The Education Companion Newsletter - October 1999 Issue No. 6

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============================================================

October 1999   Issue #7
============================================================
This is the companion newsletter to Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational
Voyage
Janet Young, Newsletter Developer, Editor and Co-Author
Subscribe: http://educationcompanion.listbot.com/
Archives: http://www.fortunecity.com/millenium/garston/49/archives.html
============================================================

==== IN THIS "EDUCATION COMPANION" NEWSLETTER ==========

+ Welcome Message / Announcements
~ Janet R. Young

+ Mrs. Young's "New Pages On..."
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
UNITED NATIONS
HALLOWEEN

+ The Education Companion Survey
~ Last month's poll results
~ The June poll: Summer Homework

+ CONTENT AREAS --- Current trends, opinions, tips, etc.

~ Janet R. Young's: The Editor's View ~
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS- UNSUNG HEROES

~ Dr. Robert Kizlik's Teacher Education 101 ~
TEACHER EDUCATION STANDARDS

~ Tammy Bailis' Senior School Musings ~
NEW SEASON - MATH WELCOME

~ Life is One Big Classroom with Joan Berger ~
I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD......

~ Technically Speaking with Kathleen A. Catapano ~
CHANGING THE WAY WE TEACH...

~ Including the Physically Challenged With Sheila Estes ~
THE JOY OF MUSIC

~ Steve McCarty's East-West Perspectives from Japan ~
   "THE WOMAN DIVER":
   DISCOVERING EAST ASIAN VALUES IN A BUDDHIST
   FOLKTALE

~ Audrey Ciuffo's Library Connection ~
BOOKS TO HOWL ABOUT

+ Call for Ideas

==== WELCOME MESSAGE / ANNOUNCEMENTS =======================

Welcome to the September issue of The Education Companion.

IN THIS ISSUE:
Our Editor, Janet R. Young starts off with a copy of a post she made in
support for classroom Educational Assistants. Tammy Bailis shows us how
she brings the music of math to life in the classroom in "New Season -
Math Welcome." The music plays on in Sheila Estes' series on inclusion,
in her article on "The Joy of Music" in her son's class. Dr. Robert
Kizlik discusses the importance of "Standards in Teacher Education." On
the same track, is Kathleen A. Catapano's column on ensuring that new
teachers will be able to implement technology in their classrooms. We are
delighted by a "lofty" article by Joan Berger on a fantastic weather
project, in "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud..."   We are treated to a
wonderful cross-cultural [Buddhist] folktale lesson by Professor Steve
McCarty. Bring your students to a frenzy of October reading with ideas
from Audrey Ciuffo's offering of "Books to Howl About!"

~Janet R. Young (AKA: Mrs. Young)

>>>Feel free to forward this to friends and colleagues, if copied in its
ENTIRETY.<<<

==== TEAM MEMBER UPDATE ====================================

~ Congratulations to Bonnie Bracey on her recent move to her new home.

==== WEB SITE REACTIONS ====================================

~ Web Site Productivity Survey ~
Take a few minutes to share your needs regarding this web site.
AOL USERS PLEASE NOTE! Just send a plain old-fashioned
email to mailto:mrsy@jrydevelopment.com . Your forms DO NOT
get sent to me. When you fill out the form, all AOL send is
a blank email. Just start with the plain E-mail and give
me a few sentences telling me how to better meet your needs. Offer
article topic ideas to our Education Companion authors. Be heard!
http://www.fortunecity.com/millenium/garston/49/survey.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"THE EDUCATION COMPANION SURVEY!"

THE RESULTS OF THE LAST POLL

THE QUESTION WAS:
Do you feel that teachers and students benefit from teachers "getting the
scoop" on next term's students from their previous teachers?

POLL RESULTS:

The votes were 50/50 of whether teacher should "get the scoop" on incoming
students!

- - -
[ED. NOTE] None of the pollsters who voted provided comments to post.
If you have an opinion you would like
posted, indicate it at the top your "Poll Vote" message.
Make sure that you state 'how' you want your comments
signed.

>>>END<<<

----------------------------
THE "October Poll!"
----------------------------

As school gets back into full swing, many classrooms are staffed with two
adults, a Teacher and an Educational Assistant. This issue came to the
forefront via a posting on another list to which I replied. My reply in
below in this newsletter. Do you feel it is necessary to have an extra
person in the classroom?

What do you think?

Here are two camps.

1: Yes, I think it is money well spent to have two adults in the
classroom. An Educational Assistant can provide individualized assistance
to students who need extra help. An Assistant can perform clerical
duties, which free up the teacher to work more with the students. Having
an extra pair of hands and eyes in a classroom, offer the opportunity to
better assess student performance and needs.

2: No, I think it is a waste of money to have an Educational Assistant in
the classroom. One salary is enough. If a teacher is truly qualified,
then they should not need another person in the room to help them.

How do you feel about this?

Do you believe that it is desirable to have an Educational Assistant in
the classroom with a Teacher?
Share your opinion now!

I will post relevant list member ideas on the next issue.
I do prefer to share opposing views.   However, in order to
do this, folks need to share their comments in addition to
just voting on the current poll.

