My tweets from Pete & C 2010

I decided to do a Cover It Live for all of my tweets from Pete & C 2010 for the next 3 days. Follow the link below to see them.

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Slava! performed by an Elementary Band? Sure! Why not?

Just wanted to share this AMAZING video of an elementary band in Japan performing Leonard Bernstein’s Slava! Enjoy!

Ironically, this YouTube video directly relates to an online class that I just started through Wilkes University and Discovery Ed. I will post about that later. Anyway, I had my wife listen to the audio of this video first before seeing who was performing. Then, we she came into the room and saw who was performing the work, she was as flabbergasted as I was.

I have just begun reading Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind for my graduate class. In the first chapter, he writes about left brain versus right brain thinking and how our educational system has traditionally catered to the left – the logical, language-centered, essentially more “academic” side of our brain, all the while more or less ignoring our more right-brained compassionate, artistic, emotional side. This video is a direct correlation to that.

My wife says, “What’s wrong with this country that we don’t focus enough on the arts?” As Daniel Pink would point out, it is largely in part due to education being based on preparing a workforce to participate in the Industrial Revolution where artistic and creative thinking were not as valued. Somehow, folks in other countries have at least figured out that the arts are a vital part of their school’s curriculum.

I could go on and on about the effects of high stakes testing, and how I believe our educational system is skewed, etc. but many other folks have written much more eloquently on the subject than I ever could. I would like to leave you though with this talk given by Sir Ken Robinson in 2006 for TED Talks.

I am now a STAR Discovery Educator!!

I just found out today that I am now a STAR Discovery Educator! I am still waiting to receive my welcome kit in the mail, but I’m very excited to get started sharing with my colleagues!!  Here’s the email I received below:

Dear Doug Butchy,

Congratulations! You have been selected as a STAR member of the Discovery Educator Network! As a new STAR Discovery Educator you will be an important part of a dynamic group of educators who are blazing new trails in technology use in the classroom. Your commitment to sharing resources and ideas in your local community has created an amazing opportunity for growth and learning. As a new STAR you now have access to a wide range of resources and benefits. Your enthusiasm and dedication will be supported with networking opportunities, professional development activities and exclusive DEN events. You should be receiving a welcome kit from us shortly containing everything you will need to start your membership off with a bang. We are excited and proud to have you on board as an innovative and inspiring teacher, ready to build a meaningful community of educators! Welcome to the Discovery Educator Network!