Pledge for the Bikes Not Bombs Bike-a-Thon!

Pledge to Support our team for the Bikes not Bombs Bike-A-Thon!
On Sunday, I'm riding 62 miles with teachers and students to raise money for Bikes Not Bombs, a fantastic group that makes a difference here in Boston and overseas. Our students will be riding the bikes they earned in a 6-week leadership course! Take a moment to learn more about Bikes not Bombs, and if you can, pledge here!

Thanks!

Worcester Telegram & Gazette | Clive McFarlane

Worcester Telegram & Gazette | Clive McFarlane: "Matthew Francis Anthes-Washburn is a public high school science teacher in West Roxbury.

A couple of years ago, he agreed to help some of his students build a robot to compete in an annual competition."

Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

Media Room | PAEMST Recognition Week 2008

Some of you may have noticed I haven't yet said exactly why I get to spend a week in Washington D.C. with all these math and science teachers, participating in professional development and meeting policy- and lawmakers. The White House has made their announcement now, and I can say that it's called the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST). It's given on alternate years to as many as one math and one science teacher from each state. This year, there are also teachers from Department of Defense schools in Germany and Italy, one from the District of Columbia, and even the U.S. Virgin Islands. I've spent the week talking shop with some of the best math and science teachers in the country, and I will be sure to keep in touch with and work with many of these outstanding educators in the future.

Guess who?

So we went to meet Kerry but the cab was late, and we missed him. We
saw Kennedy's dogs, though. Mary Kima recognized them from the
children's book. Then, on our way out, we met the Senator himself, who
formally introduced them to us. He was on the way to a speech, but he
made Ramona's (and my) day. There will be a lot to remember from this
week, but Ted Kennedy taking his dogs out of the minivan for a romp
for Ramona's benefit is a memory I won't be likely to lose.

Capitol Hill Club

We had breakfast at the Capitol Hill Club and I had a great
conversation from a member of the staff of a senator from Maryland.
Dennis Kucinich was there, too. Later today, we'll meet Senator Kerry.

Monuments

We've stood on a lot of steps for pictures this week. Here are the
math people taking pictures of the science people. We are on the steps
of the Lincoln Memorial, facing the Washington Monument.

The White House

You aren't allowed to take your own pictures inside the White House
gates, but we were invited in and the Vice President met and
congratulated us. We had to wait a little because the New York Giants
were there too.

The Capitol

Capitol Hill

Yesterday Rep. Jim McGovern met with Catherine Cabral, the Mass. math
awardee, and me. We talked in a House lounge, and he took occaisional
breaks to vote on a law about combustible dust. There is a tunnel that
representatives use to get to the Capitol building from their offices.

View from the bus

Nationals Park

Day 2 - NSF Day

Yesterday was mostly a travel day, and getting settled here. We had a
breif orientation on the activities and rules of the week. Today the
White House should be announcing the award, and then it will get very
exciting. We are told that when our Senator calls we will be sent
right over in a cab to meet with them, no matter where we are!

I won't be able to post many photos because most of the time cameras
are restricted. (I'll try to sneak a shot here and there.) Today we
were at the National Science Foundation, and we learned about things
scientists are doing in many different areas. I saw a great
visualization of earthquake data from an array of hundreds if
seismographs. We also learned about research being done for the
International Polar Year.

D.C. bound

We're off to D.C.! We'll try to post updates as we go.

Learning language through technology and science

Thanks to those of you who have donated to our project to use technology to support language learning in our science classroom! Every donation counts; we need to reach the goal before the project is funded! Spread the word and give if you can to our proposal at donorschoose.org.