September 2010
48 posts
Meadowphor [30 Sept 2010]
How’s the packing going?
San Francisco Trip: Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would complete tonight and during the rest of the week?
Humanities: Don’t forget to bring some articles (from newspapers, radio, websites, etc.) to share and spark conversation in class tomorrow. It would also be helpful if you posted links to these on your blog with a short...
It's all a figment of your imagination [29 Sept...
Or is it?
San Francisco Trip: Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would complete tonight and during the rest of the week?
San Francisco: Get your permission slip signed and return it to me by tomorrow.
Humanities: Don’t forget to bring some articles (from newspapers, radio, websites, etc.) to share and spark conversation in class tomorrow. It would also be helpful if...
How much does a hurricane weigh? →
I heard the same report as Anthony did this morning, and I did enjoy it, but part of me just wanted to have the amount of water in a hurricane compared to a well-know body of water.
School is Hell [28 Sept 2010]
Pass the potatoes.
San Francisco Trip: Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would complete tonight and during the rest of the week?
San Francisco: Get your permission slip signed and return it to me as soon as possible.
Humanities: Don’t forget to bring some articles (from newspapers, radio, websites, etc.) to share and spark conversation in class tomorrow. It would...
One for you, one for me, and one for the beast, of...
Planning time is running out. Hopefully you are also thinking about packing for our trip ahead of time in case there is something you need to track down before we leave.
San Francisco Trip: Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would complete tonight and during the rest of the week?
San Francisco: Get your permission slip signed and return it to me as soon as possible.
...
WatchIs it too late to add this to your SF itinerary?
Big Hairy Goon [24 Sept 2010]
There’s a story behind that title.
San Francisco Trip: Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would complete over the weekend?
San Francisco: Get your permission slip signed and return it to me as soon as possible.
NMY Food Drive: The fifth and sixth graders have organized a school-wide food drive to collect canned goods over the next week. More details are here.
...
Hello, Christy! [23 Sept 2010]
Thanks to Christy Dunn for spending the morning with us. It was nice to get to know you better and give you a better glimpse of the NMY program.
San Francisco Trip: Tomorrow (Yeah, I know that was supposed to happen today.), we will have a brief discussion about what to bring and how much emergency/spending money is acceptable. Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would...
Jewish Family Services “Serve-a-thon”
Volunteer San Diego’s 20th annual “Serve-a-thon” is taking place on October 8-9. The fifth and sixth graders are voluteering at the Hand-Up Youth Pantry at Jewish Family Services. This program teaches volunteers about community needs, issues, and good ways to fix them. Food will be sorted, boxed, and given to people in need. Our goal as the fifth and sixth grade is to get a hundred cans of...
Are Distractible People More Creative? →
As long as Tati is diagnosing me with “chronic mind drifting”, I might as well offer some additional evidence that this habit is actually a gift that gives me a creative edge. And that’s not the only thing I have going for me. For example, you know how I have occasionally described myself (bragged about?) being a slow learner? We’ll there is some research to suggest that...
Quack [22 Sept 2010]
Thanks to Erika Ozaki for a great visit today. We look forward to spending more time with you in the weeks and months to come.
San Francisco Trip: Tomorrow we will have a brief discussion about what to bring and how much emergency/spending money is acceptable. Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would complete tonight and during the rest of the week?
Humanities: Be...
Speed [21 Sept 2010]
Enter.
San Francisco Trip: Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would complete tonight and during the rest of the week?
Humanities: Tomorrow, we will test out the humanities class routine that was developed in class today. That will include another thirty-minute writing session. If you had a hard time yesterday, see me about ways that you can prepare for the next one.
...
Minecraft « Snarkmarket →
As Robin explains, Minecraft is “the work of one man, a brilliant game designer from Sweden, and it’s completely blowing up in the indie-gaming world right now.”
Read the rest of Robin’s post, watch the embedded video to learn more, and check out some of the links. I’d love to hear what you all think about it, expecially you, John.
Gummi sandal turkey lips random [20 Sept 2010]
The first volleyball game and the second football game of the season will take place on Thursday.
San Francisco Trip: Is there any planning that you promised your group that you would complete tonight?
