Literacy Speaks Volumes

The historian must treat sources with appropriate reservations. The historian must not dismiss counterevidence without scholarly consideration. The historian must be even-handed and eschew "cherry-picking." The historian must clearly indicate any speculation. The historian must not mistranslate documents or mislead by omitting parts of documents. The historian must weigh the authenticity of all accounts, not merely those that contradict a favored view. The historian must take the motives of historical actors into consideration.

In Sweden, people celebrate the Summer Solstice by eating the first strawberries of the season. this is especially apt as this year's Summer Solstice coincides with the full moon in June. The last time this event occurred was in 1967; I was four-years-old. The next time that the two will coincide will be in 2062. I hope that I'm still around then. So, what exactly is a Strawberry Moon? A Strawberry Moon is June's full moon. The Algonquin Indians called it a Strawberry Moon because it occurred at the height of strawberry harvesting season. If you have ever grown June-bearing Strawberries, then you know what all of the hoopla is about. Here are some fun folklore about the Moon: A growing moon and a flowing tide are good times to marry. Days following both the New and Full Moon are most likely to be rainy or stormy. Crabbing, shrimping, and clamming are best when the moon is full. The name "Strawberry Moon" comes from an Ojibwe wo...

Here are six ways that you can begin your morning and create peace that will last all day: Take 10 minutes to silently meditate without distractions. Let your mind become clutter-free so that you can fill it with only good thoughts about what you are going to do that day. As part of the meditation or as part of your journaling, affirm that you will be peaceful, kind, or tranquil during the day. You can make it as general or as specific as you wish. The next activity can also be a part of your morning meditation or it can be separate. Visualize what you are going to do that day to remain calm. Are you going to stop and take deep breaths? Are you going to slowly count to ten? Exercise is unarguably one of the best ways to jumpstart your morning. It does not have to be thirty minutes of aerobic workouts. It can be ten minutes of stretching or yoga poses. You can combine this with the previous activities. People say that they don't like to read. I say that ...

Flowers adorn the Keys in every direction!

This photo was taken at the Tarpon Marina in Marathon, Florida.

You definitely have to eat here!

Essential Learning statements outline the most important bits and pieces of the curriculum that a student must know before he moves on to the next grade. Ideally, they would be tiered across the grade levels. Professional Learning teams should work together to make sure that the essential learning statements are achievable and of importance to everyone. The statements are broad enough to cover multiple standards but are narrow enough to cover specific curriculum concerns or issues.  Some schools combine the essential learning statements across disciplines. This idea works well when schools make literacy a school wide priority. Students demonstrate their mastery of the essential learning in concrete ways. Teachers use multiple forms of assessments to show the learning.