About a month ago Guster, one of my favorite bands, came to Luther. The last time I saw Guster they were opening for a more well-known artist. This time around they were the headliners... meaning the tour was built around them.. meaning they got to decide what the tour was about... meaning they brought with them not only excellent music but also the Campus Consciousness Tour.
Guster started the Campus Consciousness Tour on their last tour, and it was such a success that they brought it back. Basically it consists of a bunch of environmentally-concerned groups that set up tents, give out free stuff, and arrange "town hall meetings" at all the tour stops. A lot of the tour has to do with carbon neutrality, organic products, and of course, global warming.
I'm not a scientist or a politician, so I don't claim to know a whole lot about global warming. I do know that there's a lot of research that says it's a problem and a lot of research that says not to worry about it. In my mind, however, the existence of global warming isn't what's important. What's important is the undeniable fact that humankind has messed up and polluted the planet, and we need to start reversing that whether what we're doing is warming up the planet or not. Let's error on the side of making the Earth cleaner.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
learning experience #4: drumming workshop
A few weeks ago I attended a small workshop on Tanzanian music (drumming, singing, and dancing). A few Tanzanians had come to Luther to speak, perform, and teach, and they decided to do this private workshop where they'd teach us a few songs, some dance steps, and a drum beat or two.
What struck me as odd about this experience was the apprehensiveness of the students that attended the workshop. There were only four of us there, and we had all been invited because the instructors in our various fields (theatre/dance, music, etc.) thought it was something we would really get into. This was an amazing opportunity to learn something firsthand about another culture! I was envisioning us laughing, jamming, and dancing around the room with these Tanzanian guys, but when I got there everyone was quiet, a bit awkward, and reluctant to sing like no one was listening or dance like no one was watching.
I know that it was difficult to sing in a new language and dance in a different way, but I really think that learning is all about trying new things. Maybe the workshop leaders could have done more to motivate us to dive in and have fun, but we also could have brought more energy and willingness to learn and try. Learning can't happen unless you're willing to let it happen! Hakuna Matata, guys.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
What struck me as odd about this experience was the apprehensiveness of the students that attended the workshop. There were only four of us there, and we had all been invited because the instructors in our various fields (theatre/dance, music, etc.) thought it was something we would really get into. This was an amazing opportunity to learn something firsthand about another culture! I was envisioning us laughing, jamming, and dancing around the room with these Tanzanian guys, but when I got there everyone was quiet, a bit awkward, and reluctant to sing like no one was listening or dance like no one was watching.
I know that it was difficult to sing in a new language and dance in a different way, but I really think that learning is all about trying new things. Maybe the workshop leaders could have done more to motivate us to dive in and have fun, but we also could have brought more energy and willingness to learn and try. Learning can't happen unless you're willing to let it happen! Hakuna Matata, guys.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
learning experience #3: country boys
I recently watched a PBS documentary called "Country Boys." This documentary followed two students in rural Kentucky as they struggled against incredible odds (one a tragic family history, the other poverty and a total lack of family support) to graduate from their alternative high school.
This semester I've spent a lot of time studying learning styles, differentiation, and cultural contexts. However, simply reading about and discussing these things can only teach one so much. For me, "Country Boys" put a face on these issues. It addressed the specific learning styles and cultural context of poor, rural high school boys in the South. To be honest, I was pretty surprised at how different their experiences were than what I'm used to seeing in schools.
Cultural differentiation and a consciousness of student learning styles aren't just lofty ideas for future teachers to think about - they're used in the classroom! The boys in "Country Boys" lived in a totally different context than your typical suburban Midwestern students do, and as such they deserve instruction catered to their experiences and needs. America's status quo middle class education system doesn't work for everyone, and truth be told, it probably doesn't even work for most. Something to think about.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
This semester I've spent a lot of time studying learning styles, differentiation, and cultural contexts. However, simply reading about and discussing these things can only teach one so much. For me, "Country Boys" put a face on these issues. It addressed the specific learning styles and cultural context of poor, rural high school boys in the South. To be honest, I was pretty surprised at how different their experiences were than what I'm used to seeing in schools.
Cultural differentiation and a consciousness of student learning styles aren't just lofty ideas for future teachers to think about - they're used in the classroom! The boys in "Country Boys" lived in a totally different context than your typical suburban Midwestern students do, and as such they deserve instruction catered to their experiences and needs. America's status quo middle class education system doesn't work for everyone, and truth be told, it probably doesn't even work for most. Something to think about.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
learning experience #2: ladysmith black mambazo
Maybe it's because I'm an Africana Studies major or maybe it's because I resent graduating from such a white high school, but I'm incredibly supportive of multicultural and culturally-responsive education.
