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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Estate Planning (97-Word "Flash Fiction" Story)

As she carefully examined the contents of the small fireproof safe, it was all there - wedding ring certificates, wills, life insurance policies, asset ledgers, account number lists (including eBay and Amazon passwords), tax returns, passports, social security cards, copies of his films and manuscripts - EVERYTHING.

"That meticulous man of mine", she quipped as an assured smirk spread across her relieved countenance.

As she prepared to return the safe, her husband raced into the study. "Wait a minute! I just finished archiving our pictures!"

Smiling and shaking her head, she headed upstairs to pack for Maui.



Copyright 2011 Derrick Brown (derrick.s.brown@att.net) and KnowledgeBase, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Re: Remembering Ed Brown

Mrs. Brown and Alexis,

I do not even know what to say, but know that Keisha and I are here for you both. She and I have talked about you all quite a bit for the last week.

Please know how much I admired Mr. Brown and always wanted to know more about his life. I have told Keisha all about his cool hand and eloquence that day we had to discuss the classroom situation with Alexis' calculus teacher, and what an example of humility and diplomatic skill that set for me.

It's funny - resolving that situation gave me the opportunity to work with Alexis as much as I did, and gave me the chance to know you and Mr. Brown. "Fighting fire with a feather" is my adopted slogan, and I am so glad to now know about the "protection of the asbestos gloves" :-). It's that protection that allows us to endure and prevail!

When we came to your home for Alexis' graduation celebration, I could see and feel the culture, history, and spirit of the griot everywhere I looked. I would love to help tell the world Mr. Brown's story. We can talk about that when the time is right.

Until then, please call on me and Keisha if you need anything. We love you!


Sincerely,

Derrick and Keisha Brown
678-467-1256

At 08:38 PM 11/27/2011, you wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Valinda Brown <vbrown@atlbeltline.org >
Date: Sun, Nov 27, 2011 at 8:36 PM
Subject: FW: Remembering Ed Brown
To: Alexis Johnson <alexisjohnson5@gmail.com >



From: Valinda Brown
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2011 12:22 PM
To: amsaesq374@aol.com
Subject: Fwd: Remembering Ed Brown


From: SNCC Legacy Project < info@sncclegacyproject.org>
Date: November 26, 2011 7:25:06 PM EST
To: Valinda Brown <vbrown@atlbeltline.org >
Subject: Remembering Ed Brown
Reply-To: " info@sncclegacyproject.org" < info@sncclegacyproject.org>

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here



EDDIE CHARLES BROWN, JR.
(1941 - 2011) http://bit.ly/ed_brown





"His devotion, eloquence and generosity of spirit has ennobled and adorned the movement in our time. Because of his quiet self-confidence and humility he never sought publicity but thousands, especially poor folk, here and on the Continent have had their lives vastly improved by Ed's effectiveness and compassion. He is truly one of the great unsung heroes of our generation. We shall not soon see his like again."

 



Ekwueme Michael Thelwell





 









 

"Fighting Fire with a Feather"

Ed Brown



Eddie Charles Brown, Jr., a great-souled human being committed to fighting the oppression of all people from Mississippi to South Africa, died at his home on November 23, 2011. In political circles, Ed was respected for his enduring commitment to our people. As a consequence of his tireless devotion to, and success in advancing the culture and economic progress of poor Black folk, Ed Brown was widely recognized as among the most, incorruptible, responsible, resourceful and effective of the activist leaders of the Movement. As his SNCC colleagues said of him, "More than most Ed's life embodies and exemplifies to a remarkable degree, the principle of undying love for our people both here and in the Motherland. "



Although the consummate organizer and community activist in matters of the aesthetics of Black musical culture and the southern oral tradition, Ed had the soul of a poet and the eloquence of a griot.  Similarly, his great sensitivity to African cultures is reflected in the quality of the extraordinary collection of traditional African religious art, which he and his wife Valinda have painstakingly gathered over many years.



A year prior to his passing, Ed gave his Shahada (acceptance of Islam) to his younger brother the Imam Jamil Al-Amin (formerly known as H. Rap Brown) to whom Ed's observable devotion, loyalty and commitment was widely seen as an unconditional and admirable example of brotherly love. The janaza (last rites) were held on November 24, 2011 at the West End Community Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia.



A native of Louisiana, Ed was born on August 19, 1941 in New Orleans to Thelma Warren and Eddie Charles Brown, Sr. and raised in Baton Rouge.  Ed's historical efforts to fight segregation and all forms of oppression as well as to empower Black people started in 1960 when he was a young student at Louisiana's Southern University. He and 16 other classmates confronted the University and staged a sit-in protesting the racial segregation prevalent in Louisiana at the time. After he and the others were arrested, expelled and banned from enrolling in any university in Louisiana, Ed began the ongoing struggle for justice, which would define his entire life. This expulsion led Ed to Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1961where he landed on the front line of the Civil Rights Movement. Ed was an active member of the Nonviolent Action Group, the SNCC affiliate at Howard.



