sparkly stickers thereof. At our school, the teachers that students complain about, who use "best practices" only when commanded to by the administration - they're the ones whose students outscore others on state exams. What people mean by this is that somewhere else, in some OTHER area, there are bad teachers who need to be fired. And everyone knows who THEY are.

(2) The public is being LIED TO. Another 'fact' I hear all the time is that teacher quality is the most significant predictor of student achievement. It isn't. The most significant predictor of achievement is POVERTY. The most significant CLASSROOM factor is the quality of the teacher. (You'd think that would be obvious - that the quality of the teacher matters more than the quality of, say, the classroom technology.)

What is the best thing about teaching?

Again, I've gotta do twos: (1) Exploring ideas. I love it, particularly when they're ideas I'm familiar with but I'm re-exploring them with people for whom they're new. My students help me see the material with fresh eyes.

(2) Freedom. I love having summers "off." Since we're not compensated for anything we do over the summer, I can pursue professional development according to my own interests and schedule. The only thing that would make it cooler would be the opportunity to get paid for sharing what I've learned.

Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

Possibly right where I am, although if the teaching environment in Florida cleans up a bit, it'd be VERY tempting to see if I could get a job near Disney World. Then, if I was still spry enough, I could work weekends and holidays at the Magic Kingdom. That would be pretty awesome. I don't love Disney enough to give up teaching, but being able to do both? Yeah. Definitely awesome.

I hope I explained all of that in a way that made sense. I had surgery yesterday (nothing major; they took out my chemo port) and when I took my pain pill this morning it made me loopy - jittery and confused. So if I said something dumb, please forgive. :)

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I Got Furious - Fast!

This made me soooo mad. Mad enough to snark, folks. I'm gonna cross-post my response behind the cut, because to be quite honest, I'm not entirely sure it's ever going to make it past the moderators of the original article!

Perhaps you need to make the time.

Seriously? Since when are teachers the ones who determine their work schedules?

Let’s be generous and say we take just FIFTEEN MINUTES to grade each ten-page paper. With a courseload of 175 students, which is quite reasonable, that’s 43 hours, 45 minutes of actual grading time.

Let’s say teachers get an hour every day for planning (most have less, but it makes the arithmetic easier). Now we don’t want to stop teaching just because we’ve got all these papers to grade, so let’s set aside half of it for continued planning and OTHER grading. That means that given the time teachers are allotted, it would take 98 days to finish grading that ONE assignment.

But wait! I hear you cry. Teachers aren’t supposed to have families, or doctor appointments, or friends, or religious services, or household chores. Teachers should dedicate their ENTIRE BEING to their work, because it’s not a career, it’s a calling!

Ugh. What utter claptrap.

The time that we spend grading research papers is time that can NOT be used to create new resources or lessons for our students, time that can NOT be used to respond in greater detail to shorter assignments, time that can NOT be used to learn about new instructional or management techniques, or about new technologies and how to incorporate them to improve student achievement.

Then again, it’s also time in which we’re not subjected to nonsense from self-righteous idiots. Definitely a plus.

I actually held back a good bit, because (a) responding to idiocy with idiocy just increases the amount of idiocy out there, and I don't want that, and (b) because I think I actually have a point, and I want others to hear it, and having the comment not get posted because it was too snarky limits its audience.

But I'm just not sure. I kind of feel like Clay the Clueless deserved a good bit more than what I gave him. Maybe I was a little bit too gentle...

What do you think?

Image thanks to http://www.pureanimegallery.com/

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EduCafe - Issue 20 - More Soup?

I scarcely know where to begin. Even THINKING about the EduCafe is an exercise in humility after dropping the ball so heavily back in January.

Over at the EC Ning, I can kind of fade into the woodwork and it isn't as noticeable, as there's always so much going on. Around here? I get crickets and a huge feeling of guilt. *sigh*

But! I am going to go for it again, because it's important to me to exemplify the kinds of behavior I want my students to follow. Part of that means admitting when you screwed up, but not using a screwup as an excuse to GIVE up.

So let's start, once again, with the soup course!

Mr. Halpern's posts always make me smile. I think it's sad that so many grownups leave childish play behind. Sure, some games are a LOT different in grown-up bodies (tag in particular!) but you can still have fun.

I loved Rachel's example of how the internet can shift something from private to public. It very neatly balances "completely believable" with "just a touch creepy." This isn't the actions of Big Brother or The Evil Corporate Empire. Nope. It's us, folks.

The Science Goddess tells a good story about being recognized. And thinks about those who were not recognized. It can be easy to forget that we make a difference (for good or ill!) to all our students, not just those who tell us we do.

Teachin' certainly had an interesting day. You know, I don't think my life is boring, necessarily, but... yeah. I don't think I've ever had anything quite that ... unusual happen. (Knock wood!)

Mrs. Chili is looking at curriculum options for next year. Chili, I am MAD JEALOUS of your opportunities! and your supportive admin!!

I just love Tom's metaphor. It's so... evocative, let's say. And I'm not going to give away anything more than that! Just go read it, really. (Um, but... not around mealtime. At least not if you have a vivid imagination.)

And then Mr. McGuire gives Mrs. Chili a run for her money in the jealousy department. Because... wow. Just wow. I'm trying to think of a Superintendent/Superman word play and failing. :P Oh well!

Hey, at least they're honest? Dr. Pezz and his colleagues were actually told to "do less." Not playin' here.

Siobhan Curious tells a story that fills me with jealousy and regret because it is so beautifully written. It really happened, but the WAY she tells it is just marvelous. Loved it.

Edie, if you come by, don't read the Dr. Pezz post above. It might depress you. Sure, you're losing instructional time too, but... at least expectations are high. That's a good thing, right?

