Monday, June 24, 2002

Whiteboard Note-Saver

Rob Frohne has posted version 2.0 (for Macintosh) of his freeware note-saving application, Save My Whiteboard. Rob is writing and using the application to post his class notes (E. F. Cross School of Engineering -- Walla Walla College) for student use. The Macintosh 2.0 version is available for Classic and OS X. The Windows 1.0 version is available in both Aladdin StuffIt .sit format and the traditional .zip compression.

Apple Software Updates

Late Friday, Apple released Networking Update v1.0 for Mac OS X and Airport 2.0.4 for Classic and OS X. Both are currently available only via Software Update.

Twice Exceptional

Washington Post staff writer Nurith C. Aizenman tells of gifted children with severe learning disabilities in Students' Complicated Gifts: Schools Struggle With Exceptional Learning-Disabled. When I read the column above, I immediately thought of two students in my 30+ years of teaching. Both fit the criteria. One, then a third grader, could do two-digit long division in his head, but sounding out three letter words (cvc pattern) was difficult for him. The second started with me as a fourth grader. He had one of the highest, if not the highest, I.Q. in the school, but couldn't read when he came to my class. He was also incredibly gifted in both art and with mechanical things. The column has lots of great thoughts and quotes on the subject. One I especially liked comes from "national expert Susan Baum," "You teach to the gift rather than to the disability."

Maine iBook Initiative in Jeopardy?

The Portland Press Herald's Grace Murphy reports Legislators ready to raid laptop fund. Murphy writes, "Gov. Angus King's recommendation to attack a budget shortfall by reducing state aid to public schools has some lawmakers ready to raid his pet program to equip schools with laptop computers." She also notes the rationale of legislators:

Sen. Lynn Bromley, D-South Portland, said it is hard to defend the computer program in light of cuts in services and education funding. "It's sort of like saying, 'Let them eat laptops.' I think it's a provocative thing to have out there if we have to hurt cities and towns," she said.

As a teacher who is looking forward to using a cart of new iBooks in the classroom next fall, I hate to see such programs cut. I also realize there have to be priorities in spending. When our "laptop money" came around, I knew there were dozens of other things that would do far more good in my classroom than the iBooks. In our case, the funds were from a grant specifically targeted at technology for special education and couldn't be used for most of those "dozens of other things."

Sometimes specifically targeted programs and funding push you places and to do things you might not have discovered otherwise. Such is the case with our laptop grant, as I've found some really fantastic special needs software that I'm really excited about using. How excited am I? Well, I'm considering going into summer school on my own time to try the stuff out with some kids!

National Assessment of Educational Progress: Geography

I always cringe at the stories about students' lack of general knowledge that regularly appear in the press. The results of the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress in geography are no different. Rather than give just one link, source, or slant, you can take your pick of the links below.

• Los Angeles Times -- Where in the World? Students Don't Know (free registration required)
• CNN -- More students grasping geography -- by Kathy Slobogin
• The Washington Post -- In Test, Students Lack Geography Knowledge: 1 in 3 4th-Graders Can't Find Own State -- by Michael A. Fletcher
• Associated Press -- Grade Schoolers Improve in Geography -- by Greg Toppo
• USDOE -- Secretary Paige's Remarks to The National Assessment of Educational Progress' Press Conference on Geography

Richard Rothstein took the government's National Assessment of Educational Progress to task in a Lessons column in March, National Test Is Out of Tune With Times (free registration required). Rothstein asserted that the test, called the Nation's Report Card, has not changed to accurately measure student progress.

I'm not sure about Rothstein's concerns, but I always get a headache when I see such widely varying political slants of supposedly objective news agencies revealed based on the same report. (Remember that Educators' News is not an objective report. Our About page clearly defines EdNews as coming from "from a Mac-toting, bleeding-heart liberal, educator's point of view.":-) I always wonder if the folks who note that 1 in 3 4th-Graders Can't Find Own State had to hunt for such a result to sensationalize. But, the same column carries the following in its conclusion:

"The results support our belief that teacher preparation and professional development are key to increasing students' geography knowledge," Grosvenor said.

