A posting of news of interest to CCT students, alums, faculty, and associates. Please send items
(2-3 lines please) for future postings to bsponsel@yahoo.com. If you want to be removed from
the address list for announcements, inform us about duplicate mailings, or suggest someone to
add to the mailing list, please contact the CCT office (cct@umb.edu).
---------------------------------
News from CCT 7/27/01
1) Graduate Assistants needed at Massachusetts Field Center for Teaching and Learning
2) Graduate Assistants for CCT
3) Continuation of Nina Greenwald's appointment
4) CCT alum, Tish Allen, was featured in the news
5) CCT summer courses
6) United to End Racism conference, Sat. August 11
7) Science in society workshops led by Peter Taylor in July
8) Thinking for Change Fieldbook starts to emerge on the web
9) Public Conversations Project training workshops in Sept & Oct.
10) Positions at Montshire Museum of Science
11) Teacher's Guide on African Americans in Massachusetts
12) Quote of the month
______________________________________________
1) Two Grad. Assts. Needed at Massachusetts Field Center for Teaching and Learning for 2001-2002
academic yr. TUITION WAIVER AND STIPEND 10-15 hrs/wk. Office duties. If interested contact Eleanor Leonard at 617-287-7660.
______________________________________________
2) Graduate assistantships for CCT have not yet been allocated by the Department of Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) but students interested should remind Peter Taylor (617-287-7636), complete an application form, and submit a resume to the C&I secretary, Traci Sullivan, immediately.
______________________________________________
3) With special funding from the Provost, Nina Greenwald's half-time position in CCT will continue this coming academic year. Thanks to all who expressed support during the long wait for this news.
______________________________________________
4) CCT alum, Tish Allen, was featured in The National Education Association's magazine, Advocate, where she questioned the push for a year-round calendar in college education.
______________________________________________
5) CCT summer courses and workshops are underway. The new course, CCT in the Workplace, seems to have struck a chord and is very well attended, while the core Critical Thinking course (601) has lower enrollment than previous years and is taught by a single instructor for the first time. Biomedical ethics is also underway. New Directions in Science Education was cancelled for insufficient enrollment.
______________________________________________
6) Boston United to End Racism conference, Sat. August 11, 12noon-5.30, Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center. "Come to share experiences and gain tools to eliminate racism and the effects of racism in your daily life, institutions, workplace, schools, churches, and neighborhood." Contact Roscoe Morris, 617-288-5054 or RoscoeMorris@worldnet.att.ent
______________________________________________
7) Peter Taylor led two science in society workshops in July, "Helping each other to foster critical thinking about Environment, Science, and Society" and "Teaching History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology."
______________________________________________
8) Thinking for Change Fieldbook starts to emerge on the web at http://people.berklee.edu/~sclark. "Techniques and illustrative cases for fostering critical and creative thinking and reflective practice developed by Thinking for Change associates in courses and other forums. Entries from CCT alums and associates welcome. Contact Suzanne Clark at sclark@berklee.edu
______________________________________________
9) Public Conversations Project, Watertown, MA, promotes constructive conversations on divisive public issues. Training workshops: Inquiry as Intervention, Sept. 13 and Power of Dialogue, Oct. 18-20. http://www.publicconversations.org
______________________________________________
10) Science Center Educator and Program Manager Position, Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, VT. Contact Greg.F.DeFrancis@valley.net
______________________________________________
11) Teacher's Guide on African Americans in Massachusetts now available at http://www.msp.umb.edu, with printed materials also available on request, k12.msp@umb.edu
______________________________________________
12) A backhand plug for participatory planning and design: "A conference is a gathering of important people who singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done" Fred Allen, borrowing from Jay Wisecarver.
---------------------------
CCT News 6/17/01
A posting of news of interest to CCT students, alums, faculty, and
associates. Please send items for future postings, limited to 3-4 lines, to
bsponsel@yahoo.com. If you want to be removed from the address list for
announcements, inform us about duplicate mailings, or suggest someone to add
to the mailing list, please contact the CCT office (cct@umb.edu).
1) Merrimack River Workshop Aug. 6-8 2001
2) Summer '01 issue of Rethinking Schools
3) Job Posting: Educator/Tech Integration
4) Unique social documentary MoFA
5) Accepting Course Proposals at Museum of Science
6) Job Posting: Education Program Director
7) Congratulations Lori Kent!
8) Substitute teachers needed for summer at Museum of Science
9) New CCT student seeking apartment share
10) Job posting: Spanish teacher (to be colleague of CCT alum)
11) New CCT students admitted so far for Fall
12) CCT June '01 graduates
13) Quote of the month
__________________________
1) Interdisciplinary teacher workshop. Will provide methods to teach
ecology, science, math, history, culture and human impact on the environment.
Developed specifically for middle and high school teachers. From Lawrence
to Newburyport. PDP pts. available. Limited to 15. Call Rob Gough at
978-462-9998 x2. Fee: $75
__________________________
2) Summer 2001 issue features cultural competence of teachers, keeping a
social-justice vision of education, and description of classroom resources
and methods. www.rethinkingschools.org.
___________________________
3) Job posting: Educator/Technology Integration. Provide programmatic
leadership for new facility in support of environmental education.
B.A./B.S. in environmental science or science education, tech expertise.
More info at www.Ecotarium.org. June 28 begin review of applications.
__________________________
4) The Mirror Project. Looking Inside: Self and Society through video.
www.mirrorproject.org MoFA Sat. June 30th 12 PM $5. Unique social
documentary and discussion with Arevalo, who teaches inner-city youth how to
create videos about their life experiences. More than 150 documentaries
made. His vision is to create media projects that promote social, cultural
and personal-awareness.
____________________________
5) Museum of Science -- Still time to propose a course for Fall 2001. If
interested, go to www.mos.org/teach for more info., course ideas and to
submit your course proposal online.
_____________________________
6) Position Opening: Education program director, The Biotechnology
Institute based in Wash. D.C. FT Provide vision and direction for outreach
initiatives focused on K-12 education. email: addresspersonnell@bio.org.
For more info. contact bossert@erols.com
___________________
7) Lori Kent, CCT '92, received her doctorate in Art Education at Columbia
University, Teachers College, May 2001.