If you want your comments posted here follow this procedure:

-->Be sure to include a short signature tag to follow your comments. This
can include your name, location, organization/company and other
information you feel would
make you accessible to others who may want to exchange ideas
with you personally.   Do not put any information you want
private (like an email address or unlisted phone number!) I
will not post any comments that are abusive, contain
expletives or are not of a "G" quality. We all know what
that means...   I will also email you back to confirm that
you want your comment posted.

To vote YES- I agree, it is valuable to have an Educational Assistant in
the classroom with the teacher, go here:
E-mail: mrsy@jrydevelopment.com?subject=Oct_YES

To vote NO- I disagree, it is NOT valuable to have an Educational
Assistant in the classroom with the teacher, click here:
E-mail: mrsy@jrydevelopment.com?subject=Oct_NO

The survey results will be posted in the next issue of The
Education Companion!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

==== THE CONTENT AREAS ==================================

~ Janet R. Young's: The Editor's View ~
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS- UNSUNG HEROES

[The following is a copy of a reply I made to an administrator list
regarding a member post by a teacher who was vehemently opposed to working
with an assistant. This teacher felt that she had no time to "train"
someone to do their job, that her district's training for assistants was
ineffective, and that she can do the job herself "just fine." For
copyright and privacy concerns, I have not copied the person's post, or
listed the name. I welcome your views on it, which can be added to your
email on this month's "POLL."]

[MY POST FOLLOWS...]

I usually lurk on this list, but I have to reply to Jennifer's post. I
understand that Jennifer is uncomfortable sharing her classroom with
anyone with fewer credentials than a "certified teacher." It can be
difficult working with a partner, and a negative experience, can be hard
to put aside. Teaching the whole class, with someone else in the room
working individually with a child and talking too loudly can be a
distraction and frustration for the students and teacher. However, as an
early childhood teacher, I have to point out that one does not need to be
a "certified" teacher to provide highly valuable, effective support and
encouragement, not to mention indispensable educational contribution.
After all, someone invested a great deal of energy in his or her classroom
to train you, when you were interning as a student teacher!

Working with an Educational Assistant, like team teaching, requires a
commitment by both parties. You MUST conference together and establish
both of your functions, and how you can best both work together to
accomplish those goals. There is no "Mommy vs. Daddy," when both parties
clearly establish the ground rules. Whether you have a class of 35 or 15,
there is nothing more valuable than an extra pair of eyes and hands.
Little ones need all the help and encouragement they can get.

Working with a partner must be a sensitive and highly focused partnership.
Everyone must be on the same page. If you are working with someone who is
new, and not trained the way "you want them to step in and be trained,"
then exercise the sensitivity and organizational skills you use to help
your students, to guide your assistant along. Courtesy is a way of life.
The time and energy you put in during the first few weeks, building a
partnership, will reap benefits for the rest of the year for both your
students and you.
If you are one of the fortunate ones, you will be able to work with your
"partner" for years to come, as I have. My Educational Assistant is not a
"certified" teacher. She has gone to school over the years and earned an
Associates Degree, among other certification. Her input and advice for
students, parents and myself, is a gift I always cherish. We may not agree
on everything, but we respect each other and tag-team in the classroom
with the ease that old partners develop over time.

If you are experiencing personality conflicts, you need to address the
problem and move on. No one is perfect. We all have our own little
personality quirks. You may want to get the advice of a more senior
teacher or supervisor, on how you can better cope with your new partner. A
poor previous partnering relationship does not mean that every future one
will be as disappointing.

If your district is supportive enough to fund positions for school aides
and educational assistants, rejoice. Revel in the knowledge that you can
team up with someone who has the same goals as you- to help the children!
We all started as newbies, regardless of our title. No one comes out of
college and steps into the classroom as "Perfect Teacher." All of us
struggled, made mistakes, and grew. We got help from others along the way.
Admittedly, there are times, when it is apparent that an assistant or
teacher made a poor career choice. That they are not cut out to hold those
positions. Then changes need to be made. This is, to my experience, not
the rule, but the exception.

Since (Person X) does not have an assistant right now, she can run things
without having to share her energies with an assistant. Just bear in
mind, that working with anyone, a student, a parent, Educational Assistant
or Team Teacher, requires solid planning and commitment from all parties
for an effective end.

The following links offer more on this subject:

Inclusion: The MESH Manual for Inclusive Schools: Teamwork
http://www.newhorizons.org/spneeds_meshteam.html
The outline here is generic to all, not just the intended audience. This
spells out organization clearly.   Conferencing forms and additional
materials are free to print!

Collaboration, Team Work, and Mentoring
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/stw/sw5ment.htm

Paraeducator Support
http://www.uvm.edu/~uapvt/parasupport/index.html

Nature of the Work
http://www.claitors.com/ooh/ooh00506.htm

I hope everyone has a healthy, happy, successful year!