Humanities: On Wednesday, we will test out the humanities class routine that was developed in class today. That will include another thirty-minute writing session. If you had a hard time today,...
Lessons in morality at West Point →
The trolley problem has popped up a second time this weekend. West Point students are considering the moral dilemma.
While it’s not the focus of the article, I want to point out this quote:
Major Danny Crozier admits that there is a danger in teaching cadets to think reflectively for themselves - the danger of insubordination
I think a lot of schools unintentionally discourage...
WatchLast year we made something like an unboxing video. Here’s one (also larger) from Kenichi Okada. It’s beautiful and adds a few elements to make it more story-like. Plus, check out that camera he received— so cool.
“If you could see the whole biosphere, cats would be like surveillance.”
– A line quoted by Jonathan Harris that continues our conversation about surveillance and prolongs my nightmare.
Kill Whitey. It’s the Right Thing to Do. →
The other day, one of the seventh graders asked me which of them I would save from death if all of their lives were in danger and I could only save one of them. (You can ask them for my answer.) After that, we started talking about some similar questions involving moral dilemmas. Well, this article starts with the trolley problem:
A trolley is running out of control down a track. In its path...
Español NMY →
Crystal has been making regular posts to the Español NMY blog. Are you following along?
Highway of Death [17 Sept 2010]
If you have volunteered to prepare an email (to a contact or Charlie) or something else for the San Francisco Trip, don’t forget to work on that over the weekend.
Check the Morning Meeting Schedule and add your dates to your calendar.
Humanities: Be prepared for the daily thirty-minute writing sessions your class decided to begin on Monday.
Science: If you have any supplies that you...
Pizza Social
A note from Carey Noakes:
It is the last week to RSVP for the Pizza Social on September 24 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm on the Kelly Family Field. TCS will provide pizza and drinks and TCS families will provide salads and desserts. Toddler, Preschool and Kindergarten families - please bring a salad. First through Eighth Grade families - please bring a dessert. If you have children in both programs,...
Fall Enrichment Classes at TCS
Enrichment classes start September 27! Join us afterschool for a variety of classes for Preschool through eighth grade. The Preschool programs are offered from 12:15–1:00 PM and 3:15–4:00 PM. Prekindergarten programs are offered from 2:30–3:15 PM and 3:15-4:00 PM. Kindergarten through eighth grade programs are offered from 3:15-4:00 PM or 3:15–4:15 PM, depending on the program. Check out our...
Hair splitters [16 Sept 2010]
It feels like we made some good progress in planning the San Francisco trip this morning. We’ll continue working on it tomorrow.
Humanities: Be prepared for the daily thirty-minute writing sessions your class decided to begin on Monday.
Algebra 1: We did not have class today. Please work on corrections for tomorrow.
Death by Golf Cart: We did not have class today. Please work on...
Monkey Meadow Gardening
You are invited to help in Monkey Meadow on Saturday, September 18 with Lisa A. and Tobin. A group of people will be working on the Toddler play yard while Lisa is helping prune and plant in the MM area. She will be on campus up near Toddlers from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. If you would like to come during that time to lend a hand and get involved, they would love to have you! Please bring your own...
THINK Global School →
As requested during our first high school chat of the school year, here’s a link to the THINK Global School, “the world’s first global, mobile high school,” where “students travel to 12 countries in 12 trimesters.”
Sex, drugs, and education [15 Sept 2010]
Have fun explaining that title at home this evening. :)
We’ll continue planning the San Francisco trip tomorrow morning. How should we organize the days? By group? By theme? By a combination of group and theme? Will there be any full-group days? You’ll also need to fill out the survey that Anthony is sending through email.
Algebra 1: World Problems 1-2 is about order of operations....
TCSNMY Film & Photography →
Laure just made her first post of the school year. For those of you who are in the film and photography arts rotation this trimester, you’ll need to make sure that you keep up with announcements and requests. For those that are not in her class this trimester, including non-NMY members, Laure’s thorough posts will give you the impression that you’ve been there. You’re...
Not part of my desk [14 Sept 2010]
Pass along our thanks to your parents for attending Back to School Morning today. I will be sending around some promised documents (class schedules, an assessment calendar, and a contact list) to them by the end of the week.