As a leader and field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) he fought to win constitutional rights for Blacks and all disenfranchised people. Ed always proclaimed that he was "fighting fire with a feather," but he knew he would prevail because he often said, ironically, he was protected by "asbestos gloves."



A Life of Service



Ed never held a job not directly concerned with human advancement. Highly regarded in white political and philanthropic circles for a selfless incorruptibility, Ed bridged the gap between both communities and was able to direct very significant financial resources into poor Black communities. The three abiding concerns of his professional life, both here and in Africa, can be seen as: democratic political liberation; economic empowerment; and the celebration and enhancement of our cultures. Through Ed's efforts thousands of people have had their lives significantly improved.



Among fellow workers, he is remembered for his uncommon diplomatic skill, personal charm and political tact. Kalamu ya Salaam, who served with him on the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage commission recalls, "What I most remember is that the respect he commanded coupled with a delightful sense of humor enabled him to soothe the most outrageous egos, resolve conflicts and bring apparently irreconcilable warring factions together."



In 1965 as a staffer at the Citizen's Crusade Against Poverty in Washington, D.C., Ed developed information networks among community-based organizations to support anti-poverty legislation.   In 1967, he organized efforts to improve the political and economic conditions of Blacks in the Mississippi Delta as the Executive Director and founder of the Mississippi Action for Community Education (MACE) and The Delta Foundation in Greenville, Mississippi. At MACE, he developed community-based enterprises, producing Fine Vines blue jeans and establishing catfish farms in the Delta. He was the first executive director of the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival. In 1974, Ed raised funds and helped organize the Sixth Pan African Congress held at the University of Tanzania at Dar-es-Salaam's Nkrumah Hall with delegates representing 52 independent states and/or liberation movements in Africa, the Caribbean and other people of African descent.



As Executive Director of the New Orleans Area Development Project in 1976, Ed organized advocacy groups to work for reform by organizing communities to fight police brutality and creating parent-teacher committees for education reform. Ed went on to serve as President and CEO of the Southern Agriculture Corporation in the 1980s where he worked to organize and gain capital funding for small Black southern farmers. In the 1990s as Executive Director of the Voter Education Project in Atlanta, Ed continued his tireless efforts to register Blacks and poor people to vote and to fight legislation restricting poor and disenfranchised people of all color from voting.



From the 1990s through 2006, Ed took his "asbestos gloves" to nations outside the United States. As a senior consultant to the National Democratic Institute, Ed designed and implemented civic and voter education programs to prepare for national elections in Ethiopia, Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. He was especially involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa which resulted in the freeing of Nelson Mandela. As an international election observer for The Jimmy Carter Center, Ed worked in Ghana, Zambia and The Dominican Republic. As a human rights activist in corporate board rooms, Ed served on the World Council of Churches and Emergency Fund for Southern Africa raising funds for humanitarian relief; at the Center for National Security Studies monitoring American defense policies and budgets; and with the American Friends Service Committee, U.S. Department of Agriculture Citizens Advisory Committee Equal Opportunity and Atlanta Council for International Cooperation. He also consulted with the Asian Council of Churches and participated in the Consultation of Minority Peoples of Japan in Tokyo.



In addition to his international work during this time, from 1994 until 2003, Ed moved into the arena of municipal and city planning as southeastern marketing director for Sidney B. Bowne Engineering. He served as the strategic planner developing relationships between the company and city and state officials in the company's negotiation and establishment of Geography Information Systems. He worked on transition teams for the mayors of Macon and Albany, Georgia, in 2003 as a consultant with ABC Management where he evaluated and recommended management of staff for city departments and developed strategic plans for incoming mayoral administrations.



A Lover of Art



Ed developed an early appreciation and love of art while studying at Howard University under Professor Sterling Brown. He became especially interested in the history of African art and cultures. During his later journeys throughout the continent, he began collecting African sculptures and masks which he and his wife, Valinda, expanded with African and African-American art. Ed became a co-owner of Boston's Harris/Brown Art Gallery, which exhibited major African-American artists. He is widely known for furthering dialogue regarding the importance of nurturing artists of African-American and African descent. As a board member of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, he was especially proud of being instrumental in helping to establish the annual David Driskell Young Artist Award. He also served on the board of the Atlanta Photography Group where he chaired the Youth Education Program and as chairman of the Funding Committee of the Academy Theater. Ed's many years of advocating the ascension of African-American artists has resulted in their inclusion in successful exhibitions at various art venues.



