tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40556132011-10-10T14:12:18.273-05:00Tangential thinking about teaching, technology, and tangentsKelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-6418961320122805642011-07-02T17:27:00.000-05:002011-07-02T17:27:37.381-05:00

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-12853333841058349832011-06-29T20:47:00.000-05:002011-06-29T20:47:44.480-05:00

Before June is over, I had better post. Some things over the last few months have been much harder than losing Mom. On the other hand, I have learned how everyone deals with grief differently. It is a whole other planet.  Work is good and I'm finishing up an extremely fun project.  I spent some time at the lake before the summer heat really hit us - and that is an accomplishment this year

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-53170166167607418742011-05-08T21:16:00.000-05:002011-05-08T21:16:40.417-05:00

I'm missing Mom today. It's a different type of feeling than last year but it may be because the adrenaline is gone. I'm reading The Long Goodbye and it is a different take on a grief book since it is letting me follow a 30-something who lost her Mom when her mother was in her 50s. It was a different loss but so many of the parts of the roller coaster ride are all too familiar.  Everyone deals

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-58815517822746692822011-04-23T11:46:00.000-05:002011-04-23T11:46:58.694-05:00

April is almost over as is the spring semester and academic year. I will certainly be glad when Mother's Day is behind us. Dad is excited - his new car is on this side of the ocean and should be here in a couple of weeks. We are celebrating Easter as a family this weekend - including eating with friends. Learning to not worry about events beyond my control is still a huge challenge for me but

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-46137733734351151292011-03-27T08:48:00.001-05:002011-03-27T08:48:23.002-05:00

I saw a quote but can't find it again about how much we lose if we don't even try. The story of my life has been to probably try to do too many things and not spend enough time back in my comfort zone. But I also think that both sides of my family wired me for that since we don't fit any traditional mold. ;-) We're having one more day of wintry weather - snow/rain mix later today. It would be

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-82096976166932853792011-03-12T19:37:00.000-06:002011-03-12T19:37:32.499-06:00

We made it through the first anniversaries. I think that was why I wanted it to still be winter. We just had one cold weekend after we lost her and spring's arrival this year would signal that a year had passed. I can't believe it and yet I can. Allergies are bothering quite a few people and I think of how they are not bothering her this year.  I know I carry parts of her inside of me and always

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-2056497179036007222011-02-27T11:48:00.000-06:002011-02-27T11:48:11.182-06:00

We are almost through the one-year anniversaries. A year ago today (although tomorrow is actually the calendar anniversary but today is the day of the week anniversary - Sunday) I was in a daze after having stayed up all night with Mom as she slowly drifted away from us. I stayed with her until after the last time she opened her eyes. I then went home knowing I would return to the Carthage house

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-3687799824718338172011-01-25T07:34:00.000-06:002011-01-25T07:34:48.824-06:00

Tenured Radical: Department of Snark: Or; Who Put A Tack On Gordon Wood's Chair?I was hoping for a more focused discussion on the actual Gordon Wood review of Jill Lepore's book rather than the rhetoric-filled default to the Tea Party. But, I guess those are the limitations of Facebook.First, it is important that Professor Lepore put the Tea Party in its historical context. In other words, it's

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-29181525529171103232011-01-18T07:30:00.000-06:002011-01-18T07:30:56.559-06:00

Students arrive back on campus officially today. We will be more populated tomorrow, however, given that we have more MWF than TTh students given our commuter campus. The weather is a bit iffy this morning but not as bad as it can be. Given that we had no weather-related closings in December, I'm afraid of what January and February holds. Hopefully, students will try to stay safe. With all of our

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-3103693673116643222011-01-11T13:32:00.000-06:002011-01-11T13:32:55.374-06:00

Yesterday would have been my mother's 73rd birthday. We knew that she would not make 75 because of her declining health but we certainly didn't expect to lose her right after she turned 72. She, however, had been ready to go for quiet some time. I imagine that once she could no longer keep an active schedule outside the house along with her increasingly feeling worse each day had more than a

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-56595782359113904762011-01-02T19:14:00.000-06:002011-01-02T19:14:10.484-06:00

I'm watching one of Mom's favorite movies, Pretty Woman.  I haven't gotten done what I wanted to get done today but some unexpected tech challenges as I installed new equipment are the cuprits I am blaming. Mom loved good movies and I had just helped her buy a laptop with a great display. What I didn't realize was that it was too heavy for her to watch. So, we ordered her a netbook that I did

