2007

Disruptive Change in School: How Technology Ruined My Childhood

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Technology is always disruptive. Think of the introduction of the printing press, or the combine harvester, or the mechanical looms that destroyed a way of life for cottage industry weavers. Some of them took to frame breaking and gave us the unfairly derisive term of “Luddite” for those who resist technological change. Technology as disruption … Read more

Seniors on their way

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Seniors are on their way off to a final month of internships before they return to PDS for the Senior Week and commencement in June. Today was the farewell lunch on the front porch of Kenyon House. Seniors were welcomed into the Alumni Association. The sun shone, the breezes blew and the senior class were … Read more

Those Apocryphal Flying Cats of Borneo: The Real Story

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The flying cats of Borneo – apocryphal? Hyperbole? Fantasy? Jungle legend? Imaginary animals? In response to a request from a professor at The University of Iowa I provided one piece of the story of Operation Cat Drop backed by the official record. When I first heard of this improbable story and the ridiculous claim of … Read more

Choreolab North

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Last Friday’s Choreolab concert of ten original dances was the culmination of a central studies (CS) elective. Choreolab started at The Walden School in the 1980’s and was further developed as a student-led and directed experience by the work of Laurie Roth and Kirstin Been Spielman at Trevor Day School in New York City where … Read more

The Eagle Nation

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The title and content of this entry have changed. The original title – A Challenge to Stephen Colbert – referred to the Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report where the grippy and relentless megamerican Stephen Colbert holds court. The show opens with dramatic graphics of eagles, waving flags and the swooping adjectives that Colbert proclaims for … Read more

“Life on Earth” – an amazing multi-media musical

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I had the great pleasure of attending Life on Earth – a student written, multi-media and very original musical by the students in a central studies elective. The script was impressive – witty, pointed and poignant. The modern day Olympians – from Dr. Freud and Robin Hood to Miss America, from Wonder Woman and Bacchus … Read more

GHOTI spells what?

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Quick, quick! – spell “yacht” New research on spelling and the brain English spelling and pronunciation are renowned for complexity and quirks. Spelling still matters and we all know how computer spell checkers can mislead**. So what goes on in our brains when we spell a word or try to? New research about exactly what … Read more

The Great Cat Drop: Take this Test of Critical Thinking

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We are all very fond of talking about critical thinking. But what does it actually mean? In the classroom, in reality, in our lives? And how is such a skill developed? Awash with information, how do we determine truth, integrity and merit? The skills of discernment and discrimination are more crucial than ever as we … Read more

Teenagers Incompetent and Irresponsible? Let’s Abolish High School

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Let’s Abolish High School – it’s a link to an article in Education Week (April4, 2007) by Robert Epstein. Epstein provides some historical context to the educational warehousing of teenagers. Teenagers, he contends, are not inherently incompetent and irresponsible and we should stop treating them as if they were. To give you a taste: In … Read more

Write a Novel, Change the World: Use your Laptop as a brick

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Gary Stager came to Poughkeepsie Day School at the end of March and he began with a lively Vassar College/ PDS presentation Ten Things to do with a Laptop. His title is a deliberate nod to a groundbreaking 1971 article by Seymour Papert and Cynthia Solomon “Twenty Things to Do with a Computer.” They had … Read more

Snail, Slug, Sloth or Tortoise

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Does this Jerry King cartoon from FNO strike a chord? It’s easy to say “less is more” but not always so easy to see the sentiment translated into the practical of everyday life where the pressure seems on for more stuff in less time. Here is Carl Honoré – author of In Praise of Slowness … Read more