tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33685874101517925572012-02-16T03:53:40.669-10:00Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.comBlogger851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-58762273134130842012011-10-17T10:42:00.002-10:002011-10-17T10:46:34.999-10:00

I love the resources on the Internet and while trying to edit  a document for work, I came across this hilarious grammar site that can help students and make them laugh too. I was looking up semicolon rules and they have it in kid friendly, clear text, hilarious sample sentences and cartoons (my personal fave). They also offer the cute posters for a reasonable amount, so if you want something to

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-70476945233409945982011-09-08T13:21:00.002-10:002011-09-08T13:21:33.385-10:00

Via: OnlineEducation.net

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-31170349174392928382011-09-06T09:55:00.000-10:002011-09-06T09:55:55.782-10:00

To get professional conversations going, one strategy is the visual synectics strategy. The purpose is to select a visual and generate comparisons as a way to foster professional conversations within the table. Our visual options were: Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz, Peter Falk from Columbo, Michael Jordan, Winston Churchill, Oprah Winfrey. The cloze passage for the

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-60563757277749747032011-08-04T08:18:00.000-10:002011-08-04T08:18:10.291-10:00

It's the first week of school in Hawaii. Have you been reading to your kids? I saw a post on Martha Stewart Living that listed favorite back to school books so I decided to make a list of my own. Please add on. These are children's books meant for all grade levels (everyone deserves to be read to), with an emphasis on nurturing writers. Harold and the Purple Crayon has been around for more than

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-39202922127214112872011-07-29T18:02:00.000-10:002011-07-29T18:02:01.946-10:00

Hilo Hotel I'm posting this late, but I wanted to make sure that I answered the question. I'd like to blog about the South Africa lessons I learned too, but it has been a while since I had access to a computer, so I wanted to talk about the question of what difference does place-based education make for our students (Tamara's question)? There are tons of scholarly articles on place-based

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-47174136352581928102011-06-25T00:54:00.003-10:002011-06-25T01:02:11.622-10:00

Wondrous Words, a photo by cathy.ikeda on Flickr.I brought some books with me to leave at the Durban Writing Project site and I've been rereading this Katie Wood Ray classic. Even if you don't teach in the elementary, you won't go wrong with this book that balances pedagogy with practicality. One part talks about selecting books to read aloud, not only to model good reading, but to get the

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-21707996418735778352011-06-22T10:59:00.001-10:002011-06-22T10:59:23.178-10:00

, a photo by cathy.ikeda on Flickr.I'm at the airport again, faced with another five hour layover. Here's what I learned:• A one day pass for the lounge is worth it if you have a lot of time. It keeps you away from the chaos of the terminal and you usually get free wi fi, drinks and snacks.• The Delta sky lounge in Atlanta, concourse E has a shower. • Hawaii has no exchange site to exchange

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-26587960074888275942011-06-20T07:28:00.000-10:002011-06-20T07:28:26.192-10:00

I am not, by nature, a cocktail party person. I am introverted, more comfortable on the sidelines, and I do not, like engaging in small talk. Writing Project leaders, though, by nature are outgoing, friendly people persons. What do Writing Project people schedule for their first activity at a new site director's conference? A cocktail party of course. An introverts strategy at a cocktail

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-76254867880706958542011-03-14T09:50:00.000-10:002011-03-14T09:50:07.542-10:00

Thank you to Barry Lane and Kelly Galagher for reiterating that yes, there is no magic bullet that will "fix" education. The only way to "fix" education is to support dedicated teachers, like these two gentlemen, who are willing to do the hard work.

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-65789543113156614032010-10-24T10:26:00.001-10:002010-10-24T10:33:31.735-10:00

In this upcoming election, Hawaii voters are being asked to vote on whether we should give up the right to vote for a school board and instead have a board appointed by the governor. Proponents of an appointed board say that this will increase accountability. At this point, since the elected board is powerless without the legislature's funding, and the legislature is powerless if the governor

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-4346733884158858122010-08-28T17:03:00.000-10:002010-08-28T17:03:33.229-10:00

The Hawaii Council of Teachers of English (HCTE) sponsored "Professor Nana," Dr. Teri Lesesne (rhymes with insane) for their fall workshop this morning at Mid Pacific Institute in Mānoa. Neither the $50 fee nor the fact that this was a gorgeous Saturday and we were in a 1/2-day workshop was enough to dissuade the packed cafeteria of teachers. If you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YA and tween books like I do