Call me a sucker for meta, but Miss Teacha's comparisons of schools was intriguing. Got me thinking about what I like about my school and system and what I would like to see changed.

And speaking of meta, Dana Huff is always good at thinking about what she's teaching and how it relates to the world at large. In this post she examines the Hero's Journey.

Okay, I cannot WAIT to see the results and/or purpose of this survey by MS Teacher.

Isn't it lovely when your students, like Joan's, magically transform into human beings? With PICTURES, no less!

Poor Ms. Bees discovered that a failure to plan on others' part may actually wind up as an emergency on her part. Don't give up, Ms. Bees! And let us know how it all ran down.

A conversation about facebook turns into something more for Mr B. I love how, in his post, he so skillfully blends the personal, the philosophical, and the professional. Just brilliant!

Mrs. Bluebird's students are allowed to use calculators on the math section of the Very Big Deal Government Test, but not the science section. Even though it involves a good bit of math...

Dina continues her responses to The Art and Science of Teaching.

I am SO stealing Mardie's reading lesson with the Turbo Encabulator hook. Seriously awesome. :D

And while Jim Burke refers to it as fourth-grader wisdom, I think it's more of an example of "fourth-rightness." Ok, ok, I know, bad pun. ;)

I have more posts that I want to share, but I'm stopping here, because I had intended to post this yesterday morning and now it's almost time to leave for this week's narrative theology discussion/study and... if I put it off much longer it won't get done!

Image thanks to http://www.humiliationstudies.org/

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You Should Read

Hopefully you've already noticed (because my readers are smart notice-y folk!) that most of the blogs I link to are teacher-blogs or otherwise have something to do with education. But lately I've started expanding my horizons, so to speak, as I find other blogs that are about reading or writing or otherwise connect to my curricular matter even if they don't have an educational focus.

Since I figure that mostly I get read by teachers, particularly other English teachers, I decided to share some of those other blogs with you. Maybe you don't read them, but you should!

Dystel & Goderich Literary Management is an agency that represents a wide variety of authors. The blog has several contributors, and mostly it deals with issues about writing and publishing and representation.

What I particularly like about this blog is (a) the variety in the topics, and (b) the way the tone is both professional and personal. I really feel like I'm having a conversation with a group of people who really know what they're talking about, but they don't talk down at me.

I've only started reading it recently, but it's been interesting to get to think about books from a different angle.

I'm thinking about making this an ongoing series. I don't know how regular it will be - one thing I've learned is that making promises seems to jinx me! - but I do know that I've got more non-teacher blogs that have helped me as a teacher.

What non-ed blogs do you follow, and why?

Image thanks to http://www.dystel.com/

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 5

Hooray! Once again, it's CARNIVAL TIME! The pendulum seems to have swung back this week - BOY did I get a lotta list posts. (Is Letterman hiring or something?) So here we go! If your post should've been included and wasn't, please email me. Enjoy!

And remember this, because it's important: DON'T eat an entire funnel cake right before going on the Tilt-a-Whirl!

Shannon Wills presents Sarah Palin’s Stand on Special Education posted at Nurse Practitioner Schools.

Pat presents Are My Students Weeds or Flowers? posted at Successful Teaching.

Carol Richtsmeier presents Picture Day, Emergency Chocolate & My Lizzie Borden Smile posted at Bellringers.

Emily Moser presents Education Reforms in the DC Area posted at Online Degree.net.

Mary Jones presents Educational Technology – Do We Teach the Tool or Teach Literacy? posted at Accredited Online PHD Universities.

Mathew Needleman presents Questions About Independent Work Time posted at Open Court Resources.com Blog.

Mathew Needleman presents Creating Lifelong Learners » Blog Archive » Beginning of the Year Pre-Assessments posted at Open Court Resources.com Blog.

Joep de Graaff presents Does a bird have horns? posted at Dancing Crocodile.

Liz Nilsen presents Ready...Set...Compete! posted at STEM-ology, saying, "My blog is new for those in the STEM-my areas, or just interested in what's going on in STEM. Thanks for re-starting the carnival!"

Susanne Nobles presents Literature Circles posted at Still Learning, saying, "Literature circles are great for many subject areas and many grade levels."

And your enterprising host presents Knowledge vs Skills right here at Epic Adventures Are Often Uncomfortable, though in fairness it was inspired by a post over at Joanne Jacobs.

List Posts

Linda Jones presents 25 Cutting-Edge Wolfram Alpha Tips for Serious Students posted at Online Universities Weblog.

Abeni Banvard presents Top 10 Nutrition Experts to Follow on Twitter posted at Online Masters in Health.

Mirles Tamra presents Top 10 Law Enforcement Professionals to Follow on Twitter posted at Online Masters in Criminal Justice.

Cora Fernande presents Top 10 professors to follow on Twitter posted at Online University Rankings.

Sheldon Louis presents Top 10 Teachers to Follow on Twitter posted at Online University Reviews.

Lisa Taylor presents 4 Crime Fiction Writers Worth Reading posted at Forensic Science Schools.

Damion Calvert presents Top 10 Health Experts to Follow on Twitter posted at Masters in Health Care.

Alvina Lopez presents Top 100 Film Studies Blogs posted at Online Degree Hub.

Emily Moser presents Top 100 Drafting Blogs posted at Drafting School.

Edwin Choi presents Business Degrees at Saint Leo University for Minorities posted at Degrees In Business Blog, saying, "Lists like the Top 100 Degrees for Minorities give prospective college students the ability to find universities that are proud in the cultural diversity they offer to nation’s educational community. Business students especially benefit from a “Melting Pot” college, with exposure to all kinds of ethnicities and cultures enhancing their understanding of business relations in a diverse world in the future."

