You DO have TIME!  Just DO IT!!
Then say I did IT!!!

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Please join our AAUW-WHC Garden Divas as we celebrate National Rosie the River Day.
Thursday, March 21 at 2:30 PM
McGovern Centennial Gardens 1500 Hermann Drive

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The Start of a Rosie History Garden

Hermann Park Conservancy’s history includes many invaluable women whose unique efforts—over the decades and on going—have helped in the mission to maintain and improve Hermann Park, now and for generations to come. Join Hermann Park Conservancy and the American Association of University Women on National Rosie the Riveter Day as we celebrate the contributions of women—yesterday, today, and tomorrow—by planting namesake roses to honor the spirit of Rosie the Riveter.

If you would like to be a sponsor, please contact the Herman Park Conservancy.

“Stop and Smell the Roses” quote by Bernard Kelvin Clive.  I asked him about this quote.  His answer: “Sometimes we chase after the niceties of life and forget to be thankful and to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. That was the inspiration.”

Bernard Kelvin Clive  is a Personal Branding Coach/Brand Strategist at BKC Consulting, Lifestyle Entrepreneur, Amazon bestselling author of 40 published books. Ghana’s foremost authority on Personal branding and Digital Publishing who hosts the #1 ranked Business & Career Podcast in Ghana/Botswana.

 

The Roots of Change must be planted with our youth. 

And what better way than planting a Rosie the Riveter Memorial Garden in Herman Park.  What a history. What amazing role models we can thank … from the first teacher, to Grace Hooper … Watch this video for ideas to inspire girls to go into STEM. As in the past, these ideas are from CBS Sunday Morning.

• Maybe their challenge might be finding solutions to the rural areas closing hospitals.
• Or go Into the Woods to grow chairs or find a solution to the bug killing the olive trees.
• Or share what you observe and do the right thing.  And not walking away because easier thing.
• You can be tempted with just your imagination, music and songs and pursue a lifelong dream. And never stop believing and trying.  Unrest, that is where we are now and where we were then. How can you bring peace?  My Girls … I’ve Got Sunshine.  My Rosies …
• Waiting years to print a book … it is about the quality control of the work, using your hands, using your mind.  It is the total package.  It is a piece of art. Have you been to the Houston Print Museum? Perhaps the American Academy of Bookbinding is in your future. What else can I make that will last 500 years.  If you read a book that is carefully made you can get more out of it.

So will you go to the Moon?  http://www.sciartex.net/

What will people do on the moon?  Why is it important? humansinspaceart.org/ – You can share your vision!

https://rosietheriveter.net/  

The Harvey Girls – How the West was Won with a Restaurant Chain

An idea … Fred Harvey and the Empire he built. He saw a Need and implemented the idea. If could do it well could change things.  One of America’s first female labor forces, ahead of its time.  Hired female architect. Academy Award winning song (who will win tonight?).  Celebration Harvey Heads.  Do you have celebration ideas?

Rosie the Riveter Memorial Rose Garden

An idea … I went to Portland to work on the computer science / computational thinking standards with ISTE.  While there I went to the International Rose Garden and walked in on the Rosie Riveter Rose Garden celebration.  Now I am collaborating with the Herman Park Conservancy to plant Rosie Roses in their Rose Garden to build histories in Houston.  And inspire the next generation of Rosies.

 

Code Girls: The True Story of the American Women Who
Secretly Broke Codes in World War II

Robots throughout History – We need innovative Rosies to create our future inventions.  “We may think of robots as inventions of the future, but the reality is that robotics has been around since ancient times. In fact, humans have been exploring the idea of using robots to make our lives easier or more enjoyable for centuries.”

If you could have three wishes what would they be?

Mine … Find Rosies in Houston and create an oral History.
Need leaders like 11 year old Ruby to make this happen. That and curiosity.

Those Rosies can be found in NCWIT Aspirations.org communities.

Still not convinced of the importance?  Watch the 60 minutes special on teaching girls K-12 with Hadi Partovi. Any girl who applies for the aspirations.org award can apply for an AspireIT grant of $3000. Want CS taught in your elementary school. Provide the time and recruit and mentor an aspirations girl to run it.  And provide opportunities for high school and college students to be the teachers like Code Ninjas is doing.  They get IT.

Want to learn more about the politics of CS Education?  See my 20 year history and continuing efforts to convince schools and districts to make computer science and computational thinking a priority of testing prep.