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-37794905707576866942010-08-19T17:13:00.000-10:002010-08-19T17:13:26.349-10:00

Storyline Online is a site Esther Kotke of Hilo Union told me about. The premise is to take powerful picture books and create a video of professional actors reading these books. I listened to To Be a Drum read by James Earl Jones, but I noticed some other favorites like Thank You, Mr. Falker, Knots on a Counting Rope, and Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. While the actors do the reading, the

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-45985993731284399672009-12-01T21:16:00.000-10:002009-12-01T21:16:18.426-10:00

If you are a secondary teacher on the Big Island, you and your students are invited to the Big Island Reading Festival on April 16, 2010. Location TBA, but our authors are set to come and are eager to meet the students. If you would like to participate, or you need more information, drop me a note at caikeda@ksbe.edu.

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-87106667827044046782009-11-30T10:30:00.000-10:002009-11-30T10:30:37.905-10:00

and why we must provide the tools for our digital natives. Nwp Digital Is De VossView more documents from devossda.

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-19297078736073258042009-11-30T10:22:00.000-10:002009-11-30T10:22:21.669-10:00

As an English teacher, there are two professional organizations that have made an enormous difference in my career. The first is NWP (the National Writing Project) and the other is the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English). Both annual conventions happen simultaneously in the same location, so next year is in Orlando. If we want the public to treat teachers as professionals, I think we

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-25482615780604895662009-11-30T05:55:00.000-10:002009-11-30T05:55:04.380-10:00

I forgot how much I love the Muppets. We can't forget the educational brilliance of Sesame Street and the Muppets!

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-68101424844212120372009-11-14T10:24:00.002-10:002009-11-14T10:24:58.491-10:00

Stephanie Shepherd led us through a FABULOUS technology workshop on blogging and podcasting and had the teachers set up their own blogs. Yeah! To check out all the resources Stephanie provided, here's a sharetab of her links as well as some of our own blogs. http://sharetabs.com/?tahoeshepherds So why should we use blogs and podcasts/vodcasts in our classrooms? ▪Offers another sense modality

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-11361517163248137112009-09-25T12:00:00.004-10:002009-09-25T12:11:17.537-10:00

Writers- teachers - lovers of the Big Island, there are 26 days to submit your pieces to the local gallery Na Leo o Hawaiihttp://galleryofwriting.org/galleries/88467Gallery Title: Na Leo o Hawaii - Voices of the Big IslandGallery Description: This gallery will highlight the voices of the Big Island of Hawaii - from our kupuna (elders) to our keiki (children) - from the fishing village of Milolii

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-90985481970770191922009-09-08T08:07:00.004-10:002009-09-08T08:32:19.772-10:00

Despite the controversy leading up to the speech, and the outrage that Obama would take up precious class time to talk about his educational policy, his speech to the nation's students was a simple one on their kuleana. Kuleana is the Hawaiian word for responsibility. As Hawaiians, we understand that our kuleana, our responsibility is never a selfish act. When individuals do not fulfill their

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-28096942509394624612009-07-07T09:10:00.002-10:002009-07-07T09:16:36.022-10:00

In celebration of the October 20, 2009 National Day on Writing, and with the help of NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English), we now have our own local online gallery that is a part of the larger National Gallery. Na Leo o Hawaii, the voices of Hawaii, is for all of us who live on the Big Island. Please help me to get the word out to your colleagues, your students, your kupuna, and please

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-85291618410135289512009-07-05T10:31:00.003-10:002009-07-05T10:39:15.972-10:00

NCTE's Read.Write.Think organization has a website for learning beyond the classroom. It's full of activities and resources to help children and teens ages 4 - 18 to explore reading and writing all smmer long.Besides links, there are also podcasts and videos that help parents and kids pick the best books for the best reading experience. Enjoy!

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-56723590137462330692009-06-21T15:38:00.003-10:002009-06-21T15:49:48.649-10:00

Education Secretary Arne Duncan is on a summer tour to hear ideas about "how we can accomplish President Obama's goal of providing every child in America a complete and competitive education, from cradle through career."He is not coming to Hawaii, however, that doesn't mean that we are out of the conversation. As Duncan prepares for reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, he wants to hear from

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-87112892426604435492009-06-12T08:47:00.002-10:002009-06-12T09:16:55.733-10:00

Kevin Hodgson shares his mana'o on literacy and writing. Now that Hawai'i schools are out for summer and as the workshops and writing projects start next week, take some time to read his post, reflect on your year and think about the essentials and big ideas in your own curriculum.I lā maikaʻi!