If you didn’t already do so, ask your parents if they have filled out the “Student Information and Emergency Data Form 2010-2011” that can be found on this page of...
NMY Constitution 2010-2011
NMY is not only a place of learning, but a community of people that on a day-to-day basis have to interact and connect with one another as colleagues. To help ourselves thrive as a group, we composed this constitution with the hope that it will inspire a more productive and pleasant environment for all. We expect each of us to try our hardest and strive to have a balanced experience that includes...
Do you see your battery as four-fifths empty or as...
There are several reminders in this post. Please be diligent about reading them carefully, relaying messages to your parents, and then following them through to completion.
Remind your parents that Back to School Morning will be held tomorrow at 8:00 AM in the NMY Common Room.
Ask your parents if they have filled out the “Student Information and Emergency Data Form 2010-2011” that...
Excursion to MCASD La Jolla
NMY students are invited to join studio art teacher, Sherilyn Clayes, this Friday, September 17 after school from 3:30-4:30 PM at the Museum of Contemporary Art La Jolla for a docent led student tour of the current exhibit Here Not There: San Diego Art Now. The exhibit will offer a stimulating and provocative view into the variety, strength, and vitality of work being produced by contemporary...
POP Tour at the La Jolla Playhouse →
We have been invited to attend the La Jolla Playhouse POP Tour Reading on September 16, 2020. There is a 5:00 PM reception followed by the 6:00 PM reading. The name of the play is Frida Libra. More information can be found at the playhouse website. Unfortunately this is a conflict* with the Calculus Diaries Event at The Book Works. It is also a football and volleyball game evening. Nonetheless, if...
For Sofia
On Friday afternoon, Sofia and I were talking about the opportunities that the work of one generation creates for the generation that follows. This quote came to mind. It comes from a letter that John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail Adams.
The science of government it is my duty to study, more than all other sciences; the arts of legislation and administration and negotiation ought to take the...
All your John are belong to us →
To give a little context to the joking that went on this afternoon, here’s a link to the Wikipedia article on “All your base are belong to us.”
Dance on your virtual corpse [10 Sept 2010]
Today you all set several wonderful examples for the fifth and sixth graders as we met as an entire NMY group to continue writing a constitution. Your patience with the process, willingness to listen, concern for making the younger members feel included, and ability to take constructive criticism were all apparent. These are qualities that many adults have a hard time demonstrating. Thank you.
...
Three Laws of Robotics →
During our constitution conversation this morning, discussion included mention of how following one directive should not force the observer to violate another one of the directives. Isaac Isamov included wording to sort out any conflicts between his famous Three Laws of Robotics.
Have fun! [9 Sept 2010]
Thank you all for a productive and inclusive conversation this morning. I think that you’ll agree that this year’s constitution conversation went much better than the one last year.
Don’t forget that the New Campus Grand Opening will be held tomorrow evening from 5:00-7:00 PM.
Review in detail both of the San Francisco trip documents that we looked at this morning (the one that...
Banana Juice [8 Sept 2010]
That’s two days that have already slipped by.
Don’t forget that the New Campus Grand Opening will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM this Friday, September 10.
Revise (language) and reformat (presentation) last year’s NMY Constitution as you see fit. Send your new version to Carwai tonight. We’ll take a look at them as a seventh and eighth grade group tomorrow and have a...
The Calculus Diaries event at The Book Works →
In case you didn’t already see Carwai’s note on her tcsmathscience blog, here it is again:
“Jennifer Ouellette, the author of “The Calculus Diaries”, is a English-major-turned-award-winning-science-writer who will be appearing at The BookWorks in Del Mar, CA on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010. It sounds like it will be an interesting and entertaining event. I plan on attending. If...
The sky is the limit [7 Sept 2010]
Once again, welcome back! It was great to see all of you together again today, to welcome Sofia into our eighth grade class, to add the fifth and sixth graders to the NMY, and to welcome Meghan, Elizabeth, and Crystal to our NMY faculty team. This school year promises to be a great one. As Max put it this morning, the new campus presents so many possibilities that amazing projects should be an...