Ed's love and dedication to Black culture embraced music of all kind. He established and promoted the Mississippi Delta Blues Festival while at MACE. He especially enjoyed jazz and gospel and he and his wife made annual pilgrimages to New Orleans for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. But Ed's most enjoyable times at his home with Valinda were preparing deliciously wonderful New Orleans cuisines and sharing those absolutely satisfying meals with friends and family who prized the opportunity to get a cup of Ed's Gumbo. Ed was a master New Orleans chef who was admired for his seafood, duck, or pheasant gumbos; quail in rich brown sauce; and turtle soup with sherry and crawfish bisque; fried catfish; spinach shrimp dressing; and sweet potato pone. His demonstrations of affection for food and sharing led to his wife's publication of a loving cookbook. Ed was an elaborate storyteller, so with each meal came colorful adventures with Ed Brown. Ed was a passionate historian of African culture and he accumulated a large library of African history. He spent many rewarding years studying Yoruba culture. During the 1970s with an extended stay in Nigeria, following an elaborate ritual that included him running alongside camels with a net over his head, Ed was initiated into the ruling Ogboni Society of Yoruba manhood.



Ed is survived by his loving wife, Valinda; three sons, Michael Johnson, Kevin George and Keith George; two sisters, Pat Brown Leak (Alex) and Cheryl Brown Hill (Donald); brothers Jamil Al-Amin (Karima) and Lance Brown (Pat); grandchildren Alexis Johnson, Aliyah Johnson, Tyler Johnson, Kristin George, Christopher George, Brandon George and nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other family and friends.








This email was sent to vbrown@beltline.org by info@sncclegacyproject.org |  

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SNCC Legacy Project | info@sncclegacyproject.org | Washington | DC | 20017

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

"Talk to Me" - Teaching the Language of Math! ( GCTM Conference Fri 10/21/2011 9:15 - 11:15 AM)

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - October 18, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------


-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. THE MIGHTIER SWORD. This FREE guide introduces teachers to playing the (math) language skill-building game "Talk To Me"! "Talk To Me" creatively addresses the critical need to build language and communication skills in math classes that will allow students to "do math", and to also understand what "math does".... http://bit.ly/tpt_ttmg


2. UPCOMING EVENTS. Check us out at the 2011 Georgia Mathematics Conference @ Rock Eagle (Eatonton, GA) on Fri 10/21/2011!

TI-83, 84, 84+ for Beginners
Keisha Lanier Brown, Georgia Perimeter College
Fri 10/21/2011 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Calling all beginning math teachers! Do you want to know how to use your graphing calculator more effectively? If so, this session is for you. Bring your calculator so we can cover the top 20 skills you need to know when teaching any middle school or high school mathematics course. Some of these topics include finding points of intersection, solving systems of equations, using applications such as Conics and Inequalz, evaluating expressions, and much more.


"Talk to Me" – Teaching the Language of Math
Derrick Brown, KnowledgeBase, Inc.
Fri 10/21/2011 9:15 AM - 11:15 AM

Participants will learn to play "Talk To Me" - a game that requires teams to guess math, language arts, or computer vocabulary terms from verbal, nonverbal and / or pictorial clues presented by a single teammate (the clue giver). "Talk To Me" creatively addresses the critical need to build language and communication skills in math classes that will allow students to "do math", and to also understand what "math does".


-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - October 18, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------



[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 9)

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - October 14, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------


-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. THE MIGHTIER SWORD. This FREE guide introduces teachers to playing the (math) language skill-building game "Talk To Me"! "Talk To Me" creatively addresses the critical need to build language and communication skills in math classes that will allow students to "do math", and to also understand what "math does".... http://scr.bi/ttm_guide


2. UPCOMING EVENTS. Check us out at the 2011 Georgia Mathematics Conference @ Rock Eagle (Eatonton, GA) on Fri 10/21/2011!

TI-83, 84, 84+ for Beginners
Keisha Lanier Brown, Georgia Perimeter College
Fri 10/21/2011 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Calling all beginning math teachers! Do you want to know how to use your graphing calculator more effectively? If so, this session is for you. Bring your calculator so we can cover the top 20 skills you need to know when teaching any middle school or high school mathematics course. Some of these topics include finding points of intersection, solving systems of equations, using applications such as Conics and Inequalz, evaluating expressions, and much more.


"Talk to Me" - Teaching the Language of Math!
Derrick Brown, KnowledgeBase, Inc.
Fri 10/21/2011 9:15 AM - 11:15 AM

Participants will learn to play "Talk To Me" - a game that requires teams to guess math, language arts, or computer vocabulary terms from verbal, nonverbal and / or pictorial clues presented by a single teammate (the clue giver). "Talk To Me" creatively addresses the critical need to build language and communication skills in math classes that will allow students to "do math", and to also understand what "math does".


