Embedded Video - Thirty Day Challenge The Getting Of Ideas…

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On this first day of The Thirty Day Challenge, the Digital Natives had to get creative and generate ideas for a niche market.  Sounds very business-like, doesn’t it?

Hmm… I’ve been thinking that it sounds a lot like generating a thesis topic in school, but I won’t mention it to some of the writing-phobic Teens.

Anyway, we have no problem generating a huge, long list of interesting topics.  And, since we’ve been warned to turn off our internal editing monitors, we’re just going to leave it at that.

Now, since it’s Friday, and time for the weekly Friday Find, I’m going to share one of the coolest sites online to put you into a creative mood: Moodstream.

Spin a wheel to select music and images tailored to your mood, then add image and song selections to a mood board.  After customizing your mood board, save it to play whenever you need a little inspiration.

And, since the footage and photos are from Getty Images, you can be sure that they are gorgeous and often thought-provoking. 

Hopefully, you’ll stay focused on the task at hand, whatever it is, and you won’t be inclined to create an Ed Dale Tribute (like my daughter) or veer off into Change Me - The Power of Imagery To Create Change.  Oh, well, I’m sure there is value in tangential thinking. 

Yes, I know there is.  Don’t you think?

For more wired world ideas that you can share with your family, be sure to visit previous Friday Finds:

Zipcode Zoo - Identify the flora and fauna in any area, and learn lots about animals.

Green Dimes -  Stop unwanted junk mail and share ways to “green up” our world.

Kids Cooking Activities - Ideas and resources to inspire budding chefs.

Wordle - Turn your words into a work of art

Animoto - Create a music video with your photos.

Instructables - Discover instructions for all kinds of projects - from recipes to robots - or post your own.

Mr. Picassohead - Unleash your inner abstract artist.

Hulu - Watch a movie or catch up on your favorite TV shows on your computer.

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Tags: wired, writing, Friday Find

Each box that you mark on each test that you take,
Remember your teachers, their jobs are at stake.
Your score is their score, but don’t get all stressed.
They’d never teach anything not on the test.

From the lyrics to Not On The Test by Tom Chapin and John Forster

It’s a gentle song with a powerful punch.  And, despite the song’s digs at teachers, it’s intended in support of programs that help them reach their students.

Even as Secretary of Education Spellings is strengthening No Child Left Behind, Tom Chapin is gathering a groundswell of support  on notonthetest.com to speak up for keeping music, art, drama, and sports in education because:

It’s no secret that American industry has outsourced most factory jobs to other countries to take advantage of cheaper labor costs. So why are we putting so much effort into a form of education in which there is no creativity? This is the time that our youth should be taught to think ”out of the box,” not be put into a tighter one!

As some of my favorite public school teachers have described, NCLB is sucking the joy out of teaching (and learning.)

I’m signing up to act now for Not On The Test, but I’d love to hear a follow-up to this song that highlights how our nation’s brightest are being left behind.

The Fordham Institute’s latest report confirms that:

1. The nation’s top pupils have “languished” academically while the lowest-performing youngsters have gained dramatically.

2. Most teachers feel pressure to focus primarily on their lowest achieving students, and neglect the high achievers.

Any suggestions for a song title?  Here’s my lame song title attempt - Shut Up, Turn Off Your Mind!  Come on, I know you’ve got some good ones.  Share them in a comment.

More On Living By Learning articles on creativity and school:

In this TED Talks video, Sir Ken Robinson questions: Do schools kill creativity?

Advocating for change in education is a slow process.  In the meantime, creativity is one reason to homeschool.

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My Friday Find feature is supposed to be a super-fast article with a link to a web site that will inspire you (I hope!) to explore the wired world with your kids. 

When I ran across Waterstone’s. What’s your story?, I figured that I had the perfect candidate.

Waterstone’s is sponsoring a postcard story competition, ending June 19th,  where all you have to do is upload a creative postcard, preferably with your story. 

Or, you can decorate a card, any way you like, using their card generator.

Winners receive book vouchers and/or a writing course.  You may also get to have your story printed with such illustrious company as Margaret Atwood or JK Rowling.

Well, I have a story project in the works, so why not upload it? 

Several hours later,  I figured out a way to fit my story into the card template and upload it into the gallery.

After all that effort, I finally looked at all the cards in the gallery.   Mine didn’t look as pretty as the others, but that’s OK, I managed to fit in all the words.

Next, I read the judging criteria.  Nearly at the end of the list, I found:

Does the story ‘fit’ the page, or did it appear to be a longer story
cut down to fit the space available?