Bennie Shih presents Top 10 Leadership Experts to Follow on Twitter posted at Masters in Health Administration.

Adjoa Barnard presents Top 10 Nurses to Follow on Twitter posted at Masters in Health Education.

Rosella Habowski presents Top 10 Scientists to Follow on Twitter posted at masters in health science.

Daren Bass presents Top 10 Statisticians to follow on Twitter posted at Masters in Health Informatics.

Geneva Elazisi presents Top 10 Career Experts to Follow on Twitter posted at Masters of Nursing.

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Innovative Blogs for Architecture Students posted at online classes.org.

Susan White presents 50 Fascinating Lectures All About Your Brain posted at Associate Degree Blog.

Chris presents Special Scholarships for Women posted at MJJ Party, saying, "A look at special scholarships for women."

Carol Brown presents 50 Must-Listen-to Lectures for Tech Lovers posted at Online Universities.com.

Susan White presents 100 Free and Useful Tools for AP Students and Teachers posted at Online Colleges.

Kate Hopkins presents 100 Excellent RSS Feeds for Lifelong Learners posted at Online School.

And once again, my fellow primitive screwheads, our roundup is up. (Cue: Awwww!) And yet, if you've got end-of-carnival blues, you can always write a post and submit it for next week! (And tell your friends to submit, too!)

Remember, a blogger who submits gets many more hits!

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by emailing me the direct URL of your article at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com. Or, you can use the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Also, don't forget, next week is the FINAL regularly scheduled week here at Epic Adventures. After that, the carnival begins touring again! (Cue: Yaaaaay!)

Technorati tags:
education, teaching, educarnival v2, blog carnival.

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 4

HUR-ray, HUR-ray, HUR-ray, STEP right in! ONE show only... well, this week anyway.

Or, to paraphrase Shel Silverstein: "What? What's that you say? You say today is CARNIVAL day?! Wahoo! I'm clickin' through to play!"

Welcome to the September 16, 2009 issue of EduCarnival v2! You know, I had realized I'd missed the weekly Carnivals, but I hadn't realized how much. It makes me smile every time I see I've got new mail, because mostly it's Carnival stuff and that means I get to go read a post! And then I cobble things together and it all looks so nice and I feel good about that and people even READ it and there's sharing and just... YAY.

So, thank you all so much for making this possible! I really do enjoy putting this together - it's work, but it's fun. :) Hopefully I will remember to update BlogCarnival before leaving for school on Wednesday - when I went to the site I saw that I didn't update last week. Whoops!

And a few people have asked about hosting. Before I post this one I'll set up the next few issues and see if I can figure out how to get that arranged. I'd like to have the EduCarnival start roaming in October if I can.

What with research papers, a field trip, and open house, things have been a wee bit crazy, so I must confess that there's not a lot of cleverness directly behind the cut. You'll have to follow the links to the submitted posts to get to the clever!

If your post should've been included and wasn't, please email me. Enjoy!

Aaron R presents The Changing Library posted at Aaron Rogier, saying, "How the role of libraries in communities will change little as they change to accommodate new resources."

Erin presents Parents Supporting Education posted at School Psychologist Blog Files.

Mark Stock presents Do laptops for every child threaten the traditional role of the teacher? posted at HOPE Foundation.

Diana Senechal is guest-blogging, and posted What's with those clickers in physics class? over at Joanne Jacobs.

Carolyn Friedman presents Why and How to Become a Paralegal posted at Accelerated Online Degree.

Emily Moser presents The Internet and Your Kids: An educational opportunity or risk? posted at Accredited Online Universities.

Tom DeRosa presents How to Make Feature-Length Films Fit into a Class Period posted at I Want to Teach Forever.

SwitchedOnMom presents Why I Care About the Singam Case posted at The "More" Child.

Shannon Wills presents When Medical Ethics Leads to a Conflict of Interest posted at Christian College.

Annette Berlin presents Colored Pencil Tutorials posted at Craft Stew, saying, "Colored pencils make an easy and inexpensive addition to any art program. In case you have no training in using color pencils, here are some color pencil tutorials to get you started."

Kakie presents September is National Literacy Month - Free Resources! posted at Bur Bur & Friends: Community Park, saying, "Here are some great tools and resources to engage kids in the reading process. Happy reading!"

Suzane Smith presents Pinching Pennies? Improve Your Home on a Budget posted at Construction Management Schools.

teachin' presents I'm a Dreamer: Student Connections Outside of the Classroom posted at I'm a Dreamer.

Mrs D. presents Performance Framework vs. Personal Learning posted at Footsteps of Aristotle.

Jasmin Loire presents theinfamousj: New Year’s Resolutions (via Continuous Everywhere but Differentiable Nowhere) posted at TheInfamousJ, saying, "Sam Shaw, blogger and teacher, suggested that for teachers should make ours on the eve of the first day back to school our New Years Resolution day. Here are mine. Feel free to add yours!"

Carol Richtsmeier presents President Obama, Speeches & Rubber Chickens posted at Bellringers.

Shannon Wills presents Attention to Design and Detail – Learning from the Europeans posted at Drafting School.

Pat presents Closing School Libraries posted at Successful Teaching, saying, "I know we have to cut corners, but cutting out the school library is not the way to go!"

OnlineCollege presents How to Spot Diploma Mills and Fake Degree Programs posted at Universities and Colleges.



List Posts

Emma Taylor presents 100 Useful Tools for Special Needs Students & Educators posted at Teaching Tips.

