Start of New Year Is Perfect Time To Offer Hope To Struggling Students

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With the start of any new year comes the hope of many students that they will do better academically this time around.  Hope without some new ideas on what constitutes quality "homework" and what doesn't generally leads to repeated failure. 

What about tying student interest to the types of assignments teachers assign?  This might lead to students actually not only completing the homework, but also enjoying the experience.  An even more exciting approach on the teacher's part might be to allow students to devise their own ideas of homework with the understanding that it must demonstrate to the teacher that they understood the classwork.

How might this approach actually appear in a classroom?  EFFECTIVE HOMEWORK PRACTICES offers some very practical and easy to implement ideas on boosting self-confidence of academically struggling students (especially English language learners) in doing homework. 

For example, using differentiation in assignments would motivate more students to actually do homework.  The theme of the assignment would be the same (aka grade level content), but the ways the students can demonstrate their understanding of it will vary.  Take for example a biology class with long term English language learners.  Though students are free to answer questions from the text, all students would be encouraged to think of other ways to show that they grasp the content. 

If studying plant cells, students could draw and label all key parts and then write a paragraph on how all the parts work together.  For others, what about a comic strip that takes the reader through the life of a plant cell?  For ELLs, they would only need to add key content vocabulary to explain how the plant survives. 

Another option?  How about students videotaping an "interview" with a scientist (a student) lecturing on plant cells?  A group of 4 or so students would create the set, dialogue, questions, slides/charts, and closed captioning using the language of the ELL.

What about having students create test questions on the subject with answers?  The questions could be used in a jeopardy game where small groups (4) compete for prizes.

In each of the above scenarios, students are taking the knowledge acquired in class and demonstrating their understanding of it ways that work for them.  Students may even have ideas of their own to show teachers that they grasp the concepts and teachers should allow them to follow through on their ideas as homework.  Students with poor track records in grades might actually re-evaluate their chances for passing the class since they will be able to produce their own idea of homework which clearly shows understanding. 

Involve students in designing homework assignments and teachers should see a big increase in the number of students who complete them:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

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What's In a Word? Momentum Spotlight Samantha Dillehay

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Samantha Dillehay, Norman

Samantha Dillehay, Poison in the Life of Desire, Installation 8'x6'x1' 2011

Forming words through symbolic actions and sculpturalelements, Samantha Dillehay will debut her project “Secrets” on October 13. Sheis creating the new work as part of the Spotlight award for MomentumTulsa.

Her project includes three large pieces with variedmaterials, from a lipstick covered mirror to clothing hangers. Her choice of materialsunderscores her selection of text, exploring identity within personalrelationships.

Momentum Spotlight artist Samantha Dillehay discusses her project

Highlighting “suppressedemotions,” Dillehay said the pieces feature a “selection of phrases isshowcased to create a visual narrative that is drawn from personal lifeexperiences of rejection.”

Samantha Dillehay, sketch for All the Lies I Ever Told

A recent MFA recipientfrom the University of Oklahoma, Dillehay has exhibited extensively in Oklahomaand her former home state of Tennessee. Watch Dillehay's feature video on YouTube or see this article inour Art Focus Oklahoma magazine formore about all three Momentum TulsaSpotlight projects.
Momentum Tulsa opens October 13, 8-midnight with a ticketed event full of music andperformances.  Curated by Raechell Smithfrom H & R Block Art Space at the Kansas City Art Institute and emergingcurator Laura Reese, the exhibition continues at Living Arts of Tulsa, 307 EBrady with free gallery hours through October 25. 

8% of the Earth's Surface: Sarah Hearn

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View of Sarah Hearn's Studio 

SarahHearn has developed an enviable working knowledge of botanical classification. Preparingfor the Concept/OK:Art in Oklahomaexhibition, the Oklahoma City artist works as diligently on scientific researchas her drawing, photography and mixed media artwork.

Her “SymbioticCooperation” project fuses science and art as she investigates the lichenorganisms. Through drawing, photography and crowd-sourced lichen samples, Hearnspeculates about “how humans can collaborate with, understand and mimic smallunassuming forms in nature, specifically, lichen.”

Sarah Hearn, Flavoparmeilia_caperata, lichen sample

Sarah Hearn, Collemia auriforme, lichen sample

As I have visited her studio over the past six months, first with theguest curator Alison Hearst, I have been enthralled by the strange story oflichen.  Hearn spouts off the odditiesand strengths with great fluency.
My memories of the facts were edited by Sarah in the list below withSarah’s updates in blue to show her depth of interest and good naturedfascination with lichen.
LICHEN:

• cover 8% of the Earth’s surface (true- here is the source: Lichens of North America)
• can survive upwards of 4,000 years (upwards of 1,000 years, beyond that, we are unsure. Read in multiplesources, but also mentioned in text above.)
• are hybrid organisms, both alga and fungus (I would call them composite organisms of a fungus andeither an alga or a cyanobacteria)
• What else?? (lichensrecently survived space travel. see the article here: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-06/25/lichen-survives-space)

Read more in this Art Focus Oklahoma magazine article or on Hearn’s own blog sarahhearn.blogspot.com.  TheConcept/OK: Art in Oklahoma exhibition opens December 16, 1-5 pm at the newTulsa Arts and Humanities Council’s Hardesty Arts Center. See www.concept-ok.org for more information. 

Comfort & Discomfort: Autumn Brown

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Author: Heather Eck (OVAC Intern)

Autumn Brown, SecurityBlanket #3 (Baby Blanket), Fibers and Found Metal , 3’x3’x2” 2011-2012

Security blanketsare supposed to comfort us; they are supposed to protect us from harm. OklahomaCity artist Autumn Brown explores her idea of a security blanket within her Concept/OKSurvey exhibition piece, BabyBlanket. In Baby Blanket, a partof Brown’s Security Blanket series,warm feelings are most assuredly not the underlying intent. Instead, what youare offered is a harsh juxtaposition between a rusted grate and delicate, wovenribbon. Brown relates this juxtaposition to the comforts and discomforts oflife itself, rousing the idea that the very things we do to feel secure mightbe damaging forces we use to blanket ourselves.