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-5798240337343473552009-06-06T07:09:00.003-10:002009-06-06T07:22:40.720-10:00

Deborah Meiers, on her Edweek blog Bridging Differences writes about "test scores and reinforcing the wrong connections." We need more people willing to have a "conversation" on slow change and long-term solutions. Not everything can be fixed quickly.As long as we use test scores as our primary evidence for being poorly educated we reinforce the connection—and the bad teaching to which it leads.

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-7689717203318193452009-05-06T08:07:00.008-10:002009-05-06T08:30:50.755-10:00

Did you have a journal? Were you a writer as a child? Did you lose that passion when you grew up? How long has it been since you, as an adult, have written for yourself -- not because you had to, or it was expected of you, or you were grading papers, but for the pure joy of writing?Cathy Song, Hawaii's own "poet laureate" started writing at a young age. She says, "our family travels started my

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-18969324954116808742009-04-27T13:30:00.002-10:002009-04-27T13:39:42.775-10:00

The National Council of Teachers of English, in preparation for their National Day of Writing, October 20, 2009 has opened up their Gallery of Writing and are now accepting submissions.The organizers invite letters, memoirs, lists, poems, podcasts, essays, short stories, instructions, reports, editorials, video clips, biographical sketches, speeches, invitations, hopes and dreams—writing that

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-5563900988325932082009-04-14T00:56:00.004-10:002009-04-14T01:10:10.445-10:00

At the annual Easter Egg Roll on the White House lawn, the Obamas read stories to the children, including Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.C-Span has the video here.Use technology like C-Span and You Tube or TeacherTube to bring more videos into your classroom of historical figures and celebrities reading books aloud. Post links or post the videos directly into your website. Share

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-77779842589484910612009-04-08T10:46:00.005-10:002009-04-08T11:06:29.993-10:00

April is Poetry Month, but as a language arts teacher, I know that amongst language arts teachers, there's a dirty little secret, especially in the secondary... we tend to relegate the poetry unit to the end hoping that we've run out of time. Have I exposed a nerve? Am I talking about you? Am I bringing up your own schooling demons? Have you analyzed poetry to death only to be told that

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-75219882588548233642009-03-19T14:05:00.002-10:002009-03-19T14:09:56.428-10:00

The 39 Clues is back for its 3rd installment. The kids need to go to Japan in search of the next clue.Peter Lerangis, the author of the third 39 Clues book is over on Ink Splot blogging about his crazy adventures promoting the new book (The 39 Clues #3: The Sword Thief) while following mysterious clues. It's very entertaining -- especially if you're a fan of the books. Watch the first of five

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-62416613848906921762009-03-16T14:02:00.004-10:002009-03-16T14:13:58.888-10:00

Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak has been out for ten years, and if you are a secondary English teacher who has not read this book, you MUST. This is not a book to do as a whole class, but it's a book to keep handy when one of your students needs it. Don't know what I'm talking about? Read it. You'll know. Think you don't have the kinds of kids that need to read this book to feel less alone,

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-63236690435412266152009-03-12T06:48:00.004-10:002009-03-12T06:53:07.599-10:00

Adolescent literacy.org is a resource for parents and educators of kids in grades 4-12. It's a free e-newsletter and it's got a nice balance of writing and reading resources as well as blogs, multimedia videos with experts and YA authors as well as literacy strategies.Right now I'm watching a video by Dr. Steve Graham of Vanderbilt University. It's long, so it would be a great shot of PD for

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-10759002986075316092009-03-02T11:00:00.007-10:002009-03-02T11:49:23.793-10:00

I'm in the unique position this year of visiting classrooms to see what's going on in these little boxes we call "our rooms." I must say, it's very different when it's someone else's little box rather than my own little box. I see wonderful things going on in isolation and I see potentially wonderful things going on, with no real way to share out with others. I see things going on that would be a

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-46496580024510485472009-03-01T21:37:00.005-10:002009-03-01T22:20:22.624-10:00

(Image: 'Questions')I was listening to a podcast interview with Marc Ancito, and when asked about his fears, he talked about questioning himself, "am I enough?" With 10 weeks left of my first year as a literacy coach and reading specialist, I too want to know, "am I enough?" Have I done enough this year? Have I accomplished anything of substance? Have I made a difference in someone's life? Since

