Hawaii Travelogue Part 7 of 7
Living Aloha
Aloha is this all-encompassing word in Hawaii - it can be used for a simple hello type of greeting to symbolizing a way of life itself. In the evenings, we watched various programs on TV where the discussion was focussed on 'Living Aloha.' - which is kind of like a cultural identity. Progress means rapid westernization and commercialization, and this leaves many kamaaina (long time residents or locals) feeling like they have lost their Hawaiian/ Polynesian identity. Now there is an effort to revive this identity. (This is actually a common trend across the US, for are we all not hyphenated americans.) Realizing that the movement requires the active participation of the younger generation, there was a show with 2 teen girls taking the issue head on. They outlined a 3 step plan with Hawaiian titles which was both interesting and based on common sense.
Shaka or the hang-loose hand gesture, originally popularized by the surfers, seems to appear on a great many T-shirts in addition to almost every guide mentioning it. (This hand gesture is where you stick your pinky and thumb out, while closing the remaining 3 fingers.) Perhaps it is reflective of the laid-back island attitude. On TV we also saw some local dances - Hawaii has more than just the basic Hula dance, which the mainland knows of. It was interesting to watch. I also saw how they make the tapa cloth. Leaves of the pandanus tree are dried and beaten with a wooden club and these are then dyed and painted. We have tapa cloth at home from Tonga where Mom lived as a child. Each polynesian island has it own set of designs that they paint on.
The other overriding issue that Hawaiians are grappling with is the impact of commercialization of their island environment. Even a malihini (newcomer) like myself, notices its effects. West Maui is the most developed part of Maui which is an irony in itself. It is littered with resorts who have sectioned off beaches along the shoreline. All beaches in Maui are technically public beaches and open to the public. But the way the resorts have been built with their elaborate roads and limiting parking only for residents, makes these beaches almost private beaches in practice. Napili and Ka’ahaina were 2 of the beaches where you go crazy trying to figure out the parking situation. Somehow the charm of an island is lost if you are surrounded by tall resorts, artificially lit palm trees and rows of expensive neon-lit shops. You may as well be in Las Vegas. Not to mention the number of golf courses that are needed for one small island. If a tourist who is there for just a couple of days can feel frustrated, it is no wonder that many native Polynesians are even more frustrated as seen in many of their local TV programs. There were many complaints from them about the run-off from golf courses that are negatively impacting the coastline ecosystem. Native plants and creatures important to them are dying out. Various groups were petitioning to stop developers from leveling the shoreline areas and building resorts and golf course in various places on different islands.
The eastern parts like Hana seem more untouched - for now. Rain from the Hana area is channelized via an irrigation system known as EMI in Maui. This is the water for the rest of Maui and for farming. But from the TV programs it appeared that it was the pineapple farms (run by large corporations) who were getting most, if not all of this EMI water. This meant that the small farmers was losing out and thus the decline of taro farms and other small farms. It’s unfortunate to hear of this situation in a place that appears to have such a great water source. Hawaii is actually in the dry zone in terms of latitude but gets rain due to the trade winds and the tall mountains. So the windward side of the mountains gets a considerable amount of rain. Incidentally all the pineapple fields are cordoned off - you have to pay to get a peek at them! What was visible freely in numerous places were the wind-swept sugarcane fields.
Man vs Nature - the eternal dilemma !
Hawaii Travelogue 2012
Part 1 - Aloha Maui
Part 2 - I Survived the Road to Hana
Part 3 - West Maui
Part 4 - North Beaches and Watermen
Part 5 - Whale of a Tail
Part 6 - Humuhunukunukuapua'a and the Coral Reef
Part 7 - Living Aloha
The Anion needs to go on (Va)Cation
The Anion needs to go on (Va)Cation
Negative charge, the electrons latch on
Mood deteriorates, ionic bond
I am an anion that needs to go on (va)cation
Hang at the transition metal hotel
Sail continents and be a noble gas
A full valence shell, Non-reactive
That’s (neuro)chemical Equanimity!
ok, this is a chemistry poem. Taking Honors Chemistry this year, so this poem was bound to happen!
In case chemistry seems like a dim entity, here's a layman's explanation of some of the terms used.