Janet R. Young
[END OF POST]

If anyone has thoughts to share on this, send it to:
mailto:ed_asst_article@jrydevelopment.com

Janet R. Young
Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational Voyage:
http://www.fortunecity.com/millenium/garston/49/
P.S. 161 and The Crown School for Law & Journalism
http://www.ps161.com
The Class 1-309 Home Page
http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/suede/145/index.html
Member, International Webmasters Association http://iwanet.org
Member, Webgrrls [NYC] http://www.webgrrls.com/ny/
Member of WAOE [World Association for Online Education]
http://www.waoe.org/
http://www.jrydevelopment.com
E-mail: jry@jrydevelopment.com

=======================================
~ Tammy Bailis' Senior School Musings ~
NEW SEASON - MATH WELCOME

The academic year has begun -- and now that I am not teaching in a school
anymore, I rather miss meeting a group of new students for the first time.
Therefore, I have decided to greet you, my readers, with the usual
goings-on you would have witnessed had you been a new student in my math
course.

Once they were all seated and quiet, I would ask my students: "How many of
you are completely convinced that math is difficult -- that you are not
smart enough to understand the material in this course?" I rarely had to
coax a response. Most of them thrust their hands up vigorously and grinned
at me sheepishly -- as if to say -- "She really knows where we're at!"

"That's not fair!" was my unanticipated response. "If you people walk in
here thinking that way, I haven't got half a chance of succeeding at my
mission to teach you math. Give me a break!" Invariably, they laughed.
They had never heard it put quite that way before. I then made them
promise me that they'd psyche themselves up to be smart whenever they were
coming to math class. "You won't believe how easy math can be if you just
adjust your attitude to "open" instead of "blocked". And one more thing.
Open your ears. Listen to the math words because they tell you all you
need to know."

"Next question. Who believes that math is absolutely useless in everyday
life?" A few hands went up like a shot. These folks were thoroughly
convinced that math had nothing to do with reality. I'd look at them
seriously and ask "Do you shoot pool? Do you bowl? Do you buy stuff?"
They'd answer "Yes." "Well, you need math to do all those things." Then I
really got them interested. "Do you like music?" I'd ask. "Of course,"
they'd say "but what does music have to do with math?" "Music is the sound
of math" I'd answer. And of course they'd ask "HOW?"

I would tell them a number of things. "What does the maestro do when he
wants the orchestra to start playing?" I'd ask. After a second or so,
someone would say, "he counts." "Well if he counts, he's using math, isn't
he? Another thing. You all know about Pythagoras and his theorem and that
he was a great mathematician. However, most of you don't know that
Pythagoras became a mathematician because he was a frustrated musician. He
was a composer of songs but his frustration arose from the fact that he
didn't have a language with which to express his music. He went to Egypt
to study math so he could write his music. He realized that math is the
language of music. Every note in a music score is a mathematical symbol
for a frequency and a time interval. Every rest represents a time interval
too. One who can't count or measure time, can't play music. When you look
at a word, it means something very specific to you just as when a musician
looks at a musical phrase."

This impressed most of them. However, were still a few who were
skeptical, so I told them this story. I am not only a math teacher.
Amongst many other things, I'm also a singer/songwriter, record producer.
The first time I was working on a recording project without production
help, we had a marvelous time recording the 24 tracks of drums, vocals,
guitar etc. Then, however, it was time to mix all that sound down to
2-track stereo. I had no idea what "mixing" meant. So we put the project
on hold, I took home a cassette of the music we'd recorded and went to
work trying to learn how to "mix". For 6 months, I listened to that tape
from upstairs, from downstairs, with the headphones on, with the
headphones off -- but I didn't figure out a thing.

The "Eureka Moment" came on the second day of Christmas vacation. I was
listening to the tape and trying to visualize an event that was similar to
the mixing of the sound. That's when it came to me. I had to graph my mix.
I realized that I was trying to put symmetry to the sound. Symmetry means
a graph to me -- so I got a pad of graph paper, graphed my mix, called my
recording engineer and told him to book some studio time, we were going to
mix.

In the studio, I handed the graph to my engineer and said "Mix it like
this." He did. I heard in my ears exactly what I had heard in my mind when
making the graph. Therefore, math can make you a better record producer as
well as a better bowler, shopper or pool shark.

Have a good time in math class. If you run into trouble, there's a news
group named alt.algebra.help where you can usually get good explanations
and assistance. I'm presently working with a team of people to set up a
math tutoring service online and have just completed Mathways Volume 1, a
workbook on pre-calculus math, which will be available online, hopefully
by next January. For now, it's in book form but that's about to change.

~ Tammy Bailis, Montréal, Québec BA (McGill U.)
Masters in Teaching Mathematics (Concordia U.)
Author:
- Mathways, Volume 1: covering pre-calculus Algebra,    Euclidean
Geometry and Analytic Geometry.
- Sinostrology: A Guide to the Zoo (published 1998 by The American
Federation of Astrologers); (French version published 1990 by les Editions
de Mortagne)
E-mail: piglet@vif.com

=======================================
~ Including the Physically Handicapped with Sheila Estes ~
THE JOY OF MUSIC

It is hard to realize that it is time for the first grade
cards to be issued. As the parent of a high school Senior,
the time seems to be flying.

Nate is doing well this year with his classes and has some
very companionable aides. He has joined a couple of clubs
and is an office assistant. Despite his limited physical
abilities, he is able to deliver messages to the classrooms,
sort mail and stuff envelopes. He enjoys the camaraderie
with the staff and other assistants.