Obviously, I should’ve read the judging criteria before embarking on this project.  Still, at least I got to “publish” my story somewhere.  I was proud of my story.  It even has a great ending. 

It was so good, I just had to read it again, squinting to make out the tiny, cramped type.  That’s when I noticed that the end was cut off.

Ahhck!  I definitely won’t win any prizes.

Tomorrow, I’ll let the kids give the story card generator a whirl.  Maybe they’ll be better at this.  Hey, they could hardly be worse.

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Who doesn’t want to be the center of attention on their birthday?

Dave is 44-years-old today; and, despite his advanced years, he wants a birthday celebration.

What he truly desires is to be feted with a blow-out birthday party.  Who could blame him?  Every year, our kids get to fulfill their wildest fantasies with themes like: Bug’s Life, Zoo Safari, Dinosaur Dig, Ariel’s Caribbean Luau, Spiderman’s Adventures, A Mad Hatter’s Birthday Tea Party, Art Party, Pokemon Competition, Harry Potter’s Wizards’ Challenge, Haunted Mansion, Spa Resort, and Dance Party.

For these parties, we fill the house with decorations, activities, and way too many kids.  It’s crazy, boisterous, non-stop excitement that leaves me zapped of all energy for at least a week. 

A kid’s birthday celebration is the kind of overwhelming event that should only be held once per year.  Of course, we have two kids so it’s twice a year.  Well, Dave thinks he’s a kid, but, really, after age 10, blow-out birthday celebrations should be limited to: Sweet Sixteen (or Quinceanera), 18, 21, and then just the decades.  I really think you need to wait ten years to fully appreciate the moment, and to give your family a break.

This year, we’ll order a pizza, enjoy a quiet dinner, and try to forget Dave’s Kon Tiki 40th Birthday Madness!

If you’re looking for creative kid’s birthday party inspiration, and detailed instructions, visit the Birthday Planner on FamilyFun.com for “scores” of party themes and the crafts and activities to go with them.

For general guidance on hosting a kid’s birthday party, and lots of theme ideas, I always turn to Vicki Lansky’s Birthday Parties book (see below.)  She lays out all the components of a successful party while reminding you that,

For young children, these are the best rules to follow: KEEP IT SMALL, KEEP IT SHORT, KEEP IT SIMPLE, KEEP IT MOVING, AND KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR!

Okay, I usually break all those rules, but at least - with Vicki’s expert advice -  I know what I’m getting into!

What’s your favorite birthday party idea?

Happy Birthday, Dave AND Clara!

Book Resource:

Birthday Parties: Best Party Tips and Ideas (Lansky, Vicki): Vicki Lansky: BooksISBN: 0916773361 ISBN-13: 9780916773366

More Birthday Party Articles:

Learn more about our party traditions on Birthday Celebrations.

Baby Parties: Baby To Preschool.

4th Birthday: Ariel’s Caribbean Luau and our  Piñata Tradition.

5th Birthday: A Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

6th Birthday: The Art Party.

7th Birthday: A Pokémon Party.

8th Birthday: A Harry Potter Party.

9th Birthday: Tween Spa Party.

10th Birthday: Chocolate Dreams Slumber Party.

11th Birthday: The Last Dance Tween Disco Party.

12th Birthday:  A Girl-Led Tween Roller Skating Party.

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I’ve been tagged by a meme game again.  This time, Amy L from Earnest Parenting is asking for a list of seven interesting things about me.

Oh, the pressure!  My natural impulse is to downplay my greatness.  Aw, shucks.  You want me to tell you something interesting about little old me?  Meanwhile, what I’m really thinking is how will I limit it to just seven things?  I could probably come up with seven interesting things about me from just today!

After much thought, or at least seven minutes of deep thinking, I’m going to list 7 Interesting Things About Me that help explain On Living By Learning:

1. Creativity is a gift and a curse.  It’s impossible for me to look at anything without thinking about ways to improve it.  This is not a quality that is universally appreciated.  For example, my husband doesn’t seem to mind that today I gave him 5-10 suggestions regarding his new office and his Cub Scout Den.  The other leaders in my Girl Scout Service Unit have learned to reign me in when my ideas are too ambitious or just plain wild.  On the other hand, few of my kids’ teachers have been able to put up with me. 

2. Travelling with me is not for the faint of heart.  My in-laws have described our travel excursions as “death marches.”  Apparently, some people like to relax when they are on vacation.  Not me.  The only time that I like to relax while travelling is when I’m miserably ill or about to collapse from exhaustion.  Otherwise, I like to soak in the destination to the full extent possible.  My husband still jokes about the time I dragged him up a Nepalese mountain trail, despite severe gastric distress, to view a temple that the Lonely Planets guide described as a site “that no lover of art and architecture should miss.”