 

But increasing geography instruction in an already crowded school day is difficult. A federal education law enacted earlier this year holds school systems responsible for increasing students' reading and math instruction, leading to concern that subjects such as geography would be ignored.

I suspect the public education bashers will have a field day with this report, while those of us in the trenches will just keep going to work, doing the best we can. I've already expressed my views on such subjects in the column Making Schools Better?

No Child Left Behind Song?

I had to read this column twice to believe it. In "No Child Left Behind" Is Hit Song With Bush Team (free registration required), Diana Jean Schemo of the New York Times reports that there is now a song about the President's education reform campaign. It goes:

We're here to thank our president,

For signing this great bill,

That's right! Yeah,

Research shows we know the way,

It's time we showed the will!

The song was produced by the PBS TV show, Between the Lions, but it hasn't made their online play list yet. (The Between the Lions site has lots of great educational materials available for use online or download.) Ms. Schemo also reports the Education Department spent $28,965 for "little red schoolhouses, complete with bell towers, fences and "No Child Left Behind" across their facades" to decorate the "building's entrances."

Devotion For June 23-29, 2002, Delayed

Zach Wood was off on a job interview in Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania, this weekend, so I suspect he's on the road today back to his home base in Hampton, Virginia. I'll post his weekly devotional when it comes in. Zach also maintains an archive of previous devotionals.
  

If you have suggestions, news ideas, etc., please .

Tuesday, June 25, 2002

Family Matchmakers Newsletter

I received the following email today from Dan Knight, publisher of the Low End Mac web site.

My wife, Linda, runs a small (but growing) adoption agency here in Michigan, and that generally wouldn't be of interest on a site with a national focus except for one thing -- the newsletter.

 

Family Matchmakers isn't your typical adoption agency. The special focus is special needs adoptions, whether due to medical needs, abuse and neglect, etc.

 

Beginning with the June issue, each newsletter will focus on a single adoption related issue. For June, the subject is cerebral palsy. In July, it will look at attachment disorders. These newsletters could be excellent resources for all teachers, since adoption is widespread, but should be of special interest to those in special education.

 

The June newsletter is at <http://familymatchmakers.org/newsletter/200206.html>.

It appears that Linda's monthly newsletter may be a good source of information for prospective adoptive parents and teachers as well.

From the SchwabLearning.org

What Parents Need to Know about ADHD and Medication: Advice from an M.D. is an excellent discussion for parents and teachers about medications used in helping children with ADHD stay in control. "Shashank V. Joshi, MD, FAAP,...child psychiatrist and pediatrician at Stanford University School of Medicine," lists the basic medications used and their effects. Managing medications at home and school are also covered.

As always, links to all of the new and updated SchwabLearning.org articles are available in the Schwab Learning Online Newsletter (link expires 6-30-02). Past newsletters are now archived in the new SchwabLearning.org Email Newsletter Archive.

When the Severely Disabled Graduate

Los Angeles Times staff writer Clair Luna tells about the challenges awaiting severely disabled persons after graduation in Their Graduation Comes With Fear (free registration required).

Administrative Shuffle in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Dale Mezzacappa, Susan Snyder, and Martha Woodall collaborated on a report of what is happening to principals in school's taken over by Edison Schools, Inc. and others in Philadelphia. Principals being replaced as part of schools' reform tells that some administrators have been retained by Edison, while others have opted to move to other Philadelphia public schools.

Parents Seek Cultural Diversity for their Children

Josh Duke has an interesting column in today's Indianapolis Star, 20 Years After Desegregation: Suburban students seek diversity of city education. He relates some situations of parents seeking schools of cultural diversity in the metro Indy area. Maybe I find this column interesting because I taught in one of the districts mentioned, the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township, over 20 years ago. (That's where the name of my charityware font, MSDWT Manuscript, came from.)

When Smaller Class Size Doesn't Help

One of those things we educators take as a given is that smaller class size will result in better instruction and improved test scores for our students. Two columns out of California point out the exception to the rule. Rookie teachers said to nullify class-size gains from the San Francisco Chronicle and the Associated Press's Report: Class size reduction not helping poor LAUSD schools tell how California's use of inexperienced and uncertified teachers to lower class sizes backfired.

