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South African Journal of Education
On-line version ISSN 2076-3433
Print version ISSN 0256-0100
S. Afr. j. educ. vol.32 n.2 Pretoria Jan. 2012
Transformation of teacher identity through a Mathematical Literacy re-skilling programme
Benita Nel
Academic Development Centre, University of Johannesburg, South Africa email@example.com
Wenger's community of practice theory is used to illustrate how, through careful curriculum design, teacher identity can be developed by participation in a re-skilling programme. In the context of learning, a community of practice involves the complex intersection of various components of learning, namely, meaning (learning as experience), practice (learning as doing), identity and community (learning as belonging). The Advanced Certificate in Education in Mathematical Literacy programme was designed to expose participants to knowledge and understanding of the ML curriculum (meaning), development of an integrated approach to teaching and learning, classroom didactics, lesson plans (practice), and group work activities where active participation and dialogue in lectures were encouraged (community). The programme design aimed to promote a change in the teachers' way of being (identity). Through semi-structured interviews with teachers their journey as individuals was revealed. The findings indicate how by focusing on both content and on the teacher's becoming a professional can assist educational specialists in their quest for improved teacher development.
Keywords: community as practice; identity transformation; learning as becoming; mathematical literacy; re-skilling
Although valuable time and effort are spent on the re-skilling of teachers into a new learning area, this seldom leads to a change in teacher identity to become custodians of the new learning area. Merely feeding teachers with content knowledge and/or best practices does not necessarily lead to the development of these teachers.
Mathematical Literacy (ML) as an alternative to Mathematics is a new learning area introduced in South African schools since 2006. The learning area ML is defined as "driven by life-related applications of mathematics" (DoE, 2003:9). Christiansen (2006:10) claims that the two main reasons for introducing ML were to reach the Grade 12 school leavers without Mathematics, as well as the large number of learners who fail the subject each year. While Mathematics is not only a gateway subject to many disciplines, a citizen needs to have some form of mathematical literacy to be a productive independent member in the society. Therefore either Mathematics or ML was made a compulsory subject for all South African learners in Grades 10-12 since 2006 (Vithal & Bishop 2006:2). This severely impacted teacher training as it placed an extra burden on South Africa's already short supply of qualified Mathematics teachers. As a result, many teachers from other learning areas were employed to teach ML and this raised questions as to their competence and capabilities in this learning area.
To enable teachers from other learning areas to cope with the teaching of ML, a University in Gauteng province introduced an Advanced Certificate in Education in Mathematical Literacy (ACE ML) in 2007. This programme was designed to not only provide subject content, but also promote an identity transformation amongst participants towards becoming ML teachers. The rationale for this was that the mathematics experience of teachers during their school years often leaves them with a negative attitude and fear, because they lack confidence in their own ability to cope with mathematics. According to Wenger (1998) in a community of practice (COP) identity is reflected in the way we talk about how learning changes who we are. This article reports on teachers' identity transformation in the process of becoming ML teachers which took place in terms of meaning (learning as experience), practice (learning as doing) and community (learning as belonging). The notion of identity related to being a professional and "learning as becoming" is explored.
Theoretical framework
Wenger (1998) conceptualises learning through participation in a community of practice, involving four components: practice, meaning, identity, and community. He provides a conceptual framework to analyse learning as a social entity by using identity and community of practice "as the main entry points into a social theory of learning" (Wenger, 1998:12). Graven (2002:144) supports this view when emphasising interaction and the variety of roles the participants play during this interaction as important contributors to an effective learning experience. Wenger further considers the way a person talks about a learning experience as a reflection of changes in the person's identity, as the meaning attached to experiences forms identity. This also relates to teachers who learn to become professionals through a process of transformation during which their identity as teachers changes (Dall'Alba, 2009:37).
Jansen (2001:242) defines teacher identity as "their sense of self as well as their knowledge and beliefs, dispositions, interests, and orientation towards work and change". Therefore, when one looks at ML teachers' identity transformation, one has to look at their "new" sense of themselves, their knowledge and beliefs about ML teaching, their dispositions and their orientation towards teaching ML after (and during) their participation in the ACE programme.
The ML curriculum clearly defines the ideal identity of a ML teacher. The concern for teacher education is whether the identity as projected in the curriculum matches that of the teachers who participate in ML training. Jansen (2001) warns that the conflicting policy and actual teacher identities can create a barrier to effective implementation and therefore hampers educational reform (Jansen, 2001:242). To avoid this possible implementation dilemma, it was necessary to establish whether the ACE ML programme assisted the participants to learn in such a way that their teacher identities could transform towards what was stipulated in the programme outcomes as "being a professional teacher".
Participation, according to Wenger (1998:4) is more than just to engage in local events or specific activities with certain people. It is a "more encompassing process of being active participants in the practice of social communities and constructing identities in relation to these communities". In an educational setting learning to think and act according to the rules of the discipline and being able to communicate as a member of the specific educational community (Wenger, 1998:81) are essential for successful teaching. In the ML study discussed here the aim was to establish whether teachers became active participants in the practice of the ML community and how, through their participation, they constructed ML identities as they participated in programme activities. During the programme participants had to design lesson plans, critique each other's presentations and use the internet as a tool to prepare lessons and assessments. Wenger also argues that active participation "shapes not only what we do, but also who we are and how we interpret what we do" (1998:4). Therefore the teachers' way of doing (did it change and how), how they perceive themselves as teachers and how they interpret what they do as ML specialists was monitored. In this way the teachers' views of their own process of becoming an active participant in the ML community, their level of participation in this community of practice, and their sense of belonging would reflect their identity formation in the "new" discipline.
This process of becoming happens over a period of time during which participants should be exposed to purposefully designed learning activities. De Saint-Georges & Filliettaz (2008: 220) refers to this process as a "trajectory of learning". This trajectory is however not only dependent on the learning activities, but also on the participant, and therefore has no fixed outcome. The learning activities in the ML programme were aimed at facilitating each individual participant's learning process by providing opportunities for identity change towards becoming a professional teacher.
Wenger (1998:125) emphasises the close connection between learning and changes in identity. From the analysis of the ML curriculum, it is evident that ML requires teachers to develop new beliefs, perform new roles and construct new identities in relation to other learning areas. ML is different 'in purpose and kind' from Mathematics and so requires a shift in identity. Furthermore, the contextualisation and newness of the subject require that teachers put the mathematical content into real life context and become participants in the classroom rather than didactical leaders. The National Curriculum Statement (NCS, 2003a:9) defines ML as "a subject driven by life-related applications of mathematics". It requires teachers to develop new beliefs (for example, marrying content and context), perform new roles (for example, teachers should act as facilitators in classroom) and construct new ways of doing in the classroom (away from superficial and abstract manipulation of numbers).
To apply Wenger's model (1998) either for the design or analysis of an ML curriculum is appropriate because of the four premises this model is based on:
- people as social beings is a central aspect of learning;
- knowledge is about competence with respect to 'valued enterprises';
- knowing is about active engagement in the world;
- meaning is ultimately what learning produces.
Graven (2002:141) states that "mathematics educators are increasingly noting the importance of Lave and Wenger's (1991) work for analysing mathematics teacher education" and that this theory can be used to understand teacher development. How the four premises of Wenger's 1998 model are incorporated in the ACE ML curriculum is explained below.
Wenger's belief that knowledge is about competencies related to valued enterprises is reflected in the inclusion of knowledge that is considered to be essential in a mathematics community. For example, in the various modules participants are exposed to numbers, space, shapes, and measurement; financial mathematics and functional relationships; statistics and probability. To add practical value to the content teachers are assisted with activities as such, reading maps, calculating time differences when travelling internationally, and adjusting recipe quantities. This content not only serves to make participants aware of what the "valued enterprises" pertaining to ML are, but also enables teachers to act as facilitators who can integrate content and context in the classroom. It thus engages them in real world activities related to both their professional and their personal lives.
The notion of identity and learning as becoming in an ML community of practice is explored in this article. The focus is on practice (learning as doing) and meaning (learning as experience), both in relation to identity. "Learning is first and foremost the ability to negotiate new meaning" (Wenger, 1998:226) and "because learning transforms who we are and what we can do (practice)" (Wenger, 1998:215), it allows for new identities to develop. Learning as becoming thus takes place within a community of practice where membership "is a matter of mutual engagement" (Wenger, 1998:73).
Research methodology
A qualitative approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1998:11) was selected for this study to enable analysis of the identity transformation, that took place in one group of teachers participating in an ACE ML reskilling programme, presented by a university in Gauteng province in partnership with a non-profit organisation. Because this study investigates lived experiences and behaviours it is in keeping with the qualitative approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1998:11).
Data collection and analysis
Participants were selected from the first group of students enrolled in this programme who started in January 2007. There were 18 participants in the programme of whom I selected the eight participants that already taught ML. One withdrew, due to time constraints, leaving seven teachers who took part in the semi-structured interviews. All participants were informed as to the goal of the research, as well as the procedures they would be involved in, and written consent was obtained (Vos, Strydom, Fouche & Delport (2005:65). The interviews were voice recorded and transcribed and the different interviewees were numbered to protect interviewees' identities for ethical reasons.
Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcriptions by using the themes of Wenger's theoretical framework, namely meaning, practice, community and identity. This process of thematic analysis "involves the identification of themes" when analysing data, in this case the interviews (Fereday & Muir-Cochrane, 2006:3). The students' study material of Modules 1 and 2 of the ML programme were used as a means of collecting data in order to illustrate how the course was structured and set out to develop teachers' identity. Vos et al. (2005:323) refer to this way of data collection as the method of document study and classify these documents as official documents. Although there were four modules, only two were analysed as they were the only modules already covered at the time of the study. The focus of the interviews was captured by the following question:
How do you feel you have changed from when you began this programme to now?
(Prompt if necessary):
- in your teaching
- in your experience/understanding of what ML is about
- in the way you interact with others about ML (parents, other teachers, etc.)
The aim of the document study was to get clarity about the relation of each modules' outcomes and content to Wenger's four components, namely, practice, meaning, identity, and community. Module 1 is an introduction to Mathematical Literacy and Module 2 deals with numbers, space, shapes, and measurement. The following broad outcomes of Module 1 are (ACE ML Module 1 course outline, 2007:2):
- Critical analysis of national and international literature on mathematical literacy
- Introduction to the new FET curriculum documents
- Discussion of the implementation of the Mathematical Literacy Curriculum and the design of learning units for use in South African schools
- Analysis of Mathematical Literacy learning materials and text books
- Critical analysis of issues related to the contextualisation of mathematics
These outcomes suggest a focus on understanding curriculum issues as well as the implementation thereof, which relates to Wenger's learning component of meaning. The contextualisation of mathematics envisages that the teachers who exit the ACE ML course will have the ability to work with mathematics in real life contexts (practice component). Participants need to reflect on their practice during this module, which can assist them in critically evaluating their practice and challenge their beliefs about mathematics. By discussing the content of the material, the community of practice is strengthened and an environment conducive to change is created, since new insights and changes in perspective and identity can occur. The overarching purpose of Module 1 thus relates to changing and developing teachers' ways of being and their practice in the classroom by strengthening teachers' competence and confidence as ML teachers in today's classroom.
The outcomes of Module 2 require participants to:
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the mathematics in the course content;
- demonstrate the ability to solve problems based on the content as embedded in real-life contexts;
- demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge and skills attained to the teaching and learning of Mathematical Literacy in the FET band in accordance with the ethos developed in Module 1.
The first outcome emphasises the content knowledge and understanding of numbers, shapes and measurement and relates to Wenger's learning component of meaning. The second outcome focuses on problem-solving, based on the content as embedded in real-life contexts. Participants need to develop competence in putting mathematical content in context, which deals with learning as experience. The third outcome of Module 2 emphasises the application of the content and skills learned in the classroom. This relates to Wenger's component of practice and experience since it involves learning by doing.
Findings and discussion
The results of the interviews and the document study are reported together, categorised according to Wenger's four components in his conceptualisation of learning.
As a relatively "new" learning area, teachers initially were not very well versed in either the ML curriculum or its aims and objectives, despite the fact that some were already teaching this new learning area. In Module 1 of the ACE ML programme teachers were exposed to the curriculum document and readings related to ML to give them a better understanding of the nature of the learning area. Some of the teachers first explained that they had little prior knowledge of the nature of ML as a learning area. Teacher 1 said:
Actually I did not have a choice. Yah, I didn't know anything about it. Yah, so the principal told me that ... they are looking for people who can attend ML programme those who don't have ACE. Yah, that's how I've attended the programme. I was reluctant to do it. Yah, because it was for ML, and I didn't know anything about ML ... And then I was told that I was given ML classes. But by then I was very nervous because I was asking myself what am I going to do in the class because I don't know anything about this subject.
Later on in the interview she expressed her better understanding of ML as a learning area:
"But then, since I attended ACE I found that ML is a very simple subject for me. and even later:
"Now I am able to distinguish between ML and Mathematics and it also helped me because ML is all about what we do every day".
Teacher 2 confirmed the incremental learning after her initial lack of knowledge: "And then after some time I got to know what it is really about [ML]."
This shift indicates the learning experience caused change. This teacher, who was reluctant to attend the ACE ML programme, said later on that she did not want to teach any subject other than ML. This indicates a change from being forced into the subject to ownership of a longer term commitment to not only teach the subject but to prefer it.
In the interviews it became evident that the teachers' attitudes to ML had become more positive. Some teachers initially thought ML was a learning area of lower value and that teaching this learning area was "impossible", that it was a sub-subject to Math(ematic)s. Since their involvement in the ACE ML programme, their attitudes to ML have changed. This is illustrated in the following comments by two different teachers:
Teacher 2: I thought ML is, for what I know, its basic Math(ematic)s. I thought that was it. Little did I know that it is everyday things.
Teacher 3: No I have changed. The thing is I had an attitude towards the subject because of I didn't have that knowledge. But my attitude has now been positive. I am now positive towards ML. When I started learning the content, understanding the content, then I started to know: No, this is not so much difficult.
In the ACE ML programme teachers were confronted with, for example, the curriculum document, the content knowledge, the assessment policy, and how to approach the concepts. This is evident from an outcome of Module 2 which stipulates that students should be able to demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge and skills attained to the teaching and learning of ML. This knowledge enabled them to change their understanding of what ML entails.
Participants' improved knowledge and understanding about the learning area also influenced their attitude towards it. Some of the teachers mentioned that ML is now a "good subject" because they are familiar with the content and the approach to the subject. I interpret this as teachers feeling more confident in interacting with and understanding ML content. Some of the participants, like Teacher 3, now call it a simple (easy) subject:
When I started learning the content, understanding the content, then I started to know: No this is not so much difficult... it made me to change towards the subject as a whole.
They also appreciated the practical approach of ML like Teacher 4:
I've benefited a lot now because my mind was only focused on Math(ematic)s knowing that but only to find that we have to do things that are real in ML.
Teachers' knowledge of ML increased and the application of this knowledge extended beyond the classroom. They claimed to have gained a great deal of knowledge of the subject in the ACE programme.
Teacher 4: I was not knowing about, anything about a graph and I was not interested in reading the newspaper, especially when I see this pictures of the graph or whatever, I was just lying. But now I learnt a lot...
And later on in the interview:
Now my knowledge is broad concerning this subject. I can say the changing is that I now got ML based on real life situations and then it doesn't end up in the classroom, in the textbook, it goes broad.
The above quotes provide evidence of teachers noting the importance of their increased knowledge of the subject, as well as how an increase in mathematical ability strengthened them to experience the subject as meaningful. From knowing little about ML, participants came to understand its real world usefulness. Through their involvement in the ACE ML programme, teachers could see the specific emphasis ML has on content knowledge being linked to real-life situations. They not only understood the meaning of the module contents, it also gave meaning to everyday aspects of their lives.
Teachers' involvement in the ACE ML programme contributed to their learning as changing practice in the classroom. The teachers mentioned that their teaching had changed a great deal since they started the programme.
Teacher 6: Hey, I've changed a lot... I see myself as a changed person because some of us that are both me and my fellow teachers grappled with how are we doing this, how can I approach this concepts. So I found it [a] very challenging part that I am now coping...
When asked how her teaching has changed, it became evident that she has adopted a new teaching approach:
I... would just teach and then sit down and try and see if I was on (the correct) track or not. It has empowered me. I would sit and come up with a different strategy so that my learners will be able to understand what I'm teaching. What is important for the learners to have listen[ed] and then be able to understand what I was offering ... them. At some stage these things have challenged me, but some of my colleagues in class assisted me as to how you approach this in class.
It appears that this teacher's way of teaching changed due to her involvement in the ACE ML programme, in particular due to her interaction with colleagues in the ACE ML group. Teacher 4 said:
My teaching ... day by day I'm doing better ... Last year to be honest, I didn't know just what I was doing actually, but as time goes on then I started [to] learn a lot. This is how I should actually unlock this knowledge to the learners ... I have different styles of teaching now that I can apply in my teaching.
This teacher acknowledges how her learning in the ACE ML programme changed her teaching style and way of 'doing' in the classroom.
Teachers indicated that they had learnt to relate their teaching to everyday experiences (activities), integrating Mathematics with contexts by linking context and the content and differentiating between the two. This was a significant shift to integration because, although it has always been a feature of good teaching, South Africa's education focus was not on integration before the introduction of Curriculum 2005. In Module 2 an outcome stipulates that participants must be able to demonstrate the ability to solve problems based on the content as embedded in real-life contexts. All seven teachers interviewed talked about how they could now apply ML knowledge in practice integrating mathematical content and context in real-life situations. The following excerpts support this.
When asked how they experienced the teaching of ML for the first time, Teacher 7 replied:
