Archive for the ‘Umm...’ Category

Christmas 2009

As I write this, the boys are up trying to figure out which presents are theirs, and Gracie is having a bottle with mommy, who is desperately trying to sleep. (I would have giving Gracie the bottle, but she wanted mommy.) It’s Christmas morning in the Cerniglia house, and it’s been quite a year. We lost papa, we bought a house, Jude started kindergarten, I got promoted, we went to Disney World, and Gracie started to talk. So much good, and a little bit of sad.

Read more

Daughter Gracie’s Need for my iPod Touch

My 18 month daughter loves my iPod Touch. Don’t believe me? Check out the audio…

Gracie_iPod.m4a

I don’t have any apps for her, though I believe there are some for children nearly as young as her. Typically I give it to her turned off, and she hasn’t been able to figure out how to “unlock” it. The UI is such that when she does have a chance to play with it unlocked she “gets it” to some degree, i.e., she understands that she needs to move her fingers across the screen to make things happen. Right now she’s playing the Disney Puzzle Slider game.

What does that clip say about the integration of technology into our culture?

Reflections on Illich and Deschooling

Ivan Illich’s Deschooling Society is unique in its ability to expose the distorted rationale of public schooling. This is not to say that his argument is completely convincing, but the time spent reading the 116 pages or so is certainly worthwhile. My time with the text has presented two questions.

  • What assumptions does Illich make in his critique of the public education system?
  • How does Illich’s views of public education relate to his views of society as a whole?

My assessment of each is addressed below.

Read more

Ja Wij Kunnen!

Amish for Obama

I live in rural Ohio, in the heart of amish country. It’s a fairly conservative area, so I was surprised to see a barn painted with the Obama/Biden logo. Yesterday I went over to snap a picture of it, and over the hill trots a horse and buggy. Read what you may out of this juxtaposition.

And the title of the post…”Yes we can!” in Pennsylvania Dutch. (I think.) If you’d like a larger version of the image, click here

Return top

Who am I?

From 2000-2008 I taught chemistry and physics at the Wayne County Schools Career Center, a career-technical school for 11th and 12th graders.

In the fall of 2008, I moved into the Dean of Students role, where I was responsible for discipline. I now serve as a supervisor of our animal care, horticulture, and medical programs.

I'm currently a member of cohort 6 in the alternative principal licensure program at the Hamilton County Educational Service Center.

Additionally, I've completed the requisite coursework towards a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a focus in Instructional Technology at Kent State University.