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-86668917903982808832011-01-01T22:16:00.000-06:002011-01-01T22:16:02.927-06:00

It is the start of a brand new year. A year I totally never expected to be what it already is. The first year on this earth without Mom. But I know mentally she is in a better place but emotionally I miss her like hell. We (Dad and I) are coping as best we respectively can. I am still learning to let myself not feel like all of the responsibility it still on me. But I will get there. I am

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-8889321580670426572010-12-24T14:00:00.000-06:002010-12-24T14:00:41.130-06:00

I was really missing Mom yesterday. Today is a bit better even though I am not sure why. I keep reminding myself she went out the way she wanted - she was never going to be on oxygen no matter how uncomfortable her smoking made her. :-(

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-82391640211486796592010-12-19T20:32:00.000-06:002010-12-19T20:32:49.154-06:00

Here's JibJab's Year in Review: http://sendables.jibjab.com/originals/so_long_to_ya_2010

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-55752651413621253752010-12-06T22:22:00.002-06:002010-12-06T22:22:36.851-06:00

Tomorrow there will be serious writing.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-41431823668581032822010-11-30T08:15:00.000-06:002010-11-30T08:15:16.230-06:00

With a late Thanksgiving, the end of the semester is even closer. I was able to catch up on grading before the holiday. That was a wonderful feeling. Yesterday, I was able to not only download one class of assignments that had been turned in when they returned (they had time to do it BEFORE the holiday! ;-) )and even get it graded. Today, I just have to post the grades and return the papers with

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-23424993286118074392010-11-24T09:24:00.000-06:002010-11-24T09:24:21.997-06:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be thankful for. But there will be a huge hole tomorrow without Mom there. I remember thinking last year that I had this eerie feeling that it would be our last Thanksgiving with her. Since losing her February 28, 2010, I have learned to listen to my gut much more closely. I am so grateful that Dad encouraged her to stay the entire holiday instead of

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-39109425627848252032010-11-07T08:40:00.000-06:002010-11-07T08:40:46.271-06:00

The election is over and we can now do more looking forward than looking back. There is still a great deal to "settle out" but I have confidence that Washington will do what it always does. Brownback will return to Kansas as governor and it will be interesting to see how he translates his DC experience back to Topeka politics, especially education and the economy.  A friend is re-entering the

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-86055902969073930652010-10-23T07:34:00.000-05:002010-10-23T07:34:34.755-05:00

Here's some reading that clarifies from the New York Times.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-5099824893173325672010-10-01T07:55:00.000-05:002010-10-01T07:55:14.680-05:00

October is one of my favorite months of the year. It means the brilliant color of fall leaves. It means my classes are "settled in" - students know what to expect and I've had a chance to start reading some of their work. Projects are underway and the leftovers of summer deadlines are usually fulfilled. The crisp morning air with brilliant sunshine during the day. (Seattle is a great place to

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-11425202795468897422010-09-29T08:58:00.000-05:002010-09-29T08:58:16.819-05:00

The month of September has been productive and busy in many good ways. Progress has been made on several fronts although there are still existing frontiers out there to explore. That's part of the pleasure of being an academic. On the personal front, the situation at Dad's house is much more stable. We no longer have to worry about personal possessions and toilet paper going out the door. Dad is

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-64008498544398622392010-09-07T11:15:00.000-05:002010-09-07T11:15:41.896-05:00

For most of my life, I have spent the Labor Day weekend working. I was either getting a head start on the fall semester as a student or as a teacher or as a professor. This year, I decided to try something new. I finished a book review that was due a week earlier on Saturday morning and then spent some time at the local festival, including the chili contest and quilt show. In the afternoon, I did

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-20610398083418228602010-08-23T07:38:00.000-05:002010-08-23T07:38:53.243-05:00

What I learned last week: 1. People to whom you extend a great deal of generosity will not only take advantage of that but will expect, no demand, even more. 2. These same people will steal from you. Not only will they steal material things, they will steal something with an emotional connection to you but that will not only mean nothing to them but will also not get them any more than a small

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-67978220225206699172010-07-26T18:58:00.000-05:002010-07-26T18:58:57.430-05:00

