John Lennon Tour Bus to stop in Vancouver

John Lennon Tour Bus to stop in Vancouver
This is an opportunity for students to work with music industry recording professionals
Wednesday, August 24
Vancouver School of Arts and Academics
3101 Main Street, Vancouver 98663

Students and teachers from Vancouver and Evergreen school districts will have the unique opportunityto board the John Lennon Tour Bus, a recording studio on wheels, when it stops here on Aug. 24. Sixstudents will be selected to work with tour bus professionals to produce and record a music videocomposition. Up to 60 additional students and/or teachers will participate in free training sessions using state-of-the-art industry equipment.

Production project: Six spots are available for students to produce a music composition and video. Selected students, chosen through an application process, will work with the tour bus creative team in this free all-day session.

Training sessions: Three sessions (lasting 2.5 hours each) will take place in the VSAA technology lab. Students and teachers will train on ProTools recording software, Sibelius music composition software,and Avid Media composer video production software. Sessions are free and open to 20 participants each.

The production project and the training sessions will take place on Aug. 24 at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, 3101 Main Street, Vancouver 98663. The school entrance is on F and 31st streets.

For application information or to register for a workshop, contact VSAA teacher David Tang at
david.tang@vansd.org

The John Lennon Tour Bus provides free hands-on programs to millions of young people across the country. Working together with educators and some of the biggest names in music, the Lennon Bus encourages students to play music, write songs, shoot digital photos, engineer recording sessions, and produce video products using the latest audio, video, still camera and live sound equipment.

For more information go to: http://www.lennonbus.org/
or
http://www.lennonbus.org/press/JLETB_2011_Overview_Press.pdf.

Press release courtesy of Vancouver Public Schools at vansd.org

Regional Library Teen Programs

The Fort Vancouver Regional Library has many events coming up in the next 30 days for our teens.

Teen Programs
for the Next 30 Days


Teen 'Scape (ages 12-19)
A relaxing time to kick back, have fun and meet other teens in our community. Drop in any time to use the Internet, eat snacks, play RockBand and other video games, go retro with board games, do crafts, or just hang out.
Fridays from 3-5 pm
Vancouver Community Library

Improv Fest & No Talent Show
Call the library for information.
Friday, July 29 from 4-6 pm
Woodland Community Library

Teen Gaming Group
Join this informal group for fun playing RPGs! We speak and play Dungeons and Dragons, GURPS, Call of Cthulu, etc.! Light snacks provided by Friends of Washougal Community Library.
Fridays from 4-6 pm
Washougal Community Library

Teen Game Night
Call the library for information.
Friday, July 29 from 6-10 pm
Washougal Community Library

Vancouver Teen Council
Teens, help plan programs and events for your peers by joining your branch's Teen Council. Bring your friends and make new friends.
Tuesday, August 2 at 4:30 pm
Vancouver Community Library

GAMES! (grades 4-12)
Drop in and join the fun. Choose from our fantastic assortment of classic board games, card games, RPG and TCG's, or bring your own. Invite your friends to come with you. Join our Dungeons and Dragons 4.0 campaign group for beginning and intermediate players!
Tuesdays from 4-6 pm
Three Creeks Community Library

Game-of-the-Month Club (ages 12-19)
Every month or so, we will try out new and different role-playing or table-top games. We are even working on making up our own game, "Space Adventures in Space." Come and join in, give it a try, explore new worlds, and make new friends.
Tuesdays from 4-6 pm
Woodland Community Center (next door to the library)

White Salmon Teen Council
Teens, help plan programs and events for your peers by joining your branch's Teen Council. Bring your friends and make new friends.
Friday, August 5 at 3:30 pm
White Salmon Valley Community Library

Teen 'Scape (ages 12-19)
A relaxing time to kick back, have fun and meet other teens in our community. Drop in any time to use the Internet, eat snacks, play RockBand and other video games, go retro with board games, do crafts, or just hang out.
Fridays from 3-5 pm
Vancouver Community Library


Ridgefield Teen Council
Help plan programs and events for your peers. Bring your friends and make new friends.
Friday, August 5 at 3:30 pm
Ridgefield Community Library

