The United States of Capitalism, Corporations, and For Profit Greed.
Our country's politicians have given away our citizenships to profit making mega corporations and death is considered a minor fallout..
When we allow our government to pass laws, policies and budgets so corrupt and obviously destructive to our citizens' lives, we no longer can call ourselves a country, let alone a democracy.
We are a corporatocracy., ruled by the interests of the corporations buying our congress.
We can vote out the politicians but until we take action to eliminate the corporations in our government workings,
we will continue our slide into third world status.
Saturday, October 02, 2010
US-Master of the Bully
Bullying is an art form in the US.
How can you expect kids to refrain from bullying?
Our television shows are predicated on it (most reality shows feature humiliation and degradation )
Our politicians use media outlets to lie, twist and rant untruths -(about our own President), and with elections in progress-are you kidding? Classic examples for kids to learn how to destroy another human.
Our news media is full of untruths, lies and twisted quotes.
Media uses tweets, blogs, radio, tv and print to write lies, deceptions and twisted truths , once thrown out there they can hardly be dispelled in as powerful a manner as they have been announced,
How can anyone in this crazy, convoluted culture expect kids to not do what adults are teaching them to do so well?
Destroy others because you can.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Why Teachers can't Teach and Why You are Killing the Wrong Messenger
Teachers don't teach anymore. Well, they don't decide what your child needs to learn and how they will best learn it.
It is what teachers attended universities and paid thousands of dollars to learn to do, it is their field of expertise.
But School district administrators, researchers, curriculum developers and text book companies decided they know better.
What you need to know is all schools are "data driven" and your child's needs are based on that data. It doesn't matter if your child isn't ready to learn a certain developmental task. Your child fails if they aren't ready to learn it. Oh, teachers are to provide "remedial" training to your child, based on the curriculum calendar -for example, if your child doesn't understand the concept of groupings by September of this year in first grade, but gets it in March, your child's report card will reflect the fact they are failing that concept based on the timeline expected for them to learn it.
You see, teachers don't call the shots anymore. District curriculum administrators do that.
Teachers are told what to teach, when to teach it and how to teach it.
Your child's personal needs are not considered.
Teachers are evaluated by the ability of a class to achieve milestones directed by the school district deadlines.
While parents and the public are bashing public teachers as poorly motivated, lazy, even slothful, protected by unions who appear out to protect an archaic system, the public is attacking the messenger.
We would love to teach to each child's needs. We would love to spend a little extra time developing a learning environment which prepares your child for learning new concepts when ready.
We would love to use those tested , tried and true methods to instill a love of learning, an excitement and wonder for learning. It is what we all remember -the teacher who instilled the love of reading, made history and social studies come alive, knew how we learned and placed a full plate of educational wonders at our desk so we felt rich and full.
Last week my group of first grade boys were completing the district mandated calendar activities-
date, month, year, shapes, weather, counting by twos, fives and tens, and seasons when one of them asked me about the seasons. Why was their summer? Winter? How did the weather get cold or hot?
While not in the curriculum calendar for first grade 5 and 6 year olds it was a teachable moment and we used the globe to discuss the rotation and revolutions of the earth.
The astonishment on their faces, the rapt attention, the fast flying questions and the pondering looks on their faces reminded me of why I became a teacher.
It is the love of learning, the amazing connections we make when we learn and the wondrous looks on the 20 faces of the little boys I so love to teach -that is why I teach.
Mostly your children are cheated of these experiences and while it is happening the public is killing the wrong messengers.
The very ones who want , more than anything in this world, to make learning alive, rich in content, applicable and understandable to your children.
The teachers.
It is what teachers attended universities and paid thousands of dollars to learn to do, it is their field of expertise.
But School district administrators, researchers, curriculum developers and text book companies decided they know better.
What you need to know is all schools are "data driven" and your child's needs are based on that data. It doesn't matter if your child isn't ready to learn a certain developmental task. Your child fails if they aren't ready to learn it. Oh, teachers are to provide "remedial" training to your child, based on the curriculum calendar -for example, if your child doesn't understand the concept of groupings by September of this year in first grade, but gets it in March, your child's report card will reflect the fact they are failing that concept based on the timeline expected for them to learn it.
You see, teachers don't call the shots anymore. District curriculum administrators do that.
Teachers are told what to teach, when to teach it and how to teach it.
Your child's personal needs are not considered.
Teachers are evaluated by the ability of a class to achieve milestones directed by the school district deadlines.
While parents and the public are bashing public teachers as poorly motivated, lazy, even slothful, protected by unions who appear out to protect an archaic system, the public is attacking the messenger.