Since I upgraded my wireless, I have had trouble with my Mac and now my iPad connecting - the connection is slow - and often frustratingly so. I found some online help that indicated the DNS addresses might be the issue so instead of automatically assigning one, I checked the primary and secondary ones that were provided for me. So far, so good, with only some brief slowdowns that appear to be

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-44671729422266703972010-06-21T06:37:00.000-05:002010-06-21T06:37:50.849-05:00

Community College Dean provides some insight into the political climate surrounding "seat time" - which literally means, time in seat. I've always expected students to do much more than regurgitate what I've told them (read AND analyze books and articles and websites!) and have fought the "seat time" issue since I started teaching online classes almost 15 years ago.Student learning, including

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-32469666132831682432010-06-05T07:53:00.000-05:002010-06-05T07:53:22.682-05:00

I am realizing that I am only beginning to comprehend the changes that are taking place around me. As the entire family attempts to return to "normal life" - although it will never seem normal without Mom - the three of us have to figure out how to fit into four holes. That's the best analogy I can think of. I've been chosen for a new position at work which will allow some recognition by

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-61278645931906505052010-05-24T08:27:00.000-05:002010-05-24T08:27:07.047-05:00

I've always looked forward more to semesters starting than ending but this one I am definitely glad to have in the rear view mirror.  Unexpected stressors added to the grief of losing Mom and all that came with that. But that situation will be totally different shortly, much much to my relief. Next fall, I will be given a title for duties I've already had plus a few more. Those duties made my

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-83811281616354204862010-04-26T07:55:00.000-05:002010-04-26T07:55:30.516-05:00

It's another Monday and the end of the semester is near. I made a significant dent in the grading last week - which is definitely a good feeling in light of the dynamics of everything else going on right now. Today is the last time I meet the teaching methods course. One of the students chose to eliminate himself last week. He thought having to work more than an hour and a half a day was a good

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-28358749308220452132010-04-19T09:19:00.000-05:002010-04-19T09:19:10.458-05:00

Richard Rayner's article on what archivist Tim Rives discovered in the documents at the Eisenhower Library. A good read.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-80788796310853298562010-04-18T12:31:00.000-05:002010-04-18T12:31:28.411-05:00

The roller coaster ride continues. Dad is no longer mayor and is off on a fishing trip with "the guys". That will be good for him. He's also letting people know he doesn't have a schedule and he's not going to make one. I am gradually catching up at work but not as fast as I'd like. I just don't seem to be able to concentrate enough to grade. But, a month from now, grades will be submitted and

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-16526883481824051732010-04-13T07:47:00.003-05:002010-04-13T07:49:27.469-05:00

From the New York Times:

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-46403483716102961232010-04-12T08:27:00.000-05:002010-04-12T08:27:26.402-05:00

Last week showed me up close and personal that the grieving process is a roller coaster ride. I was hoping it was a steady climb up after spending more than a month at the bottom but, once again, I was proven wrong. My mother kept the family glued together in ways I discovered I couldn't even imagine and it's much harder than I realized. And I was knocked to the ground in a way I didn't expect

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-4784583514543479612010-04-04T06:41:00.000-05:002010-04-04T06:41:45.323-05:00

This is one of the first reasoned pieces of analysis I've seen from "less than right" sources about the Tea Party movement. There are extremists in any group but failing to realize what a large percentage of the population is cheering the Tea Party on is a mistake. Elite understanding of the Tea Party movement is a great deal like elite understanding of political movements throughout American

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-76582480496695342922010-04-03T07:31:00.001-05:002010-04-03T07:32:07.272-05:00

Tightly Wound says it best: So I haven’t been prolific lately, blogwise.  Not because I don’t have thoughts or fodder, but because lately the entire blogosphere has been ramped up to 11, and most likely I wouldn’t be able to get my volume up enough to be heard. Oh, wait, there’s one way:  RACISM!!!!ELEVEN!!! There, that should do it. Seriously.  This is just ridiculous.  For those of you

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-26699356646413956982010-03-27T21:30:00.001-05:002010-03-27T21:30:43.879-05:00

Tomorrow will make it a month since Mom left us. I'm still not sure how to deal with it all but I am surviving and sleeping okay. Obsessive thoughts occasionally wake me up or keep me up but I've done pretty well without Benadryl. Two of my favorite cousins were able to come in for the funeral and it was good for Dad to have most of his brothers and sisters here. My Aunt Sue just wasn't in any

