Jokes:

Homework usually takes about 90 minutes. Here is how most high school students spend those 90 minutes.

* 15 minutes searching for assignment while reading your text messages.
* 11 minutes calling a friend for the assignment.
* 23 minutes explaining why the teacher is mean and just does not like students.
* 8 minutes in the bathroom.
* 10 minutes getting a snack.
* 7 minutes checking and answering e:mails.
* 6 minutes telling parents that the teacher never explained the assignment.
* 10 minutes sitting at the kitchen table waiting for Mom or Dad to do the assignment.

A mathematician, statistician and accountant were finalist for a position as VP in a large corporation. The hiring committee asked them all the same last question:

The mathematician was first.”How much is 500 plus 500 ?” , they asked”1000″ he replied without hesitation.”Thank you”, they dismissed him.

Next the statistician.”How much is 500 plus 500?””On the average, 1000 with 95 % confidence” replied the statistician”Thank you”, they dismissed him.

Next the accountant.”How much is 500 plus 500?””What would you like it to be?” responded the accountant.They hired the accountant.

LITTLE BOY: “My math teacher is crazy”. MOTHER: “Why?”

LB: “Yesterday she told us that five is 4+1; today she is telling us that five is 3 + 2.”

From the Twitterverse:

* karlyb WOW! – 5th grade math resources by unit: http://www1.center.k12.mo.us/Edtech/edm/5.htm
* karlyb Promethian giveaway contest at The Henry Ford: http://thehenryford.promo.e…
* paulallison Download Troy Hicks and The Digital Writing Workshop, Part 2 of 3 – Exploring Author’s Craft – TTT171- 10… http://bit.ly/1a4Zq0
* rmbyrne Free Technology for Teachers: Musopen – Free Recordings and Sheet Music http://ff.im/-9yQW0 or http://www.musopen.com/
* cliotech New blog post: Sharing Best Practices is OK! http://bit.ly/GtCzo
* vtdeacon RT @DeborahMersino RT @russeltarr: Great ‘classic’ stories in comic form, awesome : http://tinyurl.com/okjoyc
* Twilliamson15 @paulbogush we have more in common now…I’m quoted in Rick Wormeli’s new book 🙂 …preview at http://snipurl.com/wormelibk
* gardenglen Now available: CALL FOR BETA TESTERS OF NETS DRAFT RUBRIC http://url.ie/2m63
* vtdeacon this looks like a pretty cool lesson on using excel in math class- plus connection to halloween:) http://tinyurl.com/yl9susr
* web20classroom RT @ejulez: by end of 2013, 70% of businesses will have behavior/dress code policies for employees online avatars. http://ow.ly/tEZV
* schoolwise Children’s Good Manners Month and Thank You Notes: http://EzineArticles.com/?i…
* JoHart RT @coletteamber: Laughing at: “pencil metaphor – Leading a Digital School” ( http://bit.ly/EtSFT )
* ambermac OK, I’m moving to Sweden if this keeps up! RT @jeff_andersen Tune in to another invention by the Swedes: http://bit.ly/e8Eoe
* web20classroom Good Advice for School Leaders- Decisions You Can Live With…http://is.gd/4765z

On Our Mind:

Technology:

Project RED
http://projectred.org/

Netbook News (from Twitter)

Larry Ellison’s take on Cloud Computer (think netbooks)

Advisory:

National Children’s Good Manners Month: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=3016989

Middle School Advisory 101
http://middleschooladvisory101.blogspot.com/
Webspotlight:
ClassTools: Classtools.net allows you to create free educational games, activities and diagrams in a Flash! Host them on your own blog, website or intranet! No signup, no passwords, no charge!
http://classtools.net/
See an example:
http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=78798&title=Classtools_net

Timeline Creators:

XTimeline
xtimeline is a free web-based timeline. Easily create and share timelines with pictures and videos.
http://www.xtimeline.com/

TimeGlider
There is a time traveler in each of us. Whether you are a litigator or an 8th grader, TimeGlider can quickly enhance your experience of the past, present, and future. Once you’ve explored a TimeGlider timeline, you’ll wonder why you’ve never seen information organized like this before.
http://timeglider.com/index.php