Atoms have equal numbers of positive charge protons and negative charge electrons.Atoms can gain or lose electrons in order to form bonds with other elements. Usually they do this in order to complete their electron shells. When an atom loses electrons, it has a net positive charge - called a Cation. On the flip side, when an atom gains electrons, it has a net negative charge - called a Anion.
Noble gases have full outer (valence) electron shells so don't feel the need to react. So they are considered pretty stable.
Transition metals are a group of metals kind of positioned in the middle of the periodic table.
Around the World in 80 Years
My Grandfather turned 80 on Aug 25,2012. His natshatram birthday is this Sat Sep 8!
Happy Birthday Thatha.
Around the World in 80 Years
My Raghavan thatha
Just 80 years young!
OMG Thatha! What all have you seen?
Ramakrishna Mission started their first school in ‘32
The very school that you and your brothers went to!
Verily, That school is now quite as young as you!
Gandhi was running hunger strikes.
Born in British Madras, now it’s Chennai
Oh how the times change!
Chennai, Salem and Kerala
Timber, mica and auto parts to boot.
Fortunes fluctuate with economic turns
Raghavan, son of entrepreneurial Sadagopan
4 brothers and 2 sisters, a large family
Sadula street house a recounted memory
Their mother departs early, a real tragedy
My mom resembles my kollu-paati
A zoology Prof, a ringside seat
Baby turtles hatching on the beach
Quest for MBA, unusual in his day.
in archeology, finance and industries
Ascension to UN posts of high responsibility
Trotted the globe with fervent energy
Tonga Islands, his home temporarily
Why stop there, said he
Retirement does not mean the end.
I have too much energy.
The Indian Supreme Court beckons!
A law degree needed anon.
60 is still quite young.
Dad and daughter both study in college
My mom 20, Thatha in his 50s
Argue Supreme Court cases
… Kaveri waters
… Consumer Protection
………..
Gracious Thatha, What else?
Fall at the feet of Sathya Sai
Possibilities at infinite Parthi
Pray for the grandson. Help him Swami.
Swami agrees “Yes,” ” I’ve blessed.”
Bodily age latches on
Mind says 40 but organs groan 80
Mind wills, the body does not agree.
A universal unavoidability!
Thatha traversing the world 80 years long.
.. a very interesting journey!
Who knows of the surprises ahead?
You may live to witness
many accomplishments from me...
including, dare I hope, my near total recovery!
A Birthday that’s easy to remember
It’s always on Krishnajayanthi.
Celebrating 80 years of your journey.
Happy Birthday Thatha!
Donner Lake Revisited
I revisited Donner Lake late July and wondered if this visit would live upto last year's visit. [Last visit post] The answer is a resounding Yes. It not only lived upto expectations but beat them.
Jet Ski - my fav activity was tried not once but three times. Nothing like speed for a teen! Its the headiest of sensations. I could do this all day!
I had the lively quite talkative Maria as my companion for the tubing activity. She gave a constant stream of advice on everything from keeping my hands inside to the state of her dog. The tube bumps and thumps on the water as you are pulled by a powerboat around thtre lake. It is quite like trying to ride a bucking horse, except you are quite secure and the chances of falling off are quite slim.
]
]
My Summer Internship at Compass Labs
My Summer Internship at Compass Labs
This internship was something very different for me. Went in not knowing what to expect but ended exposed to new perspectives about the industry. Social media is exciting field full of possibilities with its potential barely scratched. (more to come..)
Amongst my tasks was this writeup, which I had to research and write about. Its on their website today.
A Big Thanks to my mentors Rachel and Molly!
UPDATE: COMPANY BOUGHT BY YAHOO SINCE
This internship was something very different for me. Went in not knowing what to expect but ended exposed to new perspectives about the industry. Social media is exciting field full of possibilities with its potential barely scratched. (more to come..)
Amongst my tasks was this writeup, which I had to research and write about. Its on their website today.
A Big Thanks to my mentors Rachel and Molly!