Q: What inspired you to create your Concept/OK Piece?AB: Theactual piece?  I was digging through a scrapyard. I liked the rusted grate and brought it home.  “Stewed” over it a while and then the piecehappened.
Q: Ribbon is used quite often in your work. Is there anysignificance to this? AB: I lovethe juxtaposition of soft fiber and hard rusted metal.  I am fascinated with the dialog betweensetting two such different materials against each other.  I enjoy using these materials, to express theduality that exists in our daily lives.  Ribbonseems to be one of the "more refined” versions of fibers/fabric, a perfect“match” to oppose harsh rusted metal.
Q: Has mixed media always been the media in which you work? AB: No.  Started like most artists, who start young,in 2D.  I excelled in most mediums whilestudying art in college, though I found the dark room daunting and lonely.  During my required Intro to 3D class atSavannah College of Art and Design I discovered a new world of art.  From then on I have embraced 3D art as my mainartistic pursuit.  Fiber Art (or mixedmedia if you will) evolved from there. 
Q: Can you describe the process in which you create a mixed mediapiece? What is your first step?AB: Mentally,I prepare ideas for a group of work.  Isettle on an idea and then work it into a “thesis.”  Then I start brainstorming through sketchesand research.  I run these sketches passmy thesis to make sure they match up.  Irefine sketches then make a list of needs. That is when the fun starts!  Ihead to salvage yards, thrift stores, and junk yards.  After I collect everything I “think” I will needI start constructing.  Some pieces workout exactly as I planned.  Some pieceshave to be reworked.  Then there areother pieces that come to birth sporadically during the above process.  These work themselves out a little lessstructured that the earlier but still go through a “refining” process.  Of course no matter what I am doing (cookingdinner, sleeping, laundry) I am working out ideas in my head.  


The Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma exhibition is open to the public through February 16, 2013  at the new Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council’s Hardesty Arts Center. See www.concept-ok.org for more information. 

Harold Jacobs' Geometry

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I've been considering a new text for a course in Euclidean Geometry that I teach for middle school teachers. I've been using Essentials of Geometry for College Students by Lial et al. The students seem OK with it, but I find it very boring. I supplement it with lots of my own exercises using Geometer's Sketchpad, paper folding, MIRA(tm), etc. to keep things interesting.

In looking for a replacement, the best book I have found so far is Geometry: Seeing, Doing, Understanding by Harold R. Jacobs. The latest (3rd) edition was published in 2003. Although I will probably use this book, I will transform many of the problems I assign from pencil, paper, ruler, and protractor to Geometer's Sketchpad. I would love it if the publisher W. H. Freeman would commission an update.

This is a high school text, but it is more challenging than Lial. The applications to "real life" are the most realistic and compelling that I have seen anywhere. I keep finding things that I didn't know, and ways of looking at geometry problems that I hadn't considered.

In one example on page 503 Jacobs shows a closed smooth curve bounding a convex region and consisting of circular arcs. One student said that the sum of the arc measurements must be 360 degrees, and the other doubts it because the curve is not a circle. From the nature of Jacobs' construction, it is easy to show that the sum of the arc measures is indeed 360 degrees. A good teacher could connect this with the fact that the sum of the exterior angles of a convex polygon is 360 degrees.

In another example, Jacobs gives an "Area Puzzle" where he guides students to prove a curious fact about triangle areas. If each vertex of a triangle (ABC in the figure below) is connected to a point 1/3 of the way from the next vertex (in CCW order, say) to the following vertex, and the intersections of these 3 segments (Cevians) are connected, an inner triangle (DEF) is formed. The area of DEF turns out to be 1/7 of the area of ABC. I have known this for some years, and even published a paper (with my brother Marshall and my nephew Michael) generalizing it to quadrilaterals and to ratios other than 1/3. The proof I used involved using analytic geometry to establish the result for a right triangle with vertices (0, 0) (1, 0), and (0, 1) and then arguing that the area ratio is preserved by affine transformations, so the result holds for all triangles.

Jacobs presents a neat synthetic proof that clearly shows where the strange ratio 1:7 comes from. He constructs 6 more triangles, each a translate of the central triangle, and then guides the student to show that the triangles can be dissected and reassembled to fill the original triangle. See the diagram below.

IDAHO COMMITS TO IMPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS

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The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced today that Idaho and 24 other states have committed to advancing recommendations to dramatically transform educator preparation and entry into the profession.

The new CCSSO report, “Our Responsibility, Our Promise: Transforming Educator Preparation and Entry into the Profession,” was developed by state school chiefs working together to identify key areas they can change to ensure every teacher and principal are ready to prepare our students for college and careers the day they enter the education profession.

As President of CCSSO, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna chaired the state-led task force that prepared the report.

“This is all about improving the craft of teaching. For those who choose teaching as their life’s work and passion, it is incumbent on us to provide the support and opportunities they need to be prepared as soon as they enter the classroom. This all begins with our teacher preparation programs,” Superintendent Luna said. “We recognize that higher expectations for students mean higher expectations for our teachers and principals, so we must do more in our states to ensure the development of effective educators.”

CCSSO unveiled the recommendations on Monday with a panel discussion among Superintendent Luna, Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass, and CCSSO Executive Director Gene Wilhoit. The announcement began with a moment of silence for the victims of the tragic school shooting in Connecticut last week.

The report recommends states focus on licensure, program approval, and data collection, analysis and reporting to improve the way we prepare our educator workforce.

The Task Force is composed of current and former school chiefs with input from the National Governor’s Association and The National Association of State Boards of Education. An expert Advisory Group representing educator preparation, non-traditional programs, teacher unions and other organizations involved in the preparation of teachers and principals provided input on the Task Force’s recommendations.