3.  A book addiction isn’t pretty.  I firmly believe that books are an essential element of any home decor, but my collection is out of control.  My bookshelves are overflowing, and the floor stacks are tipping over.  The nearest book store is a twenty minute car drive away, but the Amazon button is always at eye level.  My annual book allowance far exceeds any other item on my budget, and I won’t reduce it any further.  I’m an unrepentant bookaholic.

4. Everything in my life is a work in progress.  I love to check things off my “to do” list, but infrequently experience this satisfaction.  Many of my projects are ongoing and never-ending.  There is always a new element to add, or a tangent to explore.  Fortunately, this fits in well with my philosophy of life in which I treasure the journey over the destination.

5.  Giving is not a choice.  I’m always shocked by suggestions that I curtail volunteer work to make more time for me.  It’s shocking because I can’t imagine not helping others.  I often wish that I was doing more.  Even when I eliminate a volunteer job, a replacement soon appears.  That’s the way I like it.  When I’m on my deathbed, I want to be able to look back on a life worth living.

6. Change is a constant element of my life.  Until now, I never lived anywhere very long.  I tell everyone that I grew up in St. Thomas, USVI because I lived in that home for seven years.  Before that, I moved every 1-2 years.  After that, I switched homes even more frequently.  Over ten years in Manhattan, I lost count of my “homes.”  Now that I’m happily ensconced in my current abode, whether I like it or not, change is more elusive.  And yet, change seems inevitable as we try new ventures (homeschooling, career moves, etc.)

7. I get by with a little help from my friends.   These days I’m more of a hermit than a social butterfly.  I read, research, and write my way through all kinds of issues.  But, I rarely make an important decision without at least one phone call (or email) to a close friend.   They’re the panel of experts who help me form the opinions expressed on this site.

Okay, but enough about me.  I’m tagging: Tasha on Follow The Muse; Tammy on Just Enough, and Nothing More; Karen on Leaping From The Box; Diane on Popcorn and Sushi; Rational Jenn; Kayla on Elferkid; and Not Freddy on Once a fool, always a fool.  You’re it!

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Looking out the window of our home in the woods, I see a glistening world of dripping icicles. It’s a beautiful, treacherous place where all roads and walkways are covered in a sheet of ice.

Schools are closed, and even though I homeschool my younger child, it’s a day off for both kids. It’s also a day to host friends whose parents can’t take the day off from their jobs.

Icy Day Plans

So, what are we doing today?

My idea of a perfect day off includes all-day pajamas, reading in bed, and total inertia.

My kid’s idea of a perfect day off includes friends and endless motion.

Our compromise is that I stay in my pajamas, and maintain the command center in the safe-zone of my bedroom. From my inner sanctum, I monitor activity and swoop in as necessary.

So, what do kids do when they are free to play on their own? Here is a partial list of all that these kids have done today.

Indoor Activities

Wii Games: Excite Truck; Heatseeker.

Board Games: Cadoo; Monopoly; and Apples to Apples.

Card Games: Go Fish and Old Maid from our set of Children’s Card Games.

Cooking: Palachinki (Breakfast Crepes); Chocolate Chip Cookies (scoop and bake.)

Online Games: Club Penguin; Webkinz; Linerider; and the educational Whyville.

Crafts: The older girls re-fashioned t-shirts using sewing supplies. The younger kids crafted farm animals, dinosaurs, and futuristic creatures that were featured in their playacting.

Music: Although the kids weren’t eager to practice their instruments, they enjoyed giving their friends lessons on the piano and harp. I’ve also heard them singing various Christmas carols.

Physical Activity: Running up and down the stairs; Bouncing; Chasing; Playing Killer Barbies At The Water Olympics in the hot tub.

Learning Activities

Whew! It’s now late in the afternoon, and they aren’t slowing down at all. I think it’s interesting that given the opportunity, these kids covered most of their school subjects through play. Here are some of the subjects that the children explored:

Language Arts: Apples to Apples (Vocabulary); Clay Creations (Writing); Barbie Stories (Writing)

Math: Monopoly; Card Games (Money Skills; Addition; Subtraction)

Social Studies: Palachinkis (Introduction to the Culture and Cuisine of Eastern Europe)

Science: Cooking (States of Matter; Kitchen Chemistry); Whyville (Various Science Games)

Critical Thinking - Wii and Online Games

Music

Art

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Since early October, I’ve been hit by an onslaught of gift suggestions for the holidays. It seems like every single media outlet has targeted my kids and I as ideal consumers. Why wouldn’t they?