You see things you come across in everyday life activities. You talk about interest rate, ML will help you understand economy. You talk inflation, we don't know what is inflation. So more of a general knowledge, things you come across every day, you just need a bit of mathematics ... Well before I joined the ACE programme I was teaching mathematics. Purely mathematics in the class ... because I didn't understand the difference between ... I couldn't draw the line between the two subjects ... But after I came to the difference of ML, I could now see that the emphasis is now on the context not the mathematical content. You put the context and then look carefully at other things to ensure the content.
This teacher explains that making a mind shift in his teaching of ML by integrating the content with the context changed his practice.
Other teachers replied to the question of how they benefited from the ACE ML programme, as follows:
Teacher 5: It is really talking about real life situations. Things that we do in there we now can prepare for the learners before they can come face it outside. Now I understand what ML is all about.
Teacher 3: And I can marry the two [context and content] so that the lesson can be more interesting and exciting to the learners... I am going to talk about things that learners see outside.
In the past, the Mathematics was taught in an abstract way to the learners, but the classroom practice has changed in such a way that learners can now "see" it in their everyday lives.
The teachers in this study attended the ACE ML programme for eighteen months. They became what they would describe as "like friends" and influenced each other in different ways. Wenger (1998:76) states that "each participant in a community of practice finds a unique place and gains a unique identity, which is both further integrated and further defined in the programme of engagement in practice". So people's membership in the same community of practice does not imply sameness in identity as each person's engagement and meaning making is different. Different identities will therefore evolve, even in the same community.
Teachers claimed they were now able to participate in discussions on ML, and even debate issues, due to the understanding of the subject. An example is found in Teacher 7's response to a question on the main benefits of the participation in the ACE ML programme:
I am now able to participate in discussions, but before I wouldn't have participated, you know. I wasn't confident, but now I am.
This indicates new forms of participating and engaging with people. Teachers got assistance through their involvement in the community of practice. This involvement led to better insight and understanding of the issues around ML.
Wenger (1998) defines identity as ways of talking about how learning changes who we are and what we see. Through the interviews where teachers talk about their journeys, it could be seen that their identities changed through their involvement in the ACE ML community of practice, as a comment by Teacher 5 related to interaction with others revealed.
You see, it really helped me a lot because when I talk to my colleagues, some of the things I thought I know then, only to find they also feel this in a different way and if I then start to compare mine with theirs, I see, hay, I must change there because this is very much good rather than the information I was having.
Through his interaction in the community this teacher gained new insights, and his way of belonging changed too.
Teachers in the ACE ML programme assisted one another in gaining a better understanding of this new subject and the teaching of it. Teacher 2 mentions that
...[if] I have something that I do not understand, I always go to my colleagues and then they help me with 1, 2, 3. And when they cannot help me, I talk to my teacher (course lecturer).
Later on she explains:
We exchange papers. How do you feel about my question paper? Then you moderate
This teacher claims to be comfortable to assist and be assisted, thus benefiting from these interactions and learning takes place in the process.
Teachers also learnt from each other in group work and presentations where ideas are shared. They found these interactions very helpful in their development, enabling them to grow and overcome challenges.
When asked what aspects of the programme led to the changes she was experiencing, Teacher 1 replied:
We used to make presentations. And then when you present there, and then they used to correct us: No you shouldn't do this, you must do that.
Later on she mentioned:
If you present something to your colleagues because they are my colleagues I believe they know more, better than the learners... I think you benefit a lot.
The participants, then, experience a new way of belonging. At first they were uncomfortable with comments about the presentations, but later saw the input from their colleagues as beneficial. So the nature of their positioning and their participation within the community changed. All these experiences contributed to the teachers' way of belonging within the community.
At the end of the interviews, teachers were asked how they saw themselves at that moment. The purpose of this question was to investigate the future trajectories of the different participating teachers in order to assess how, if at all, their identities had changed.
Teachers' sense of community changed their ways of belonging. They described their relationships with fellow ACE ML participants as being 'like friends' who influenced each other in different ways. Where they might have been negative at first when receiving criticism from colleagues, they later saw it as a learning experience when advice was given. One participant felt so empowered and confident that she was willing to conduct workshops to share her knowledge of ML with newcomers in the ML community of practice. Their roles also changed within cluster meeting as they took up more prominent roles due to their confidence in the ML subject field.
The learning trajectories of teachers differed and the outcomes varied for each individual. The outcomes can be grouped into three categories:
- Teachers whose previous identities moved to the background and their ML identities to the foreground.
- Teachers who added their ML identity to their existing identity, leaving them with a dual identity: the one they had before their involvement in the ACE ML programme and the ML identity.
- Teachers whose identity before the ACE ML programme was maintained, while their ML identity was still developing .
The meaning of ML changed as teachers' knowledge of ML increased and their application of this knowledge broadened beyond the classroom. Their level of expertise increased as a result of their improved knowledge, and they appeared to have a new outlook on the subject. There was also an emerging identity of seeing the subject as a 'good' or 'easy' subject, in contrast to the earlier perception of ML as a learning area of lower value, an 'impossible' subject. The emerging identities reflected competence and confidence with, for example, the ML curriculum, the Mathematics content knowledge, how to read and interpret graphs, how to marry content and context, or how to work with probability.
In relation to practice teachers began to see themselves as facilitators in the learner-centred classroom, they became more competent in introducing new concepts, could use a broader variety of resources in the classroom and they started to enjoy teaching the subject. Their evolving identity emerged beyond the classroom to where participants saw themselves as leaders in aspects of their everyday life related to the field of ML.
The emphasis on mathematics related subjects as gateway subjects to further education, places extra demands on the preparation of teachers for these subjects. The changes that took place in teachers during the ACE ML programme indicate that the fear associated with these subjects can be dispelled by using an appropriate curriculum for the re-skilling of teachers who were not initially trained in any field of mathematics. For the participants in this study, the structure and nature of the ACE ML programme was conducive to identity transformation which assisted them on their trajectories of learning to become professional ML teachers. As they interacted with the ML curriculum content, with putting content within context and worked within a community of practice for one and a half years, their way of being changed. Although there were individual differences in the extent and nature of these changes, all participants reported some advances in their understanding of and attitude towards the new subject. Using Wenger's principles that foster identity change in a learning situation, this study showed teachers on their journey of becoming in a new subject area. For all the participants it contributed to changing ways of being in the world in terms of teachers' experiences (meaning), ways of doing (practice) and belonging (community). For teacher educators it implies that programmes can be designed to not only provide teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills during re-skilling programmes, but also to develop an appropriate teacher identity for a specific subject area. Teacher educators need to design programmes keeping in mind what the identity(s) of participants they envisage and to then incorporate ways in which they foster it (them) in their programmes.
I would predict that, with more exposure to this kind of learning, more participants' identities will shift to foregrounding their ML identity and their ML identity growing stronger. Some participants' previous identities will be backgrounded even more as the ML identities come to the fore.
Advanced Certificate in Education in Mathematical Literacy Module 1 Course Outline 2007. Introduction to Mathematical Literacy. [ Links ]
Advanced Certificate in Education in Mathematical Literacy Module 2 Course Outline 2007. Introduction to Mathematical Literacy. [ Links ]
Christiansen IM 2006. Mathematical Literacy as a School Subject: Failing the Progressive Vision? Pythagoras, 64:6-13. [ Links ]
Dall'Alba G 2009. Learning Professional way of Being: Ambiguities of becoming. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 41:34-45. [ Links ]
Department of Education (DoE) 2003. National Curriculum Statement Grades 10 - 12 (General): Mathematical Literacy. Pretoria: Department of Education. [ Links ]
De Saint-George I & Filliettaz L 2008. Situated trajectories of learning in vocational training interactions. European Journal of Psychology of Education, XXIIL:213-233. [ Links ]
Fereday J & Muir-Cochrane E 2006. Demonstrating Rigor Using Thematic Analysis: A Hybrid Approach of Inductive and Deductive Coding and Theme Development. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5:1-11. [ Links ]
Graven M 2002. Mathematics Teacher Learning, Communities of Practice as the Centrality of Confidence. Doctoral thesis, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. [ Links ]
Jansen JD 2001. Image-ining teachers: Policy images and teacher identity in South African classrooms. South African Journal of Education, 21:242-246. [ Links ]
Lave J & Wenger E 1991. Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. New York: Cambridge University Press. [ Links ]
National Curriculum Statement 2003a. NDE: Pretoria, South Africa. [ Links ]
Strauss A & Corbin J 1998. Basics of Qualitative Research Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. London: Sage Publications. [ Links ]
Vithal R & Bishop AJ 2006. Mathematical Literacy: A new literacy or a new mathematics? Pythagoras, 64: 2-5. [ Links ]
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text:
Car styling and design trends come and go with the same ruthless abandon as fashion trends or maybe a swarm of starlings. Still, for every Bosozuku or Donk or Stanced or whatever car, there's many possible trends that never made it. Which one should have?
I've always thought that some trend centered around colored tires should have been a thing. Those tires have been available for a while now, they look dramatically different from what we're used to, and if you burn rubber in them you can get novel-colored clouds of smoke.
Also, I realize now that this is the second day in a row I've advocated for colored clouds of things, so maybe it's time I seek some professional help, or consult my clergyperson.
Anyway, what do you think should have become a car trend?

