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Word + Quiz: querulous

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Word + Quiz: querulous

: habitually complaining

_________

The word querulous has appeared in nine articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on July 23 in the book review “A Stubborn and Sturdy Love in the Letters of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald” by Parul Sehgal:

Various versions of the couple’s letters have been published over the years, but “Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda” claims to contain the fullest collection of Zelda’s side of the correspondence. The editors, Jackson R. Bryer and Cathy W. Barks, write that “the new letters, placed chronologically with those collected previously, allow us to view their relationship in a more evenhanded manner than heretofore has been possible.”

… This collection has been marshaled with the hope of rehabilitating Scott’s reputation, to portray him as a victim, too — of his alcoholism — and as more supportive of Zelda than commonly believed. The editors and the Fitzgeralds’ granddaughter Eleanor Lanahan, who contributes an introduction, want absolution for Scott, but where is he in this book? His letters are wan and few compared to Zelda’s, often dictated to a secretary. He was never a dazzling letter writer — far too querulous and carping and always, you sense, warming up to ask for a loan. His correspondence, Gore Vidal once said, ought to be preserved, not published.

_________

Are You Going to a Youth Climate Strike?

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Are You Going to a Youth Climate Strike?

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Did you know about the youth climate strikes that are happening around the world this Friday? Will you be attending? If so, what is your school’s policy about skipping classes to be there?

In “Climate Strike N.Y.C.: 1.1 Million Can Skip School for Protest,” Anne Barnard writes:

When New York City announced that public school students could skip classes without penalties to join the youth climate strikes planned around the world on Friday, you could almost hear a sigh of relief.

Before the announcement, the protests, to be held three days ahead of the United Nations Climate Action Summit here, had thrown a new complication into the usual back-to-school chaos: With the protests framed as a cry to protect their futures from climate disaster, should students heed the call?

Parents had wondered how to word emails to principals requesting excused absences. Teachers had been wondering how to react. Some students had been vowing to protest no matter what, but others had worried about possible repercussions.

Most of all, the decision last week by the nation’s largest school district buoyed national protest organizers, who are hoping that the demonstrations will be the largest on climate in the country’s history, with at least 800 planned across the 50 states. They expressed hope that other districts around the country would follow suit.

… But many critics — ranging from climate-change deniers to people who argue for a less radical approach to fighting climate change — said Mayor Bill de Blasio was using school attendance policy to promote a political aim. The New York Post’s editorial board called the decision “out-and-out government sponsorship of a particular point of view.”

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

  • What do you think of New York City’s decision to let public school students skip classes on Friday without penalties? If you agree with it, how would you respond to the critics who say that it is “government sponsorship of a particular point of view”?

  • How important is this issue to you in general? Do you agree with the student quoted in this piece who suggests that climate change is as urgent, tangible and possible to address through legislation as gun violence is?

  • Have you been to other protests, on this issue or any other? What have those experiences been like? Do you think protesting is an effective way to make your voice heard?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Wanted – Instructional Designer

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Wanted – Instructional Designer

Talent. How many of you out there today are looking to hire an instructional designer? How many of you have been forced err assigned to create e-learning courses, and have no experience or limited experience in doing so?  How many of you who have been offered this amazing opportunity use a rapid course authoring tool?   How many of you, have experience in instructional design but only from the ILT or paper-based perspective?

How many of you, are familiar with terms such as ADDIE?  How many of you know why WBT was created or how it is different than CBT or why hummingbirds seem to swarm my feeder as though they are starved for juice? Ever heard of a flower? 

On a recent post on LinkedIn, I talked about SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) and why they should not be the people creating your course/content.  I was surprised by the number of responses and views (all of which were great, BTW).  People really seemed to get it, and others, well, understandably had assumed that ID folks were at companies more so, I think, then what is reality of today.

I self taught myself Instructional Design back in 2000.  I did it explicitly for WBT (web-based training).  Back then, you needed to know how to create a browser sniffer because Sun was fighting Microsoft over Java, and thus Netscape who had Java, a course had to be designed differently than one for folks using Microsoft IE (which stunk IMO).  Anyway, joy was not there, because it required double the work.

Authoring tools were limited options and each one was not easy to just pick up and start building.  Anyone who used Authorware can attest to that. Dazzler Max wasn’t any easier, although once you figured it out, different story.  And there were a few others too, but none where a simple type where you could just wing it. 

