POPS' Thoughts

What's the most important letter in Politics? - Think Politics | Google Groups

2010-04-29T02:37:00.000-04:00

Think Politics, in conjunction with the Black Community Information Center, is pleased to offer a series of political advocacy training workshops for those who are interested in becoming more knowledgeable about the political process. Even with the recent surge in the number of candidates of color who are launching campaigns, there is a noticeable lack of experienced and savvy political consultants of color behind the scenes, with functional skills ranging from campaign management to organizing, strategy development, field organization, volunteer recruitment & management, public relations, etc.

Veteran campaign organizer and activist, Mukiya Baker-Gomez, and her team will offer the first in a series of grassroots trainings for community residents who wish to dig deeper and build a base of political power in Boston's Black community. Please join us on Saturday, May 8th at 1 PM on the 2nd floor of the Grove Hall Library, which is located at 41 Geneva Avenue in Dorchester.

Getting Ready, Getting In, and Getting Through College: The Benefits of Advanced Placement Classes

2010-04-27T15:22:00.001-04:00

Getting Ready, Getting In, and Getting Through College: The Benefits of Advanced Placement Classes.

Boston Public Schools will host a one-day workshop for families with students in grades 6-11 on Saturday, May 8th from 11AM-3PM at Jeremiah E. Burke High School.

The conference will feature a series of workshops designed to help families understand how AP classes can help students prepare for college, strengthen their admission applications, and save money on tuition.

Financial aid experts, college admission representatives, and guidance counselors will be there to guide families through the steps it takes to navigate the college process. Additionally, current and former AP students and their families will discuss the benefits of taking AP classes.

This event will be FREE of charge and families will be provided with lunch and treated to a live student performance. The day will end with a raffle of prizes.

For more information, please visit http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/apconference.

For families to pre-register, please have them contact Dena Soled, 617.635.8079 ext 168, or dsoled [AT] boston.k12.ma.us

Wheelock College Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership Capstone Program

2010-04-12T10:39:00.000-04:00

The Capstone project of the Organizational Leadership Masters at Wheelock College is an action learning experience, providing students with an experiential learning opportunity while performing a service for a local nonprofit or higher education organization. Over one academic year students work in teams to address a challenge or opportunity identified by a participating organization. The goal of the Capstone is to contribute to the students' education while also making a contribution to the pubic good.

The Capstone project brings together teams of 3-4 graduate students to address challenges and/or identify new opportunities as identified by the participating organization. In conjunction with the participating organization, the Capstone team will develop a work plan that will produce a carefully scoped final project that addresses the need as defined by the organization. Each team will produce a written report and make a final presentation of its findings and recommendations.

Program Timeline:

1. May 30, 2010 - Capstone proposals are due
2. June-July 2010 - Faculty will reach out to prospective participating organizations for clarification on proposed projects
3. July 2010 ? Faculty will choose projects to be presented to students.
4. July 2010 ? Prospective participants are notified if their proposals have been chosen to move on to the final selection stage
5. September 2010 ? Capstone projects are presented to students to choose those projects that they are interested in. Based upon project selection, students form Capstone teams.
6. October 2010 ? Capstone teams meet with the organizations that they will be working with.
7. April 2010 ? Capstone projects conclude, final products are submitted to participating organization

Qualifying for a Capstone Team: Any nonprofit organization or institution of higher education is eligible to apply for a Capstone team. In order to be considered for a team an application must be completed and submitted by the deadline of May 30, 2010.

The Capstone Project: An acceptable Capstone project is one that is important but not urgent and is achievable within the timeframe of one academic year and supported by the resources available. The proposed project identifies specific deliverables for the team to provide and there is a clear definition of the issue to be addressed. Projects that are not acceptable are those that ask for interns, administrative support or organizations that do not have the resources to appropriately support the work of the Capstone team. Examples of acceptable projects include (but are not limited to): strategic planning, studies of best practices, needs assessments, program planning, board and leadership development or program evaluation.

Capstone teams will negotiate a scope of work agreement with their organization. Based upon this work plan the Capstone team will engage in appropriate activities to perform the described services. Participating organizations will designate one staff person as the Project Liaison. The Project Liaison will be the primary organizational contact to the Capstone team, and will respond to and communicate with the Capstone team on a regular basis as necessary and appropriate for the success of the project. The time that the Project Liaison devotes to the project is dependent upon the size and scope of the work agreement and the needs of the organization and the Capstone team.

Project Selection Process: We do not guarantee that if your organization submits a Capstone proposal that you will be chosen to participate. Proposals are first reviewed by faculty for appropriateness for a Capstone project. Proposals that are accepted by faculty are then presented to students who will choose those projects that they have an interest in. If your proposal is not accepted by faculty you will be notified by the end of July 2010. Applicants who go to the final vetting process will be notified by the end of September whether or not your proposal has been accepted.