Mind42.com – Mind Mapping software that fits in a browser: http://ow.ly/truL

Seven Free software Apps (6 for Mac users):
http://www.digmo.co.uk/news/software/7-free-apps-for-education/

News:

More Time on Task:
Obama and his education secretary, Arne Duncan, have called attention to the amount of time students spend in school, because school calendars in the United States are based on outdated priorities and are too short to give students the tools they need to compete on a global stage. Since the 1960s, schools nationwide have adhered to 6½-hour days, five days a week, 180 days a year. Individual schools have extended days for students to participate in certain advanced classes or extracurricular programs, but most follow the shorter day, established in a time when farmers needed their children to help out in the fields part of each day, and all day during the summer. Summer vacation didn’t come about because that’s when the swimming pools are open.
There are many who will criticize these suggestions. A seemingly opposite trend is exemplified by an October 2008 study for the American Academy of Pediatricians, which concluded that children are overscheduled, under stress and in need of more unstructured time to play. …cautioning only that “improving the quality of instructional time is at least as important as increasing the quantity of time in school.”

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091006/OPINION01/910060315/Editorial++Give+kids+time+to+wrap+heads+around+learning

Netbooks:

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?&i=61122

Events & Happenings:

Calendar of Events:
NMSA News:

1. NMSA’s Annual Conference: NMSA ‘08 Technology Focus Video. NMSA ‘09 Invitation Video: Indianapolis, IN Conference November 5-7, 2009. Individual Registration is now open. September 30th early registration deadline is approaching (Use MAMSE09 as your source code.)
* Video Competition: NMSA is looking for student based videos for the transitions between events at their annual conference. Information is at their website.
* Indiana schools may apply for a waiver and send their staff to the Friday sessions as a professional development day.
o Steps to obtain waiver request
+ Franklin Community Schools Request (example)
o NMSA teacher session sheet (Note: It only has four, so if you’re not part of the Indiana crew, you’ll want to print one off for each day of the conference.)
+ Concurrent Sessions
o NMSA follow up sheet. (Note: This is geared to the Indiana group. I would suggest simplifying this for your own group.)
2. ATTENTION Michigan Association of Middle School Educators & Friends: MAMSE is putting together a bus for the trip to the National Middle School Association’s Annual Conference in Indianapolis, IN this fall. Ride down to the conference in a luxury bus. With all the conversations with middle school teachers on the bus, I wonder if we could call this a mini-MAMSE conference? There’s nothing like getting together with people who love the people we love: our students. Getting together with folks like that is energizing and priceless. Email Teresa Sutherland for information and details. Don’t forget to mention you heard about it on Middle School Matters.
3. Dan Pink is keynoting the conference. Here’s a teaser at TED.
4. NMSA 09 Housing Information now available. Some hotels are nearing full if not so already. Special housing rates end October 5th.
5. NMSA 09 Conference Connection: Stay connected before, during, and after the conference! Start your packing lists for the conference using packwhiz.com!

Other News:

1. ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
2. The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 18 & 19, 2010. Jack Berckemeyer will be keynoting.
* OMLA Registration Form
* OMLA Presentation Form
3. The Michigan Association of Middle School Educators Annual Conference is coming up March 4-5, 2010 in Dexter, MI. MAMSE will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary!
* MAMSE Exhibitor Form
* MAMSE Registration Form
* MAMSE Presentation Form
4. Theater Education Opportunity: Eastern Michigan University’s Quirk-Sponberg Theater has announced their Fall 2009 Season.

“The Prince, the Wolf and the Firebird”
By Jackson Lacey
Directed by Pam Cardell
December 4, 5, 10, 11 at 7PM
December 5, 6, 12 at 3PM
School Matinees: December 9 and 10 at 10:00 am. Tickets $4.00 for students and every 15 students gets a chaparone in for free.
5. Classroom 2.0’s Live Calendar.
6. Classroom 2.0’s Ning Blog: Archived content is available.
7. Second Life:
* No Events specified. Regular Tuesday meetings are scheduled. See the board on the ISTE Island for up to the minute details.
* Video: Educational Uses of Second Life