Wednesday, November 19, 2008

198th Carnival of Education: Christmas Creep Edition!

I hear those sleigh bells jingling; ring-ting-ting-a-ling, too.
Oh yes it's lovely weather for a Carnival of Education with you!

Welcome one and all to the Christmas Creep Edition of the COE, which also happens to be the 198th opening of the midway.

The term christmas creep, coined by the Wharton School at UPenn and popularized recently by The Consumerist, is a term for the retail world's ever-expanding holiday season. Decorations, music and merchandise are going up earlier and earlier each year as retailers try to get a leg up on the competition. For example, my local supermarket refashioned their Halloween aisle into a Christmas aisle seemingly before that holiday was even over!

With Thanksgiving just a week away, what better time to start celebrating the real holiday season? Here we go! I'm so glad that Jane Goodwin was able to get her submission in just before the deadline, because her Quotation Saturday posted at Scheiss Weekly talks about anticipation of the very raison d'ĂȘtre of this edition of the COE!


Gifts That Keep on Giving
[Great resources for teachers and everyone else]

Steve Spangler presents Milk of Magnesia Experiment - Color Changing Liquid Teaches Science Behind�Antacids posted at Steve Spangler's Blog.

Gemma presents Education - advice videos on School posted at VideoJug: LIfe Explained. On Film. More video goodness comes from Heather Johnson, who presents 100 Awesome Ivy League Video Lectures posted at Online Universities.com.

Mathew Needleman presents K12 Online 08 Week Two Review posted at Open Court Resources.com Blog.

Jim McGuire brings music and lyrics into reading lessons in Come on Readers, Let's Sing posted at The Reading Workshop.

The always helpful Larry Ferlazzo presents Students Can Share Their Vision With The Office Of The President-Elect Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... posted at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites Of The Day For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL.

Amy Smith presents What Really Happened at the First Thanksgiving? posted at Kids Love Learning.

Marjorie presents When it Looks Like They're Not Learning posted at The Life Without School Community Blog, saying, "Thank you." No, thank you!

Pat presents How Was My Lesson? posted at Successful Teaching.

Marcus Smith presents 3 Painfully Obvious Reasons to Speak in Plain English posted at MarcusASmith.com.

Amanda Dixon presents Homeschool Memoirs: ?Mom? Help! posted at The Daily Planet, saying, "as a homeschooler, everyone needs a little "help". Here is how I get some help when I am stressed!"

Make a New Year's Resolution to learn Spanish this coming year: Spanish Kit presents An Introduction to Spanish Nouns and Genders posted at Learn Spanish Blog, saying, "Nouns and genders to start off anyone interested in learning spanish." Follow that up with Speak7 presents Ser vs Estar, Tener vs Hay Que posted at Learn Spanish, saying, "Complete guide to help with these common Spanish verbs"


How to Cause Uncomfortable Silences at Your Big Holiday Dinner
[Politics and controversy in education]

CCUSD Watch presents Scottsdale teachers charging for letters of recommendations... posted at CCUSD Watch, saying, "CCUSD Watch is an advocacy organization focused on Cave Creek Unified School District No. 93. Our Motto is 'It’s the curriculum, stupid!'. Contact us at ccusdwatch@hotmail.com" Joanne Jacobs comments on the same issue in How much for a recommendation letter? posted at Joanne Jacobs.

Matthew Ladner presents The Proficiency Illusion posted at Jay P. Greene's Blog.

BardBlogger presents Is Our Children Learning? posted at The Bard Blog.

jim pudlewski presents Test scores improve, but is that helping students? - Teaching Excellence Network posted at Teaching Excellence Network, saying, "Is NCLB accomplishing its goals. In Chicago, it is not resulting in college-ready graduates."

Darren presents Pledge of Allegiance posted at Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher.

Travis A. Wittwer presents Stories from School: Practice meets Policy: How to Take Down a State Education System in 3 Easy Steps posted at Stories from School: Practice meets Policy.

woodlassnyc wonders Is there a blacklist? posted at Under Assault: Teaching in NYC.