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-44567685112998635842010-03-06T11:16:00.000-06:002010-03-06T11:16:11.171-06:00

 Patricia L. Woestman, 1938-2010

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-87797888040756817962010-03-06T11:07:00.001-06:002010-04-21T11:03:23.967-05:00

They did take Mom off the respirator but it became apparent all too quickly that she would never be able to breathe on her own. Her heart recovered but her lungs never would. They were already quite weak before the heart attack and the eight days on her back with a ventilator didn't help. She was ready to go. We just weren't ready to let her go. I found this one of the most helpful sites on

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-32534545109180551172010-02-26T14:36:00.000-06:002010-02-26T14:36:03.001-06:00

Mom scared us yesterday. We thought she wanted to leave us. We did get the paperwork straightened out on her living will and fixed the communication glitch. By last night, Mom was talking about her inexpensive ring from Paris and then she was saying "Molly THE dog" and I told her I was getting help taking care of her from the neighbor after work and June going by. They did get the breathing tube

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-38765430713781495892010-02-23T10:58:00.000-06:002010-02-23T10:58:01.080-06:00

The good news is that Mom is still with us. The ear, nose, and throat doctor wasn't available on Sunday and wasn't coming into the hospital on Monday so the nurse took some pre-emptive action to stop the bleeding in her mouth. They discovered it was coming from the tubes in her nose. Smoking also makes the sinuses delicate. She was partly awake more than once yesterday. It cheered Dad's soul to

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-31721852884672610332010-02-21T20:12:00.001-06:002010-02-21T20:14:21.622-06:00

Carol Berkin's Civil War Wives video platform video management video solutions video player

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-91500060864445112632010-02-21T20:06:00.003-06:002010-02-21T20:11:47.550-06:00

We've spent another day in the ICU waiting room. Noisy children and adults who act like children are making it more difficult than it already is and I am pursuing the "policy card" to get it stopped. Children aren't even supposed to be here, let alone running around, running into people, nor blocking the main route for doctors and patients being moved. Getting the doctors to write notes to let

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-41198673256329060042010-02-20T20:45:00.000-06:002010-02-20T20:45:59.507-06:00

Despite my best efforts, blogging remains spotty this year. I'm sitting in a hospital ICU waiting room with Dad. I was in Newark on Thursday morning when I received word that Mom had suffered a major heart attack. Friends in New York helped me get a flight home arranged relatively quickly after I was able to figure out how to go "back" on the new train route between NJ and NY I was trying. The

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-71081205209137312872010-02-15T09:17:00.000-06:002010-02-15T09:17:47.071-06:00

February is going almost as fast as January did. We have a dusting of snow this morning and definitely cold temps. Last week we took our TAH grant teachers to the National Archives in Kansas City. Based on their reflection papers, they seemed to really enjoy the experience. It's also a learning experience for me because I went over some of the material during our first meeting last spring. I'm

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-71354164836127019962010-02-07T08:46:00.000-06:002010-02-07T08:46:54.150-06:00

This is so true! My parents are finally understanding that they aren't really saving money by holding onto a computer for 7 or 8 years and I've finally had to let them know if they don't update at certain points, I just can't help them anymore. But once I get them to move forward, they pick good equipment. I also just ordered a new router for them to upgrade their wireless network. I think

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-78478188499073535272010-02-04T07:43:00.000-06:002010-02-04T07:43:26.165-06:00

As someone who regularly teaches the courses that prepare students for the real world. And it's a world with a constantly changing and often political target, I heartily agree with this.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-74472461187933078642010-02-02T21:18:00.002-06:002010-02-02T21:18:18.766-06:00

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-88153237673337528852010-02-01T06:48:00.000-06:002010-02-01T06:48:35.881-06:00

I had every intention of writing a longish post before January was out but I obviously didn't make it. The year is off to a great start. I've been to Vegas for fun and Newark to work this month and the new semester of classes started on my terms - that translates into not being diverted by those who don't want to learn to continue to assist those who do. Saw the place "Race" with James Spader

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-57599838512247656862010-01-01T20:55:00.000-06:002010-01-01T20:55:45.586-06:00