subset: commoncrawl


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Being a game changer is all about being energized, passionate, consistently focused, and creating a high impact every single day. Join author, speaker, and President of LearnToLead - Dave Anderson - in this energetic podcast based on his latest book, Unstoppable, as Dave reveals principles gained throughout his extensive career and conducts interviews with special guests from a variety of industries, all to help you: become more focused, stay energized, remain effective, and live The Game Changer Life!
Sep 11, 2020
Stop watering dead plants.
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New development coming to downtown Fort Smith
Company to renovated buildings for 'Garrison Point West '
At Thursday's Central Business Improvement District meeting, Rick Griffin, with Griffin Properties announced plans to develop "Garrison Point West."
According to Griffin, the buildings between North 4th and North 5th streets on Garrison Avenue will be renovated from the interior and exterior.
Griffin says the renovated buildings will call for commercial and retail store fronts. Also, the upstairs will be renovated to apartments.
According to a release, the building will feature 12 one and two bedroom upscale apartments.
Griffin said they own the entire area and have had plans to revamp the area west of their newly built Garrison Point Convenience Store.
Griffin said they will be up to historical requirements.
Would like to start building in 3-4 months. They expect to spend in excess of $3,000,000 to do the renovation.
They are hopeful that they can receive some state and federal tax credits because of the attention to historical detail they plan to maintain.
The commissioners approved the plans at Thursday's meeting.


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This story was published July 8, 2013.
LAC-MÉGANTIC - The chairman of the company whose train exploded in downtown Lac-Mégantic says he is certain it was tampered with.
"We have evidence of this," said Ed Burkhardt, of Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway. "But this is an item that needs further investigation. We need to talk to some people we believe to have knowledge of this."
On Sunday, however, the company isssued a statement saying their officials had been so far unable to conduct their own investigation.
A probe by the Transportation Safety Board is currently underway to determine what caused a parked, unattended locomotive to roll towards the town of 6,000 and derail in the city centre. TSB investigators have inspected several of the locomotives involved, as well as obtained two black boxes that contain data about the train's brakes, throttle position and speed at the time of the incident.
So far, the majority of the questions surrounding the cause of the accident have focused on a fire that occurred on a MMA locomotive in Nantes, 11 kilometres outside Lac-Mégantic. The fire apparently started after the train's conductor parked, applied the brakes and retired from his 12-hour shift.
Burkhardt maintains all operating rules were complied with, and said his company has begun its own internal inquiry, which has been limited by rescue efforts and parallel investigations underway since Saturday. He does not believe that the event was malicious or an act of terrorism.
"We want to know what they know," said Burkhardt. "There are a number of missing pieces here ... but we'd like to have a complete idea about the cause. We are prepared to go in and do this very quickly; as soon as we can gain access to people and to the site."
Burkhardt said about a dozen of his employees have been at-the-ready in the small town since Saturday.
"I don't like hearing statements that we don't have people there," he said, declining to give further information about his team on the ground. "We've been asking for a meeting with the municipal government for the last three days."
But his company has been criticized for its initial response to the incident, and for being slow to speak publicly. The first statement on the incident arrived 36 hours after the derailment and explosion demolished the downtown core.
"I think that speaks for itself," said the NDP's Thomas Mulcair, leader of the federal opposition, when he toured the town on Sunday.
And François Legault, head of the provincial Coalition Avenir Québec party and former president of Air Transat, also weighed in on Monday about corporate responsibility. "In a disaster," he said, "the president's job is to be there — even if he doesn't have all the answers."
For his part, Burkhardt, speaking by phone from Chicago, said he had been active all weekend in the aftermath of the explosion and that he was planning a trip to Lac-Mégantic in the near future. He also said that more help was on the way.
"We're planning, as soon as we can agree with the town, to establish an office as quickly as we can," he said. "If I'm a business and it's burned down, I want someone to pay for that loss. It's as simple as that, and that's what we're prepared to do.
"But that business or home owner has to have a place where they can come and sit down with somebody and get the process underway. We're not stonewalling anybody. We want to settle this as quickly as possible so people can move on."
Early Monday morning, Lac-Mégantic Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche said she'd be meeting with representatives from the MMA for a first time later in the day.
Christopher Curtis contributed to this report.
Twitter: LauraBeeston


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Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Hunger strikes: "One of the most noble forms of popular non-violent resistance"
The Palestine Monitor
- April 20, 2017
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Hundreds of Palestinian political prisoners held in Israel began a hunger strike on Palestinian Prisoners Day, marked every year on April 17. It is the largest collective action by Palestinian prisoners since 2012, when around 2,000 prisoners went on hunger strike and reached a deal with the Israeli government after 28 days.
Prisoners are demanding an end to the Israeli practice of administrative detention, based on a "secret file", without charge or trial. They are also asking for improved medical conditions and visitation rights, for the abolition of solitary confinement, as well as the installation of pay phones in all prison wings to allow prisoners to communicate more easily with their families.
Hunger strikes have long been used as a form of non-violent resistance. Mahatma Gandhi engaged in several hunger strikes to protest British rule in India, while Irish republican prisoners in the 1980s also used hunger strikes to put pressure on the British government.
Palestine Monitor spoke with Mustafa Barghouti,
secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative, about the significance of this latest hunger strike, joined by at least 1,100 prisoners, according to Israel's Prison Service. Palestinian prisoners' organisations said an estimated 1,600 prisoners had announced their participation by Monday, and that more were expected to join.
PM: Why did you take part in one of the demonstrations in support of the hunger striking prisoners earlier this week?
: Not only because it is our duty, but also because I believe this action of prisoners' strike is one of the most important and most noble forms of popular non-violent resistance. And I think these prisoners are putting their life at risk not only for the sake of their personal freedom, but also for the freedom of all the Palestinian people. I think that their strike should initiate a much wider popular non-violent resistance against the occupation, because I believe that nothing will change unless we change the balance of power between us and the Israeli occupation. Mass popular action is a way to do that.
In that sense the strike represents not only a very noble form of that resistance, but also a motivator to unity. One good thing about it is that it unites all Palestinians. This is not coincidental. There is not a single household in Palestine which did not have or does not have a prisoner in jail. Since the beginning of the occupation Israel has conducted more than one million arrests.
PM: The first mass hunger strike of Palestinian political prisoners took place in 1969. For many years, collective action was an important tool for prisoners to achieve more rights.
What is the significance of the prisoners' movement in the context of the Palestinian struggle?
: The actions of prisoners, including hunger strikes, have always been a unifying factor. Prisoners themselves attract a lot of sympathy, not only from the Palestinian people but also from the international solidarity movement.
During the last few years Israel has gradually taken several humanitarian rights from prisoners, including things they have achieved during previous strikes. I think the demands of the prisoners are purely humanitarian, part of what all prisoners in the world are entitled to. The right for visitation, the right to see their families, the right to communicate with their families. The right to see their children and hug their children.
There is also an issue with the Red Cross [ICRC], which reduced the number of visits from two per month to one per month, which means not all prisoners have visits once a month because the capacity of the Red Cross is also limited. Israel sometimes prohibits prisoners from visiting at all, like some prisoners from Gaza. Some of the prisoners in Gaza have not seen their families for years.
PM: Prisoners' demands include improved medical conditions. What are the main issues they face in this regard?
: We know now that the Israelis are putting many of those who are suffering from cancer and very serious diseases in a very poor facility in Ramleh. And many of them are aching and suffering without sufficient medical care.
Yesterday I was in Beit Ummar [near Hebron in the southern West Bank] for a special event about a young man, 22 years old, called Jafar Awad. Jafar was sick, he had diabetes, and [while he was in prison] he was deprived of proper treatment till he was very sick. He was released just before he died, from pneumonia and complications from diabetes.
This strike is also about new laws that Israel has passed or is passing, which are oppressive and very serious, like increasing the sentences for children up to 20 years for throwing stones. Or the fact there are 300 child prisoners, some as young as 12. Not to mention the issue of administrative detention. This is the only country in the world that uses it in this way, where people can be put in jail for months and years without charges. Israel has widened the use of administrative detention, today there are 500 prisoners who are suffering from that.
PM: What do you make of Israel's response to the strike so far?
: It's fascist, I would call it. [Israel's intelligence and transportation minister] Yisrael Katz called for executing Palestinian prisoners [in a tweet].
They are now talking about creating a concentration camp for prisoners on strike in Ketziot, [a prison in the Negev desert]. One of the bad laws Israel has passed in recent years is the law that allows force-feeding. And because the Israeli medical establishment refused to implement that law for medical reasons, now they want to create a [field hospital] in Ketziot, so they can use military doctors to force-feed.
I have very bad memories of force-feeding because in 1980 there was a strike and we lost three prisoners because of force-feeding. I was a doctor and I was treating the families of prisoners who were also on strike.
PM: Do you think more people will join the strike?
: Yes I hope more prisoners will join, and I hope that public support will increase. Yesterday I called for two actions to support them. One is to enhance popular non-violent resistance, and I think we will see many demonstrations this week, especially on Friday. But also to enhance the boycott campaign of Israeli settlement products, because I think that Israel must feel there is a price for what is happening.
Photo: a woman holding a photograph of a prisoner on hunger strike. Credit: Zann H.
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I assume that the classification of (certain families of) Hopf algebras is still an open problem, am I right?
My question is the following: What is the current state of the art? What is known about the classification of certain families of Hopf algebras? (To be more precise, say for example that I am interested in finite-dimensional or combinatorial Hopf algebras.)