___________________
8) Museum of Science is looking for substitute teachers (YOU or SOMEONE YOU KNOW) of any or all of the following courses: Paper, Science, and Math; Jumpin' Electrons!; Science in a Bottle; The Science of Sound. Contact Brent Jackson at bjackson@mos.org
___________________
9) Kristen Hanks is moving from the mid-West to join CCT and looking for an apartment share situation. Contact her at HanksPatton@aol.com to arrange to talk or suggest leads. She'll be in town next week looking.
___________________
10) Full-time Spanish teacher needed at Bigelow Middle School in
Newton. -grade 6-8 Send a resume and cover letter to timbrian@mediaone.net as an attachment or call Tim Eagan at (617) 479-6080.
___________________
11) Welcome to new CCT students admitted so far for Fall: Jeffrey Bretsch, Kathleen Bullock (readmit, to upgrade from certificate to MA), Sheryl Cifrino (transfer from Nursing), Karen Crounse, Matt Frederick, Kristen Hanks, Marek Junota-Bzowski, Jane Kenefick, Thomas Lubeck, Michelle Morgan, Tanya Milbourn, Heidi Straghan (transfer from Counseling), Luanne Witkowski, Roanna Yangco. Several more applications are in process.
___________________
12) Congrats to CCT students who graduated in June '01 -- Cyndie Mignini, Ryan Mott, Angi Walsh. (A number of others are heading for August degrees -- keep at it!)
___________________
13) Quote of the month: We will discover the nature of our particular genius
when we stop trying to conform to our own or to other people's models, learn
to be ourselves, and allow our natural channel to open. -- Shakti Gawain
---------------------------------
News from CCT 5/18/01
A posting of news of interest to CCT students, alums, faculty, and associates. Please send items for future postings to bsponsel@yahoo.com. If you want to be removed from the address list for announcements, inform us about duplicate mailings, or suggest someone to add to the mailing list, please contact the CCT office (cct@umb.edu).
1) Calendar denial?
2) Book award for Tim Eagan
3) Admissions for the Fall
4) Hip hop website
5) Invitation to Pat Davidsonıs retirement party, June 4
6) Colleague has room for visitors as boarders
7) Art and Solidarity
8) Museum of Science teaching opportunities
9) Changes likely ahead
10) Pencil in Sept 7th for Start of year gathering
11) Question of the month
_______________________________________________
1) Email postings since February have all been dated /00, yet none of us have picked up on the calendar denial. Oh well
_______________________________________________
2) Tim Eagan, who graduated in December, will received this yearıs CCT book award at Convocation at the end of the month.
_______________________________________________
3) The following new students have been admitted to the Program: Jeffrey Bretsch, Sheryl Cifrino, (transfer from Nursing), Karen Crounse, Matt Frederick, Kristen Hanks, Marek Junota-Bzowski, Thomas Lubeck, Michelle Morgan, Tanya Milbourn, Luanne Witkowski, Roanna Yangco. An equal number of applications are at various points of review or preparation.
_______________________________________________
4) Kevin Johnson, a CCT student, has a new website of lessons about the many dimensions of hip hop culture, http://www.cs.umb.edu/~sito/kj/hip-hop/
_______________________________________________
5) Pat Davidson, long-time CCT faculty member and former director, is retiring from the University. She welcomes members of the CCT community at her farewell party on June 4th, from 3-6pm in McCormack 3-412. RSVP at 617 287 5862
_______________________________________________
6) A colleague from Media Services is taking in boarders. Visitors for the Summer Institute who need lodging should contact the CCT for information.
_______________________________________________
7) The Labor Resource Center will honor activists, artists and performers, Tom Juravich, Susan Eisenberg, Si Kahn, Jane Sapp, and others at a June 28 reception at Umass Boston. Call 617 287 7426 for more information
_______________________________________________
8) The Museum of Science is looking for Fall 01 instructors and course proposals. Deadline 23 May. Contact Melissa Dempsey, 617 589 0438, mdempsey@mos.org
_______________________________________________
9) The Program is still unsure whether funds can be found to reappoint Nina Greenwald as a half-time (but full-spirited) replacement for Delores Gallo, who, unfortunately, will remain on medical leave. Other changes during the summer include moving the CCT office, and. stay tuned (and be patient as we adjust)!
_______________________________________________
10) Pencil in 4-9pm on Fri. Sept. 7th for a CCT gathering/ new student orientation plus dinner and CCT in Practice sessions from students and alums.
_______________________________________________
11) ³In the morning, if it has just rained, seagulls will stamp thei rfeet on wet grass. What are they up to?²
_______________________________________________
News from CCT 4/26/00
A posting of news of interest to CCT students, alums,
faculty, and associates. Please send items for future
postings to bsponsel@yahoo.com. If you want to be
removed from the address list for announcements,
inform us about duplicate mailings, or suggest someone
to add to the mailing list, please contact the CCT
office (cct@umb.edu).
1) News from the trail
2) CCT in Practice this Satruday
3) New book on Teaching Diverse Students
4) Forum on Struggles for Human Rights in Our Communities. Sunday 4/29
5) Creative Problem Solving Institute
6) Quote on Creativity
_______________________________________________
1) Starting last week, John Duff and his wife, Jocelyn
are now hiking from Mexico to Canada. For photos
during the trek, see
http://home.earthlink.net/~u2jones/jnjpct
username: whererjnj password:onthetrail
_______________________________________________
2) Critical and Creative Thinking in Practice April
28, 2001, 9.45am-4.45pm, Wheatley Hall 2-209.
Presentations and mini-workshops given by current and
former CCT students, faculty, and guest speakers on
their efforts putting critical and creative thinking
into practice in schools, workplaces, and other
settings. For Program see
http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~cct/cctinpractice.html. Open
to public and free, but RSVPs to cct@umb.edu
appreciated to help us cater.
_______________________________________________
3) Achieving against the odds: How Acadaemics Become Teachers of
Diverse Students -- a new book by UMB faculty, E. Kingston-Mann and
T. Sieber.
_______________________________________________
4) Forum on Struggles for Human Rights in Our Communities. Sunday
4/29 1-4pm. First Church of Roxbury, 10 Putnam St., Roxbury.