And Why I got a puppy …  A New Year …

“CHALLENGES are PROBLEMS that Make life interesting.”
– Ridley Scott, Film Director and Producer

        

CBS Sunday Morning January 6, 2019:

1. 1. Just ordered “Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life” by Michael Caine after watching his story on my favorite show.  Needed another Audible book as spending lots of time outside training my puppy.  Just finished George Washington Black and was ready for my next lessons in life.
   2. We seek control of our own destiny … an over achiever .. technology that will help visually impaired.  Prove mobility can be mastered.  How did he do it? Studying for masters in computer science to develop more technology that can brighten the world.
   3. So, why did I get a puppy?  Teaching is in my blood like art was in Van Gogh’s blood.

Teaching because “This is Me” …  this is dedicated to an amazing computer science teacher Lewis F. who said “The more I hear this song – the more I think it applies to teachers just as well as it fit the movie -This is from The Greatest Showman (a must see if you have not seen it). – And my son a teacher who takes me to Covent Gardens when I visit him in London. And to all teachers who quest to be the greatest showman.

... When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me
Look out ’cause here I come
And I’m marching on to the beat I drum
I’m not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me

… When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me
Look out ’cause here I come
And I’m marching on to the beat I drum
I’m not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me

… I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I’m gonna send a flood
Gonna drown them out
Oh
This is me

Houston ISD’s Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy students and amazing teacher Astra Zeno at Computer Science Education Week Event hosted by AT&T HACEMOS Peggy Lundsford and NCWIT Technolochias Jannie Fernanez .

Mayor of the City of Houston Proclamation
Computer Science Education Week 2018

WHEREAS, in a world increasingly dependent on technology, computer science knowledge and skills are crucial to every student’s education. Only two percent of Texas high school graduates have taken a computer science course, only 24 percent were female which consisted of only 987 being Hispanic and only 180 were African American; and,

WHEREAS, each year, Computer Science Education Week is celebrated during the month of December in observance of Grace Murray Hopper, a major female contributor to computer science, and to call attention to the need for improving and strengthening computer science education; and,

WHEREAS, during the week of December 3-7, 2018, the National Center for Women and Information Technology, TECHNOLOchicas, AT&T, HACEMOS, and the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy will celebrate Computer Science Education Week by supporting an hour of code to educate students about computer science for one hour; and,

WHEREAS, the City of Houston is a strong supporter of STEM initiatives and commends Computer Science for Texas (CS4TX), and supporting organizations and businesses for its leadership in STEM Education and extends best wishes for a memorable observance.

THEREFORE, I Sylvester Turner, Mayor of the City of Houston,
hereby proclaim December 3-7, 2018, as
COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK
in Houston, Texas.

• 2016 Proclamation CS4TX @Grace Hopper …
• 2015 CS Ed Week Proclamation …
• 2014 CSEdWeek Proclamation

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George and TedE make me do it. I know this is crazy, but as I sit in my den after watching the funeral typing this proclamation and reviewing NCWIT Aspirations.org applications, I feel the spirit of George H.W. Bush. He stood in this very room when he was first running for political office talking to a group from the League of Women Voters of the Houston Area. I remember my mother saying, “He will be President of the United States one day.” What a leader and role model for our young learners. What a life of giving. May CAVU and the best ships friendships always grow.

HACEMOS -TedE was given a pin today. We Do … Papert proposed that education must make room for the iterative development and improvement of ideas. That is what CSEdWeek is about. Making room in the school day to play with computational thinking. Thank you AT&T for sharing what you do so we can do.

              

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Dance Party at Hunter’s Creek where my grandson attends … http://knorth.edublogs.org/learn/dance-party-hce/ #GASS

   

 

 

 

Helping things Grow …

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.

Bugs Make me Happy.

• Learners Aspirations
  • Adrianna Artist and Comic Writer, hands above; Aspirations.org winner; P.E.O. STAR Scholarship Applicant
  • Sarah –  I, now more than ever want to work in education in Ghana.
  • Astra Zeno YWCPA – Technovation Challenge
  • NCWIT Houston Community for Computing Engagement K-12 and beyond
  • AAUW WISE Group, Coding Activity Group,  and Expanding Your Horizons STEM Conference for MS Girls
  • My family 70 things and growing – Sports, GageAP
• My Websites and Lessons
  • Binary Bracelet
  • Bug Brunch – the art of de-bugging
  • Houston Maker Space with Bee-Bots
  • Build-a-brain.com – Took me to the White House
  • GirlTech Rice website 101
  • Code Math TEKS
  • Helping Teachers Teach
• My Gardens
  • Why garden
  • Razi – Keep Houston Beautiful
  • Brandon + City of HoustonConnecting Children to Nature
  • Future growth – Rosie History Garden
  • Our poinsettias –  Image-Net
• My Friend’s Careers and Outreach:
  • P.E.O. sisters:
    • Rachel – I Kept by Hair
    • Marcia – Neurofeedback and Reseach 
    • Mallory – Mad Hectic Foods
    • Cheryl – CASA
    • Susan – Saurage Research and her Factastics.
  • Health: Becky –Healthy Tweaks
  • Coding: Ellicia – Code Ninjas, Smita – Learn2Code
  • Writing: My daughter-in-law Mary – White Chrysanthemum
  • Education: Bridgette – STEAM Curriculum for Alice’s Hidden Treasurers

          

My books that grow ideas:

 

I met this amazing educator at the Children at Risk Texas Education Summit 2018.  AJ Crabill, Dep. Commissioner of Governance, Texas Education Agency spoke on TEA’s new school accountability. Check out txschools.org – what an amazing database.

