Republican debates are entertaining. While candidates use sound bites for the most serious political statements, they use national media, paid ads, local and state supporters and PACs to keep voters from asking for more detail.
How do they do it? Trash the competition. Load the airways with deceitful half truths about fellow candidates.
We really should pay attention.
Karl Rove was the mastermind of trash elections and we got George Bush. He left office scurrying like a mole looking for darkness and anonymity.
Our country is still reeling from his incompetence.
I guess the Democrats timidity and good manners was perceived by the nation as weaknesses.
Perhaps we like the idea of a deceitful, vapid, uneducated and proud of it kind of guy.
If that is the case, go for Rick Perry.
Another Bush? Mitt Romney-this country has a weakness for rich, white guys who cannot relate to citizens. Go figure...
Sunday, January 08, 2012
America's Educational Standards-Are we failing our children?
I have two Master's degrees As an elementary school student I sat on the gym floor, month after month, wistfully watching the same students receive academic awards. I was told if I tried harder I too could get those awards . I struggled with math. I didn't get what the tests asked me to tell them. I could always find an argument for another answer. It was agonizing-and elusive.
The best teachers I hold in my heart are the ones who recognized the potential in me, used my strengths in reading and my ability to look at both sides of an issue and taught me how to use them for all my subject areas. Still it wasn't until high school that I realized I was intelligent and could be more than successful in school. Oh, I had moments of brilliance in my school career. A film I made about the elderly in Santa Monica made the paper. The poetry I wrote in elementary school hung in the hallways. I actually score the highest grade in a high school lit exam. The problem is, if you measured me against the standards today I would have been considered a remedial student and never, ever, would I have believed I had anything to offer the world, except perhaps, a minimum wage job.
As a teacher, I understand how important it is to keep track of what our students are gaining in terms of fundemental knowledge. As a parent, I would pull my kids from the school system the way it is curently pursuing a one size fits all approach.
The current quest for all kids to know all things at certain grades rather than see education as a developmental process throws away thousands of creative , eager, talented children in the process. If a child isn't following the same incubation period as the standards, he or she is failing. More ever, this "group think" process" provides no room for the "off the beaten path" child who sees the world and learning from not from a linear perspective, but perhaps from an off sides location, much like many gifted souls do.
Many of our most imaginative and creative citizens accomplished great things, despite our educational system. In fact, they had to leave it in order to pursue their goals.
As a parent and an educator, I want those kids to flourish in my classroom and our schools.
How can we both measure and grow our students in a manner that fits them?
The best teachers teach the student, not necessarily the curriculum as it presents itself. The best elementary school teachers teach children HOW to learn as well as what to learn. Learning to learn is an important process. We waste those precious growing and developing brain cells when we test them repeatedly, constantly sending the message that the child is a failure if they fail a test.
The question I ask parents is this,
"In this "data driven, one size fits all, education system, are you aware your child is no longer a person but a series of test scores?"
Is your acquiescence , by way of silence, of the educational system, as it now stands, providing the optimum educational environment for your child?
I cannot think of how my two year old grandson will survive the school curriculum the way it stands. It will crush his spirit. His language skills are already exceptional, he is inquisitive, he is enthusiastic, he has a bright smile on his face each morning when he wakes up. He reminds me of me when I was a child. The world was an incubator of wonder and awe. He may not follow the progression of the curriculum and the testing calendar. Is he, then a failure in kindergarten because he did not learn how to add and subtract numbers according to the calendar?
What do we tell our kids when they fail the tests in first or second grade?
As a parent I would be asking these questions.
In the hallway at our school, the walls are lined with the results of testing data. Teachers are given rewards for testing data results.
Students progress is important but we can't omit each student's personal idiosyncratic learning styles.
Lastly I want to tell you a story about a student who came to my class this year.
She moved from a midewestern state. She is ADD, and boy is she ever. By 9am her desk is a mess, papers on the floor, lost pencils, wet paper towels left behind from a spill.
A brilliant reader. Not just a brilliant reader, a child with the potential to write amazing stories, high verbal skills, great comprehension skills. Barely hanging on at her last school. Once she learned testing strategies she was able to demonstrate her high language apptitude.
Mostly she needed to see her strengths and develop confidence.
She is still a work in progress. Her writing is all over the page, she is not neat but her thoughts and ideas are wonderful!
She is moving to another state! Will her next teacher see the potential? Will the next teacher see beyond the messy, scattered desk and the scrawled writing?
Or will she return to the status of "remedial student" because she tests poorly?
