Welcome to the continuation - PowerPoint Presentation

Welcome to the continuation of Ernie’s Blog in a more condensed format for the month of October, 2017. Table of Contents by Date The purpose of this blog is to provide a commentary in essays, visual organizers and poems on topics of interest that stem from the courses I teach at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). I hope that current students and reviewers of this blog can stay current on what I have to say on topics of mutual interest. I consider this outlet to be one of the main ways I can share my creative work with others. i 01: The Collective Writings (so far) of Rick Wormeli02: Tom Petty Died Today03: The Good Doctor04: A Pause in Time05: Each Student is One of a Kind06: A Toast For All Occasions07: A Singer Extraordinaire08: An Individualized Ernie Plan09: Providing the Background Music10: Typical Feedback … Student Engagement11: My Current Office Door12: Elements of Inclusive Practices13: The Art and Science of Teaching14: TOM PETTY15: The Poetry of Dr. Ronald Ferguson16: Two Insights Into the Problem Solving Process17: Magpie Murders18: Mindfulness at Norfeldt Elementary School19: I Have a List of Things to Do20: Chris Rosati21: Communitas EST Winter 201722: Good Reads23: People Who Irritate Us24: The Spirit … of Person-Centered Planning25: Delicious Ambiguity26: Book Recommendations From Not That Long Ago27: Being the Best28: Enhancing Proper Hallway Behavior29: I’m Determined30: Focus on Abilities: Three Video Clips31: SCRABBLE and Teaching Analogy Halloween: veggie dog and hot dog aka Poppy and Leo.

The Collected Writings (so far) of Rick Wormeli I would like to put a plug in for a book that is on my iPad to which I refer frequently as I teach my courses.  Rick Wormeli puts into words what I believe to be true and does so in an eloquent manner.  I also use some of his YouTube video clips to influence the formation of values in teacher candidates about their role in supporting students under their guidance.   Here is a sampling of what I share with my students: Formative and Summative Assessment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJxFXjfB_B4 Standards-Based Gradinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-QF9Q4gxVMRedos, Retakes and Do Overshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM-3PFfIfvI0110/01/17Tom Petty Died Today“It’s shocking, crushing news,” legendary songwriter Bob Dylan, a close Petty friend and colleague, told Rolling Stone magazine. “I thought the world of Tom. He was great performer, full of the light, a friend, and I’ll never forget him.”The Traveling Wilburys are down to Two."I Won't Back Down" is the first single from Tom Petty's first solo album, Full Moon Fever released in 1989. The song was written by Petty and Jeff Lynne, his writing partner for the album. [Wikipedia entry]  I'm going to play this song prior to my next class in tribute to Tom Petty. [ELP] “ I learned so much from Bob Dylan,” says Tom Petty. The Heartbreakers toured as Dylan’s backing band from 1986 to 87. “He gave us a kind of courage that we never had, to learn something quickly and go out on stage and play it. You had to be pretty versatile because arrangements could change, keys might change, there’s just no way of knowing exactly what he wants to do each night. You really learnt the value of spontaneity, of how a moment that is real in a concert is worth so much more than one you plan out.”     http:// www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/9334082/Tom-Pettys-debt-to-Bob-Dylan.html Emmy Lou Harris, Dave Matthews, Patty Griffin and Steve Earle paid tribute to Tom Petty with an acoustic version of Refugee in Seattle on October 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6G7smsItQg&t=2s  10/02/17

The Good Doctor I watched the premiere of ”The Good Doctor" tonight and wondered about the receptivity of this portrayal of a professional on the autism spectrum by individuals who live with autism.  One source I reviewed had some interesting comments and may be worth viewing [ http://www.680news.com/2017/10/05/autistic-characters-lead-tvs-good-doctor-and-atypical-but-are-they-realistic/].  I thought this show was a better introduction to the world of autism than Rain Man from many years ago.  It must be extremely difficult to entertain yet be educational at the same time.  Born This Way [A & E] has managed to provide viewers with glimpses into the world of individuals with Down syndrome.  This format seems to work and documents the day-to-day experiences that mirror those of individuals without disabilities in a thoughtful, respectful manner.   02 10/03/17 A Pause in TimeWhen is the time to do what's right?How do I know what's in my sightIs worth my effort, my direction and focus?Who lets me know?  Where is my locusof control - influence - guidance and pullTo let me know when my dream is fullOf wonder, at any age, for me to seeWhat's looming right straight in front of me?Usually, our paths take us from there to hereAnd all that we need is standing quite nearFor what to do next - what plan does existFor our energies to flow and even persistIn what we next need to do and say.This pause was a welcome one as I continue my day.10/04/17