_______________________________________________
5) Annual Creative Problem Solving Institute in Buffalo. June 15 &
16. Theme: "Challenge Yourself." Also participate in "creative
conversation" on abolishing slavery in our time.
http://www.cef-cpsi.org
_______________________________________________
6) (Nurturing creativity) "Be yourself. No one can
ever tell you you're doing it wrong." -- James Hirlihy
found on creativity website:
http://bemorecreative.com/home-cq.htm
-------------------------------------------------------
News from CCT 4/10/00
0) Critical & Creative Thinking in Practice Open House, Sat. 28th.
1) Berklee Harmony Department Concert--Free
2) Conference: Society for the Social Study of Science
3) Symposium on Child Development: Creativity
4) Florida teacher recruitment job fair
5) Teaching Macbeth: An Institute for Secondary School
6) 21st International Conference: Critical Thinking
7) National Conference on Critical Thinking
8) Quote
_______________________________________________________
0) Critical & Creative Thinking in Practice April 28, 10am- 5pm, Wheatley Hall 2-209, UMB. Free & open to the public Members of the CCT community-students, alums, faculty-to lead others in the activities, workshops, or other group processes they have developed in their CCT projects and subsequent work. http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~cct/cctinpractice.html _______________________________________________________
1) Thurs, Apr 12, 7:30pm. Featuring "Song of You",
composed by CCT student Suzanne Clark. Location:
David Friend Recital Hall, Berklee Uchida Building,
Boylston Street, across from Hynes Convention Center.
_______________________________________________________
2) November 1-4, 2001. Cambridge, MA. Call for papers
and session proposals: http://web.mit.edu/sts/www/4s
Questions? Contact Hugh Gusterson guster@mit.edu
_______________________________________________________
3) The Second International Symposium on Child
Development. Creativity: A Moment of Aha! June
26-28, 2001. Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong.
Homepage: www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ccd/
_______________________________________________________
4) Florida's annual teacher recruitment job fair.
June 10-12, 2001. Sheraton World Resort, Orlando, FL.
www.teachinflorida.com. Need many new teachers.
_______________________________________________________
5) Celebrate Black History Month. Learning Center,
Lower Level, Healey Library 12:00-1:30 pm Thursday Mar
29. Film: Keita & Fri April 6. Film: Guimba.
Popcorn Served.
_______________________________________________________
6) Teaching Macbeth: An Institute for Secondary School
Teachers. Sat. Apr 28, 2001. 9am-5pm Amherst, MA.
$25. Lunch provided. 7 PDP pts. more info
413-577-3600
_______________________________________________________
7) Critical Thinking 21st International Conference:
The Dimensions of Critical Thinking. July 21-24, 2001
San Francisco CA www.criticalthinking.org
_______________________________________________________
8) National Conference: Critical Thinking in Subject
Fields & Disciplines. June 23-26, 2001 Atlanta
www.criticalthinking.org
_______________________________________________________
9) Quote: Critical thinking is an indispensable set
of tools that enables students to take charge of their
learning and their lives. These toolds provide the
keys to depth of thought, clarity oof emotion, and breadth of vision." Richard Paul
---------------------------------------
News from CCT 3/13/00
0) Session proposals needed for Critical & Creative Thinking in Practice
1) Summer Internships in DC
2) Gay Men's Chorus Concerts in MA, NY, CT, NJ, MD
3) Discussion about Teaching About Race, Class and Gender
4) Position Available: 5th grade teacher Apr-Jun 2001
5) Trotter Institute's African Film Festival
6) Spanish Paintings and Sculptures in Healey
7) Web Info. caveat
_______________________________________________________
0) Critical & Creative Thinking in Practice
April 28, 10am- 5pm, Wheatley Hall 2-209
University of Massachusetts Boston
Proposals invited from Members of the CCT community-students, alums,
faculty-to lead others in the activities, workshops, or other group
processes they have developed in their CCT projects and subsequent
work. Contact peter.taylor@umb.edu
_______________________________________________________
1) Opportunity for 5 UMB students to intern in Wash.DC
this summer for 10 wks. Appl. deadline end of March.
Scholarships avaliable. Fall internships also. Housing
provided. For more info please contact: JOHN
PAGANELLI 508-473-2095 JPAGAN@DFRONT.NET or
deborah_kaufman@hotmail.com
_______________________________________________________
2) TRI-CITY TOUR! Boston, New York and Washington DC
Gay Men's Chorus-- TOGETHER IN CONCERT.
D.C. Mar 24 (www.gmcw.org), Boston Mar 31
(www.bgmc.org), NY Apr 2 (www.nygmc.org)
______________________________________________
3) Center for the Improvement of Teaching
invites you to Teaching About Race, Class and Gender
A Discussion with Emmett Schaefer (Sociology)
Castellano Turner (Psychology) Wed. Mar 14 3:00-4:30
W-4-138 Share your ideas, questions and wisdom. For
more info. contact CIT: 287-6767 cit@umb.edu
_______________________________________________________
4) April 23rd through June 26th Fifth-grade teacher
going on maternity leave at Mather (School near Umass
w/ Strong focus on instruction and lots of team-work
about boosting student achievement.)Contact Kim
Marshall kmarshal@boston.k12.ma.us ASAP
_______________________________________________________
5) Celebrate Black History Month. Learning Center,
Lower Level, Healey Library 12:00-1:30 pm Thursday Mar
29. Film: Keita & Fri April 6. Film: Guimba.
Popcorn Served.
_______________________________________________________
6) Memory and Liberty. Painting and Sculptures by
Spanish artists. Healey Library Gallery Mar 2-28.
Hrs: Mon-Thurs 8am-9pm. Fri. 8am-5pm. Sat 9am-5pm
Sun 11am-7pm.
_______________________________________________________
7) Web Caveat: When in doubt, doubt. Almost anyone
can put up almost anything on the Web for almost any
purpose. Try to differentiate fact from opinion. Look
for ambiguity and manipulative reasoning and bias.
Accuracy is not always easy to confirm, so you must
test one source against another. Check for authors'
research methods and see what supportive evidence is
provided for their conclusions. Examine assumptions,
including and perhaps especially, your own. Who
coined the phrase "Question Authority!"? Look at five
or six different Web sites and you might get six or
eight different answers.