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We're running a heavily modified Cyberpunk2020 campaign and we're looking for players. Are you interested joining?
non that i can get ahold of since the group broke up and went are sperate ways. ill fish around and see whos still game.
you play in kohler? that would be about an hour drive for me. That is a bit farther than i would want to drive but i wouldnt mind keeping the option open. maybe the person from racine would do a car pool or something. keep in touch. cya!
The 300 (+7)


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This quest is part of the [Green Scepter Shard] fork of [The Scepter of the Shifting Sands] quest chain to open the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj.
Defend Nighthaven from Eranikus. Do not let Keeper Remulos perish. Do not slay Eranikus. Defend yourself. Await Tyrande.
- The Redemption of Eranikus
We must use restraint against Eranikus. We are to redeem him not destroy him.
Tyrande is already en route to assist us in this task. We must weather the dragon's blows and save Nighthaven from certain destruction.
Be on guard! You and your allies are our only hope.
He is redeemed, <name>. He now returns to the Dream to right what he alone has done wrong. Eranikus will be a powerful ally to Malfurion and my father.
These armaments are for you, <name>; given to me by Ysera herself. You would do well to make use of them in your battles against the Qiraji.
|[Drake Tooth Necklace]
|[Drudge Boots]
The Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream article has a section dealing with tactics for keeping everyone alive while Tyrande travels to Moonglade. It is imperative that neither Eranikus nor Keeper Remulos die. Ensure that as few people die as possible, as this fight is like Kazzak's in that regard.
Once Tyrande arrives, she will yell out her orders and then a cutscene will begin as soon as Eranikus is no longer actively hostile to the raid.
NPC text during the event
- Keeper Remulos says: We will locate the origin of the Nightmare through the fragments you collected, <name>. From there, we will pull Eranikus through a rift in the Dream. Steel yourself, <class>. We are inviting the embodiment of the Nightmare into our world.
- Keeper Remulos says: To Nighthaven! Keep your army close, champion.
- Keeper Remulos says: The rift will be opened there, above the Lake Elun'ara. Prepare yourself, <name>. Eranikus's entry into our world will be wrought with chaos and strife.
- Keeper Remulos says: He will stop at nothing to get to Malfurion's physical manifistation. That must not happen... We must keep the beast occupied long enough for Tyrande to arrive.
- Keeper Remulos says: Defend Nightaven, hero...
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream, has entered our world. (server-wide emote)
- Eranikus, Tryant of the Dream yells: Pitful predictable mortals... You know not what you have done! The master's will fulfilled. The Moonglade shall be destroyed and Malfurion along with it!
- Keeper Remulos yells: Fiend! Face the might of Cenarius!
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream lets loose a sinister laugh.
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: You are certanly not your father, insect. Should it interest me, I would crush you with but a swipe of my claws. Turn Shan'do Stormrage over to me and your pitiful life will be spared along with the lives of your people.
- Keeper Remulos yells: Who is the predictable one, beast? Surely you did not think that we would summon you on top of Malfurion? Your redemption comes, Eranikus. You will be cleansed of this madness - this corruption.
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: My redemption? You are bold, little one. My redemption comes by the will of my god.
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream roars furiously.
- Keeper Remulos says: Hurry, <name>! We must find protective cover!
- Keeper Remulos says: Please, champion, protect our people.
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: Rise, servants of the Nightmare! Rise and destroy this world! Let there be no survivors...
- Keeper Remulos says: We will battle these fiends, together! Nighthaven's Defenders are also among us. They will fight to the death if asked. Now, quickly, we must drive these aberations back to the Nightmare. Destroy them all!
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: Where is your savior? How long can you hold out against my attacks?
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: Defeated my minions? Then face me, mortals!
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: Remulos, look how easy they fall before me? You can stop this, fool. Turn the druid over to me and it will all be over...
- Tyrande yells: Elune, hear my prayers. Grant us serenity! Watch over our fallen...
- Tyrande says: Tend to the injuries of the wounded, sisters!
- Tyrande yells: Seek absolution, Eranikus. All will be forgiven...
- Tyrande yells: You will be forgiven, Eranikus. Elune will always love you. Break free of the bonds that command you!
- Tyrande says: The grasp of the Old Gods is unmoving. He is consumed by their dark thoughts... I... I... I cannot... cannot channel much longer... Elune aide me.
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: IT BURNS! THE PAIN.. SEARING...
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: WHY? Why did this happen to... to me? Where were you Tyrande? Where were you when I fell from the grace of Elune?
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: I... I feel... I feel the touch of Elune upon my being once more... She smiles upon me... Yes... I...
- Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream is wholly consumed by the Light of Elune. Tranquility sets in over the Moonglade. (server-wide emote)
- Tyrande falls to one knee.
- Tyrande yells: Praise be to Elune... Eranikus is redeemed.
- Eranikus the Redeemed says: For so long, I was lost... The Nightmare's corruption had consumed me... And now, you... all of you.. you have saved me. Released me from its grasp.
- Eranikus the Redeemed says: But... Malfurion, Cenarius, Ysera... They still fight. They need me. I must return to the Dream at once.
- Eranikus the Remeemed says: My lady, I am unworthy of your prayer. Truly, you are an angel of light. Please, assist me in returning to the barrow den so that I may return to the Dream. I like Malfurion, also have a love awaiting me... I must return to her... to protect her...
- Eranikus the Redeemed says: And heroes... I hold that which you seek. May it once more see the evil dissolved. Remulos, see to it that our champion receives the shard of the Green Flight.
- Keeper Remulos says: It will be done, Eranikus. Be well, ancient one.
Quest progression
This is part of the [Green Scepter Shard] fork of [The Scepter of the Shifting Sands] quest chain:
- [60] Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream
- [60] Tyrande and Remulos
- [60R] The Nightmare's Corruption
- [60R] The Nightmare Manifests
- [60] The Champion Returns
Patches and hotfixes
Patch 1.9.0 (03-Jan-2006): Added


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Megan McDonald
United States of America
United States of America
Watch a video interview with Megan McDonald.
What do you do when it's your first day back at school and you don't have a cool t-shirt from an extraordinary summer vacation destination to wear? If you're Judy Moody, you make your own!
After learning from her dad that she has unknowingly eaten shark over the summer, she proceeds to pull out a marker and make her own shirt complete with a clever shark drawing and the words, "I Ate a Shark" emblazoned on it! Who could create such a precocious and lovable character? Megan McDonald, of course! McDonald credits her own formative years as inspiration for many of her stories. As the youngest of five daughters, she says that many of her Judy Moody scenarios "grew out of anecdotes about growing up with them."
Obviously, this practice has evolved into an incredible formula for success! Judy Moody earned McDonald the ALA Notable Book and Publisher's Weekly Best Book of 2000 awards. After that, McDonald could have easily rested on her Judy Moody laurels, but instead she has launched herself into a quirky series with Judy Moody Gets Famous! Her newest book in the series is Judy Moody Saves the World!, in which Judy tries to single-handedly whip the world into shape!
What propels McDonald to write? It's her love and passion for reading coupled with her childhood memories and a vivid imagination that draw her to the transforming power of a story. McDonald says, "What I like about writing is that in all things there is a story — a leaf falling, a dream, a child on the way to school. . . ."
McDonald earned her B.A. in Children's Literature from Oberlin College and also holds a M.L.S. from the University of Pittsburgh. She has published more than 20 other children's books, such as The Night Iguana Left Home, Beezy, and Funnybones. Megan feels lucky to be a writer and explains, "I spend my days thinking like a mouse or pretending I have taste buds on my feet like a butterfly. I look at things sideways, questioning, always wanting to see the inside." We're glad she does — it makes us lucky, too.


