I forget to post about it, but if you don't know the Carnival of Education happens every week on Wednesday. Most of the time it is at Education Wonks' place, if it isn't he will direct you to the right place. Check out this week's, as usual it makes for some good reading.

So here we are two weeks away from the AP exam. We are done with content, but we are in the midst of six days of state and NCLB testing, limiting my interaction with my AP kids. After trying to figure out the best way to review for the exam, I finally decided upon a mini-Wikipedia-like project for three of my eight precious review days.

I drew from the Snapshots and Comparisons section of the AP World curriculum overview from the CollegeBoard, assigned groups, and set up a wiki. It fits the micropedia wiki design pattern perfectly.

Essentially, each group is given a topic that we have covered in varying degrees over the course of the year. Once they have research the topic and created a short and concise article addressing the important elements of topic, they are to post it on the wiki. Then, in phase two, the groups go through and validate two other articles – making corrections and additions where needed. If all goes as planned, by next Friday (five days before the exam), my students will have a solid collection of study guides.

I do another wiki project on the Holocaust (which I will be speaking about at NECC 2006 in San Diego) and have been considering the Wikipedia-style wiki idea for a while. This project just seemed to fit. My use of Moodle throughout the year has fostered an informal online community that goes across all four sections of my AP classes. Plus, this way the students are able to divide the work over four classes allows me time to still do some directed review in class.

I am using MediaWiki (the same engine as Wikipedia) installed on my server. The installation was a snap. While I am pretty tech-savvy, I am useless when it comes to code, Unix, and anything more complicated then html. My server has a tool that sets up the MySQL databases for me. Once that was done, I just uploaded the files and configured it through FireFox. In the MediaWiki help files I found code I could add to close registration and only allow registered users to post. This way no one else can contribute or cause us any problems (the openness of Wikipedia just doesn’t suit a high school project). I could have used the free SeedWiki or WikiSpaces, but I am a control freak when it comes to these projects and with the wiki on my server, I can exert all the control I want!

The first day went pretty well, most groups just did research, but a number began writing in the wiki. I’ll write more next week as they continue to take shape.

If you would like to see the work in progress, go ahead. Have a suggestion? Please comment!

If you are in San Diego or Orange County, here something that you might want to catch. Joanne Jacobs, a former reporter for the San Jose Mercury News and Knight Ridder, is going to be at High Tech High on April 20 at 5:30 pm. She will be discussing her book, Our School: The Inspiring Story of Two Teachers, One Big Idea and the School That Beat the Odds. She also has been blogging about education issues since 2001.

She will also be at Borders Books, South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa on Saturday, April 22 at 2 pm.

Should be informative.

It has been a packed and dramatic last couple of weeks. Just over a week ago, my union settled with the district (not officially until next week because we are on Spring Break). After all of the intensity, the stress, the rallies, the concern for my AP students, and the disappointment that I would have to use a decent amount of money we had saved to live off of for an indefinite period of time. There was also the fear that this superintendent and board were fighting an ideological battle (far right trying to destroy a union) and we would be out for a while. The deal we got is OK. Decent. The best we would get from this board, certainly a lot less then we figured to be fair, but the next step was a strike. We also have a bigger fish to fry - the board itself. Three seats are up for election in November. A chance to shift the balance of power, perhaps have an inefficient superintendent removed.

Then there are the TWO stacks of AP essays and pile of college prep projects. I'm trying not to look at them - maybe they will go away.

I am distracted. I can't seem to get too excited about the deal. I am avoiding the essays and lesson planning I need to do. I am ignoring my bloglines account and the fact that baseball season has start has barely registered.

All of this is because there is something that is currently redefining my life. My oldest son has been having stomach issues for a couple years. We knew something was wrong, but his doctors couldn't figure it out (one was honestly trying, the other wasn't). Finally, my wife figured it out. He has Celiac Sprue. First, it isn't deadly - it won't kill him. It is intolerance to gluten (found in wheat, oats, barley, rye, and malt) - it is essentially poison to his body. His life was all about gluten - Cheerios for breakfast, sandwich or wrap for lunch, and pasta for dinner. He is a creature of habit and routines, so this is what he ate almost everyday.

My wife and I have been trying to wrap our brains around our new lifestyle. This disease (it is hard for me to say that word) is relatively common (although not mainstream) and there are many web sites and books that have helped us immensely. Luckily, my wife was already an avid cook and baker. She has already spent countless hours experimenting and trying new recipes for bread, cake, brownies, and cookies (you know, the important stuff). The stuff that will help normalize his life. Rice flour is not the same as sweet rice flour apparently. A specific brand of brown rice past has seamlessly replaced the regular variety. Corn tortillas have replaced flour ones. My son has been wonderful. He is smart enough to understand that he has to help take care of himself at five years old. He asks the grandparents if there is gluten in the special treats they try and give him. He even willing gave up some Easter candy he got from preschool yesterday.

We have gone through grieving, anger, frustration, and a bit of acceptance. But the biggest emotion we feel when he is in the room is relief. He had stopped growing. He was skinny; his almost-three year-old brother was quickly catching him in size. Getting him to eat was a battle. He complained of stomachaches regularly. He was lethargic. He was always tired. He avoided playing in big groups. He was off. Today he is a new kid. In two weeks he has gained five pounds. He won't stop playing, running, laughing, and, most importantly, eating.

We missed so much of him in the last couple years, but we have him now. Welcome back kiddo.

The Washington Post had an article today on teachers blogging. Overall it was pretty simple with links to a number of teacher blogs - most of which are already in my bloglines account. While this site wasn't mentioned it was pictured...