He continues in band with a very understanding teacher.
Being a part of band, art or choir is just as important to
the physically challenged student as to any other. Perhaps
more so because of the inability to play sports. Nate began
by playing a B flat clarinet. We used a neck strap to aide
in holding the instrument. As his muscle strength
deteriorated, the school loaned him an E flat clarinet which
is shorter and less heavy. He could rest it on the edge of
his wheelchair seat for better control. Although the E flat
clarinet is seldom used in this area he could play the same
music as was written for the alto sax. When the fingering
became too difficult he switched to percussion. As there are
many instruments in that section he was allowed to play a
variety. A favorite of his was the high hat cymbal. We
purchased a small electronic drum set which can set on a
small table and produce a variety of sounds. For
performances, the teacher hooks it into an amplifier and
Nate remains a contributing member of the band. This
experience has allowed him to feel he belongs to a student
group working together to produce a beautiful creation.

The first several weeks of school in the fall is the
marching season for band. During his first year of band,
Nate would play the clarinet while someone would push him in
his manual chair. After that he was in a power chair and
couldn't play and drive at the same time. He was
excused during the marching season and rejoins the group
when their competitions are over. Some bands have a "pit"
area for students unable to march. During contests they play
in a designated side area near the performing marchers.

When the concert band goes to contest the school arranges
for the handicapped needs bus to go, so Nate can attend.
Occasionally his father or I would drive him in our van or
ride the bus to assist with any of his needs.

Participating in competitions, performing with a group and
learning to create music or art is a valuable growth
experience that needs to be extended to those with limited
abilities. With a little creativity, these students can be
worthwhile additions to the group.

Sheila Estes, Greentown, Indiana USA
Writer and Guest Inspirational Speaker.
Mother, caregiver and personal slave to son with Muscular
Dystrophy
Creator and author of Mr. Leviticus, the Library Kitten.
E-mail: sher51es@netusa1.net

=======================================
~ Dr. Robert Kizlik's Teacher Education 101 ~
TEACHER EDUCATION STANDARDS

Everyone who knows anything about education eventually comes to the
realization that competent, motivated teachers
are an indispensable component of the total process.
Competence is gained in a myriad of ways, but motivation
comes from something deeper and more personal. In my career,
I have seen every combination of these two attributes. The
worst, of course, are incompetent, unmotivated teachers.
They are the poison pills that taint and besmirch the
profession. How such persons became teachers in the first
place is problematical, but it is a safe bet that many who
become a part of that two million new teacher cohort
in the next ten years will be incompetent and unmotivated.

Ah, but we have standards, you say. Nowadays there are
seemingly standards for everything, including teacher
education. At least two major organizations both share and
compete for recognition. One is the National Council for
Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the other is
the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE). Both proffer
standards for how teachers should be educated. I think the
readers of this would benefit by visiting the web site of
the ATE and looking at the standards they propose.
After reading them, ask yourself whether a competent,
motivated individual would want to "experience" all that
for a beginning salary that is often times less than the
beginning salary of a municipal sanitation worker. No
offense is intended about the relative merits of teachers
and sanitation workers, as our society needs both.

The ATE site is at:
http://www.siu.edu/departments/coe/ate/atestand.html

~ Dr. Robert Kizlik, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Associate Professor, Florida Atlantic University
Social studies, curriculum, educational technology, thinking skills
Member, Phi Delta Kappa, ASCD. Editorial Board, International Journal of
Instructional Media
Publications include articles on dropout prevention, thinking skills,
writing objectives, teacher education and the popular culture, curriculum
innovation, and using standardized test scores to predict academic success.
My web site is ADPRIMA: Serious educational tools and information.
URL: http://www.adprima.com
E mail: bobk@adprima.com

======================================

~ Life is One Big Classroom with Joan Berger ~
I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD......"

Have you ever just sat and contemplated a cloud? What images
they can conjure up! The possibilities of curriculum
involvement with clouds is monumental, and best of all, I have got one
great science activity where your students will
be assisting NASA in keeping their satellite data on track,
the CERES S'COOL Project.

This project can be used on any level with additional
teacher involvements for lower levels. You can balance what
the students handle and what you handle to make it work for
you.

There are currently three satellites orbiting the Earth,
gathering data to help analyze climate and the impact clouds
have on the changing climate and weather patterns: TRMM,
NOAA 14, and NOAA 15. Ground observations are needed to help
determine if the readings of the satellites are on target.

In the S'COOL project students coordinate their observations
within 5 minutes (or at most 15 minutes) of the satellite's
overpass. Their observations are used to validate what the
satellite is seeing and is an integral part of the research
being done by the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System
(CERES) team at NASA, Langley Research Center, located in
Hampton, VA. (The information to register for this free
project and materials is in the info that follows.)

The observations include determining cloud type by comparing
what they see with charts, (which the project will mail to
you or you can use other sources)and percentage of cloud
cover. They also need information on ground conditions: clear, dry, wet,
snow covered, etc.

The overpass time is determined by the latitude/longitude
coordinates. This is put into your database and is
automatically taken into account when you request a schedule
of passovers.