Kate Hopkins presents 100 Free Lectures for a Cutting-Edge Business Education posted at Online College Reviews - College Ratings.

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Excellent Advice Site for Homeschoolers posted at Teaching Tips.

Emma Taylor presents 100 Useful College-Planning Tools for Conscientious Parents posted at Online College.org.

Kate Hopkins presents 100 Hacks to Learn a New Language in No Time posted at Online College Reviews - College Ratings.

Anne Simone presents 100 Best Blogs for Real World Advice and Education posted at Online Schools.

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Best Blogs for Tech-Savvy Teachers posted at Online Courses.org.

Emma Taylor presents 100 Free Tools for Your College Planning & Prep posted at Online Degree Hub.

Alas, that is all for this issue. Tune in next week, citizens - same Bat-time, same Bat.... uh... blog? And submit a post! And tell your friends to submit, too.

Remember, each time you share, it shows you care!

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by emailing me the direct URL of your article at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com. Or, you can use the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:
education, teaching, educarnival v2, blog carnival.

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 3

Step right up and get yo' tikkit! It is CARNIVAL time!

Welcome to the September 9, 2009 issue of EduCarnival v2, and thank you all so much for stopping by! I am both excited and honored to present this set of posts, and I'm already looking forward to what will be submitted for next week's issue.

Labor Day marks the beginning of the school year in many areas. Some of us are well into the swing of things, and others are just starting back, but either way, the holiday pinpoints one of the most exciting times of the year for many of us.

Jasmin throws down the glove with her response to "Any educator that buys wall maps or globes should be fired" posted at TheInfamousJ, saying, "Recently, Scott of Dangerously Irrelevant posted an image on his educational theory blog that stated "Any educator that buys wall maps or globes should be fired." It claimed that in a world of GIS and Google Earth, the wall map and globe were hurting students instead of helping them. Here's my response to that sentiment." I can just picture a squad of cheerleaders chanting LET'S! GET! FIRED! UP!

Melissa B. brings a little magic to the start of school in Medicine Man Magic posted at the scholastic scribe, saying, "You go, Clix...Thanks!" Aww, shucks, Scribey! Thanks for contributing! :D

Tom DeRosa presents 52 Teachers, 52 Lessons Project posted at I Want to Teach Forever, saying, "If you have not yet participated in this exciting community project, there are still many weeks left to fill!" You may also want to peek through other teachers' submissions for inspiration.

Sonja Stewart shares an honest struggle in A Homeschooling Guru Sends Her Kids to Public School posted at Parenting Squad. As a teacher, I found it both encouraging and inspiring!

The always-delightful Mr. B presents Becoming 3-dimensional posted at Docere Est Discere. My early experiences as a teacher are still fresh enough in my memory that I can sympathize, but he expresses himself so well that there's also a tinge of jealousy. ;) Those moments when you connect with your students are priceless.

"Consider more than just a few factors!" says Michaele Sommerville in What This Teacher Thinks About Early Starts to Kindergarten posted at Kindergarten's 3 R's: Respect, Resources, & Rants.

ms. understood looks at the (hopefully) unintended effects of the intense focus on math and reading with Social Studies: The Expendable Subject? posted at Teacher, I Don't Get It.

DrPezz presents First Day of School: The 2009 Edition posted at The Doc Is In, saying, "I hope this helps someone out there in the blogosphere. :)" DO NOT miss the link in the article! The activity is a great opener.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Republicans Bring "Classiness" To the Classroom posted at Mad Kane's Political Madness. And as a bonus, there's a poetry slam going on in the comments!

Mrs D. finds out that sometimes a situation that worries you turns out for the best in Part of a Team posted at Footsteps of Aristotle, saying, "Parent-teacher interviews made me realize I'm part of a bigger team."

Pat knows that the most successful students practice what they've learned in class. She writes about Developing a Study Plan posted at Successful Teaching, saying, "Having a study plan is important for a student's success in the classroom."

Scott Palat agrees, offering Study Tips and Learning Strategies for the New School Year posted at Colleen Palat.

teachin' suggests starting on the right foot with Positive Parent Calls posted at I'm a Dreamer.

Mrs. Chili is heading in a new direction this year, but you don't need to be worried when you've got a Manifesto reminding you of your cause, posted at A Teacher's Education.

There is quite the lively conversation going on over at Joanne Jacobs about The Speech. Go read what people are ranting talking about. (You know you wanna!)

And I'm discovering some of the differences between sophomores and seniors in SSR Minor Frustration.

Somehow I didn't receive as many List Posts as I did the last couple of weeks:

Kate Hopkins presents 15 Predictions for the Library of Tomorrow posted at Online Degree Programs.org.

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Best Higher Education Blogs posted at Online Degree Hub.

Linda Jones presents 100 Blog Posts You Should Read Before Going to Med School posted at Nursing Schools.net.

That concludes this issue. (Or, as Barnum reportedly said, "This way to the Great Egress!") Thank you so much to our contributors, and thanks readers for stopping by. I hope you all enjoyed this tour of the blogosphere as much as I did!

You can submit your blog article to the next issue of EduCarnival v2 by emailing me the direct URL of your article at uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com. Or, you can use the handy-dandy carnival submission form. Past carnivals and future scheduled editions can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:
education, teaching, educarnival v2, blog carnival.

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EduCarnival v2 - Issue 2

So it's Tuesday night and I'm struggling. I look back at the blog and my last post was on Thursday when I went home from school cuz I was so sick. And I wonder how other teachers keep up with their blogs.

I don't even have rugrats!