Each Student Is One of a KindWhat's the important stuff on which to dwell? What wisdom for my students can I tell What's important to impart today?What will my students take from what I have to say? What difference does it make? What worth will they takeFrom all that I know And sift that down to showThem to be guides for learning howTo be respectful, kind, honest and true?That's what's important to know and do.Help each student find and shareTheir gifts for all so that their teacher can careEnough for each person to shineAnd discover how each one can be a one of a kind.0310/05/17A Toast For All Occasions10/06/17

A Singer ExtraordinaireSometimes a song will get stuck in my head From a singer who only recently is dead.He died on October second I've been listening to his tunes that beckonTo me on my daily treadmill walk.His death, said Dylan, was quite a shock. Many musicians are honoring him this week With cover songs that do speakTo them as they sing with a frown Refugee - Free Falling - and I Won't Back Down.I had not listened to his lesser known songsBut I have this week and know that he belongsAmong the best that there has ever beenNo one will ever come our way againWith his exact talent and fameA Singer Extraordinaire - Tom Petty is his name.0410/07/17An Individualized Ernie Plan All students you seeShould have their very own IEP!My own Individualized Ernie PlanCould lay out my dream and goals that I canBe supported to achieve and growAs only I can know.School is not about memorizing facts. School is a place to have fun and relax And learn to find what we need to share With others - our gifts - so that we dare To expand ourselves in a separate, unique way; No two students have the same needs each day. Happiness to me is to find that path That speaks to each of us - it could even be Math. But, it could also be reading about historyOr painting, or music or exploring a mystery.Individualize the way each person can learn. Be creative and help each student yearn For what no one else may want to seek. Each student is a wonder - each student is unique. How do we get there?  When can we see That learning should be joyful for you and for me? 10/08/17

Providing the Background Music Here is one interpretation of the visual above. Our students all have gifts and talents that are often not known or acknowledged by others due to that student's disability getting in the way.  One of our roles in a student's life is to provide supports so that their strengths / gifts / competencies are more readily evident to others.  We provide the background for others to recognize our students' gifts.  I used "VERSE" in the visual above, since this blog is one way of bringing my interest and talent in writing verse to the attention of my students and others interested in my work . 05 10/09/17 To further elaborate on the "background support" theme, I am reminded of a cartoon described by Saul Alinski in his autobiography.  Two women are leaving a movie theater and one ways to the other. "You know what's wrong with everyday life, Sadie?" "What?", says Sadie.  "There's no background music!"  During some of my classes I talk about watching a show on PBS about the music of John Williams when he described how music helps set the tone for a scene.  For about 20 seconds, the viewer sees alternate pictures of a boat and water.  This exchange occurs about five times.  It looks rather boring.  Then, you view the same scenes with the familiar background music from Jaws - Dah Dum ... Dah Dum ... in an increasingly rapid manner.  When we watch movies, there is background music to heighten the experience.  In real life, there is seldom any background music within which to experience our day-to-day activities.  Using this as a metaphor, we need to provide the background music to help welcome individuals with disabilities into schools and other community settings.  This background music occurs through the way we support others, the respect we show all our students and the attitudes we bring to our work.

Typical Feedback Upon Reading Student EngagementIn one course in which I am the facilitator of learning, I provide feedback typical to what I wrote below to one student whose work I reviewed as he reflected on his engagement with content from a chapter and resources I provided on Blackboard, which is a course management system accessed by students enrolled in the course. I think it's daunting when teachers think they have to be the primary providers of information for all learners.  I think we are evolving into a "teacher as facilitator of learning" instead of the "teacher as primary instructor" of learning.  There are people in our communities who are experts in many, many fields who can be part of the instructional process, let alone the resources on line. I am a strong proponent that there is always too much to learn.  Picking a key concept or element on which to delve more deeply is, to me, a far better way to approach learning.  Learning about a topic is a life-long task that is never ending. Composing a resume is difficult when trying to determine what a prospective employer is looking for.  In teaching, I have found that "Who Knows You" is a far greater factor to employment than what one has on his/her resume.  That is, volunteering at a school where you seek employment tends to bring you to the visibility of the principal.  I find that many schools hire those teacher candidates who have been at that school for much of their field experiences. I think the life story [biography] of Stephen Hawking should be on my reading queue next.  I'll check that out on iBooks.0610/10/17My Current Office Door10/11/17

