Good afternoon!
I read that the Russians want to ban the US from the International Space Station. That the US is stepping up its production and testing of new bigger and greater rockets that will fling heftier payloads into the darkness of space. This might bend my brain a bit, but then I watch my grandchildren play, I hear the grandkids of our new neighbors playing and I wonder ...
Do you remember being 10 years old? Not
many worries, wondering, asking questions, drifting from one thought to
another, from one play action to another? Everything in your world is there for
you to investigate; to hold and turn over and around and look at, I mean REALLY
look at.
Our grandson is staying the weekend with
us as his sisters are showing their goats at the Fiber Fair. As a 10 year old,
I'm amazed at what he knows, how he can use and manipulate language a lot
better than many of my college students and then wander off into a story he is
creating in his head.
My husband has a 10 foot measuring tape with
a tiny pencil and paper pad attached that the grandson borrowed. I've been
watching him measure absolutely everything he can think of for the last hour.
He measured the door to the shop, the tomato containers, the dogs (all three of
them); he even measured his PBJ sandwich. And, he meticulously wrote down the
measurements.
The boys (grandson and grandfather) are off to the train museum
for the afternoon. Grandson tucked the tape measure into his pocket – he wants
to measure some of the wheels on the steam engines he's going to climb on.
Don't you wish you had the curiosity and
wonder of a 10 year old? I wish I had the time to devote to exploring the world
the way he does. I'm glad that we are able to provide the time for him to explore.
All too soon he will be required to step into the world and maybe loose his
curiosity. That would be a loss for all of humanity – when 10 year olds lose their
interest in the world they become like us – how sad.
I've started grading the final research
projects. The ones that came in this week were great! My curiosity was
satisfied. Have you ever wondered about the .01% bacteria germ that doesn't die
when you clean with all the great anti-bacterial products we have available now
days? Scientists are calling it the
"super bug" and there are now more of them around because we keep
strengthening them and taking away their competition (the weaker 99%). I
learned that starting in 2016 companies are going to have to prove the
effectiveness of their products. In the meantime, I think I'm going to clean
more with white vinegar – apparently it kills germs and bacteria and is 98%
effective. What is great is that bacteria and germs can't become immune to
vinegar. Some of the other topics included slaughterhouses (a tough topic for
me the vegetarian), media and violence, and trail bikes. Now I realize that the
trail bikes actually became a report instead of a research, but it was still
fun to read.
As to my research on the Wired
Generation – I am struggling with the "red-tape concept" that many Millennials
refuse to go through. Several of the students in my transitional class want to "write
the book" before they can construct the paragraph. And, they get ticked
off when I say I don't understand what they are trying to say. Their sharp comeback is that I'm not reading
it right – they've written it clear enough. I think my biggest disappointment
was when two students refused to read it aloud to me so I could understand.
They are very defensive and afraid – and of course, right now, they have to be
right. Too bad, I think they've got great ideas but their presentation sucks.
I've also been having problems with
texting and multi-tasking in class. I think this week we're going to explore
the concept of multi-tasking and its effects on memory and learning. I know
that several students will be outraged and refuse to play; most will play and
decide it doesn't really happen that way for them; and then that choice few
will understand – they'll get it.
If anyone asked me to describe what I
do, I'd have to say I was a chipper and a cheerleader; I chip away at ignorance
one or two people at a time and cheerlead for anyone who needs to know they are
enough.
Have a great week.
And remember! June's stories are available! Read and enjoy on your lazy afternoons. And if you don't have lazy
afternoons, take a quiet evening – it's good for your soul .
Carolyn
All
images downloaded from Google Images
Fig
1 – Curiosity Cat retrieved from Google Images
Fig
2 – Measuring Tapes Retrieved from www.promo-whlesale.com
Fig
3 – Funny 10 Yr Old T-shirt retrieved from www.zazzle.com
Fig
4 – Trail bike xr 125 cc dirt bike retrieved from www.pmxaus.com
Fig
5 – Multi-tasking: the art of looking stupid retrieved from jmdive.com
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