A few months ago I attended a Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert on campus. Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African vocal group that has been around since the 1960s and has recorded dozens of albums known worldwide. They've worked with Paul Simon, Ben Harper, and a ton of other well-known musicians.
What make Ladysmith Black Mambazo special is that their style isn't by any means Western: while some of their songs are written in English, a lot of them are written in other South African languages such as Tsetswana, Zulu, and Xhosa (a "clicking" language). They don't follow steady 4/4 tempos. Their stage show involves South African dancing (especially stomping and jumping).
Sadly, our music instruction in this country focuses almost exclusively on Western styles. Students miss out on the majority of music that exists (and has long existed) throughout our world, including South African vocal stylings, Indian Raga, and Guinea drumming. When these different musical styles are introduced, they're often simply collectively introduced as "world music", inadvertently implying that they're similar since they're given the same blanket title.
It's time we start recognizing the rich musical traditions of our world in our schools.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
A few months ago I attended a Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert on campus. Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African vocal group that has been around since the 1960s and has recorded dozens of albums known worldwide. They've worked with Paul Simon, Ben Harper, and a ton of other well-known musicians.
What make Ladysmith Black Mambazo special is that their style isn't by any means Western: while some of their songs are written in English, a lot of them are written in other South African languages such as Tsetswana, Zulu, and Xhosa (a "clicking" language). They don't follow steady 4/4 tempos. Their stage show involves South African dancing (especially stomping and jumping).
Sadly, our music instruction in this country focuses almost exclusively on Western styles. Students miss out on the majority of music that exists (and has long existed) throughout our world, including South African vocal stylings, Indian Raga, and Guinea drumming. When these different musical styles are introduced, they're often simply collectively introduced as "world music", inadvertently implying that they're similar since they're given the same blanket title.
It's time we start recognizing the rich musical traditions of our world in our schools.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
learning experience #1: josiah
For the past few months I've had the privilege of working as a PCA (Personal Care Attendant) for Josiah, a two-year-old with Autism. Each week, five people come to Josiah's house at different times to help him with social skills, language, and other skills by using two specific intervention programs: the PLAY Project and the Sonrise Program. The idea behind both of these programs is surprisingly simple: play with him in a very intentional, engaging, and affirming way and he will more or less overcome his Autism.
When I started this job, I had no idea what I was getting into. I had never done substantial work with a child with Autism, and now I was expected to do therapy with a two-year-old! After spending a few hours with Josiah, however, I fell in love with his energy and inquisitiveness and had a pretty amazing revelation: I am making an incredible difference in this child's life, and I'm having a lot of fun doing it.
I believe this is what teaching is all about. When I become a teacher, it won't matter whether I remember Piaget's first name or what Luther's Student Educator Competency #6 is. What will matter is that I'll be making an incredible difference in children's lives, and hopefully having a lot of fun doing it.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
Thursday, March 8, 2007
on the oregon trail
There is only so much children can learn from Mavis Beacon and The Oregon Trail. Seriously.
Perhaps one of the most obvious things I've learned in this Ed Psych class is that technology (by technology I mean computers and the internet) can be an excellent tool in the classroom. Powerpoints, blogs, educational video games, online scholarly journals... the possibilities are endless. Why then have so many school districts become stagnant in their use of computers?
In my opinion, there is a serious lack of "upgrading" in our schools. For the purpose of this blog entry I've defined upgrading in two ways: (1) to renovate and improve technology on computers (and the computers themselves) and (2) to keep up with the changing youth culture present in our schools.
In response to the first definition of upgrading, I'd like to point out something I'm sure all of us are familiar with: The Oregon Trail computer game. Oregon Trail brings back nostalgic memories for a lot of us twentysomethings out there. Remember the low graphics? The program's unreliability? The "Classic Mac" operating system? SCHOOLS ARE STILL USING THIS PROGRAM. Schools are still using this far outdated program on far outdated computers with far outdated operating systems. It would be much more beneficial to give our students access to computers that are up to date (upgraded) so they can learn how to use modern technology instead of the technology of the last generation.