UPDATE: COMPANY BOUGHT BY YAHOO SINCE
Pondering the Imponderable
Pondering the Imponderable
The answer exists. But
what is the question? That
really is the question
lurks the imponderable
conjectures and observations
waiting to be unraveled
Mind propelled, uncommon reality
flashes of insight, chasm fused tight
pondering the imponderable
The answer exists. But
what is the question? That
really is the question
lurks the imponderable
conjectures and observations
waiting to be unraveled
Mind propelled, uncommon reality
flashes of insight, chasm fused tight
pondering the imponderable
A Walk on the Braille Side
A Walk on the Braille Side
The ability to be "Change-Makers" is in all of us. Most take the access-ramp to volunteering for granted, available to them if they choose to volunteer. Being differently-abled puts a whole new light on this access. Most volunteering opportunities require social interaction skills and the ability to handle oneself without too much assistance. There are many nuances to this - you may have to travel somewhere, meet people, explain, physically assist and have decent fine motor skills. It is no wonder that people with disabilities are, more often than not, excluded from the arena of volunteering.
All of us want to feel productive.
All of us want to contribute.
All of us have bright minds that think.
I’m a high school junior and have had a diagnosis of Autism since age 3. In fact, I only learned to communicate via typing at around age 13. I have many of the issues that keep me from volunteering in the classical sense – social anxiety, motor issues, and limited speech. Making sandwiches for the homeless was as challenging a coordination task, as was the social aspect of volunteering with the children at the shelter. My sensory system would be overwhelmed and disorganized at, “clean the park” type of volunteering. I was not being productive and mere physical presence at such events was a far cry from being a satisfactory volunteering experience.
Last year, I was invited to be a part of the team at AccessBraille (formerly Inclusive Volunteers), a new non-profit (www.inclusivevolunteers.org / accessbraille.org). Its founder, Nikhil Dilip is a high-schooler at Harker School in San Jose, CA. He had a disabled uncle who had not been permitted to volunteer at various organizations because he did not have the skills necessary to participate. Nikhil wanted to create an organization that would provide volunteer opportunities for ALL, irrespective of perceived abilities. It was a radical concept as everyone deserved to help out their community if they wished to do so. Inclusive Volunteers works with other non-profits to identify volunteer opportunities. Nikhil’s hope is that Inclusive Volunteers can eventually recruit people from all over the country and hopefully around the world. “If we can become a truly international organization, we will be able to do further volunteer work and help out the organizations that seek our help. In the near future, I hope that we can create a network of volunteers helping out organizations in need of volunteers and rather than we contacting organizations for work to do, we can build up enough trust in these organizations that they can recruit us”
Many of the opportunities would be virtual, which would suit not only suit the disabled but make it very convenient for the abled too. My generation is no stranger to the possibilities of “virtual!” Nikhil’s mother, Viji Dilip, already works for other non-profit, Benetech and Bookshare (bookshare.org) that is involved in a lot of free educational and technology programs around the world. According to Viji Dilip, “Thanks to the internet it is now possible for many people to volunteer from their home. Crowdsourcing has become an acceptable method for organizations to get their work done. This is a win-win situation both for organizations and for volunteers.”
A list of volunteer opportunities is available on the website. For example the Image-Description Activity (bookshare.org) is looking for high school volunteers. The task entails describing images in textbooks. These will later be audio recorded for the visually challenged / blind readers. In the past, images had always been left out of audio recordings. Essentially while you study Biology/History at school, you can volunteer by describing the images in a Biology/History textbook. Students can in essence turn studying itself into an act of volunteering. Currently there is a critical need for volunteers to describe images in Science and History Textbooks.
The volunteer activity closest to my heart, is putting together the periodical Braille Magazine. The Braille Access Project (brailleaccess.org) delivers mobile blind school kits to remote villages in Africa and Asia. Volunteers in those areas travel by van to remote villages and teach the visually challenged and their families to read Braille. Some areas are so remote, such as the mountainous regions of Nepal, that they are not van-accessible. So volunteers actually deliver the Braille Access Kits on donkeys.
Wouldn’t it be useful if, in addition, they had something interesting to read in Braille? That was the thought behind starting the free Braille Magazine. The Braille magazine, put together by the Inclusive Volunteers team, would accompany the Braille Access kits. Finally, my writing skills could be used to make a difference with my social and physical challenges no longer a hindrance.
We type the words with our fingers.
They will read our words with their fingers.
Reach out…. Our fingers touch theirs.
Imagination flows between the fingertips.
Unlock possibilities!
The magazine was appropriately named, “The Reading Finger.” The short articles were on a wide variety of topics - from poems to personal narratives to humor to travelogues. The authors have ranged from elementary to high school ages. Most significant of all, the articles came from both abled and disabled youth. It was truly “Inclusive!” You can help out by contributing short articles for upcoming issues of the Braille Magazine.