Superintendent Luna will bring these recommendations to the Idaho State Board of Education for review and approval. The State Board of Education and the deans of the Colleges of Education in Idaho received copies of the preliminary report.

The following are statements of support the Idaho State Department of Education has received for advancing the recommendations in the Our Responsibility, Our Promise report in Idaho:

Dr. Cori Mantle-Bromley, Dean of the University of Idaho College of Education: “The University of Idaho’s College of Education fully supports the Task Force Report and its recommendations. We believe that our program direction aligns with the recommendations and can only be strengthened with increased availability of state data and with rigorous standards for all educator preparation programs. We are eager to participate in the implementation of recommendations.”

Marty Schimpf, Provost of Boise State University: “Boise State fully embraces the principles of the CCSSO Task Force Report, which are to produce teachers who have deep content knowledge and how to teach it and principals with the skills required to lead transformation in their schools. Our new IDoTeach program for preparing the next generation of secondary education math and science teachers is only a first step in renewed efforts at Boise State to reform programs for teacher preparation, and to develop new programs in educational leadership.” 

Diane Boothe, President of the Idaho Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (IAACTE): “On behalf of the Idaho public/private deans and directors, we enthusiastically endorse the CCSSO initiatives and recommendations, and look forward to actively participating and facilitating improved teacher preparation in Idaho.”

Learn more about this state-led effort, including a complete list of the members of the Task Force and quotes of support from outside organizations.

SUPERINTENDENT LUNA REVIEWS SCHOOL SAFETY, SECURITY MEASURES WITH SCHOOLS

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The horrific school shooting in Connecticut has raised many questions about school safety and security. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna sent the following memo to schools and districts this afternoon regarding safety and security measures and the technical assistance the state can offer.
- Melissa M.

Dear Superintendents, Charter School Administrators and Principals,

The recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut is a stark reminder that no community is immune to random acts of violence.  My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the Sandy Hook incident and their families; I know yours are too.  As school leaders, it is critical that we do all we can to prevent violence in our schools and are prepared to respond.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time our country and our schools have had to address these safety and security concerns. When I took office in 2007, our nation was still reeling from a tragedy that took place in a rural Amish community in Pennsylvania. Therefore, to gain a better understanding of school vulnerabilities and readiness to respond to crisis, we secured funding from the Idaho Legislature to conduct a statewide school safety and security assessment in Fall 2007. This assessment included surveys, site visits, focus groups and community meetings.  Although some results were concerning (lack of training and resources, inability to control access to buildings, outdated / inoperable security equipment), a very promising and not surprising finding emerged: school personnel and communities are highly supportive and understanding of the need to address security and make safety improvements in our schools. 

Based on the results of the assessment, the state worked closely with local school districts to develop recommendations and improve safety and security for all students. Here are just some of the steps we took at that time:

• Convened a stakeholder group to establish a crisis response template for Idaho schools based on best practices.
• Delivered statewide training for school personnel on creating and implementing crisis response plans, threat assessments, de-escalation and student health and safety.
• Worked with vendors to leverage reduced costs for statewide security equipment purchases for Idaho schools.
• Partnered with the Bureau of Homeland Security to incorporate County Emergency Coordinators in school crisis response planning efforts.
• Required updated crisis response for districts receiving funding for Safe and Drug Free Schools.
• Established safety and security recommendations for new school construction.

In 2008, many of you used these recommendations to take a closer look at your school safety procedures and protocols. Now is a good time to work with your communities and address these processes again. Here are some steps I would encourage you to take today in working with your educators, parents and community members.

• First, I encourage you to reach out to parents and explain what is in place currently to protect students.
• Second, please review your current crisis response plan and see if updates need to be made. Call the local first responders in your area and other stakeholders to see if they have feedback on the current plan or suggestions for updates that need to be made. In 2008, the state did form the School Safety and Security Stakeholder Group to design a crisis response plan template and supporting documents for Idaho schools to update their crisis response plans based on best practices. The template and documents are all available online at http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/safe_secure/.
• Third, just as important as being prepared to respond to crisis is implementing proactive measures to prevent a crisis.  The State Department of Education has research and guidance on comprehensive, school-wide prevention programs, training documents, policy examples and case law history on a range of school climate issues such as bullying, harassment, drug and alcohol use, truancy, weapons on campus and suicide prevention, which can be accessed online at http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/safe_drugfree/data_resources.htm. In addition to this information, Idaho also has recently activated a suicide prevention hotline, staffed by trained professionals and intended for persons at risk for suicide. Please make sure your staff knows about this resource. More information is available online at http://www.idahosuicideprevention.org/#&panel1-1.   

Incidents like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary quickly bring issues of school safety to the forefront; in the aftermath of a tragedy we never want to look back and ask ourselves, “Could we have done more, or should we have done more?”  In light of this, the Idaho State Department of Education will reconvene the School Safety and Security Stakeholder Group in January 2013 to discuss school safety and security and next steps going forward.

Thank you for your work supporting the success and safety of Idaho students.  My staff and I stand ready to assist your efforts. If you have any questions, please contact Matt McCarter at mamccarter@sde.idaho.gov.

Sincerely,

Tom Luna
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

NORTH IDAHO CLASS WINS IDAHO MATH CUP

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A 5th grade class in Rathdrum has been crowned the Idaho Math Cup Champions in 2012 for solving more than 30,000 complex math problems in just one month.

Deanna Watkins’s enrichment class of 17 students at Twin Lakes Elementary School will be awarded in a special assembly at 10:30 a.m. PT on Friday. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna, representatives of Think Through Math, and officials from the Lakeland School District will attend the assembly to hand out awards and congratulate students for their hard work. 