I realized how addicted I am to the internet today when I couldn't "get online" until dinner time today. It's an integral part of my day no matter what I am doing. I have to consciously plan to go "offline" for some vacation days but I certainly do NOT like it when it's not my choice. I broke down and bought a Blackberry Storm. I helped my parents get one to see how they worked and then decided

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-75845879006295809582009-11-02T07:12:00.000-06:002009-11-02T07:12:51.238-06:00

It's the start of another week and I'm certainly glad daylight savings time is over. It was too dark too late in the morning. We're finally having some great fall days and I wore myself out working outside yesterday. We've had so much rain that there hasn't been the opportunity to make steady progress on the outside work.  I spent two days at the Eisenhower Library last week. There were newly

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-36109256702463258142009-10-26T06:42:00.001-05:002009-10-26T06:43:31.770-05:00

Monday has arrived again and we're already halfway through the semester. I've revised our department's report for both of our national accreditation agencies but still managed to stay ahead on the rest of my responsibilities and I think I'm still a bit in shock given that each of those reports by itself is enough to derail a semester or even an academic year. Now, if there were only a way to make

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-35642286965098040532009-10-21T23:04:00.001-05:002009-10-21T23:04:17.164-05:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: Death by PowerPointView more documents from Alexei Kapterev.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-84724259656228607122009-09-12T10:23:00.002-05:002009-09-12T10:23:55.132-05:00

Interesting interactive feature here.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-28336096579861800752009-09-11T07:24:00.002-05:002009-09-11T07:24:56.680-05:00

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-79419943860470554392009-09-09T07:57:00.000-05:002009-09-09T07:57:05.426-05:00

Camille's latest contribution. "Why did it take so long for Democrats to realize that this year's tea party and town hall uprisings were a genuine barometer of widespread public discontent and not simply a staged scenario by kooks and conspirators? First of all, too many political analysts still think that network and cable TV chat shows are the central forums of national debate. But the

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-39260643816625278602009-09-04T07:41:00.000-05:002009-09-04T07:41:02.232-05:00

Scholars and the open market from the Chronicle: That makes for a steep learning curve, all the more so because of Google's haste to complete the project so that potential competitors would be confronted with a fait accompli. But whether or not the needs of scholars are a priority, the company doesn't want Google's book search to become a running scholarly joke. And it may be responsive to

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-28855088649942020662009-09-03T06:47:00.000-05:002009-09-03T06:47:46.169-05:00

More from me later on this important topic. As I just said, OA done well can be as simple as sitting down and thinking about what you are doing, what you want to be doing, articulating those things, assessing for the evidence of those things, documenting how your expectations fit what the students are doing, then going back and tweaking your teaching and/or your expectations the next time around

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-47034034300489679712009-08-24T07:57:00.000-05:002009-08-24T07:57:40.042-05:00

This article bears repeating given today's real circumstances at most colleges and universities across the country. We're lucky that our upper administration successfully planned ahead and we haven't had to deal with furloughs or non-renewals. So far, we're just not filling all the spaces people leave behind. And while we will do our best to meet students needs, they will have to deal with more

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-70900945321624597712009-08-23T10:37:00.000-05:002009-08-23T10:37:28.695-05:00

Note that one comment on this article notes that tweets have merely integrated the 30-second attention span pushed by the media over the last decade. thanks to KJ for recommending this article.  I worry that microblogging cheats my students out of their trump card: a mindful attention to the subject in front of them, so that they can capture its sights and sounds, its smells and tactile

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-70922794151547244792009-07-28T07:27:00.000-05:002009-07-28T07:27:15.168-05:00

A book is a place - Books - Entertainment - theage.com.au: "The emergence of the web turned this vision of the book of the future as a solid, albeit multimedia object completely upside down and inside out. Multimedia is engaging, especially in a format that encourages reflection. But locating discourse inside a dynamic network promises even more profound possibilities.Reading and writing have

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-63000970292897227462009-07-20T08:21:00.000-05:002009-07-20T08:21:18.644-05:00

Here's a snippet of the conversation over at Conversations of a Community College Dean: Regional or National Accreditation?In a comment a few days ago in response to my misgivings about a national online database of classes, someone raised the question of why we still have a regional, as opposed to national, accreditation system. The short answer is, I have absolutely no idea. My best guess