-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - October 14, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 8)

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NOW YOU KNOW - September 20, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front
© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. GRIOT'S CORNER. Defining new paths are more important than following old patterns.

Please take a few minutes to digest this video. The medium (a technique called visual scribing) is even more powerful than the message (the value of divergent thinking).

Changing Education Paradigms (by RSA Animate)
http://bit.ly/nyk_rsa


-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - September 20, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front
© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

Monday, September 12, 2011

[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 7)

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - September 6, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front
© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. THE MIGHTIER SWORD. An open letter outlining
recommendations to improve the culture, climate,
and community of our school ... http://scr.bi/kb_mib

I am publishing this essay to share my
perspective on lessons learned from perhaps the
most troubling experience of my life.

I share this with my subscribers to affirm my hope.
This hope is necessary to facilitate the growth
that comes only through the questioning and
informing of our own assumptions and perceptions.

This questioning can begin once we embrace and
then release our arrogance (thinking that we know what we do not).

I welcome your feedback. Civil discourse is
needed to discover that sometimes we are just
diametrically opposed points that lie on the same
circle ... and that the preservation of the
circle is more important than our "points".

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - September 6, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front
© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

Friday, August 26, 2011

[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 6)

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - August 26, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front
© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------
1. THE MIGHTIER SWORD. Why oh why can't Johnny
read? ... Probably because the brother's name is Khalid ... http://scr.bi/nyk_j

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - August 26, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front
© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

Friday, August 19, 2011

[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 5)

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NOW YOU KNOW - August 19, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------


-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. BIG IDEA OF LEADERSHIP - WOLFISH SHEEP (OR SHEEPISH WOLVES)
2. GRIOT'S CORNER (Homespun stories about what matters to me)
3. [NEW!] THE MIGHTIER SWORD (Food for thought in this hungry world)
4. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE


1. BIG IDEA OF LEADERSHIP - WOLFISH SHEEP (OR SHEEPISH WOLVES). There are quite a few villains disguised as heroes, and probably just as many heroes who look like villains.


2. GRIOT'S CORNER. Look once, but think twice! Enjoy this classroom video clip! http://bit.ly/wiwihk_look


3. THE MIGHTIER SWORD. Many published articles are researched and written only to justify a preconceived position. Nevertheless, read with discernment to gain insight from other perspectives.

This article (forwarded by a friend and college classmate) reminded me that creating accountability (both in performance and in working relationships) and engaging in thoughtful, balanced civil discourse (especially with those determined to take one side of an issue or the other) is the only approach to positive change that I trust nowadays.

Super Teachers Alone Can't Save Our Schools (from the Wall Street Journal - August 13, 2011)
Extraordinary educators are rare and often burn out. To save our schools, says Steven Brill, we have to demand more from ordinary teachers and their unions.
http://on.wsj.com/nyk_aug19


4. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE. This week's feature ...

A Teacher's Guide to HISTORhYmes
http://scr.bi/db_HISTORhYmes

HISTORhYmes is a 1-2-week literacy activity that enhances reading comprehension, grammar, and writing skills by using the creative imaginations of young people to present stories about historical and contemporary figures.

W.E.B. and Booker T.

(By Kwame' Baldwin, Gerzzell Carter, Tia Moreland, Ricky White, Jimmie Fair, and Derrick Brown)

(Chorus 1) W.E.B.
Founded the NAACP
'Cause he had a beef with Booker T.
'Bout how Black folks could be free

(Chorus 2) Now Booker T.
Wrote "Up From Slavery"
Used the money to fund Tuskegee
To create our Black bourgeoisie

W.E.B. called the "few and the bold"
To impart wisdom to the young and the old
Perhaps this theory is a bit oversold
'Cause are we really free, or have we just been paroled?

(Repeat Chorus 1, Chorus 2)

Now Booker T. said, "To lift up a man,
You take him from 'I can't' and teach him to say 'I can'
Teach him how to fish, put him down with the plan"
But does my business sense make me more than "less than"?

(Repeat Chorus 1, Chorus 2)

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - August 19, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------




Friday, August 12, 2011

[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 4)

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - August 12, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------


-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. BIG IDEA OF LEADERSHIP - THE EDUCATION PARADOX
2. GRIOT'S CORNER (Homespun stories about what matters to me)
3. [NEW!] THE MIGHTIER SWORD (Food for thought in this hungry world)
4. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE


1. BIG IDEA OF LEADERSHIP - THE EDUCATION PARADOX. It is possible to be highly educated while lacking the wisdom to articulate original thought, and the courage to confront injustice. That makes it quite easy to be controlled.