Tofa's Quote Collection attributes it to J.
Baldwen [sic].
Several sites attribute the quote to Timothy
Leary (with several different versions of the quote
and several different spellings of his name).
On a Web page from Timothy Leary's record
label, Mouth Almighty (which appears to have tuned
out, turned in, and dropped off the Web), Dr. Leary
was quoted as saying that Socrates is responsible for
the quote.
Many Web pages simply credit the
bumpersticker. Some are more specific than that:
The Hippieland Glossary indicates it was a
bumper sticker from the sixties;
An American Demographics author says it came
from the seventies.
Still another doesn't mention the particular
decade but insists it was a Unitarian-Universalist
bumper sticker.
My advice: question the authority of all Web
sources.
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/Training/hott.html
------------------------------------
News from CCT 2/19/01
1. Critical & creative thinking teachers sought for summer
2. Visit to CCT of Sandra Parks, co-ordinator of a network of centers for teaching thinking
3. Economics for Human Well-being Lectures, Mar. 10, 22 & Apr. 3
4. Facilitation Skills Training
5. CCT receives funds to support the Thinktank for Critical Thinking Teachers
6. CCT's SUMMER INSTITUTE is taking shape
7. Action Learning project on "Extending CCT's impact beyond its formal programs of study"
8. Quote to ponder
_______________________________________________________
1. Cambridge College is looking for adjunct faculty to teach intensive one-week critical &
creative thinking courses in its 5-week summer MEd completion program for mid-career
teachers (sounds very in sync with CCT -- see
http://www.cambridge.edu/public/academic/ap_nite_set.htm). Masters degree required. Pay
= $2100/course. Contact Jorge Cardoso, 617-873-0402, jcardoso@idea.cambridge.edu
_______________________________________________________
2. Sandra Parks, who is co-ordinating a network of centers for teaching thinking (see
http://www.usd.edu/~dbrenner), will be visiting CCT on Tuesday 13th March for a meeting
from 4.30-6 and to speak in CCT601. Sandra is organizing related sessions at the ASCD
conference in Boston the following weekend (http://www.ascd.org). She used to be associated
with CCT in the 80s (?) and is keen to catch up with us and share what she has to offer. Contact
Nina Greenwald (neeng@gis.net) if you wish to meet her.
_______________________________________________________
3. Economics for Human Well-being. Lectures at Boston Research Center for 21C in
Cambridge, include "Beyond American consumerism on Mar. 10, "Economics of Caring" on Mar.
22, and Nobel laureat Amartya Sen on Apr. 3. http://www.brc21.org
_______________________________________________________
4. New roster of workshops in Facilitation Skills Training at ICA in Toronto.
http://www.icacan.ca Also on their website a new book, The Art of Focused Conversation for
Schools.
_______________________________________________________
5. The UMass Public Service Endowment awarded CCT funds to support the Thinktank for
Community College Critical Thinking Teachers and develop a web-based Fieldbook of techniques
and illustrative cases from the work of Thinktank members. See CCT website for more details.
_______________________________________________________
6. CCT's SUMMER INSTITUTE is taking shape = Courses and workshops in CRITICAL & CREATIVE
THINKING with a focus on SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND SOCIETY as well as on WORKPLACE AND
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE. July 13 - August 4, 2001. See CCT website for more details.
_______________________________________________________
7. Students in CCT693, Evaluation of Educational Change, have begun the semester with an
Action Learning project on "Extending CCT's impact beyond its formal programs of study"
Please be helpful if students contact you for input. See
http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~ptaylor/693-01.html for background.
_______________________________________________________
8. "A future which is not determined is a call to the exercise of freedom." Yrj Haila and
Richard Levins, Humanity and Nature
------------------------------------
News from CCT 2/9/01
1) Science Educator Position @ Umass, Asst Professor
2) Manhattan Project Veterans Fifty Years after the Making of the Bomb.
3) Meeting on Adjunct Faculty Organizing, Sat Feb 24
4) Update on CCT Program review & new office assistants
5) CCT in Practice Open house, April 28
6) Grant awarded to CCT for Think tank and fieldbook
7) English tutors needed at UMass Boston
8) Fall Course proposals requested at Tufts experimental college
9) Right side of brain workshop, March 26-30
10) Jokes of the month
_______________________________________________________
1) Assistant Professor in Secondary Science (Box 710) in Grad. College of Education, UMass
Boston Qualifications: Ed.D. or Ph.D. in related area. More details on www.umb.edu
_______________________________________________________
2) Fri. Feb. 16 @ 12pm Rm 226 of the Harvard Science Ctr.: Mary
Palevsky, "Atomic Fragments: Conversations with Seven Manhattan Project Veterans Fifty
Years after the Making of the Bomb." Followed by 3pm talk at Harvard Book Store
______________________________________________
3) Meeting on Adjunct Faculty Organizing in Boston Feb. 24. Contact "Gary Zabel"
for more info.
_______________________________________________________
4) There is currently a review planned of the CCT Program to determine its future. Meanwhile,
two new office assistants -- Laura McGovern and Annica Adolfsson Freij -- are keeping things
running well despite the elimination of the Program Director for CCT and other programs in the
College of Education. (Peter Taylor is now Faculty advisor and will respond to queries as
before, but be patient.)
_______________________________________________________
5) Advance notice -- CCT in Practice Open House on Saturday April 28th. Workshops by
students, alums, and other CCT associates. 30, 45, 60 & 90 minute session proposals welcome.
Contact peter.taylor@umb.edu.
_______________________________________________________
6) The CCT Program was awarded a Public Service Grant from UMass Boston to continue the
Think Tank for Critical Thinking Teachers at Community Colleges and begin to prepare a Field
Book of class activities for teaching C&CT. For more details, contact peter.taylor@umb.edu
_______________________________________________________
7) Graduate students sought to tutor for English 101/2E for the spring term. Students are paid
$10/hr and have a few interesting responsibilities. Anyone interested may contact
edith.shillue@umb.edu or 287-6550.