The best teachers I hold in my heart are the ones who recognized the potential in me, used my strengths in reading and my ability to look at both sides of an issue and taught me how to use them for all my subject areas. Still it wasn't until high school that I realized I was intelligent and could be more than successful in school. Oh, I had moments of brilliance in my school career. A film I made about the elderly in Santa Monica made the paper. The poetry I wrote in elementary school hung in the hallways. I actually score the highest grade in a high school lit exam. The problem is, if you measured me against the standards today I would have been considered a remedial student and never, ever, would I have believed I had anything to offer the world, except perhaps, a minimum wage job.
As a teacher, I understand how important it is to keep track of what our students are gaining in terms of fundemental knowledge. As a parent, I would pull my kids from the school system the way it is curently pursuing a one size fits all approach.
The current quest for all kids to know all things at certain grades rather than see education as a developmental process throws away thousands of creative , eager, talented children in the process. If a child isn't following the same incubation period as the standards, he or she is failing. More ever, this "group think" process" provides no room for the "off the beaten path" child who sees the world and learning from not from a linear perspective, but perhaps from an off sides location, much like many gifted souls do.
Many of our most imaginative and creative citizens accomplished great things, despite our educational system. In fact, they had to leave it in order to pursue their goals.
As a parent and an educator, I want those kids to flourish in my classroom and our schools.
How can we both measure and grow our students in a manner that fits them?
The best teachers teach the student, not necessarily the curriculum as it presents itself. The best elementary school teachers teach children HOW to learn as well as what to learn. Learning to learn is an important process. We waste those precious growing and developing brain cells when we test them repeatedly, constantly sending the message that the child is a failure if they fail a test.
The question I ask parents is this,
"In this "data driven, one size fits all, education system, are you aware your child is no longer a person but a series of test scores?"
Is your acquiescence , by way of silence, of the educational system, as it now stands, providing the optimum educational environment for your child?
I cannot think of how my two year old grandson will survive the school curriculum the way it stands. It will crush his spirit. His language skills are already exceptional, he is inquisitive, he is enthusiastic, he has a bright smile on his face each morning when he wakes up. He reminds me of me when I was a child. The world was an incubator of wonder and awe. He may not follow the progression of the curriculum and the testing calendar. Is he, then a failure in kindergarten because he did not learn how to add and subtract numbers according to the calendar?
What do we tell our kids when they fail the tests in first or second grade?
As a parent I would be asking these questions.
In the hallway at our school, the walls are lined with the results of testing data. Teachers are given rewards for testing data results.
Students progress is important but we can't omit each student's personal idiosyncratic learning styles.
Lastly I want to tell you a story about a student who came to my class this year.
She moved from a midewestern state. She is ADD, and boy is she ever. By 9am her desk is a mess, papers on the floor, lost pencils, wet paper towels left behind from a spill.
A brilliant reader. Not just a brilliant reader, a child with the potential to write amazing stories, high verbal skills, great comprehension skills. Barely hanging on at her last school. Once she learned testing strategies she was able to demonstrate her high language apptitude.
Mostly she needed to see her strengths and develop confidence.
She is still a work in progress. Her writing is all over the page, she is not neat but her thoughts and ideas are wonderful!
She is moving to another state! Will her next teacher see the potential? Will the next teacher see beyond the messy, scattered desk and the scrawled writing?
Or will she return to the status of "remedial student" because she tests poorly?
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Are Las Vegas Police racist??
My daughter's boyfriend recently graduated from UCLA with a Master's degree.
He worked in California as a high school teacher. He currently works in the education field in Las Vegas. He bought a shiny new car last month. He has been home for three months.
Since he moved back home he has been pulled over three times by the Las Vegas police. Each time he is asked if his car is stolen. They run his plates, check is ID, run a federal search on his social security number. I think he should have purchased a white or a silver car. Maybe the color of his car would not have made a difference, but the color of his skin does.
He has never had a record with the police-anywhere.
Each time he leaves the house to go out for a night with my daughter or his friends, his father, a well respected black man, living in an upscale neighborhood, calls him throughout the night to make sure he is okay. He is worried about him being harassed by the LVPD. Each time he is pulled over it is in his affluent neighborhood.
The police appear to believe since he is black he has no business on that side of town.
The most recent pull over was definitely frightening. The police pulled him over and asked him if his car was stolen. They ran the usual checks. They asked him for his social security number. They treated him rudely, baiting him, egging him to lose him temper. They made him sit in his car for an hour by the side of the road.
He knows better. He is unfailingly polite and cooperative.
His plan to live in this town is gone. He is bright and talented. His father is an educated and successful man.
Black, educated, articulate and successful-I guess this means little in a town where the police department shoots first and doesn't have to ask questions later because the "suspect" is dead.
He needs to leave this town before it hurts him-fatally.