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-15323089030802528962009-02-24T22:05:00.002-10:002009-02-24T22:26:03.666-10:00

I've used voice threads in my language arts class, but how did it work in other classes, and how was it better once we actually paid the $1/child for their own account?This is an example from Mele's Hawaiian studies class. The students were doing research on Princess Pauahi and what she did for her people, then they drew a picture for their slide and wrote a script.Positives: the students were

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-87867156193962725412009-02-24T14:45:00.002-10:002009-02-24T14:56:20.910-10:00

Message from Vicky Holt TakamineAloha Kakou,'Ilio'ulaokalani Coalition is gathering at the State Capitol Rotunda at 4 am. (I know most of you are not doing anything at that hour)We encourage all native Hawaiians and supporters of protecting our ceded lands from being sold and/transferred to join us. We will be sharing our pule, drumming and chanting every hour on the hour from 5 am to 4 pm. At

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-30807243297168749642009-02-19T08:29:00.003-10:002009-02-19T08:31:43.260-10:00

Browse Inside this bookGet this for your site Walter Dean Myer's Second Chance Initiative AdLit.org's online promotionfor Dope Sick, the latest book from award-winning author Walter Dean Myers continues through February. We've added author podcasts and interviews, and Dope Sick is now available for free online reading.

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-84814021812843271132009-02-17T14:22:00.003-10:002009-02-17T14:37:08.113-10:00

The Lehua Writing Project is a new site sponsored by the National Writing Project and the University of Hawaii at Hilo.For our first summer, we are offering the summer writing institute geared for educators teaching at the pre-13 level. Teachers will study successful classroom strategies for teaching writing, read and discuss research, and improve their knowledge of writing by writing themselves.

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-60506282412855366832009-02-12T10:22:00.002-10:002009-02-12T10:25:31.335-10:00

If you're in Honolulu on Friday and Saturday, February 20 and 21, Classroom 2.0 will hold a Live Workshop in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the St Louis/Chaminade campus. It's a free and fun two-day workshop with an opportunity to gather with other educators and learn about Web 2.0 and classroom practices. In particular, this workshop is to help educators just learning about the "participative" Web to do

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-85647409504103687502009-01-29T14:29:00.010-10:002009-01-31T19:12:15.738-10:00

My boss asked me to find powerful examples of blogs done by principals as a way not only to get announcements out to families, but also to provide a site for resources that families could use to assist their child, as well as ways to supplement the learning going on and build connections between home and school. What a wonderful use for the blog! How forward thinking and, dare I say LOGICAL. I

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-44003434485212720492009-01-23T15:42:00.000-10:002009-01-23T15:42:00.533-10:00

I got to hear Will Rich speak at the Kukulu Kaiaulu ed tech conference in Honolulu this summer and he has so much to share on technology and education. This is one of his videos on the example of Twitter as a tool for the news.The original video is shared from bliptv by WillRich45

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-91749343104982491692009-01-23T08:41:00.005-10:002009-01-23T09:10:44.100-10:00

I got an email from Classroom 2.0(an educator's networking site)that announced that they're partnering with PBS to offer a series of free online web seminars (webinars) for teachers.Webinars are a great way to do quick (usually one hour) online classes with an opportunity to participate in the running discussion as well as an opportunity to ask questions of the speakers. Another perk is that by

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-48103022716689353222009-01-21T15:42:00.007-10:002009-01-21T16:20:20.221-10:00

February is African American History Month so let me help with some resources.Books:The Underground Railroad: An Interactive History Adventure by Allison LassieurReading level: Ages 9-12Paperback: 112 pagesPublisher: Capstone Press; 1st edition (January 1, 2008)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1429611839ISBN-13: 978-1429611831Describes the people and events of the Underground Railroad in the 1850s after

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-39707622338762534572009-01-20T10:11:00.003-10:002009-01-20T10:44:09.735-10:00

Today as I turned on the television at 5 am to watch the inauguration, I couldn't help but compare it to the other inaugurations I've seen (Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush). I woke my children up and we watched until we had to leave for school and on our way to school, we listened to Obama's speech on the AM radio. But what is so different about this inauguration is the way that everyday citizens

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-83855673625707380412009-01-15T09:01:00.003-10:002009-01-15T09:36:49.098-10:00

In the December 2008 Review of Educational Research (Vol. 78, #4, pp. 880-907), researchers Monique Senechal and Laura Young report on their study of different ways for parents to support their K-3 children's reading development. The authors looked at 16 intervention studies involving 1,340 families, and found that overall, the effects of parent involvement were positive. They do, however, see a