We’ve bought many toys and gadgets in the past, and we enjoy using the modern marvels of the wired world. Sure, we like toys, but we have also learned to avoid one-use wonders!

My daughter learned this lesson the Christmas she begged for Make Up Mindy. Brainwashed by TV commercials, she looked forward to hours of fun putting makeup on her new best friend. However, after she tore open her playmate’s wrappings on Christmas morning; she discovered that applying makeup on a plastic doll gets old quickly. You do it once, and then you’re done. Make Up Mindy was the one hit wonder of the toy world.

2007 One-Use Wonders

There are a lot of toys like that. Take a good look at Yahoo Kids! Top 10 Toys and you will find several One-Use Wonders on a list of Gifts that promise hours of fun and entertainment. Some obvious One-Use Wonders from this list:

• Uncle Milton Moon in My Room - How many times is your child going to look at the lunar phases, and why can’t they look out the window? This might be a lovely decorative item, but not an engaging toy.
• Leapster Reading & Math Learning Games - “Learning games” is pretty much the kiss of death for toys. Kids love to learn, and they love to learn through play, but don’t tell them that they are playing “learning games.”
• Eyeclops - This toy lets you use your TV to view an item magnified 200 times its actual size. Wow! I can see how a kid might enjoy looking at magnified snot, but how many times are they going to want to do that? And how many times is an adult going to want to help them plug this tool to the TV?
• High School Musical DVD Game - There is, at best, a 2 month window when your child might think that High School Musical is cool. I learned this the hard way last year when I ended up with an unpopular DVD and musical soundtrack before I had even presented my daughter with the gift.
• Hasbro Interactive I-Dog - My daughter has this very cool gadget, and she has used it to play tunes from her Ipod at least 3 times in the 1.5 years that she has owned it.
• Wow Wee RS Media Robosapien V2 - This is the one my 8-year-old son really, really wants this Christmas. I presume the Wow Wee would occupy a place of honor on the shelf next to Roboraptor, the other robotic dust-catcher from a Christmas past.

Living By Learning List of Most Used Gifts

This year consider avoiding the hot toys of 2007, and pick up gifts that your family will still be using next year. I’ve even included a couple of crossovers:

1. Video Game Console- These get a lot of use in our home. My husband, kids, and visitors often enjoy playing a video game on weekends or play dates. We have a GameCube and XBox, but the Nintendo Wii is the most popular at this time. Our favorite Wii Games: Tennis ( Wii Sports); Heetseeker - Aerial warfare that is rated T (teens.) Visit Metracritic.com for Wii game reviews.
2. Hand-held Game - My son has the white Nintendo DS, my daughter the pink. Both are invaluable when we travel. The kids play cooperatively for hours, and it often helps initiate friendships on the road. They both love the Pokemon and Mario Brothers games. My daughter also enjoys Animal Crossings, while my son prefers Spectrobes. You can find DS game reviews at Metracritic.com.
3. Digital Photo - Extend the use of a digital camera with Adobe Photo Elements which allows you to organize and edit your photos, and use these to create photo books, scrapbook pages, slide shows, and more. Older kids, and adults, love taking pictures and playing around with the results using Photo Elements.
4. Makeup Kit - My daughter, like many girls, loves makeup. Pick up an inexpensive cosmetic case at Target or Wal-Mart, put in some lip gloss, and include a gift certificate. Or, give a girl a manicure set. You can even find makeup for preschoolers who love to play dress up. For more tween makeup suggestions visit Elferkid Makeup Lessons.
5. Pretend Play Collection - Our dress up collection has been in constant use since my daughter was a toddler. Over the years, we have added costume jewelry, exotic fabrics, garage sale hats, and various costumes. Consider starting out with a pre-assembled collection such as the “Let’s Pretend” Dress-Up Trunk and Accessories from Lilly’s Kids. Then, add items of special interest such as a tea set or doctor’s kit. This collection can be a great resource for Halloween costumes, theatrical productions, or elaborate pretend games.
6. Easel - We have been using my daughter’s Community Playthings easel for over 10 years. At first, she just used it for art projects, but its dry erase boards have been used for announcements, project planning, and continuous displays.
7. Art Supplies - You can pick up art materials at Michael’s, Aaron Brothers, Pearl Paint or a local artist supply store such as Arlene’s Artist Materials. I like to put together a how-to book with the supplies necessary to create that craft. Here are some of our favorite art books: The Usborne Pocket Artist; Art Smart Painting; Polymer Clay for the Fun of it!; and The Jumbo Book of Art.
8. Crafts - Be careful purchasing craft supplies; we have started many craft projects that sit uncompleted for years. My suggestion is to purchase craft supplies that can be used for a variety of projects. For example, avoid the Bejeweler Pro but do get beads that can be used for jewelry, scrapbooking, and a multitude of decorative arts. Other multi-use craft items: sewing supplies; not too hot glue gun; yarn; felt; fabric; lanyard cord; fabric paint; ribbon.
9. Office Supplies - The gift my son has used the most has been a collection of office supplies. I picked up markers, crayons, scissors, a stapler, staples, brads, and a tape dispenser at Staples. Then I added items purchased in bulk at Sam’s Club: tape, glue sticks, and best of all, a huge box of letter-sized white paper. This supply has been used to create flags, pop-up birthday cards, boats, and most recently, accessories for a rock star polar bear.
10. Ball Collection - One year my kids received a set of huge exercise balls that have become a treasured addition to a collection that includes marbles and balls for ping pong, golf, tennis, soccer, racquetball, basketball , and volley ball. Not only are these balls used for their intended purpose, but they come in handy for all kinds of games and experiments.
11. Blocks - Perhaps the most used toy in our home has been the set of wooden blocks that I picked up at Costco when my daughter was one year old. They have been used to build castles, forts, ramps, tallest structure competitions, Pokemon homes, race tracks, and lots of edifices that are beyond the comprehension of mere adults.
12. Books - Books might seem like one-use wonders, but they open a priceless world. Although I believe that all books are worthy gifts, there are a few treasured books that we return to often. These include: The Complete Tales & Poems of Winnie-the Pooh; The Classic Tales of Beatrix Potter; Mother Goose; Aesop’s Fables; and Greek Myths.