Today was a hard day. I did finally catch up with my grading and in the process confirmed a nagging suspicion: my journalism students are blowing off their work outside of class. They've done a fairly good job of working their little tails off during class time, but it's like, once they're out that door, all thought of work evaporates from their brains. I had students who were supposed to pick up printouts at the end of the day. Not ONE of them even showed up. *sigh* I really wanted to come home and beat the snot out of some mobs, but wouldn't you know it, WoW is down. AURGH!

And the EduCarnival is kind of sparse. I figure it's mostly my fault, because I didn't think to go back to BlogCarnival and set up a new edition, so it looked like last week's was the only one that there was going to be! Plus ... I don't know. Part of me wants to go around and comment everywhere and say HEY PLEASE HELP! and then part of me feels... I don't know... WEIRD! about doing that. Or about just including links to posts I've read and liked during the week.

teachin' presents Keep On Keepin' On: The Teacher Look posted at I'm a Dreamer. Teachin', I have a few catchphrases in addition to The Look - it's gotten to the point that my students will throw them at each other!

Pinyo presents Buy Or Rent Textbooks Online To Save Money posted at Moolanomy Personal Finance, saying, "Textbooks are necessary, but expensive. And they make terrible long-term investment. Instead of buying brand new textbooks from the Campus store, try buying them online or rent them." Our campus bookstores had a buyback program, but the amount was a pittance. I also recommend NOT buying the books until you've gone to the class a few times; you might want to see about sharing a book with a classmate.

Jen presents What Could You Do With This? posted at TheInfamousJ, saying, "This is a series of images designed to inspire lessons or lesson plans. There is a special link at the end which shows what I was able to do with the inspiration, should anyone wish to steal." But Jen, is it stealing if you give us permission?

Marco presents 7 Reasons Why Universities Should Make Textbooks Available on eBook Readers posted at Digital Book Readers.

Mathew Needleman presents Back to School Week: It’s a Marathon Not a Sprint posted at Creating Lifelong Learners. Hm. I may need to read this every week. Thanks for the reminder!

Lists:

OnlineCollege presents Universities that Offer Online Doctoral Degrees posted at Top Accredited Colleges.

Linda Jones spices things up, presenting the Top 10 College Scandals of All Time posted at Online Colleges.

Emma Taylor presents 100 Best Tips from College Admissions Counselors – Online Degree Programs.org: Top Online Degrees posted at Online Degree Programs.org.

Jake Wilkie presents 25 Free Open Courseware Classes About Alternative Medicine posted at Medicine|e-Learning.

Kate Hopkins presents Words of Wisdom: 100 Must-Read Blog Posts for Incoming Freshman posted at online classes.org.

Alvina Lopez presents 101 Ways to Go Green in College posted at Online College Reviews - College Ratings.


So help me figure out what I should do.

1) Is it kosher to include links to posts around the edusphere, even if they weren't actually sent in by the author or original host?

2) Is it kosher to go around and leave comments asking people to send a post in if I like it? or is it better to ask them to send a post that THEY like? or is it too self-promote-y all around?

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EduCarnival v2

Great news! Current buzz is that Edwonk has only retired the original Carnival of Ed temporarily. Things should be back to normal (whatever that means!) before too long.

In the meantime, click the "Continue" link below to head on through to the midway!

Katie Glennon presents Using Nature Study to Study all Areas of Science posted at Katie's Homeschool Cottage.

Mathew Needleman presents Back to School Week: Resources posted at Creating Lifelong Learners.

Meaghan presents Back to School Tips to be Successful in Class posted at TutorFi.com.

Mrs D. presents Introducing Reader's Workshop posted at Footsteps of Aristotle.

Pat presents Easing Teachers' Anxieties posted at Successful Teaching.

Eric presents Classroom (Physical & File) Organization (& Management) posted at Homeroom Teacher.

ms. understood presents The Light of Communication posted at Teacher, I Don't Get It.

Barbra Sundquist presents Do You Need to Get Angry Before Anyone Listens? posted at Barbra Sundquist.

Dominic Joseph presents Credit Cards for College Students: A credit card review for first timers posted at MadHubber.

Tom DeRosa presents Are You a Teacherpreneur? posted at I Want to Teach Forever.

And submitted humbly for your entertainment(?), Clicketykeys (that's me!) presents Hopes for next year posted here at Epic Adventures Are Often Uncomfortable.

List Posts:

Alvina Lopez presents 100 Essential Tips & Tools for Writers of the Future posted at Associate Degree Blog.

Barbara Williams presents 101 Tools to Learn ANY Foreign Language for Free posted at Online College.org.

Kate Hopkins presents Top 100 Twitterers in Academia posted at Online Schools.

Emma Taylor presents 100 Twitter Feeds That Teach You History posted at Associate Degree Blog.

Barbara Williams presents 100 Blog Posts You Should Read Before Going to Nursing School posted at RN Central.

Barbara Williams presents 100 Best Websites for Free Homework Help posted at Online Courses.org.

Allison Johanson presents 25 Excellent Social Media Sites for Teachers posted at Top Online University Reviews.

Anne Simone presents 100 Terrific Twitter Feeds for Teaching Advice posted at Online Universities.com.

Kate Hopkins presents 50 Great Sites for Serious, Educational Games posted at Online Colleges.

Kate Hopkins presents 100 Best Blogs for Homeschooling Moms posted at Online Education.net.

Barbara Williams presents 100 Blog Posts You Should Read Before Going to Law School posted at Online Courses.org.

Susan White presents 100 Best Blogs for New Media Students posted at Associate Degree Blog.

Linda Jones presents 50 Fantastic Bing Tricks for Students & Librarians posted at Online Colleges.

Jimmy Atkinson presents 25 Free Open Courseware Classes About Your Health posted at Medicine. Technology. Web..