Teen Book(ish) Discussion: "Talk It to Death - Time Travel"
Get info. on books, comics, manga, movies and television shows about time travel. There may even be activities and games.
Friday, August 5 from 4-6 pm
Woodland Community Library

Teen Gaming Group
Join this informal group for fun playing RPGs! We speak and play Dungeons and Dragons, GURPS, Call of Cthulu, etc.! Light snacks provided by Friends of Washougal Community Library.
Fridays from 4-6 pm
Washougal Community Library

Teen Book Group (ages 12-19)
A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer
Tuesday, August 9 at 4:30 pm
Vancouver Community Library

Teen Book Chat (ages 12-19)
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Tuesday, August 9 at 5 pm
Battle Ground Community Library

Electronic Gaming (ages 12-19)
Play your favorite video games on the big screen.
Friday, August 12 from 4-6 pm
Woodland Community Center (next door to the library)

Afternoon Anime (ages 12-19)
Call the library for information.
Saturday, August 13 from 2:30-4:30 pm
Vancouver Community Library

Battle Ground Teen Council
Teens, help plan programs and events for your peers by joining your branch's Teen Council. Bring your friends and make new friends.
Tuesday, August 16 at 4 pm
Battle Ground Community Library

Henna (ages 12-19 only!)
Call the library for information.
Tuesday, August 16 from 3-5 pm
Vancouver Community Library

Cascade Park Teen Council
Teens, help plan programs and events for your peers by joining your branch's Teen Council. Bring your friends and make new friends.
Tuesday, August 16 at 5 pm
Cascade Park Community Library

Three Creeks Teen Council
Teens, help plan programs and events for your peers by joining your branch's Teen Council. Bring your friends and make new friends. Special Teen Volunteers Party during Teen Council!
Tuesday, August 16 from 7-8:30 pm
Three Creeks Community Library


Anime-zing Woodland
Anime movies, Cosplay (dress as your favorite anime or manga character), eat snacks and choose the anime to watch next time.
Friday, August 19 from 4-6 pm
Woodland Community Center (next door to the library)

For more information, link to the FVRL Teen page

Cowlitz County Fair, July 28-July 31

The CARB is happy to bring you one of the best little fairs in Southwest Washington, the Cowlitz County Fair. The fair is located approximately 40 miles north of Vancouver in Longview. Admission to the fair is free, and, year after year, they have some awesome entertainment and activities for the whole family.

Having been a resident of Cowlitz county for 10 years, and a regular attendee, I would like to point out one of the highlights of the fair. Cowlitz County is host to the Thunder Mountain Rodeo, which is on the PRCA (Professional Rodeo and Cowboy Association) circuit. Every, the Thunder Mountain Rodeo provides three exciting shows featuring professional cowboys and performers for large prizes. It is an excellent way to spend a summer evening with the family, under the stars.


Cowlitz County's Thunder Mountain Rodeo
PRCA Rodeo
Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30




The Cowlitz County Fair also offers more exciting entertainment for the family. The Longview Daily News, an excellent local source for news and events in Cowlitz County, provides more information about what is happening this year at the fair:

"The fair is hosting its first-ever barbecue competition on Saturday, July 30. The "Thunder Mountain BBQ Championship" will be put on by the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association, which will offer $2,000 in cash prizes."

In Addition to the Rodeo and the BBQ Championship, the Cowlitz County Fair also offers a great way to finish off the fair with the annual Demolition Derby, taking place in the Grandstands on the final day of the fair, Sunday, July 31 at 2pm.

For more information on the Fair as well as a map to the location, link to the Cowlitz County Fair website. See you there!

Summer Activities with the Family CARB Poll

The Summer is flying by. As the rest of the country broils under a sweltering sun, we are currently experiencing some of the mildest temperatures and rainy weather for this time of year in decades, as this picture so clearly demonstrates:

Don't let that weather get you down! There is so much going on here in the Pacific NW (or wherever on this lovely planet you happen to be). The CARB wants to know what activities you and your family are planning to do, or may already have done this fine summer. Take a moment to share your plans with the rest of us by taking this poll. Vote for as many activities you plan to engage in this summer. Once you've finished, grab the kids, sunscreen or an umbrella and go out and play!

All Ages Rock Venue in Hockinson!

Here's a new development for kids in East Vancouver.  The White Elephant is catering to young metal heads out in Hockinson/Brush Prairie on 182nd.   