Software Updates and Releases

Wolfram Research has updated their heavy duty number cruncher, Mathematica, to version 4.2

Apple Computer has released a number of updates for download that were previously only available through the Software Update panel.

AppleScript 1.8.3 is still MIA from the list.

Devotion For June 23-29, 2002

Zach Wood's weekly devotional for this week is Delicacy of Words. I hope it adds a bit of brightness to your week. Zach also maintains an archive of previous devotionals.

Wednesday, June 26, 2002

Appeals Court Rules Saying Pledge of Allegiance in Classroom Unconstitutional

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court has ruled that saying the Pledge of Allegiance in schools violates "the Establishment Clause of the Constitution." From CBS News:

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a 1954 Act of Congress that added "under God" to the pledge, saying the words violated the basic constitutional tenet of separation of church and state.

• ABC News -- Pledge of Allegiance "Unconstitutional" Federal Appeals Court Bars Pledge From Schools
• CBS News -- Court Zaps Pledge Of Allegiance
• CNN -- Court rules Pledge of Allegiance "unconstitutional"
• CNN/AP -- Education group vows appeal on NY school funding -- by David Kravets
• Fox News -- Pledge of Allegiance Ruled Unconstitutional
• MSNBC -- Court rejects Pledge of Allegiance
• New York Times -- Appeals Court Declares Pledge of Allegiance Unconstitutional (free registration required) -- by David Stout

Ohio SchoolNet State Technology Conference

Carly Glick wrote today with some early news about the fifth annual Ohio SchoolNet State Technology Conference. The conference will take place February 3-5, 2003, at the Columbus Convention Center (OH) and will focus on the Ohio Bicentennial. Sessions for teachers will include content "on research and best practices from education leaders that join the conference from across Ohio and the entire nation."

The conference is not only for those educators who are technology novices and practitioners but also those seeking to increase their understanding of the ways technology can be used to enhance teaching and learning...In fact, with representation from teachers, administrators, technology coordinators and educational service provider staff from across Ohio and neighboring states, the three-day event was one of the largest educational technology conferences in the nation.

For more information, email Carly Glick or call her at (614) 728-1895, or visit the Ohio SchoolNet site.

Michigan State Superintendent Cautious of Edison's Viability

Michigan Schools Superintendent Tom Watkins last week cautioned schools dealing with Edison Schools, Inc., to have a backup plan in case Edison goes out of business. In Schools warned to have backup plan for Edison, the Detroit Free Press quotes a letter to charter schools from Watkins as saying, "The contingency plan may be as simple as hiring another educational service provider to immediately take over Edison's responsibilities."

Laptops for Michigan Students?

Mike Wendland reports in the Detroit Free Press that "David Spencer, the head of Michigan Virtual University, seeks support for an effort to equip every K-12 student statewide with a laptop by 2004." In State schools may test idea of laptops for kids, Wendland points out that Michigan's successful program for supplying computers to Michigan teachers is supervised by Spencer. "Spencer is seeking $20 million for a pilot program that would hand out laptops in five school districts." State and federal appropriations and grants now total $10.1 million, with the remainder still to be raised from "corporate donations."

Texas Charters Under Scrutiny

Janet Elliott and Melanie Markle report Despite hopes, trouble plagues charter schools (free registration required) in the Houston Chronicle. They quote education researcher Catherine Clark as saying, "It's not an attractive picture. As a group, charter schools are not serving students real well." Clark also lameted the promise of charters when they began in Texas six years ago, "The idea was to free up all these bright people and give them an incentive in a deregulated world to do school the way they wanted to."

Maybe I should have titled this section, "It's Not That Easy." If you're like me, you've at one time or another said half seriously, "I wish I could just start my own school and do it right!" The authors of the Houston Chronicle column do point out some charters that are doing extremely well, but also point out mismanagement of funds, poor test results, and a 77 turnover rate in teachers this year in Texas charters.

Software Updates

Gordon John Stevens has updated his excellent cross-platform crossword puzzle maker, Crossword Express, to version 5.6. The $35 shareware is currently available for either Windows or Macintosh with a Mac OS X version under development.