I hope that accountability includes assessment on asking a learner to change code to see if they mastered their assignment. I have used coding to assess student’s mastery of math concepts for decades.  In this lesson the assessment was to write code that draws a circle inscribed in a square. The question is how do we replace multiple choice testing with coding as an assessment tool? That and self-assessment. With AI thinking computers could grade. It is time to change the system.

I hope in the TEA Listening Tour the focus is on computer science as 60%+ STEM jobs are in CS and every student needs to learn the basics.  Communication is the key to make sure the majority of talkers are teachers.

Something really scary with the now of AI and machine learning. Going to listen to Frankenstein during this Halloween season. Was inspired by my favorite show, so many ideas grow with CBS Sunday Morning. Which was inspired by a book written in 1817 as it turns 200. Thought my friends might want a scare too. Please let me know what you think?

FAILURE IS THE BEGINNING

What else is scary … too many kids are not being exposed to AI, Machine Learning and Computer Science.  Conversations with Bots – Who is having the conversations? We need some General Magic in schools.  Way to go Megan Smith.  I remember when I sat in the Roosevelt room with you when you were CTO.  Was impressed then, and can’t wait to see what MEGAN does next.

Fighting for the Voiceless – her passion after surviving Jonestown 40 years ago

Lets bring the voice of civics lessons and conversation into every classroom.

I hope kids learn that Freedom is earned through education, that they are a slave to their own ignorance. That time spent on F2F conversations and real-world adventures is more engaging than Fortnite and their social media sites.

From my 1996 original website 100% coded in HTML:  The most powerful of software tools is the programming language … an important role for the teacher is as a sort of human tool, a consultant on ways and means, rather than an initiator of activities for students.” – Brian Harvey 1980
Education is the only business still debating the useful of technology. – Dr. Ron Paige

Now the debate is the usefulness of computer science education.  My school district has purchased Chromebooks for all high school students.  What is scary is wondering if all teachers will incorporate computational thinking into their lessons. Wondering if kids will learn to control their devices by creating their own apps, games and websites.  Such as the UT “Know before you Vote” app.

And the debate continues on the impact of screen time, rich vs poor, public vs private, etc.

AAUW North Harris County Branch has an activity group that is challenging themselves with coding.  They were starting with Khan Academy.  I showed them the artist in Code.org’s lesson. Above is a graphic created by showing them how to draw a square, then add a loop.  What fast learners. Next step coding Frozen and creating snowflakes.

I am working with Rice RUSMP on an Intel Foundation Grant which includes bringing mentors to middle school girls.  I am hoping that this group and my AAUW West Harris County Branch can help bring math, geometry, and story-telling to young women through computational thinking. And make CS For All a reality.

How to do it – SCRIPT has the answer.  My goal, get this in Spring Branch ISD where Michael Dell went to high school.

“The critical Blue Dot” … that is what is missing to create “elegant” classrooms so kids are “Never Lost Again.“… “The Google Mapping Revolution” whose software helped to save lives during Katrina, helps with saving our environment and I think can revolutionize education. Self-driving cars … we need self-driving automated classrooms.  The system must change!

It took Halliburton 75 years to change their safety jumpsuit.  Educators can learn from Rosie the Riveter too, but with an open hand to maker space time with computer science education.  How long do we continue with bell-ringing Carnegie Unit driven accountability disconnected classroom?

Kids want challenges with friends.  Look at the draw of Fortnite … but instead of guns and fighting each other, lets give kids challenges to fight diseases, floods, air quality, obesity, and gardens to feed the world with healthy food.  Lets give a helping hand.

You can learn more about “The critical blue dot” in Chapter 18 of Kilday’s compelling story of the creation of one of the most essential applications ever devised, and the team that built it and changed how we navigate the world.  A must listen to in every high school classroom.  Teachers listen to “Never Lost Again” for 2 minutes each day and create revolutions in learning.  Give students 20% time like Google does for innovation. We need more CS leaders as project managers to make this happen!  …. Hands graphic by Shaina Glass, a leading CS Educator. For myself, I am losing my gall and hoping to be more staid.