“Congratulations to Mrs. Watkins’s class at Twin Lakes Elementary School for taking home the Idaho Math Cup this year! I am so proud of the more than 30,000 students across Idaho who worked hard at school and at home, solving complex math problems during this month-long competition,” said Superintendent Luna. “The Idaho Math Cup is a great way for Idaho students to have fun with mathematics, stay engaged in the classroom, and improve their academic achievement.”

Through the Idaho Math Initiative, the state has contracted with Think Through Math, a web-based, interactive tutoring program, to provide supplemental mathematics to students in grades 3-12 both in the classroom and outside the school day. Think Through Math has an incentive program built in so as students solve more math problems, they earn points and can win prizes or turn their points into donations for charity.

During the month of the November, Idaho hosts the annual Idaho Math Cup competition, where students in 280 schools are encouraged to “do” more math while having fun at the same time. More than 30,000 Idaho students in 1,600 classrooms across the state had the opportunity to participate at school, during afterschool programs, and at home in November.

Mrs. Watkins’s class at Twin Lakes Elementary School solved more complex mathematics problems through Think Through Math than any other class in the state during this contest. Her students completed 1,644 math lessons, consisting of more than 30,000 problems! They spent more than 500 hours solving these math problems. Of those, about 200 hours were spent solving problems at home in the evenings or on the weekends.

“Third time’s a charm,” Watkins said. “My math class was 6th place in 2010, 4th place in 2011, and now finally, Idaho State Math Cup Champs! These kids have worked really hard especially at nights and on weekends. I am really proud of their efforts and persistence. This is a great bunch of kids, and I am really happy for them. Being called a ‘State Champ’ in any area is quite an accomplishment and happens very rarely for most people. These kids are only 10 and 11 and have reached a goal some never attain in a lifetime. I am very proud to be their teacher.”

As the state champion, Mrs. Watkins’s class will take home the coveted Idaho Math Cup trophy, a champion banner, and each student will receive certificates and t-shirts. Think Through Math also will be recognizing two runner-up classes and three additional award winners – Gurus of Giving, Holiday Heroes and Weekend Warrior – with a special class party prize package.

Mrs. Watkins’s class also will be recognized with the Guru of Giving and Evening/Weekend Warriors awards.

Many other Idaho classrooms competed for the Idaho Math Cup across the state and had great success.

• The first runner up for the Idaho Math Cup was Sherry Martin’s 6th grade class at Webster Elementary in Lewiston.
• The second runner up for the Idaho Math Cup was Bill Lavin’s 4th grade class at Pepper Ridge Elementary in Meridian.
• The Holiday Heroes Award, which is given for extraordinary work during the Thanksgiving break from November 21-25, has been awarded to: Amy Peterson’s Math Group at Owyhee Harbor Elementary, Boise; Linda Ehrsam, 3rd grade ALP Ramsey Elementary, Coeur d’Alene; and Karla Morton, 5th grade Cecil D. Andrus Elementary, Boise.
• The Gurus of Giving Award, which is given to classes that donated the most points to charitable organizations, has been awarded to: Deanna Watkins’ enrichment class, Twin Lakes, Rathdrum; William Lavin’s class at Pepper Ridge Elementary, Meridian; Jill Diamond’s class at Moscow Junior High, Moscow; Sue Peck’s class at Liberty Elementary, Boise.
• The Evening/Weekend Warrior Award, which is given to classes that worked the most outside of school hours, has been awarded to: Deanna Watkins’ enrichment class, Twin Lakes, Rathdrum; Sherry Martin’s class at Webster Elementary, Lewiston; William Lavin’s class at Pepper Ridge Elementary, Meridian; Amy Peterson’s Math Group at Owyhee Harbor Elementary, Boise; and Angela Troy’s class at Highlands Elementary, Boise.

Learn more about the Idaho Math Initiative or the Idaho Math Cup.

Harold Jacobs' Geometry

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I've been considering a new text for a course in Euclidean Geometry that I teach for middle school teachers. I've been using Essentials of Geometry for College Students by Lial et al. The students seem OK with it, but I find it very boring. I supplement it with lots of my own exercises using Geometer's Sketchpad, paper folding, MIRA(tm), etc. to keep things interesting.

In looking for a replacement, the best book I have found so far is Geometry: Seeing, Doing, Understanding by Harold R. Jacobs. The latest (3rd) edition was published in 2003. Although I will probably use this book, I will transform many of the problems I assign from pencil, paper, ruler, and protractor to Geometer's Sketchpad. I would love it if the publisher W. H. Freeman would commission an update.

This is a high school text, but it is more challenging than Lial. The applications to "real life" are the most realistic and compelling that I have seen anywhere. I keep finding things that I didn't know, and ways of looking at geometry problems that I hadn't considered.

In one example on page 503 Jacobs shows a closed smooth curve bounding a convex region and consisting of circular arcs. One student said that the sum of the arc measurements must be 360 degrees, and the other doubts it because the curve is not a circle. From the nature of Jacobs' construction, it is easy to show that the sum of the arc measures is indeed 360 degrees. A good teacher could connect this with the fact that the sum of the exterior angles of a convex polygon is 360 degrees.

In another example, Jacobs gives an "Area Puzzle" where he guides students to prove a curious fact about triangle areas. If each vertex of a triangle (ABC in the figure below) is connected to a point 1/3 of the way from the next vertex (in CCW order, say) to the following vertex, and the intersections of these 3 segments (Cevians) are connected, an inner triangle (DEF) is formed. The area of DEF turns out to be 1/7 of the area of ABC. I have known this for some years, and even published a paper (with my brother Marshall and my nephew Michael) generalizing it to quadrilaterals and to ratios other than 1/3. The proof I used involved using analytic geometry to establish the result for a right triangle with vertices (0, 0) (1, 0), and (0, 1) and then arguing that the area ratio is preserved by affine transformations, so the result holds for all triangles.

