Please enjoy reading a few instructors’ remarks regarding their classes and their students.
A note written by long-time Elementary Division instructor and Cal State East Bay professor
Heather MacLeod to Nina that made it clear that we needed to share ATDP instructors’ words with you.
Heather wrote:
“May I brag about the parents of my students? They were amazing people. Not just because they came on field trips and helped with typing and cutting cardboard. Not just because they had gone through all the paperwork to get their children signed up for ATDP and the transportation of getting them there. Not just because two parents came into the classroom to help students write and draw their projects. (Two of my parents came from MODESTO every day!) On the field trips I saw the children stand literally leaning against their parents, with complete trust that they would be held up. I heard parents ask their children questions to bring out their ideas. I saw the parents listening attentively to the other students. It was truly a joy to behold the look on my students’ faces at the end of the day when they saw their parents. Every day when the parents came to pick up their children I felt enormous hope for the world, seeing the love and care and attention the parents lavished on their children, seeing the trust and love on my students’ faces. What parents!”
Students get Energized about Conservation
Sara Dornisch and Peter Stewart
Energy (ED)
Have you seen the recent news program, “This Week in Energy Conservation” on KNRG? Are you constantly reminded to use cold water instead of hot as much as possible around the house? Do you hear chants of “Pump, Pump, PETROLEUM” sung from the backseat of the car? Then you may be the family member of a recent ATDP Energy course graduate!This summer, ATDP students astounded us with their enthusiasm for discovering different energy conversions, creating their own news programs with energy-saving tips, and building solar cars! The most inspiring aspect of these scientists was their desire to know MORE. Their inquisitive nature filled our classroom lab, with students posing endless, thoughtful questions that searched for the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ behind the concepts. Here is just a sample: “How does a solar panel convert light into electricity?” “In the toy car, how does the spring convert energy to spin the wheels?” “Why did the mixture of Calcium Chloride and water get so hot?”This same intellectual curiosity and creativity extended to every activity in our summer Energy course. Students tricked out their solar cars with license plates, flames, and speed-enhancing designs. In the taping of our news program, such characters as Abe Lincoln, Arnold Schwarzenegger and a plethora of energy bandits emerged. Most importantly, family members reported that these Energy students became vigilant at home, keeping their worlds free from Energy Wasters! Witnessing this level of intellect, innovation and commitment to the environment, we left ATDP feeling more reassured about our future!
How to Make a Teacher Happy, Forever
Anne Kaffka and Pooja Govil
Writers’ Circle (ED)
The story that really stands out for us comes from a note from a student, presented shyly at the end of the class. The student had come in not liking to write, not sure how to gather his thoughts or how to take notes. He left knowing not just how to get started but also how to make his writing better and more interesting to his readers. In his note, he told us that he now loves to write and is planning to continue writing in his spare time during the school year. He even shared a bunch of ideas about publishing!
Optical Illusions, Flashlights, and Shadows! Oh My!
Jenn Pfotenhauer
Light and Vision (ED)
This summer, students in Light and Vision had a wonderful time investigating properties of light, and learning about the basic elements of vision and perception. Students were delighted by the optical illusions in class. They worked hard to find the “key” to seeing the illusion. During our Open House, students surprised their family members by “seeing” things that the adults couldn’t!
Students also learned about shadows. Through experiments with flashlights and a variety of objects, they learned about how light travels. In particular, students were very creative as we learned how light travels in a straight line away from its source and can become weaker over longer distances. In the middle photo below, you can see students using innovative ideas about distance and angle.
We then took these ideas about light and perception and went outside to learn more about shadows. In the photo on the left below, you can see students tracing each other’s shadows and experimenting with the relationship between the 3-D body shape and the 2-D shadow. Fortunately no one tried anything too acrobatic! However, the students did make informed decisions about their body shapes by thinking about the angle of the sun and the nature of opaque objects.
Language, Culture, and …Sushi?
