Tiny ants wriggling about

Day is slipping into night

The buzz of evening on your ears

Not out loud, but still, you say

What will come of today?

Night lurks in hollows and trees

Lightning bugs bring the first wave

Cool mist rolls from on high and

Settles on the meadows like squatters

The city sleeps tonight

While the other half rejoices

Sirens blare from far off tragedy

Tomorrow’s news tonight

Trains and boats drift along

To far off towns and ports

The Police watch as families sleep

Hounds resting at their feet

From the distance the sound of life

Big Block Chevy’s and drunken fights

By dawn it’s just an echo

Carpe Noctem, their battle cry

I am from Huntington, West Virginia

No, It’s not near Richmond or Roanoke.

West Virginia is it’s very own state now.

This place is my home.

We are the birthplace of rivers and where old mountains feel new each spring.

I am from Appalachia. I am moonshine and mandolins.

I am from family and friends.

My roots run deep here. My ancestors moved here from Ireland and Germany two hundred and fifty years ago as farmers and Hessian mercenaries.

I am from soldiers and peacemakers.
I am from the fierce dedication of my mother and the serenity of my father.

They are from their parents and I will be of my children.

I am from the cool early morning fog rolling out of the hollows only to return at dusk.

I am from the flow of West Virginians South seeking prosperity only to return to their homes.

I am from homesickness.
I am from a neighborhood where friends are closer than family.

I am from a place where truth is held over pleasantries.

I am from  music and  noise, depending on where you stand.

Wild Wonderful West Virginia 

Presented By: Jason Dillon 

For Summer Institute 

Corbly Hall Room 408 

10:00 AM 

Wild Wonderful West Virginia

By: Jason Dillon
Target Audience: Middle School Teachers
Writing Process: Prewriting; brainstorming, researching, and graphic organizers, drafting, revision, editing, publishing; presentation, final copy.
Assessment: Evaluate planning, rationale, quality of research, and presentation with visual aid according to the rubric http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/morse/oceanhealth/rubrics/collrubric.html.  Each student will fill out a rubric for all participants in their group only.  These marks will be used along with a teacher rubric to assign a final point total. These rubrics will be filled out as exit slips for establishing what each person did on each day.

Introduction:
How do I use Authentic Assessment with a middle school class?
            Simply put, authentic assessment is evaluating students’ abilities through genuine use and implementation of skills that have been taught.  This can be done in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, doing science experiments, writing pamphlets, following directions to achieve a goal, using math skills in a real world environment, etc. Authentic assessment places emphasis on the process rather than rote learning.  This is the purest way to evaluate the level of understanding.
What is the purpose of using authentic assessment?
            By using authentic assessment your students will see the practical application of the skills that you are teaching.  In so many situations your students will question the validity of the skills you are trying to teach.  In activities based on authentic assessment, the students will know that this is a skill that will be both valuable and useful to them in the future.

Abstract:

 Each group will select a destination within the state of West Virginia and plan a vacation to this place.  The planning will include selecting a destination, acquiring directions, deciding on an itinerary, and each student writing a persuasive letter to a parent or guardian to convince them that this is a valuable trip.  Students will look for local landmarks, historic sites, or other relevant sites.

 Procedure:

1.      Begin by having a whole group discussion on some of the places that your students have traveled within the state.  The teacher may want to tell of some of their adventures in West Virginia.
2.      It may be wise to revisit your county’s acceptable use policy concerning appropriate internet usage. Visit http://www.westvirginia.com/, http://www.visitwv.com/, http://www.wvtourism.com/, http://wvweb.com/www/travel_recreation/Tourism_Home_Page2.html, http://www.pocahontascountywv.com/.   The teacher may want to use Google Earth (quick software download) to help show where in the state these attractions are.
3.      The teacher should discuss how you acquire driving directions using the internet.  Visit some sites like http://www.mapquest.com/, http://maps.yahoo.com, http://www.maps.com/DriveSolo.aspx?nav=DD, or http://webcenter.maps.aol.com/travel/.  
4.      With the class the teacher will decide on a sample vacation destination, find directions, and write a brief itinerary.  From this the teacher will then review the rubric covering what the persuasive letter will contain.
5.      At this point divide the class into groups of three to five depending on available computers or class size.  Keep the groups low in numbers to preserve roles.
6.      The teacher will act as a facilitator and overseer. Have each group nominate one person to fill the roles of taskmaster; a group leader, navigator; to acquire directions, recreation director; to decide on activities, and a recorder; to document the adventure. If need be, assign taskmaster to a student who has another role or delete the role of taskmaster.
7.      In each group each student will participate in the decision on where to go and assist others with each task as difficulties may arise. 
8.      Upon gathering the required information, an itinerary will be developed and agreed upon; (see attachment 1.). The driving directions will be attached and the task of writing the letter will begin.  This may be informal in nature and will only be three to five paragraphs.  Each student will be required to write, revise, edit, and participate in the presentation of the most convincing letter of the group. 
9.      When the letters are complete the group will construct a visual aid to assist in the presentation.  This could be a photo, artifact, or souvenir, etc.  The presentation will be at least two minutes and no longer than five.
This demonstration and lesson are both based on the constructivist theory of learning, examples of which are Problem Based Learning and  Inquiry Based Learning.  The activity allows students to seek out information of their own choosing and compile and coordinate it in a manner that is logical to them.  A problem is presented along with a list of resources. It is up to the student to produce a finished product from these two resources, Hill (2005). They are adding new information to their existing knowledge of the state and setting a primer for any additional information that they may find.  Greening lays out the basic foundations clearly (1998). 