_______________________________________________________
8) Fall semester course proposals requested for Experimental College at Tufts. Deadline. For
more details view their website, http://www.excollege.tufts.edu
_______________________________________________________
9) "Drawing on right side of brain" workshop, Mar 26-30 at Boston Center for Adult
Education. Strategies for seeing, thinking, & creativity. More info 617-267-4430 x 718 or
http://www.bcae.org
_______________________________________________________
10) How to keep healthy insanity levels in your life...
Every time someone asks you to do something, asl if they want fries with that.
Finish all your sentences with "In accordance with the prophecy."
As ofetn as possible, skip rather than walk.
Call the psychic hotline and don't sayanything.
When the money comes out of the ATM, scream "I won!, I won!"
Tell your children over dinner, "Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go."
Sing along at the opera.
----------------------------------------------------------
News from CCT 12/20/00
1) CCT Potluck Party January 6th
1a) Conference on Teaching for Transformation, Jan. 26th.
2) Call for Papers--Graduate Student Philosophy Conference
3) Umass Boston Graduate Research Conference
4) National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education
5) CCT student wins $50K entrepeneurship award.
6) Science & Paraprofessional Positions at Harbor Middle School
7) Connecticut River Education Initiative conference, Jan. 5
8) JOB ANNOUNCEMENT Hartford Thinking Center for Creativity and Problem Solving
9) Question of the fortnight.
10) Quote
________________________
1) CCT Potluck Party Saturday, January 6th at
Constance's house, 36 Buroughs St. Jamaica Plain (a
purple house.) RSVP 617-983-5949. 6-7pm. Bring
musical instruments and poetry or other writings to
share.
___________________________
1a) University of Massachusetts Boston Center for the Improvement of Teaching
Annual Conference on Teaching for Transformation. Friday, January 26, 2001
Snowden Auditorium, Wheatley Hall, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. More info from
cit@umb.edu
___________________________
2) Call for Papers for annual Graduate Student
Philosophy Conference. Deadline Feb. 15, 2001.
Conference April 6-7. www.phil.uiuc.edu for more
info.
____________________________
3) Umass Boston Graduate Research Conference--April
4, 2000. Register by Mar 2--$10. To
present--abstracts due Feb. 2.
http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~gsa for more info
______________________________
4) National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in
American Higher Education. Seattle, Washington. May
30-June 3, 2001. Application
http://www.occe.ou.edu/NCORE. Student Scholarship
available--deadline to apply Mar 16
____________________________________________
5) CCT student (on-leave), Keith D. Donaldson,
President/CEO of CABALI (http://www.cabali.com/)
an Internet software infrastructure company has won
the 2000 MIT $50K Warm-up competition in the Internet
division.
___________________________________
6) Middle School Science & Paraprofessional Positions
at Harbor School. Begin immediately. Contact Scott Hartl,
Principal. work: 617-635-6365 ext 101 home: (feel
free to phone between 6:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.)
617-282-7338 cell phone: 617-212-5277
________________________________
7) Connecticut River Education
Initiative (CREI) Second Annual Opening Channels
Conference will take place on Friday, January 5,2001
from 9am-3pm, Northfield Mount Hermon School, Gill,
Massachusetts. http://www.wgby.org/crei Deadline:
December 20
________________________________
8) POSITION: Executive Director of the Thinking
Center in Hartford,CT Contact Lou Loomis (a CCT alum) at htfdthink@hartnet.org
_______________________________
9) Question of the fortnight: Do people who were born blind dream? And if they
do, do they "see" in their dreams?
_____________________________
10) "Keep on beginning and failing. Each time you
fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger
until you have accomplished a purpose--not the one you
began with perhaps, but one you'll be glad to
remember." --Anne Sullivan
----------------------------------------------------------
News from CCT 12/01/00
1) BOSTON GAY MEN'S CHORUS TO PERFORM ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERTS
2) Job Listing: MAS Sanctuary Director
3) Math & Science Gift Ideas
4) All invited to BIRTHDAY PARTY!!
5) Public presentations by Synthesis students on Tuesday 5th.
6) Conference on Teaching for Transformation
7) Opportunity to develop and pilot 8th grade math curriculum.
8) MIT Exhibition:Global Conceptualism, Points of Origin
9) Job: Staff Developer to implement innovative instructional strategies.
10) Quote of the fortnight: Ten Reasons not to get organized
_____________________________________________________
1) BOSTON GAY MEN'S CHORUS (with Mike Cartledge) DEC. 9 & 10 AT JORDAN HALL. Also Dec.
14 at Old South Church. Tickets for Gloria! are $35, $28, $20, and $12 BGMC office at (617)
424-8900. or on-line at http://www.bgmc.org/publicpages/store/holidaytickets.html
_______________________________________________________
2) SEARCH EXTENDED for Wildlife Sanctuary Director for Oak Knoll, Attleboro, Massachusetts
Send cover letter and resume to: Elaine Kile, Massachusetts Audubon Society, 208 South Great
Road, Lincoln, MA 01773
_______________________________________________________
3)Gift Ideas to Promote Interest and Understanding of Mathematics and Science
http://www.ctacad.org
_______________________________________________________
4) Birthday Party at David Zwicker's (Alum-'98 )House: Sat. Dec. 9th,8:30pm-?am, 90
Floral Street, Newton Highlands, MA RSVP:617-964-6377 or drzwicker@hotmail.com
-Music, Food, Bev., Games, Dancing, -Festive and Creative Dress Encouraged. All CCT Faculty,
Students, and Alums welcome.
_______________________________________________________
5) 12/5 Public presentations by Synthesis students (7-8.30pm in Wheatley 2-209)
7pm Tim Eagan, "Authentic language learning occurs in meaningful contexts"
7.45pm Angi Walsh, "Benefits of structured pre-operative education"
_______________________________________________________
6) Annual Conference on Teaching for Transformation @ UMass Boston. Friday January 26,
2001 8:30am-3:30pm Snowden Auditorium Wheatley Hall
_______________________________________________________
7) Opportunity to develop a 5-week math mini-course for 5 gifted and talented 8th grade math
students. Volunteer Mentorship. Contact Amy Martin:
617-264-6407 amy_martin@brookline.mec.edu
_______________________________________________________
8) MIT Visual Arts Center presents Global Conceptualism: Points of Origin, 1950's-1980's.