Hideko Lowe
Japanese II (SD)
Eleven fun-loving and brilliant students dedicated their summer to the Japanese Language Intensive course here at UC Berkeley. Not only did they read, write, and speak Japanese, they mastered over 100 kanji characters. I was initially worried about the workload but the more work I gave, the more fired up the students got. They just wanted more and more homework!
This summer was not entirely about academics—we made sure to have fun too! We met with the students from the other Japanese classes and became master sushi chefs; our specialty—California rolls! :-) We incorporated Japan’s summer star festival, Tanabata, into the classroom by making traditional wish decorations with origami paper. With the help of my great T.A, class went smoothly and quickly. Thanks to her, the class was ahead of schedule and we were able to enjoy two funny Japanese movies—in Japanese, of course.
At the Mt. Olympus Convention and Toga Party
Laura Schooley
Greek Mythology (SD)
Summertime at ATDP is a pleasure for many reasons. Since this is my annual foray into the realm of the first grade, it is a special time to work with younger students. They are so active, interested, and wide open! I always enjoy having the opportunity to teach in this wonderful environment where the majority of the students are such intellectual sponges—I laugh when a few declare on the first day that they ‘know everything about Greek Mythology’ but by the end of the first session they have discovered new nuggets of information and different versions of stories that get them excited and openly sharing with their parents and families.
Many parents have told me that the drive to and from ATDP is filled with accounts of their childrens’ day. It’s nice to know that the learning extends outside the classroom. Another joy of teaching Mythology is how it allows the students to make sense of the world around them. The application of learning about the names in the solar system, architecture, art, math, and scientific concepts related to mythology puts some order in the universe for these young students. So many ‘aha!’ moments are present during these short 12 days—it is a shame when it ends! I always looks forward to our last day Mt. Olympus Convention, aka ‘Toga Party’. This celebration of our 12 days of learning is actually a celebration of the importance the classics play in our lives.
Cultural Revolutions and Brain Scans
M. McCoy, P. Bulakowski and D. Chun
Intro. to Writing and AP Psychology (SD)
Of the many, many Secondary Division experiences during Summer 2008 that earned bragging rights of their own, because Lloyd won’t permit me any additional space for this section, I only mention two, and mention them very briefly, at that:Megan McCoy’s class (Introduction to the Writing Process) was honored by a visit from internationally renowned author Ji-Li Jiang who shared her childhood memories of surviving the Cultural Revolution in China, which she told in her first book Red Scarf Girl. Ms. Jiang is also known by young (and old) children around the world though her adaptations of classical Chinese folklore, which were serialized in newspapers in 17 countries. Ms. Jiang very graciously permitted ATDP students to invite not only family members but also students and teachers from other classes to attend her talk.Finally, I am going to brag about myself. I, Nina Gabelko, was invited to join Paul Bulakowski and David Chun’s AP Psychology students as they visited the Berkeley Imaging Center (BIC) at Wellman Courtyard, right next to Tolman Hall. Their visit, acknowledged by the students as a rare privilege, was hosted by the BIC’s director himself. Students stood in mute amazement (but this is ATDP, so they were still taking notes) as they observed brain imaging technology in action, with the Varian 4 Tesla scanner, one of the most advanced in the world.It was an astounding experience. Our students took full advantage of their unique opportunity and asked outstanding questions. Oh, and I should mention that when Mr. Bulakowski’s brain was scanned, with the help of the BIC director, we really could (almost) see what he was thinking.
Falling Monkeys and Economies
Bette Spagel
A.P. Economics (SD)
Bette Spagel has every reason to brag about her A.P. Economics classes, and we have every reason to wish that she were educating both Wall Street and Congress these days. Her students, even ones from years and years ago, have understood what’s going on in the world economy from the moment they witnessed and then explained the significance of the classroom demonstration of a toy monkey being tossed high into the air, hitting the ceiling, and coming way, way back down.
Sandra Castillo-Shadic and Sonal Patel correctly state that their wonderful Rocky Reefs and Tidepools
students’ photos speak for themselves. We think that you’ll agree. (Click on thumbnails to see larger versions.)
