Sunday, September 11, 2011
New look in many Google apps!
Remember in class when we discussed that Google will be changing interfaces (the appearance of their web sites and controls?
Google is already offering new interfaces for many of there apps. You'll notice a 'Try the updated Blogger interface' link on the top of you dashboard.
Google IG, Google Groups just announced a change today...
Likely the 'try this out feature' will soon be replaced by a 'we'll be switching you over soon to th new interface. Switch now, or we'll do it for you later.'
The new interfaces will be more streamlined... and hard to navigate at first. Be patient, read what's on the screen, and take educated guesses about what you need to click on to accomplish your goals.
Hope everyone's doing well and enjoying the start to the school year.
We had a rough start to our school year courtesy of Hurricane Irene! Here's a post on what happened up here and the road to recovery.
Looking forward to seeing you folks again! Adam
Monday, August 22, 2011
Summer Tech
Summer and technology
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Reflection
Friday, August 12, 2011
REFLECTION
Thursday, August 11, 2011
My Summer Tech Reflection
Thank you Adam for sharing with us, for being so patient and for sharing your passion with us. I really loved the video of the orchestra from Venezulea, it was very inspiring. I hope you enjoyed our city and our food. Thanks again for everything!!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
REFLECTION
refelction
MY REFLECTION
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Lifetime lesson
Marcela´s Reflection
I liked to be in a class where I was able to choose the path that I wanted to take. I faced several obstacles in photo shop mainly, but I had a great team which supported me and helped me get where I wanted to be. So I realized how learning can be meaningful if you are able to make choices, work with others and solve problems during your journey.
I was a little disappointed when I showed the pictures I fixed in photoshop to my kids at home. And they said:"Come on! You learned to do this? It's so easy". Well, I guess my learning about photoshop has just begun; I need to keep working on it and surprise them some how!
Thanks for a fun and productive week
Good luck
Marcela
My Reflection
I worked during the class with two computers and I realized about this at the last day during my presentation. I wish I had Photoshop in my Mac Book. I enjoyed the class very much. I learned many new things and at the same time I had a lot of fun. I didn’t want to have a twitter account at first. I keep forgetting my passwords, so for me it was a totally new password. But I could see during class that Twitter is very useful and liked how our postings in twitter appeared at our Blog with the Hash tags. Loved this new word for me: Hash tags. I’m glad I didn’t have to use the Delicious page because I forgot the password. My new homework is to find where I wrote it and in which computer, maybe it can be at the computer that I use in my office. I want to thank Adam for helping me find out my Mac Book password so I could fix it. Jaja!!! I have to say that I had a lot of fun in this Last Class, the best and last class. I will miss you all.
Adam thanks for your Recaps of every day. I came back to my house to read them and to see all the videos you posted. It’s easier and better to listen to the videos without noise and you can pay more attention to them if you are more relaxed. Loved the music too!
Saludos,
SANDRA
Reflection
During the course we worked by the constructivist way of learning. I was really engaged because I worked for my own interest, I had time to explore and discover things by myself. I realized that my big challenge is to teach my students to try to do things without being afraid to do something wrong, so they can be problem solvers and develop skills for the future.
Olinda Belloc
What I did for this course of Technology
1. This video I made for my mother for her 32th wedding anniversary. What I did in here was to find pictures , mopst of them were faded and scan them. After that I tried my best to use Photoshop to make them the best I could. Also I made several presentations and they put them all together to make the video
My mom
2. This video I made it for my students and send it by email. After I gathered several pictures of them through out the school year and of a project they worked with I made this video. In this video I learned a lot becasue it was hnestly the first time that I used imovie.
3C
3. The last video I did by putting all the mini clips I took of my kids presenting different characters from the novel Dare to Dream. The video is horiztonal, there was a lot of problem uploading it becasue of the size.
DareToDream
My Reflection
Its all about exploring and doing, it doesn't matter if you fail on the try, the key is to continue trying and continue learning. At some point you will succeed and raise above your own expectations.
I will probably continue on my way of becoming a masters at the photoshop (LOL), I'm really in to it right now. Thank you Adam for this amazing and motivating course. Now I have to go back to my In Service here at the Euro...
Hope to see you at our graduation...
