Just registered for Teaching the Gifted Child – my 9th course toward a Master’s in Education. I have to get an A in this and the three classes following it. I’d finally raised my GPA to 3.9 but the grade in my last class sent it plummeting to 3.83
Class starts in March and I should earn my Master’s in September/October.
Who is John Taylor Gatto?
John Taylor Gatto was Teacher of the Year for both New York City and the entire state of New York. He left public schools in spectacular fashion by delivering his acceptance speech for the award(s), “Why Schools Don’t Educate” and writing an essay for The Wall Street Journal entitled, “I Quit, I Think.”
About the “Sprout Means Grow Edition“
All of these works are available free (legally) on the Internet. I’ve simply compiled – in addition to the main book, An Underground History of American Education – the articles and lectures below. They are not public domain but are distributed without charge on the condition they stay that way. I simply combined them into one PDF adding some snazzy navigation and designing the cover (because I couldn’t find a copy of the actual cover at an appropriate resolution).
About Sprout: Why I Assembled These Works
My undergraduate education was, for the most part, a miserable fifteen or so years. Working full time at day jobs that paid more than full-time night jobs meant I couldn’t take most of the interesting classes which meant I wouldn’t have an interesting major. My bittersweet graduation concluded one of those “finish your degree in a year” night-school programs populated (mostly) by adults more interested in a degree than an education. You “apply” (as if schools like this ever reject anyone) and choose from a list of mind-numbingly boring majors the one which sucks the least.
One of them was Education. I did not choose Education – despite harboring a lifelong dream of teaching – because everything I knew about education programs was toxic and I didn’t think I could suffer through the classes long enough to survive.
I am a teaching junkie, however and found that by evolving from a reporter to a technical writer, I could feed the teaching monkey on my back. I soon discovered fellow geeks scored their teaching fixes writing tutorials on the Internet and I lived happily for some time as a trainer and e-learning developer. Eventually, this led to a company specializing in developing online learning for universities (real schools with real campuses) with blended and online programs. The benefits, for the most part, are at least average with one in particular that stands above the rest – 100% tuition assistance (and 50% for books & materials). No restrictions on courses of study and grad school is included.
I felt suffering through a Master’s in Education was possible if I didn’t have to pay for the pain.
Required reading for my very first class included The End of Education by Neil Postman. This was, much to my pleasant surprise, not the sort of material I expected to endure. An equally enthusiastic classmate and kindred soul – also reeling from surprise and excitement – highly recommended John Taylor Gatto and the rest is … well, read for yourself.
Grad school still isn’t all sunshine and dandelions, but my hopes and dreams are renewed.
Finally, I can say again – I want be a teacher when I grow up.
I dream I am back at Howe Military School all the time. Not back then but now. I’m there now, back in school, now, at whatever age I’m at when I have the dream. Once in a while I’m back but not in school but that’s pretty rare. This has been going on for over twenty years.
I finally did some reading on dream interpretation of symbols, themes, objects, types of people, etc. and found,
“To dream that you are in school signifies feelings of inadequacy and childhood insecurities that have never been resolved. It may relate to anxieties about your performance and abilities … Alternatively, the dream represents the passage of time. You need to look toward the future instead of reliving the past.” – Dream Moods
I first heard John Trubee‘s The Communists Are Coming To Kill Us one late night in Delta company. Delta company is no longer Delta, it’s Charlie or something and is the girls’ dorm. Interesting … there are teenage girls in “my” dorm room every night. Wow … teenage girls walk around that dorm in their underwear all the time … I couldn’t have imagined it would ever be so heavenly in there. Naked teenage girls in the Company-Formerly-Known-As-Delta showers. Every day.
They don’t even need to be naked. They can be in uniform – military or prep school – and it’s still beautiful to imagine. As a teenage boy, anyway. As a 41-year-old man it’s just … *ahem* amusing … if I were to even think about it. Which I don’t. And didn’t.
This album is all but impossible to obtain legally and just as difficult to find an “illegal” copy (if out-of-print albums count as “illegal”) online – believe it or not. I did find an interview he gave to some talentless college “DJ” in which he promised to send free stuff to anyone who sent him an email. The interview was several years old but I took a shot. Not only did this genius email me back but kept his word and sent as much stuff as he could cram into a padded envelope.
Apparently, it arrived weeks ago and my wife never told me. She frequently opens my mail (irritating) and puts it somewhere without letting me know it arrived (even more irritating). I’m not complaining – I’m really surprised she didn’t throw it in the trash considering it was filled with pictures of naked women and devils (sometimes having sex with each other as they do on the flyer for the Satanic/Tantric Valentine Massacre of Love gig in San Francisco). I once ordered a Koran and Islam study guide from freekoran.com and she threw it right in the garbage.