2. GRIOT'S CORNER. I would much rather be a student than a teacher. Enjoy this clip! http://bit.ly/wiwihk_too


3. THE MIGHTIER SWORD. This is a powerful article - not because it criticizes President Obama, but because it offers a deep, probing, level-headed insight to his character, personality, and temperament that may help us all to grow in our capacity as leaders.

What Happened to Obama? (from the New York Times - August 6, 2011)
(By Drew Weston, Professor of Psychology, Emory University)
http://nyti.ms/rtt_obama


4. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE. This week's feature ...

Reach - Then Teach (Character Education Guide)
Download it for FREE at http://bit.ly/tpt_rttbook!

This 25-page ebook challenges students to think critically about life, freedom, and the pursuit of success and happiness by introducing them to fundamental principles that define their character. Formal education is practice for participating in the game of "real life".








 


 
















-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - August 12, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://bit.ly/rtt_front

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------




Friday, July 29, 2011

[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 3)

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NOW YOU KNOW - July 29, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://reachthenteach.blogspot.org

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------


-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. BIG IDEA OF LEADERSHIP - AUTHORITY VS. POWER
2. GRIOT'S CORNER (Homespun stories about what matters to me)
3. [NEW!] THE MIGHTIER SWORD (Food for thought in this hungry world)
4. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE


1. BIG IDEA OF LEADERSHIP - AUTHORITY VS. POWER. Authority is not power - it is the right to exercise power. Power is the ability to work efficiently. Those who work efficiently amass considerable influence in the workplace.


2. GRIOT'S CORNER.

NOW YOU KNOW - What I Wish I Had Known (July 28, 2011)
http://bit.ly/wiwihk

(July 28, 2011, Athens, GA) Excerpt from the intro of "NOW YOU KNOW - What I Wish I Had Known", an address by Derrick Brown to participants in UGA's Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Summer Bridge Program.


3. THE MIGHTIER SWORD. Of all the education world's curious buzzwords and trendy jargon, the catchphrase that makes me wince the most is "data-driven instruction" - for two reasons ...
1. Data are simply facts and figures - which in and of themselves do little more than fill unread reports that cover desktops and clog computers. On the other hand, information (well-understood data) and the resulting insight are the higher goals for which we should strive, which require us to work smarter - not harder.
2. Using data to drive the instruction sounds about as awkward and as obvious as
Using the hammer to drive the (home) construction
Using the baton to drive the (orchestra) conduction
Using the donation to drive the (tax) deduction
Using the alcohol to drive the bars
Using the gasoline to drive the cars
Be careful of glorifying the means in ways that obscure the end.

4. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE. This week's feature ...

Math Crossword Puzzle Language Diagnostic
http://bit.ly/rtt_mathpuzz1



Use this creative diagnostic as a formal or informal assessment! It can visually demonstrate your students' level of math proficiency by measuring their command of its language!

Learn the story of its creation and use at http://bit.ly/rtt_mathpuzz1 !











-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - July 29, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://reachthenteach.blogspot.org

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

Friday, July 22, 2011

[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 2)

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - July 22, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://reachthenteach.blogspot.org

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------


-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. BIG IDEA - ACTIVITY VS. ACHIEVEMENT
2. GRIOT'S CORNER
3. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE


1. BIG IDEA OF LEADERSHIP - ACTIVITY VS. ACHIEVEMENT. Do not mistake activity for achievement. A dog that chases his tail looks busy, but accomplishes little.


2. GRIOT'S CORNER. A love letter to my wife ...

D&K's Adventure (1080p)
http://bit.ly/d_and_k


3. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE. This week's feature ...

Equation Proverbs: Volumes 1-3 (Character Education Posters)
http://bit.ly/rtt_eqprov



This collection of 20 11" x 8.5" (resolution of each is 3300 pixels x 2550 pixels) digital posters uses equations to illustrate 20 character themes.


-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - July 22, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.
http://reachthenteach.blogspot.org

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Equation Proverbs: Volumes 1-3 (Character Education Posters)



Purchase this at http://bit.ly/tpt_eqprov!

This collection of 20 11" x 8.5" (resolution of each is 3300 pixels x 2550 pixels) digital posters uses equations to illustrate the following character themes:








Equation Proverbs: Volumes 1-3 (Character Education Posters)
Table of Contents

Success 4
Power 5
Education 6
Courage 7
Genius 8
Excellence 9
Writing 10
Wisdom 11
Vision 12
Insight 13
Relationships 14
Discipline 15
Effective Leadership (Management) 16
Effective Leadership (Production) 17
Effective Leadership (Tact) 18
Effective Leadership (Authority) 19
Effective Leadership (Boundaries) 20
Effective Leadership (Ideas & Planning) 21
Effective Leadership (Communication) 22
Effective Leadership (Perceptions) 23


Also check out ...