To begin the project, give your students a background about
the various aspects of weather predicting and what the
elements are that make up the weather. You will need to
teach them about temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity vs.
relative humidity, and cloud formation. Talk
about how clouds form when they exhale outside in cold
weather, or create condensation on a cold pane of glass with
their breath. Demonstrate how to create a cloud using a
cloud chamber. Then, using the chart the CERES project will
send you, learn to identify clouds by their shapes and
altitude. For relative humidity, make simple sling
psychrometers (how-to info comes in material sent by
project) from small thermometers. Teach how to read the
temperature of the dry and wet bulbs. Then, using the chart
sent in the materials, determine the relative humidity. You
can always take whatever readings you need directly from the
local weather station or Internet weather site that you
frequent if this is too cumbersome or time-consuming for
you.

Next, look over the observation report form, which is on the
website. To determine when you will observe go directly to
S'COOL homepage and select "When to Observe" and then select
"overpass calculator." It will ask for your login which is
your last name, (all lower case) and your password which is
your first name, (all lower case). Then select TRMM
satellite. If TRMM schedule does not give you a convenient
schedule for your school that particular month, you can
select NOAA 14 or 15 satellite. Select the correct time zone
and submit.You should receive a schedule within 24 hours.

If you don't have access to the Internet let the project
coordinator know and she will request a schedule for you and
have it emailed to you. Make observations. Instruct your
students about Universal time as you must report your data
in that time. An explanation of how to determine that is
given on the website. You can send your observation results
by web, email, fax, phone or postal mail, so there is no
excuse for not getting in your data. :-)

The project has established a database of all data inputted,
and you can use that data for some application lessons found
on the website. At the moment there are lessons on beginning
statistics, graphing and mapping.

You don't want to miss this wonderful project. To register,
go to:

http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
Your contact will be:
carolyn.j.green@larc.nasa.gov

I'm sure you can think of dozens of curriculum tie-ins, but
just in case:

Literature & Language: The poetry about clouds is
endless...Read from one of the dozens of collections of
poetry that include some "cloud" poems. Remember, "I
wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high....etc.?"

Have students create their own clouds out of cotton balls. Then write a
poem, perhaps a cinquain or diamante about
them. Elicit word lists of words that have the "ou" sequence in them.

Geography: discuss the occurrence of rainfall when clouds
rise up over mountains, cool, precipitation occurs, leaving
areas beyond mountains as deserts.

I'll leave the rest of the cloud research to you! I bet you
clever people can even tie Halloween into clouds if you put
your minds to it! (We teachers are really good at that
stuff! :-)

I'd love some input from our readers on how your science
activities have been progressing, based on the info you have
used from these columns. See your experience in print!

Become a part of Internet recorded history. :-)
Until next time...

Joan Berger
Internet Educational Consultant
jberger5@concentric.net jberger@li.net
http://www.concentric.net/~jberger5
http://www.li.net/~jberger

======================================

~ Audrey's Library Connection ~
BOOKS TO HOWL ABOUT

Trick or Treat! It's October. The time when all children
start to think about what they will be for Halloween and all
the treats they will be collecting. It's also a good time
for librarians to highlight books from that holiday that
will capture their interest. I display books about Halloween from
different genres to help children have
variety in their holiday book choices.

For the youngest students, I would recommend Best Halloween
Book--ABC Adventures by Pat Whitehead, Troll Books 1985.
While capitalizing on children's love of Halloween, they can
reinforce their alphabet skills.

Other books in the picture book/easy to read category that I
use are:

Dinosaurs' Halloween by Liza Donnelly, Scholastic 1987,
Scary, Scary Halloween by Eve Bunting, Clarion Books 1976,
Five Funny Frights by Judith Bauer Stamper, Scholastic Hello
Reader 1993,
The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey, Blue Sky Press 1995.

Young children who have ever been made fun of, could
certainly identify with the last mentioned book. The title character shows
himself to be brave and turns around the
feelings of his peers from derision to admiration. At the
same time, the book is illustrated so attractively by the
author, that it is a book to be read again and again.
Halloween is a good time for children to make crafts and
decorations.

A popular book in that genre is Crafts For Halloween by
Kathy Ross, Millbrook Press 1994. Another favorite is The
Scary Halloween Costume Book by Carol Barkin and Elizabeth
James, Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard Books 1983. Children get a
chance to use their skills of following directions and
creating a project. They can explain how they created the
project, thereby helping to enhance oral communication
skills. The class, while listening, can increase their
listening comprehension skills.

Children can learn factual information about Halloween by
reading Halloween by D.J. Herda, Franklin Watts Press 1983
and How We Celebrate Halloween by Bobbie Kalman, Crabtree
1985. Poetry can be used to enjoy this holiday also. I like
Who Said Boo? by Nancy White Carlstrom, Simon and Schuster
1995. This delightful book of Halloween poetry is a real
crowd pleaser designed to put smiles on the faces of even
the most cynical audiences.

Another laugh getter is The Wacky Book of Witches by Annie
Civardi,Scholastic 1991. This poem in rhyme, amusingly
illustrated, is one I always choose to read aloud to many
classes.