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Know the market value of your used bike
KMs Run
Triumph Bonneville Bobber
Ironstone Colour
Book a Test Drive through Bikes4Sale and we will try to get you the best offer for Triumph Bonneville Bobber.
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Hi Neighbors,
As you know from previous posts I was just the photographer at a friends wedding. My 14 year old daughter was actually my assistant and used the second camera. Between us we took over 700 pictures of the wedding, the guests, and some special shots. I personally would love to do a photo book or some other special photo related gift using some of the pictures taken at the wedding.
They were really on a strict budget, and I wanted them to remember their wedding with some really special photos. I think we managed to catch some of those special moments. I am actually hoping to do more weddings, and I think my daughter made a great assistant.
Since I have become more interested in the photography aspect, I have been searching different websites to find different ideas to help enhance the wedding. Did you know you can have wedding stamps made? I didn't. You can use a theme or a picture of the engaged couple on a stamp to mail your wedding invitations. Now isn't that a neat idea! You can also have special stamps made after the wedding from some of your favorite photos. I think we took several pictures that would look great on a stamp.
Anyway, both my daughter and I are both going to be working on improving our photography skills, so my neighbors here will be hearing more an probable seeing more of our experiments. Take a look at the couple of pictures I have added and leave a comment letting me know what my neighbors think. I value your opinion. See you At the Fence!
I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for wedding stamps and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.
Items of Interest At the Fence
Monday, January 9, 2012
Have You Ever Been the Wedding Photographer?
Posted by At the Fence at 1/09/2012 06:00:00 AM
2 comments:
- Darlene said...
I love the photo of the hand and the rings.
- January 9, 2012 at 7:49 PM
I love that first photo, too! I've attended many Long Island weddings, but haven't covered one as a photographer. I think you're off to a good start though, keep up the good work!
- February 9, 2012 at 7:28 PM
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Designed by Grain Creative, Australia.
Rather than sending the conventional card to our clients, we here at Grain Creative decided a more appropriate way of sending our Christmas wishes and strengthening relationships with our clients would be to send, instead, a bottle of sparkling Shiraz. This would also ensure 'Grain Creative' stayed top of mind for when our clients started back at work in the new year. A simple yet clever design, the side caption wishes our clients all the best over the Christmas break and then asks them to farewell the year gone by with a 'toast on us'.


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As if Xbox 360 gothic-lolita shmup Deathsmiles could get any more attractive, publisher Aksys reveals the Deathsmiles Limited Edition, packed in a super-sized box with a Xbox 360 and a soundtrack album. Now how much would you pay?
Here I am, pleased as punch that Deathsmiles is getting a North American release at all, and Aksys goes and ups the ante with this attractive limited edition set. Packed inside the attractive long box is a copy of the game, a limited edition Xbox 360 faceplate, and the Deathsmiles premium arrange album, featuring fifteen tracks hand-picked by the game's director.
It's a gorgeous collection, and it'll only set you back $49.99, which is less than I'd pay for the game alone. I know which version I'm picking up. How about you folks?


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Timmons, W. H. is the author of 'Tadeo Ortiz, Mexican Colonizer and Reformer' with ISBN 9780874041019 and ISBN 0874041015.[read more]
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HTC teases 'new sound and camera experience' coming in 2013
After publishing a self-promoting infographic that takes a look at the history of photography, it's pretty obvious that HTC has something up its sleeve concerning smartphone cameras. While the company didn't carve out clear cut details of what it has in store, the popular Taiwanese phone maker did give a vague idea of when things will transpire. The final entry in the company's little history lesson concludes in current times with an entry stating "HTC kicks off a new sound and camera experience in 2013." While we're really not into playing guessing games, we can't help but wonder if the firm'sexclusive relationship with Beats will have an impact on the audio portion of its plans. Hopefully HTC'spre-MWC festivities will shed a bit of light on what the company has been working on.
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile, HTC
Read more http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/04/htc-sound-and-camera-experience-2013/


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Summit County Community Notes 1-14-13
The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the Breckenridge stages of the USA Pro Challenge will host a general information meeting tonight at 5:30 in the Council Chambers at town hall, located at 150 Ski Hill Road in Breck.
Community members interested in a longer-term volunteer commitment with the LOC are encouraged to attend. The race rolls through Colorado Aug. 19-25, with Breck hosting the Stage 2 finish and Stage 3 start, Aug. 20-21.
Visit BreckProCycling.com for additional information.
Summit Choral Society rehearsals begin tonight and will be held each Monday, 7-9 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church at Farmer's Korner in preparation for the spring concert in April and a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City in May. The director is Jill Schroeder-Dorn. In New York, we will be singing under the direction of John Rutter, internationally known conductor and composer. We will be working on Brahms Requiem and lighter music. All interested singers are welcome.
Do you want to get in a good workout and help out a good cause at the same time? The snow sculpture championships need a few good stompers on Thursday. Help stomp down the massive blocks of snow the sculptors will carve into a beautiful work of art. Shifts are available from 8-10 a.m., 10 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Must be 18 years of age or older to participate. Contact Heather Bridges at (970) 453-3187 ext. 3 or email@example.com.
The High Country Conservation Center hosts the Wild and Scenic Film Festival on Thursday at the Speakeasy Theater. Considered one of the nation's premiere environmental and adventure film festivals, this year's films combine stellar filmmaking and beautiful cinematography to inspire solutions to restore the earth and human communities. The films instill a deep appreciation and a sense of wonder for the natural world that surrounds and supports us. Our anchor films include "Chasing Water" and "Save the Farm." All proceeds benefit HC3, and tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Visit highcountryconservation.org or call (970) 668-5703 to purchase tickets.
Would you like to be a positive influence in a teenager's life? Pre-collegiate is looking for mentors for their middle school program. A commitment of (the first Monday of the month) for a total of 2 hours (3-5 p.m). Interested? Contact Mary Lockard firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Keystone Science School is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help facilitate a hands-on free astronomy program for all Summit County fourth-graders and their families. No previous astronomy knowledge is required and all volunteers will have the chance to experience our on-site observatory to view the night sky. The program runs today through Thursday, Jan. 22 and 29, starting at 5:45 p.m. and lasting until 9 at the science school campus. For additional info or to sign up for a date, contact Amanda Seidler at (970) 468-2098 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Get ready to visit exciting new places, without having to worry about delayed flights, lost luggage and the other hassles of traveling when the Friends of the Library present the annual Travel Slide Show Series. The program begins on Jan. 25, at 7 p.m., and runs every other Friday through March 22. This event is held in the Blue River Meeting Room of the North Branch Library, 651 Center Circle, Silverthorne.
Past destinations have included Cuba, Cambodia, France, Italy and many other European countries, India, Africa, The Galapagos Islands, just to name a few. This year's itinerary will include visits to Mount Kilimanjaro; Alaska; the Silk Road through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgystan; The Dalmatian Coast; and many more!
For more info on the series or to participate in future slide shows, call Janet at (970) 468-5887. To find out about additional upcoming events and programs, volunteer opportunities or how you can help the Summit County Library through donations, call Joyce Dierauer at (970) 668-5555 or email at email@example.com.
A new year…an exciting new season… and we are looking for enthusiastic souls who want to participate in the myriad opportunities we offer. Whether staffing the box office during performances or helping to build the actual sets, intriguing possibilities await. Interested? Contact email@example.com for more information.
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text: Gringo 633 Report post Posted December 30, 2018 Please post your predictions in the following format:- HT: FT: 1st ICT: 1st Opp: Crowd: This thread may close automatically at the advertised k.o. time regardless of whether the match has physically kick off or not. The NPL results and table update for this game are expected to be available no later than: 2200 12 Jan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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A sustainable future for all: The inequality and exclusion challenge | Patrick Keuleers
22 Apr 2014
Over the past few decades, the world as a whole has experienced unprecedented progress, coupled with complex development challenges. Ending poverty remains an unfinished agenda, societies are growing increasingly unequal and too many people continue to be left behind. One percent of the global population now owns nearly half of the world's wealth.
Inequality and exclusion are major impediments to human progress, already threatening both global security and social stability within countries. It is thus not surprising that people, and in particular young men and women, are amplifying their frustrations with a world that remains deeply unfair. Indeed, in the global "MY World" survey, people consistently ranked "honest and responsive government" among their highest priorities.
Hence, for development to be sustainable – economically, socially and environmentally – and equitable (from a human rights perspective), a new approach is needed that deals as much with the often sensitive political and governance aspects of the questions, as with the technical answers and solutions.
Aspiring for such a development outcome does not imply the promotion of a one-size-fits-all model of governance. The real challenge in integrating governance into the post-2015 development framework is no longer convincing stakeholders of its importance, but rather translating this multi-dimensional concept into a concrete, global development goal and targets.
While a variety of diverse stakeholders (parliamentarians, civil society, the private sector, foundations, member states) continue to lobby for governance to be included in the post-2015 development framework, whether and how governance will be included remains to be decided.
Expectations, however, are higher than ever before. People all over the world want to see a new development agenda that transcends the MDGs. Stakeholders called for inclusive, participatory, effective and accountable democratic governance to be at the centre of a transformative development agenda. Member States declared in September 2013 that the new development agenda should promote peace, security, democratic governance, the rule of law, gender equality and human rights for all.
Improving systems of governance is a critical pathway to delivering other development goals. Inclusive and effective governance, guided by a set of ethical and democratic values and principles, is also a laudable development outcome in itself.
Our world has the capacity to design pathways to a future grounded in equitable and sustainable development, which meets the needs of current generations without compromising those of the future. Having governance, peace and security as an integral part of the new development agenda is possible. It would certainly reinforce the foundations of a sustainable future for all peoples.
Talk to us: What kind of goals does your community need for good governance?