Joe Dale presents Online Game Degree & Game Programming College Reviews posted at Online Game Degree Reviews.

I hope you found as much inspiring, enlightening reading as I did this week! Thank you so much to those of you who contributed. I really enjoy getting a 'tour' of the edublogosphere, and I hope that next week we'll have even more material!

Don't forget: to submit a post, email it to uncomfortableadventures (at) yahoo (dot) com or just click on this handy-dandy link!

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Call me crazy...

("You're crazy!")

But seriously, folks...

According to BlogCarnival, our favorite weekly standby, the Carnival of Education, has been discontinued. You can look through a blue bajillion past entries, all the way back to 2005, but it looks like there will be no new ones for the foreseeable future.

This seriously bums me out. :( <-- sad face! see?

The CoE was like this lovely little get-together every week where I could catch up with everybody. It's so easy to get sucked into the slipstream and just dragged along with hectic pace of planning and reviewing and teaching and scheduling and grading and professional development and memos and .... eegh! It was simply wonderful to have a professional pick-me-up in the middle of the week. The Carnival has helped me examine my principles as a teacher and stay true to them, even when it's hard to do so.

And I don't want to lose that! So while I feel a bit presumptuous about doing so, I've created a new carnival - EduCarnival v2 - to pick up where the Carnival of Education left off.

Full disclosure: I'm very nervous about this. I've only ever hosted a carnival once, so I really don't know that I'm the best person to pick up this trail. I'll do my best, of course, but I can't do much of anything without some help.

What's a carnival without articles, after all? Email me at uncomfortableadventures at yahoo dot com with a direct URL, or use this handy-dandy form to submit your article.

Since we've had a bit of a break, I'd like to start off with a "Summer Reflections" edition. Look back through your summer posts and choose your favorites. The deadline is next Monday, August 24, at 6:00 PM EST. The carnival will go live that Wednesday!

Finally, if at all possible, please let others know. The best way to have a great carnival is to have lots of people participating, so help me get the word out there!

See you soon!

PS: If you want to comment & can't, please email me (uncomfortableadventures at yahoo) or tweet? (Clix)

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Skypechat with... ?

I haven't used it often, but Skype is a pretty handy-dandy little tool. Since I've incorporated self-selected reading, I'd love to be able to have the class actually talk with some of the authors whose works they've enjoyed.

The problem is, I don't really have a plan beyond that. I want the experience to be meaningful for the students, but I'm not sure how to do that. I have to admit, I'm kind of nervous about this because I don't feel like I know what I'm doing.

I did, however, come up with a list of authors (behind the 'Continue' link).

Scott Westerfeld
Justine Larbalestier
John Green
Suzanne Collins
Pete Hautman
Cory Doctorow
Ellen Dee Davidson
M.T. Anderson
Christopher Pike (I hear he's reclusive, but I just ADORE Master of Murder)
Allegra Goodman
Neal Shusterman
Gerald Morris
Tamora Pierce
Taylor Mali (ok, so he's a poet - still!)
Stephenie Meyer


Has anybody done something like this before? How do I make it effective, especially since not all the students will be familiar with the author's work?

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Teacher Survey

So Jason Oller posted a series of questions for teachers.

It was linked to in last week's Carnival, and I meant to do it as a Friday survey, but hey! I was on Spring Break, and I did a whole lot of nothin'.

It was pretty awesome!

So, anyway, after scrambling to get things back in gear for today, I sat down to finish answering the questions...

1. What made you decide to become a teacher? A number of factors. I enjoyed English and related electives in high school, and both of my parents were teachers, so I knew that money would be an issue, but it'd be livable. After I finished college I was less certain - I didn't change majors at all, but I was more aware of my own weaknesses. After that I slowly built up to certification, then teaching distance courses and substituting, and then I got a job. It was slow but pretty smooth, all told.

2. Why did you choose to teach what you teach? Because stories rule.

3. Was teaching your first career choice, or did you think of others? Career choice, yes. I've had other jobs, but they were just jobs. Teaching is something I care about and want to do well. Other possibilities are dance and Disney villains.

4. What is it you like most about being a teacher? There is some twisted part of me that enjoys the challenge of getting people to CHOOSE to do things they don't really want to do.

Oh! And PROM! I get to go to prom EVERY YEAR.

5. What do you dislike about being a teacher? (Excluding the beurocracy [sic]) Our substitute situation. There is a serious dearth of qualified subs in the area, mostly because the pay is crap. And we have to call our own, which - if you're sick enough to NEED a sub - is pretty miserable.

6. Do you edublog or are you a reader of edublogs? Stop by Epic Adventures Are Often Uncomfortable and have a gander at my lil' niche of the edusphere!

7. If it were up to you, what is one thing you would change in education policy? Make principals responsible for the performance of the school.

8. What do you think about Michelle Rhee? Not much.

9. Is there anything else you would like to say? Nope. Good luck with the blogging!

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Props

So, I have to give a shout-out to Stories from School for an awesome post.

You know that fairy tale about the girl who goes after her husband and has to perform the impossible tasks? Like draining a lake? oh yeah, and to do it she's given a teaspoon. With nail-holes punched in it. And they mix together different kinds of flour and she's supposed to sort them out. And she's given two skeins of wool - one white, one black - and she has to switch the colors.

But because she is so kind-hearted, she has made a hojillion little animal friends, and they tell her how to complete the tasks. Or, like the flour - the ants do that one FOR her. I think it's like that in teaching.

We don't need better pay or better professional development.

We each need a fairy godmother and an army of workaholic animal friends!