For those that like to visit the fairytale/folktale
stacks, I recommend Diane Goode's Book of Scary Stories and
Songs, Dutton Children's Books 1994. There is something in that collection
for everyone. In the fiction section, I like
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury, Knopf 1972. When I see
my classes at the time, I shut off the lights, except for my
lighted pumpkin. Then, I proceed to read one of the stories,
folktales, or poems from the above mentioned books for our
fright fest." We all have a frightfully good time!!!

~ Audrey Ciuffo, New York, New York USA
Teacher, Mentor, Library Technologist
http://www.ps161.com/libpower.html
E-mail: aciuffo@ps161.com

======================================

~ Technically Speaking with Kathleen A. Catapano ~

CHANGING THE WAY WE TEACH...

Recently a colleague and I were discussing critical issues
in education and she said to me, "I know computers are fun,
but we really have more important things to do in
education." Again, I was reminded that educators must
experience the process of learning with technology in order
to realize the tremendous potential that it holds for
revolutionizing how we teach and learn. Current research in
effective teaching focuses on active learning of skills and
knowledge, reflective development of ideas, and use of
critical thinking skills. The computer can be the catalyst
in creating this kind of learning environment.

Use of the computer for teaching changes the atmosphere and
organization of the classroom. Having students using the
computer moves them into an active learning mode. Students
must process the broad spectrum of information available
through technology and incorporate relevant ideas into their
own.

The computer uniquely provides us with a vast amount of
information as well as the tools to organize and use it. How
one analyzes and organizes the information is the essence of
critical thinking. Computers will not do this alone. Good
teaching will always require good teachers to foster and
guide the learning process. The computer can, however,
create the environment in which this process takes place.

~ Kathleen A. Catapano, Brooklyn, New York USA
Educational Technology,
Medgar Evers College - CUNY
E-mail: catapano@mec.cuny.edu

=======================================
~ Steve McCarty's East-West Perspectives from Japan ~
"THE WOMAN DIVER":
DISCOVERING EAST ASIAN VALUES IN A BUDDHIST FOLKTALE

One of the oldest professions is that of the diver for pearls or humbler
offerings of the sea. Akiko Takemoto and I have translated a heart-rending
story from various Japanese versions, as a prehistoric legend moved from
oral to written traditions over millenia. To help readers ponder its
significance, brief discussion points for college or secondary school
classes follow the story.

'The Woman Diver'

About 1,300 years ago, a very handsome young man sailed over from Nara to
the small seaside village of Shido. Nobody knew who he was or what he was
there for. However, the young man fell in love with a lovely girl in the
village. She was a humble seaweed diver like many others in that area.
Soon they married and had a pretty baby boy, whom they named Fusazaki
after a place name in the vicinity. They should have been as happy as
anyone, but the husband was often seen brooding over something, to the
great apprehension of his loving wife. One day she said to him,

"Please tell me, my darling, what makes you so sad?"

"Nothing, my love."

"Nothing? Oh my darling, I do see you have something on your mind. Please
tell me what it is if you really love me," said the wife with tears in her
eyes.

Then the husband told her the following story, revealing his noble origins
and what had brought him to this hamlet so far from his home in the
Capital. The young man was Tankai [Fuhito]; son of the late Fujiwara
Kamatari, a most distinguished aristocratic statesman of the central
government. Tankai's younger sister, who was married to the
Emperor of the T'ang Dynasty in China, had sent forth three very precious
things as her offerings to the Fujiwara family on the occasion of a grand
memorial service for the deceased patriarch Kamatari. One of the gifts was
a magic drum which, once beaten, never ceased emitting a most exquisite
sound until it was covered with nine layers of
silken robes. Another was a unique inkstone, which if rubbed with an
inkstick, could produce the finest ink without applying a drop of water to
the stone. The last was a crystal ball enshrining an image of the Buddha
who never failed to face you at whichever angle you looked into the ball.
These three things of rarity were meant to gratify the departed soul.

But while the ship was sailing through the Inland Sea off the coast of
Shido, a Dragon King got wind of the treasures and wanted them. He at once
sent out a tremendous thunderstorm as well as legions of dragons against
the small vessel. The men fought bravely, but to avoid losing everything
they were forced to give up the Ball of Buddha to appease the dragons.

The memorial service for his father was a magnificent one; the two
offerings from his sister the Empress of China were immensely admired. But
Tankai could not forget the last one - it was the treasure of treasures.
Thus he sailed over to Shikoku and came upon the coast closest to the
sea-battle, but he could find no way to retrieve the crystal ball from the
dragons. The nobleman heaved a deep sigh when he finished his long story.

But the woman said, "I am a diver. I could bring it back to you, my lord."

"Oh, could you?... But what if?..."

"Let me try my best if it may please you. But..." Turning her tearful eyes
to her baby son, she added, "If I could bring it back to you, then could
you make this son of ours, Fusazaki, your heir?"

Tankai consented without hesitation, assuring her that the boy would have
a brilliant future as his heir.