The articles are written in English, compiled and sent to a braille printer for printing in Braille. A page in English could well translate to as many as 3-4 pages in Braille font. Finished magazines in Braille, accompany the Braille Access Kits to their respective destination. Audio versions of the magazine are recorded, again thanks to volunteers, and are distributed. Every step of the process is done through the help of volunteers.
The very first issue of the ‘Reading Finger,’ last year, reached mobile (and non-mobile) schools in Liberia, Ghana, India and even the mountainous areas of Himalayan Nepal. Braille had reached, “The Top of the World,” - literally! The last issue this year carried a sports theme in honor of the Summer Olympics and Paralympics. The team is at work on the next magazine as we speak.
If you haven’t volunteered before, I urge you all to do so. Volunteering comes in all shapes and forms. The opportunity to make a difference can be just a mere keyboard away!
====
And this was one my writing pieces that won an award.
La lengua español ,es bonita
Poem written during Spanish1 of High School
=====
Yo termine todos mis lecciones este año. Yo mucho enjoyed aprender español (no tanta le parte de gramatica)
La lengua español ,es bonita
Lenguaje, es bonito (Language - it's beautiful)
Las palabras fluyen como un rio (The words flow like a river)
pero las lecciones de gramatica (but the grammar lessons)
.. un dolor (a pain)
...muchas reglas (lots of rules)
...muchas excepciones a las reglas (lots of exceptions to the rules)
...Muy confusa! (too confusing!)
Pero... (But)
la lengua español ,es bonita! (the Spanish Language - its beautiful)
P
Summer Ennui
Summer Ennui
School is out... Now what?
Summer Ennui!
Days of heat stretch
incessantly. Neurons slump and
stagnate. Tedium of monotonous
maze. Malaise of
inactivity. Yawns drown in infinite
apathy
School is out... now what?
Summer Ennui
A Fait Accompli
School is out... Now what?
Summer Ennui!
Days of heat stretch
incessantly. Neurons slump and
stagnate. Tedium of monotonous
maze. Malaise of
inactivity. Yawns drown in infinite
apathy
School is out... now what?
Summer Ennui
A Fait Accompli
A Hyphenated American in the nth Dimension
I am an “Indian-American;” a hyphenated-American in a land of millions of other hyphenated-Americans. Even the original inhabitants, the “Native-Americans,” have not escaped the hyphen. Over the years the hyphen has become a proud celebration of the American in us and cultural heritage that we add to its salad mix.
A Whale of a Tail 5/7
Hawaii Travelogues - Part 5 of 7
A Whale of a Tail
The North Pacific Humpback whales migrate almost 3500 miles from Alaska to Hawaiian waters during the winter months. They begin their migration from the Gulf of Alaska in early fall and go to Japan, Baja and Hawaii. Whale watching season in Maui starts Dec 15th but sea creatures don’t follow man made calendars. This year the kohala (whale) showed up more than 2 weeks early, which was good news for us as we got to see them during our visit. Gina, our guide on the whale watching raft from the Pacific Whale Foundation, was super excited about their early migration this year.
The 4 islands of Maui County (Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe) form a shallow ocean basin on the west coast of Maui. It is only around 300 ft deep vs the 1-3 mile deep Pacific beyond this area. Whales come to mate, give birth and nurture their young in the warm Hawaiian waters (around 75 deg), till they are strong enough to go back to Alaska in summer. The humpback whale is so huge that one would think that it can have no predators. But orcas apprantely have a hankering for humpback meat, and will attack the weak and baby humpbacks. Scientists have noticed orca bite marks on juevenile whales that come to Maui. Maui waters provide a predator free environment for the baby whales. However, unlike Alaskan waters, Maui waters are not a good food source (krill or phytoplankton), so the new moms lose almost a quarter of their body weight while nurturing its young. They must go back to Alaska to regain their blubber weight. The calves spend almost almost a year with their moms learning survival skills.
We were on a small 30 man raft, with just 7 passengers, so there was great viewing angles for all on board. The guides look for the whales by the telltale blowholes they make and its vapor residue. They try not to go too close to the whales so as to not disturb them. They whales are so huge that if they decide to jump, you can’t really miss seeing them. Another way they try to spot whales is to see if other boats have stopped. Sure enough, the ferry to Lanai was standing perfectly still, so our raft headed there. In a few minutes, there was the telltale blowhole - the pirate of old would say “Thar She Blows!”. People on board started getting excited (including moi).