Contact for Additional Information and applications: Irwin Nesoff, Coordinator, Graduate Programs in Organizational Leadership (617) 879-2170 or inesoff [AT] wheelock.edu Visit our web site for additional information on the Organizational Leadership Programs at Wheelock College.

Short term project at Sesame Workshop

2010-04-12T10:13:00.000-04:00

Sesame Workshop is producing an interactive comprehensive 9-year English language learning series for classroom use, called Sesame Street English. We are seeking a talented and meticulous teacher trainer with experience in English language learning to take on a short term (5-6 weeks) teacher training project. The teacher training will focus on the first 4 years of the program (K1, K2, K3 and P1). The position begins immediately.

Responsibilities

Working closely with the project’s Educational Content Specialist, the teacher trainer will:

Create a teacher’s manual which would describe the first four years of program for children ages 3 to 7, including explanations of the classroom components, media components, teaching tips, classroom management tips, etc. The manual will utilize sample lessons and media components from each year.
Create a training manual on how to train trainers to conduct training for the program
Plan and co-present (with the Educational Content Specialist) training sessions for Sesame Workshop’s Japanese partners in a week-long training presentation during the week of May 17
Create a training presentation for the training session
Organize training materials
Assist with post-training follow-up with our partners, if needed

The ideal candidate has strong writing skills, classroom experience, and experience in teacher training. He/She must be a quick learner, handy with technology and dedicated, hard-working and efficient. He/She must work well in a fast paced environment and must be able to deliver by a hard deadline. ELL background preferred.

If interested, please contact Sophia Hong with a resume at sophia.hong [AT} sesameworkshop.org

Slow Dance

2010-04-08T23:47:00.000-04:00

Not mine, but I'm feeling the sentiment. -POPS

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?

When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,'Hi'

You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

Monday Morning Briefing

2010-03-29T11:26:00.003-04:00

"All over the world hearts pound with the rhythm
Fear not of men because men must die
Mind over matter and soul before flesh
Angels for the pain keep a record in time"
-Mos Def, "Fear Not of Man"

Today is a somber one. Rest in Peace, to Dr. Joseph Warren, a great man and mentor to many. Also, condolences to his family as well as to the family of Darryl Williams.

On Tuesday, the Boston Public Schools Department of Extended Learning Time, Afterschool and Services (DELTAS), will be hosting the 2nd Annual Bridging the Gap Conference, for a day of learning, connecting and strategizing on how to sustain the "Whole Child." The conference takes place at UMass Boston and details can be found at: http://www.mydorchester.org/node/6132.

The Get Konnected 2nd anniversary celebration goes down at the W Hotel from 6-8pm, where they will be honoring several individuals who are Massachusetts' Firsts.

Tuesday night, Verve Lounge at Rudi's is home to Afrodeasia Idol.

On Thursday, Get a sense of Roxbury's history before European contact at Haley House's In A Time Before the Present, from 7:30pm - 9:00pm. Ellen Berkland, Boston City Archaeologist, will explain Roxbury’s unique geology and geography, and discuss archeological findings by native people and early European inhabitants. Additionally, Gill Solomon, Sachem of the Massachuseuk people, will share the history of the native people and their world in Roxbury. Free & open to the public. Limited seating is on a first come, first served basis. Dinner is available for purchase at Haley House Bakery Cafe.

The Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) are looking for volunteers ages 15 and above to assist with youth programming and help educate 7-12 year-olds about conflict resolution during the April spring break from April 20th to 23rd. The registration deadline is Thursday, March 31st. For more information, please contact Michal Shapiro at 617.438.0879.

Beware the Ides of March

2010-03-15T09:02:00.000-04:00

"Ay, they have come, but they are not gone."

As the first quarter of the year nears its end, are you on the right track?

What has become of those lofty goals or New Year's resolutions?

Did you get those brakes fixed? The roof leak fixed? That new side gig? Finished all your applications for schools and scholarships?

As they say, poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. Make it happen, my peoples.

Don't let the journey of life pass you by.

"Everyone has a plan; until they get punched in the face."
-Mike Tyson

MIT's STEM Summer 2010 Program

2010-03-14T18:37:00.001-04:00

Middle School Students: What will you do with your summer this year? Why not join us for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Program at MIT? Learn about Math, Science, & Your Future! Applications for Summer 2010 are now available. The deadline to submit your application is Monday, March 15, 2010.

For five weeks, promising students from Boston, Cambridge, and Lawrence public schools will come together with college students to expand their knowledge about math, science, and how things work. You can challenge yourself with rigorous college preparatory courses in Geometry, Physics, Robotics, or a host of other classes; learn a racquet sport; and meet other bright and talented young people from local communities.