  1. Character Education Visual Dictionary
  2. Math Visual Dictionary
  3. NOW YOU KNOW - Money Math Edition

Friday, July 15, 2011

[NOW YOU KNOW] Teaching & Learning Edition (Volume 1, Number 1)

-------------------------------------------
NOW YOU KNOW - July 15, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
-------------------------------------------


-------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-------------------

1. BIG IDEA - PERCEPTION vs. REALITY
2. GRIOT'S CORNER
3. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE


1. BIG IDEA OF LEADERSHIP - PERCEPTION vs. REALITY. Perception is not reality, but perceptions *shape* reality. Just as perceptions shape reality, though, reality also shapes perception. Search for and speak the truth in love to inform both your own as well as the perceptions of others. Those who think only with their eyes are often easily fooled. What a fool believes, he sees ... and no wise man has the power to reason away.


2. GRIOT'S CORNER. The perception - we are excelling ... the reality - truth is often stranger than fiction, and is always buried in the details :-).

The 'Texas Miracle' (January 2004)
http://bit.ly/nyk_tx


3. PUBLISHER'S CLEARINGHOUSE. This week's features ...

Math Visual Dictionary (Geometry Edition)
http://bit.ly/tpt_mvd

Language (how we use words and sounds to communicate) and discourse (verbal expression in speech and writing) are more important than vocabulary (knowledge of words). This Geometry visual dictionary presents 50 key terms along with descriptive photos on 8.5" x 11" slides. The slides are suitable for posting on word walls and bulletin boards!

Character Education Visual Dictionary
http://bit.ly/tpt_cevd

Maturity is achieved when your character and personality complement and illustrate a loving heart. This character education visual dictionary presents 78 key terms along with illustrative images on 8.5" x 11" slides. The slides are suitable for posting on word walls and bulletin boards. The PDF can also be displayed on teacher and/or student computers!


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NOW YOU KNOW - July 15, 2011
Teaching & Learning Edition
A Publication of KnowledgeBase, Inc.

© 2011 KnowledgeBase, Inc.
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Monday, July 11, 2011

Character Education Visual Dictionary

Purchase this at http://bit.ly/tpt_cevd!

Maturity is achieved when your character and personality complement and illustrate a loving heart.

This character education visual dictionary presents 78 key terms along with illustrative images on 8.5" x 11" slides.

The slides are suitable for posting on word walls and bulletin boards. The PDF can also be displayed on teacher and/or student computers.
Table of Contents

ACCOUNTABLE    6
ACHIEVEMENT    7
ANGER    8
ASSUME    9
ATTITUDE    10
AUTHORITY    11
CALM    12
CAPABLE    13
CARING    14
CHARACTER    15
CITIZENSHIP    16
COMMIT    17
COMMUNICATE    18
COMPASSION    19
COMPOSURE    20
CONFIDENCE    21
CONFLICT    22
CONFRONT    23
CONSIDERATE    24
CONSISTENT    25
CONTENT    26
CONTROL    27
COOPERATION    28
COURAGE    29
COURTESY    30
CREATIVITY    31
DECENCY    32
DEPENDABLE    33
DETERMINATION    34
DIDACTIC    35
DILIGENT    36
DIPLOMACY    37
DISCERN    38
DISCIPLINE    39
DOGMATIC    40
DUTY    41
EFFORT    42
EMPATHY    43
ENTHUSIASM    44
EQUALITY    45
ESTEEM    46
FAIR    47
FEARLESS    48
FEELINGS    49
FORGIVE    50
FRIEND    51
GENEROUS    52
GENTLE    53
GOSSIP    54
GRATITUDE    55
GROWTH    56
HABITS    57
HAPPINESS    58
HARMONY    59
HEAL    60
HELPFUL    61
HONESTY    62
HONOR    63
HOPE    64
HUMILITY    65
HUMOR    66
IMPATIENT    67
INDEPENDENT    68
INITIATIVE    69
INTEGRITY    70
INTELLIGENT    71
KNOWLEDGE    72
LAZY    73
LEADER    74
LIKE    75
LOVE    76
LOYAL    77
PEACE    78
POWER    79
PRINCIPLE    80
PROBLEMS    81
PURPOSE    82
WORK ETHIC    83

Also check out ...

  1. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 1)
  2. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 2)
  3. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 3)
  4. NOW YOU KNOW "Jeopardy"-Style Powerpoint Game Template

Big Ideas About Math Education: Math Crossword Puzzle Vocabulary Diagnostic

By Derrick Brown (Email) (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)
Download Math Crossword Puzzle Vocabulary Diagnostic (Free Preview Available)

This week, we move from "Big Ideas" to "Best Practices" for math education.