I did a bit of a "how-to" on CrossWord Express several years ago in the column Teacher Tools 4: A Roll-Your-Own Spelling Program. It's getting a bit dated, but will tell you more about the program. I registered and started using the Windows version back in 1997. Like Thorsten Lemke's GraphicConverter, it's one of those sharewares that never seem to require and upgrade payment! One registration covers both the Windows and Mac versions, and there are very reasonably priced site licenses available.

Apple Computer, Inc., released a Repair Privileges Utility v1.0 for Mac OS X 10.1.5 for download (77K). From the Apple site, "The Repair Privileges utility restores the privileges of Mac OS X system files and Apple-installed software to their default configuration."

Use the Repair Privileges utility to resolve any of the following issues:

• An error of type -192" alert message in Disk Copy when disk images fail to become available.
• An error of type -108" alert message in Print Center when spooling print jobs.
• You are running Classic without superuser (root) Privileges" alert message when trying to start up Classic and the System Folder is blessed.
• An Admin user cannot drag files to a folder to which they should have write access, for example, the Applications folder.
• Files are unexpectedly locked and cannot be unlocked in the Finder.

Thursday, June 27, 2002

Supreme Court Okays Cleveland Voucher Program

With national attention focused on the Pledge of Allegiance story, it was hard to find much coverage today of a decision that may prove to be far more influential in education. The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday released a 5-4 decision upholding the Cleveland voucher program. Supreme Court OKs School Vouchers tells of a case that had become a lightning rod of national focus on vouchers with the Bush Administration weighing in with a brief in favor of the program.

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote for the majority, "We believe that the program challenged here is a program of true private choice," while Justice David H. Souter's dissenting opinion noted, "There is, in any case, no way to interpret the 96.6 percent of current voucher money going to religious schools as reflecting a free and genuine choice by the families that apply for vouchers."

The National Education Association maintains a good voucher information page that surprisingly carries a variety of links, pro and con, on the issue. One link leads to an Indiana University researcher's 1999 report, IU Report Finds Cleveland Voucher Program Beginning to Reach Objectives. The same researcher expresses reservations about vouchers in the Phi Delta Kappan column, Free Market Policies and Public Education: What Is the Cost of Choice?

The Yahoo! School Choice directory has links to a number of organizations tracking voucher, charter schools, and other related issues.

Terminating Teachers

Richard Rothstein takes on a difficult subject in his latest New York Times Lessons column, Some Fair Steps to Take Before Firing Teachers (free registration required). Rothstein tells of a Montgomery County (MD) joint administrative-union evaluation program that seems to work. He sagely writes, "Due process also means telling tenured teachers what their shortcomings are and helping them improve," and, "Now, the biggest impediment to weeding out poor teachers is not obstruction by the union but inadequate supervision by principals."

Did Apple Ed Write This One?

MacWorld UK ran a column yesterday, UK schools love Macs - official, that reads like someone at Apple Education wrote it. Dominique Fidele actually wrote it and tells that participation in a joint technology project, sponsored by the British Educational Communications Technology Agency (BECTA), "resulted in an improvement in pupils' behaviour, motivation and attendance."

Virus Definition Updates

I noticed that the Symantec July virus definitions are posted a little early this month, so here's your monthly EdNews reminder to download those monthly virus definition updates. General links to the major antivirus providers are:

• Symantec (Mac), (Win) -- Norton Antivirus
• McAfee -- Virex, VirusScan, Dr. Solomon's Anti-Virus
• intego -- VirusBarrier
• Computer Associates -- eTrust, InocuLAN, and InoculateIT,
• F-Secure Anti-Virus

Software

Apple has posted Apple iMac Update for Mac OS X 1.0 for direct download (2.5 MB). The update is only for machines running Mac OS X 10.1.5, build 5T91. From Apple's descriptor:

The iMac Update includes enhancements to support the installation of third party applications and the Networking Update which improves network and Internet access after restarting your computer or when waking from sleep.