The learning doesn’t end with the summer. The STEM Program offers students one-on-one mentoring during the school year, as well as workshops for your parents on insuring your continued academic achievement.

who?
We accept Boston, Cambridge, and Lawrence public school students who will enter 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th grade in the fall of 2010; they must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. We look for students who work hard, have good grades, and are interested in math, science, and discovery. We are very selective: just 20-22 students will be admitted to each grade level.

when?
The five-week summer program classes run from July 5 to August 6, 2010, with an Orientation on July 1 and a Final Presentation on August 7. All dates are mandatory. Sessions are held Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5pm. Breakfast, lunch, and daily tutoring are provided free of charge.

where?
The STEM Program is held on MIT’s campus in Cambridge. Bus transportation is provided for Boston and Lawrence residents from select locations throughout each city.

Participate:
: http://mit.edu/stem

FIGMENT Boston Call for Art

2010-03-13T16:11:00.001-05:00

The Call for Art for FIGMENT Boston is up now at this link: http://figmentproject.org/2010/opportunities/submit-a-project/

The Call for Art closes on May 1, but don't wait until then to submit! We welcome artists from any media with any ability level and background. All we ask is that your art be interactive and inspire participation, and that it be appropriate for an all-ages event. If you have a great idea but aren't sure if it will work, fill out a submission form anyway and our curatorial team will help you make it happen!

We also have a press release (PDF) about the Boston event.

And we're still looking for volunteers for all positions--curatorial, communications, production/logistics, and more. Drop me a line if you want to help out!

Jason Turgeon
Producer, FIGMENT Boston
617 934 6650
www.figmentboston.org

I talk to the voices that speak through my headphones

2010-03-12T10:35:00.003-05:00

"I hang with the secrets and the cats that paint pictures
While you sleeping on life and writing the same scriptures"
-Atmosphere, "My Songs"

Sat, 3/13 - AZ & Cormega @ The Middle East, Cambridge
Sat, 3/13 - Zili Musik @ The Beehive
Sun, 3/21 - A Tribute to Philly Soul @ Showcase Live
Mon, 3/22 - Alicia Keys @ BU's Agganis Arena
Tue, 3/23 - Robin Thicke @ House of Blues Boston
Wed, 3/24 - Christian Scott @ Scullers
Fri/Sat, 3/26-27 - Roy Haynes @ Scullers
Sat, 3/27 - Fresh Produce @ The Good Life
Tue, 3/30 - Wiz Khalifa @ The Middle East

Thu, 4/1 - Wale, K'Naan, & John Forte @ House of Blues Boston
Fri, 4/2 - Rick Ross @ Showcase Live
Sat, 4/3 - Bruce Bruce @ Wilbur Theater
Mon, 4/5 - Bone Thugs N Harmony @ The Middle East
Wed, 4/7 - Lupe Fiasco @ House of Blues Boston
Thu, 4/8 - Lizz Wright @ Wilbur Theater
Fri, 4/9 - Charlie Murphy @ Wilbur Theater
Sat, 4/10 - Drake & K-OS @ Northeastern
Sun, 4/11 - Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars @ Harpers Ferry
Wed, 4/14 - Eek-A-Mouse @ Harpers Ferry
Sat, 4/17 - Kid Cudi @ Babson
Thu, 4/22 - Sean Price @ The Middle East, Cambridge
Fri, 4/23 - Mo'Nique @ BU's Agganis Arena
Fri, 4/23-25 - Snoop & Wale @ Brown University
Thu, 4/29 - Drake & K-Os @ Tsongas Arena
Fri, 4/30 - Corinne Bailey Rae - House of Blues Boston
Fri, 4/30 - Bettye LaVette @ Somerville Theater
Fri, 4/30 - Masta Ace & Edo G @ Harpers Ferry

Sat, 5/1 - Sommore @ Wilbur Theater
Wed, 5/5 - EPMD @ Harpers Ferry
Wed, 5/12 - Sage Francis @ The Middle East
Sat, 5/15 - Diana Ross @ Shubert Theater
Tue, 5/18 - Ill Bill & Slaine @ Harpers Ferry
Tue, 5/18 - Steel Pulse @ House of Blues Boston
Sat, 5/22 - Tracy Morgan @ Wilbur Theater

Fri, 6/4 - Conan O'Brien @ Wang Theater
Thu, 6/10 - Earth, Wind & Fire @ Bank of America Pavilion

Fri, 7/9 - BB King @ House of Blues Boston
Fri, 7/23 - Tommy Davidson @ Wilbur Theater

Sun, 8/1 - Aretha Franklin @ South Shore Music Circus
Tue, 8/3 - Black Eyed Peas at TD Garden

Fellows sought, Environmental Leadership Program

2010-03-11T09:41:00.000-05:00

The Environmental Leadership Program has a great Fellowship Program for emerging environmental and social change practitioners eager to connect their specialized work to larger environmental and social concerns.

The Fellowship Program offers intensive leadership and skill training, regional networking opportunities, and time for personal and professional reflection. Consisting of three retreats and additional optional trainings, its curriculum helps emerging leaders hone their leadership styles, improve their strategic communications, and strengthen their outreach to diverse constituencies.