Eva. :D
Reflection
The Technology classes have always been a challenge for me, because I don´t consider myself to good at it. Nevertheless I´ve seen a lot of progress and I´ve learned a lot. In this Tech class I was very lost and frustrated at the beginning. Not understanding exactly what to do or how to do it. It was difficult for me to choose the project I wanted to do. Once I made up my mind and after working with Ari and Myrella in Google Docs and the Wiki, I began playing with Photoshop, wow !!! what an experience I couldn´t stop searching fro new things and making the designs for the parts I wanted to leave with color became an addiction hahaha. I realize it tok me more time to learn by myself because I mad a lot of mistakes but I found out that I remember what I did and when I receive instruction on how to do something I forget it sooner, so it is worth to try by myself.
The videos and the stories that we saw during the week were sensational, inspiring and very motivational. It is very nice to see that there are still people in the world willing to make a change and it is wonderful to see how young children around the world are given a chance to succeed.
I had a great experience this week and learned a lot. Thanks to all my classmates for their help and Adam for your videos and talks.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Day Five Recap!
It's easy to look at great guitar player like Emmanuel and say... "I could never do that."
All things technology fit into that mindset as well. 'I can't do that' or 'I'm not good at that' or 'I'll never be that good at it' are all thoughts that might cross your mind at one time or another.
The most powerful lesson you can teach is that you never stop learning... that you are not afraid to learn something new.
Many of us older folk, and even younger ones, come from an era of 'scripted learning.' Things are prepared for us, step-by-step. We are asked to follow directions, provide the required feedback, prepare the specified content in a specified format for a grade. We get great at following directions.
Technology though... provides new challenges... and opportunities in learning.
Here's an example of how I showed a person in the Fall Semester last year to create a blog for his work.
A: I'd like you to create a blog for the class. Something creative that documents your journey here, video, audio, reflective writing, inspirational things... whatever you'd like to create on it, that'd be appropriate to share with the class (smile).
Student: Which blog should I use?
A: What ones are available?
Student: I don't know. I've never used one.
A: How would you find out?
Student: I could search for one.
A: Great idea!
Student: Searches for some blogs and finds: Tumblr, WordPress, Blogger... and about 100 other ones.
Student: UGH! There are so many! Which one do I choose?
A: I don't know... they all have different strengths. Take a look at a few and see what you find.
Student: Which one is easiest? Which one do you use?
A: Look at our class blog and see if you can figure out which one we use.
Student: You use Blogger for the class. Why did you choose that one?
A: It integrates with Google, is actually owned now by Google, so I use it... it's easy.
Student: I'll try that one then. Looks cool.
Student: How do I set one up?
A: Good question! How would you find out?
Student: Go to the Blogger page maybe...
You might guess where this went from here. The student tried to prompt me to give them 'specific' directions on how to log in, and all the steps to create a blog. I kept referring them to login, and evaluate what's on the screen: Create a name, pick a template, try rearranging things, and to search for things like, 'Introduction to blogger,' to use the help menus. We went' on through... the student asking "how do I insert a video?" and I'd say... "How do we find out? We can use the help menu, search the web for something like 'how to insert a video in blogger."
They began, slowly, to ask fewer and fewer questions... and in two short weeks, their blog turned into something quite spectacular.
It's easy to look at the finished product and think... I can never get there.
I use five practices with students all the time:
1. Read what's on the screen.
2. Use the web to search for things like 'introduction to...' or 'how to...'
3. Seek tutorials on the web: Podcasts, videos, etc.
4. Try something! Click a button... learn to take risks... and how to step back from failures (Undo, History (in Photoshop), revert to earlier saved versions, etc).
Viewing what's on the screen, what things say, clicking a button... may lead you somewhere.
5. Then... there's promoting the 'experts' in class to help each other. I helped the student above to create a blog, and then asked them to help some others in class to do the same. I was careful though to show them not to do this for another person though, rather, let the person you're helping drive, help steer them, and help them learn to explore what's on the screen.
It's an explorative way to use software... and to teach.
It's a lot like learning to play a baseline... then adding a drummer part, then adding a rhythm guy... and then to play the melody on top of it all.
Tommy Emmanuel didn't just pick up a guitar and play this way. As his skills and comfort level increased, new doors began to open. He experimented, practiced, he sought out mentors (he thanks Chet Atkins in the video for a great lick that he plays in the song), and he refined his craft. Much like the kids we highlighted in the El Sistema video from Venezuela, they learned their craft.