We would love to teach to each child's needs. We would love to spend a little extra time developing a learning environment which prepares your child for learning new concepts when ready.
We would love to use those tested , tried and true methods to instill a love of learning, an excitement and wonder for learning. It is what we all remember -the teacher who instilled the love of reading, made history and social studies come alive, knew how we learned and placed a full plate of educational wonders at our desk so we felt rich and full.
Last week my group of first grade boys were completing the district mandated calendar activities-
date, month, year, shapes, weather, counting by twos, fives and tens, and seasons when one of them asked me about the seasons. Why was their summer? Winter? How did the weather get cold or hot?
While not in the curriculum calendar for first grade 5 and 6 year olds it was a teachable moment and we used the globe to discuss the rotation and revolutions of the earth.
The astonishment on their faces, the rapt attention, the fast flying questions and the pondering looks on their faces reminded me of why I became a teacher.
It is the love of learning, the amazing connections we make when we learn and the wondrous looks on the 20 faces of the little boys I so love to teach -that is why I teach.
Mostly your children are cheated of these experiences and while it is happening the public is killing the wrong messengers.
The very ones who want , more than anything in this world, to make learning alive, rich in content, applicable and understandable to your children.
The teachers.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The New Poor In America
Last night as I was leaving Wal-Mart a man with two children came up to me and ask if we had any money to spare.
Said he was laid off last year and couldn't find work. Food stamps didn't cover enough for food and he couldn't find a job. He asked me if I knew of anywhere he could find work, he was desperate.
I had 50 dollars to spend on groceries for five people in my family that had to last until Friday and we were hitting the dollar store,
I couldn't help him and I work.
These are kids that go to my schools.
They are kids who wear raggedy clothing and have nowhere to sleep at night.
What is happening to our country?
I got home and found out they had recalled the formula my grandson drinks because the Similac had bug parts in them.
Formula is 24.00 a can!
So 13.00 of my fifty went to buy a can of formula until we get paid on Friday.
Oh, sure, they will give you a voucher for their products without bugs but who wants to buy formula from a company that cares so little about infants they allow bugs to get in their formula?
Eggs? Formula? Lettuce?
These are things which happen in third world countries, not the United States.
Used to.
Said he was laid off last year and couldn't find work. Food stamps didn't cover enough for food and he couldn't find a job. He asked me if I knew of anywhere he could find work, he was desperate.
I had 50 dollars to spend on groceries for five people in my family that had to last until Friday and we were hitting the dollar store,
I couldn't help him and I work.
These are kids that go to my schools.
They are kids who wear raggedy clothing and have nowhere to sleep at night.
What is happening to our country?
I got home and found out they had recalled the formula my grandson drinks because the Similac had bug parts in them.
Formula is 24.00 a can!
So 13.00 of my fifty went to buy a can of formula until we get paid on Friday.
Oh, sure, they will give you a voucher for their products without bugs but who wants to buy formula from a company that cares so little about infants they allow bugs to get in their formula?
Eggs? Formula? Lettuce?
These are things which happen in third world countries, not the United States.
Used to.
Monday, September 20, 2010
GOP Contract With America
GOP Contract With America:
Fellow Americans
You loved the Flush of the Bush years.
New Contract:
Dear Middle Americans:
How would you like to lose it??
With cyanide or Drano??
The poor of this country are already on their way out.
Middle Americans, Stupid, Ignorant Middle Americans,
Vote us in so we can finish you off.
Fellow Americans
You loved the Flush of the Bush years.
New Contract:
Dear Middle Americans:
How would you like to lose it??
With cyanide or Drano??
The poor of this country are already on their way out.
Middle Americans, Stupid, Ignorant Middle Americans,
Vote us in so we can finish you off.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Let's Raise Social Security Until Their Dead
Raising the age for Social Security is a cheap shot.
When massive unemployment plagues the United States
who do you think is the first to be laid off?
Look around
Those age 50 to 65 are in no man's land.
No Social Security to protect them,
so le';s raise the age for benefits.
The government saves money because it forces many elderly to draw it early
or people die before they can collect it.
When massive unemployment plagues the United States
who do you think is the first to be laid off?
Look around
Those age 50 to 65 are in no man's land.
No Social Security to protect them,
so le';s raise the age for benefits.
The government saves money because it forces many elderly to draw it early
or people die before they can collect it.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Freedom of Speech
I struggle with wanting to shut the pundits of sensationalism and lies up and respecting their right to open their mouths and pour out the inaccuracies, distortions and lies.
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