Whales don’t really like physical interaction ie: they don’t really hang about together or socialize and are pretty much loners. When 2 whales hang out, its because it just happened - kind of like by association. We saw 2 such whales jumping out of the water. One did a full breech jump. That was a cool sight. Then they disappeared under the water for nearly 15 minutes. Then another sighting, this time a tail. Each whale has unique markings on its tale and that’s how scientists track them. Its really a Whale of a Tail. The two were gone again for another 14-15 minutes. These guys sure can hold their breath for a long time. The guide told us that the longest recorded time is 45 minutes. We saw them jump a couple more times. They kind of wandered off after that.
Whales do have a nifty way of communicating over enormous distances with their cool whale songs. Kind of like having friends on facebook - remote social interaction without the social anxiety of physical interaction. Scientists are still trying to figure out the patterns in their singing behaviors. Its only the males that sings but it does not always seem to mating related. Sometimes all males will sing the same song and it keeps changing as the season progresses. Gina put a underwater mike into the water so that we could hear the sounds they were making. Whales don’t really have vocal cords so they produce sounds by pushing air through valves in their respiratory system. The song is somewhat eerie yet interesting in its singsong quality - its like pieces of a symphony put together. It would be fascinating to learn more about the makeup of their communication system.
The next 2 whales we saw were a mom and baby - Gina kept saying that someone brought their whale karma with them on the boat, to get to see a baby this early in the season. Maybe that's my whale karma! Baby whales can hold their breath only for around 2 minutes so it was bound to come up more often, which really worked to our advantage. The mom is very protective of her baby - hangs around just underneath even though she does not need to come up. A couple of times both jumped up together with the baby on our side, so that we could see both. Too cool! The mother whale kind of likes to tuck the baby whale protectively under its fin when swimming. A baby whale is some 15-20 feet long so is easily visible to the naked eye.
Overall a very satisfying whale watching experience for a first timer like me.
Thar She Blows!
Fountain at Sea
Thar She Blows!
Blowhole, a Whale beneath
Humpbacks in Maui Seas
Migrate from Alaska
to warm Hawaiian Seas
Mate and breed calves
Frolic on the beach (not really!)
Mom and baby
Learn survival skills
Others hang about
Singing their symphony
Hawaii Travelogue 2012
Part 1 - Aloha Maui
Part 2 - I Survived the Road to Hana
Part 3 - West Maui
Part 4 - North Beaches and Watermen
Part 5 - Whale of a Tail
Part 6 - Humuhunukunukuapua'a and the Coral Reef
Part 7 - Living Aloha
A Whale of a Tail
The North Pacific Humpback whales migrate almost 3500 miles from Alaska to Hawaiian waters during the winter months. They begin their migration from the Gulf of Alaska in early fall and go to Japan, Baja and Hawaii. Whale watching season in Maui starts Dec 15th but sea creatures don’t follow man made calendars. This year the kohala (whale) showed up more than 2 weeks early, which was good news for us as we got to see them during our visit. Gina, our guide on the whale watching raft from the Pacific Whale Foundation, was super excited about their early migration this year.
The 4 islands of Maui County (Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe) form a shallow ocean basin on the west coast of Maui. It is only around 300 ft deep vs the 1-3 mile deep Pacific beyond this area. Whales come to mate, give birth and nurture their young in the warm Hawaiian waters (around 75 deg), till they are strong enough to go back to Alaska in summer. The humpback whale is so huge that one would think that it can have no predators. But orcas apprantely have a hankering for humpback meat, and will attack the weak and baby humpbacks. Scientists have noticed orca bite marks on juevenile whales that come to Maui. Maui waters provide a predator free environment for the baby whales. However, unlike Alaskan waters, Maui waters are not a good food source (krill or phytoplankton), so the new moms lose almost a quarter of their body weight while nurturing its young. They must go back to Alaska to regain their blubber weight. The calves spend almost almost a year with their moms learning survival skills.