Ø     knowledge is constructed from the experience of the learner

Ø     knowledge resides in the mind rather than externally

Ø     learning is a personal interpretation of the world in that learner’s beliefs and values are used in interpreting objects and events

Ø     learning is an active process of making meaning from experience

Ø     learning takes place in contexts relevant to the learner

Ø     reflection is an essential part of learning

Ø     learning is a collaborative process in which multiple perspectives are considered
Applications and Experiences:
Science:             The class could identify some local flora and fauna.

Math:               The class could pick a vehicle to travel in and use its estimated EPA to calculate gallons of fuel and mpg.

Computers:       The class is using a research method that is web-based.

Music:              The class could learn native mountain songs and listen to bluegrass.

Language:         The class will be writing a persuasive letter and researching a topic for a presentation.

P.E.                  The class could be introduced to some outdoor activities that are done in WV.

Elementary Apps: Each group could write a letter requesting information on local attractions to the local Chamber of Commerce.

Conclusion:
Through this activity the class will display a variety of problem solving techniques.  Each group will expedite tasks, make decisions that will require preparation and follow through, present information to their peers, and learn as a group about what goes into planning a trip.  These real world skills will be tested in a hands-on manner with each group acting independently from one another. Upon completing the lesson one group will inform the other groups about a wonderful destination within our great state.   
References:
 Greening, T. 1998, Building the constructivist toolbox: an exploration of cognitive technologies, Educational Technology, March-April 1998
Hill, M.  2005, Research in Purpose and Value for the Study of Technology in Secondary Schools: A Theory of Authentic Learning, International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 15:19-32 2003
Cooperative Learning Project (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2006, from http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/morse/oceanhealth/rubrics/collrubric.html

Sample Itinerary

:Greening, T. 1998, Building the constructivist toolbox: an exploration of cognitive technologies, , March-April 1998Hill, M.  2005, Research in Purpose and Value for the Study of Technology in Secondary Schools: A Theory of Authentic Learning, International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 15:19-32 2003 (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2006, from http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/morse/oceanhealth/rubrics/collrubric.htmlTamarack

9:00 AM          Meet at school with bags packed and ready to go.  We will eat here to save time.  I’ll bring Tudor’s and doughnuts!
9:30                 Depart.
10:45               Stop for break at rest area.
11:30               Arrive and stretch our legs. Time for lunch.
12:00               Begin looking around at some of the exhibits, visit the gift shop, etc.      
3:00                 Board the bus and return home.    
5:00                 Arrive home.

It seems more often than not that Myspace is appearing in the news, linked to another horror story of child predators using the online community to lure children into dangerous situations.  Local school districts and lawmaker alike have been responding to the negative press coverage.   Myspace was also quick to respond with the appointing of a new safety czar, Hemanshu Nigam.  Myspace is being banned in school districts and libraries across the nation with no sign of a change in policy.  
            Online communities are useful and much appreciated to the majority of people who use them.  That’s why they exist.  I have a Myspace account, a Facebook account, Flickr account, as well as numerous e-mail accounts.  Each serves the purpose of communicating with people I know.  I rarely “meet” anyone online and would never encourage children to use the internet to meet new people, just as I would not encourage giving your personal information to everyone in the city park.  It all comes down to speaking with your children about theses networking sites and do not leave out the dangers involved.       
            Parents are quick to blame other people for what happens to their children when, often times, they, as parents could have prevented the incidents through open communication about new technologies and setting limits and monitoring their child’s activities online.  The sad fact of the matter is that sexual predators are going to continue to prey on children forever.  The best solution is to be open and honest about the dangers that children may encounter and hope children will become more proactive in keeping themselves safe.
            Most websites have many features to help prevent these atrocities from occurring.  However, in some of the incidents, the victim misrepresents himself or herself as being older and invites the sexual attention.  This makes the debate all the more volatile and still no solutions have been offered.

Space the final frontier

            My ideal classroom space is in the form of a house.  Learning occurs in communities and houses and people are the basic units of these communities. I learned as much at home, on vacation, and at camps as I did in school.  So it seems obvious that my ideal class is not a class at all but a family.  A small group of learners with common goals.