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Search Constraints
Showing results for: Library Collection Historical Subject Files Remove constraint Library Collection: Historical Subject Files Digital Project Music at Columbia Remove constraint Digital Project: Music at Columbia Library Location University Archives Remove constraint Library Location: University Archives
Search Results
1. 1956 Alexander Hamilton Dinner Program Booklet
Columbia College (New York, N.Y.). Association of the Alumni
2. Annual Dinner of the University Glee Club, Hotel Astor--Belvedere Room, Thursday May 7th, 1914
Columbia University. University Glee Club
7. Columbia Theater Associates' 'Evangeline', Program
Columbia University. Columbia Theater Associates
8. Columbia Theater Associates, 'Paul Bunyan' Program
Columbia University. Columbia Theater Associates
9. Columbia Theater Associates, 'The Medium' Program
Columbia University. Columbia Theater Associates
11. Columbia University Orchestra Program, December 4, 1986
Columbia University. Department of Music
16. Musical America's Education Department--A Glimpse of a Modern Graduate Music Seminar
Sabin, Robert, 1949-
19. Performers' Committee for Twentieth- Century Music, Program for Henry Cowell Retrospective Concert, April, 1977
Performers' Committee for Twentieth-Century Music
20. Performers' Committee for Twentieth-Century Music, Program for Béla Bartók Retrospective Concert, April 16, 1969
Performers' Committee for Twentieth-Century Music


text: Overhe(a)rd: ASF 101, Protect the Farm from Activists and Bacon Trucks Jul 03, 2019 by Portia Stewart What makes some farms targets for undercover activists? What should I tell my neighbor about African Swine Fever? These questions and more are answered on episode 2 of Overhe(a)rd, the Farm Journal Livestock podcast.


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We provide expert training in Automotive Internet Sales / Service and Business Development Center Operations. Our services include Internet Sales and Service Training, Sales & Service BDC Operations Development, Digital Marketing Consulting, Social Media and Reputation Management guidance.
Founded in 2003, Kain Automotive develops strategies and tactics to motivate your customers to engage, appoint and purchase products and services from your dealership.
When you work with us, you will see results in all the key measurables. We leverage proven practices to save you time, giving you the jump on your competition.
We provide a variety of workshops to ensure dealership teams have the marketplace orientation, modern strategies and communication tactics they need to ensure digital sales and service success. We offer micro-workshops for small groups in our Training Center, in-dealership and in-market workshops for dealerships and OEM's as well as our exciting Clients & Friends Workshop.
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Each team member of Kain has experience in dealership operations, customer service and digital marketing.Meet our team
Digital Quick Tip
David Kain teaches the importance of "Mirroring Back" to the customer what they asked about when you respond.


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Tarot Card Meanings
Wheel of Fortune
Fundamental change is imminent. The positive benefits you gain during this period could last a long time.
The Hermit
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General Meaning
The central theme of The Wheel of Fortune card is cyclical change. The wheel keeps on rolling, churning events in a ceaseless progression of ups and downs, either way freeing us from the past. No one can escape its cyclical action, which can feel somewhat terrifying -- no matter whether we are rising or falling. When one is balanced on top of the wheel, there is a moment of crystal clarity. However, the only part of the wheel that's actually not going up and down is the hub, which represents your eternal self.
Every one of us will occupy all the points on the wheel at one point or another. The cycle of the wheel is its lesson -- and we can learn to take comfort in it. If you don't like the look of things right now, just wait -- things will change. Of course, if you do like the look of things right now, enjoy it while it lasts, because that will change too!
In the Reversed Position
When the Wheel of Fortune card is reversed, it suggests that you may have dropped from the heights and have been sent back to the beginning -- to either start over or reframe your plan.
This may feel as if you have hit bottom, but think of it as a chance to renew yourself and chart a path that will help you rise from the ashes. You will be a more compassionate and wise ally when the next person takes a nosedive. In the future, you might want to be a little more modest in your aspirations.
In the Advice Positon
The Wheel of Fortune advises you follow the flow of events. Physical moves, spiritual awakenings, or dramatically changing social patterns could arise now. Accept these transformations.
This is a safe place for you to be. You are watched over and protected as you go round and round the wheel. You will learn a lot. You will also learn it quickly, and what you absorb will benefit you for a long time to come.
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CUPSAce of Cups
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SWORDSAce of Swords
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Although there is much overlap between the fields of massage therapy and physical therapy, current Western practice of each provides a complement to the other rather than duplication of services. Massage therapy encompasses the techniques of touching or rubbing the patient's body in order to relax the muscles, to enhance circulation or to loosen adhesions. Physical therapy often involves stretching and exercise to rehabilitate injured tissues and restore range of motion. By capitalizing on the strengths of each practice, a complementary treatment can be developed that provides maximum healing in an efficient and effective manner.
Historically, many of the activities we commonly associate with either massage or physical therapy, such as rubbing and stretching, were usually practiced together by the same person. In Axel V. Grafstrom's 1898 "A Text Book of Mechano-Therapy," he refers to Per Henrik Ling as being the father of the techniques later known as physical therapy. Ling has often been cited as one of the first to use aspects of massage to complement his physical therapy. Massage has been utilized as a key technique employed in physical therapy since its inception.
Physical Benefits
The primary focus of physical therapists is to restore the patient to maximal function, using a series of strengthening exercises, activities and stretching to accomplish the recovery of the muscles. Massage, when used in a complementary capacity, works to create the optimal internal environment for muscle tissue to heal and function through increased circulation and lymph flow, relaxes chronically contracted muscle tissue and may loosen scar tissue adhesions that restrict normal movement. It prepares tissue to respond better to physical therapy treatment.
Psychological Benefits
Massage therapy can further enhance the beneficial effects of physical therapy by helping patients to relax mentally, therefore decreasing stress-related chemicals such as cortisol in the brain and enhancing endorphins and other mood-elevating chemicals. This improved attitude helps patients to relax and respond more completely and with less pain to the treatments provided by the physical therapist. The improved mental outlook associated with massage therapy can also help patients to feel less depressed about their impairments, to be more positive about their ability to recover and to be more tolerant of the healing and rehabilitation process.
Read more at livestrong.com.
Tags: massage, massage therapy, physical therapy, rehabilitation


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Colour-me-in Reindeer Card
Black and white Christmas card that can be coloured in before giving away. A6 size and supplied with an A6 white envelope. Blank inside for your own message.
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Last week's multi-billion dollar settlement with Visa and MasterCard will allow merchants to offer discounts to customers paying with cash and to impose fees on those paying with credit, as detailed in a recent New York Times article.
My take is that once consumers see how much they are paying to use their credit cards – in other words, how much those precious airline miles and other perks are really taking out of their wallet – the less appealing it will be to use plastic. So expect a slightly longer line at the local ATM, and more change jiggling in people's pockets.
But paying cash does funny things to buyers. The pain of knowing that the purchase will immediately be felt in one's bank account balance will likely give folks pause. After all, frivolous shopping is less painful when one knows that bill won't come for another 30 days.
As a result, I expect to see consumer spending get even softer when the settlement takes effect in December 2012.