We were on a small 30 man raft, with just 7 passengers, so there was great viewing angles for all on board. The guides look for the whales by the telltale blowholes they make and its vapor residue. They try not to go too close to the whales so as to not disturb them. They whales are so huge that if they decide to jump, you can’t really miss seeing them. Another way they try to spot whales is to see if other boats have stopped. Sure enough, the ferry to Lanai was standing perfectly still, so our raft headed there. In a few minutes, there was the telltale blowhole - the pirate of old would say “Thar She Blows!”. People on board started getting excited (including moi).
Whales don’t really like physical interaction ie: they don’t really hang about together or socialize and are pretty much loners. When 2 whales hang out, its because it just happened - kind of like by association. We saw 2 such whales jumping out of the water. One did a full breech jump. That was a cool sight. Then they disappeared under the water for nearly 15 minutes. Then another sighting, this time a tail. Each whale has unique markings on its tale and that’s how scientists track them. Its really a Whale of a Tail. The two were gone again for another 14-15 minutes. These guys sure can hold their breath for a long time. The guide told us that the longest recorded time is 45 minutes. We saw them jump a couple more times. They kind of wandered off after that.
Whales do have a nifty way of communicating over enormous distances with their cool whale songs. Kind of like having friends on facebook - remote social interaction without the social anxiety of physical interaction. Scientists are still trying to figure out the patterns in their singing behaviors. Its only the males that sings but it does not always seem to mating related. Sometimes all males will sing the same song and it keeps changing as the season progresses. Gina put a underwater mike into the water so that we could hear the sounds they were making. Whales don’t really have vocal cords so they produce sounds by pushing air through valves in their respiratory system. The song is somewhat eerie yet interesting in its singsong quality - its like pieces of a symphony put together. It would be fascinating to learn more about the makeup of their communication system.
The next 2 whales we saw were a mom and baby - Gina kept saying that someone brought their whale karma with them on the boat, to get to see a baby this early in the season. Maybe that's my whale karma! Baby whales can hold their breath only for around 2 minutes so it was bound to come up more often, which really worked to our advantage. The mom is very protective of her baby - hangs around just underneath even though she does not need to come up. A couple of times both jumped up together with the baby on our side, so that we could see both. Too cool! The mother whale kind of likes to tuck the baby whale protectively under its fin when swimming. A baby whale is some 15-20 feet long so is easily visible to the naked eye.
Overall a very satisfying whale watching experience for a first timer like me.
Thar She Blows!
Fountain at Sea
Thar She Blows!
Blowhole, a Whale beneath
Humpbacks in Maui Seas
Migrate from Alaska
to warm Hawaiian Seas
Mate and breed calves
Frolic on the beach (not really!)
Mom and baby
Learn survival skills
Others hang about
Singing their symphony
Hawaii Travelogue 2012
Part 1 - Aloha Maui
Part 2 - I Survived the Road to Hana
Part 3 - West Maui
Part 4 - North Beaches and Watermen
Part 5 - Whale of a Tail
Part 6 - Humuhunukunukuapua'a and the Coral Reef
Part 7 - Living Aloha
The Future of Math in Silicon Valley
Journalism Assignment for High school . I had to choose a beat (education) and interview 2 people for this article. A big thanks to both the interviewees!
The Future of Math in Silicon Valley
The Silicon Valley is noted for its expertise in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). This helps it maintain its competitive-edge at a world level. Yet this area faces a severe shortage of Math teachers, as does the rest of California. An understanding of Math fundamentals and its applications is a skill that crosses many career paths and life skills. Laying this foundation and interest in Math, is often shaped by these very teachers.
Love Math, Hate Math! Math can be the easiest of subjects and it can be the hardest of the subjects. Teachers face students from across the spectrum. I interviewed 2 High School Math teachers, Sita Murugan of Independence High School in San Jose and Sushma Bana of Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, to get their perspectives.
Sita Murugan comes across both students who excel in math to ones who are unable to show the steps. Others lack basic math skills like adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, negative numbers, fractions, decimals, using distributive property etc. Monta Vista High School, on the other hand, is a high performing school, and some of the issues are very different. It is 75% Asian and it is presumed that all Asians are good in Math. Sushma Bana often comes across students who are pressured (parental and peer pressure) into taking higher-level math courses, even if interested in other areas. “In our school it is considered cool if you are a good student in math and science. Parents are very involved in their kids' education, which is a good thing for the most part. But sometimes they force their kids to take classes which are very challenging for them.” This reflects the wide underlying diversity of needs amongst students in Silicon Valley, which is presumed to be STEM-savvy.