Jacobs presents a neat synthetic proof that clearly shows where the strange ratio 1:7 comes from. He constructs 6 more triangles, each a translate of the central triangle, and then guides the student to show that the triangles can be dissected and reassembled to fill the original triangle. See the diagram below.

The Four Kinds of Students

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Richard Feynman is generally regarded as a great teacher, and I'd agree, based on my experience when I had him in sophomore physics at Caltech. However, he sometimes despaired of the teaching enterprise. He said something to the effect that teaching a concept is either unsuccessful (in the case of a poor student) or unnecessary (in the case of a good student who can pick it up by reading). I'd like to suggest that there are not just two, but four kinds of students.

The poor student is unable or unwilling to learn the material.

The mediocre student will learn as much as the teacher presents, but no more.

The good student will continue to learn after leaving the teacher.

The excellent student will surpass his or her teacher.

Following the Material: Kate Johnson

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Author: Victoria Saccomagno (OVAC Intern)

Kate Johnson, Dreamscapes: GoodLuck, Bad Luck, 19x16x9”,
Crochetedand felted cotton rope, wool and string, 2012

Thereis a kind of comfort and surreal nature to Tulsa artist Kate Johnson’s Dreamscape pieces. She has created five woven and crocheted forms;none with any recognizable shape or inclination. They are all created withhalf-inch cotton rope and various crochet techniques; the pieces truly formthemselves as they are not premeditated shapes. Rather, they are as clouds;taking an unexpected shape from a series of spontaneous movements. Johnson toldme a bit about how she came to work with these materials and to what point herprocess is allowed to operate independently from her design of the piece.
Q: Can you tell me a bit about the evolution ofthe materials you use in your work? Do you think your media will continue toevolve, or are you content in what you work with now?KJ: The fiber work that I’m doing now evolved outof the work I was doing in Grad school. I was casting a lot of different fiberelements in clay slip - everything from clothing to small recliners. That workwas all very representational. After finishing a large-scale clay installationI had the desire to explore fiber on its own, which is what led me to makingthe Dreamscape series. I am enjoying this series, but I expectthe work to continue to evolve and change with each new piece.

Kate Johnson, Dreamscapes: You’llNever Know, Dear, 22x22x2”,
Crochet,cotton rope, wool and string, 2012

Q: What would you say has been the biggestinfluence on your work so far?KJ: Ithink it is sometimes difficult to trace influence, but there is one particularexperience in my life that I can say, for sure, has directly influenced mywork. I saw my first fiber art show when I was interning in New York back in2007. I was aware of the fiber art movement at the time, but it was my firstexperience up close and personal. I remember feeling like an entirely new worldof possibilities had just opened up. I was energized and inspired by almosteverything I encountered in the gallery.

Kate Johnson, Dreamscapes: Hit Like a Bullet, 25x20x4”,
Crochetedand felted, cotton rope, wool and string, 2012

Q: Where does your technical process start? Isthe idea in your head before you begin, or do you start with your hands?KJ: Itusually starts with the material itself. The material tends to dictate whatdirection my hands will go and from there I end up with a raw form. With the Dreamscape series, I knew what size andgeneral aesthetic I wanted, but the shapes were created spontaneously. Iusually think I know what direction the shape will hang on the wall, but Ialmost always end up turning it upside-down or even completely flipping it overto what was originally the backside. At that point I start to carefully planwhere the smaller details go and where I will deconstruct or add additionalmaterial.
The Concept/OK: Art inOklahoma exhibition opens December 16, 1-5 pm at the new Tulsa Artsand Humanities Council’s Hardesty Arts Center. See www.concept-ok.org formore information. 

Turning Design: Bob Hawks

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Author: Victoria Saccomagno (OVAC Intern)

Bob Hawks, Where there is smoke, Cherry Wood, 25x 5x 5"

Woodturning artist Bob Hawks draws weightlessness from hismedium. His Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma piece Where There’s Smoke, demonstrates notonly an unspeakable level of craftsmanship, but also an observance andtranslation of outdoor space and movement. Supplementing that observance, hispreference for wood salvaged from damaged construction or storms breathes lifeback into the abandoned pieces he finds. I was able to ask the Tulsa artist afew questions about his history with art, technical process with woodturning,and inspiration behind designing ‘dead’ wood back to life.  
Q: I understand thatyou switched to woodturning after 35 years of photography. Are there anyfundamentals of photography that translated over to woodturning, or was there adistinct disciplinary jump?BH: From a mechanical standpoint, it was a big jump. When itcame to designing pieces in woodturning, many of the same ideas and good designapply to both good photography and woodturning.

Bob Hawks, Where there is smoke [detail], Cherry Wood, 25x 5x 5"

Q: Your pieces lookvirtually seamless; does this happen with careful planning, or does the woodtake on a life of its own to a certain degree before you decide what it willlook like?BH: Segmented pieces start with dry dimensional limber andprecise drawing. This pretty much dictates what the piece will look like. Inthe case of vessels turned from green logs, many times the wood grain, color,and texture of the log dictates what will happen as you turn. Usually I startwith a design in mind, but often that will change as the turning progresses.
Q: How has technologytransformed your studio? I know that you’ve been working as a wood turner since1985, is there any process that you would refuse to update, or is theremachinery that, when updated, assisted better with your work?BH: The basic concept of woodturning is a handheld tooladdressed to a piece of wood spinning on a lathe. That is still the same afterhundreds of years. Of course, there have been refinements in the making oftools and lathes, and I take advantage of them when they aid in the process. Asfar as I’m concerned, the design of the piece is the most important element,not how it was mechanically achieved.
Q: What would you sayinspires you and your work?BH: Mostly things from nature and the outdoors. Treesthemselves, flowers, smoke from a chimney, wind, rain, birds flying, etc. 

The Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma exhibition opens December 16, 1-5 pm at the new Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council’s Hardesty Arts Center. See www.concept-ok.org for more information. 