Elements of Inclusive Practices Based on my readings and experiences, the eight key elements for successful inclusive experiences for students with disabilities with their same age peers without disabilities are contained in the diagram below.  The arrows represent a spinning motion of how these elements are always in motion and interacting with each other in a synergistic manner.  Lack of commitment or focus in any element can skew the probability of success in a substantial manner . 07 10/12/17 That Art and Science of TeachingI was listening to an ex-football player who was providing a commentary on a sports show and he talked about the science and art of playing football. He said that during the week, a good player will study the science of his craft and fine-tune his skills in areas that will address the next week's opponent's strengths & weaknesses.  However, on game day, he practices the art of playing football by spontaneously reacting to what the opposing player does in an improvisation manner relying on his skills and instinct.  I believe much the same can be said about teaching.  Searching for evidence-based practices among one's strategies for teaching is a must for effective teaching.  However, the minute you are one-on-one with a student or large group, the excellent teacher adjusts his/her techniques depending on the immediate receptivity of the student(s).  A teacher is never through learning how to be a more effective teacher.  However, the experiences of everyday teaching require the teacher to use his/her skills in an ever changing way.10/13/17

08 10/13/17 TOM PETTY Below is my acrostic tribute to the connection between Tom Petty and Bob Dylan : 10/14/17(continued}Along this same theme, I continue to believe that teachers need to be well versed in the art of improvisation. The example I often use was related to me by John McKnight in a seminar I attended over 20 years ago.  He said that when you go to the orchestra and expect to hear Vivaldi's Four Seasons, you enter a world in which order and movement are arranged by a conductor and you hear what you expect based on your knowledge or previous recordings of Four Seasons.  The musicians are very skilled and the conductor is bringing an enhanced quality to the arrangement.  However, if you enter an after-hours jazz club in Chicago at a time when several musicians are returning from other clubs where they have recently performed, you still hear wonderful music and beautiful arrangements but in a totally different context.  The musicians are all accomplished but they are feeding off one another and playing what it feels right to play at that time.  Who is feeling the music more that night?  Who has a need to take the lead? Who will do something they have never done before because they are in the presence of a totally new experience?  This is improvisation.  Teachers need to practice this art to be better able to react to unexpected and novel circumstances brought about by students with a wide range of learning needs.

The Poetry of Dr. Ronald F. FergusonMore than 12 years ago, I had the occasion to listen to Ron Ferguson as he described the Tripod approach to the learning process for urban youth.  At the end of his presentation he recited a poem, Transformation, from a group of poems he had written.  I requested a copy of his poems and he sent them to me.  I don't feel comfortable linking those poems to my own PDF [without his permission] so I'll link to a site online where I located his "Flock of Poems."  I have gone back to his websites several times and find his work to be exactly what is needed for all of teaching.  It would be well worth your while to learn about this wise researcher. http://www.center-school.org/downloads/PoemsForTeachers.pdfhttps://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/ronald-ferguson  09 10/15/17 Two Insights Into the Problem Solving ProcessI made an interesting observation several years ago to share with you today.  I was working on an acrostic puzzle in which clues are provided that require a specific response to write in designated spaces on the puzzle.  I was stumped.  I decided to get some help from a website by search with a key word and seeing if I could locate some information relative to one of the clues.  The clue was "60's rockers of 'You Really Got Me' (2 words" and it had to fit into eight spaces.  I could hear parts of the song n my head and felt I could almost come up with the right response.  As my search was kicking in, I suddenly realized the answer: "The Kinks."  I verified my guess by putting in the title of the song and the first hit that came up mentioned The Kinks.  Later on that evening, I was again stumped and didn't know the answers to any of the remaining clues.  As I was about to look up some information my eyes scanned other clues and I saw "seed-bearing organ of a flower" for six letters. I suddenly thought of "pistil" and went to look it up in the dictionary, which verified my original guess was correct.  After these two incidents, I arrived at the following conclusion: Sometimes, when I am struggling with a response to given clues, when I am closer to a solution from an authoritative sources, I sometimes figure it out myself, just before needing the authority's advice.10/16/17