Now

Another post I just saw on LinkedIn talked about ID folks who needed to have LMS admin skill sets, as though what the people doing the hiring really wanted was a jack of all trades person, thus saving them money from hiring two people.  It reminded me of other postings for other job roles, where a hiring manager had no idea on what is needed and so they just winged it. 

Winging is bad. Very bad.

Skill Sets

If you are seeking someone who has instructional design background or experience, there are certain skill sets you want.  Below is a list of ideal.  Do not focus first on what type of authoring tool experience they have, which many people tend to first target, and I’ll cover why this is a bad idea.

Skills

  • Experience with creating WBT, i.e. e-learning courses.  This should be the number one skill set you want.  When chatting with someone ask them how they would create a non-linear course?  Are they familiar with branching?  What about creating scenarios?  Have they ever used a storyboard?   – While many people no longer use storyboarding, it is still a nice skill set to have, and think of it as an added bonus.  If the person doesn’t have the skill, that’s okay, the other items above will suffice. 
  • You will want them to create a mini course for you, but not on your authoring tool.  Allow me to explain (and how to do it)
  1. Give them some paper-based content.  It should be at least 10 pages in length.  It can be a chapter from a book. Or your paper-based manual that is sitting over there growing mold on it.  Or the paper-based manual you are using, still…  Or it can be a stack of papers you give new employees, like your employee handbook, which no one reads.  

Why is this important?

Creating an e-learning course (WBT) is never one to one. This means it is not one page of text to one page of an e-learning course.  A lot folks make this mistake, which is why you see a lot of text-driven mumble jumble of junk.   Trying saying that 10 times. 

The format you are seeking, is for them (the prospect) is to extract three to five key takeaways or items that are “must know” from that paper based you are handing them. This is why in this test a minimum of 10 pages is relevant.  I recommend it coming from one chapter if you are using a paper-based manual or guide as well, your materials for them to use.

When you are creating an e-learning course, from existing content (usually it is paper-based), you want to extract the key takeaways in each chapter.  If your chapter is five pages in length, then you should have at least two takeaways – key points.  Three is ideal.  If you say to yourself, well, I see eight in there, I say, you need either glasses or better eyewear.

What you are looking for when they do this

Again, this isn’t about taking the items they extracted and having them use it in your authoring tool, rather it is seeing what items they have selected and whether or not, they picked the key takeaways, i.e. the most important points or factoids that someone should know if they were taking a course on that chapter if you will.   

This will require you of course, to read said paper-based chapter and pick out those key points, as a comparison.  You might find, that they pick other items, so see if they align to the chapter itself.  Once you do this (on your own) a few times, you can then see it right in front of you, i.e. you have learned the skill, so that when you look at any chapter of any text, you can see view the key takeaways in an instant.  Like Magic Art, but better! 

Have them point those key takeaways on a piece of paper.  Again, you are interested in understanding their thought process, and what they see as the musts.  Trust me, they will either get it or not.  There is never “Grey” in this. 

2. Have them identify three objectives that someone will learn if that person read that chapter.   This is different than the three takeaways that they would use to create the course (and yes, you can create a micro-learning course with three takeaways).   The common wording used in objectives are – Learn, Develop, Identify, Examine, Acquire.  Think this way – the subject is Kermit the Frog.   By taking the course Kermit the Frog, you will

  • Learn the difference between a frog that can talk and one that can’t
  • Identify two traits of green Muppets
  • Develop a strategy of how to cook Frog Legs, but not Kermit’s (you sicko)

3. Have them create a quick scenario.  Every chapter in any paper-based content, should allow someone to create a real-life scenario from said chapter.  You want them to write this down.  It may be a few sentences or it might be a paragraph.  You are wanting to see how they think, can they process the content and change it to action.  Action leads to interactivity and engagement.   If they say, they can’t do this, then thank you, and the door is asking you to depart.  I do not care what the subject matter is, you can create a scenario from the most mundane thing out there.

4. Have them interview you.  First you will give them a topic (make sure it is one you know).  Then have them ask you a few questions (maximum of four).  And have them write down your responses.    What you are looking for isn’t so much how they wrote it down, rather how they asked you the questions, how are they at extracting the important information on that topic – do they do any follow-up or just stay on a script? Do they seem interested or just blase? 