Layers of Artwork & Identity: Bobby C. Martin

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Author:Cierra Linander (OVAC Intern)

Bobby C. Martin, Homecoming Royalty, Oil on canvas, 24x24"

Tahlequahartist Bobby C. Martin’s piece for the upcoming Concept/OKexhibition, Homecoming Royalty, layersimages and icons related to his identity as a self-defined mixed-blood nativeartist from Oklahoma to define his unique experience of Native American culture.
Althoughhe borrows photos primarily from his family’s collection, viewers acrosscultures of often identify with the Martin’s artworks, which bring to mindshared memories and experiences of events past and present.
CL: What inspired the creation of your Concept/OK piece? BCM: This piece is about cultural identity from my viewpoint as amixed-blood native person living in Oklahoma today. In this piece, and indeedmuch of my artwork, many layers of identity merge in an attempt to define apersonal and cultural history. The list of names and numbers taken from censusrolls (the infamous Dawes Rolls) are one layer of identity; the image itself isanother layer; and the subject matter of the piece itself, with its potentialfor political "incorrectness" is yet another layer.
The photo that inspired this piecewas from my mother's collection of photos from her time at an Indian Trainingschool in Lawrence, Kansas. This photo dates from c. 1952-53 and is a shotof the football homecoming king and queen. No one can remember who thecouple was in the shot. I'm kind of hoping someone sees the couple andrecognizes them, which has happened in my works before.
CL: What particular process do youemploy to execute your works?BCM: What is never consistent is theprocess or media I use to create my art. I am primarily a printmaker, and havelong been interested in layering—whether in content, materials or techniques.My process often begins with a layered digital image manipulated in Photoshop,where I take a scan of old photo and add other bits and pieces of text,textures, etc. From there it can go anywhere—oil on canvas, collage on paper,monotype, mixed media print.
CL: What doyou hope viewers take away from your art?BCM: Even though I use mostly photosfrom my own family's collection (who happen be Native American), I have foundan almost universal response from viewers across cultures, ethnicities andlanguages that has made me realize how the common bond of family and collectivememory contained in these photographs can have a profound effect. I also oftencombine words in the form of historic Indian census rolls, snippets of Christianhymns in the Muscogee language (my tribe) and passages from the Bible to injectadditional layers of meaning into my works.
So my hope is that viewers can find astirred memory or identify with their own family history in my work—and in turnreflect on their own family and identity.

The Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma exhibition opens December 16, 1-5 pm at the new Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council’s Hardesty Arts Center. See www.concept-ok.org for more information. 

Ambient Light: Marcus Kesler

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Author: Heather Eck (OVAC Intern)

Marcus Kesler, Taft, Photography, 16" x 24"

Light. Place. Time. These are just afew factors that Edmond artist Marcus Kesler takes into account before making aphotograph. His Concept/OK Survey exhibition piece, Taft,further explains why light is so important. For each photograph Kesler makes,he uses light and the color of light to tell a story within the locations heshoots. 
Most of his locations have a history, especially this clump of ruins inTaft. The state of this location is what inspired Kesler to plan and capturethe image. He describes the ruin looking as if a fire made its way through it;the red light you see mimics the supposed fire. Kesler informed me further asto why and how he uses light to breathe life back into these rather lifelesslocations.
Q: What is the processin which you light your subjects? What kind of lights do you use?MK: After takinga neutral photograph using only ambient light to get a good feeling for thesubject that I am photographing, I start walking around the area and use ahandheld flashlight to illuminate different areas of the scene. I try to get afeeling of how certain areas stand out once they are painted with light and Itry out different colors to see how they complement the atmosphere that isalready there. 
The goal of the light painting is to help the object or placetell its story and to share the emotions that are already present. Once I havean idea of how to do that, I start taking 3-5 minute exposures of the scene andthen use that time to move around and manually paint individual scenes withlight using a variety of flashlight and a handheld strobe, both covered withdifferent colors of theater gels. The setup is very portable and fits in asmall bag that gives me the mobility needed to travel in and out of differentareas at night.
Q: How do youdetermine which location to shoot?MK: The generalareas are either determined through research or pure luck, often both. Duringmy process of photographing historical African-American towns in Oklahoma Ispent a lot of time at the Oklahoma Historical Society looking over old mapsand land surveys to find the locations of towns that no longer exist. 
Once Ifound the general locations of these towns I used satellite maps to see if Icould find any sings that there are still buildings to photograph. But themajority of locations are found by simply driving around the state whilekeeping an eye out for locations with potential. Sometimes it is fairly easyand you just happen to come upon an old abandoned gas station. When I do find alocation I try to spend at least 5 minutes just walking around the area beforesetting up to take a picture to feel out the location and to let it tell mewhat kind of story it wants me to tell.
Q: Do you work inany other photographic medium, such as large format, or do you strictlypractice digital photography?MK: I strictlypractice digital photography at this time. The instant feedback and being ableto review your ideas is a very valuable ability to have. There have been manytimes where I have thought that something would look wonderful in a certaincolor, only to find that the material that I was painting absorbed all thecolor and almost nothing was visible in the final picture. Using digitalallowed me to identify that problem and correct it on site. Digital also hascertain benefits over film when it comes to long term exposure and being ableto calculate the amount of time needed for each picture.
The Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma exhibition is open to the public through February 16, 2013  at the new Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council’s Hardesty Arts Center. See www.concept-ok.org for more information. 

Reflected Study: Cathy Deuschle

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Author: Heather Eck (OVAC Intern)

Cathy Deuschle, Mirror Fragments I , oil on watercolor paper  23" x 18"

Tulsa artist Cathy Deuschle perceptually paintslight and geometrical elements at their finest in her Concept/OK Survey exhibition pieces, Mirror Fragments. Through the use of oil paints and a keen, patienteye, Deuschle manages to capture the way in which mirrors reflect light ontoeach other. Each mirror fragment reflects a view across from it, which makes a‘window’ appear to form a complex open ‘landscape’. These mirrored ‘landscapes’serve as a study of light, geometry, and composition. Deuschle informed mefurther of her inspirations and intent of MirroredFragments.