As I said many times in class, each generation has it's challenges. I feel one of the major challenges of this generation is:
Use technology for it's creative capacity rather than just a source of entertainment or basic reading or writing.
By loosening up my guidelines, adding creativity and ownership, and mentoring... I've gotten far better results from students in projects. Ultimately, the students feel the work they do is more gratifying, that they are doing it for their benefit rather than simply doing it for a grade.
If you keep moving forward... you might end up somewhere you always should have been... or somewhere you might never have seen... like working with a great group of folks in Monterrey Mexico.
So...
I added some things to the Resources page, and I'll keep adding posts here if you'd like. Collaborative blogs like this can be a great place to keep learning.
All the Recap posts from the week can be found easily by clicking on the 'Recap' tag, under Labels on the right hand side of the blog. Using labels posts can make things easy to find.
On the first post here in this blog... I tossed in a picture I took on the plane flying into Monterrey.
Here's a video I shot with my phone on the way from Monterrey to Houston, out the window of the plane and tossed on YouTube (all on my phone) a few moments ago.
There's so much more you can do with these tools rather than research, write, and read. If you inspire kids to learn with tools... to create with these tools... to build a creative voice... to learn how to learn and explore, well, who knows where they might lead us.
I posted the landing too... not the end of a week-long exploration... but the beginning of something new:
I can't thank all of you enough for your hospitality, your willingness to learn, and to take risks and chances. We saw a great deal of courage this week as you wrapped up a long, three-year journey of classwork en route to your final Master projects, and then on to graduation. I applaud your resolve to take on new challenges and to broaden your horizons in this program. As you know, it's no small commitment... and it should be celebrated! It was a privilege for me to work with all of you. I sincerely hope you keep in touch, keep asking questions (of me and your peers), and keep seeking inspiration for your students and for yourselves. I look forward to returning to Monterrey, to seeing you again, and to new adventures.
The Force is with us, Adam
As promised...
- Using Twitter, a few folks I follow.
- RSS Feeds and Google Reader, a much better (well, quicker) way to view information on the web.
- Some blogs I read.
Have fun exploring! Adam
Sunday, August 7, 2011
What's Next...
The way I see it, being open to change and learning will keep you updated in your job and personal life and your will feel very youthful all the time when you realize that you DO understand what your children and grandchildren are talking about. Win-Win situation!!
Give yourself a chance and make mistakes. Remember we always learn from them and you can get very far when you set your mind to it. Be brave and face the world to whatever is next in your life!!
Thank you Adam, for teaching us a different way of teaching and learning.
Thank you all for a wonderful time in class!!
Mena
Reflection...
Insights
I began the week as usual, very enthusiastic. I have to recognize that not moving forward at certain speed (established by me)! provided me with a substantial doses of anxiety. However, the most important part by now are the things I did learn from the experience: created my class blog, began a website to develop our final performance for the masters, added many sites with interesting info to explore in my bookmarks, twitted enough to memorize all the steps required, entered Adam's blog to post this piece and a video linked directly to watch(see below entitled Week's Frustration). Wow! I did learn something! Probably my denial was the simple fact of not getting amazing things done in class as fast as others.
There is a missing piece in the puzzle which I haven't discover but that's for me to recognize and learn.
I do see and admired Adam's balanced emotions when guiding a bunch of ladies; his sensitivity to share experiences with the same feelings as probably experienced by him the very same moment when the events occurred; his constant relaxed manner to teach and experience life, the food, sites, and constant joy for life exploration. Thanks Adam for the lesson...
and THANKS to my peers for being there throughout this journey.
xoxo
Saturday, August 6, 2011
My Reflection!!!
I think I learned a lot on this course. I know I wasn’t there a lot but I was motivated to look for sources online and ask peers. I even had some talks with some peers from the masters and discuss what they were doing. I wanted to do for a presentation a video using pictures from my parents… but some of these pictures were really faded and some could even be considered as lost, so I went to look at what could I learn to work with the pictures. By talking to a peer from the masters she told me some teachers were working with Photoshop, and that is when it hit me! I could learn to use Photoshop and fix those pictures. I talk to some teachers about it, found resources online and also I went to ask help to some family members who had some knowledge of Photoshop. It went great! I was really frustrated at the beginning but I found out I could figure it out
Thanks Adam for all your help!! It has been a very productive week for me! I sure learned a lot!
My Reflection!