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-14947207876554992602009-07-19T08:39:00.000-05:002009-07-19T08:39:00.181-05:00

Friedman - Teacher, Can We Leave Now? This NYT article explains the importance of our continuing role in the War on Terror - the spread of ideas. From a less than conservative columnist, no less.  I confess, I find it hard to come to Afghanistan and not ask: Why are we here? Who cares about the Taliban? Al Qaeda is gone. And if its leaders come back, well, that’s why God created cruise

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-10201546378089276372009-07-16T07:55:00.000-05:002009-07-16T07:55:05.296-05:00

Obama's Secret Meeting With HistoriansThe president held a dinner at the White House for leading presidential scholarsBy Kenneth T. WalshPosted July 10, 2009President Obama has found another way to break out of the White House "bubble"—holding private discussions with eminent historians who have studied the successes and failures of his predecessors. His goal is to better understand what has

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-8095303997707744952009-07-12T15:55:00.001-05:002009-07-12T15:56:14.479-05:00

Courtesy of http://www.wordle.net/. Images of Wordles are licensed .

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-8083349979061164902009-07-10T08:36:00.001-05:002009-07-10T08:36:34.093-05:00

'YouTube-ing' All the Way to the Bank - ABC NewsShared via AddThis

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-78948493986261514212009-07-04T14:55:00.002-05:002009-07-04T14:55:37.976-05:00

Make sure to watch the final part .  . . thanks, Julie!

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-52076737654102629842009-07-02T13:12:00.001-05:002009-07-02T13:12:50.162-05:00

The Web is AgreementOriginally uploaded by psdSomething interesting posted on Twitter (where I'm spending more time than here at Blogger given the much higher rate of interaction).

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-88428010572527958562009-07-02T13:11:00.001-05:002009-07-02T13:11:52.303-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-58065262708925174572009-06-25T08:41:00.001-05:002009-06-25T08:41:57.763-05:00

Education Week: Time to Kill 'No Child Left Behind'Shared via AddThis

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-62584142068835638702009-06-22T17:11:00.001-05:002009-06-22T17:11:05.023-05:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-19274638558108113482009-06-19T09:02:00.000-05:002009-06-19T09:02:48.687-05:00

This been a great week with a new group of teachers from Andover USD #385. They're eager to engage with the material and the presenters and I'm looking forward to seeing the work that they do for and in their classrooms over the next three years of the grant. David Blight and Lisa Kapp, sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute, really connected with the teachers. We can only hope that our future

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-80690906939738839802009-06-18T11:09:00.000-05:002009-06-18T11:09:37.998-05:00

A great review for Noralee's new book on Gypsy Rose Lee

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-78605342824931659992009-06-13T09:10:00.000-05:002009-06-13T09:10:25.706-05:00

For most of this decade, Teaching American History grants have dominated my summer responsibilities and taught me as much as I ever learned in any formal schooling. We just finished up our fourth grant, TAHPS (Teaching American History with Primary Sources), with a trip to Boston the first week of June. With a week in between at home to mow lawns, water flowers and gardens, and other various

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-61847218668848483752009-05-25T07:02:00.000-05:002009-05-25T07:02:36.409-05:00

From the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-46935989110935217692009-05-21T09:18:00.000-05:002009-05-21T09:18:57.200-05:00

The good news - grades were all successfully submitted on time (as if there is an option for that ;-) ) The other news - a million things to do between now and the beginning of the activities for the first summer TAH institute on May 30. The book is out! Wahoo! 4 years . . . . The best news today - am headed to Kansas City for the festivities surrounding the dedication of the new National

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-47445763783734267522009-05-07T06:57:00.000-05:002009-05-07T06:57:34.127-05:00

This semester really does seem to have gone faster than any other. I am finding Facebook and Twitter more engaging than blogging given that I want to have interaction with others and not just talk to myself. This has been more the personal blog while my technology interests tend to end up on my Typepad blog. I've noticed some people integrating their blog/s with Facebook and Twitter so I will

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-81712522965426430862009-04-27T07:45:00.000-05:002009-04-27T07:45:06.490-05:00

As the end of the semester approaches, contemplating the lessons students have learned is an easy one. Based on student performance throughout the semester, it's relatively easy to determine who is doing well and who thinks they still have all the time in the world and/or already know it all anyway. One student who called themselves stubborn has turned around her attitude; we'll see if