The second kind of upgrading is probably even more important and has applications that reach beyond computers. Educators need to be more aware of the youth culture in their schools and to adapt their lessons accordingly. When I was in third grade we started learning how to type with Mavis Beacon. I thought it was a pretty effective way to learn to type. However, we then continued to use it until eighth grade. This, in my opinion, was overkill. I learned HOW to type from Mavis Beacon, but I learned how to type efficiently from Instant Messenger. All those extra years of Mavis Beacon were more or less wasted time. Maybe it would have been more helpful (and, in terms of curriculum, more efficient) to have the students go to the computer lab to work on group work over an instant messaging service.
I'd like to close with a disclaimer. I realize that there are a lot of schools out there that simply can't afford to make the computer upgrades that I'm talking about, whether it's because they're in a poorer community or they need to direct funds elsewhere. However, for schools that can afford it, do your students a favor: upgrade your technology and get rid of Oregon Trail. Let's be honest - it's not that fun anyway.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
Perhaps one of the most obvious things I've learned in this Ed Psych class is that technology (by technology I mean computers and the internet) can be an excellent tool in the classroom. Powerpoints, blogs, educational video games, online scholarly journals... the possibilities are endless. Why then have so many school districts become stagnant in their use of computers?
In my opinion, there is a serious lack of "upgrading" in our schools. For the purpose of this blog entry I've defined upgrading in two ways: (1) to renovate and improve technology on computers (and the computers themselves) and (2) to keep up with the changing youth culture present in our schools.
In response to the first definition of upgrading, I'd like to point out something I'm sure all of us are familiar with: The Oregon Trail computer game. Oregon Trail brings back nostalgic memories for a lot of us twentysomethings out there. Remember the low graphics? The program's unreliability? The "Classic Mac" operating system? SCHOOLS ARE STILL USING THIS PROGRAM. Schools are still using this far outdated program on far outdated computers with far outdated operating systems. It would be much more beneficial to give our students access to computers that are up to date (upgraded) so they can learn how to use modern technology instead of the technology of the last generation.
The second kind of upgrading is probably even more important and has applications that reach beyond computers. Educators need to be more aware of the youth culture in their schools and to adapt their lessons accordingly. When I was in third grade we started learning how to type with Mavis Beacon. I thought it was a pretty effective way to learn to type. However, we then continued to use it until eighth grade. This, in my opinion, was overkill. I learned HOW to type from Mavis Beacon, but I learned how to type efficiently from Instant Messenger. All those extra years of Mavis Beacon were more or less wasted time. Maybe it would have been more helpful (and, in terms of curriculum, more efficient) to have the students go to the computer lab to work on group work over an instant messaging service.
I'd like to close with a disclaimer. I realize that there are a lot of schools out there that simply can't afford to make the computer upgrades that I'm talking about, whether it's because they're in a poorer community or they need to direct funds elsewhere. However, for schools that can afford it, do your students a favor: upgrade your technology and get rid of Oregon Trail. Let's be honest - it's not that fun anyway.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
Thursday, February 22, 2007
on the rights of a student
During my junior and senior years in high school, I had some run-ins with my school administrators on the topic of school clubs. I was the mouthpiece for The Rock, a bible study recognized as an "organization" looking for recognition as a club. When the administration initially resisted our efforts to become an official club I did some research and found some surprising information that, sadly, most high schoolers are probably unaware of.
According to the Equal Access Law of 1984, a school that has at least one non-curriculum club must allow other non-curriculum clubs to organize and must allow clubs equal access to such things as bulletin boards and meeting places. There is no elastic clause here - the law and its stipulations are pretty clear. Why did I have such a difficult time convincing my school administrators to follow the law?
The sad truth is that a lot of high schools attempt to function in a highly established bubble. I wouldn't call high school a prison (as many discouraged students have), but I do recognize that students are often uninformed on, misinformed on, or completely denied the few legal rights they have.
Public schools were established to raise informed voters. Perhaps some emphasis should also be put on raising informed students.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
According to the Equal Access Law of 1984, a school that has at least one non-curriculum club must allow other non-curriculum clubs to organize and must allow clubs equal access to such things as bulletin boards and meeting places. There is no elastic clause here - the law and its stipulations are pretty clear. Why did I have such a difficult time convincing my school administrators to follow the law?
The sad truth is that a lot of high schools attempt to function in a highly established bubble. I wouldn't call high school a prison (as many discouraged students have), but I do recognize that students are often uninformed on, misinformed on, or completely denied the few legal rights they have.
Public schools were established to raise informed voters. Perhaps some emphasis should also be put on raising informed students.
Tswelela solofela,
Tom Bishoff
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