Learn how a simple crossword puzzle (of elementary and middle school math concepts) can be used as a creative diagnostic, or as a formal or informal assessment.

This resource can visually demonstrate your students' level of math proficiency by measuring their command of its language.

Background

I was named Math Department Head at my charter high school during Summer 2009. This new role made me directly responsible for catalyzing improvement in student achievement, and provided me with the opportunity to begin to formally research, evaluate, and implement language-based approaches to teaching mathematics.

To qualify and quantify the current level of language proficiency, I designed this 25-word diagnostic language test of math terms commonly used from kindergarten to eighth grade. The test was first given in July 2009 to 25 incoming 9th-grade students during our week-long Summer Orientation Camp.

Early results of the test indicated a remarkably low level of math language proficiency.

Less than 10% of the students tested were able to define terms like "square", "volume", "sum", and "circumference".

None of the students were able to define terms like "addition", "subtraction", "multiplication, "division", "area", "line", "circle", "diameter", "principal", and "interest".

One frustrated student put it best as she scribbled the following message at the top of her test: "Some words I could not define because I cannot explain, but I know how to do them."

This rude awakening convinced me that we have to stop congratulating ourselves for drilling our students on rote memorization and pattern recognition techniques to achieve short-term success, and to retain little fundamental understanding.

Students must learn to do math, and must then learn what math does. Establishing that level of proficiency requires a steep, uphill climb that is facilitated by sobering honesty, and a committed work ethic displayed by all school stakeholders.


Also check out:
  1. Reach - Then Teach (Big Ideas About Math Education)
  2. Math Crossword Puzzle Language Diagnostic (Alternate Download from Scribd.com)
Please share your thoughts on these "Big Ideas" and best practices by leaving comments below. Email us or follow us on Twitter @dbrowndbrown to submit your own "Big Ideas" and best practices!
 
Copyright © 2012 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


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Character Education Crossword Puzzles (Volume 1)

Check it out at http://bit.ly/tpt_charpuzz1!

Puzzles 1-4

These puzzles present the following 110 important interpersonal qualities in a fun, interactive, easy-to-complete format:

ACCOUNTABLE
ACHIEVEMENT
ANGER
ASSUMPTION
ATTITUDE
AUTHORITY
BRAVE
CALM
CAPABLE
CARE
CHARACTER
CHEERFUL
CITIZENSHIP
CLEAN
COMMITMENT
COMMUNICATE
COMPASSION
COMPOSURE
CONCERN
CONFIDENCE
CONFLICT
CONFRONT
CONSERVATIVE
CONSIDERATION
CONSISTENT
CONTENT
CONTROL
COOPERATION
COURAGE
COURTESY
CREATIVITY
DEPENDABLE
DETERMINATION
DIDACTIC
DILIGENT
DIPLOMACY
DISCERN
DISCIPLINE
DISCIPLING
DOGMATIC
EFFORT
EMPATHY
ENTHUSIASM
EQUALITY
ESTEEM
FAIR
FAVOR
FEARLESS
FORGIVENESS
FRIEND
GENEROSITY
GENTLE
GOSSIP
GRATITUDE
HABITS
HAPPINESS
HARSH
HONEST
HONOR
HOPE
HUMILITY
HUMOR
IMPATIENT
INDEPENDENT
INITIATIVE
INTEGRITY
KINDNESS
KNOWLEDGE
LAZY
LEADER
LOVE
LOYALTY
MINISTRY
MODERATION
NEGATIVE
OBEDIENCE
OPTIMISTIC
PATIENCE
PEACE
PERSISTENT
PLEASE
POLITE
POSITIVE
POWER
PRIDE
PRINCIPLE
PROBLEMS
PRODUCTIVE
PUNCTUAL
PURPOSE
RELATIONSHIP
RELIABILITY
RESPECT
RESPONSIBLE
RUMOR
SACRIFICE
SELF-CONTROL
SELF-DISCIPLINE
SELFLESS
SELF-RESPECT
SPORTSMANSHIP
STEWARDSHIP
THANKFUL
THRIFTY
TOLERANCE
TRUST
TRUTH
WISDOM
WORK ETHIC
WRATH

Puzzles 5-6

Based on author Derrick Brown’s e-book Reach – Then Teach, these puzzles present the following 50 important interpersonal qualities in a fun, interactive, easy-to-complete format:

ACCEPTANCE
ACCOUNTABILITY
AFFIRMATION
ANDRAGOGY
ARROGANCE
AUTHORITY
AWARENESS
BODY
CHARACTER
CRITICAL THINKING
DISCOURSE
EDUCATION
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
FAITH
FORGIVENESS
HONESTY
IGNORANCE
KNOWLEDGE
LANGUAGE
LEADERSHIP
LITERACY
LOVE
MATH
MIND (CONSCIENCE)
MINISTRY
MISSION
MONEY
NAME
OBEDIENCE
PEDAGOGY
PERSONALITY
POSSESSIONS
POWER
PROBLEM SOLVING
READING
RELATIONSHIPS
SELF-DISCIPLINE
STEWARDSHIP
STUDENT
TALENTS
TEACHER
TEMPERAMENT
TIME
TRUST
VISION
WEALTH
WISDOM
WORK
WORK ETHIC
WRITING

NOW YOU KNOW History Quiz Bowl (Volume 1)


 
Check it out at http://bit.ly/tpt_nyk_hqb!