The next day they sailed out into the sea. The woman put a long lifeline
around her waist and said, "Hold the end of this line, will you? Haul me
up when I pull on it. That means I've got it." Her husband nodded,
gripping the end of the line. Then, with a knife in her hand, she quietly
disappeared into the depths.

Down, down she went, through the cold darkness of the deep. It seemed
fathomless. But the love of a devoted mother and wife had made the little
woman fearless. On and on she went until she found herself in front of a
towering palace ferociously guarded by eight dragons and swarms of
crocodiles. For a moment, she hesitated, but praying once more for the
help of Kannon, she burst into the palace brandishing her knife, dashed to
the ball, snatched it and ran, closely pursued by the infuriated
sea-monsters.

As they caught up with her at the gate of the palace, she quickly cut
herself below the breast, inserted the crystal ball and fell down as if
dead. Abhorring blood and death, the dragons fell back, while the woman
pulled on the lifeline held by her husband above.

The man hauled and hauled until he had hauled up his wife. But to his
horror, she was dying, terribly wounded and empty-handed. He held her in
his arms, only to hear her last gasp: "...my breast."

There in her breast the husband did find the Ball of Buddha for which he
had come to these shores. He left for the Capital with the crystal ball
and his son Fusazaki, to fulfil his filial duty and his promise to the
poor woman diver.

*****

Discussion: What East Asian values are portrayed in this story that are
more important than survival? What value conflicts are involved, and
ultimately why does the woman diver willingly sacrifice her life? Which
values are East Asian, and which may be universal?

Your conclusions are welcome, by e-mail to <steve@kagawa-jc.ac.jp>.
Consider consulting with students or teachers who are Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, Vietnamese and so forth. For an interpretation of the historical
significance of the story, see the following English-Japanese journal
article online:

"Legend of the Woman Diver" (March 1998)
http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/ejdiver.html

Or select it from the menu of online publications at
the Bilingualism and Japanology Intersection:
http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/epublist.html
(an Asian Studies WWW Virtual Library 4-star site). Mirror Site:
http://www.geocities.co.jp/CollegeLife-Labo/4001/epublist.html

Steve McCarty
Professor, Kagawa Junior College, Japan
President, World Association for Online Education:
http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/WAOE-founding.html
Home Page: http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/presence.html

=======================================

Mrs. Young's "New Pages/Links On..."
[This list is reprinted from the October Addendum]

~ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ~
http://members.aol.com/Donnpages/USHolidays.html#COLUMBUS

A Christopher Columbus Timeline
http://www1.minn.net/~keithp/cctl.htm

Editor's Choice: Christopher Columbus
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/educate/columbus.htm
You'll find a whole page of links to web sites on Christopher Columbus. A
very timely resource.

Columbus Day worksheets (in the social studies section)
http://www.schoolexpress.com/

Columbus
http://deil.lang.uiuc.edu/web.pages/holidays/Columbus.html

Go West with Columbus - N,S,E,W game to print out
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6459/actpag10.html

The Columbus Navigation Homepage
http://www1.minn.net/~keithp/

Christopher's Crossing
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec670/Cardboard/Board/C/Columbus.html

Columbus Day (Native American Perspective) Mini-UNIT
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/TLresources/longterm/Byrnes/columbus.html

The Indians Discovery of Columbus UNIT
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/guides/1992/2/92.02.01.x.html

CORE KNOWLEDGE
Christopher Columbus UNIT: Special Ed (4 weeks)
http://www.coreknowledge.org/CKproto2/resrcs/lessons/SPSECOLUMB.htm

Columbus Day; A Famous Explorer
http://www.educast.com/arc/lp/soc/9710134o.html

Indigenous Persons Day (lesson plan and activity sheet) [grades 7-12]
http://www.educast.com/arc/lp/soc/9710137o.html~

Columbus Myth Busters
http://marauder.millersv.edu/~columbus/data/art/LAUFER02.ART

~ UNITED NATIONS ~
The United Nations Home Page
This is the official Web Site of the United Nations
Headquarters in New York. Here you will find daily UN News,
UN Documents and Publications, UN Overview information, UN
Conference information, Photos, and other UN information
resources.

WORLD FEDERATION OF UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATIONS
http://www.wfuna-art.com/
Founded in 1946 as a people's movement for the
United Nations, the World Federation of United
Nations Associations (WFUNA)is the only international,
non-governmental organization devoted entirely to
the support of the purposes and principles of the
United Nations Charter. While convinced that fostering
genuine peace, security and justice throughout the
world depended on a strong United Nations, WFUNA's
founders realized that this strength could only develop
with the support of informed public opinion in the
member states.

SEMINAR ON THE UNITED NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~sunia/
A program for all high school (ages 15-18)
Students...

UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM
http://www.unsystem.org/index.html
Official Web Site Locator for the UN System including UN Headquarters, UN
programs, specialized agencies, autonomous organizations and the
inter-agency coordination bodies.

UNDCP - United Nations and Other International Organizations
http://www.undcp.org/unlinks.html
Links to relevant UN organizations

American Model United Nations
http://www.amun.org/
International collegiate UN simulation held annually in Chicago. With
information on past and upcoming conferences.

Booker T. Washington Model U.N
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/9310/index.html
High school UN simulation plus research links for world issues.