More info: http://www.elpnet.org/about-fellowship

Deadline to apply for the New England regional fellowship class is April 12th, so give it some thought soon or pass it along.

ELP is committed to selecting a class of Fellows that represents diversity of race and ethnicity, gender, sector, sexual orientation, education levels, professional background, values and traditions, and environmental issue expertise.

Job: Job Developer, Community Action Agency of Somerville

2010-03-10T11:02:00.002-05:00

The Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) is a private not-for-profit organization that has served low-income Somerville residents since 1981. CAAS delivers community-based human services while bringing people and organizations together to change the conditions that cause and perpetuate poverty. This Job Developer position is within a new Workforce Development component of our Advocacy Program. In addition, the Advocacy Program provides assistance to the low-income Somerville community by providing legal and non-legal advocacy on housing and benefits issues, case management, housing search, and community organizing, as well as Latino teen peer leadership. The Head Start Program provides education, health, and other services to low-income pre-school children and their families. All positions at CAAS are reliant on sufficient funding.

Description of Job Developer’s Duties:

Under the supervision of the Advocacy Program Director and working closely with CAAS staff and partners, the Job Developer will create relationships with local employers to identify employment and career advancement opportunities, conduct outreach presentations with local
employers, create job fairs to bring employers and potential employees together, identify barriers to employment and methods to eliminate those barriers, and explore and develop expertise in employment fields likely to experience growth in the future.

Qualifications:

Bachelors’ degree from an accredited college or university with a major in Business Administration, vocational rehabilitation counseling, or a related field. Minimum two years experience in providing employment services for individuals seeking jobs. Must have excellent written, oral, and communication skills, and good computer skills. Sensitive to needs and problems of low-income people and able to demonstrate commitment to advancing the interests of low-income people. Able to work with individuals and groups from diverse ethnic, racial and economic backgrounds. Able to work some evenings and weekends as required. Must provide own transportation. Ability to communicate in a second language desirable.

Salary based upon experience. Excellent benefits, 35 hours/week. This position is funded under the American Recovery and Re-Investment Act (ARRA) and is effective through September 30, 2010.

Deadline is March 12, 2010. Submit resume and cover letter to search AT caasomerville.org. CAAS values workplace diversity. CAAS is an AA/EEO employer.

Massachusetts Nonprofit Network Nonprofit Excellence Awards

2010-03-10T10:57:00.002-05:00

Massachusetts Nonprofit Network Nonprofit Excellence Awards

Deadline: March 15, 2010

We are seeking nominations for the MNN Nonprofit Excellence Awards. These awards are an opportunity to honor and recognize both people and organizations who excel in the nonprofit field. Last year's winners were thrilled about the recognition they received across the state.

Award Categories:

Innovation
Management
Social Entrepreneurship
Advocacy
Collaboration
Capacity Building
Governance
Communication
Leadership (Individual)
Young Leadership (Individual)

All nominees and winners will be honored at Nonprofit Awareness Day, held at the State House on June 14. The awards will be judged by a panel of community foundation leaders and academics from across the state. Local legislators will be invited to present the awards to this year's winners. The Nonprofit Excellence Awards are covered by media outlets across the state, providing winners with widespread media exposure and recognition.

Nominate or Apply Today! - https://web.memberclicks.com/mc/quickForm/viewForm.do?orgId=mno&formId=70586

FAQs and more information: http://www.massnonprofitnet.org/awards

Job: Business Development Manager, More Than Words, Waltham

2010-03-10T10:33:00.002-05:00

Are you ready to apply your business savvy and entrepreneurial spirit to a social enterprise?

Do you love developing and sustaining business partnerships that help create positive social change?

Are you excited to teach youth the art of sales, growing a business, & hitting benchmarks?

You may be More Than Words!

More Than Words (MTW) is a nonprofit social enterprise that employs youth, ages 16-21, who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. By working as a team to manage their own retail and online used book business, cafe, and community space, youth develop the employment skills, leadership, and self-confidence they need to successfully transition to adulthood. In addition to store-based job training, youth are engaged in personal transition planning to support their progress towards employment and higher education. The MTW model is premised on the belief that an actual job ? one which provides hands-on, real-world training and developmentally appropriate feedback combined with high expectations, accountability and opportunities for personal development, is the best way to equip youth with marketable skills critical for success in work, college and life.

MTW seeks a creative, highly motivated, detail-oriented and organized individual to lead our efforts to create systems and strategies to coordinate ongoing book donations and support youth to build their inventory. All of the books our youth sell online and in their store are donated through book drives and partnerships. This position is critical to helping More Than Words achieve planned growth by building a sustainable model for sourcing book donations that can be replicated at our second site location within our next fiscal year.

