http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/25/how-the-democrats-can-prevail.html
The lingering predictions for midterms have the republicans taking over Congress and they say it is because the same voters that surged in 2008 will not be willing to do it again. But the democrats only need to keep a slim majority to stay in control and it is believable that they can do so. The fact is Obama has been stirring u allot of excitement recently on his campaign and if he keeps it up we could get those wins we need. And yes i say yes because if I am going to take sides I am going to take the democrats. Contests in the west like our Barbara Boxer should raise even more drive for democratic voters in that the declining number of women in the senate will pump those followers up. There are plenty of scenarios brought up in this article that give me hope I just pray it isn't the false kind.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Self-inflicting wounds
http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/14/pelosi-hurt-the-democrats-in-midterms/?iref=allsearch
This article on the CNN website covers a huge issue in the upcoming mid-term elections, the democrat's chances. But it seems like a decision the democrats made a long time ago is coming back to ruin their chances of keeping control of the house. In picking Nancy Pelosi as house speaker the democrats are looking back on the decisio in regret now seeing how republicans can use it as firepower. Billboards and ads everywhere use Pelosi's face as the reasoning that democrats should not be in control. With her many contraversial mistakes, speeches and decisions the democrats could be looking at their achilles heel, and it's a cut from the inside.
This article on the CNN website covers a huge issue in the upcoming mid-term elections, the democrat's chances. But it seems like a decision the democrats made a long time ago is coming back to ruin their chances of keeping control of the house. In picking Nancy Pelosi as house speaker the democrats are looking back on the decisio in regret now seeing how republicans can use it as firepower. Billboards and ads everywhere use Pelosi's face as the reasoning that democrats should not be in control. With her many contraversial mistakes, speeches and decisions the democrats could be looking at their achilles heel, and it's a cut from the inside.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Spreading fear of Islam?
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ucla-islamic-20101025,0,6924912.story
First the community center and now this, the nation is getting ridiculous and paranoid these days. UCLA's administration has held a suspension on Islamic Studies for 3 years now and there have been no signs of letting up. The college administration argues that it is because of a lack in finances and teachers that they have postponed it's return but no one really knows. So students mostly of the Muslim community attending UCLA are petitioning for the school to release it's hold on the classes claiming a fear of the nation of Islam. With the other contraversial events occuring recently wth this issue, it's hard to say you don't believe them.
First the community center and now this, the nation is getting ridiculous and paranoid these days. UCLA's administration has held a suspension on Islamic Studies for 3 years now and there have been no signs of letting up. The college administration argues that it is because of a lack in finances and teachers that they have postponed it's return but no one really knows. So students mostly of the Muslim community attending UCLA are petitioning for the school to release it's hold on the classes claiming a fear of the nation of Islam. With the other contraversial events occuring recently wth this issue, it's hard to say you don't believe them.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
And the pick goes to.....
All of this talk about education has sparked a few ideas in my head about what can change education for the better. We all know that the teacher plays a huge part in the learning experience and even life of a student, but how do we make sure the kids have the right ones? While watching the interview from my previous post I had a pretty outlandish idea but hey it might just work.
What if districts and school boards were to hold annual teacher drafts? I don't mean like any regular person off the street I mean a draft resembling the huge media attention stealers like the NFL, NBA & MLB holds every year for their players. If you ask me teachers make more of an impact on our world than athletes and if the media loves it so will the people. The reason why athletes, coaches, and managers of these teams make so much money is because the media shows them attention, people know about them. I admit it sounds a little unlikely but the craziest things sometimes turn out to be the best for us, it's proven by history. We did kind of take on the strongest world empire of the time to fight for our independence, and even a man that influenced a revolution like Thomas Paine was once considered a radical. But I'm not saying I'm a radical that's going to change the world, but I do have some street sense and anybody with sense knows that the media does have some control over America.
What if districts and school boards were to hold annual teacher drafts? I don't mean like any regular person off the street I mean a draft resembling the huge media attention stealers like the NFL, NBA & MLB holds every year for their players. If you ask me teachers make more of an impact on our world than athletes and if the media loves it so will the people. The reason why athletes, coaches, and managers of these teams make so much money is because the media shows them attention, people know about them. I admit it sounds a little unlikely but the craziest things sometimes turn out to be the best for us, it's proven by history. We did kind of take on the strongest world empire of the time to fight for our independence, and even a man that influenced a revolution like Thomas Paine was once considered a radical. But I'm not saying I'm a radical that's going to change the world, but I do have some street sense and anybody with sense knows that the media does have some control over America.
