Archive for November, 2010
Cracks?
November 29th, 2010
This Monday I am going to NYC for a conference. It’s called Learning To Teach. Before the conference, you get homework: a 145-page binder of assigned reading.
I checked the agenda. Luckily, it looks like nothing conflicts with the Monday Night Football showdown between the Pats and the Jets. Whew.
Then I turned to the readings. One is an excellent survey by Steve Farkas and Ann Duffet: Cracks In The Ivory Tower.
Here is an interview with Farkas, with a link to the report itself.
They write:
But despite this pushback, most education professors appear comfortable with their approach, perhaps because they do not define their mission as training teachers for actual classrooms.
For instance, when asked to choose between two competing philosophies regarding the role of teacher educator, just 26 percent prefer that of preparing their students “to work effectively within the realities of today’s public schools”; the majority (68 percent) choose the philosophy of preparing students “to be change agents who will reshape education by bringing new ideas and approaches to the public schools” (see Figure 4).
Professors appear to be saying that it is the real world that needs to change, not them.
68%. That is a large number.
For example, according to Fandango,” 68 percent of teenagers say Daniel Radcliffe’s and Emma Watson’s “vigorous kissing” scene (Radcliffe’s wording) increases their interest in the movie.”
When 68% of people want something, they often get it.
The “Cracks” part is positioned as the good news — some evidence of changing attitudes.
But, wow. Put yourself in the position of an Ed School dean. How can you persuade tenured faculty to change your teacher prep programs — when 68% fundamentally reject the underlying purpose of that change?
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Class 4A and 3A state preseason girls basketball rankings
November 29th, 2010
Corrected version
I would love to spend an hour or so talking about these preseason rankings for girls basketball in Class 4A and 3A.
But I’m in the middle of trying to cover the 4A football semifinal between Bellarmine Prep and Ferris, so I’m going to have to keep this semi-short.
Just let me say that this should be an outstanding season for girls basketball in both classifications (actually, there are some really good 2A and 1A teams as well). I really wish we could start with top-15 rather than top-10, but will stick with tradition.
In 4A, I mentally started with Federal Way at No. 1 last week, then heard about injury problems the Eagles are suffering…again! I thought they deserved a break after all the ones they had last year, which cost them a state trophy. But they lost guard Chantel Dixon to a knee injury and Brittany Barrington had her knee checked today (Monday) after re-injurying it (but hopefully it’s not as serious as the one that forced her to have surgery last year).
And Ty Burgess is out at least temporarily with an ankle injury.
But everyone kept saying Federal Way is loaded, and they do have a healthy Talia Walton (UW). I nearly went with Lewis and Clark or Chiawana or Edmonds-Woodway. But in the end I went back to the Eagles.
I think there are several teams that could win it this year, including those mentioned above. And we can’t rule out the possibility of an Auburn Riverside repeat. They lost Mercedes Wetmore (UW), but still have the talented Kat Cooper (Boston College).
And here are three teams I really think should be in the rankings — Moses Lake, Garfield and Gonzaga Prep. But at whose expense? Moses Lake has Jordan Loera (Oregon) and she got them to Tacoma last year. Garfield could be back again, too, with the likes of Cora McManus (Pitt) and Rene Dillard-Brown (SU). But the Bulldogs lost guard Shaunice Robinson to an ACL, and that hurts. GPrep could give L-C a run for it over in the GSL.
In 3A, Holy Names has to be the clear favorite…again. Mind you, the Cougars didn’t win it last year. Cleveland is the defending champion, and the Eagles should contend again with Cheyenne Wilson (Utah) leading the way.
But Holy Names has Erika Johnson (Cal) and Claire Conricode (Pacific), who was injured and unable to play in the championship game last season. Pretty much every coach I spoke with listed the Cougars as their 3A favorite.
Shadle Park looks strong again and Prairie should contend now that Heather Corral is back from her knee injury. And don’t count out Kennedy Catholic, which won the title in 2009 and was seventh last year.
There are others who could win it all, too. And if I could go deeper with the rankings, I’d have Timberline, Shorecrest and Auburn Mountainview in there. I like all three of those teams, but there was simply no more room.
So, have a look and let me know what you think, then check back every Monday for new rankings.