Also now available are AppleScript 1.8.3 for Mac OS X (direct download 2.2 MB) and AppleScript 1.8.3 for Classic (direct download 1.5 MB).

Synergy Creations ConverTable Units has been updated to version 2.1. The $15 shareware is a unit converter that "teaches how to do unit conversions." ConverTable Units 2.1 is available for download in Mac versions for PPC (818K) and OS X (956K).

While it's not an educationally related item, it's good to see that now that he has his A-N-I-M-A-L-S reading application out the door, Marc Moini is working on an update to Startup Doubler. He's posted Startup Doubler 2.7b1 (note that it is a beta version) along with all of his other great products on his download page. Like John Stevens (Crossword Express) and Thorsten Lemke (GraphicConverter), Mark continues to offer free updates to registered users.

While I frequently link to Bob "Dr. Mac" LeVitus's Freeware Friday Mac OS X Daily Tip on OSXFAQ.com, Bob has a couple of postings, Budget Priced Shortcut Solutions For Mac OS X and Budget Priced & Time Saving Mac OS X Utilities, Part 2, that include some really good stuff.

Pledge Court Decision News

Yesterday's 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that saying the Pledge in classrooms violates the separation of church and state protections of the Constitution has turned the news and education world on its ear. If you missed the basic story, the New York Times Evelyn Nieves gives a good summary today in Judges Ban Pledge of Allegiance From Schools, Citing "Under God" (free registration required). The Times also has a download link for the text of the court's decision (289K PDF Document).

Opinion pieces and editorials appear in nearly every news publication around the country, ranging from the always hyper-conservative Indianapolis Star's So help us God if ruling stands to the Christian Science Monitor's well reasoned editorial, Standing Up for the Pledge, to the San Francisco Chronicle's Allegiance to absolutism. Typical of one point of view, the Star contends the court is distorting the Constitution. "It is not those who distort the tenets of the Muslim faith who most threaten our American freedoms and way of life; it is our own people who, operating under a distorted view of our nation's constitutional tenets, seek to destroy our moral foundation." The Christian Science Monitor editorial today concludes:

Concerning patriotism by rote, increasing numbers of teachers are asking students to discuss what "republic" and "indivisible" mean. They shouldn't shy away from discussing "under God" either, to emphasize freedom of religion - including the freedom to have no religion.

 

The best way to instill patriotism is to encourage youngsters to be active in the American democratic experiment - so they appreciate such ideals as "liberty and justice for all," and the work it takes to be true to them.

The Chronicle disagrees with the court's decision, but looks past this controversy to a related issue, "Its proscription of the pledge because of two words -- cast in an amorphous way -- makes a mockery of the very serious issue of encroachment of religion on public policy in this nation."

Other items on the appellate court decision:

• Los Angeles Times -- A Godforsaken Ruling (free registration required)
• San Francisco Chronicle -- Pledge of Allegiance ruled unconstitutional: Many say ruling by S.F. court hasn't a prayer after appeals -- by Bob Egelko
• Yahoo! News/Reuters -- Lawmakers Blast Court Ruling on Pledge -- by Donna Smith
• Yahoo! News/AP -- Pledge Ruling Reversal Expected -- by David Kravets
• Yahoo! News/AP -- High Court May Face Pledge Dispute -- by Gina Holland

Cheryl England Now at MacHome

I spent a lot of time racking my brain trying to figure out where I'd heard that "Cheryl England, formerly of MacAddict magazine, is taking on the editorial reins at MacHome magazine." I finally found that I'd read it in Bill Fox's Wednesday MacsOnly posting about her "appearing" on Shawn King's Your Mac Life. MacHome also sponsors Joe "Scienceman" Martha's MacHome Classroom Newsletter. Best wishes to Cheryl and MacHome in the new association.

Friday, June 28, 2002

More on Pledge Decision

In an unusual move, Judge Alfred T. Goodwin, who wrote the decision striking down students saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school, bowed to public outrage at the decision and ordered "the ruling will not take effect while the case is being appealed." See: Judge Blocks Pledge Decision During Appeals

More on Voucher Decision

The New York Times has more coverage today on the Supreme Court decision released Wednesday upholding the Cleveland school voucher program. All links require free registration with the Times.