Harvard Model United Nations
http://hcs.harvard.edu/~hnmun/
National collegiate model United Nations program. Provides details for
applying for the next annual session.

MUN Resource
http://members.aol.com/mrremm/private/mun.html
Information and resources available for Model United Nations delegates.
Find position paper guidelines, topic information, and the MUN handbook.

Model UN Mailing List
http://muhu.cs.helsinki.fi/mailing_lists/edu-texts/msg37.html
Explanation of how to subscribe to a model United Nations mailing list
maintained by the University of Chicago.

Rider Univ. Model United Nations
http://www.rider.edu/users/phanc/model_un/index.htm
History of the Model UN program at Rider from 1968 to date. Teams and
Alumni directories, with news updates provided by alumni.

University of Pennsylvania Model UN
http://www.upmunc.org/
Information about participation in a major model UN conference held each
year. Includes links to other conferences.

THE UNITED NATIONS CYBER_SCHOOL_BUS [Outstanding!}
http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/
The United Nations CyberSchoolBus brings global information and global
expertise straight to your school and classroom. Project-packed,
fun-filled, loaded with lessons and interactive activities, the
CyberSchoolBus offers teachers and students an educational site with a
global perspective. Key subjects: Global Studies, Geography, Social
Studies, Environmental Studies, History, Government, Civics, Language Arts.

PREAMBLE TO THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS
http://historyplace.com/specials/calendar/docs-pix/june-un-charter.htm

USICEF - USA
http://www.unicefusa.org/
The United States Committee for UNICEF works in more than 160 countries
and territories providing health care, clean water, improved nutrition,
and education to millions of children in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern
Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS
http://www.un.org/Overview/Charter/contents.html

UNDP - The United Nations - What it is and What it does
http://www.undp.org/un/un_what.html

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS WEBSITE
http://www.unhchr.ch/hrostr.htm
This chart, which is not exhaustive, is intended to describe the
functioning of the United Nations system in the field of
human rights. Emphasis is given to those bodies and
programs with major human rights responsibilities.

~ HALLOWEEN ~

Haunted Carnival Shock Wave Games
http://www.adveract.com/games/haunt/haunt.htm
Really Ghoulie! Great fun...

Ben & Jerries Haunted Ice Scream Pages
http://www.benjerry.com/halloween/index.html
More fun!

The Story of Echo the Bat
http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/intro/story.html
This is a great interactive story of Echo the bat. You will
help Echo find his way back home after being lost in a
storm. You will love this delightful interactive web site
from NASA.

Frankenstein
http://www.georgetown.edu/irvinemj/english016/franken.html
Go here for the complete text of Mary Shelley's
"Frankenstein." Information and stills from various
Frankenstein movies are also available here. The National
Library of Medicine has an exhibition on Frankenstein

Frankenstein
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/frankenstein/frankhome.html
This is a site which "looks at the world from which Mary
Shelley came, at how popular culture has embraced the
Frankenstein story, and at how Shelley's creation continues
to illuminate the blurred, uncertain boundaries of what we
consider 'acceptable' science."

Halloween HQ
http://www.netfix.com/poptart/hallo.htm
Visit this site to read about the history of Halloween and
practical safety tips for tricksters and treaters. The
really scary part of this site is the bad Halloween jokes.
Here's a sample: "Why does the Mummy keep his Band Aids in
the refrigerator? He wants to use them later for cold cuts!"

Happy Halloween
http://www.holidays.net/halloween
Find more information about the history and traditions of
Halloween at this site. You can also read about Los Dias de
los Muertos (I like the dancing skeleton graphics) and
download holiday music.

ParentsPlace.com Halloween
http://www.parentsplace.com
This site offers trick or treating safety tips, costume
ideas, recipes, party games, and ideas for crafts. Click on
"Halloween" and take Halloween History 101.

DEM BONES
Scroll down and you can hear and tape the song!!!
http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/apollo/176/jukebox.htm
Cool interactive bone lesson.
http://www.cs.brown.edu/people/oa/Bin/science.html

The Realm of Spooky Tales
http://www.bconnex.net/~mbuchana/realms/page8/index.html
     From Ghoulies and Ghosties,
     And long-leggity Beasties,
     And all Things that go bump in the Night,
     Good Lord deliver us.

Stories to read aloud.

Welford and Wickham School Scary Halloween Room
http://www.wickham.newbury.sch.uk/haloween/haloween.html
This is a nice example of a teacher who used the Halloween theme to spur
her class on to create a cool Halloween site.

PUMPKINS
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/9673/pumpkins.htm
Tons of curriculum ideas with pumpkins.

GENERAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS
Greg's Place
http://homepages.infoseek.com/~c0ffee1/SuperSitesIII.html
This is a great listing of some extensive sites for teachers, with
comments on each.

==== CALL FOR IDEAS ===================

Do you have tips or opinions on current theories/methodologies to share?
Do you have a great site you think I should add to Mrs. Young's Super
Charged Educational Voyage? Submit it!
E-mail: mrsysuggestions@jrydevelopment.com

=======================================
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Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational Voyage, Janet Young,
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the contents of the Mrs. Young's Super Charged Educational
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