Free exhibition, talks, film screenings & Forums. Until
Dec. 31st. Info: 617-253-4680 http://web.mit.edu/ivac
_______________________________________________________
9) Staff Developer Position. Support high and middle school teachers to develop and implement
action research in classrooms, etc. 36 hrs total. $500/day.
Contact Suzie McGlone 617-287-6570 @ Umass Boston.
_______________________________________________________
10) Ten Reasons not to get organized
10. Hunting for important documents adds excitement to an otherwise boring schedule.
9. Stacking papers on your desk protects you from ultraviolet radiation.
8. Being confused as everyone else helps you fit in.
7. Jumping over piles of paper keeps you in shape.
6. If you understood what you were doing you would be terrified.
5. Confusion brings out the best in you.
4. Organization will inhibit your creativity.
3. Shuffling papers prevents dust from piling up.
2. Your competitors' spies will find what they are seeking.
1. Clutter magnifies your importance.
_______________________________________________________
News from CCT 11/17/00
A posting of news of interest to CCT students, alums,
faculty, and associates. Please send items for future
postings to bsponsel@yahoo.com. If you want to be
removed from the address list for announcements,
inform us about duplicate mailings, or suggest someone
to add to the mailing list, please contact the CCT
office (cct@umb.edu).
1) AMAZON FIELD STUDY grades 7-10 completed (ages
13-16) Friday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m.
2) Registration for the spring begins Nov. 27
3) CCT in Practice series, Tuesdays 7-8pm W 2-209
4) Position Available: Middle School Science Teacher
at The Harbor School. Beginning immediately.
5) Resources in the grad. student computer lab
6) Quote on Learning Styles
_______________________________________________________
1) AMAZON FIELD STUDY If you are, or know, a student
in grades 7-10, please let them know of this
opportunity. Join trip leaders Bruce Larson and Kathy Bird at the
Museum of Science, Boston, on Friday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m. to learn more
about the rainforest and a special student travel opportunity.
July 13-22, 2001. Call (617) 589-0300 or email travel@mos.org for
a complete application. Info about a previous
program at www.mos.org/travel.
_______________________________________________________
2) Registration for the Spring. All graduate students who are eligible
can register for most spring courses using the touch-tone system
(617.265.2100) after Nov. 27, 2000. If registration is not completed by
Dec. 22, 2000, courses will be subject to a late fee of $50.00. Students
can add/drop through Feb. 6, 2001. CRCRTH 696 and 694 require Graduate
Program Director's Permission. Non-degree students can register for
classes shortly before the new term begins on a space available basis and
are encouraged to take CRCRTH 601, Critical Thinking as an introduction to
the program. Call the CCT office to get a copy of the spring course
offerings or view CCT website.
______________________________________________
3) CCT in Practice series, Tuesdays 7-8pm W 2-209
11/21 No session
11/28 Topic TBA
12/5 Public presentations by Synthesis students (7-8.30)
7pm Tim Eagan, "Authentic language learning occurs in meaningful contexts"
7.45pm Angi Walsh, "Benefits of structured pre-operative education"
_______________________________________________________
4) Position Available: Middle School Science Teacher
at The Harbor School. Beginning immediately.
School program is based on the design principles
of Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound.
Contact Scott Hartl, Principal of The Harbor
School. work: 617-635-6365 x 101 or cell phone: 617-212-5277
_______________________________________________________
5) The graduate student computer lab is on the third
floor of the library behind the Gold Lab. Printing on
both the B&W and Color Printers is free and unlimited.
They have both Macs and PCs. There are various
programs and utlities, such as a scanner. Come check
it out!
_______________________________________________________
6) According to Randy Vest, dean of Hamburger U
(McDonald's), one of the challenges of their training
program is "learning how to deal with cultural
diversity and how to reach people as individuals by
figuring out their differences. What do they need in
the way of training and how do they prefer to learn?
We try to be observant and gather facts from watching
people at work. In this way we learn to separate fact
from assumptions."
Postscript: As yet unpublished letter to newspapers
A constitutionally and statistically valid resolution of the Florida vote would be for Florida to
send electors to Washington in proportion to the vote12 for Gore, 12 for Bush, and 1 for
Nader. No conceivable recount would alter this allocation. If, out of fairness, Bush asked for the
same procedure in all states, the unfuzzy math mean that neither he nor Gore would have a
majority. Nader's electors would be able to decide the next President. Third parties could
become players rather than spoilers in a more democratic electoral process.
Peter Taylor
Professor of Critical and Creative Thinking, Univesity of Massachusetts, Boston
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: News from CCT 11/3/00
A posting of news of interest to CCT students, alums, faculty, and associates. Please send items
for future postings to bsponsel@yahoo.com.
If you want to be removed from the address list for announcements, inform us about duplicate
mailings, or suggest someone to add to the mailing list, please contact the CCT office
(cct@umb.edu).
1. TONIGHT, 3rd Nov. 7pm : poetry in four voices
2. CCT in Practice series, 11/7, "Constructivist listening," and 11/14, "Customizing
creativity"
3. Phone registration for spring courses begins Nov. 27
4. CCT graduate certificates in "Science, Education, and Society," and "Dialogue and
Collaboration in Organizational Change"
5. Desparately seeking "technophobes"
6. New electronic discussion group for part-time faculty members
7. Job openings at the Ecotarium in Worcester
8. Museum of Science looking for people to teach one or more robot courses
9. Volunteer mentors needed for advanced 8th. grade math. students
10. Quote of the news.
----------------------------
1. TONIGHT, 3rd Nov. 7pm : poetry in four voices: Teresa Castro*, Margaret Cronin*, Diane
Fraser, Caraway Seed (*former CCT students). The Bookcellar, Porter Square, Cambridge.
(For more information about upcoming events at the Bookcellar, contact
aaron7k@hotmail.com.)
----------------------------
2. CCT in Practice series, Tuesdays 7-8pm W 2-209
11/7 "An introduction to constructivist listening," Emmett Schaeffer, instructor, Winter
session course CCT697, through Cont. Ed.