The teachers take different approaches in tackling the issues. Sita Murugan makes use of differentiated instruction with software like Accelerated Math or Apangea, to help her students with their math challenges. Classroom instruction, in addition to computer/web-based solutions, plus on-line tutoring by credentialed instructors can help “ensure that students can learn math anytime, anywhere.” For her students, Sushma Bana feels that teacher recommendations should be taken seriously, when deciding on a math placement and that parents need to let their kids make informed choices.
While there is a fundamental shortage of math teachers, the issue is also a shortage of “good math teachers,” in Silicon Valley. The area has a very high cost of living, and qualified candidates with STEM degrees, often choose better paying careers. Attracting qualified talent loses out in the face of the cost of living. It is a critical problem, given the wide array of needs of students that live here and for Silicon Valley to maintain its competitive edge in the future.
What can be done to reduce the issues of good teacher shortage, and quality Math education? One obvious solution is to make the salaries competitive for highly qualified candidates with STEM backgrounds. Sushma Bana suggests offering incentives such as subsidized housing to motivate teachers to live in the area. The current teacher pay scales are based on years of experience rather than their effectiveness. As with the tech industry, pay scales needs to be on merit-based, rather than seniority-based. Sita Murugan suggests that the credential course for Math be made less rigorous. They could for instance split the level: Lower level for teaching (Algebra1/ Geometry) and Higher level (Algebra2 and beyond)
Other local districts have tried different methods to dramatically improve their “student to valuable human time ratio.” The Los Altos School District recently overhauled the Math curriculum for their 5th and 7th grades by using software from The Khan Academy. This was outlined by Salman Khan, founder of The Khan Academy, in his speech at the TED conference talks on Mar 9, 2011. In effect, “by using technology, they were humanizing the classroom.” In this way, they were able to motive students with a wide range of needs, keep them on a continual learning curve, and yet work with the limited teacher resources. Bill Gates, who introduced Sal Khan at the TED conference, stated that this could well be the future of education in the US.
Tablet Education - the iPad Experience
I am from Cupertino in California, the home of Apple Computers and its late CEO, Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs grew up in this very town and started off his company in his garage with Steve Wozniak. Wozniak was the engineering end while Jobs was its dynamic creative packaging end. From there grew the company that revolutionized computers in many ways and more so the area of hand held devices.
I got my first iMac at age 6. It was a transparent box with a single power outlet, a keyboard and mouse - very futuristic looking and clutter free. I spent endless hours on it going though digitized versions of my favorite books - Dr Suess and Aesop Fables. The message that the slow and steady Tortoise could win over the fast Hare sunk into my mind with surety (from the digitized Aesop Fable, "The Tortoise and the Hare"). The Apple computer took a background for a few years till the advent of the iPod. Suddenly I had hours of music in my pocket, a relaxant and my companion on long plane journeys. The noise of my surroundings could be drowned out by a device that was but a few square inches. The iTouch was the next, it was exciting as I could now play games and it even had a small keyboard that I could type on. And I still had access to all my music. Along came the iPhone, and with it the power of reaching out and talking to others.
The finale was the iPad - a computer you held in your hands - an electronic tablet. It didn't require a lot of booting time, and it was simple to use. You could do most things on it that you could do on a regular computer. A touch screen meant that you did not need a mouse or a keyboard. You could type documents and browse the internet. There was an app for everything. Games were the first and they took on new level with touch-screen technology. Best of all it opened up a world for communication for those who desperately needed an avenue. There were text-to-speech apps, which gave the voiceless a voice. There were sentence and icon apps which helped bridge communication for those who lacked it. The world was potentially at our very fingertips. We could learn anything - there were no limits to educational and other possibilities. What a great equalizer for the world that is usually divided by access and abilities.
In the end, the camera and other fancy add-ones that a gadget provides are secondary. The fact that it starts to make a difference in the lives of many, and gives them new direction and hope, is what makes it remarkable.
Steve Jobs recently died of Pancreatic Cancer. We will miss you, Steve Jobs, Cupertino's own son. You put this little city, which was once just orchards, on the world wide map. Most of all, your products truly made a difference in the lives of many including me.
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