July 2010
Information Literacy
July 2010 | Edutopia -Andrew Marcinek wrote an interesting blog for Edutopia.org relative to Information Literacy. How would you utilize tools such as Google Timeline in your classroom? Head to our discussion boards to respond.
Host a TEDxYouthDay Event
July 2010 | TED - TEDxYouthDay is a series of TEDx events happening over a 24-hour period of all around the world. Dreamed up by a group of TEDx Organizers, the events are designed to empower and inspire young people. See a world map of TEDxYouthDay events here. July 2010 | Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council - The City of Pittsburgh, through the Department of City Planning, is beginning the process of creating an Open Space, Parks, and Recreation Plan. The Open Space, Parks, and Recreation Plan (OPENSPACEPGH) is one of the initial components of PLANPGH, the City's Comprehensive Plan. There are two surveys that have been posted on Open Space, Parks, and Recreation on the PLANPGH Exchange feature on the PLANPGH Website (http://exchange.planpgh.com/portal): one for adults, and one for youth. I encourage you to fill these out, as by sharing your opinions (and for parents, having your kids share theirs) about Pittsburgh's open space, park, and recreation resources (including what types of programs, facilities, and opportunities are important, where they should be located and how they should be maintained), you will help the City make informed decisions about future vacant land, open space, parks, and recreation efforts.
On November 20, 2010 -- Universal Children's Day -- TEDx organizers across the globe will host events for (and by) young people. These events will vary widely in size, format and theme, but they will share a common vision: inspiring curiosity, igniting new ideas, empowering young leaders. TED and TEDX organizers have provided all the tools and step by step directions for creating an awesome event. Anyone interested can easily learn how to Host a TEDxYouthDay event.City of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning is Looking for Your Input
While you're on the PLANPGH Exchange, please register on the site so that you can be notified of additional opportunities to give your opinions and public meetings or events for PLANPGH. Registration is not necessary to fill out the survey, however. Check out the PLANPGH mainpage (www.planpgh.com), for more detail about the Comprehensive Plan.
Duquesne University 1-2-3 Music! Program for Children
July 2010 | 1-2-3 Music is an innovative learning experience offering children opportunities to discover their own musical gifts. Tailored to children ages 5 thru 7, the 11-week program allows students to sing, play classroom instruments, listen and move to music, and express themselves through musical creation.1-2-3 Music is a program of Duquesne University’s School of Music with the support of Children’s Festival Chorus and other community partners.
Crayola is Accepting Proposals for their Champion Creatively Alive Children Mini-Grant Program
July 2010 | In collaboration with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), Crayola is offering up to 20 mini-grants based on selected applications from elementary school principals who are members of NAESP. The applications will only be accepted from principals. Applications should be sent to education@crayolamail.com or fax to 610-250-5768, ATTN: GARRITY. Applications will be accepted until 12:00 Midnight EST, Sunday, August 15, 2010. For more information, go to http://www.crayola.com/educators/naesp.
The Creativity Crisis
July 2010 | Newsweek - "Back in 1958, Ted Schwarzrock was an 8-year-old third grader when he became one of the “Torrance kids,” a group of nearly 400 Minneapolis children who completed a series of creativity tasks newly designed by professor E. Paul Torrance. Schwarzrock still vividly remembers the moment when a psychologist handed him a fire truck and asked, “How could you improve this toy to make it better and more fun to play with?” He recalls the psychologist being excited by his answers. In fact, the psychologist’s session notes indicate Schwarzrock rattled off 25 improvements, such as adding a removable ladder and springs to the wheels. That wasn’t the only time he impressed the scholars, who judged Schwarzrock to have “unusual visual perspective” and “an ability to synthesize diverse elements into meaningful products.”
The accepted definition of creativity is production of something original and useful, and that’s what’s reflected in the tests. There is never one right answer. To be creative requires divergent thinking (generating many unique ideas) and then convergent thinking (combining those ideas into the best result).
In the 50 years since Schwarzrock and the others took their tests, scholars—first led by Torrance, now his colleague, Garnet Millar—have been tracking the children, recording every patent earned, every business founded, every research paper published, and every grant awarded. They tallied the books, dances, radio shows, art exhibitions, software programs, advertising campaigns, hardware innovations, music compositions, public policies (written or implemented), leadership positions, invited lectures, and buildings designed." More...
Opportunity to Borrow Orff Instruments
July 2010 | Leading up to the 2011 American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA) Professional Development Conference in Pittsburgh, AOSA provides ten full sets of classroom instruments to interested music educators. Teachers should have completed Orff Schulwerk Level I Teacher Training or frequent Orff Chapter workshop attendance and be able to provide $250 for insurance purposes. Instruments are loaned for one year. This opportunity is not limited to school music teachers. Church choir directors, Early childhood professionals, music therapists, etc are encouraged to apply. Deadline: October 1, 2010. Further details are available at: http://www.pgtaosa.org/2011nationalconference.html.