Have you found gifts that withstand the test of time, or have you been slammed by one-use wonders? Please share your story or suggestion.

On a perfect day at home, each of us has time to express the artist within. On this day, Alex sewed a pillow, Kayla played a lovely tune on the harp, and I harvested herbs from the garden and hung them to dry. Each of us found a different way to express our creativity.

I sometimes wonder about those people who tell me that they aren’t creative. Are they really unable to create anything, or is it that they don’t appreciate what they create?

Isn’t creativity expressed when you assemble an outfit, or a meal, or an efficient solution to a problem? Aren’t you creative when you write an email, rearrange a room, or build an organization.

Any time that you rearrange elements to form something that didn’t exist before, you are being creative.

So, how are you expressing your creativity?

 

I’m homeschooling my son to ensure that there is room for creativity in his education.

This may come as a shock to my husband and mother-in-law.

They think I’m homeschooling Alex because he wasn’t learning much in the public school, especially in science.

It is certainly true that with the current focus on school achievement in New York State’s Math and ELA tests given in 3rd-8th Grade, there is a tendency to focus on raising the scores of low-scoring students while the brightest students are virtually ignored as it is assumed that they do not have any special needs. Also, there is a tendency to spend the greater portion of each school day on the Math and English Language Arts course work that will result in the highest scores on these tests. Even 2nd grade teachers have to make sure their classes adhere to the pacing guidelines for those subjects. Other subjects and projects are often given cursory attention, or are dropped altogether.

As students and teachers are pushed to conform so that schools achieve the numbers needed to maintain funding, child-centered learning and creativity are the casualties.

How is child-centered learning and creativity part of our homeschooling experience? I’ve paraphrased the classic children’s book, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, to describe our recent experience.

If you give a kid freedom to learn, he is going to want to choose his own books.If you give a kid his own book choice, he is going to want to read the entire Captain Underpants series.

If you give a kid the opportunity to read the entire Captain Underpants series, he is going to want to visit the Dav Pilkey website.

If you give a kid free reign on the Dav Pilkey website, he will want to start creating superheroes just like Dav Pilkey did in second grade.

If you give a kid art supplies to create superheroes, he will want to write a book.

If you give a kid time to write a book, he is going to want to write a novel during National Novel Writing Month.

If you give a kid membership in NaNoWrimo’s Young Writers Program, he is going to ask if you want to write a novel too.

And then you get a mommy who is overbooked, but a kid who has lots of time and energy to find new ways to keep mommy busy!

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TED - Technology, Entertainment, Design - Ideas Worth Spreading

“Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. With ample anecdotes and witty asides, Robinson points out the many ways our schools fail to recognize — much less cultivate — the talents of many brilliant people. “We are educating people out of their creativity,” Robinson says. The universality of his message is evidenced by its rampant popularity online. A typical review: “If you have not yet seen Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk, please stop whatever you’re doing and watch it now.”

Click to see this video on Ted Talks.

 

More TED Talks:

Are we overprotecting our kids?

A Wish For Students: Imagination In Action

Do schools kill creativity?

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