10 Magpie Murders I recently completed reading the Magpie Murders, a mystery, who done it, book for pleasure.  Then, I started from the beginning to read it again - - - only more slowly and to focus on the literary skill with which Anthony Horowitz constructs the unusual plots to this book.  Below are my initial quotes that caught my attention without giving away anything from the story line for any reader of this blog who may want to read this excellently written book.  I will continue to add additional quotes for the rest of this month in this space, as well. There’s something quite comforting about a mess, especially when there’s no one else there to complain. But, I’m not sure it actually matters what we read.  Our lives continue along the straight lines that have been set out for us.  Fiction merely allows us a glimpse of the alternative.  Maybe that’s one of the reasons we enjoy it. … plumbing in the house was at least fifty years old and complained loudly every time it was pressed into service, …...putting a steel lid on all her emotions so that only a cold veneer of politeness showed through.10/17/1710/16/17(continued}As part of a daylong in-service on working together as team members, I introduced a crossword puzzle type of activity during one group activity.  During the time that each group worked on solving the puzzle, I recorded notes on the different strategies team members employed to try to solve some of the clues.  As they used different strategies, I wrote them down on a large wall chart paper as generic statements.  For example, one of the team members recited one of the clues aloud - "Robert E. Lee's horse."  Just about that time, a secretary was coming into the room for a cup of coffee and said, "Traveler."  I then wrote down the following statement:  Sometimes, the answers to your challenges come from people you know who are not current members of your team.

11 10/17/17 (continued} He never used the tube train, disliking the presence of so many people in close proximity; so many dreams, fears, resentments jumbled together in the darkness.  He found it overpowering. Rumours and malicious gossip are like bindweed. They cannot be cut back, even with the sword of truth.Clarissa sipped her sherry.  It clung to her lip as if reluctant to enter her mouth.The index and third fingers of his right hand were permanently stained - like old piano keys.... was keen to be on his way.  He was holding his bicycle as if it were an animal, straining at the leash.How it is the small lies and evasions which nobody sees or detects but which can come together and smother you like the fumes in a house fire.But he was a man without a shadow - or perhaps a shadow without a man.  He was both as prominent and as unremarkable as the weather vane on the steeple of St. Botolph's.... had a strange, slightly unsavoury quality; a sense of some secret that he was refusing to share.He was in his late fifties but looked much older, worn out by a struggle that he had actually lost a long time ago.

Mindfulness at Norfeldt Elementary School Today, Jim Malley was a guest presenter in one of my courses and his topic was mindfulness as a key ingredient in the social and emotional well being of students.  At the conclusion of his talk he shared a brief video clip of a school in West Hartford, CT, which practices mindfulness on a school-wide basis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL9ZJWuaDT0 I Have a List of Things to Do I have a list of things to do It grows and grows to 42And I realize it doesn't really matterWhat I choose next but ratherThe act of paying attention to each specific oneWhether it ever really gets doneIs not the point - I have come to realize,But how I engage and synthesizeMy attitude and demeanor through each taskAnd when I'm through I get to askHow did this contribute to my over all well being?How am I getting closer to seeingTruths that all around me resideIn the little things that I take in strideAs part of my daily routine?A quality of life results when I cleanMy head of must do this - must do that,So I'll write some verse to find where I'm at!1210/18/17 Chis Rosati I watched a heartwarming, uplifting segment on the CBS news tonight about Chris Rosati .  I'm not sure how long this link will be active but his life's commitment to make people happy needs to be shared with as many people as possible, especially in this current age of cynicism and threats to the values of kindness and caring. https ://www.cbsnews.com/news/remembering-chris-rosati-who-spread-happiness-while-battling-als / Communitas EST Winter 2017In my 20+ years of contact with Communitas , Inc. I have maintained a friendship with George Ducharme , Pat Beeman and Bev Jackson.  The newsletter is my third contribution to this publication.  I appreciate this opportunity to share some of my thoughts and reflections that have appeared elsewhere in this blog . [See newsletter as a separate entry below the link for October 2017 blog.] 10/20/17 10/19/17 10/21/17