What is this album like? It’s like The Church of the Subgenius’ weekly Hour of Slack but with less organization and planning and yet like Frank Zappa but more accessible and daring.
On the other end of the musical spectrum is the alterna-folk Christian Music® masterpiece Journey to the Center of the Earth by Nicholas Giaconia. He’s famous for making this one amazing album and then disappearing from the face of the Earth. After years of searching, I found him and he sent me a copy of his follow-up album recorded under a different name (Mattie Groves).
I’ve seen a couple posts … now there are so many places to talk about Howe I can’t remember where it was … of people asking if they could buy the old Howe Military School sign. Will that be auctioned off at, say, Alumni Weekend? Along with maybe oodles of other stuff with the old name? Geez … I’d even be interested in rubber stamps from the library that said Howe Military School! Howe about stuff from the old radio station? Ooh … I’d love a microphone or something with the call letters on it.
Let the school know if you’d be willing to bid on or buy stuff!
Other auction ideas:
Long-time (and some new) readers of this blog know I’ve always dreamed of a real web presence (not just a web site) for Howe and – perhaps even moreseo – an improved Howe Herald and resurrected Howe radio station. Well, not only is the Howe Herald online and constantly improving, but the school is really using Facebook to its fullest potential and … AND … I just found this …
I don’t know anything about it yet – but as soon as I do, I’ll tell you more.
Open Letter to Howe: A podcast (or several) is a cheap and awesome way to replace the radio station!
Contact teachers, coaches, other extra-curricular advisers, the superintendent, headmaster, chaplain and SAI and tell them you want and expect to see tweets from all of them. Frequently.
I always window shop on the jobs page at the school’s website. Today is the second time I’ve ever seen an opening for English Teacher. I can’t express what that does to my heart.
I am in my fourth grad school class toward a Masters in Education.
Someday.
I just finished the Maroon & White newsletter that arrived via email today. It is a monthly bit of Howe yumminess that now tides me over between issues of the quarterly Howe Review. This issue is full of great news about all the partnerships and opportunities Howe is making happen. Get on the mailing list by sending Jean Miller your email address.
The Howe Herald Online looks fantastic! I was happy enough that it existed at all but was really pleased with the new look.
The new website – which I’m still thrilled about – is chock full o’ news as well and … AND … you can comment on the stories which is totally awesome.
Pictures of the tennis team especially made me smile because you can easily see the bright, new tennis courts.
If, like me, you missed that online, multi-media Board of Trustees webcast meeting thing from last Alumni Weekend … it’s all on a free DVD you can get by sending Mr. Reed your address and asking for The Howe School Board of Trustees Open Forum. I wonder if it comes with special features? Like with Grass Roots concert footage?
Oh! and there’s this:
I was up late one night sitting in my dorm room at Howe Military School … the view from my window was cornfields. Outside, the view in any direction off campus was corn fields except for the village of Howe (named after the same guy) which was pretty small and you had to walk to it for it to be in view. So the only thing you could see outside my window was stars, darkness and maybe an electric wire power line if the lights from campus reached that far.
I sat at my desk, leaning into my small radio seeing if I could get in an AM station for something to listen to … that night I heard my first Bob Dylan song, “Masters of War,” and … this still seems strange to me … “Oh, Superman” by Laurie Anderson.
I made this for Facebook.
Update: I went through many changes – including some major spiritual ones – at Howe Summer camp so … the subject line of this post is kind of a lie but I still like it because it reflects what Howe is. Or was. If it isn’t … maybe it will be … I hope.
From the HMS Development Facebook Page:
THE HOWE SCHOOL
P.O. BOX 240
HOWE, INDIANA 46746
TELEPHONE (260) 562-2131
FAX (260) 562-3678
May 11, 2010
Citing the mission of its Founders “to prepare young individuals for advanced education while developing the character and intellect required for success…” and to honor the legacy of the thousands of students and cadets, who, as graduates of the school over its more than 125 year history have become leaders the world over, the Howe Board of Trustees has voted to restore the name of the school. The board also reaffirmed its core academic and campus life focus on preparing young men and women to become leaders in all walks of life, as well as its robust commitment to the JROTC program.