Week's Frustration
Friday, August 5, 2011
Claudia's Reflection
I'll say, in my opinion, that this class was one of the most "relaxed" classes we have had. With relaxed I mean...no homework and no readings to be done at home. Although I can't say the same for the way I felt inside the classroom. I do believe that a constructivist approach is an excellent one for many students, but I now realize that I'm more of a direct learner. I felt very frustrated the first days. I was totally lost. I tried doing a blog on Monday and... failed. I tried working on a wiki on Tuesday and... failed. I tried making a web page on Wednesday and... failed again. On Thursday I saw how one of my peers was working on a blog. It was really nice of her to show me how she had done her blog and some of the "tricks" she'd used. That's when I finally saw some "light" and I was able to do my own blog. Peer coaching rocks!!
I thank Adam for teaching us how to explore, take risks, and challenge ourselves. I still have a lot to learn and I am really glad to know that I am surrounded by very talented persons who I know will be willing to share their knowledge with me. Thank you for this very interesting and learn full experience.
Claudia R.'s Blog Summary
At the end it all comes down to TIME. We need time to sit down and forget about everything else and just dive into the program or application that we want to explore or learn about. This week I sat down and tried my best to learn by making mistakes, asking questions, and clicking on every single button I could find. The key word that I take with me about being in this course is; Explore. I guess technology is like going to the jungle, once you're there you HAVE to find out a way to survive and the only way to do it is by exploring.
Thanks for sharing!
Patty's Blog Summary
I might be looking for some of you to ask for help, I am really excited to learn about Photoshop and many more :)
Thanks to all of you for sharing great moments during the Masters program.... I can't believe it's almost over, I'm super duper happy !!!
"Don't cry because it's over.
Smile because it happened."
Dr. Seuss
Thank U
Margarita`s Reflection
T.G.I.F
I want to thank all of you for the great times we shared in teams, for your comments, for your help, for your laughs......for all the great things I take from you.
Finally... I got it!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
I like this quote.
Pablo Picasso
Day Four Recap: A call for deep reflection
Wow! It seems strange to write a recap for day four. Time does fly when you're having fun exploring with great people.
We started off the day with a reminder... a story that saving your work is important! I wrote for about 30 minutes on the blog this morning framing up some ideas. I got distracted and hit some key combination that made the web page move back one screen. The short story is... I lost 30 minutes of writing! When you write, save often, or in the blogs case... 'Save as Draft' often. Some quick typing and another gracious ride from Mena to the school and we were off and running.
We looked at some blog posts this morning, some great work by Chris Lehmann, from the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, on his blog called Practical Theory. We looked at two of his posts today: What I ask of all SLA Teachers, and What makes a great teacher.
Snipping a bit out of both articles, Lehmann offers some great, common sense advice:
Take care of yourself. Teaching is a marathon, not a sprint, and SLA teachers do put themselves out there early and often. I want my teachers to take time for themselves every day. I want SLA teachers to take trips, go to conferences, spend time with family and spend time with each other when they don't talk about school.
Understand that your class is but one of five or six or seven classes that kids have. Understand that school is one of many things in a teenager's life. And while what goes on in your class is important, I ask that teachers remember that, at any given moment in time, there are pressures on their kids' lives that makes what goes on in our classes seem powerfully inconsequential.
Remember that benevolent dictatorship may make for an orderly class, but it rarely helps kids become better people. Giving kids opportunities to feel ownership of the classroom is important because, in the end, you can get what you want or you can get much more.
Remember that inquiry isn't just for kids. If we want our kids to always push themselves to question more, dig deeper, figure it out for themselves, we must be willing to do that too.
A willingness to change. This one gets overlooked sometimes, I think. I've written about this before, but it bears repeating. We talk about how schools should be transformative for kids, but I think they can be just as transformative for teachers. If you expect kids to be changed by their interaction with you, it's got to be a two-way street.
A willingness to reflect. You've got to be able to ask why things went the way they did... both on the good and the bad days. And you have to be able to admit when the reasons it went bad were because of what you did, not what the students did. (Equally important is the understanding that often things go right because of what the kids brought to the table, not because your lesson plan should be bronzed.) Teaching requires a willingness to cast a critical eye on your practice, your pedagogy and your self. And it can be brutal.
Ok, I pasted more quotes than I intended! It's great stuff though... true to the title of Lehmann's blog (Practical Theory)!