He worked in California as a high school teacher. He currently works in the education field in Las Vegas. He bought a shiny new car last month. He has been home for three months.
Since he moved back home he has been pulled over three times by the Las Vegas police. Each time he is asked if his car is stolen. They run his plates, check is ID, run a federal search on his social security number. I think he should have purchased a white or a silver car. Maybe the color of his car would not have made a difference, but the color of his skin does.
He has never had a record with the police-anywhere.
Each time he leaves the house to go out for a night with my daughter or his friends, his father, a well respected black man, living in an upscale neighborhood, calls him throughout the night to make sure he is okay. He is worried about him being harassed by the LVPD. Each time he is pulled over it is in his affluent neighborhood.
The police appear to believe since he is black he has no business on that side of town.
The most recent pull over was definitely frightening. The police pulled him over and asked him if his car was stolen. They ran the usual checks. They asked him for his social security number. They treated him rudely, baiting him, egging him to lose him temper. They made him sit in his car for an hour by the side of the road.
He knows better. He is unfailingly polite and cooperative.
His plan to live in this town is gone. He is bright and talented. His father is an educated and successful man.
Black, educated, articulate and successful-I guess this means little in a town where the police department shoots first and doesn't have to ask questions later because the "suspect" is dead.
He needs to leave this town before it hurts him-fatally.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Revel Casino in New Jersey tells new hires reapply every four years for your job
This is frightening. Can you imagine your employer telling you to reapply for your job every four years? The quality of your work doesn't matter. We want them young and pretty. You don't have a job after four years.
If you want to know what the breakdown of a civilized society looks like, try destabilizing the workforce.
Blatant ageism and sexism, backed by weakened labor laws allows such arrogant disdain for the respect of workers.
It could happen in any "right to work" establishment. Keep your heads in the sand, Americans. Worse is yet to come.
Those, "unemployed need not apply" signs are nothing compared to what might come nest. Too bad so may people see unions as the bad guys. Those years of fighting for workers rights kept this kind of contemptuous behavior off the table.
If you want to know what the breakdown of a civilized society looks like, try destabilizing the workforce.
Blatant ageism and sexism, backed by weakened labor laws allows such arrogant disdain for the respect of workers.
It could happen in any "right to work" establishment. Keep your heads in the sand, Americans. Worse is yet to come.
Those, "unemployed need not apply" signs are nothing compared to what might come nest. Too bad so may people see unions as the bad guys. Those years of fighting for workers rights kept this kind of contemptuous behavior off the table.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
The Soviets take a stand-while the US whines..
Countries across the world have risked everything to stand against tyranny and nepotism. No longer do citizens tolerate dictatorships and feudal repression.
The Soviets have tener cojones. Spanish/English slang for courage. Tens of thousands know the election was rigged and they have had enough.
You have my greatest admiration, Soviets.
In the US we have become a culture of whiners. When our election was rigged we stomped our feet, whined and went home to watch our big screen TV's.
Our government corruption is so blatant our congress ignores citizens voices with contempt.
Each election is funded by corporations, on the path to helping destroy our planet through pollution, exploitation and greed.
US, once a proud nation, 40 million citizens are now unemployed. 15.5 million of our children live in poverty-1 out of 5.
23 per cent of our 36 million senior citizens live in poverty. Eight million seniors are living in poverty.
The top 1% of the population own over 50% of the wealth in the United States.
Not a peep.
Oh, a sorry looking, mainly discredited, by the corporate owned news sources Occupy Wall Street Protesters.
Wisconsinites protesting the abolishment of union protections.
Still small whimpers.
Americans are whiners at heart.
They all believe they have the answers to the Us economy and government.
They will tell you even if you don't ask them.
They will tell what your country should do as well.
They have all the answers but no courage.
No courage to stop the dismantling of our democracy.
I am not even sure most Americans know what is right anymore.
Somehow our citizenry has opted for ignorance with a dash of stupidity,
Go for it, Soviets. Take that ideal and make it happen.
The Soviets have tener cojones. Spanish/English slang for courage. Tens of thousands know the election was rigged and they have had enough.
You have my greatest admiration, Soviets.
In the US we have become a culture of whiners. When our election was rigged we stomped our feet, whined and went home to watch our big screen TV's.
Our government corruption is so blatant our congress ignores citizens voices with contempt.
Each election is funded by corporations, on the path to helping destroy our planet through pollution, exploitation and greed.
US, once a proud nation, 40 million citizens are now unemployed. 15.5 million of our children live in poverty-1 out of 5.
23 per cent of our 36 million senior citizens live in poverty. Eight million seniors are living in poverty.
The top 1% of the population own over 50% of the wealth in the United States.
