THE SENIOR MEN'S CLUB OF NEW CANAAN
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 1, 2008
President Dick DePatie opened meeting with 93 members and 1 guest present. Membership is 481.
Minister of Health Bob Moylan reported that George Herhold scheduled to leave Norwalk Hospital today and Tucker Scott is receiving care at Waveny, due to a fall.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Don Tiefenthaler is new 4F Chairman. The Salvation Army sent letter thanking SMC members for donating 80 toys distributed to needy families last Christmas.
ACTIVITIES: Bridge, Racquetball, Paddle as usual. Amateur Chefs meet next on Thurs/21st. 4F's lunch at Three Bears on Fri/22. Photographers meet Mon/11th at 1:30PM. Skyblazers meet Mon-25th/9AM.
COUTH: No Feb. Trip!! - Lord of the Dance trip Fri-March 14th. Philip Johnson Glass House tour 04/30th. Sign-up sheet available today for 60 people--$35 each.
HUMORIST: Mike Law told two jokes, one about a Texas preacher that bought donkey, instead of a horse to start racing, which resulted in several embarrassing newspaper headlines, such as "Preacher's Ass Shows!" He also told us about a Grandma that decided the recent product used by her husband was "well worth" $100 over the asking price.
SPEAKER: VP Roger Rothballer introduced Tony Pavia, NCHS Principal. Well liked and respected by New Canaan community, Mr. Pavia (Tony) oversees 1300 teen agers plus a staff of 250. Tony admires the spirit of volunteerism in New Canaan's senior population, and has learned much from members of SMC. 3 SMC members recognized for help with NCHS recent construction and also for having phenomenal impact on him: Don Hudson, Werner Meyer, and Dick Bond. Tony spoke about impact of technology, the new building, how teaching has not changed and what has not changed since SMC members were in school. Today, instead of the black board, 40 class rooms have the "Smart Board" (In a nutshell, it allows anything that can be done on TV, computer, and chalk board, on one board). Instead of mimeograph, scanning is used, and DVD has replaced 16 MM film (when discussing WWII, teacher can push button and show Roosevelt asking country to go to war). Room projectors have replaced slide projectors and the school's TV Studios also produce Video yearbook and Newspapers. New construction at NCHS has allowed things not possible in past. The Wagner room, with its technology, has allowed new programs to grow (multiple activities such as small assemblies--speakers like Brian Williams-Veterans' presentations-small musicals). New language labs allow students to converse with groups of students anywhere. There are 16 new science labs where "Pro-Probes" are used; allowing students more time to analyze data. (the Probes allow almost instant data on velocity, temp, etc). Communication Labs support new architecture courses and top level engineering courses.--- Teaching has changed. SMC members learned in a more teacher centered environment; lots of memorization, and certainly there was value to discipline. Multi-tasking was bouncing a ball and picking up "jacks". However, today's students are "wired differently" and schools have to look at teaching differently, preparing students to work in global setting. Today's writing is geared toward making your point quickly. Students have the world, via internet, for researching. And, a real challenge for today's teachers is to judge validity of information the students get via internet. Fortunately, teachers have "turnitin.com" that allows teachers to determine where a passage from student's paper comes from. NCHS still has Industrial Arts and Auto Shop, except students use computers to build rockets, energy efficient cars and products such as vegetable-fruit sorters. NCHS has not given up on Math fundamentals, but there is more emphasis on word based/real life problems. Special Education's use of computers allows students with auditory perception problems to process manually. On-Line courses are underway for NCHS, but on limited basis with strict parameters. Generally speaking, teaching has changed, but not significantly better or worse. Certainly, for many kids it is better. In the modern era with all the new tools used and challenges teachers face, class room instruction is still largely the function of a working relationship between an adult and student. In high school, it is largely the function of a relationship built with teen-agers. Tony believes today's students are educated as well as students 20 or 80 years ago. He could make an argument that they are better educated than we are because they have better access to information. Re. current fear that Chinese students are more dedicated to learning and success, parents and educators should be concerned if trend within value system continues. The challenge is to have our students understand their mission is to leave U.S. as great as they found it. The U.S. is still producing outstanding math and science students and our schools are sought after by most everyone in the world. Tony tells parents that his job and the job of NCHS is no different than it was 100 years ago . . . it is to help create more well informed citizens plus better human beings to run the school. SMC members were invited to visit NCHS.
Dick Bond thanked Tony and expressed SMC's appreciation for all he has done at NCHS.
Bob Williams, Asst. Secretary