My Favorite Liar | Zen Moments

• My Favorite Liar | Zen Moments

  tags: no_tag

  • What made Dr. K memorable was a gimmick he employed that began with his introduction at the beginning of his first class:

    “Now I know some of you have already heard of me, but for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar, let me explain how I teach. Between today until the class right before finals, it is my intention to work into each of my lectures … one lie. Your job, as students, among other things, is to try and catch me in the Lie of the Day.”

  • Early in the quarter, the Lie of the Day was usually obvious – immediately triggering a forest of raised hands to challenge the falsehood. Dr. K would smile, draw a line through that section of the board, and utter his trademark phrase “Very good! In fact, the opposite is true. Moving on … ”

    As the quarter progressed, the Lie of the Day became more subtle, and many ended up slipping past a majority of the students unnoticed until a particularly alert person stopped the lecture to flag the disinformation.

  • On the days when nobody caught the lie, we all sat in silence, looking at each other as Dr. K, looking quite pleased with himself, said with a sly grin: “Ah ha! Each of you has one falsehood in your lecture notes. Discuss amongst yourselves what it might be, and I will tell you next Monday. That is all.”

  • And while my knowledge of the Economics of Capital Markets has faded in time, the lessons that stayed with me were his real legacy:

    • “Experts” can be wrong, and say things that sound right – so build a habit of evaluating new information and check it against things you already accept as fact.
    • If you see something wrong, take the initiative to flag it as misinformation.
    • A sense of playfulness is the best defense against taking yourself too seriously.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

My Favorite Liar | Zen Moments

• My Favorite Liar | Zen Moments

  • What made Dr. K memorable was a gimmick he employed that began with his introduction at the beginning of his first class:

    “Now I know some of you have already heard of me, but for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar, let me explain how I teach. Between today until the class right before finals, it is my intention to work into each of my lectures … one lie. Your job, as students, among other things, is to try and catch me in the Lie of the Day.”

  • Early in the quarter, the Lie of the Day was usually obvious – immediately triggering a forest of raised hands to challenge the falsehood. Dr. K would smile, draw a line through that section of the board, and utter his trademark phrase “Very good! In fact, the opposite is true. Moving on … ”

    As the quarter progressed, the Lie of the Day became more subtle, and many ended up slipping past a majority of the students unnoticed until a particularly alert person stopped the lecture to flag the disinformation.

  • On the days when nobody caught the lie, we all sat in silence, looking at each other as Dr. K, looking quite pleased with himself, said with a sly grin: “Ah ha! Each of you has one falsehood in your lecture notes. Discuss amongst yourselves what it might be, and I will tell you next Monday. That is all.”

  • And while my knowledge of the Economics of Capital Markets has faded in time, the lessons that stayed with me were his real legacy:

    • “Experts” can be wrong, and say things that sound right – so build a habit of evaluating new information and check it against things you already accept as fact.
    • If you see something wrong, take the initiative to flag it as misinformation.
    • A sense of playfulness is the best defense against taking yourself too seriously.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Google Friend Connect: Add social features to your site

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Posted via web from tellio's posterous

Image for display / worksheets: Google Apps for Eportfolios (via activehistory.co.uk / classtools.net)

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Posted via web from tellio's posterous

Kentucky Writing Project Teacher in Censorship Struggle

Censorship, alive and well and thriving in Kentucky? Yes, and Risha Mullins, a teacher in Montgomery County, Kentucky can well attest to it. Sally Martin, Director of the Eastern Kentucky University Writing Project, has taken up her cause along with prominent writers like Laurie Halse Anderson whose work, Twisted, (along with Chris Crutcher's Deadline) have been removed from the classrooms. Read what Martin says:

Many of you know Risha Mullins, who was a 2008 participant in the Holocaust Education Network (HEN) Institute in NYC with Sondra Perl. She presented at the KWPN Fall conference describing the work she's done in her classroom this past year, using the holocaust to raise issues of social justice in her classroom to expand her students' thinking. Ironically, at the same time she is being heralded by the HEN for her work, she is having young adult literature books--initially one of the holocaust readings she used, then Chris Crutcher's Deadline, Laurie Halse Anderson's Twisted--removed from her classroom. Even though these books were there as books of choice, only, and the school's Review Committee approved them, the superintendent overruled their decision, on all but the holocaust novel, and held the books back. Additional actions by school officials have Risha very concerned for her job.

Risha sponsors an after-school bookclub that has numbered over 100 members who raise their own money to buy books and have travelled with Risha to the University of West Virginia for a workshop with Nikki Giovanni and to Washington, DC to tour the Holocaust Museum with a survivor and board members of the HEN. Just this weekend, Risha learned that she achieved National Board Certification. She has written her own young adult novel set in modern times in a holocaust context that is being read by Penguin, as well. She is an excellent and inspiring teacher.

At the ALAN breakfast this morning at NCTE, Laurie Halse Anderson recognized Risha in front of the 600 in attendance as the key example of the seriousness of censorship. Risha is recieving much support in this challenge from HEN and other parties outside of Kentucky, but I would like to have her home, KWPN, support her across the state, as well. According to Risha, a reporter from the Lexington Herald Leader has written a story on the heated conflict in Montgomery County which is going to be published very soon. If you will, please notify your TC's and request that they act on Risha's behalf. I suggest that we send letters to the paper in response to the story--when it is published--either by mail or on the website. Another approach would be simply to email Risha with your support. Risha.Mullins@montgomery.kyschools.us

Thank you,
Sally

Here is the link to the school board's page with email addresses that you can use to show support for Mullins.
Here is the link to the superintendent in question:  Daniel Freeman,  daniel.freeman@montgomery.kyschools.us
The county newspaper is the Mt. Sterling Advocate whose editor is Jamie Vinson-Sturgill,859-498-2222, news@msadvocate.com.  Here is their letter to editor submission page. 

Below you can see Mullins on the left with author Laurie Halse Anderson. Spread the word.  Use the information above and make a difference today.

Study Hacks » Blog Archive » The Steve Martin Method: A Master Comedian's Advice for Becoming Famous

Some worthy advice from comedian Steve Martin via Cal Newport at Study Hacks. 

Study Hacks » Blog Archive » The Steve Martin Method: A Master Comedian's Advice for Becoming Famous

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  The Steve Martin Method
  
  
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    “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
    
    
    
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    Forget all the frustration, the tricks, and the worry. Just focus on becoming good. Really damn good. Outstanding. Unlike anyone who has come before you.
    
    
    
    
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    Martin’s Two Pieces of Advice for Applying the Method
    
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      Martin Tip #1: Intellectualize.
      
      
      
      
    
    
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    This restless urge to understand then innovate led him to be outstanding.
    
    
    
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    Understand what the best exemplars in your field do well. Figure out why. Then ask how you can mix, match, and reconstruct these elements into something new and even better.
    
    
    
    
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    Martin Tip #2: Don’t wander.
    
    
    
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    staying diligent in his interest in the one field he was trying to master; being able to ignore the urge to start working on other projects at the same time.
    
    
    
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    if you don’t saturate your life in a single quest, you’ll dilute your focus to a point where becoming outstanding becomes out of reach.
    
    
    
    
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    If you’re looking to become a leader in your field, honestly evaluate your talent level. Don’t compare yourself to others who have had success. That’s a path toward frustration. Instead, ask yourself, candidly, whether you’re so good you can’t be ignored. If not, then get back to work.
    
    
    
  
  

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.