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-71503733320524479792009-01-11T11:20:00.002-10:002009-01-11T11:35:30.719-10:00

Have you noticed this logo either next to your URL address or on a website like a blog or news site? This is the RSS logo (really simple syndication) that basically allows you to subscribe to a site (like this blog), and every time there is a new post on the site, the new post title shows up on your RSS reader, or aggregator. Your blog has an RSS logo too so I could "subscribe" to your blog and

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-81666445061184475382009-01-05T22:49:00.007-10:002009-01-07T08:59:31.758-10:00

This Sunday's Star Bulletin ran an article on Hawaii State superintendent of schools, Patricia Hamamoto's push for the legislature to give the DOE more power to replace teachers, principals and staff at some campuses that have been failing the No Child Left Behind law despite extra support to help them raise student achievement over the years.The plan would allow Hamamoto to replace staff if the

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-58284549223052303882009-01-03T20:35:00.004-10:002009-01-03T20:58:58.757-10:00

If one of your new year's resolutions is to be a more reflective and FABULOUS English teacher, then join the English Companion ning right now. This ning (social website with a specific focus) was started by Jim Burke, prolific author (English Teacher's Companion, The Teacher's Daybook, Reading Reminders, Writing Reminders, Tools for Thought: Graphic Organizers in the Classroom, etc.) webmaster,

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-54761259668925158222009-01-01T10:32:00.004-10:002009-01-01T11:11:22.157-10:00

Now that we have our family website up and running, I've decided that this is a good time to sign off on this blog and recreate it into something else. There's no need for two personal blogs, so I'm going to take the rest of this week to recreate this one into its own niche.Blogging is about writing about your passion and finding your niche so that you can hook up with like minded people and

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-55059951611215111372008-12-31T22:18:00.010-10:002008-12-31T22:54:22.030-10:00

If you ask my family, they will tell you that I am very pake in many ways. I hate paying full price for anything. When I shop, I go straight for the back of the store where the sales and clearance items are. The only thing better than not having to shop is getting something at 70% off. I love to go to Vegas, but I never gamble. Putting $100 into a penny poker machine is just poho (wasteful). I

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-22755217145105761772008-12-29T22:52:00.001-10:002008-12-29T22:52:13.147-10:00

ChocolatesOriginally uploaded by cathy.ikedaI've been doing pretty good on my Weight Watchers journey, but I'm being undermined by Christmas chocolates like these gourmet dark chocolate confections in their own little cubicle, packed in bubble wrap and designed like jewels. Some people are alcoholics, drug addicts, shopoholics. . . I'm a chocoholic. I shouldn't eat any. Cold turkey is the only

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-32383353549245781422008-12-25T07:17:00.007-10:002008-12-25T07:31:49.822-10:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. .Isaiah 9:6

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-16573125261393592172008-12-25T06:16:00.001-10:002008-12-25T06:16:11.092-10:00

TeaOriginally uploaded by cathy.ikedaI absolutely hate water. Mostly because, well, it just tastes like. . .water. But in WW (weight watchers), part of the program, and my weekly challenge to myself, is to drink water. . . LOTS of it per day (6 - 8 cups). Most people can drink that amount in the morning, but I could last on that amount for the whole week. My body is used to being dehydrated. It's

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-51517473944314956162008-12-20T17:43:00.002-10:002008-12-20T17:56:25.274-10:00

Hubby made two kinds of fudge this year. One tastes like a homemade PB Reece's cup and this one is a chocolate fudge with chopped pistachio nuts. This shouldn't be a problem since we did say that we wanted to make gifts this year so we made corned beef and yam lau lau, mini chocolate and cream cheese truffles, candied walnuts and pecans, and those dreaded fudge monsters.The problem with making

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-48773822778088205442008-12-12T13:27:00.002-10:002008-12-12T13:40:35.163-10:00

I have not talked to too many teen girls in school who have not seen the Twilight movie. Even my high school son saw the movie with his girlfriend and she was watching it for the second time. She is reading the books, however, and he is adamantly NOT. Do movies like this help to encourage reading? I must admit that I have a list of students that are waiting for my Twilight series and

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-31198127826333878332008-12-08T09:43:00.005-10:002008-12-08T10:25:55.694-10:00