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Photos by Lazar Simeonov.
On Saturday 2 February, Palestinian activists erected a tent village on a hilltop overlooking the village of Burin, about 7km south of Nablus, in protest at Israeli plans to expand the nearby extremist settlements of Yitzhar and Bracha.
It was later evicted, following ferocious clashes between the army, settlers and activists, which resulted in four Palestinians arrested, many injured and one young teenager shot in the leg by live ammunition.
Four canvas tents and three aluminium huts were erected on the site in the early morning. By 11 am, approximately 250 activists were also present on the hilltop, many of whom had come from all areas of the West Bank.
The village marks the fourth "tent village" initiative by the popular struggle committees in recent weeks, after Bab al-Shams in the E1 district, al-Karamah in Beit Iksa northwest of Jerusalem, and al-Asra northwest of Jenin.
The hilltop has been slated to be illegally confiscated by the Israelis for settlement expansion. With Yitzhar regarded as the most violent settlement in the West Bank, its expansion could be devastating for the people of Burin who already face regular attacks from the settlers.
The Israeli army arrived as soon as the tents were erected, prompted by the settlers.
In an attempt to protect their tent village, a group of Palestinians stood between the soldiers and the tents in a face-off. As Palestinian numbers started to swell the army began to take action. Tear gas and stun grenades were used extensively, forcing the group back across the plateau. However, the activists persistently returned.
In one episode, the soldiers arrested a man and pulled him away from the group. A video has emerged on Youtube of the soldiers kicking and beating him as he struggles against their hold of him. After a few minutes, the man is seen laying unconscious on the rocky ground and the soldiers carry him away.
The aluminium shelters were carried up the hill by the activists. During the clashes with the army, the group of settlers stole one of the structures and carried it towards their outpost.
At around 2 pm, three loud cracks were heard echoing around the valley indicating live ammunition had just been fired. It emerged that 16 year old Zakariya Al-Najjar was hit by one of the bullets in his thigh. He was immediately evacuated to hospital.
Dozens of people were also seriously injured after being hit by tear gas canisters at point blank range.
Reportedly some settlers left the scene at al-Manatir and entered Burin village, attacking a house there. Settlers also attacked the army over their anger at not being allowed to shoot at the Palestinians.
After five hours of clashing, chanting, singing and dabke dancing by the Palestinians around the tent village, the army stepped up its intimidation tactics. Tear gas canisters were released all over the hilltop, and stun grenades were used in high volume as the army advanced.
The majority of the protestors clambered down the hill towards Burin village, but a few remained to protect their tents. They all sat down in a final attempt to hold their ground, but the soldiers released several stun grenades in their direction, causing them to also flee. Several people fell down the rocky escarpment as soldiers threw stun grenades, causing even more injuries.
Like the previous tent villages, al-Manatir was built on Palestinian owned land, as recognised by international law. Israel's refusal to allow the tent village to gain permanence, whilst pressing ahead with its own plans to build concrete houses on the site, denotes the system of apartheid Palestinians are forced to live under.
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Vegetative patient able to "tell" doctors he's not in pain
A man in a permanent vegetative state reportedly has been able to communicate that he is not in pain, leading doctors to believe that the previously-held notion that people like him have no perception of the outside world is untrue.
Scott Routlney suffered severe brain trauma 12 years ago when he was involved in a car accident, the BBC reported. Since then, doctors have said he has no signs of awareness or ability to communicate.
But when lead researcher Dr. Adrian Owen, a neuroscience professor at the University of Western Ontario, asked Routley questions while he was inside a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, his brain activity showed clear responses to what he was asked.
"Scott has been able to show he has a conscious, thinking mind," he told the BBC. "We have scanned him several times and his pattern of brain activity shows he is clearly choosing to answer our questions. We believe he knows who and where he is."
Researchers asked Routley simple questions or instructed him to do small tasks while he was in the fMRI. For example they asked him to move his arms, and the command corresponded with brain activity showing that Routley was thinking about moving his arms, even if they were not physically moving. When researchers told him to stop imagining it, the activity would disappear on the scan.
Owen and his team then developed a method for interpreting which brain responses meant yes or no by asking factual questions. Using the technique on Routley, the injured man was able to "tell" them he was not in any pain.
"I was impressed and amazed that he was able to show these cognitive responses. He had the clinical picture of a typical vegetative patient and showed no spontaneous movements that looked meaningful," Owen said.
Another patient, Steven Graham was able to show that he had made new memories after his accident by responding yes to whether or not his sister had had a child. His sister had a baby five years after he entered a vegetative state, the BBC reported.
Owen hopes that in the future, the fMRI method can help with the care of people in vegetative states, Nature reported. Caregivers can ask if their patients if are in any pain or what music they wanted to hear. However, the ethical question -- whether doctors should ask patients if they want to end their lives -- is something Owen still won't touch.
One problem is that fMRI machines are still rather expensive. The Toronto Star reports that it can cost almost $2 million, and moving vegetative patients to the machine may harm them. However, there are high-end portable EEG machines that cost a little less than $75,000 each that can also measure brain responses which may be a possibility some day.
The BBC's Panorama television program detailed more about the Routley's story and Owen's research on a special called "The Mind Reader: Unlocking My Voice".


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BBQ at The Roof Garden, Peninsula Hotel (Beverly Hills)
What's a more perfect meal than a BBQ on a beautiful rooftop in LA? Roof Garden at The Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills is one of the best rooftops in town and they're having a bbq every weekend this summer. The Roof Garden shares the kitchen with The Belvedere and the hotel's Executive Chef James Overbaugh oversees all the dining operations.
The rooftop is not that big, but the circular section with the fireplace is my favorite.
Before starting with the bbq, we had some cocktails and appetizers near the fireplace:
Ahi Tuna Chop Chop with sliced avocado, crisp pineapple and roof garden-picked herbs
Dinner starts with a basket anise bread (yep, anise, and it was good), zucchini, olive, and lavash.


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The Commissariat of Enlightenment
A Novel
Other Editions of This Title:
Hardcover (2/1/2003)
Russia, 1910. Leo Tolstoy lies dying in Astapovo, a remote railway station. Members of the press from around the world have descended upon this sleepy hamlet to record his passing for a public suddenly ravenous for celebrity news. They have been joined by a film company whose cinematographer, Nikolai Gribshin, is capturing the extraordinary scene and learning how to wield his camera as a political tool. At this historic moment he comes across two men -- the scientist, Professor Vorobev, and the revolutionist, Joseph Stalin -- who have radical, mysterious plans for the future. Soon they will accompany him on a long, cold march through an era of brutality and absurdity. The Commissariat of Enlightenment is a mesmerizing novel of ideas that brilliantly links the tragedy and comedy of the Russian Revolution with the global empire of images that occupies our imaginations today.
Praise For The Commissariat of Enlightenment: A Novel…
— Andrea Barrett
"Brilliant ... Inventive ... Gogol is probably tearing his hair out, wishing he'd dreamed this up."
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Kalfus is an ironist in the best late-modern Central European style: wry, humane, precise, and beautifully smitten with ideas."
— Jonathan Franzen
"Unforgettable...the story exhibits all the vigorous intelligence and vision readers have come to expect from Kalfus."
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Glitteringly original. . . . An intricate, harrowing, and, yes, dangerous first novel that sets out to capture the dawn of the 20th century in Bolshevik Russia."
— Esquire
"Kalfus's book is absorbing, intelligent, witty and wry...A fable that tells the story of the 20th century."
— London Times
Ecco, 9780060501396, 304pp.
Publication Date: February 3, 2004
About the Author
ken kalfus is the author of a novel, The Commissariat of Enlightenment, and the short story collections Thirst, which won the Salon Book Award, and Pu-239 and Other Russian Fantasies, which was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award.


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Griffin police officers are searching for alleged shooter Anthony Barkley in connection with a Feb. 8 armed robbery at 213 Central Ave. He is considered to be armed and dangerous. Anyone who has information about him or his location is asked to call Sgt. Sommer Bales at 770-229-6452.
Anthony Barkley
Home invasion arrest pending
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