Act V- Shakespeare Behind Bars

This American Life reporter Jack Hitt followed a group of inmates at a high-security prison as they rehearsed and staged a production of the last act—Act V—of Hamlet. Shakespeare may seem like an odd match for a group of hardened criminals, but Jack found that they understand the Bard on a level that most of us might not. It's a play about murder and its consequences, performed by murderers, living out the consequences.

For more information about the program these prisoners were involved in, visit the Prison Performing Arts website.

This Week: Community Events in Vancouver: July 20-24

There are lots of events that are taking place this week in Vancouver.  Take a look at some of the free concerts and markets that are being offered to our community.  There's no excuse.  Get out there and have fun!
 

Wednesday, July 20:

Summer Concerts at Esther Short Park

Key Of Dreams

July 20 - Terry Lee Noon Concerts 

Time: 12 PM to 1 PM

 
And

                                                                                                 

 

Science in the Park at Esther Short

July 20, 2011
Time: 11 AM to 1 PM

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (Is it 3-R's or 5-R's?)








Thursday, July 21:

 

Summer Concerts at Esther Short Park

Patrick Lamb Band

July 21 - Riverview Six to Sunset Concerts
July 21, 2011
Time: 6 PM 










 

Friday, July 22:

Labyrinth

Movie at Haagen Park 

Time: 8:45 PM to 10:45 PM 

There will be food vendors with dinner and snack foods.

Everyone is welcome. Bring your own blanket or chair and meet us at the park!






And

Historic Architectural Walking Tours

July 22, 2011 to July 23, 2011

Friday: Modern/International Buildings, 12 to 12:40 pm
Saturday: Day Hilborn Buildings, 9 to 11 am








Saturday, July 23

Fire in the Park @ Esther Short

3rd annual "Fire In the Park," a fundraising event by Vancouver Firefighters local union 452. A day of fun with a firefighter challenge, chili cookoff, live music, and more!
Free admission, donations appreciated.





And

Downtown Vancouver Farmer's Market
@ Esther Short
Rain or Shine!
Saturday 9:00am - 3:00pm
Sunday 10:00am - 3:00pm




And                                                                          

The Evergreen Farmer's Market


9:00am - 2:00pm on Saturdays
Endeavour Elementary School Parking lot







Link here to the community calendar for the month of July

6 Local Improv Opportunities for Vancouverites

6. PDX Improv- Improv Everywhere

5. Brody Theatre- 16 NW Broadway, Portland

4. Comedy Sportz- 1963 NW Kearney, Portland

3. CuriousComedyTheatre- 5225 NE Martin Luther King Blvd Portland

2. The Unscriptables: 1121 North Loring Street Portland

1. Sideburns Show- Vancouver's Own Magenta Theatre Improvisation Troupe

CARB Links

CARB Links

• Actors in Action: Talent Agency
• Bravo Vancouver Concert Series
• Christian Youth Theatre
• Clark College Theatre
• Columbia Theatre: Longview, WA
• Columbian Events Page
• Jim Parsley Community Center
• Love Street Playhouse: Woodland, WA
• Magenta Theatre Company
• Medallian Art School
• Naydenov Gymnastics Center
• Slocum House Theatre Company
• Summer Concerts in the Park: Esther Short
• The Vancouver USA Singers
• Vancouver Dance Theatre
• Vancouver Entertainment Guide: Johann-Sandra
• Vancouver Junior Symphony
• Vancouver On Stage: Community Performing Arts Events Calendar
• Vancouver Symphony Orchest

Response to M. Barbour Blog

In response to a blog written by Michael Barbour called Examining Generational Differences and having read two articles representing conflicting perspectives on the generational digital divide (see below 1&2), I have come to the conclusion that there is very little evidence to support the fact that there is an elephant standing in the living room. 

Back in 2001, Mark Prensky coined the terms, “digital native”, and ‘digital immigrant”  to discuss these generational differences.  In response, Jamie Mckenzie wrote an article refuting Prensky’s evidence in the Educational Technology Journal, 2007 called “From Now On”.  McKenzie outlined a case illustrating some factual sleight of hand on Prensky’s part back in ’01.  Now, in 2011, there still seems to be one substantial problem. If Prensky was a fraud, the void he was attempting to fill was still, and continues to be a void.  The gap between those raised in the digital era, or ‘digital natives’ and “digital immigrants” is still as tangible as ever to those of us viewing the chasm.