One of the latests posts on the ASCD In Service blog talked about the possible death of the the novel in the secondary classroom.I remember in high school I actually took a novel class where the teacher gave us a speed reading test in the beginning of the semester, and based on that we were given a number of pages that we had to read per week. When we finished a novel, we had to have a conference

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-22057566309738104302008-12-02T10:54:00.004-10:002008-12-02T11:17:55.648-10:00

The gondoliers in Venice are eating breakfast as the city floods, and as I go through the pictures on the Time.com photo essay site, I'm always struck by the resiliency of people to just keep keeping on. I think journalism is not just about highlighting the plight of others, I think it's also a way to rile people up, to get them off their bottoms and take action, but really, with the immediacy

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-84273992866693781432008-11-28T22:50:00.001-10:002008-11-28T22:50:42.642-10:00

Christmas treeOriginally uploaded by cathy.ikedaMy husband bought himself a large ticket item while I was in San Antonio. It will probably be his Christmas, birthday and anniversary gift for the next couple of years. Was I surprised? No. He's been talking about getting a stand up paddle board for months, and after 21 years, I know that once he gets an idea in his head, the result is that the

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-10750551519303232342008-11-23T06:31:00.003-10:002008-11-23T06:51:08.060-10:00

photo.jpgOriginally uploaded by cathy.ikedaI'm finally on my way home, and yes, I did figure out how to blog on my iPhone, but wow, busy, busy, busy. Ok, I'm on a free internet computer at the Houston Airport, so I need to type fast. According to the countdown clock, I have 17:15 and counting down.5 Reasons to come to San Antonio1. The food downtown (sorry, it's probably great around other parts

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-66478724644577162072008-11-18T19:51:00.002-10:002008-11-18T19:58:38.910-10:00

No laptopOriginally uploaded by cathy.ikedaI'm hoping that this will work, but it's basically emailing the photo to my flickr account, then setting up my flickr so that it upload to my blog. If this actually works, then all I have to do is practice my no looking texting technique. My son says I can't look at the keyboard, I just have to feel the keys like some zen experience. He must have been

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-82211681307491301042008-11-18T18:43:00.002-10:002008-11-18T18:58:58.199-10:00

1. Type this blog with any kind of speed that's not considered geriatric.2. Figure out how to put pics on this blog if my pics are not uploaded to an Internet site.And finally,3. Type this blog without looking like a lame-o old lady who does not have her multiple finger cheating on my test taking abilities down.Still, since I'm on way to San Antonio, my husband says why do you need to take your

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-24031049597118690872008-11-08T20:59:00.004-10:002008-11-08T21:18:56.244-10:00

For the second round of the 16 Bars competition, the rappers and slam poets get a topic, so tonight the topic was "Wiwoole (the retail store) is the bomb." They got one week to write and memorize. It's not really what he writes about, but that was the purpose - to keep them on their toes. Ahi made it through again, so will post soon!

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-62411767025525806902008-11-06T09:07:00.003-10:002008-11-06T09:18:34.597-10:00

Sitting in front of the TV on Tuesday and listening to Obama's victory speech really brought home the idea that this is indeed a historical event. The media threw that idea around, but in my lifetime, I didn't feel that this election was historical in the way watching the Twin Towers fall on CNN or seeing the Challenger blow up was historical. The message is not unusual. We've heard it before,

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-468435707656952602008-10-27T06:52:00.005-10:002008-10-27T07:14:15.988-10:00

The older the kids get, the busier we are. Some nights, there are at least three of us on separate computers - but there's one conversation that always takes place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday: "Have you read the latest Nemu?" We are all in love with the local web comic Nemu Nemu about two magical plushie pups Anpan (like the bread with bean paste) and Nemu (like nemutai - sleepy). Anpan is

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-73625706272452225922008-10-13T14:17:00.006-10:002008-10-13T14:50:38.273-10:00

I'm not very good at producing readers, except for my youngest who had a goal to read a million words by the end of his school year and he made that amount by the end of September. Hey, he's a 5th grader, not much social life at that age. Still, even if the other two aren't reading for lifers, it seems writing and poetry run in the family.Ahi participated in a local event called 16 Bars (he

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-40746469596953927562008-10-07T10:07:00.002-10:002008-10-07T10:23:26.169-10:00

Our family is on the Wii Fit train, which just means that we found an excuse to play the Wii on school days. Basically, the Wii Fit is a plank or board that you stand on and it weighs you, tracks your BMI and basically tells you that you're either obese, overweight, normal or underweight. Warning, if you have a large TV (ours is pretty decent), in large letters, this machine will show your