Nancy Flanagan presents The Audacity of Pumpkin Pie posted at Teacher in a Strange Land, saying, "Jay Mathews muses on evaluating teachers--and the Teacher in a Strange Land approves. Have some pie."

Robert Pondiscio presents Gates Foundation Standards? Why Not? posted at The Core Knowledge Blog, saying, "The Gates Foundation is talking about trying its hand at drafting national standards. It's a fine idea."


Something to Make You Laugh and Cry (Besides "A Christmas Story")
[Hilarity and inspiration, all twirled into one]

NAOMI presents British kids believe Churchill walked on the moon. posted at Diary From England, saying, "Thought your readers might be interested in this post. Just shows how little some British schoolchildren know about the world around them."

Travis A. Wittwer presents My Neighbor's Bike Skills posted at Stories from School: Practice meets Policy, saying, "A parody of many commonly used teaching tactics."

Carol Richtsmeier presents More Stupidier, FERPA-ized & Conspiracy Theories posted at Bellringers.

Heather Wolpert-Gawron presents Fundraising Mafia posted at tweenteacher.com.

Mister Teacher presents Learn Me Good: Tales of a 3rd grade forger posted at Learn Me Good.


Exams are Over, and I'm Home for the Month!

[College-related articles]

Matthew Paulson presents More Options for Working Moms, mostly focused on how working moms can go back to school, posted at American Consumer News.

Michael. presents The AutoAdmit Scandal: The XOXOTH Secret Forum Identities posted at International Law News.

Khan presents Preparing for the Peace Corps posted at Higher Education and Career Blog, saying, "It’s never too early to start learning about the Peace Corps! And even though graduation may seem a long way off, there are some things you can do now that could help you qualify for Peace Corps programs when the time comes to apply."

Trisha Wagner presents Student Loan Debt Settlement Debt Free Destiny posted at Debt Free Destiny.


Deep Thoughts and Reflections in Front of the Fire
[Big ideas and reflections on education]

lorri giovinco-harte presents Learning to distinguish between motives of profit and the well being of children posted at Lorri Giovinco-Harte, saying, "When the lines between profiteering and education become blurred, how can we discern what information is valid and what is not?"

Alvaro Fernandez presents Neuroplasticity and the Brain That Changes Itself posted at SharpBrains, saying, "Review of a great book with compelling collection of tales about the amazing abilities of the brain to rewire, readjust and relearn."

Laurie Bluedorn presents Trivium Pursuit » Blog Archive » Talented and Gifted posted at Laurie Bluedorn.

oldandrew presents Success posted at Scenes From The Battleground, saying, "British blog about teaching in tough schools"

Dave Saba presents Building a GREAT teaching workforce posted at DoE- Dave on Ed.
Corey Bunje Bower
speaks to the same issue in What to do about Teacher Certification? posted at Thoughts on Education Policy.

Clix presents Why I Hate Foreshadowing posted at Epic Adventures Are Often Uncomfortable.

Rense Nieuwenhuis presents Immigrant Children’s Educational Achievement in Western Countries: Origin, Destination, and Community Effects on Mathematical Performance Curving Normality posted at Curving Normality.

Katie Beals presents 6th Grade English Class in the 21st Century: multiple literacies posted at Out In Left Field, saying, "Out in Left Field s a blog for left-brainers that monitors right-brain biases (esp. Reform Math, Constructivism, and cooperative learning) in education and elsewhere."

And finally, one of my personal favorite bloggers, Brazen Teacher presents Not on the List posted at This Brazen Teacher.


Don't forget to indulge in last week's COE, hosted at The Core Knowledge Blog, as well as past and future carnivals by visiting the Blog Carnival website. You might also be interested in the 166th COE, hosted here back in April. Go ahead and start submitting for next week's edition on this handy submission form. Thank you!

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