I'm Sorry.

Today I handed out another FRQ.  I normally don't feel about about doing so, but a lot of you have struggled with these.  I feel like I'm torturing you, but you all must know that I am doing it for you.  I want EXPECT you to do well, but I know that I have to help you with that and in my opinion, you need the FRQ time.

Moreover, I think we all need a break.  Not like a weekend break, but an actual day off.  It has been a long, cold, dull, (expletive deleted), winter.  We're supposed to be coming out of the thick of winter, but today we set a record for most days below zero in Wisconsin.  Good thing I plan on staying right here for spring break to get away to someplace warmer.  Luckily, I don't suffer from SAD, a type of depression that is partially affected by the amount of daylight one sees.  I know people who do suffer, and it can get pretty bleak.  I doubt this winter has done them any favors.  This is something that we'll be learning more about in the future and spending some time on-psychological disorders.  It would seem for a variety of reasons students haven't fared well on this portion of the test.  Perhaps I don't spend enough time on it.  Perhaps by that time students feel out of gas and start to really drag on their reading.  Perhaps it's a combination of a number of factors.

HANG IN THERE!  There is truly only about seven weeks of class time left.  Stay strong.  YOU can do ANYTHING for seven weeks, heck basic training is only nine or ten.  I'll leave you with this, it's a nugget that a certain student dropped on me earlier this year.  Great song, fun video, RIDICULOUS CHOPS (seriously how did Mungo not make this list?).  If it doesn't make you feel like summer, nothing will.  Here goes:



Ch, ch ch.  Ch, ch ch.

Also, at least I didn't link to THIS.

Jack White Is Probably a Critical Thinker.

This song came on my Pandora station this morning:


I thought while I was getting ready, "Wow, Jack REALLY knows about the scientific method.  I wonder if he was conscious of this while writing this song."

Interestingly enough, I was just talking to a student yesterday who wondered how to apply psychology to daily life without sounding heartless.  It was a little tough to answer, until I realized that it really came down to what Jack is talking about.  You really CAN'T take the effect and make it the cause.  It's illogical, not to mention that it is full of hindsight bias.  I bet Jack is a pretty smart guy.

So how do you apply psychology to a situation without sounding like a tool?  My standard line is "That sounds like an interesting topic.  I'd like to know more about it, where did you read that?"  If they didn't read it, can't cite a source, or claim 'it's just true', it opens the door for the old critical thinking skills to strike.  "REALLY, you don't know?, I'm skeptical about that.  I think it would make an interesting study.  I recently read otherwise, believe it or not..." and so forth.

It might not make me sound like the most pleasant guy to hang around, but when I do hang around, life is full of interesting conversation, and that might be the best part of critical thinking.

Running Out of Time

I had a conversation with a student today about running out of time.  I feel like right now we are running out of time for class.  Things have gone by pretty fast, I think students are understanding all of the material, I have tried to hold off on giving a quiz the last week and a half, and now I feel like I'm not sure if you all "get it" or if you are feeling lost and afraid.

Based on reading some blogs, you feel like this:



I get it.  That's how I feel too...well, without all of the singing.  I'm ready to settle in and feel more comfortable and I think it is going to start soon.  I think the quiz on Friday and exam on Tuesday will slow things down a bit and allow us all to reflect on how far we've come as a class of learners.

Sorry I left you with such a bad video.  Here's a video that has a nicer feel, a great message, and is from an excellent band.



Enjoy.