Reporting to the Director of Operations, the Business Development Manager will:

Identify and execute new sustainable book sourcing partnerships that will provide a reliable, high-quality product pipeline to support our retail expansion.
Develop and manage overall strategy for sourcing used book and media donations to build MTW youth inventory including book drives, systems for pickup and delivery, appreciation and acknowledgement and connecting donors with other ways to support MTW;
Cultivate and maintain ongoing strategic partnerships with partners such as universities, moving companies, faith-based organizations, and publishers;
Develop and execute comprehensive systems for community and business book/media drives;
Support strategy and systems to source additional media items in addition to books;
Manage Salesforce.com database system to track and deepen connections with individual book donors and partners;
Support the Executive Director and Director of Operations with strategic planning to develop sourcing partnerships to sustain two locations; and
Support the adult and youth team with overall operations of the business training programs, including some evening and weekend hours.
Develop a youth-engaged sourcing department in keeping with young people s skill development goals.
Develop training manual, tools, systems and structure with youth to manage a sourcing department to secure ongoing donations and support youth to learn marketable sales, business and communication skills;
Alongside youth, develop strategies and systems for the team to cultivate, manage and track relationships for book sourcing, including Salesforce.com;
Support youth to plan and execute book sourcing shifts including emails and phone calls to coordinate book drives;
Support youth to plan, prioritize and go after key book sourcing partners, i.e. university, corporate, and moving company partners to build sustainable, long-term book sourcing partners;
Review current trends in the book/media industry ? both online and retail - to help youth identify strategies to improve sales by way of book sourcing; and
Support youth to create presentations tracking MTW sourcing trends and benchmarks to present at weekly team meetings
Broaden and strengthen existing donor and partner relationships, and identify new opportunities to deepen investment and engagement with MTW?s mission.
In cooperation with Executive Director, develop and implement strategies and systems to engage book donors and partners with opportunities for deeper engagement including financial donations and in-kind support;
Manage Salesforce.com to support ongoing communication and cultivation of book and financial donors;
Support the MTW team to drive foot traffic to the store by engaging book donors and partners with opportunities to visit and shop
Support the MTW team to engage book donors and partners with opportunities to support youth outcomes including site visits, workshops and transition employment opportunities for youth

The ideal candidate will have at least 5+ years of sales experience and a proven ability to inspire and compel others to exceed expectations. S/he should have successful experience teaching, training or supervising new learners, and a talent for empowering and engaging youth through project and systems work. The Business Development Manager will be an exceptional communicator with a excellent judgment and sensitivity for MTW's diverse constituencies. A natural affinity for networking and demonstrated confidence and poise is essential for success, as is a strong customer-service orientation and willingness to be accountable. Experience with budgeting, recruiting in-kind donations and managing partner relationships, as well as Salesforce.com database software, is preferred.

Competitive salary and benefits will be offered commensurate with experience.

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to resumes AT mtwyouth.org

More Than Words - Empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.

Jobs at Project Hope

2010-03-09T19:28:00.002-05:00

Project Hope is a multi-service agency at the forefront of efforts in Boston to move families beyond homelessness and poverty. It provides low-income women with children with access to education, jobs, housing, and emergency services; fosters their personal transformation; and works for broader systems change.

Project Hope currently has the following job openings:
- Career Counselor
- Employer Partnerships Case Manager
- Stabilization Case Manager

More details about these positions and the organization can be found on our website, http://www.prohope.org/. Applications should be sent to jobs At prohope.org.

Kelli Sperfslage, PHR
Human Resource Manager
Project Hope
550 Dudley Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
617-442-1880 x207

www.prohope.org - where families move up and out of poverty

Jesus Walks

2010-03-08T23:42:00.000-05:00

Humility goes a long way.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to connect with educators from all over the country. I sat next to a superintendent and dined with principals. I crash at the home of 3rd grade teacher, who also just so happens to be my uncle.

But anyways, I was initially hesitant, fully preparing myself for some cold shoulders and puzzled stares. Black men are no strangers to being the only black man in the room. But I digress. One of the cats I got to build with was a 35-year-old elementary school principal from Virginia. He reminded me much of many friends I grew up with who, despite us living in and growing up in the South, were not off-putting or standoffish, but the most down-to-earth and pleasant people ever. Suffice to say, I was damn near floored when I heard that he was later honored with the Outstanding Young Educator of the Year award by the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. He is a pioneer blazing a trail to empower his students and greater community; maintaining 2-way lines of communication and producing video updates to keep parents informed and engaged. But what really set it off was his acceptance speech, in which he quoted Hova's So Ambitious, "I’m not sure that’s how teachers should speak to kids." He really brought the point full circle, illustrating that even though there were barriers for himself, he circumvented them by being resourceful, focused, and diligent. It's a point that goes a long way. Jesus walks with both sinners and then saints; and everyone in between. Don't victimize yourself by not dreaming.