Not a peep.
Oh, a sorry looking, mainly discredited, by the corporate owned news sources Occupy Wall Street Protesters.
Wisconsinites protesting the abolishment of union protections.
Still small whimpers.
Americans are whiners at heart.
They all believe they have the answers to the Us economy and government.
They will tell you even if you don't ask them.
They will tell what your country should do as well.
They have all the answers but no courage.
No courage to stop the dismantling of our democracy.
I am not even sure most Americans know what is right anymore.
Somehow our citizenry has opted for ignorance with a dash of stupidity,
Go for it, Soviets. Take that ideal and make it happen.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Men-Women who claim to like football are liars!
Men, hear this, any woman who proclaims to like football is a liar.
Oh, they will tell you they do. They will watch and scream and yell. They will be able to tell you who their "favorite team" is this year.
But they do it for men.
Women are not aggressive by nature. Not only are they not aggressive, the idea of smashing onto others to gain ground is not a familiar ploy. Women are sneaky. They destroy others without a hint of violence.
Ask women about the players- call them on their lack of knowledge. Ask them to explain the game and use the correct "guy terminology". Ask them about fouls, off side, downs, etc. Ask them who the Heisman Winner was last year, MVP- all those stats. They don't know squat about it.
You see women aren't wired that way. Competition doesn't fire up the estrogen. Physical contact of a violent nature doesn't get the hormones flowing. It is scientifically proven. A female brain does not respond as strenuously or successfully to those activities. Women who claim to "love" football are doing it to impress you. Women have faked so many things for men. It is a historical and genetic nature for women to convince men they like and are interested in what men are.
And you know I am right! You know it. How many of you did the sports thing with your beloved while dating, all enthusiastic and gung ho-and after marriage, whine whine- or total disinterest!
If there is one thing I give men credit for it is this-I have rarely found one willing to feign interest in ballroom dancing, performing arts and ceramics. Most men are confident enough to say no. Women won't-they just know they can help you see the error of your ways once responsibilities lie in wait. Or they just ignore your football activities.
I have a great male friend who once took me to a football game at the University of Michigan. He scored free tickets. We were to meet a group of his friends at the game.
I told him I wasn't a football fan. All that yelling and screaming over a bunch of guys running with a ball, only to tear apart the ball carrier if caught was too much like the gladiators for me.
He wasn't a football fan either.
His winning argument?
They sell the best hot dogs and beer, and the entire stadium is surrounded by food kiosks.
We could drink and eat our way through the game!
We did..
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Political Hacks-Where is the vision??
Writing about the Republican Party's debates and candidates is enough to make me weep. Never have I observed such ignorance and stupidity in all my old lady years.
We don't even need to mention names, they all kind of blur together in a sea of geographical, historical, political and financial gaffes. White America, with a few outliers, have shown themselves to be the decline of American intelligence.
I keep wandering around my community asking, "Is the the best we have?" or has this been the best we have and I somehow missed the stupidity in past years?
I find myself wincing when I hear yet another totally ignorant "truth".
If I hear one more "poor people get rich off the system" tale, I'll scream!
The great myth of the poor living rich off the system has taken on a life of its own in the United States. The famous theory of those who deserve and those who don't is just plain ridiculous. Deserving of health care? Basic necessities? Shelter?
Food? Only the rich would make those kinds of observations. Money has triumphed humanity in the Republican Party of those who party like it is 1999.
They don't get it.
The ludicrousness of it all feels like a Twilight Zone episode with Jon Stewart as the mocker.
Please, somewhere out there has to be a person of color or a woman with a vision that can be heard?
How long do we have to live under the rule of rich old white men, or people who want to be them??
We don't even need to mention names, they all kind of blur together in a sea of geographical, historical, political and financial gaffes. White America, with a few outliers, have shown themselves to be the decline of American intelligence.
I keep wandering around my community asking, "Is the the best we have?" or has this been the best we have and I somehow missed the stupidity in past years?
I find myself wincing when I hear yet another totally ignorant "truth".
If I hear one more "poor people get rich off the system" tale, I'll scream!
The great myth of the poor living rich off the system has taken on a life of its own in the United States. The famous theory of those who deserve and those who don't is just plain ridiculous. Deserving of health care? Basic necessities? Shelter?
Food? Only the rich would make those kinds of observations. Money has triumphed humanity in the Republican Party of those who party like it is 1999.
They don't get it.
The ludicrousness of it all feels like a Twilight Zone episode with Jon Stewart as the mocker.
Please, somewhere out there has to be a person of color or a woman with a vision that can be heard?
How long do we have to live under the rule of rich old white men, or people who want to be them??
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