The only research based evidence for a true generational gap is an increased level of narcissism in today's youth, although even that has been called into question by  Trzesniewski, Donnelan and Robins in their article “Do Today’s Young People Really Think They are so Extraordinary?” http://pss.sagepub.com/content/19/2/181.short. 

Yet there he stands; that elephant.  

We are trying to name something that we cannot name, or perhaps we don't want to name, because, quite possibly, it is a creature of our own making,  but until such time as the scholars can put a name to it, I can still call it an elephant.

1.       Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants – Part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6). Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

2.      McKenzie, J. (2007). Digital nativism: Digital delusions and digital deprivation. From Now On, 17(2). Retrieved from http://fno.org/nov07/nativism.html

3.      Do Today's Young People Really Think They Are So Extraordinary?An Examination of Secular Trends in Narcissism and Self-Enhancement  by Kali H. Trzesniewski, M. Brent Donnellan and Richard W. Robins - http://pss.sagepub.com/content/19/2/181.short

Out with the Kids in The 'Couv- Guest Commentary by Marji Ruzicka

Family friendly activities in Vancouver seem to be centered around sports, for the most part. I think the proximity to Portland and all it has to offer inhibits some growth in this area on this side of the river. We do have a good Farmer's Market that is located by the beautiful Esther Short Park, with the kid-approved water fountain that is a blast to play in when the sun is out. The effort to revitalize the downtown 'Couv has led to some smattering of artsy type places but I think that area of town is still trying to find its niche. I will recommend Ice Cream Renaissance as the perfect way to spend a warm June afternoon, though.

There are some nice trails in and around town that are great for bike rides and walking the dogs. Some of them appear in the strangest places, and this makes them hidden treasures when you do find them. There are a couple that meander for quite a ways across town, and some that encompass some good bird and critter viewing, especially considering the proximity to major roads.

The new Firstenburg Center and the revamped Marshall Center offer a good variety of activities, classes, and athletics for kids and adults alike. We've done things ranging from dance and swim lessons to volleyball to computer classes to beading class there. I am looking forward to the opening of the new library this month; if it's as nice as it's been advertised, I can see myself spending hours upon hours there with my daughter.

I have been going to the Mountain View Ice Arena every week for 2 years now, and that seems to be a good place if you're looking for relatively inexpensive fun. The open skate events are usually well attended and I know it's a favorite in my house.

Marji Ruzicka
Educator and Resident of Vancouver

To the Mall or Not to the Mall.

I have observed a disturbing trend among our Vancouver 'Tween population.  While on its surface, it may not seem to be too much of a concern to the adults in the community, it illustrates a severe lack of resources for our underage children to be involved in community activities.  This trend is:  The mall. Located in the south end of our district, the Vancouver Mall is surrounded by a significant portion of Gaiser's population.  Frequently, during Story Slam Mondays, many of our students regale our Drama classes with tales of their exploits at the mall over the weekend.

These stories often begin with, "me and (the more people involved in the entourage the better) went to the mall.  When we were there we saw (insert pupil's name) and (insert other notable names... the more popular, the better)..."  Once the desired level of validation has been achieved, the stories begin.  They usually take two paths.  The first being what they witnessed, and the second being what they caused.

Witnessing activities tends to be one of the top activities of young teens at the mall.  Viewing criminal activities tends to be a top rated witnessing event.  Retelling the action packed events surrounding a crime in action and the ensuing dramatic capture is one that lights up the eyes of my preteen students.  The next most popular tale to tell is to embellish the antics of a known peer.  Telling tales about running into another student who was causing some sort of feral disruption is highly rated on the retale meter.  Students laugh and revel in name dropping and creating associations with the wayward activities that occur at the mall.

But by far the most popular Monday mall story is that of being "kicked out of the mall."  This story falls  under the causal path.  We listen to highlights of students who are walking into stores to try things on just to play dress up. We hear as students talk of looking for inappropriate things to tease their friends with.  We hear as students accuse others of stealing items from stores, throw food in the food court, scream from the balconies or dance in the stairwells.  Most of these activities end with students being "unfairly" accosted by security, and thrown out of the mall.  This is like a badge of honor.  The longer the banning from the mall the higher the honor.  Of course, indifference to consequence is essential.  A student must grow their story to the most inflated levels, but must not, by any means, be fazed by the consequences.  Too cool for the mall is the key to being respected and admired by your peers.