Why is #4 relevant – Because they if hired, are likely to interview at some point an SME – Subject Matter Expert. These people are important in terms of helping an ID person who is building a course.  If you are building a course on microwave safety, you will want to talk to an expert on microwave safety.  Sure, you can find it on the net, but what if your company makes microwaves?  Wouldn’t the better person or people to talk to, are folks who work at your company with that experience of safety? 

SMEs tend to use a lot of jargon, and unless the interviewer asks them what it means, it can become a nightmare.  Thus, with your faux interview, toss in an acronym and see if the candidate asks you what it is or just writes it down.  If I say WAR and I am referring to baseball, and the ID person just writes down WAR without exploring what it means, then the course on baseball, will be far different.  It is highly likely they would have to follow-up and as a SME my time is precious, so I ignore them.

(WAR – Wins Above Replacement)

The Authoring Tool

Too many people say to themselves we need to find someone who is an expert in Articulate Storyline because this is what we use.  And you will find plenty of people who use Storyline, but are not necessarily an expert.  To be an expert, would require someone to have used every function of the product, and frankly, if they came from a custom development shop which used Storyline and they themselves had e-learning development skill sets, then yeah, you are likely to be an expert.   And yes, someone can teach themselves to become an expert in a specific software, but too many people pitch themselves as an expert because they know how to do 50% of the product very well or specific items 100% of the time, and nothing else.

If you want to see if they are an expert, have them bring samples – they should have them online, for you to look at.  Not just a couple of screenshots.  You want to see an actual course they did.  At least one, prefer two or more.  If they have been around, four at least should exist.  Allow them to explain their process, what were the objectives, who were the target audience, and what role did they play in everything.   Never assume, that by showing you a completed course, that they did the work of building it per se.  They could have been the project manager. 

If you are a die-hard fan of one brand, and that brand is the only one that your organization/company/etc. is ever going to use, and that you as the person overseeing the department are never going to leave that company, than staying with that brand is fine.  But, if that brand is acquired tomorrow, or does not evolve or something new comes out and you are like WOW,  and decide to ditch the brand, then what happens with that person you hired who has extensive experience in that brand?  Do you toss them aside? 

The answer of course, is no.

I would rather be more interested in knowing what authoring tools have they used, and how they rate themselves on a 1-5 scale (and you state what each number means, not just range – i.e. 1 – Never used it  2- Poor  3- Average  4- Above Average 5-Excellent).  My sense is you will rarely get someone to say (2).   So, you may want to change the wordage.

I also want to know what other software have they used or have experience with. 

If you plan on having a lot of video – ask them what video editing tools do they use or are familiar with using?  If they give you something they use with a mobile app, uhh, that isn’t ideal.  There are plenty of SaaS video editing tools, heck desktop ones too. 

If you are a huge PowerPoint fan and see it as an authoring tool, you should stop reading this post right now, because what I am going to say, is not going to be heartwarming to your eyes.

PowerPoint is not an authoring tool.  Microsoft did not create PowerPoint as an authoring tool.  It is presentation software.  Can you use it as an authoring tool to create courses? Sure, but you can also use a textbook as a doorstop. 

PowerPoint being used as an authoring tool, is one of the biggest problems in the content development industry, especially with consumers.  Vendors such as Articulate, have told me that they see PowerPoint as an authoring tool, which would explain why they use the term “slides” in their products.  Many authoring tools in learning systems use the term “slides”. And there are plenty of authoring tools, desktop and SaaS, old and super new, who use the term “slides”.

Slides is not a course design term.  When a vendor uses slides as part of their course design approach they are doing you and the person building the course (if not one and the same) a major disservice and fueling the misunderstanding about effective course design.

The terminology that ID folks use and frankly if you are building a course or whomever you have doing so, should use:

  • Chapter, Page, Lesson or Scenario, some times folks use Assignment
  • I always used Chapter, Page, Scenario

You typically have a Chapter, then multiple pages and then your scenario. 

As you can see there is no mention of slides.  A thumbnail which vendors will use in their products as a form of a mini-preview is not a slide either.  Sure it is a box like thing, but you do not look at a box and say to yourself, “That’s a brown slide.”  Nor do you look at a frame and say, “My portrait will look awesome in that slide.”

Thus, when talking to your potential hires, ask them to describe the hierarchy of course design, – If they ask you to explain what that means, say, you know “Start with Chapter” – and then see what they say afterwards.  The next word should be “Page” (Pages is fine too).

Ask them whether or not a course should have a TOC (Table of Contents).  The answer is YES, always.  And BTW, you can have a TOC with a micro-learning course of under five minutes.