Filmmakers making a movement
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/10/15/ac.perrys.principles.superman.cnn?iref=allsearch
This video covers an interview on CNN's AC360 with the filmmakers of the new film "Waiting For Superman" by popular southern principal Steve Perry. They direrctors explain what motivated them to make the film and the things they discovered that they had never expected from it. Also covers the question of whether parents in poverty-stricken areas care. They believe the whole country should look at what we've dpne to these chldren in restricting their right to free choice of schools. Perry presents an interesting topic that gets me inventing in my mind about if principals/administration were allowed to choose the teachers that taught at their school. In short these people showed the world what nobody else was bold enough to show, which is what WE were doing wrong.
This video covers an interview on CNN's AC360 with the filmmakers of the new film "Waiting For Superman" by popular southern principal Steve Perry. They direrctors explain what motivated them to make the film and the things they discovered that they had never expected from it. Also covers the question of whether parents in poverty-stricken areas care. They believe the whole country should look at what we've dpne to these chldren in restricting their right to free choice of schools. Perry presents an interesting topic that gets me inventing in my mind about if principals/administration were allowed to choose the teachers that taught at their school. In short these people showed the world what nobody else was bold enough to show, which is what WE were doing wrong.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Mr. Hopkins On Schools
1) What do you feel your impact is on the student body?
Hopkins: "I instill a strong work ethic along with the desire for campus beautification and deep thinking."
2)Do you think the school spends it's money wisely?
H: "Does our school have money? If they do it's not being spent on my class."
3) Do you think there is any way the school can be improved and why?
H: "We need to hire some better looking teachers." He really believes that better looking teacher woud help the students focus and wat to show up to class more. Also it would improve teacher comraderie.
4) Do you think the school should be stricter with grad requirements?
H: "Grad requirements are strict enough but the qualifications for valedicotorian are a joke. Thinks students should be required to take classes that classify as someind kind of job training t prepare them for the real world.
5) Do you think seniority is a good criteria for cutting teachers?
H: "You have to start somewhere and that is the right place to or else older teachers would be fired so that they could afford to hire more young teachers because teachers with more tenure do make more."
6) How do you feel about "No Child Left Behind"?
H: "Political bullshit. It works fine for states lie Idaho where you don't have students of various cultures with so many different languages but in states like California and Florida where the cultures are are coming in by the crayon box it is horrible. You can't expect teachers to be able to teach these students all the same things at the same ace because half of them haven't learned and lived wth the language yet. The coastal states just cannot hang.
7) How should a teacher be evaluated?
H: "Well you can't evaluate them based on student performance because there are too many variables. Maybe based on their participation on campus and interaction with the students. But i think the jumping through the hoop, dog and pony show we have now is fine."
8) Do you think money is the answer to improving schools?
H: "Money is a start because when it comes to funds for materials and course offerings we need it. They need to bring back tracking."
9) Do you think the amount of students in the classroom positively/negatively affects the students learning ability?
H: "Without question, the fewer students there are in a classroom, the greater amount of attention the kids will get. The student-teacher ratio is a big deal."
10) Do you think that standardized testing reflects on you as a teacher?
H: "I believe teachers CAN have an effect on CST scores if the students are given a reason to care about them. If there is no buy-in for the students you won't get their full effort. If the students now this test has nothing to do with their college, future or grade or that they are getting no reward then they won't do ther best on standardized tests.
None of these answers are changed or exaggerated, it was a pleasure for me to interview Mr. Hopkins.
Hopkins: "I instill a strong work ethic along with the desire for campus beautification and deep thinking."
2)Do you think the school spends it's money wisely?
H: "Does our school have money? If they do it's not being spent on my class."
3) Do you think there is any way the school can be improved and why?
H: "We need to hire some better looking teachers." He really believes that better looking teacher woud help the students focus and wat to show up to class more. Also it would improve teacher comraderie.
4) Do you think the school should be stricter with grad requirements?
H: "Grad requirements are strict enough but the qualifications for valedicotorian are a joke. Thinks students should be required to take classes that classify as someind kind of job training t prepare them for the real world.
5) Do you think seniority is a good criteria for cutting teachers?
H: "You have to start somewhere and that is the right place to or else older teachers would be fired so that they could afford to hire more young teachers because teachers with more tenure do make more."
6) How do you feel about "No Child Left Behind"?
H: "Political bullshit. It works fine for states lie Idaho where you don't have students of various cultures with so many different languages but in states like California and Florida where the cultures are are coming in by the crayon box it is horrible. You can't expect teachers to be able to teach these students all the same things at the same ace because half of them haven't learned and lived wth the language yet. The coastal states just cannot hang.