            It goes without saying that my class (which I have none of my own) is nothing like a house.  More of a pay by the hour hotel.  Anyone who enters has their won agenda and rarely works toward helping others to learn.  It has been my job to see  to it that each student gains something from being present daily.  Most times this is relatively easy, but can be a chore if I do not take an active role.

            It would be nice to form small groups to complete every activity.  This helps balance out learning styles when students are engaged in conversation, research, and application of new information.  MY role in this would be as advisor and facilitator.  I am ultimately in charge, but each student will, for the most part, be responsible for his/her own learning.

            As for spaces, it would be nice for each group to have private and quiet space in which to work.  I need solitude and quite to complete tasks and it is unreasonable to think that students do not require this for at least a portion of the day.

Where are your sacred places?
 
 
            As strange as it may sound, I feel at home around new people, strangers.  There is a certain amount of comfort in the ignorance of strangers.  Strangers make great company because they don’t know anything about you.  It gives you the opportunity to start out fresh and new each time you meet someone.

            When I was younger I often felt intimidated by people I didn’t know.  I would wonder what they thought of me as a stranger to them.  As I grew older I began to enjoy other people being uncomfortable with me as a stranger in their life.  This may be due to the amount of movies I have seen that begin with a stranger entering a new situation.

            Upon entering a new situation no one has predetermined roles so you can find your niche quickly and adapt it on the fly.  There is much freedom to be exploited in the first few moments of an interaction.  Knowing that others are often nervous or uncomfortable with this allows me to establish whatever role I choose.

            I suppose there are many physical places I could have written about to satisfy this morning’s prompt but there is no place that the Feng Shui or balance feels better than watching other people squirm.  There is a bit of sadist in us all, but most people are just not comfortable with that.  No one has a problem watching the three stooges suffer physically for our amusement so why be uncomfortable with enjoying people stumble over words and blush when you laugh.

Words phrases that are yours

 
            This seems to be only way I am able to write and not personally view my work as fabricated.  I often hear songs on the radio or in movies that are simply no written this way.  The lyrics seem forced. I picture a dull person in a dull room typing for each word that is their own I hear a right-click, synonyms, hmm… that would sound better.  But no, it sounds fake and cheap.

            All of this brings me back to a phrase I scrawled down some time back: “What is art? Can you influence your ability to create art?”  In my opinion you cannot force anything beautiful.  It must simply be.  If you force making love it is a crime called rape.  Why is it people feel they can force art and still consider this acceptable, even beautiful to some.  When this happens I detect an odor of cheapness, criminals, and a violation of arts beauty.  Some people make careers of raping words, butchering imagery, and stealing others feelings.

            I have decided that the only way I can sleep at night is to seek out these artistic criminals and tell them how they have offended my senses.  While I was reading I came upon a brief section of “space” where she talks of forcing herself to write. This causes a dilemma. Is she stalking her art or is she wooing her art with persistence. Maybe I should reconsider my definition for forced art.

Chicken

Cock-a-doodle do

Farmers looking for you

Soft feathers, funny feet

Greasy chicken for me to eat

Chicken coop with chicken poop

Chicken legs with chicken eggs

Biscuits gravy and two leg bones

Silly gizzard filled with stones

You all know what’s finger lickin’

A moment of silence for granny’s chicken

Rocks in my current

 
            I didn’t want to talk about my obstacles, but I have already written it upon the page.  Through all of these activities I have hoped not to look inward any more than I already do.  The rocks in my life are well known to me.  I know this current and its pitfalls far too well and the rocks are not simply bumps along the way.

            The rocks are imposing bohemeths that overwhelm my boat and send me swimming through rapids of uncertainty.  To say I will bounce off and fall back inline seems an impossible leap of faith.  These rocks scare me as I have not been scared since I was a young child. Helpless.

The place that I feel most at home is at my father’s house.  This was not where I primarily lived growing up.  I tell people I grew up in Huntington.  My Dad’s house is near West Hamlin on Bear Creek.  It is difficult to put my finger on exactly why this house feels more like home then my Mother’s house where I lived while attending school. 

            Memories of things happening at this house seem more attached to “me” than other memories.  It may be that I am more like my father than my mother.  Spending time in the house helps me relax and forget about problems.  Sometimes I think the drive out to the house is part of the calming effect.

            This is the house where I spent weekends and summers growing up.  My parents were divorced and my father was only awarded visitation during these times.  To my brother and I, it was always like a vacation to stay at his house.  This feeling has never faded.  If all goes well this is where I will one day retire.

            Anyone who comes from a divorced family knows that when you turn twelve you get the once in a lifetime privilege to tell one of your parents that you don’t want to live with them.  When I turned twelve I told my mother that I was leaving to live with my father in his house on Bear Creek.  This was very difficult to do, but I never questioned my decision.  This house has always been my home.