Dos and Don’ts

DO

  • Select someone who is willing to learn.  Everyone says they are, but many are stuck in the mud folks, who will be stubborn when you are like, let’s use this authoring tool called BLAH and they never heard of it
  • Ask them if they know what ADDIE stands for?  While ADDIE isn’t often cited as much these days, plenty of folks in ID or in e-learning design for that matter are aware of it, and it used to be the only way to build any content, ILT, WBT, CBT, hand drawings, etc.

A-Analyze  D-Develop  D-Design  I=Implement  E-Evaluate

I always used a hybrid of ADDIE myself, simply because it was established in the 1950’s, and thus uh, way before WBT, let alone CBT ever existed. 

I’ve seen folks ask about the Kirkpatrick Model , but most folks these days I find, rarely have heard of it, and even those who do often cannot name all the levels of it, let alone one.  Some people swear by it, others just swear at it. 

  • Get them to buy-in on your vision.  This should come thru during the interview process, and will be quite visible when they show you their responses to the items I listed earlier as part of your process for selection.   The stuff they will show you, is what they see (or should see) as their best works.  The work they will do for you on-site using paper, will give you the insight into their thinking, their approach and their style.   

DON’T

  • Focus on terms like Level when it comes to course design, there used to be in the 90’s and early 2000s this big push on “Levels” when you hired someone to build a course.  Level 1 means this, Level 2 means this, and thus the price you paid for the course was based on the levels (engagement).   Someone could say, okay, in Level 1, you get text and an image, Level 2- gets you two exercises, a pound of ham, text and photo.   Other folks would base their pricing on interactions, the more you have the higher the price point.  I mention this because folks that have been around a bit, may reference those terms if they worked at a custom development shop or build custom courses for a fee.
  • Eliminate people because they do not use the software you have.  People can learn.  And if you do not think they can learn, then why are you still talking to them? A-star talent is A-Star talent, and so someone like that, will dive into any software you provide them, and learn it.  If you want them to ramp up quickly, you can send them (virtual) to the company’s training (i.e. Articulate Storyline training), etc. 
  • Shove a bunch of other requirements into the job role, that are not related to building courses/content.    For example, an LMS administrator is not part of instructional design.
  • Be cheap.  This person will play a huge ROLE into building content that your learners (employees, customers, members, etc.) will take. The reason people tend to hate taking content, is that it is poorly done, it is boring, static and uh, boring.  That is due to the person creating the content, not the software, not the parking lot attendant, not the learner themselves, no.. the person creating it. 

People always ask me what should they pay to hire an instructional designer, and I always respond, by saying to do some research on job role sites that will give some ranges. 

Bottom Line

While RCATs have been developed so that anyone can build a course, it doesn’t mean that anyone should build a course, that someone else will take, regardless if they complete it or not.

There is a lot of awful course content out there and the reasons for it, are far and wide.

Yet, all of them are consistent with one important factor:

Bad course design.

And bad is bad

Even at three minutes in length.

E-Learning 24/7

BONUS – SaaS Authoring tools I like (my top three)

 

 

 

 

 

Coursera for Business Expands to Latin America, Announces Government and Enterprise Partnerships in Mexico and Colombia

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Coursera for Business Expands to Latin America, Announces Government and Enterprise Partnerships in Mexico and Colombia

By Leah Belsky, SVP of Enterprise, Coursera

The unprecedented rate of technology advancement is disrupting companies and jobs everywhere. It is also disrupting skills. 42 percent of core job skills are predicted to shift by 2022, pressuring companies and governments worldwide to prioritize the upskilling of talent to secure the competitiveness of their industry or country. This shift is right at the heart of Coursera for Business, which has partnered with 2,000 businesses and governments worldwide to transform their talent in the face of accelerating change. Today, I’m excited to share the next chapter in our global growth: Coursera for Business is available in Mexico and Colombia as part of our expansion in Latin America.

Colombia and Mexico have incredible potential to become innovation drivers for the region but have economic challenges to overcome. The steep unemployment rate in Colombia makes it challenging for individuals to find stable jobs and for companies to acquire sufficient talent. Mexico similarly faces rising unemployment, while also challenged by automation (more than half of jobs are at risk). These economic hardships also contribute to a skills proficiency deficit, with Mexico and Colombia behind in critical skills like data science and technology, according to our Global Skills Index. 