Always got mad when the class was dismissed

2010-03-06T13:36:00.001-05:00

"more sophisticated, highly edu-ma-cated
not at all over-rated, I think I need a prayer"
-The Pharcyde

Every now and then, a new buzzword creeps into the national vernacular; especially when it comes to educational reform. The latest one is 21st Century Skills. Education reform has taken on quite a role in my life in the past six years.

The federal education department released its short list of states who passed the litmus test for the Race To The Top Fund. Massachusetts is on the list, as is my home state of South Carolina. Turning around low-performing schools is certainly going to take a while, as evidenced by how long it's taken already. Pouring more money simply ain't going to cut it.

And being bold and brave ain't going to suffice in a silo either. It's going to take a complex mix of many puzzle pieces. Some that haven't even molded yet. Statewide reform legislation is a start. I'll admit I have a personal stake in several of the Boston labeled underperforming base don either persona relationships with staff or students. Yet, through all the hype, the human element still exists.

Maybe a month or two ago, I was at a middle school and one youngin wanted to do his regular thizzle. I called him out, he stepped, and we continued on. I shrugged it off. But I took 2 minutes to use it as case-in-point time to put him on blast. Basically, I asked them to give me their definition of what it means to hustle. We have a quick discussion and I give my perspective. He's hustling himself. Older folks can try all they want to get him to shape up, but until he realizes himself there is no progress to be made. The teachers will get paid regardless of if he learns or not. I think back to Lean On Me, when Joe Clark was on the roof with Thomas Sams and told him to go ahead and jump off the roof and Sams refused.

"Why don't you just jump off the roof, right here and now? That's what you really want, isn't it? Yes, you do. You smoke crack, don't you, boy? Don't you smoke crack? Yeah, I thought so. And you know what that does to you? You don't? It kills your brain cells, son. It kills your brain cells! Now when you're destroying your brain cells, you're doing the same thing as killing yourself. You're just doing it slower! Now, I say if your wanna kill yourself, don't fuK around with it, do it expeditiously! Go on and jump! JUMP! "

Motivational speaking at its finest.

Some of Boston's teachers and administrators have that same talent and passion. Some school are already being turned around with culture as the starting point. Others face upward battles for a host of bureaucratic and political reasons. Yet, it's also going to necessitate the great school community to become more involved and engaged in the lives of its youth; by those with children and even those without.

Thoughts from the Google Teacher Academy for Administrators

2010-03-05T09:30:00.020-05:00

Cloudy, but warm (for me) morning

For starters, this is the 9th session of Google Teacher Academy (referred to as GTA from here on).

There are 51 administrators here from all over the country, evenly split by gender, who are directly responsible for 738,081 students.

The goal is to improve teaching and learning by leveraging innovative tools.

What's the best innovation in education you can think of that does not involve any technology?

the school that starts its day with a Great Expectations ceremony
the district that includes students in the after-school professional development side-by-side with teachers
the school that includes intervention during its school day with flexibility
a design company partnered with an elementary school to get teacher thinking about user-center design and prototyping.
the district that incorporates service learning in English classes to enhance unique voice, authentic audiences, community service, and prevent plagiarism
the school that uses cookies to lure teachers to a 20-minute lunchtime Tech20 weekly sharing session

Search

Alerts - You can setup an alert to search news for anytime your organization is mentioned in the media. You can setup an alert for your own name.
Real-Time Search - live updates
Squared - Helpful for evaluating purchasing decisions and getting snapshots of product overview, brands, & comparisons. Searches can be saved.
Wonder Wheel - Visual way of searching and diving into details
Timeline - chronological view to see when search results appeared
Image Advanced Search - can select "label for reuse" to find images freely available. Can also find Similar Images.
Books - Full-view copies of out-of-copyright books
Scholar - Query on reputable, credible sources and not blogs, popular sites, etc

Google Apps Education Edition

If the attitude is "come save me," then they will always go as slow as the slowest possible
Don't get stuck on an escalator.
GoogleEd Apps allows for access control plus custom domain and video
There are several things that are in gmail accounts but not google accounts (maps, calendar, etc)
Maine # 19 uses domain account for grades K through 8, then transition to a full account. HS buys student's a domain name for 1 year to link to the portfolio they've built over the years.
Free for educators, with only exception for email archiving
One login for many services and open authentication to connect to others services
Automatic backup
Domain follows students to simplify migration

Google Sites

Google's version of a wiki
Can be private or public (add up to 50 collaborators a day)
4 page types - web page, announcements, file cabinet and list.
52 themes to choose from and also templates
Sites seems pretty simple. I'm so used to making my own web pages on the fly in 5 minutes that I don't see it as useful as other features. I think I'm going to try it out though. I've been using wikispaces more often recently and it's pretty much the exact same thing.
Can be used as a learning community
Can embed GoogleGroups as the social component

Docs

Ability to work offline via Gears

Calendar

Can embed calendar entries to Twitter and RSS feed. Notifications, filters, custom settings.

