Philosophy Without A Home

 My first question and answer. so the question is from a performance task I set for my students. I think if they followed the directions they could turn in a piece of work that I would grade as acceptable. Often I try to get my students to write or verbally explain their thought process and I would be looking for this exact answer. Well maybe I would expect them to tell me to draw a line up three boxes on a graph paper and over 4 boxes to make a right triangle. Draw a right triangle ABC.side lengths of 3 and 4. Draw a dilation of triangle ABC with a center of dilation at A and a scale factor of 2 label the new vertices B’ and C’ Write a similarity statement for triangles ABC and AB’C’ To draw a right triangle with side lengths 3 and 4, start by drawing a horizontal line and a vertical line. These two lines will represent two sides of the triangle. Next, draw a diagonal line connecting the two lines to form the hypotenuse of the triangle. Label the points where the horizontal and

This morning, I was as usual listening to NPR. This morning was a story about how closing schools for the pandemic was a "calamity" for students. This afternoon was a story about how closing schools for the pandemic was a catalyst for many parents to enroll into virtual school or join a home schooling group.   Some random notes from the first story which ran about 7:30 AM August 22, 2022. https://www.wbez.org/schedule    Its a calamity Anya Kamenetz, author of a new book "The Stolen Years" tells us, according to Steve Inskeep that, "Extended closing were a calamity for education." A couple of interviews with kids who struggled mightily with school during Covid. "Its hard to see the best of your life go down the tubes. " Many years later standardized test show kids have not recovered. (has it been many years yet?) Experts described this disaster before it happened. Evidently they know from school closings in places like: Syrian Genocide, Rwanda, e

  A lot of people are worried that virtual learning will be a lost year. As if it is a given that in person education is better than virtual. I'm not so sure about that. #education #virtuallearning #2020 — Brendan Murphy (@dendari) September 13, 2020 Of course in person is better for some, but not all. This rush to get back to in person learning is not only dangerous health wise, but could have a negative impact academically as well.  Most teachers and schools seem to focus way too much energy on students turning in cameras, and then being dress code compliant and all that. #why — Brendan Murphy (@dendari) September 13, 2020 Less than half my students turn on their cameras. Even the students who think I'm the best thing since sliced bread rarely show me their face. #middleschool #peerpressure #hormones #shy — Brendan Murphy (@dendari) September 13, 2020 I have not written a single refferal this year. I haven't felt disrespected. I'm never fighting for con

I'm trying to put some thoughts down on paper and see if they are good or not, I'd love some feedback as well. As the Coronavirus rips back the band-aid of inequity in the public school system I fear that we are squandering the opportunity.  Yes I know students in undeserved neighborhoods are taking the brunt of the negative effects of shutting down schools and the economy. I know too many students don't have solid internet, don't have a device, don't have a quiet place to learn and study. I know so many have to take care of younger siblings. I know so many adults in these homes are essential workers, leaving their children to fend for themselves because they cannot take a day off, even when faced with sickness and death for going to work. And all of that is not even half the problems these children are facing right now. Yet it is still an opportunity being squandered. The traditional school, with it's emphasis on tests, rigorous curriculum, unyielding rules, an

It is a new century. Being anti-racist has changed. Sure in the late 1700's just saying slavery is bad was good enough. Then in the late 1800's giving people the right to vote was all in vogue. By the late 1900's integrating schools, and diners was progressive. Now we are in the 2000's. What is anti-racism today? Recognizing and rooting out systemic racism Except too many people have no idea what that is. Feagin defines systemic racism in the introduction to the book: Systemic racism includes the complex array of antiblack practices, the unjustly gained political-economic power of whites, the continuing economic and other resource inequalities along racial lines, and the white racist ideologies and attitudes created to maintain and rationalize white privilege and power. Systemic here means that the core racist realities are manifested in each of society’s major parts [...] each major part of U.S. society--the economy, politics, educat

How has teaching changed. I used to get 15,000 steps about 10,000 of them within a 25 by 20 sized room. I used to stop drinking coffee at 8:30 because I just forgot or didn't have time. I can go to the bathroom at any time and that is awesome. I don't plan a daily lesson. So much of my time was spent planning and reflecting on my daily lesson. Then grading exit slips and homework. And of course about 5 hours a day was actually required to be in the classroom. Way too often those 10 or 15 minutes quick lessons dragged out to 45 50 minutes because: Someone wasn't listening so I had to repeat. Someone was late. Someone was goofing off. Someone had a question. I was too long winded. We went down a rabbit hole. The instructions were unclear. Someone felt turn and talk time meant a discussion of birthday plans. Today I am doing my best to shrink those 15 minutes lessons into a 5 minute video. Instead of spending all my time corralling restless middle schoolers I can stalk GoGuard