The school will be named: The Howe School—Preparing Global Leaders. The school, with its 5-12th grade enrollment, will remain at its beautiful and historic 100 acre campus in Northern Indiana. It will rise to a new level of service to the educational community by expanding its academic offerings. The campus life program will focus on various aspects of leadership—affording a broader and deeper approach to preparing students for and engaging them in leadership. The JROTC program, for which Howe is so renowned, will remain at the core of its leadership training. Standards of dress and decorum will be maintained as well as the school’s association with the Episcopal Church, along with its accreditation under the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and North Central Association as well as the State of Indiana.
Speaking of this vote, the Co- Chairman of Howe’s Executive Committee Keni Washington, remarked: “By making this change, Howe Trustees are responding positively to not only the needs of the larger world community and preparing students for it, but also to what families and students themselves have been calling for—a school grounded in ethical and moral values but with a broad interpretation of how students can better prepare themselves for 21st Century skills, jobs, and higher education. Quite frankly, we want Howe to be graduating innovators, thinkers, poets, business men and women and military leaders. Our commitment to the spiritual, intellectual, and physical aspects of character development will all be strengthened. Over the past several months the Trustees have reviewed all campus programs, consulted with alumni and parents as well as prospective students and their families. Together with some of the best minds in educational thinking we decided to make this decision in the best interest of the Howe legacy as well as its future. As we advance into Howe’s second century we expect that Howe’s best days are ahead and we are rising to meet the challenge.”
The Howe School will expand its athletic programs to include football for men and basketball and softball for women and will begin to offer more off campus experiences and links to educational opportunities through distance learning and to the larger world. The 21st Century Schools model will be adopted for education in which students focus on the analytical and creative skills needed to secure and create the jobs of the future. A distinguished speaker series will be inaugurated to bring the world to Howe, both virtually and physically. Other outreach programs will be developed to open its campus to the local and regional community. Campus life and counseling will be strengthened to address the special concerns of young people today. A new technology platform is being adopted and will include interactive white boards in classrooms as well as student laptops for ubiquitous computing. The school also plans a more robust recruitment program to seek enrollment from nations across the globe. The school will strengthen its college counseling program aiding students in the transition to the best colleges for which they are prepared. Howe students completing this new leadership program will have a special advantage in seeking college enrollment and jobs in the future.
The Trustees also announced a $10M Howe Second Century Campaign, which will provide donors the opportunity to support this new and exciting period of Howe’s long history. The funds from this Campaign will underwrite various campus improvements including renovations to the gymnasium, residence halls, roads, roofs, heating systems, technology, scholarships, special teacher training and much more.
For more information please contact, David Watson (260) 562-2131 ext. 236.
“OVER A CENTURY OF EXCELLENCE IN INDEPENDENT EDUCATION”
From the site formerly known as howemilitary.com (now thehoweschool.org)
ERE yet the giants of modern science had gone a-slumming in smelly slums,
And through the Ghettos and lazarettos had put in plumbing (and pulled out plums!)
When wily wizards in inky vizards employed their talents at homicide,
And poisoned goblets for faithless squablets by knightly gallants were justified;
When maids were fairest, and baths were rarest, and thaumaturgy was wrought by dames,
When courts were rotten and faith forgotten, and none but clergy could write their names—
When he who flouted the Church, or doubted, would find his neck fast in hempen ruff,
And saint and sinner thought eggs for dinner and beer for breakfast the proper stuff;
When men were scary of witch and fairy, of haunted castle, of spook and elf,
When every mixer of cough-elixir was thought a vassal of Nick himself;
When income taxes and prophylaxis and Comic Sections were yet unborn,
When Leagues of Nations and Spring Vacations and Fall Elections were held in scorn—
When all brave fellows would fight duellos with sword and dagger, with lance and mace,
When good men guzzled until, clean fuzzled, they’d reel and stagger about the place;
When pious journeys and jousts and tourneys brought high adventure and secret tryst,
When knives were many, but forks not any—’twas fist to trencher, and mouth to fist!—
Oh, men had chances for true romances, for fame and glory, and knightly acts…
(And childish quarrels and beastly morals, if song and story would stick to facts!)
1919
I’ve been searching for this book for years and it is now available in digital format as a free download from Google Books.
Robinson (1878-1946) graduated from Howe Military School when it’s age could still be counted in the single digits. This novel, 316 pages originally published in 1921, is autobiographical and it’s characters are based on real people at Howe.
After graduating from Howe Military School, he wrote newspaper columns, lectured on language and philosophy and published two volumes of poetry.
I’m hoping to enjoy Enter Jerry even more than School Days (a biography of a cadet’s time at Howe a couple decades later).
I’m in grad school. It’s the second week of class. I’m taking “Advanced Foundations of Education,” my first class toward an M.S. In Education at The University of Scranton.