The mall is placed in a great location for many of our students.  It does serve as sort of a town square for many.  It houses community resources and entertainment for those who shop there, but the key word here is "shop".  The mall in a consumer driven locale designed specifically to drive people to spend.

Most of our students who live near the mall are dealing with higher mobility rates and a generally lower SES.  If a student lives by the mall it can generally be assumed that the child is living in a rental, spending approximately 1 hour a day on the bus for transportation to and from school, is on free or reduced lunch, is unable to participate in after school sports and programs due to their distance from the school and, as is often the case, from a broken home.  These are the children who are spending the majority of their off time at the mall, unsupervised. They are developing their own social hierarchy, which is leading them to view consumerism and disruptive and sometimes criminal behavior as not only desirable, but the norm.

Our south end students need some alternatives.  They need more options that will allow them to enter into activities with their groups of friends but still remain supervised.  They need to be able to explore age appropriate options with some supervision, but be able to enter in with empty pockets and no expectation that they spend money, either theirs or their parents.  While we do have some options for students to become athletically involved, like the Naydenov  Gymnastics Center, these options do cost money, and require students become physically active.  This just does not work for some of our students.  I am hoping that this site can help to facilitate some options for our students to be able to find alternatives to "Cruising the mall" in their spare time.  Any links, comments or suggestions will help to bring our children out of the mall and into our world.

CARB Quest!

We know it can be a challenge finding something to do with your friends and family that is both affordable and fun.  The goal of this blog is to bring people together in order to share their experiences with community events, entertainment and adventures with others. In order to get things rolling, it's time for you to share!

CARB Question:

What event have you enjoyed attending?
Reflecting on the past two months, describe a community event, show, or adventure you have participated in and share it with the rest of us.  What was it called? Where was it? What made it memorable for you?

Thank you for sharing your experiences, and let's get this CARBoose on the tracks!

CARB proposal

Community Arts Resource Blog Proposal

By Shanda Veatch, Gaiser Middle School, Vancouver School District

In order to encourage a wider access by students to our Vancouver’s arts events and resources, it is my intention to begin a blog for the arts classes at our school to inform and disseminate artistic endeavors in our community to students and their families.  Our student population faces a lack of access to extracurricular arts enrichment activities due to a multitude of reasons: funding, student mobility, single and working parental commitments, poverty and a lack of an organized, age appropriate and reliable community arts resources which are readily accessible to both students and families.

The blogging tool that will be utilized will be the Google based Blogger application.  This application is the most familiar and most accessible to students and their families outside of the school setting.  Not only will families be able to view the blogger website at home, the popularity of this blogging tool allows for access to the blog via cell phone/internet connectivity.  This will allow students in the field to upload pictures and reviews of events while on site. 

This blog will be a single resource.  Students will be accessing this blog, and will be creating pseudonyms in order to post reviews and information about events.  Students will not be posting under their real names, but will be posting with pre-approved usernames in order to protect their identities.  This blog will comply with the district Technology Use Guidelines, with strict adherence to Article III, General Prohibitions.

A. Personal Information Security

1. The posting of personal information about students or staff on official district web pages is prohibited except as indicated in 2, 3, 4 and 5 below. This includes addresses, home telephone numbers, or other contact information, test scores, transcripts, birthdays or any other personally identifiable information.

2. Student names may be posted with prior written permission of the student's parent for limited circumstances, such as giving credit to the creator of student art work.

4. Student photos may be posted on district web pages only if written permission has been specifically given by that student’s parent on the student registration form, or registration update form, for the current academic year. Each office or entity hosting its own web page content, e.g., school building page, teacher page, club page, must maintain a copy of the parent permission. (http://www.vansd.org/docs/middleschoolhandbook.pdf)

The goal of this blog is to get students to participate in cultural and artistic events in the community and to network their experiences through a facilitated webpage.  Updated links to calendars of events as well as recommendations made by both teachers and students will be maintained.  Dates, prices (with priority given to free or less expensive events) will be posted as well as maps, links to reviews, and posted student written reviews. All student generated input will be reviewed by the administrator prior to posting.  Student participation will be graded and the posting of pictures will be in compliance with the district privacy and technology use guidelines.