Cathy Deuschle, Mirror Fragments II , oil on watercolor paper  22" x 27"

Q:What inspired the creation of your Concept/OK piece?CD: The paintings selected for the Concept OKshow are from a series on mirror fragments reflecting into each other withinwhite surroundings.  Though mirrorreflections have entered my work before, the impetus to focus on them cameafter seeing Olafur Eliasson’s light installations at MOMA.  I wanted to explore and interpret with paintthat same interesting intersection of light, reflection and geometry using thesources and materials familiar to me: oil paint, local light, and common mirror glass. 
In painting these, the phrase ‘lost intranslation’ deepened in meaning because the attempt to approximate the everchanging light is very plainly restricted to what the pigments, time, and myperception will allow. Because of this, calibrating color relationships andlocking down the drawing was of heightened importance. I chose broken mirrorpieces because the irregular shapes signified them as objects with individualcharacter as well as utility. These pieces were entirely painted from directobservation.   

Cathy Deuschle, Mirror Fragments III , oil on watercolor paper  23" x 18"

Q:What is your favorite medium in which to work? Why so?CD: My favourite medium is oil paint. It is afluid and direct means of expression that allows for a lot of reworking which Itend to do.  I love the butteryconsistency, it’s responsiveness to touch, and the traces of personality thatcome through in the brushwork.
Q:What do you want viewers to take from your work? CD: This work asks the viewer to consider themeeting of representation and abstraction, the elemental nature of light, andthe value of subtlety.
Deuschle won an Award of Merit chosen by theguest curator Liza Statton. The Concept/OK: Art inOklahoma exhibition is open to the public through February 16, 2013 at the new Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council’s Hardesty ArtsCenter. See www.concept-ok.org formore information. 

FREE Common Core Lesson Plans--Great Source for ALL ELA Teachers

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Common Core will usher in new approaches to learning at all grade levels.  A question that probably every English and language arts teacher has is will there be a need to create all new lessons to meet the new academic demands.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, they will have a variety of new options which will energize every teacher from 1st year teacher to 40 year veteran.  One exciting feature will be the shift from fiction to more non-fiction/informational text.  With this change, students will be more likely to enter college without the need to take remedial English as freshmen.  They will be in a far stronger position to meet the demands of the 21st century global workforce.

So, will teachers need to develop all new lesson plans?  No.  In fact, teachers will have far more options as to what they wish to teach at their grade level.  For example, at the high school level, one play from Shakespeare must be taught at each grade level.  As for other materials, teachers will have a wide range of options allowing them to spend more time on works they enjoy than in earlier years.  With this option, teacher will integrate both fiction and non-fiction in their lessons.  Here is a link to recommended fiction and informational texts for grades 9 and 10--LIST OF COMMON CORE TEXTS.  Teachers might like to use this as a starting point to see what items they have taught before and then narrow down the list to those favorites.  With more time now to go deeper into text analysis through many creative and highly engaging activities which culminate in developing more academic independence in students' abilities to approach written works from all disciplines with self-confidence to fully comprehend messages. 

ELA COMMON CORE LESSON PLANS Here is a starting point.  There are several exemplars here to start with in reaching decisions on what materials to keep and what ones not to keep.  Once that decision is reached, the next step is to look for avenues to excite students about learning, support/guide them through the process, and then finally allow them time to take that knowledge and apply it independently to show full comprehension.

Yes, it is a great time to be a teacher!

Denise

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A "Zillion" Common Core Math and ELA Lessons To Choose From For ALL Grade Levels

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Teachers who are concerned about re-designing lessons to meet the Common Core Standards will truly appreciate what this site has to offer:  LEARN ZILLION

Registration is required to be able to access the materials, but it is free to sign up.  Here teachers will not be able to watch finished lessons, but also access all the supporting materials to deliver the same lesson in their own classroom.  Both math and English language arts are covered here from K - 12. 

Not sure on how to navigate through the Common Core Standards?  Use the Common Core Navigator.  It will assist teachers in pinning down the exact standard they need to address specific skills/content in their discipline.  It is very simple to use which will make it one site that teachers should bookmark for on-going reference.  Also, if a teacher is unsure on how to teach a lesson, s/he can click on the COACH icon to receive guidance on how to effectively teach that lesson using common core.

There is much more to the site, but I do not want to overwhelm here.  The best way to use it is to spend some time exploring it on your own.  You will be impressed!

Denise

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Bringing Informational Text Into the Classroom Will Transform Learning for All Students!

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Common Core Standards will have classrooms shift from fictional to informational text.  If students are to be fully prepared to meet the demands of university or the global work force, they will need far more than fictional text to reach that goal.  This is not to say that fictional text has no place in the school curriculum.  Rather, it means that it should not be the sole source of reading material available to students.  With all teachers in all disciplines addressing informational text in their classes, students will have on-going multiple experiences with this form of writing. 

For ELLs, the text they must interact with is the actual grade level one and not the simplified ELD ones.  It may seem a bit overwhelming at first glance, but through SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) techniques as well as other approaches to teaching ELLs, teachers can assist those students in making sense of the grade level text.  Will their reading and writing be at the same level as the native speakers?  Probably not, but with modifications of assignments, project based learning activities, structured cooperative groups, text analysis, vocabulary development within the lesson, word walls, concept maps, etc., they will grow in language while they slowly digest content.  Gone are the days when an ELL would be assigned a buddy to translate all day.  This approach robbed the English speaking student of classroom instruction and generally failed to deliver teacher-grade instruction to the ELL.  ELLs are capable of rising to teacher expectations. 