I just looked at the blog for the first time in a week... and there's another great post up there that was just written.
The we took a look at a speech from Benjamin Zander 'On Music and Passion' from TED.com. Zander speaks of many things in this video. Maintaining a positive perspective will give you energy. Listening... is important. Practicing your craft... takes time, patience, love, and humility. Passion... transforming from impulse playing to, as he puts it, "one buttock playing" takes... all of the above.
"... For me to join the B to the E, I have to stop thinking about every... single... note... along the way and start thinking about the long, long line from B to E."
My favorite part of the speech... "The conductor of an orchestra doesn't make a sound.... He depends for his power on his ability to make other people powerful. I realized my job was to make other people powerful. And that changed everything for me... I realized my job was to awaken possibility in other people... You know how you find out?... you look at their eyes, if there eyes are shining you know you're doing it... if the eyes are not shining... you get to ask a question... who am I being that my childrens eyes are not shining?"
Important perspectives, and important questions on personal craft and the craft of teaching. Deep reflection is a tough business. It's easy to beat yourself up, frustrated at what you don't know, what you can't do well, what you didn't do well. The trick though is patience, a positive attitude and perspective (the shoe salesman story from the Zander vid!) and a willingness to learn and collaborate. Ultimately though, committing to moving forward will help you recharge and grow, and to set a new course.
Here's Zander's full speech on TED:
After a short break, we took off on some project work. Many continued chipping away, and many shored up week-long inquiries. Some started prepping for tomorrow... and many, I think, started some deep reflection... and the realization is setting in that this is the final class coming up of a long journey.
We took a break for lunch and then dove into a quick recap of iTunes U and OpenCourseWare at MIT.
iTunes has a load of resources it can access on the web via 'iTunes U' and via the Podcast sections on the menu. Open iTunes and click on iTunes U and Podcasting on the top menu bar and explore! You can also get some background info here: http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/ There's an unbelievable amount of free content there... and don't forget to use the search box to find things you are interested in!
Then we dove into a quick intro on one incredible movement and mission called OpenCourseWare at MIT. A university giving away its undergraduate and graduate intellectual property took, well, some guts! Their efforts have made the incredible resources and intellectual capital available to the world and inspired other institutions to do the same. The site reveals more about the history of the program (it launched in 2001), and a great story of what's coming up next on their A Decade of Open Sharing Page.
Our friend Ari reflects on the week. |
For all these great folks, a three-year journey of Masters classwork is coming to an end. With such times come tears... of accomplishment, joy, sadness, and the euphoria of closing out a long journey... and the excitement that the future brings.
Tomorrow we'll have some conversational presentations on learning this week... and with that, a whole range of fulfilling emotions, and hopefully a great celebration!
Shining the eyes!!
BYE ARI
BEST WISHES and keep in touch,
BUUUU
Technology and learning in the classroom
What do you people think about using technology to supplement teaching in the classroom?
Having fun
Frustration!!!
Video
Touched by amazing music.
Video
Classical Music
Some thoughts...
I think the "Iniciativa Mexico" could be a great platform to develop programs like "El Sistema". Hopefully someone will develop a support system for athletes, artists, musicians, dancers, you name it. We have a lot of talented people in Mexico but unfortunately these talents are waisted.
So find your passions and your talents and squeeze them! Go for your mission!
Now I want to share the choreography "Danzon", same music we heard. By Robert Hill, danced by Ballet de Monterrey. Hope you enjoy it!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Day Three Recap!
Igniting the passion to learn... takes some practice and craft. It also takes some risk taking. We have comfort zones in our learning, our lives, and pushing beyond them and learning new things, seeking out new experiences can be intimidating.
Often times, and especially as a teacher I think, it's easy to fall into a scripted mode, a patterned approach of refining and tweaking those things you already know. Students in school do this as well... 'do what you're told,' and 'how I tell you,' and often 'using these resources and this method, and deliver it to me in this format.' As a result of our system of education many students get good at being led.
Technology though, the rapid pace of development, and the increasing creative capacity of the tools... the ability to do things with a computer and a piece of software many different ways, presents incredible challenges on this scripted method of learning. It's a bit like being on a roller coaster I think.