Spreadsheets

MagicFill find similar items using Atlt on MAC or Cntl on PC
LookUp - can use formulas to import data. Can also import HTML and table data
Gadgets are powerful - Motion Charts, Word Clouds, etc

Inspiring Ideas

To Go Google, don't talk about Google. Some folks tune out when they hear you want them to be innovative.

Gmail

Archive and Searching
Filtering and Labeling
Tip : only leave what is important in your inbox (or skip it)
Instructional Uses for Gmail: Communication, Learning the Tool - Hyperlinked Text, Cooperative learning, Asynchronous learning, Data Collection, Journaling, Opens the door to other "Web 2.0" tools, Interviewing

Inspiring Ideas

Student behavior linked to an online store
Transparency is the new accountability

Google Forms

Students are the problem and the solution
You can watch live feed as data is entered
You can customize the cell colors for entered data. Makes a multiple-choice test super easy to grade. The time saved from grading should be used to do something else of value.
Students ho are building forms (6th graders) are also learning Algebra
Form spreadsheet can automatically be customized and manipulated (word cloud, map generated from zip codes)
Example: You can use a form to enter student test data and use Motion Graph to track progress
Create spreadsheet first and then create form (depends on user preference)
Great formative assessment tool because you can see trends in student answers by simply using summer of responses

Groups, Talk, Chat, Moderator

Moderator - crowdsourcing, Series & Topics
Can use for town hall-style meetings to poll people
http://tinyurl.com/ybenlpu
Talk/Chat - democratic, teaches students best practices and online etiquette, video chat, etc
Groups - collaborative tool (asynchronous learning), manage permissions
Video - information, entertainment, skill-building (Earl Anthony bowling, tie a bow-tie, shoelaces)

Google Apps Dashboard

Can detect system health
Back-end management settings
Postini - message security and spam detection (message discovery & archiving is separate feature and cost)
Apps for Ed has a template for a Start Page
Questions for Discussion

Apps Year in Review

Lesson Plan Resources - google.com/apps/eduresources
Community site - edu.googleapps.com
Training Tiers - professional deveopment program for moving to Google Apps
Option to write Canned Responses

Chrome Browser & Chromium OS

Browser has 40 million users in less than 1.2 years
HTML5 to push new web applications that can be used offline
Google Chrome OS = Speed, Simplicity, Security
Chromium OS will have extra, external features built-in without the need to download plug-in

Google Voice

Visual voicemail and transcripts
Teachers can give out different number than their personal number
Allows for conference call with up to four lines
Educational Uses: Math Homework Text Hotline, Science Data Gathering

Inspiring Ideas - Google Apps to Close Communication Gap

Using DOCS for faculty meetings
Using FORMS to gather feedback for schoolwide surveys

Even More

Questions - What is it? How does it work? What's special about it? How might it be useful for educators and students? What else do you want to learn about it?
MailMerge in Spreadsheets via Scripts
GoogleEarth- students can map out travel routes in novels or follow along show (Amazing Race) and then create video of journey with screen capture software
FeedBurner - RSS feed with multiple options
Reader - can bring in local news from other countries for authentic sources and varied perspectives (Gaza Strip research from newspapers in both Israel and Palestine)
Analytics - track users and visitors
Buzz - more open than Moderator

Reflection

Ah Ha Moment - Mine was Voice and the potential for it to be used in classrooms and by teachers and schools
There is a need for differentiated instruction for teachers
Don't wait for someone, own it
How is this going to help students learn better?
By June 2010, as a Google Certified Teacher, I need to lead at least 3 professional development activities on ways that Google tools can be effectively used in the classroom or school. For example: Hands-on Workshops, Peer Coaching Programs, Large Group Presentations, Online Learning Events & Modules, Weekly Podcasts, Weekly Blog Posts, Curriculum Development Workshops, Google Apps Lesson Plan (Required)

In conclusion, whew. This was an overwhelming day full of information overload. Yet, it was one of the most informative, enlightening, and productive days of learning in which I have ever participated. I'm going to have to review and mull over some of the material again to refersh my mind on those elements that I think would fit well with some of the things we are doing in Boston (as well as some of things we could be doing better). The possibility for several economies of scale is enormous.

MHA Scholarship, Due April 9

2010-03-03T18:47:00.001-05:00

Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA) and MHA Insurance Agency are pleased to announce a scholarship to promote and encourage academic preparation for, and excellence in, the practice of healthcare. MHA goals are to provide professional development opportunities, including continuing education, that are responsive to the needs of the health care community and are consistent with the mission of the organization.

Please forward the attached application to anyone who might be interested in applying for this special scholarship in the amount of $2,500 funded by the MHA Insurance Agency.