Preseason girls basketball rankings (2009-10 record in parentheses)
Class 4A
1. Federal Way (22-8)
If they can get – and stay – healthy, Eagles have the talent to win it
2. Lewis and Clark (Spokane) (17-11)
Lack of depth is only concern for team with four D-1 prospects
3. Edmonds-Woodway (25-3)
Angela Woods leads seasoned team looking to better last season’s fifth-place finish
4. Chiawana (Pasco) (25-5)
Riverhawks took seventh as a first-year school with no seniors in 2009-10
5. Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma) (21-8)
With Sarah Hartwell and Simone Potts, Lions look like trophy contenders again
6. Kentwood (23-7)
Savvy Kylie Huerta and three other returning starters give Conks a chance any night
7. Issaquah (23-6)
With Maddey Pflaumer and Blaire Brady, Sabrina Norton could give Eagles a knockout punch
8. Auburn Riverside (29-0)
Defending champs lost 2009-10 player of the year to UW, but still have Kat Cooper
9. Woodinville (20-3)
Falcons have Ali Forde and bad taste after last year’s late collapse
10. Jackson (Mill Creek) 17-5
With another Kingma (Kristi’s sister Kelli), Timberwolves will contend again
Others to watch (alphabetically) — Bethel, Central Valley (Spokane), Eastlake, Emerald Ridge (Puyallup), Evergreen (Vancouver), Garfield, Gonzaga Prep (Spokane), Lake Stevens, Marysville-Pilchuck, Mead (Spokane) Monroe, Mount Rainier (Des Moines), Moses Lake, Mount Tahoma (Tacoma), Puyallup, Rogers (Puyallup), Skyview (Vancouver), Stanwood.
Class 3A
1. Holy Names (25-3)
Erika Johnson, Claire Conricode & Company get it done this year
2. Shadle Park (Spokane) (19-9)
Aleisha Hathaway leads talented, experience crew back to Tacoma
3. Prairie (Brush Prairie) (19-8)
With Heather Corral back, Falcons ready to return to their trophy ways
4. Kennedy Catholic (23-5)
2009 champs could win it all again with a talent like Aminah Williams
5. Cleveland (22-7)
Cheyenne Wilson gives last year’s Cinderella team a chance to repeat
6. Lakes (Tacoma) (19-9)
Lancers appear to have the athletes to play with anyone once again
7. Seattle Prep (19-10)
How many 40-point games will Kari Luttinen have this year?
8. Wilson (Tacoma) (12-12)
Young Rams fell just short of the 4A state tourney last season
9. Mercer Island (22-7)
Islanders return three starters from the team that reached semis
10. Lynnwood (14-14)
Look for a Royal return to state and keep an eye on the coach’s daughter
Others to watch — Auburn Mountainview, Capital (Olympia), Ferndale, Glacier Peak (Snohomish), Juanita, Kamiakin (Kennewick), Lake Washington, Lakeside, Liberty (Issaquah), Meadowdale (Lynnwood), Mount Spokane, North Central (Spokane), Sedro-Woolley, Shorecrest, Timberline (Lacey), University (Spokane), West Valley (Yakima), Yelm.
Information in this post, originally published Nov. 29, 2010, was corrected Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010. A previous version of this post incorrectly identified the injured Federal Way player, who is Chantel Dixon, and Kari Luttinen’s last name was misspelled…
Tags: Class 4a, Girls Basketball, Rankings
Posted in Education Sport Notes | No Comments »
Valley leading economic indicator lower; business confidence surges
November 28th, 2010
The San Joaquin Valley Business Conditions Survey indicates that the economic area that includes the counties of Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare will likely experience positive but somewhat weak economic growth in the next three to six months. The index, a leading economic indicator for the area, is identical to that produced by the national Institute for Supply Management (www.ism.ws).
The survey is commissioned by the Craig School of Business at Fresno State from Dr. Ernie Goss of the Goss Institute for Economic Research in Denver.
Overall Index: The index dipped to 53.3 from 54.1 in October. An index greater than 50 indicates an expansionary economy over the course of the next three to six months. Survey results for the last three months for the San Joaquin Valley are listed in the accompanying table.
“The growth we are tracking is not sufficient to bring down the area’s very high unemployment rate in the coming months. Companies are increasing production and sales by adding temporary workers, increasing the hourly work week for current employees, and boosting productivity growth,” Goss said.
Employment: “The hiring gauge dipped slightly to a frail 50.1 from 50.2 in October. Our survey and government surveys are indicating little growth in new hiring in the San Joaquin Valley. The weak dollar, making U.S. agriculture and manufacturing goods more competitive abroad, is having a positive impact on firms in the area. However, firms in the area have grown their businesses by hiring temporary workers, increasing hours for current workers and growing output per worker. I do expect an upturn in hiring, though very modest, in the months ahead,” said Goss.
Inflation: The prices-paid index, which tracks the cost of raw materials and supplies, advanced to an inflationary reading of 65.2 from 64.2 in October. “This month we asked supply managers how much they expect prices on products they buy to change in the next six months. On an annualized basis, supply managers anticipate a 5.6 percent increase in prices. I expect this increase at the producer level to bolster consumer prices well above the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2.0 percent sometime in 2011,” said Goss.
Business Confidence: Looking ahead six months, economic optimism, captured by the November business confidence index, expanded to 54.8 from October’s weak 46.3.