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-75609990073809956542008-09-23T17:21:00.002-10:002008-09-23T18:09:27.230-10:00

Although I never want to talk about it, and I won't again, I'm psychic. Not psychic in that Allison Dubois way (the character in Medium, who happens to be a real person), but in the way that most parents, especially moms, are psychic. We are so in tune with our children that it allows us to know some things even though we are normally clueless. I don't know why it's more prevalent in mothers

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-80481015686274875302008-09-19T09:11:00.002-10:002008-09-19T09:17:25.940-10:00

One of my colleagues sent me this link. Dalton Sherman is a 5th grader who talked to 20,000 educators in Dallas. When the occupation keeps getting slammed, when the budgets keep getting cut, educators need to believe that what they are doing matters. And it does.

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-7284975450029033882008-09-11T20:04:00.006-10:002008-09-11T21:38:06.581-10:00

Ken and Pono, our youngest, come home from cub scouts and right away Pono says, "Mom, dad says I have to ask you." Me: Yes? Pono: What's afterbirth? (Of course I'm eating dinner, but Pono says, Dad said it's the sack for the baby. Did it hurt? Me: Did having you hurt? Yes. Did the afterbirth hurt? No. Where is this coming from? Is that what you guys were talking about at cub scouts? (

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-55977873745059927882008-09-07T20:57:00.003-10:002008-09-07T21:07:29.944-10:00

Finally a teen girl heroine who is not obsessed with boys, parties, gossip and money! ABC family's newest series, Samurai Girl is about Heaven, a Japanese princess (yeah, yeah, she has money, but it's not about that) that loses her brother when her arranged marriage in San Francisco is attacked by ninja hired by yakuza. She can't trust her own family and must reach out to an old friend and some

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-27722390649239123972008-08-29T14:20:00.008-10:002008-08-31T20:11:19.785-10:00

1. Listen attentively for 10 minutesPresenters: welcome to your worst teaching nightmare. Teachers learn how to be antsy from their students. If you have a lot of middle school teachers, expect them to act like middle schoolers, ADHD disorders and all. You have 10 minutes to hook us and we want to get up, move and be active every half hour.2. Talk to our neighbor while the presenter is still

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-28225028243173655682008-08-25T17:20:00.009-10:002008-08-26T20:57:52.477-10:00

Summer Olympics 08 is over and there's definitely a hole in our TV line up after 2 weeks of sleeping late and waking up early to watch the Olympics. I'm not really a sports junkie, but I do love the drama, the personal stories and the beauty of exertion, triumph and sorrow. Yes, I'm proud to be an American, but I'm more proud of being a Hawaiian (I mean in location, not in koko).It seems like

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-52519603305326926762008-08-21T21:58:00.008-10:002008-08-21T23:17:58.493-10:00

Diva shoes Ken trying on my diva shoes surrounded by my other diva shoes. No fit!People around me this week have been having really bad days, bad seconds, bad hours, bad weeks, bad months, bad years. . .bad decades! So what if you have to work with morons, or some idiot keyed your car, or the neighbor's dog keeps pooping in your yard, or no one seems to know how to change the toilet paper roll

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-43559086351585737532008-08-12T21:27:00.004-10:002008-08-12T22:47:50.935-10:00

Michael Phelps,Beijing Summer Olympics '08I am an Olympics freak. I love the Olympics, from badminton to basketball, synchronized platform diving to singles synchronized swimming. Yes, there is synchronized swimming singles. The Olympics captures all our athletic dreams. When I was in high school, I watched the '84 Olympics and decided that in order for me to be an Olympian, I would need to find

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-23910066622578792202008-08-04T21:58:00.003-10:002008-12-09T07:41:16.904-10:00

Ok, it's not a battle, but after being married for 20 years, I realize that there are some things that fall into the "mom's job" category, and there are some things that are strictly dad's domain.Mom's job is to find things. For 20 years I have lived in a male dominant household. The fact that the majority of the toilet seats in my house remain in the down position is a testament of the power

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-89855436200650828902008-08-01T09:34:00.007-10:002008-12-09T07:41:17.466-10:00

I'd have to recheck with my mom, but I'm pretty sure I was a good kid, even as a teenager. I never got detention except a few times in the hs dorms as a freshman until I figured out the system. I never got suspended and I definitely never had the principal calling my parents from school. In fact, I think I was quite angelic as a teenager, and the pride of my parents' eyes. I played sports, drove