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-90746262360825706202009-04-22T08:02:00.001-05:002009-04-22T08:04:07.079-05:00

This quote from a recent Chronicle article says it best:"They were killing me on my reviews," he told me. It wasn't that his courses were boring or irrelevant — they were just too hard. "So after a year or two, I started giving better grades," he said. "And what do you know? My scores went up."So, do we focus on doing our jobs helping students learn for the long-term or focus on short-term

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-82103863158262473402009-04-22T07:43:00.000-05:002009-04-22T07:43:54.899-05:00

Larry Cebula did some exploring on YouTube and was a bit disappointed. YouTube is like the rest of the internet - it takes some good search strategies (I'm still learning those!), some persistence, some tenacity, and some plain old luck. Your point about tagging is a good start and maybe even a project for students in a digital history class . . . In teaching 20th century US history, I have

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-13169479731392807882009-04-12T07:51:00.005-05:002009-04-12T08:05:28.598-05:00

James W. Fraser asserts in this Chronicle editorial that "Reform of teacher preparation is once again in the air". It only makes sense given the reform measures that are part of No Child Left Behind. The challenge at the college and university level is a unique one. We have students who think they might want to be teachers but may not be sure. Yet, unlike some other majors in which you can't

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-48108560708620256342009-04-11T10:05:00.000-05:002009-04-11T10:05:44.278-05:00

This Chronicle article examines the challenges faced in all of our human archives - what to do with all of the digital records of our existence. We're struggling with this on the ACERA committee on the federal record level but it impacts us down to teach individual. I kept a journal that was actually too detailed through my late teenage years but the record of my life for more than the last

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-76983757118922398262009-04-09T07:10:00.001-05:002009-04-09T08:36:20.696-05:00

NARA seeks input into the development of alternative models for Presidential Libraries. Read the Request for Input here and submit to: pres-lib-alternatives@nara.gov. As someone who has visited ALL of the presidential libraries operated by the National Archives and Records Administration and as someone who has conducted both graduate and post-graduate research in seven of these diverse

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-48510513733001310552009-04-04T12:22:00.000-05:002009-04-04T12:22:55.081-05:00

We had the 4th annual TAH Symposium co-sponsored by H-Net/H-TAH and the OAH in conjunction with the OAH annual meeting in Seattle last week. It went really well. Lots of audience interaction and Sam Wineburg gave a thought-provoking keynote address about how we have to prove to the federal government that we are not a failing program if we want the funding to continue. We had teachers and

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-89187474717058965522009-03-30T22:11:00.000-05:002009-03-30T22:11:52.029-05:00

My colleagues at H-TAH and I along with the outstanding meetings staff at OAH pulled off our 4th annual symposium on the long-term impact of Teaching American History grants. Our attendance mirrored that of the regular OAH meeting - down due both to reduced travel budgets and the geographical location of Seattle. A direct flight from KC actually makes Seattle doable from Kansas, though, so it

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-55705879935665613762009-03-22T08:42:00.000-05:002009-03-22T08:42:07.830-05:00

It's good to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I just wish it were easier to see before you arrived at the end of the tunnel. Too many things were beyond my control the last few weeks and I'm still learning that I can survive that. It really is perspective on the causes of the stress around you that make a difference but it's too bad knowing that doesn't mean you can eliminate

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-50965315107327715892009-03-20T16:10:00.000-05:002009-03-20T16:10:23.405-05:00

The best laid plans for this week have come and gone, but - hopefully - I've tied up a great many loose ends and will reap the benefits later. Next week is the TAH Symposium and the annual OAH meeting.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-62944424736804087392009-03-19T21:22:00.000-05:002009-03-19T21:22:11.000-05:00

One the main reasons I've spent less time here, or at least less time lately, is the time I'm spending at Facebook instead. FB is obviously much more interactive even if, at times, it is TMI. I guess I know I am asking for the potential for TMI if I read someone's blog and I should accept that same premise about all of my friends all at once when I go to Facebook. If you're a blogger, I'd be

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-16425475862177646182009-03-17T11:10:00.000-05:002009-03-17T11:10:57.499-05:00

We actually have spring weather for this spring break. In fact, it's almost summer weather - over 80 degrees today. I still am hoping for one more snow ..... I worked outside at the farm yesterday - I planed the irises Dad gave me and replanted the landscaping that the deer pulled out. I was dismayed to hear _two_ armadillos wondering around my yard last night. And, a new bunny has taken up

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-10213673719309301152009-03-08T11:44:00.001-05:002009-03-08T11:44:22.439-05:00

I'm a bit overwhelmed right now not just with work but with life but the pressure should subside by the end of the week, thank goodness. And I do want my hour back. We have TOO much daylight savings time!