Eligibility / Applicants must:

Demonstrate either current or past employment in allied health roles, or strong interest/plan in future employment in allied health roles.
Demonstrate interest in clinical practice and health care delivery through documented clinical, community and work experiences.
Commit in writing to practice in Massachusetts upon completion of their program for a minimum of 2 years. A written contract will be given to the winner to sign.
Complete their degree requirements within a reasonable time period, depending on degree.
Provide letter of acceptance from school into an accredited degree program.
Demonstrate a commitment to obtain licensure upon graduation.

Application Download: MHAScholarshipApplication2010.pdf

All materials should be sent no later than April 9, 2010 to:
Amy Connolly
Massachusetts Hospital Association
5 New England Executive Park
Burlington MA 01803

The winner will be announced at MHA’s 44th Annual Human Resources & Labor Forum on May 7, 2010 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel.

Boston Summer Program Resource Fair

2010-03-02T11:36:00.004-05:00

This announcement is for students, parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, youth program coordinators, and professionals interested in volunteering.

On Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 11:00am-3:00pm, the Boston Public Schools, Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, and Boston R.O.C.K.S! will be hosting a City Wide Summer Resource Fair!

The fair will be held at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in the upper and lower cafeterias.

This event will be an extraordinary opportunity for organizations to showcase what they can offer Boston youth in grades K through 12 and families during the summer months. This means anything: summer programming, youth jobs and internships, resources for families, community resources, etc.

Tables are only $10 and, if interested, vendor/organization registration forms can be sent to Claudeline Jean-Baptiste at cjeanbaptiste2 AT boston.k12.ma.us.

Additionally, we are looking for volunteers to set up, register and greet families, interpret and walk through the fair with our ELL families as well as clean up and running errands. If you are available to volunteer either 1 hour to 3 hours or more, please fill out the volunteer form and send it to me (Eric Esteves) at eesteves AT techboston.org.

Thanks for your time and attention (and help).

-POPS

monday morning briefing

2010-03-01T08:56:00.001-05:00

a few years ago, i used to send out an email to some friends of mine with news and info about various events, articles, and tidbits going on around town.

it's time to get back to doing that.

of course, the Boston Herald has an recurring entry with that same name now, but hey, i think they jacked my steez, not the other way around.

Runaway health costs are rocking municipal budgets, Boston Globe

Ten Big Ideas Of School Leadership, Edutopia

New leaders needed to carry Dr. King’s dream, Boston Herald

14 CEOs unite to make business heard, Boston Globe

Vaulting into politics again, Boston Globe

Too Dumb to Thrive, Time

Spelman Blueprint Conference for Middle & High School Girls

2010-02-24T15:38:00.000-05:00

Spelman Blueprint Conference for Middle & High School Girls
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA

The Boston Area Chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College will host the 4th Annual Middle and High School Girls Conference to provide Boston girls with a forum for open, honest dialogue between themselves and positive female role models.

As an outstanding historically Black college for women, Spelman empowers women to create positive social change with the support of a strong network and sisterhood. Through the Conference’s inception in March 2007, this Chapter and Conference has been able to provide that same network and sisterhood for girls in the Boston community.

Applications due February 28th

For more information, questions or to become a sponsor email bostonnaasc AT gmail.com

Black Educators' Alliance of Massachusetts (BEAM) Scholarship for HS Seniors

2010-02-17T12:52:00.001-05:00

Black Educators' Alliance of Massachusetts (BEAM) is pleased to announce its scholarship application process for the 2009-2010 school year.

Applicants must be a resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and be a 2010 graduate of a public or private high school, be a citizen of the United States, Provide proof of acceptance/enrollment in an accredited two or four year degree-granting institution in September 2010 prior to receiving the scholarship and make himself/herself available for an interview upon responsible notification by the Scholarship Committee.

Please see the application (PDF) for details.

Deadline: Sunday, February 28, 2010

City Year looking for panelists for March 5th Networking event for corps members

2010-02-16T16:47:00.000-05:00

The City Year Boston Alumni Board is planning an 18-minute networking event for current City Year corps members on Friday, March 5th, between 3:15 pm and 5:15pm at City Year Headquarters on 287 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA.

We have panelists representing different professions, sectors and industries. Some of the panelists are City Year alumni or past staff, while some of them are not. We have tables reserved for non-profit organizations, foundation, education, government, community organizing, youth development, etc.

If you are interested in being a panelist, please contact James Chen via email at James_Chen AT dfci.harvard.edu.

As the March 5 networking event date is fast approaching, we at City Year Alumni Board still need panelists from the following professions:

Foundations/Philanthropy
Education - Elementary/Middle School
Government
Politics/Campaigning
Youth Development

I know that this event is taking place on a Friday afternoon during your normal working hours, and you may have plans to be with your families and friends, but I really hope if you are interested and can make it, please let me know. For those who have already contacted me and volunteered to participate in the event, you have my utmost gratitude! Even if you know someone who would be interested, please let me know!

We will have a reception at a nearby venue in the BackBay/South End area after the event and you have the chance to mingle with a lot of new friends from many different professions who work in Boston!

-James Chen