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-37916161878742860532008-07-25T09:24:00.004-10:002008-07-25T09:54:22.774-10:00

I think it was Sandra Cisneros that wrote that diseases have no eyes, they just pick and choose. Today 's news is about the death of Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor that became a spokesman for living despite his battle with pancreatic cancer through his last lecture. He was 47 with three little kids and I wonder why these things happen? How do diseases choose their victims? Why is the

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-47737047398794157792008-07-21T22:52:00.002-10:002008-12-09T07:41:17.635-10:00

I am in a love-hate relationship with the other woman. Her name is Magellan and she has this very calming voice, even when she is giving us the wrong freaking directions. Magellan, our GPS, is actually my husband's girl. She has replaced me as the official map reader and navigator on our travels (travails). This other woman was supposed to curb our stress level and keep our bickering to a minimum

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-89404650953564924222008-07-20T16:33:00.000-10:002008-07-20T16:34:05.706-10:00

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman My review rating: 5 of 5 starsWe went to our timeshare in Keauhou this year for a mini vacation, but the only ones on vacation were me and my youngest, so we rented a car and drove back and forth to Hilo for work and baseball. The four of us listened to Golden Compass along the way and we all couldn't wait to get back in the car to see what Lyra was doing

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-53855150687846859192008-07-18T04:08:00.002-10:002008-07-18T04:18:27.438-10:00

Dear AT&T,Why do your plethora of plans have to be so complicated? I have the family plan. Just my teenager and me. He has unlimited texting, I have nothing right now because I don't know how to use my phone for anything besides dialing and answering. So, to lure me into upgrading my ghetto, but perfectly usable phone, you enticed me with the iphone hoopla and not only expect me to pay the

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-30552631736017567012008-07-12T17:38:00.002-10:002008-07-12T17:53:38.606-10:00

Despite the articles on how long people waited for iphones yesterday, or how messed up the server was, or how some people were sent away at the end of the day without a new iphone, I still want one. No, I crave one. I get back to Hilo on Monday. Do I think my local AT&T store by Ben Franklin will have one saved special just for me? Probably. . .NOT. Still, I'm going to be there on Tuesday morning

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-69846677748853739872008-07-10T18:46:00.003-10:002008-12-09T07:41:17.869-10:00

The problem with being married to a foodie is that our life, both on vacation and off, is a singular pursuit of food. Food is not sustenance. Food is an obsession. It is a one-track mindedness, a quest, a voyage, and a way for my husband to follow his whims. For a control freak like me, this is not very conducive to planning ahead. When we are on vacation, like now, I like to have my whole day

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-74026143397425895522008-07-09T09:52:00.001-10:002008-07-09T09:54:46.635-10:00

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs My review rating: 4 of 5 starsIf you're looking for a female bonding book, Friday Night Knitting Club was a great read. It centers around single mom Georgia Walker and the people that frequent her yarn store in NY city. The characters are likable in their flaws and strengths and it's a great airplane or beach read with all the right elements: humor

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-2391326030955575622008-07-08T13:09:00.003-10:002008-12-09T07:41:18.942-10:00

I love airplanes, small ones, big ones, cramped, spacious -- airplanes represent freedom and travel and anticipation and yearning and sadness and loss. Despite rising airfare and ridiculous charges for EVERYTHING, I still love flying. Last night we left Kona Airport for Houston via Phoenix on US Airways. It wasn't too crowded, so my husband actually got to move to another seat so that we could

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-23353443684131368862008-07-08T09:48:00.004-10:002008-12-09T07:41:19.156-10:00

After losing all hope of finding good sushi, we found ourselves in Kona again to catch a plane to Houston. We picked up my brother and he suggested Kenichi at the Keauhou Shopping Plaza (78-6831 Alii Drive, Ste. D - 125, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740; 808-322-6400). Prices were about the same as Sansei, (resort prices) but the food was just a cut above and the service was excellent. Of course it

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368587410151792557.post-79294185748593366292008-07-06T23:09:00.000-10:002008-12-09T07:41:19.316-10:00

Last night 27 of us went to Sansei in Waikoloa, Hawaii and maybe it was the anticipation and the years of my husband telling me he would take me to Sansei that just made everything wrong from the beginning.First, the host kept emphasizing that if we were not there by 10 minutes after our reservation, they would cancel our table. We know that, we always travel in that big of a contingent. We got

Cathy Ikedahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14753567739860849565noreply@blogger.com1