As a former building representative to the district level Arts Cadre and an active member of our building arts plc, it has become apparent that gaining access to professional as well as amateur arts experiences for our student population is increasingly becoming a challenge due to budget cuts.  Funding school sponsored experiences is taking a back seat to funding basic classroom education, but that does not limit the possibilities that continue to be available for such experiences for our students.  If we, as arts educators, are able to drum up enough enthusiasm around the events that are being presented by the artists of our community, our students will find a rich artistic environment right at their doorsteps.

Using this blog to facilitate this will allow students to access the social networking mediums to which most of them are already fully literate.  Creating a page that allows them to voice their opinions, endorse and even critique cultural events will give them a sense of ownership and active participation in the world of the arts in Vancouver.

The ease of use as well as the familiarity students have with web hosted mediums of communication will encourage our students to explore the real world of the arts and bring their experiences back to the web to share with others.  Besides becoming a resource for bringing students together to experience community based artistic and cultural events, it is my hope to see this blog become a seed to give families the chance to come together in order to encourage their budding artists to engage in more artistic opportunities, and perhaps even take more time experiencing these things together. 

 Resources:

1.       Weiler, G. (2003). Using weblogs in the classroom. The English Journal, 92(5), 73-75.

http://www.jstor.org/pss/3650430

2.      Downes, S. (2004). Educational blogging. EDUCAUSE Review, 39(5).

http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume39/EducationalBlogging/157920

3.      Bartlett-Bragg, A. (2003). Blogging to learn. The Knowledge Tree, 4. Retrieved from http://knowledgetree.flexiblelearning.net.au/edition04/pdf/Blogging_to_Learn.pdf

4.      Bamford, Ann (2006) The WOW Factor, Global Research Compendium on the Impact of Arts in Education, Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=ZEaxmwG9n4EC&oi=fnd&pg=PA9&dq=arts+impact+education&ots=3IsLQwAdK3&sig=LDLjPcDn785i96V-F6tPN6dIfqk#v=onepage&q&f=false

5.      Vancouver Public Schools 2010-2013 Technology and Learning Plan

http://www.vansd.org/docs/VancouverTechPlan2010Final.pdf

Disclosure Statement

I have added a Disclosure statement to my sidebar, but it is worth posting in a separate post.  Disclosure Statement:  Everything I write in this blog is purely in the interest of augmenting students' awareness of the arts in their community as well as providing a vehicle whereupon dialogue about given productions can take place.  I am not compensated for any promotion of any shows, and if I receive any compensation, I will mention it in the corresponding blog.  My desire is to provide a location for students to explore the arts in Southwest Washington, and provide a forum for discussing artistic presentations in a lively, virtual manner. Everything I write is my personal opinion and does not represent that of my employer, students or any population other than my own.

Welcome to my page

I am glad you took the time to visit my page.  I am creating this blog as part of a project for my 'Blogging in the Classroom" course at Boise State University.  I have always had an interest in blogging, and have in fact started a couple over the years.  It is my hope, that through this course, I will be able to find a more thematic approach to blogging, and will find it to be not only a professional outlet, but an opportunity for my students to explore, create and share ideas in ways that are personal and relevant to their needs.

As I have made my way through the EdTech program at BSU, I find that this course suitably caps off my experience.  I have had the pleasure of creating online curriculum, working with multimedia instruction, creating web pages and even some animation, all of which I have shared with my students in the classroom, and have used to enhance both of our experiences over the past couple of years.  Yet, throughout it all, I consistently find that bringing technology into the classroom remains a multi-layered challenge.  It seems while we are  struggling to bring more technology to our students, or better yet, more access to technology, we are restrained by crippling technology regulations and filters at the district level which prevent us from accessing the very opportunities on the web that would be most advantageous to our students and to us as their teachers. 

I am enjoying the process of facing that challenge, and am hoping to use this blog to address some of these issues.  As educators, we all feel a need to re-inspire ourselves in order to maintain that passion for teaching.  What better place to begin than right here?