• Supreme Court Upholds Voucher System That Pays Religious Schools' Tuition by Linda Greenhouse
• News Analysis: The Battleground Shifts by Adam Nagourney
• Text of the Court's Decision

Random Drug Testing Okayed

The Supreme Court Thursday okayed random drug testing of students participating in extra-curricular activities. In Court OKs Random Drug Tests in Schools, Gina Holland of the Washington Post tells that while "drug tests had been allowed previously just for student athletes...the decision gives school leaders a free hand to test students who participate in competitive after-school activities or teams &endash; more than half the estimated 14 million American high school students."

A Little Help for Apple

Jeff Adkins laments some of the things happening in his school concerning computer platform choice in Macs, PCs, Support, and Strategy. Jeff offers some positive suggestions for Apple Education to help folks who want to keep their Macs at school.

Ergonomics for Students

Melissa Trujillo reports about a school emphasizing safe computer use. In Program Teaches Ergonomics to Kids, she tells of a program at Elizabeth Blackwell Elementary (WA) that teaches "students to take breaks during long computer sessions, to use correct posture to reduce strain on the upper body and to exercise fatigued muscles."

Software

The OS X freeware TinkerTool 2.2a is available for download (331K). TinkerTool accesses many hidden options of Mac OS X without resorting to the command line interface.

Micromat has released TechTool Lite 3.0.3 (2679K) and the TechTool Pro 3.0.7 Updater (4224K) via the Info-Mac HyperArchive.

The Apple Security Update June 2002 for OS X is available via software update.

OS X on a 7500

I spent a couple of hours last night loading Mac OS X onto my venerable Power Mac 7500/G3. This is the unit I've used in my classroom as my primary computer for several years and used for the column, Illustrated Power Mac 7500 Teardown, last summer. It has a Newer MAXpowr G3/250 MHZ upgrade card in it, and using Ryan Rempel's XPostFacto made the installation a snap. I'd decided to run OS X as the primary operating system on all my classroom Macs next year, so the 7500 either had to run it or I was going to part it out. As it turns out, the 7500 seems to run the new OS as well as the two G3 minitowers I have in setup for school next year.

Next Update??

I'll be taking Annie back to the Cleveland Clinic next week for her three week post-op checkup. It's going to be a pretty quick trip, so I suspect I'll spend most of my time behind the wheel instead of in front of a screen and keyboard. With the Independence Day holiday next Thursday, I might just take the week off!

Have a great weekend!

Saturday, June 29, 2002

"Next Update??" Today!

I really thought I was done for the month of June yesterday when I posted the "Next Update??" notice. But this morning I received an email from John Minger that deserved attention.

Hi Steve,

 

You referenced GURU version 2.9 in your Mac 7500 teardown article. Since Newer Tech went away, all the links for that download go nowhere. I have version 2.8, so probably don't need it.

 

Any chance of getting a copy of the 2.9 file?

 

John

The problem with the links really wasn't Newer going away, it was that I'd finally gotten around to doing global site changes in May for the URLs to Newer to reflect that Bernie Case was preserving them on a Newer Technology mirror site at technojunkie.org. I ran a blurb on it in the Educators' News last September. With Newer being resurrected from bankruptcy, Bernie dismantled his mirror as it was no longer needed.

Currently, you can download almost all of Newer's free items from their Drivers Page, including GURU, SpellTools, and Gauge Pro. Below is a summary of specific URLs for Newer Technology.

Newer Technology -- main page

Software Downloads

• GURU page
• GURU 2.9 (545K)
• Gauge Pro page
• Gauge Pro 1.1 (75K)
• SpellTools page
• SpellTools 1.3.3 (1.7 MB)

There is a problem with Newer's url to Craig Marciniak's site for the SpellTools 1.4 updater. The correct url is:

http://www.marciniak.com/spelltools/spelltools.html

SpellTools 1.4 updater (142K)

We're still getting ready to return to the Cleveland Clinic next week for Annie's post-op checkup. With the Independence Day holiday next Thursday, I might just take the week off!

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