11/14 "Customizing creativity to produce viable products for one's life," Ben Schwendener,
CCT612 instructor in the spring
----------------------------
3. Phone registration for spring courses begins Nov. 27 (or Dec. 1 for new students).
Registration must be initiated before Dec. 22 to avoid $50 late fee, although changes can be
made any time up to Feb. 6 without charge. Details of CCT courses are on the website, and will
be posted in the next email news.
----------------------------
4. Starting in the new year, the 15 credit CCT graduate certificate can (pending a last layer of
approval) be earned in the two thematic versions below. For more information, please view
http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~cct
---------
4a. Science, Education, and Society
This certificate is designed for educators and other concerned citizens who want to enliven
science education and enrich people's understanding of the role of science and technology in
society. The course material, classroom activities, and teaching/learning interactions with the
innovative and inspiring instructors provide students an opportunity to learn about science and
its social context, a set of models for their own teaching and educational work, and a basis for
discussions about practices and philosophies of education.
--------
4b. Dialogue and Collaboration in Organizational Change
This certificate trains people to take initiative and generate constructive change in their
various educational, professional, and social settings. Innovative and inspiring teachers
introduce approaches to dialogue, listening, and group process that help people reflect deeply
and bring insights to the surface, transform the giving of feedback into a mutual learning
experience, build relationships of trust and enthusiastic acceptance of diverse perspectives,
articulate a practical vision and collaborate in bringing it to fruition. "The most important
parts of any conversation are those that neither party could have imagined before starting" (W.
Isaacs, Dialogue).
----------------------------
5. Sara Baron, from the Healey library, is looking for self-proclaimed "technophobes" who
might be willing to talk informally for 5 or 10 minutes about some of their challenges/what
they don't like about technology? Contact her at 617-287-5927.
----------------------------
6. Contact "Gary Zabel" to join a new electronic discussion group for
part-time faculty members teaching in the Massachusetts state system as well as their
supporters.
----------------------------
7. Job openings at the Ecotarium in Worcester. See descriptions at http://www.EcoTarium.org.
----------------------------
8. Museum of Science is looking for people (you or someone you know) to teach one or more
robot courses during the Summer of 2001 (June 25-Aug. 24; M-F, either mornings or
afternoons). Contact Brent Jackson (bjackson@mos.org) and/or view
http://www.owirobot.com/about.html.
----------------------------
9. Brookline Public Schools looking for teachers/grad. students to work as volunteer mentors
with small group of advanced 8th. grade math. students. Contact
amy_martin@brookline.mec.edu
----------------------------
10. "We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to
years." Atributed to a student who experienced the Columbine High School Massacres.
Subject: News from CCT 10/17/00
1. Steel Magnolia, directed Danielle Shylit, closes this weekend
2. CCT Outreach & website
3. CCT in Practice series, 10/17, 24, 31, 7-8pm
4. CCT faculty presented an orientation to CCT for the College of Education on 10/16
5. Advance notice of winter session course on Constructivist Listening
6. CCT Community Directory hidden on web
7. CCT abstracts on web
8. Beacon Think Tank -- critical thinking and learning for civic engagement
9. Fall 2000 Trainings offered by the Public Conversations Project
10. Precautionary principle
11. Quote of the fortnight
----------------------------
1. Steel Magnolia, directed by CCT student Danielle Shylit, closes this weekend with shows on
Oct. 20 & 21 at 8pm and 22 at 2pm at the Windosr Club, 1601 Beacon St, Waban. Tix 617-
244-9538.
---------------------
2. The CCT Outreach unit, Thinking for Change (provisionally named), has a webpages now on
its activities at http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~cct/tfc.html
---------------------
3. CCT in Practice series, Tuesdays 7-8pm W 2-209
10/17 "Conceptual Bootstrapping: Teaching Middle School Students about Matter and
Density, " Carol Smith
10/24 "Breaking through Scripts and Creating New Spaces: Reframing Asian American
Life Narratives," Cathy Wong, Counseling & School Psychology
10/31 "An introduction to the Dialogue Process," Allyn Bradford, CCT616 instructor in
the spring
---------------------
4. On 10/16 CCT faculty presented an orientation to CCT for the new Dean and other faculty of
the College of Education. The new Dean is currently restructuring the College as part of her
push to get it accredited. Stay tuned for details of the implications for CCT.
---------------------
5. Advance notice of winter session course on Constructivist Listening, to be taight by Emmett
Schaefer. This course will kick off a new CCT certificate program, "Dialogue and Collaboration
in Organizational Change" (see website for details).
"Constructivist listening is used in professional development workshops, classrooms, and other
settings to help participants make better sense of their experience, think more clearly, take
initiative, and collaborate fruitfully. It builds on a form of peer counseling in which two
people, taking turns listening appreciatively to each other, re-evaluate experiences of being
hurt and not helped, especially when they were young. The course introduces these practices
and their application in educational, organizational, and social change, in tackling racial
discrimination, gender inequalities, and injuries of class, and in moving one's current thinking
and relationships in new directions."
---------------------
6. CCT Community Directory is available on request. It is also on the web, on a site not visible
to the public, at http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~cct/directory.html
---------------------
7. CCT abstracts of these and syntheses (all but about 40) are now on the website, at
http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~cct/abstracts-TOC.html
---------------------
8. Beacon Think Tank, organized by the UMass Boston Dean of Student Affairs, will meet several
time sduring the year to promote critical thinking and learning for civic engagement. Faculty
and students welcome to apply to participate. Contact 617 287 5800.
---------------------
9. Fall 2000 Trainings offered by the Public Conversations Project: "The Power of Dialogue,
Constructive conversations on divisive issues," Nov. 2-4. Info c/o
http://www.publicconversations.org/Pages/Training.html
---------------------
10. Reports from Harvard Conference on Globalization and the Precautionary Principle, last
month, http://www.iisd.ca/sd/biotech/
---------------------
11. Quote: "Unfortunately, most children enter school as question marks, and leave as periods."
Subject: News from CCT 10/6/00
A posting of news of interest to CCT students, alums, faculty, and associates. Please send items
for future postings.
If you want to be removed from the address list for announcements, inform us about duplicate
mailings, or suggest someone to add to the mailing list, please contact the CCT office
(cct@umb.edu).