NOW YOU KNOW is a gameshow played (using a Powerpoint template) in the tradition of "Jeopardy" that presents the exploits of extraordinary people in an inspiring, "edutaining" way.

The History Quiz Bowl (Volume I) presents 26 (5 per category, plus 1 in the final round) inspiring people in a fun, interactive, easy-to-play format that includes these categories:

EDUCATION
FILM, TV, THEATER
FREEDOM FIGHTERS
SISTAH SOULJAHS
SPORTS

The preview file is a read-only, abbreviated version of the game. Check out the vibrant colors, great pictures, the easy-to-understand "answers", and the compelling stories told about each historical figure!

Also check out ...
  1. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 1)
  2. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 2)
  3. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 3)
  4. NOW YOU KNOW "Jeopardy"-Style Powerpoint Game Template

NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 2)



Check it out at http://bit.ly/pVNObS!

NOW YOU KNOW is a gameshow played (using a Powerpoint template) in the tradition of "Jeopardy" that presents the exploits of extraordinary people in an inspiring, "edutaining" way.

The Character Education Edition (Volume 2) presents 26 (5 per category, plus 1 in the final round) important interpersonal qualities in a fun, interactive, easy-to-play format that includes these categories:

"A" WORDS (accountable, achievement, anger, etc.)
"C" WORDS (citizenship, commit, courtesy, etc.)
MORE "C" WORDS (considerate, consistent, control, etc.)
"D" WORDS (dependable, determined, disciplined, etc.)
"E" WORDS (effort, equality, enthusiasm, etc.)

Check out the great pictures and the easy-to-understand "answers" that accompany each interpersonal quality!




Check out the other "Now You Know" Editions:

  1. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 1)
  2. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 3)
  3. NOW YOU KNOW History Quiz Bowl (Volume 1)
  4. NOW YOU KNOW "Jeopardy"-Style Powerpoint Game Template

Microsoft Excel Functions Workbook, Volume 2

Download it at http://bit.ly/tpt_exv2!

This is an Excel 97-2003 collection of 15 project-based, problem solving spreadsheet exercises (with complete keys - SEE PREVIEW) that help students learn to use the following powerful Microsoft Excel functions:

SUM
AVERAGE
IF
COUNTIF
COUNTBLANK

Each exercise generally takes between 1 and 2 full class periods to complete. I take 10-15 minutes to explain the problem, the deliverable, and the tools, and then let the students work independently or in small groups.

I created these for the Microsoft Excel portion of my 9th-grade Computer Applications class, but also integrated them into my Geomtery, Algebra 2, and Pre-Engineering classes as projects in later years.

Developing a Microsoft Excel skill set is just that important for college-bound students and teachers!

Check out Volume 1 at http://bit.ly/tpt_exv1!


NOW YOU KNOW Math Edition (Money)


NOW YOU KNOW (http://bit.ly/nyk_money) is a gameshow played (using a Powerpoint template) in the tradition of "Jeopardy".

The Money Edition presents 26 (5 per category, plus 1 in the final round) fundamental money problems in a fun, interactive, easy-to-play format that includes these categories:

BORROWING (DEBT)
BUDGETING
COST, REVENUE, & PROFIT
EARNING & SAVING
INVESTING
SHOPPING

The preview file is a read-only, abbreviated version of the game.



Check out the other "Now You Know" Editions:

  1. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 1)
  2. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 2)
  3. NOW YOU KNOW Character Education Edition (Volume 3)
  4. NOW YOU KNOW History Quiz Bowl (Volume 1)
  5. NOW YOU KNOW "Jeopardy"-Style Powerpoint Game Template

Math Visual Dictionary - Geometry




This Geometry visual dictionary presents 50 key terms along with descriptive photos on 8.5" x 11" slides.

The slides are suitable for posting on word walls and bulletin boards. The PDF can also be displayed on teacher and/or student computers.

Check it out at http://bit.ly/tpt_mvd !





Copyright © 2020 Derrick Brown and KnowledgeBase, Inc. All Rights Reserved.