Coursera for Business is committed to partnering with companies and governments in both countries to equip citizens with the skills needed to advance their careers, boost employability, and stimulate economic growth. Our expansion in Colombia is marked by a strategic partnership with the Colombia Ministry of Information and Technology Communication to equip more than 2,200 citizens with the skills needed to succeed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The program trains university professors and engineering students in key artificial intelligence skills. It is helping to close talent gaps in this high-demand field, while also preparing the Colombian workforce to participate in the next phase of economic growth driven by AI. 

Coursera’s enterprise expansion in Colombia is also led by a partnership with BNP Paribas Cardif to equip citizens with job-relevant skills. As the leading B2B insurance company, BNP Paribas Cardif is offering Coursera to customers of its unemployment, fraud, and kidnap insurance bank partners. Each customer receives access to a Coursera course related to data science, business or IT skills, in addition to career resources like job-boards and resume counsel.  

Qualfon, a global business process outsourcer company founded in Mexico with operations in five countries, has similarly partnered with Coursera for Business to invest in the career growth of its 14,000 employees. Qualfon is offering Coursera courses in leadership, computer science, and business in an effort to fulfill its mission of “making people’s lives better” and reduce turnover rates, which are notoriously high among call centers. 6,000 employees have benefited from the program so far, with 94 percent having applied their newly acquired skills to their personal and professional life. 

We are dedicated to providing businesses of all sizes access to transformative learning and we’re thrilled to have more than 40 businesses in Colombia and Mexico already using our self-serve platform to learn and grow. 

As we scale in the region, we will continue to cater to our Spanish-speaking learners that already benefit from the 400+ courses available in Spanish. Recently, Universidad de Los Andes, a leading institution in Colombia, announced plans to develop a master’s degree in software engineering on Coursera. This will be Latin America’s first fully online master’s degree in software engineering from a top-ten university and the first Spanish-language degree on the Coursera platform.

Latin American governments and companies have an exciting opportunity to drive economic change from within by equipping their workforce with the skills needed to innovate and compete. We couldn’t be more excited to be their strategic upskilling partner on that journey.

Learn more about Coursera for Business. 

 

Word + Quiz: palliative

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Word + Quiz: palliative

adjective: moderating pain or sorrow by making it easier to bear

noun: remedy that alleviates pain without curing

_________

The word palliative has appeared in 64 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on June 7 in “The Elderly Are Getting Complex Surgeries. Often It Doesn’t End Well” by Paula Span:

Dr. Schwarze helped care for a woman, 77, who contended with multiple health problems, including heart failure, weakened kidneys and emphysema.

… Her surgeon, Dr. Schwarze’s colleague, carefully explained to the woman that her odds of surviving surgery were about 50 percent (“which I think was a little optimistic,” Dr. Schwarze noted). Afterward, the patient would likely require ongoing dialysis and might remain indefinitely on a ventilator.

The surgeon made clear that, alternatively, she could choose a palliative approach to maintain comfort. Despite his concerns, the woman opted for surgery.

_________

Missiles, Hummers and Tanks

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Missiles, Hummers and Tanks

What do you think this image is saying? How does it relate to or comment on society or our world today? Can you relate to it personally? What is your opinion of its message?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn what this illustration is all about.

Find many more ways to use our Picture Prompt feature in this lesson plan. You can find all our Picture Prompts in this column.

Weekly News Quiz For Students: Felicity Huffman, Purdue Pharma, Justice Kavanaugh

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Weekly News Quiz For Students: Felicity Huffman, Purdue Pharma, Justice Kavanaugh

Above is an image related to one of the news stories we followed this past week. Do you know what it shows? At the bottom of this quiz, you’ll find the answer.

Have you been paying attention to the news recently? See how many of these 10 questions you can get right.

Have You Ever Had a Significant Friendship End?

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Have You Ever Had a Significant Friendship End?

Have you ever ended a friendship — or had a friend end a relationship with you? If so, how did it happen? Do you still think about it? Do you wish it had ended differently, or not at all?

In “How to End a Friendship,” Lauren Mechling writes that few relationships are meant to last forever:

The 16th-century French philosopher Michel de Montaigne believed friendship should operate similarly, one companion at a time. For the “perfect friendship,” he wrote, “each one gives himself so wholly to his friend that he has nothing left to distribute elsewhere.”