1. More new generation from CCTers
2. Critical incidents in teaching, CIT workshop led by Peter Taylor, Tues 10/10, 2.30-4
3. CCT in Practice series, 10/10 & 10/17, 7-8pm
4. Spring semester course proposals requested for Experimental College at Tufts.
5. 10/4 meeting of Think tank for College critical thinking teachers was a successful start
6. New edition available of the CCT Community Directory
7. Testimony! Experience of the Guatemalan Civil War, 10/25, 11:30-2:00
8. Teacher research and Data-based Decision Making, 10/26, 9-2.30
9. Quote for the day
----------------------------
1. Following up on the PS from the last news Sharon Sloman also became a gradmother early in
the year and Liz Casanave (1999) is the mother of a 5+ months old boy, Kaden.
----------------------------
2. Critical incidents in teaching -- a cross-cultural misunderstanding
CIT workshop led by Peter Taylor, Tues 10/10, 2.30-4 in Wheatley-4-022, will use a video
segment to explore our different views and assumptions about accommodating diverse learning
preferences and about faculty-student power relations.
----------------------------
3. CCT in Practice series, Tuesdays 7-8pm W 2-209
10/10 "How do adult learners learn?perspectives from CCT students," Roy Dobbelaar and
others
10/17 "Conceptual Bootstrapping: Teaching Middle School Students about Matter and Density, "
Carol Smith
----------------------------
4. Spring semester course proposals requested for Experimental College at Tufts. Deadline
soon. For more details see their poster on the CCT noticeboard or vew their website,
www.excollege.tufts.edu
----------------------------
5. Think tank for College critical thinking teachers met for the first time on 10/4. Fifteen
people came -- diverse in their projects but like minded in their interests in learning from
each other -- and are keen to meet through the year, probably five more times. Contact Nina
Greenwald (neeng@gis.net) for more details.
----------------------------
6. New edition available of the CCT Community Directory -- alums have much to offer each
other and current students in terms of sharing experience, contacts, and other resources.
Copies can be sent out on request. Everyone is encouraged to provide up to date information for
the next edition.
----------------------------
7. Testimony! Experience of the Guatemalan Civil War by those who felt its impact -- A
delegation from the village of Santa Mara Tzej. Wednesday, October 25, 11:30-2:00 p.m.,
CPCS Plaza. Lunch provided.
----------------------------
8. Teacher research and Data-based Decision Making: Transforming Student Achievement.
Thurs, Oct. 26, 9-2.30, The College of the Holy Cross. Contact MA Field Center for Teaching &
Learning for registration, 617.287.7660.
----------------------------
9. Quote for the day: "Learning is not the shortest distance between two points."
Celeste Warner (a finishing CCT student) and Nina Greenwald (CCT faculty member) became
grandmothers for the first time last week. Jack Warner and Cam Greenwald are well, as are the
parents.
Subject: News from CCT 9/15/00
A posting of news of interest to CCT students, alums, faculty, and associates. Please send items
for future postings.
If you want to be removed from the address list for announcements, inform us about duplicate
mailings, or suggest someone to add to the mailing list, please contact the CCT office
(cct@umb.edu).
1. CCT in Practice, Upcoming presentations (9/19 and 9/26)
2. Computer Art Exhibit by former CCT director, John Murray. Reception 9/23
3. Think tank for College critical thinking teachers. First meeting 10/4
4. Changes in lives and careers that have followed CCT studies
5. Memebers sought for a task force on PR for the CCT Program
6. Toyota Tapestry grants for innovations in K-12 science education
7. Cold War Science, Technology and Medicine conference (11/9-11/11)
8. Job openings
9. Quote on the WWW
----------------------------
1. CCT in Practice series began last Tuesday evening. Upcoming presentations (7-8pm in
Wheatley 2-209):
9/19 "Nature takes back the UMass campus?" an environmental sustainability activity led
(tentatively) by Rob Beattie, Environmental Studies Program
9/26 "Teaching critical thinking through multiple intelligences," Nina Greenwald, CCT
10/3 No session
----------------------------
2. Computer Art Exhibit by former CCT director, John Murray, in Pembroke Public Library
during September. Reception Sept. 23rd., 1-4pm. Call 508-946-9067 for directions.
----------------------------
3. Think tank for College critical thinking teachers will be hosted by CCT this year. The aim is
to explore collaboratively through five or six meetings issues of interest in our quest to
promote effective thinking and problem solving in our professional lives and communities. The
first meeting is on October 4th., 4-6.30, in the sociology conference room, Wheatley 4-022.
Contact Nina Greenwald (287-6523) to express your interest in participating.
----------------------------
4. Thanks to graduates who provided examples regarding the changes in lives and careers that
have followed their CCT studies. The examples will be included in the next edition of the CCT
directory and reflected in new publicity being prepared to promote the CCT Program.
----------------------------
5. A task force on PR for the CCT Program is being convened by Nina Greenwald. Students and
graduates with interest, skills, contacts, and a little spare time are encouraged to contact her
(287-6523 or neeng@gis.net) to join.
----------------------------
6. Toyota Tapestry grants for innovations in K-12 science education. Areas for this year's
grants -- environmental science and physical science applications. Proposals deadline
1/18/01. Call 1-800-807-9852 for information.
----------------------------
7. Cold War Science, Technology and Medicine -- a conference to be held Nov. 9-11 at the
University of Pennsylvania. Contact awolfe@sas.upenn.edu for details of program and location.
----------------------------
8. Job openings:
Project Director, National Technical Experts Network (NTEN), based in Amherst, MA, which
will network scientists and knowledgeable citizens working with communities affected by
military pollution. Contact isis@hampshire.edu
Education Director, Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK), Lake George, New York. For details,
contact bill@adk.org, or view web site: www.adk.org
----------------------------
9. Quote to chew on: "There seem to be a generation of people for whom the Internet is the
principal source of information about the world. When they need to solve a problem or answer a
question, they go to the Web, and that us where they find 'reality'even though the Web often
confuses what is 'true' with what is 'popular'"(Michael Specter, New Yorker, 5/29/00, p.
989-99).
------------------------------------------------------------------------