Image thanks to http://pro.corbis.com/images/

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The YARR-nival of Education!

ARRight, that might've been a divilishly bad pun, but I be the Pirate Princess this week, an' I be commandin' this here vessel, y'see? So welcome to the 214th Carnival of Education (according to EdWonks) and heave to, me hearties!

Carnival posts are behind the 'continue' link, and I did try to categorize them a little bit, although of course every post is unique! I thought about trying to be more clever and work in a script, as some hosts have done in the past, but I don't know that I'm up for that just yet, this being my very first time hosting and all.



If you haven't been by Epic Adventures before, here's a few favorite posts suggested by some readers:
- Melissa voted for Twilight, Tech Issues, and Rotten Definitions.
- TeachJ enjoyed posts about the Darn Book.
- Steve Shann suggested The Dirty Dozen.

I'm still taking nominations, so let me know what YOU think!

Cabin Boys (and Girls) - Elementary The wee tykes can be found - where else? - playing the birthday games!

Nancy Muller presents A Ton of Garden, A Tiny Space: Vegetables for the 6" Container posted at Recession Depression Therapy.

Statue of Liberty visitor presents New York attractions posted at Breeds Of Dog.

Jim Hansen presents The Lack of Male Teachers in the Elementary Schools posted at Simply Teaching.

Pat presents Opening the Door posted at Successful Teaching.

oldandrew presents Kindness and Justice posted at Scenes From The Battleground.

Paul C presents Zen and the Art of Technology Use « Scripted Spontaneity posted at Scripted Spontaneity.

Elissa presents Red Light Green Light: 9 Tips to Organizing Your Classroom posted at Miss Cal.Q.L8.

Rani presents What is Nonfiction? posted at Rayray's writing.

Mister Teacher presents The noticably less than Amazing Race posted at Learn Me Good.

Scallywags Galore - Secondary School Those who think they're too old for games have made their way to the music: fiddle, fife, and drum. An' a raucous lot they be!

SwitchedOnMom presents Bad News Coming Thick and Fast posted at The "More" Child.

IB a Math Teacher presents Photo Album posted at 3σ → Left.

Jim Van Pelt presents A Place for Strangers and Beggars - An Important Lesson for a Teacher posted at A Place for Strangers and Beggars.

Jim Van Pelt presents A Place for Strangers and Beggars - Talking Your Way Into Literary Analysis posted at A Place for Strangers and Beggars.

Jason Oller presents Teachers are Mistreated posted at Jason's Perspective.

Spanish Learner presents Using Connecting Words In Spanish posted at Learn Spanish.

Terry Holliday presents Teaching Art posted at My Creativity Blog.

Bogusia Gierus presents Genetic Algorithm Game - a great way to show the Application of Evolution to High School Students | Nucleus Learning posted at Nucleus Learning.

Jim McGuire presents Why Testing Kills Creativity posted at The Reading Workshop.

Melissa B. presents The Hardest Part of a Teacher's Job posted at The Scholastic Scribe.

The Jolly Crew - Post-Secondary At this stage o' life, 'tis all about the booty! (I couldn't resist...) The crew has taken some 'shore leave' and seems to be havin' a mighty fine time!

siobhan curious presents a capacity for connectedness posted at Siobhan Curious.

Nate Desmond presents 7 Ways to Save Money on College Transportation posted at Clever Dude.

Mark Montgomery presents Federal Reserve Bank Says Don’t Go To Community College posted at Great College Advice.

jim presents Student Credit Management Tips & Card Suggestions posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Nate Desmond presents 20 Free Online Courses from Traditional Colleges and Universities posted at Debt-free Scholar.

PicktheBrain presents 5 Fascinating Video Lectures from Academic Earth posted at Online Colleges and Universities.

Mrs. Chili presents Holding Teachers Accountable posted at A Teacher's Education.

Privateers - Homeschool These insider-outsiders always be keepin' us on our toes! They stand near the gangplank, keepin' a close eye on the proceedings, but always offer a warm welcome.

SwitchedOnMom presents Permanent Record posted at The "More" Child.

Shen-Li presents Early Childhood Education - What is the Montessori Method? posted at Babylicious.

The Royal Navy - Policy One cannot make important decisions without sustenance! Those debating the politics of education gesture with forks as they nibble their piratey cake.

Darren presents Cutting Back On Homework posted at Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher.

Dave Saba presents Part 3: What is happening to teaching jobs posted at ABCTE's Dave on Ed Blog.

Dr. Homeslice presents In Support of Educational Nationalism posted at Dr. Homeslice.

Hall Monitor presents Mom who let kids miss 100 days of school sentenced to jail posted at DetentionSlip.org.

Mathew Needleman presents Merit Pay for Teachers posted at Creating Lifelong Learners.

J.M. Holland presents Pre-K Painted Yellow posted at Inside Pre-K.

Castaways - Philosophy and Such Generous libation warms the heart and sets ideas to flowin'. These folks might know why the rum is gone, as they sit out on the deck and discuss the whys and wherefores of teaching - and life.

Dr. Homeslice presents In Support of Educational Nationalism posted at Dr. Homeslice.

tweenteacher presents A teacher's duty? posted at tweenteacher.com.

Nancy Flanagan presents Bowl On, Kolan! posted at Teacher in a Strange Land.

Erika Collin presents 100 Tips, Apps, and Resources for Teachers on Twitter posted at Online College Degree.

Larry Ferlazzo presents What Do Pit Bulls & Cockroaches Have To Do With Learning & Teaching? | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... posted at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day....

Marcy Webb presents Bedside Manner posted at Pensamientos.

