Rapid Response
February 23, 2010
What benefits and problems do you see regarding the coming Swedish Medical Center campus? Read more
Issaquah grad reprises ‘Falstaff’ role
February 23, 2010
Issaquah native Anya Matanovic stars as Nannetta in the Seattle Opera’s production of ‘Falstaff.’ By Bill Mohn
Reprising a role from her first years as an opera singer, Issaquah native Anya Matanovic will grace Seattle with her voice again in Seattle Opera’s comedy “Falstaff” Feb. 27 – March 13.
“Working with Anya is always a treat. Her intelligence and charm shine through in this role, which also showcases her beautiful voice,” Director Peter Kazaras wrote in an e-mail. “It has been inspiring to watch Anya mature and master the technical difficulties of this intricate score. I think she is a perfect Nannetta.”
While she lives in Manhattan, Issaquah is the city Matanovic said she calls home.
Sammamish city manager addresses Klahanie Park concerns
February 23, 2010
In an effort to set the record straight about a possible takeover of Klahanie Park by neighboring Sammamish, Sammamish City Manager Ben Yazici sent a letter to the Klahanie homeowners association Feb. 12. Read more
To the Editor
February 23, 2010
Math curriculum
There is no one-size-fits-all way to teach
While some people might shake their heads at all the controversy over the choice of math textbooks in our schools, the controversy isn’t new, nor is it surprising. Math is and has always been a challenging subject to teach and to learn. In the late 1960s, I chose to teach it.
Two math teaching approaches came into vogue during this post-Sputnik era. One was the new math, which had instructors teach math using an abstract concept called set theory, which many school teachers had trouble understanding themselves. The other was guided discovery, which proposed that students were more likely to remember concepts they discovered on their own instead of memorizing a rule they were likely to forget.
I can still recall the first time I used the discovery method to teach my high school algebra students how to divide fractional expressions. After spending what seemed like an inordinate amount of time guiding the students to the correct solution, I heard a voice from the back of the room shout out, “Tell us the rule. What is the rule?”
That year, I learned that guided discovery worked for some, but not all of my students. Being a pragmatist at heart, I taught using the textbook’s guided discovery approach, but whenever a student in the class didn’t get it, I’d reteach the topic using a traditional approach or whatever else worked.
New math was abandoned by the end of the 1960s, and guided discovery has come in and out of use ever since it was first introduced. Although I don’t know the best way to teach math or whether a single approach would work for all students, I do know that each time a school district changes its math curriculum and math textbooks, it puts an incredible burden on its faculty. The change requires teachers to teach out of new math textbooks using new approaches they have barely mastered themselves. And the students are caught in the middle.
Shelly Hawkins
Issaquah Read more
Clubs
February 23, 2010
This week
ArtEAST: 6:30 p.m. first Monday, Up Front Art Gallery, 48 Front St. N., www.arteast.org or 392-3191 Read more
Wolves upset Eagles 60-57 in first round
February 23, 2010
Girls Basketball Roundup
Issaquah High School girls basketball coach Kathy Gibson was concerned about matchups for the Eagles’ first-round 4A KingCo Conference Tournament game with Eastlake.
Although the Eagles’ lack of size had not hurt them in two previous meetings with Eastlake, Gibson was still concerned with the Wolves’ big duo of Kendra Morrison and Alyssa Charlston.
As things turned out Feb. 17, Gibson had every right to be concerned as Morrison and Charlston combined for 41 points to lead Eastlake to a 60-57 upset of Issaquah.
Issaquah stayed alive in the tournament and kept its hopes of earning a state berth alive with a 51-37 victory against Roosevelt Feb. 20 at Juanita High.
Issaquah considers Klahanie Park options
February 23, 2010
After listening to repeated pleas from Klahanie residents, City Council members will meet Feb. 25 to discuss a possible city takeover of county-run Klahanie Park. Read more
Plan for road closures near Klahanie
February 23, 2010
King County crews started construction on pedestrian safety upgrades along Southeast Issaquah-Fall City Road last week.
Between 247th Place Southeast and Klahanie Drive Southeast, workers will install a five-foot sidewalk, a bike lane and additional lighting along the north side of the roadway. Planners expect the project will take about two months to complete.
A westbound lane of Southeast Issaquah-Fall City Road will close from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. weekdays during the construction period. Drivers may experience periodic traffic delays.
Billy Bob’s gives diners burger, barbecue alternative
February 23, 2010
What you’ll find at Billy Bob’s Burgers & BBQ is a great lunch hour or afternoon escape from the workday grind or a place on the weekend for sports action in the bar. Read more
How to embrace your Facebook addiction
February 23, 2010
By Tiffany Xu
Facebook addictions are difficult to cure. Unless you’re about to resort to services such as Web 2.0 Suicide Machine (hand over your account information, say a few last words and watch your virtual profiles be erased within an hour), it’s time to fully embrace social networking.
Here are five tips for how to put your Facebook to better use. Who knows, they might temporarily alleviate your feelings of guilt and inadequacy as well. Read more