7) How should a teacher be evaluated?
H: "Well you can't evaluate them based on student performance because there are too many variables. Maybe based on their participation on campus and interaction with the students. But i think the jumping through the hoop, dog and pony show we have now is fine."
8) Do you think money is the answer to improving schools?
H: "Money is a start because when it comes to funds for materials and course offerings we need it. They need to bring back tracking."
9) Do you think the amount of students in the classroom positively/negatively affects the students learning ability?
H: "Without question, the fewer students there are in a classroom, the greater amount of attention the kids will get. The student-teacher ratio is a big deal."
10) Do you think that standardized testing reflects on you as a teacher?
H: "I believe teachers CAN have an effect on CST scores if the students are given a reason to care about them. If there is no buy-in for the students you won't get their full effort. If the students now this test has nothing to do with their college, future or grade or that they are getting no reward then they won't do ther best on standardized tests.
None of these answers are changed or exaggerated, it was a pleasure for me to interview Mr. Hopkins.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Kids taught nutrition early
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2010/10/14/hm.teens.sleep.cnn?iref=allsearch
The topic of childhood obesity is approached by this school district by teaching them early on the nutrition facts and healthy foods they should eat. Hoping they will carry the habits they are taught home and presented to their parents, the teachers find creative ways to relate games to healthy food. Even though certain specialists dont believe this will change anything because they believe we dont care about childhood obesity it's proven in some personal children's cases that this programs is motivating them to lose weight like the little boy near the end of this report.
The topic of childhood obesity is approached by this school district by teaching them early on the nutrition facts and healthy foods they should eat. Hoping they will carry the habits they are taught home and presented to their parents, the teachers find creative ways to relate games to healthy food. Even though certain specialists dont believe this will change anything because they believe we dont care about childhood obesity it's proven in some personal children's cases that this programs is motivating them to lose weight like the little boy near the end of this report.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
LATER START=MORE SLEEP=ALERT???
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2010/10/14/hm.teens.sleep.cnn?iref=allsearch
A Brown University professor suggests that starting schools later in the day will improve the students alertness in class. Claiming teenagers naturally go to sleep later she justifies the issue of why so many students are sleeping in class. After conducting an experiment at a St. George's High School the principal says that just opening the school a half hour later made a significant difference in alertness and improvement. Should we be prepared for 9 o'clock school days, I know I am.
A Brown University professor suggests that starting schools later in the day will improve the students alertness in class. Claiming teenagers naturally go to sleep later she justifies the issue of why so many students are sleeping in class. After conducting an experiment at a St. George's High School the principal says that just opening the school a half hour later made a significant difference in alertness and improvement. Should we be prepared for 9 o'clock school days, I know I am.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
One more case of bullying gone too far
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/10/07/hope.witsells.story/index.html
even though this doesnt have that much to do with education reform it's important for people to know what goes on inside our schools. This girl who was singled out for sending a nude photo to her boyfriend was bullied to the point where friends had to protect her as she walked through school. Student seven made a webpage insulting her and getting hundreds to add the page as if they agreed with the image that was projected of her. Thirteen year old Hope hung herself and showed the world one more of teenagers misusing technology again. With stories like this, do you think advancements in technology will be good for the world in the long run or will it come back to destroy us as it already has plenty of young lives?
even though this doesnt have that much to do with education reform it's important for people to know what goes on inside our schools. This girl who was singled out for sending a nude photo to her boyfriend was bullied to the point where friends had to protect her as she walked through school. Student seven made a webpage insulting her and getting hundreds to add the page as if they agreed with the image that was projected of her. Thirteen year old Hope hung herself and showed the world one more of teenagers misusing technology again. With stories like this, do you think advancements in technology will be good for the world in the long run or will it come back to destroy us as it already has plenty of young lives?
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Schools spending too much on junk food?
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/05/oliver.school.lunches/index.html
This article has to do with the needed menu change for your kids public schools. He provides examples that prove eliminating junk food from menus would save the parents and schools money, therefore, allowing them to spend money on their education. But that of course comes to the question, can money solve our problem? Even though i dont believe healther menus will do the job, i do think it might help a little, and lets not forget childhood obesity is huge issue in our country right now as well.
This article has to do with the needed menu change for your kids public schools. He provides examples that prove eliminating junk food from menus would save the parents and schools money, therefore, allowing them to spend money on their education. But that of course comes to the question, can money solve our problem? Even though i dont believe healther menus will do the job, i do think it might help a little, and lets not forget childhood obesity is huge issue in our country right now as well.
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