For the last 23 years, I have held onto the vivid memory of watching – and not liking – Star Trek: The Next Generation in the Delta Company (or, at least what was called Delta Company up until the 86/87 school year) lounge.
I just found out that show didn’t even start until the Fall of 1987.
I feel confused. I feel like what I thought was my childhood has been vaporized. Where is Q when you need him?
When I first arrived, I’d set that AM alarm clock to 5:00am and it really pissed off my new dorm mates. It would wake everyone up but me. That’s my Mom.
I must have lost my hat and had to borrow an old one. I’m also missing a name tag – what a mess!
I was an altar boy or acolyte or whatever we were called and I even earned a little medal for Senior Who Contributed Most to the Church. Serving communion was a thankless task because cadets would always try to gulp as much wine down as possible. Sexiest thing ever was serving my girlfriend, Kim Dembrosky, communion my senior year. I loved reading the scripture.
Howe Military School Father & Son Bowling at Sturgis Bowl in Sturgis, Michigan on February 12, 1983.
Recently, my wife quit her job so we could home school our two children. She’ll teach most of the classes. I’ll be teaching Spanish and Science. I’m excited about developing curriculum, teaching, and learning more myself. She ordered our curriculum for everything but Spanish yesterday. Words can’t express how excited we are. The kids are, too.
Also, I am no longer under contract but am a fully-employed permanent part of Bisk Education and the countdown has started to eligibility for tuition benefits. 30 days before I’m eligible, I can begin the application process. Masters in Education, here I come!
I loved writing those words! It looks so much better than the PDFs (which always looked horrible and were about 5GB in size) and I love that it has the potential to be updated often and comment on stories! News and pictures every day about my beloved Howe?! I couldn’t be happier! Check it out.
I couldn’t have done it better myself. I brought the site up today to get the correct ZIP code and was stunned. Surprised. My jaw dropped. It looks great. I mean really great. I have to admit the one I began designing in the hopes they’d use it didn’t look anywhere near this good and I’m a damn good designer.
I’m not just raving because it looks better than the old site – that bar was, indeed, very low. This new site is impressive in its own right. I’m proud of it. So I won’t waste space saying things like “the graphics are crisp instead of pixelated” or “isn’t it awesome that the colors match.” This new site deserves much better praise than that.
The Home Page
Without making obvious comparisons to the old site, the first two things I noticed about this most-excellent home page is the logo in the upper left all by itself – as crisp & clear and majestic as it deserves to look – without any clutter next to it. Just our crest … speaking for itself. Bravo. Nice touch – very nice touch.
I just like sitting here and staring at it. Adoring it. Le sigh.
The second thing I noticed was the slide show. Again, the previous incarnation notwithstanding, it is fast and beautiful. This is my favorite shot:
I’ve always been a big fan of this “out of the box” effect with photos in a layout.
Sports News
The Sports News section of the old site was, really, the only well presented and maintained section but the overall improvement of, well, everything … the design … makes it even more pleasant to visit. There are also links to news on the homepage.
Howe Herald Online
The home page includes a link to the Howe Herald Online blog which makes me so happy I wanna pee my pants.
Alumni
Like a good concert, they left me wanting more. The Alumni section must still be under development. What I’m hoping for is a comprehensive store combining the old Alumni store and online Quartermaster but with even more merchandise that I know is in the real brick & mortar QM I’d love to be able to purchase online. And, of course, a place for wish lists and online contributions. I’m sure all of that is already in the works – I’m just sayin’.
Prediction
Now that the school is “wearing a jacket and tie with a shave and a haircut to the interview” instead of “dressing like a schizophrenic homeless person with Tourette syndrome and bringing a shopping cart to the interview” I predict enrollments rise significantly.
Second Prediction
Alumni giving will increase.
Andrew Smith, who lived in the room above me in Echo Company my senior year, was in Tampa on business last week. I work in Tampa but am new to Florida – I drove around for approximately three hours trying to find his hotel one evening before giving up and driving an hour home.
We decided to make lunch plans with our limited time and he gave me the address of the office he was working out of – two blocks from my office! His colleagues had extra tickets for that evening’s dinner cruise on a yacht and invited me along. Great food, great people, free drinks and some really great, relaxed conversation with Lt. Smith in a beautiful environment both in the dining room and on the promenade deck.
In response to her article in the August 2009 issue of Seventeen Magazine, former cadet Allie Schumacher has been invited onto the Tyra Banks show next Thursday. Congratulations again, Allie!
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