If you have a recent post related to the field of education that should have been included, let me know by 7 PM EST tonight and I will try to add your link! Same goes if I've somehow mis-categorized your post. Let me know today and I'll get it taken care of ASAP!

Thanks so much to everyone who comes by, and a special thank-you to everyone who participated! Your presence counts as presents in my book!

I still don't see anyone listed here for next week's carnival. Email the Edwonk at owlshome (at) earthlink (dot) net to host!

Ship image thanks to http://www.partydomain.co.uk/

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Blog Audit: Header/Layout

This is how I spend a "lazy" weekend - tinkering with what should go above the fold and how wide my gutters are and should I move both my sidebars to the right?

Don't know how I feel about the new header. (The old one can be seen here.)

I'm debating whether or not I want to tighten things up a bit.

Right now as I look at things everything seems to be 'floating' a bit too much. Part of it is - how much of this is for me, and how much is for my readers? I know I need to clean out my link sets - but, for example, do I take out one of the forums because it focuses almost exclusively on elementary? Some readers might find it useful, but it's like... *I* never go there. It's not that there's anything WRONG with the site; it's just not something that's useful to me.

I want to go through and clean up my taglist. I've started using tags, but somewhat haphazardly. I want to make them more of a useful tool and less of an afterthought. It'll make it easier to review what I've written in general, and to see patterns in my writing and in what I'm reflecting on. I think it'll make my reflections more effective - I'll be able to SEE if I'm spending most of my thinking-time focusing on certain issues and possibly neglecting other areas. And it'll help me spot which issues have given me the most trouble.

I've also rearranged some of my widgets on the right sidebar. I like featuring the recent comments (when the script runs correctly). It encourages conversation, which is one of my favorite parts of blogging. Plus it also adds more text above the fold - right now I feel a bit image-heavy.

We'll see how it goes!

Image thanks to http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdiazdeleon

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Blog Audit: Help?

Okay. One thing I've been meaning to do for AWHILE is a blog audit. I want to identify the posts that are the most helpful/useful/interesting/entertaining to my readers.

But it feels a bit presumptuous - even arrogant - to just guess at what people have liked. If I didn't think it was interesting (at least a little bit) I wouldn't have written about it! And just counting the number of hits isn't going to be much better than choosing the posts myself; posts that I sent in for the Carnival obviously got more attention.

So I'm asking you what you think.

Behind the cut, in reverse chronological order, are some of the posts that have generated a bit of discussion (based on the number of comments).

03.05.09 - Fools Rush In (Struggles with Writer's Workshop)
03.03.09 - The Dirty Dozen (What I really teach)
02.02.09 - My Stand (Canon vs Choice)
12.15.08 - Objectionable Themes in Twilight
11.10.08 - Demotivated (What do you do when nothing seems to work?)
08.26.08 - Blih (Expectations for myself; expectations of students)
08.14.08 - TALT: ABBA (Because deep down, EVERY ONE of us is a "Dancing Queen!")
08.05.08 - Five Things Education Policy Makers Should Know
07.24.08 - Issues with Technology Integration (Why it's not always Full Steam Ahead)
07.23.08 - Easier Said Than Done (Yearbook camp)
07.19.08 - Flamingo Fun (Why my department rocks!)
07.01.08 - Language Arts Jargon (Why do we have to make things even more difficult?!)
04.14.08 - Participation and Standards-Based Grading
03.19.08 - Odyssey Unit (Some great ideas in the comments!)
12.13.07 - Logic (I thought this was quite clever!!)
08.23.07 - Questions for the Brilliant (about class blogs and grading)
07.30.07 - Grateful (I need to do this more often!!)
06.23.07 - Shakespeare Question (One of my earliest pieces, and it's looking at The Canon! Clearly this is an issue that's not going to go away)


So, Adventurers, your quest is to skim over that list and let me know which two or three of those would get your vote to be included as a "Favorite Post." I'll probably also link to some of them in Wednesday's Carnival.

Image thanks to http://www.ucicom.org

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Carnival time! ALREADY?

Nooo... not yet... but it soon will be! Put your thinking caps on and sharpen your pencils - or, well, clean the crumbs out of your keyboards - because Epic Adventures is the next stop for the Carnival of Education!

That's right, Adventurers, I'm about to do something both exhilarating and terrifying: I'm hosting next week's Carnival! It is going to be a celebration BAR NONE.

And just what are we celebrating, you might ask? Well I'll TELL ya: we are gonna celebrate the DARN BOOK being DONE. (Because it will be. I will finish the book this weekend if it KILLS ME. Of course, if it kills me, I probably won't host the carnival... but I'll give my passwords to the Hunk, and he'll let you know.)

But wait!

THERE'S MORE...

This week was supposedly the Spring Break edition, so I can't use that - even though I've still got TWO MORE WEEKS after this one before I get to go on break!

It isn't a nice, round number. I'm not even sure whether it's #216, #207, or #178. I may have to go back and count. (Yikes!)

Oh no, Adventurers. It's something much more silly than that.

Next week is MY BIRTHDAY!

There will be kazoos and party hats and origami and dunking for apples and charades! And maybe a pinata (I can't figure out how to get a tilde in HTML).

I was thinking about a theme...



... but then I figured the guys might feel left out, so I figured that instead, I'd go with PIRATES!

So stop in next Wednesday for lots of Pirate-Birthday-Education-Carnival-ish goodness!

And don't forget to submit your post to be included!

Also, as you can see here, there is NO ONE signed up for the carnival after mine! Don't put the Bearded Lady and the World's Strongest Man out of a job, yo. Email EdWonk at owlshome@earthlink.net and SPREAD THE JOY!

Image thanks to http://www.flickr.com/photos/10thavenue/

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