Trade: Trade numbers for November were surprisingly frail, but positive. The November new export orders reading dipped to 50.6 from 53.8 in October and 53.9 in September. The area’s import reading climbed to 51.8 from 49.0 in October.
“This month we asked survey participants how their international buying had changed over the past three months,” said Goss. “While 14.2 percent indicated an increase in international buying, an almost identical 14.3 percent reported a decrease in international purchasing over the past three months.
“Farmers have stepped up their buying of equipment and inputs, which has bolstered growth among the manufacturers and sellers of farm equipment and trucks. Unless the debt problems of Portugal, Ireland and Spain spill over into the rest of the Euro Zone, I expect strong agricultural income to continue to drive the San Joaquin economy forward. However, any economic contagion that strikes Germany and France would weaken the Euro, strengthen the dollar and negatively impact U.S. and San Joaquin agriculture and energy commodity prices,” said Goss.
Inventories: The November inventory index, which tracks the growth in the inventory of raw materials and supplies, dipped to 51.4 from 54.3 in October. “A significant share of economic growth for 2010 was driven by inventory buildups. Upturns in consumer spending, business investment and/or exports will have to support any sustained growth in the area,” said Goss.
Other components: Other components of the November Business Conditions Index were new orders at 56.3, down slightly from 56.9 in October; production or sales at 53.5, down from 55.6; and delivery lead time at 55.1, up from 53.6 in October.
The Craig School of Business uses the same methodology as a national survey by the Institute for Supply Management, formerly the Purchasing Management Association, which has formally surveyed its membership since 1931 to gauge business conditions (www.ism.ws). The overall index, referred to as the Business Conditions Index, ranges between 0 and 100. The overall index is a mathematical average of indices for new orders, production or sales, employment, inventories and delivery lead time.
Tags: Business, Business Confidence
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Jake and Taylor Make it Official!
November 28th, 2010
Courtesy of usmagazine.com
After weeks of speculation Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift finally reveal the truth about their relationship- they are indeed dating!
Jake and Taylor have been photographed on many coffee dates, suspected of visiting each other while in London and are now supposedly in “love” (according to US Weekly). The report about being in “love” with her new beau may hold some truth. Taylor was quoted in an interview with E! News saying that the next time she is in a relationship it will be because she has “really fallen hard for someone.” She definitely deserves it!
In the photograph that confirmed it all (to the right) Taylor isn’t shying away from showing her affection for the steamy actor by wrapping her arm around him. While Jake doesn’t try to hide his feelings for the beautiful and successful country artist either by grabbing her hand in return. The pair both have humungous smiles on their faces and seem to be having an amazing time together!
Taylor Swift has been linked to many boys, all of which are very HOT, but this is the first time she has been linked to a man! Jake may be nine years Taylor’s senior but with the age differences that exist now-a-days (i.e. Demi and Ashton) nine years is nothin’! Plus Taylor is said to be very mature for her 20 (soon to be 21) years of living.
I, a ginormus Taylor fan, am so glad these two have made their relationship official and are no longer hiding it from the public. If this famous couple follows in the steps of other famous couples reports will soon break about an engagement around Christmas time.
I can’t wait to hear the song(s) that are soon to follow from this couple. Hopefully they will be joyous songs but if they are about heartbreak I guarantee I will be one of the firsts to tell you about it! Congratulations Swyllenhaal!
What do you think of the new couple? Will they last?
Tags: Taylor, Taylor Make
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Independent schools
November 27th, 2010
Independent schools are those schools which are not reliant upon any of the financial support giving by the national or state government. They have their own fund generating resources such as from the tuition fee deposited by students taking education there. Its clearly indicate that independent schools are free from any type of central and state government interference in any of their concerned.
These schools are also not bound to follow any cultural or religious restriction in the way of their providing education. In USA, only a small section of the society receives their education from these independent schools.
Every independent school required to have well developed and organized teaching and training programs which should satisfy the school capacity of fulfilling their motto. In government schools it is often found that there is a huge interference of the state and national government in the schools activities, and most of the time government take decision for recruiting teacher or students. These schools provides better environment to students which encourage them to perform well, there recreational activities are also very broad, with the help of these recreational activities they keep their students fresh and empowered at any time of the running session.
Boarding school present in our surroundings for both girls and boys. Their main aim is to make their students confident, fine, no matter from which class they belongs, religion or race. More and more parents are sending their children to these boarding schools because they believe that these schools will turn them independent and self motivated that will enable their child to take their own decision. There are different kinds of boarding schools: military college-prep, pre-professional, religious, art and many more. These boarding schools are primarily academic. They are mostly college-prep schools for students aged from 10 and up. Their main aim is to combine academic, mental activities with physical, co-operation, hard work and discipline. So always go for a check before sending your child in any boarding school.
Tags: Independent Schools, Schools
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