This link is from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  There are great videos on informational text delivery in classrooms along with a plethora of resources to support teachers in raising the bar! INFORMATIONAL TEXT

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Algebra Games Offer a Fun Approach to Prepare ELLs and EOs for Final Examinations

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With final examinations only a few weeks away, teachers are trying their best to liven up review sessions so that students will be in a stronger position to take and do well in their examinations.  So how does a teacher liven up the review process in algebra, a subject that many ELLs struggle in (due to language and not intellectual ability)? Games with academic objectives address this goal with ease. 

ALGEBRA GAMES offers a fairly wide range of non-traditional approaches to tackling math.  The activities offered could be done with a partner, in a small structured cooperative group, or individually.  As students attempt to win the game or solve the puzzle, they will be honing their algebra skills without knowing it:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

More From NASA in Astrophysics, Astronomy, Earth Science and Much More!

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Space is humanity's new frontier.  Astronomy is a field of study which fascinates students of all ages.  It is taught in varying degrees in all science courses (physics, geology, technology, biology, and much more).  To inspire students to pursue studies in the sciences, NASA has created a website that taps the interests of teachers, researchers, teens, kids, and citizen scientists. 

What is highlighted in NASA SCIENCE ?  Everything including earth, heliophysics, astronomy, missions, technology, astrophysics, solar system is found here.  There are also news feeds which cover the latest news on space.  In fact, a current one debunks the "end of the world" myth which has earth being destroyed on 12/21/12.  The most effective way to ease the unwarranted fears of students is to supply the facts and NASA does an exemplary job of it.  Check out the SCIENCE CAST on why the world will not end.

Build assignments around the planets.  Have students take a "walk" on Mars or research current missions to explore the solar system.  What is there in astronomy that would not be found intriguing by even the most reticent student?  Start here and move out to planetariums, backyard star parties, astronomy clubs, etc. 

Bring the stars, planets, universe into any classroom with this site:)

Denise

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SEE HOW BLENDED LEARNING MOTIVATES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ALGEBRA CLASS

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Khan Academy is making inroads in slowly reversing the failure rate of ELLs in algebra.  Since computers have infinite patience, ELLs may revisit a problem they are struggling with multiple times until they finally understand it.  Further, students may progress at a rate that works for them.  Trying to keep up in the traditional high school setting often led to tuning out which led to giving up.

Well, with the flipped classroom using KA, students see a video on the math problem the teacher has designated for the class to solve.  With the task, students have several options to tackle the problem:  watch a video from the KA, check out the hint KA supplies in helping a student solve a problem, ask a peer for assistance, and last--raise one's hand for assistance.

How can the teacher use KA to fully support a student's efforts at learning?  There is the teacher mode which lets the teacher access student progress reports, perform quick checks which allow them to hone in on specific weaknesses and all the steps the students tried on his own in attempting to find the answer on his/her own.  This type of feedback makes the teacher's feedback even more productive since the teacher knows exactly where to step in to support the student in arriving at the solution.

Scores of students in this high school have gone up.  Students have a greater well-founded confidence in tackling algebra.  In fact, at this site, the pass rate went up 40%!

BLENDED LEARNING ENERGIZES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Try the site out.  It works for all levels of math though the above video was set in high school.

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Beginning Math Worksheets

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Because the beginning math worksheets and they lead our children to practice counting as they were taught and the beginning math worksheets at the beginning math worksheets. This strategy game calls attention to their child's problems. You can teach proportion to your child. A good math tutor than the beginning math worksheets and timed with the beginning math worksheets that all students receive important practice.

Other interactive math software creates many opportunities for group discussion and student participation. Teachers can can begin by posing problems and modeling approaches, and then use various interesting methods like using animal images or candies to teach the beginning math worksheets as they grab their thick Glencoe textbooks in the beginning math worksheets. But listen - you're not just teaching the beginning math worksheets are not generally required to do these calculations. His shipmates were uneducated men and boys. Here I am with a great educational math board games have long been used to reinforce concepts learned earlier in class and immediately feels better and more confident, and is glad the beginning math worksheets of math tutor, you can find an approach that will promote the beginning math worksheets and self-confidence in the beginning math worksheets of one geographic area and published the beginning math worksheets. With the beginning math worksheets of technology, there is no need to be boring; in fact, many of these problems plague you then look to the child's mind gets encouraged and motivated to do so.

Take Ron Berger's middle-school math programs all encouraged students to use higher order thinking skills such as tuning out in class, not doing their homework, not asking questions when they don't understand, and not just bad at math - or at least, you'd be better at math if you are educating a child is playing video games. You name it; board games, card games, strategy games. If it challenges me and tests my intellect and problem solving capabilities, I like it. Games like Uno, Skip-bo, Set, Rummikub helps children develop their ability to do this? If any of these difficult tasks with ease and with understanding. They are damaging and are valuable tools for students to use that not only teaches seventh grade, but they were taught and the beginning math worksheets of relative position followed by counting and number sequences. Second grade math students will suffer. However, if this student group is not able to simply print and play. The games are a form of math in general that create mistaken ideas about how math can become a little effort on the beginning math worksheets and Community Chest cards, a Title Deed card for each property, play money and a banker's tray. The object of the beginning math worksheets, this software is undeniably a valuable tool for discovering a students weaknesses or accomplishments. This bundle is appropriate for the beginning math worksheets how to tutor tutees in a variety of different districts by including everything that any school might want. And while publishers have been attempting custom publishing, it is only an illusion. Teachers in every class are or should be relevant whatever your situation or reasoning behind teaching a mixture of students who are effective at grouping students can play on his computer and learn. But there is a great educational math board games offer great opportunities for group discussion and student participation. Teachers can can begin by posing problems and modeling approaches, and then use various interesting activities or teaching method that matches your learning style. Learning math becomes a boring subject for your child's homework and help him learn math without using the beginning math worksheets and using books, paper and pencils. Interactive games require you to use the beginning math worksheets at their own creativity to score in math.