Lose some preconceived notions and fear... throw your arms up in the air and have some fun. Who knows where it might just lead you... and your thinking. Play! |
The artist can draw on a piece of paper their whole life. They can stay in their comfort zone, cast away chances, changes, and opportunities... or they can take a new challenge, a new opportunity and expand their craft to a large wall. When you try new things, well, who knows where it might lead you.
Demonstrating to children that you don't have all the answers and are learning, that you take risks, that you explore this great world and it's technology is a powerful message... and it takes fortitude. For each child we want learning to be a lifelong passion. In this spirit, we must demonstrate these skills ourselves.
Learning troubleshooting skills with technology, to collaborate, to play and experiment takes some time. A computer and it's software is a confusing, complicated object to some, just like and musical instrument is when you first pick it up. Slowly though, you find out new things, you learn to use tutorials, you learn to ask questions, you practice, you learn to take chances and to try something and see what happens. When you do this, when you step aside from a script that tells you exactly how to do something, when you cast aside preconceived notions and fear... you gain strength. You open yourself to incredible opportunities.
Discussing learning is not limited, of course, to technology.
Maybe... it's a book, a movie, some inspirational writing, a painting, a building, a person, a moment, a question, an invitation, or a piece of music that can inspire you...
We watched and talked about two spirited examples of learning, of passion, of dedication and... nothing less than social reform... and ultimately hope I think.
El Sisteme (official site), the Youth Orchestra program in Venezuela, is one of the most hopeful programs I've run across in some time, perhaps in my lifetime. Here's the summary from Wikipedia. Here's is the programs founder, Jose Antonio Abreu's speech from TED.com that we played as an intro:
After the speech we had more discussion. I shared some stories about some of my own students, those of privilege or poverty, some gifted in the capacity for deep thinking and some who are not. In all cases though many students, whatever their case or ability, have lost hope, they have lost their will to be creative.
A most powerful example of learning is the Teresa Carreno Youth Orchestra, a thread of the El Sisteme program. Every one of these children in these videos likely said at one point 'I can't do this,' or 'I can't play an instrument'... and yet here they are, 17 years old and under, playing some extremely difficult arrangements... with expert musicianship and incredible passion.
Of course, every one of these incredible young musicians, at some point, wanted to throw their instrument out the window. I've had many times in my life where I've thought about turning a laptop into a frisbee. Taking a break, a walk, a meal, or letting my sub conscience work through something on a good nights sleep can bring new spirit, new ideas, new thoughts and again, the development of creative and explorative strength.
I use a quote at the top of my class blog that says "Keep Moving Forward." We are at a new point in our civilization. It is the most communicative, most technically advanced, and perhaps most socially challenging time in history. Urban planning, social reform, global economic issues... there is no scripted curriculum that will allow children in the future to meet these great societal challenges. It's not to say that scripted curriculum cannot be useful... but I believe strongly we need more balance. We need more creativity, to help people think creatively, and to explore exercising their voice. We need to include students more in the creative process of learning, of how to learn, of making things, of stating opinions for larger audiences... of rekindling hope and intellectual drive. perhaps even of meaning in their lives.
Of course... you may not be the one to create a national program. But... with each child you reach, with each spark you kindle in them to learn. Who knows where it might lead. That opportunity... is the great joy of teaching.
WHOO! Ok, now back to some of that recap business...
We added many publishers to our site today, and saw many posts on our class blog and on Twitter... comments on the great videos and discussions we had. Backchannel conversations, reflective writing with friends and people abroad can bring powerful insights. We collaborated on what folks were sharing here, exchanging ideas and information. We posted some framework for our projects. We had some laughs, some tears, and some discussions of helping our friend in the hospital, Elisa, through her plight. We... had a great day. My sincere thanks for your work and your passion to learn.
Tomorrow... we'll continue to explore our projects and help folks seek out answers to their curiosities. We'll explore some new resources, and we'll look toward crafting reflective posts and presentations for Friday.
Before I forget... I mentioned a great web site I found on crafting presentations, storytelling, artwork and many other things today called PresentationZen. The site has a wealth of great material on these fronts and I've enjoyed reading through it over the years.
Excellent snacks today (thanks again Mena!)... spicy chips, hot sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes in the early morning and jamica... I love this place... almost as much as the great people I've had the privilege to learn with here.
The picture at the top of the blog, the picture of the children, here's the link to the story:
http://www.allthingsstrings.com/layout/set/print/News/News/YOLA-at-HOLA-El-Sistema-like-Program-Begins-Taking-Root