Slow Food

I’d like to change the pace a little and write about one of my Reader subscriptions called “KCRW Good Food” .

KCRW is an FM radio station that provides lots of podcasts, and the podcast (this is a very large file and will take a while to open) I got from the reader is a 50 minute segment that had a lot to do with Memorial Day events and other fun food things. Part of the episode deals with a new movement called “Slow Food”. There is now an international organization that not only rates, publishes, awards, and even blogs about wonderful establishments who pride themselves on providing affordable ambiance, and a relaxing meal rather than the standard of the Fast Food Industry. Another segment of this podcast dealt with one of my Food Channel favorites, Alton Brown, and his show that highlights some of the out of the way places along the Mississippi River. Lastly, there are some interviews with folks about the southern classic, Memorial Day or not, about barbecued chicken. Can you smell the smoky flavor of the grill?

In general, blog writing for the classroom provides a great deal of directed interaction both in the form of student to student and teacher to student. Replies can be made by students even though they may be in distant locations, whole groups can see and interact with the postings of the members of the group, and great models of expectation by the teacher can be set up to get information on the correct track and tone.

I was very impressed with the way Darren Kuropatwa has engaged his students.

The idea of challenging the students to excel in their blogs via the “Hall of Fame” creates an incredible incentive for them to really dig into the content as well as display their creative abilities. You can tell from the student reactions that they both appreciate and embrace the work of each other. I have to raise the issue of “time”. I don’t know how long it takes to create a page of this much detail and specificity both on the part of the student and the teacher. Should students spend all of their time trying to earn a “Hall of Fame” math recognition, what happens to all of the other work they must do?

Our students are really challenged across the board, and time management to accomplish their nightly work demands focus and a schedule; how they accomplish so much is a question worth visiting.

Anne Davis creates a compelling argument for blogging at an early age and Mark Ahlness suggests the rationale should be read by and adopted by classes at all levels.

Any time you get individuals to critique, reflect on, and reply to content, you are developing and expanding the critical thinking process. When students get excited about not only seeing what others are saying, but are internalizing and responding to the thoughts of others, that process is being developed. One of the keys to this being successful surely lies in the hands of the teacher in terms of establishing guidelines and responsibilities required of the students. When coupled with the overview stated by Kris Badburn in “How to Prevent another Leonardo DaVinci” it creates a compelling challenge for the classroom teacher, should we want our students to evolve in that direction.

We have to remember though, that DaVinci was a considered to be a genius and multifaceted man.  I don’t know what the schools were like in his day, he may not even have gone to one and been a self learner.  That doesn’t fit too well into our educational framework for organized schools.