Ian’s blogomatic

from The Big Picture

Samera Baalusha (34) (right) sits with her daughter Eman (15) and surviving son Mohamad (15 months) while waiting to see the body of her 4-year-old daughter Jawaher Baalusha during the funeral held for Jawher and her four other sisters who were all killed in an Israeli missile strike, on December 29, 2008 in the Jebaliya refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip. Jawher Baalusha and her sisters were killed during an Israeli air raid while they were sleeping together in their bedroom. Medics stated that the raid had targeted a mosque near their home in Jabalia. (Abid Katib/Getty Images) 

It's the last day of Movember. If you want to see how I've done, go to my Mo-Space and check it out. I'm off to the pub shortly to get it shaved off so you won't see it again till next year.

It's been fun, and I've raised about $500, but I'm pretty much over it now.

                                                           

70% Geek

Teachers frequently despair that their students are so coddled. That their students are so used to having everything done for them that any initiative they might have had has evaporated. I know I'm sounding like a grandfather if I say "They have never had to work for anything in their lives", but this pretty much covers it. They don't make a serious effort for anything that does not have an immediate pay off. They don't have to, because Mummy buys it or sorts it out for them. This is one of the reasons my daughter, who I miss terribly, is away at boarding school. A good life requires some self drive and resourcefulness - you don't get this if you are never forced to think or act for yourself.

In thinking about this, I have been playing with the idea of reading The Grapes of Wrath to my students. This is a book that had a huge impact on me and made me appreciate what I had as a young man. I remember I read it on holidays at the beach - every time I put it down (which wasn't often) I was starving. However, I have been teaching long enough now to realise such a project is quixotic. Like many of the plans I dream up to help my students it would only work in some inspiring teacher movie. Not in real life with these students and this teacher. They would be bored in about five minutes and I would be angry with their lack of attention.

I came across Scratch Beginnings this morning. This is the story of a young American man who sets out to prove to himself that he has the sort of drive I am thinking about. Adam Shepard  travels to a city he doesn't know with $25, a sleeping bag and an empty gym bag to start a new life at the bottom. Without using his contacts, his credit history or his college education he is determined to show he can get from there to a comfortable life in a year.

I suspect his direct language and the cover image of a good looking guy in cargo shorts and sneakers might make a favourable enough impression on my students till they can get caught up in the story. Worth a try anyway. I've ordered it.

(links to Amazon)

(Lenny&Meriel via BoingBoing)

I love these softy textured, science flavoured photos of Caleb Charland 's.

I've joined the local Mo-vember team, in which we all grow a moustache in order to raise money to support men's health issues. My day by day progress photos are at on my "mo-space " and you can support the cause here . The beneficiaries are the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Beyond Blue . For the record, I am totally against prostate cancer, especially that bit where the doctor puts his finger up your bum. They should find a cure for that.

Buffy: "No, I'm not saying she craned her neck; we're talking full-on Exorcist twist."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Series 1 Episode 4 Teacher Pet

This chick, Julia Nunes is fantastic, plus she totally gets that birthdays are a big deal.

by digital_grid