Friendship these days is more like polyamory. We start aligning with people in early childhood, and our collections only grow. As we move through life we make friends for every occasion — college friends, work friends, mom friends, climbing-gym friends, divorce friends. We are told to nurture old relationships even — maybe especially — when new ones are formed, to “be there,” no matter how busy, or uninterested, we find ourselves.

But our social lives are never stagnant, and even bonds founded on that rare, deeply felt psychic connection between two people, such as the one that sustained me in early adulthood, are bound to fray. New romantic partners enter the picture, as do children, geographic relocations, unforeseeable victories and catastrophes. Priorities tilt in new directions.

And new friends come along. We are wired to pursue friendship: In the company of our favorite companions, studies have found, our brains release dopamine and oxytocin. The early stages of friendship are their own romance; when my husband finds me bent over my phone, absorbed in a finger-flurrying text exchange, the person on the other end is invariably a fascinating woman I’m still getting to know.

There are scandalous transgressions or betrayals that can kill a friendship. But more often, there’s no accounting for a friendship’s demise. The atmosphere changes; a sense of duty creeps in. Conversations that were once freewheeling shift into that less than enjoyable territory of “catching up.” Soon you realize social media is the only thing keeping a no-longer-friendship on life support.

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public. You can find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Lesson of the Day: ‘Does Hispanic Heritage Month Need a Rebrand?’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘Does Hispanic Heritage Month Need a Rebrand?’

Find all our Lessons of the Day here.

Featured Article: “Does Hispanic Heritage Month Need a Rebrand?”

This week marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, which lasts from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. But some Latinx people wonder if the tribute needs a rebrand, starting with the term “Hispanic.” In this lesson, students examine the history of and issues with the way Latinx communities are represented and honored.

Sept. 15 marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. How does your school recognize, honor and celebrate Hispanic heritage?

For example, do you learn about the history of Latinx people in the United States and abroad? Read books, watch films or listen to music by Latinx artists and authors? Are there special exhibits dedicated to the contributions of Latinx people in your community? Anything else?

Do these remembrances take place only around this time of year, or all year round?

How do you feel about the way Hispanic heritage is honored in your school or society at large? Do you think Latinx people are fairly represented? Why or why not?

Read the article, then answer the questions below. As you read, you might underline the various issues the article’s author and interviewees bring up about Hispanic Heritage Month.

1. Isabelia Herrera begins the piece by writing that the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 15 means that “any day now my Instagram stories will be packed with cringe-worthy ads targeted at the Latinx community.” Why does she describe these ads as “cringe-worthy”?

2. Why do some Latinx people find the term “Hispanic” problematic in 2019?

3. Where did the term “Hispanic” come from? Why does G. Cristina Mora, an associate professor of sociology, describe it as an “imperfect compromise”?

4. Janel Martinez, a multimedia journalist, says that the use of “Hispanic” in the federally observed commemoration “goes deeper than terminology.” What does she mean by that?

5. Saudi Garcia, a racial justice activist, says that Hispanic Heritage Month needs “a shift in intent.” Do you agree? Why or why not?

The article’s title asks a question: Does Hispanic Heritage Month need a rebrand? Consider some of the ideas and suggestions given in the article to make the month more meaningful and relevant in 2019. Then think about the role that heritage months and weeks play in our larger society.

For example, February is African-American History Month — a celebration to raise awareness of African-Americans’ contributions to history. Irish-American Heritage Month, in March, honors the achievements and contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the United States. National Women’s History Month is also held in March, and National Deaf History Month extends from mid-March to mid-April.

What experience have you had with various history and heritage months? How have they played a role in the life of your family, school or community? Explain.

Do you think these celebrations generally accomplish their goals of spotlighting the nation’s attention on a group that might have otherwise been overlooked or even ignored? What suggestions or ideas do you have to make these history and heritage months even more meaningful?

Related Lesson Plan: “La Vida Latina: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month With The New York Times”

Neighborhood Celebrations

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Neighborhood Celebrations

This is a scene from a New York City block party, a tradition that goes back as far as the 1860s, in which residents across boroughs take to their streets with lawn chairs, pools, bouncy castles and tables full of food, to enjoy the summer together.

What kinds of parties or get-togethers does your neighborhood or community host? What do you like best about them?

Tell us in the comments, then take a look at the related photo essay that shows 65 block parties that took place this summer.

Find many more ways to use our Picture Prompt feature in this lesson plan. You can find all our Picture Prompts in this column.

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