How To Honor Steve Jobs?

§ October 8th, 2011 § 2 Comments- Add yours§ Filed under A Historical View, From the Elevated Math Team, Technology in Education § Tagged Apple, Beverly Hills, Christian Science Monitor, Elevated Math, Lewis Hall, macintosh, sales, Steve Jobs

The Christian Science Monitor article so entitled inspired me to create this post. I learned of Steve Job’s passing six minutes before starting a debate with three other candidates. You see, I’m running for school board in Beverly Hills. The news shocked me and I wondered if I could continue. I felt choked up and could not think about the issues I was expected to discuss. As the other three candidates gave their opening statements I realized what I needed to do. As they talked I confirmed the news I had heard with a reporter sitting in the front row. Then, when it § Read the rest of this entry…

Slip-sliding Away: A Summer Math Dilemma

§ June 28th, 2011 § 1 Comment- Add yours§ Filed under A Historical View, Math, Other Voices, Teaching Math § Tagged Arne Duncan, brain drain, Japan, Jeff Harris, John Hopkins Center for Summer Learning, learning leak, math, President Obama, summer learning, summer slide, The Beverly Hills Math Factor, U.S. Department of Education

Beverly Hills Math Factor instructor Jesse Meyen assists students on the iPad

Summer Slide. Brain Drain. Learning Leak. While it may sound like I’m describing a decaying water park, in reality these are terms used to explain the effect summer vacation has on young students and scholastic retention. If those terms don’t incite fear, they should. Students can lose more than two months of previous year math knowledge in the short time between signing yearbooks and picking out a first day of school outfit. § Read the rest of this entry…