Good ReadsIn the spirit of sharing excellent books, I am listing a few of the fiction / non-fiction books that are memorable from my recent readings. Nonfiction: Far From the Tree by Andrew SolomonBeyond the Miracle Worker: The Remarkable Life of Anne Sullivan Macy and her Extraordinary Friendship with Helen Keller by Kim NielsenLife Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism by Ron SuskindHelping Children Succeed by Paul ToughThe Collected Writings (So Far) of Rick Wormeli: Crazy Good Stuff I've Learned About Teaching by Rick WormeliCreative Schools by Sir Ken RobinsonFiction:All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony DoerrThe Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova Magpie Murders by Anthony HorowitzJackaby by William RitterBeastly Bones by William RitterGhostly Echoes by William RitterThe Dire King by William RitterA Man Called Ove by Fredrik BackmanMy Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman Britt-Marie Was Here   by Fredrik Backman Bear Town by Fredrik Backman13 10/22/17 People Who Irritate Us On the university list serve, there have been some frustrations with the way in which some individuals choose to express thoughts and opinions that bother others.  As I developed the list of traits and characteristics below, I had one such person in mind and wondered how many such individuals the reader of this blog knows who might fit each and every item on the list. ____ is irritating, at times ____ is frustrating to read ____ can be crass ____ can be funny ____ is often satirical ____ reminds us of parts of ourselves that we don’t like ____ is an enigma ____ is visible ____ can be complimentary ____ can be snide ____ can be hurting ____ hurts ____ does not filter statements ____ often puts others down ____ sometimes lifts people up ____ has something to say about anything ____ strikes a nerve ____ is a paradox ____ is necessary 10/23/17

The Spirit and Language of Person-Centered PlanningIn this entry, I have included the slides from a presentation from my files on the topic of Person-Centered Planning.  This process enables individuals and their family members to become empowered in expressing their dreams for the future and the direction that the educational supports and services should take. 14 10/24/17

15 10/24/17 (continued} Delicious Ambiguity I like the quote below and it is my understanding it is by Gilda Radner who wrote this as she was in the dying stages of cancer.  However, it can be a message with broader appeal, as well.  Circumstances happen as we teach our students the lie outside of our control and sphere of influence.  Unpredictable events will occur - - frequently.  Ambiguity exists.  Contradictions and paradox exist.  Uncertainty exists. Rules that don't make sense exist. How am I going to be a healthy individual and live within the context of this "stuff"?I wanted a perfect ending ...Now, I've learned the hard waythat some poems don't rhyme andsome stories don't have a clearbeginning, middle and end.Life is about not knowing,having to change, taking themoment and making the best of it,without knowing what's going to happen next.DELICIOUS  AMBIGUITY 10/25/17

Book Recommendations From Not That Long AgoThis list of books connects to my entry of 10/22/17 and relates to influential books that I provided to my students in 2002.  I think that readers of this current entry might also benefit by considering one or more of these books on their current reading queue. Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation  by Jonathan KozolArgument Culture (The)  by Deborah Tannen Coming of Age: The Story of Our Century by Those Who've Lived It  by Studs TerkelCreating Community Anywhere: Find Support and Connection in a Fragmented World by Carolyn R. Shaffer & Kristin AnundsenDays of Grace: A Memoir by Arthur AsheDiscipline of Hope (The): Learning from a Lifetime of Teaching by Herbert KohlIf It Weren't For the Honor I'd Rather Have Walked: Previously Untold Tales of the Journey to the ADA by Jan LittleLearning to Listen: Positive Approaches and People with Difficult Behavior by Herbert LovettMoving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence by John HockenberryRemembering the Soul of Our Work: Stories by the Staff of Options in Community Living edited by John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'BrienThere Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America by Alex Kotlowitz16 10/26/17 Being the Best In one of my tributes to Bob Blue, I composed a children's song in his honor: Someone may do things better than you. It doesn’t mean not to try your best. Someone may do things better than you.You can be different than all the rest.Champions will not be champions forever. A new one always takes their place.Champions will not be champions forever You have to run your very own race . Everyone makes mistakes each day Pick yourself up each time you fall. Everyone makes mistakes each day You are just human after all. Being different is really OK Even when we just want to be normal. Being different is really OK To our dog, our cat or even our gerbil. No one looks the same as you. You’re as different as different can be. No one looks the same as you. You are you - - - and I am me. Be the best that you can be And things will turn out in the end. Be the best that you can be And sing this song once again. 10/27/17