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-38783172678729814942009-02-22T13:27:00.000-06:002009-02-22T13:27:34.286-06:00

I'd be interested to hear about your state's program. Kansas has developed the Kansas Memory site. Here's info about my native state's proram. View video

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-20498991377609763162009-02-17T22:31:00.001-06:002009-02-17T22:31:26.699-06:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: The Problem is the Solution: PBL in Social StudiesView more presentations from Glenn Wiebe. (tags: studie social)

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-50411276482742783582009-02-17T22:29:00.001-06:002009-02-17T22:29:03.973-06:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: Influencers On IT & Tech 2009 Trends Predictions, By TrendsspottingView more presentations from Taly Weiss. (tags: green gadgets)

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-88159146015425037892009-02-16T08:19:00.000-06:002009-02-16T08:19:11.610-06:00

This is grant-writing season (March 9 is the due date and none of us wants to push that envelope this year - too much unnecessary stress) and it's been interesting working with some new partners. I'm busy preparing and grading for classes now that the semester is in full gear as far as students go. There's also quite a bit of work going on at my house - replacing the popcorn ceiling with an

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-51993005580034591802009-02-09T21:01:00.001-06:002009-02-09T21:01:44.105-06:00

This rain is supposed to be snow!!!! I'm afraid we're going to pay for this in March when we want the 70 degree weather. The 60 mph winds this morning were also interesting .. . .

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-82976896570400668732009-02-02T06:38:00.012-06:002009-02-02T06:45:21.319-06:00

From the Chronicle of Higher Education: Venting to her friends on Facebook one night, a religion professor at Dartmouth College updated her profile to say that she had just consulted an online encyclopedia entry on "modernity" to prepare for her class the next day. "I feel like such a fraud," she wrote on her profile. "Do you think dartmouth parents would be upset about paying $40,000 a year

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-81495129790745837752009-02-01T10:21:00.000-06:002009-02-01T10:21:47.946-06:00

Daschle Knew of Tax Issues Over Car Use Last June - NYTimes.com: "“One of the problems here is what they set up as expectations,” said Martha Joynt Kumar, an expert in presidential transitions at Towson University. “If you have talked about the importance of ethics and set up the kind of rules they did on lobbying, then I think it sets expectations that yours is going to be an administration that

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-20750958500493613962009-01-31T09:08:00.000-06:002009-01-31T09:08:40.013-06:00

The Kennedys - A Fumbled Handoff of the Torch - NYTimes.com: "It was fitting — or at least symmetrical — that the inauguration of Barack Obama, with its promise of a new political order, should have coincided with the further decline of the political fortunes of the Kennedy family, who for so long have occupied a dynastic place in the American imagination."

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-23757878826129016472009-01-28T07:50:00.003-06:002009-01-28T07:52:07.162-06:00

Although it now seems like "simple technology", the New York Times' photographic retrospective on Bush 43 is an excellent historical record.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-27532905902354718882009-01-26T09:46:00.000-06:002009-01-26T09:49:13.019-06:00

Larry Cebula brings to light some even more interesting aspects of inauguration day.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-47139054288303974332009-01-25T09:40:00.000-06:002009-01-25T09:41:39.832-06:00

The New York Times has an interesting exploration of the new administration members in Washington. It really brings a personal face to the administration. And possibly some insight on what to expect.

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055613.post-24807022262074055802009-01-24T08:10:00.000-06:002009-01-24T08:15:26.260-06:00

Winter is back and the semester is rolling. I'll meet students teachers who are out in the field on campus this week. And grant writing is going on in earnest as the deadline approaches in early March. I have a couple of fun outings planned for later today - seeing old friends and new friends. Spending more than a night or two earlier in the week at the farm was great therapy to get my head on

Kelly in Kansasnoreply@blogger.com0