By now it's obvious who our president is; Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States. He hasn't had too long to put anything into action, but he has had plenty of time to tell us, in his speeches, the plans in which he wishes to follow through. In his State of the Union Address, I found a good amount of what he said was directed towards my age group. "And dropping out of high school is no longer an option," Obama said, "It's not just quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country, and this country needs and values the talents of every American." His goals are to make college costs more affordable, lower the drop-out rate, put more people through college, and shape us into better people for the future so we can have a better life than earlier generations.
Completing college is the ultimate achievement for every American. We have been told and taught our entire lives that to be as successful as we can, we must complete college. It's not a lie that the highest paying jobs require people to have a certain degree, certificate, or certain education level. If this is fact, what is the reason we are not attending post high school education? The biggest factor that crosses an upper-classman's mind when applying for college is the cost. A lot of times, students who go to college attend a different college than they dreamed not because they weren't accepted, but because the price at the school they wanted to attend is higher than at the other school they could attend. Depending on the person, you either take what you can get, or lose it all, and this is sometimes where things go wrong. Students think they'll take a semester or two off to earn some money then get caught up in other things and never get around to going back to school. According to Obama, if we get to college, the federal government will help pay for it, but what is he going to do to ensure this? How do I know, as a high school senior, that I will be financially supported? Obama saying what he wants to do with money, and actually doing it are two different things. Don't we want him to explain his plan to us and show us how it's going to work, or just talk?
It is a strong proposition to move on to college when it's more affordable, but what about getting out of high school first? How many jobs and how much money can a person actually make if they don't graduate high school? It won't be much. If the highest paying jobs are generally given to the most educated people, doesn't it only make sense for the lowest paying jobs to be given to the most uneducated people? It's a great thing that Obama declares dropping out is no longer an option, because if it weren't an option, our country would have no choice but to be more competitive with the economy, education, and business. It was said in his State of the Union Address that it is important to have more educated people to mend our economy. So, why don't we listen to this positive advice and have more teachers get involved in student's lives and more parents help? Colorado is a lucky state; there are high schools all over in Colorado that do not have the negligence of others across the country. Take advantage of that Colorado! Your teachers will help you if you ask, and all of out schools have counselors for personal problems. Be a graduate, make more money to have a better life, and show the world that the United States isn't dead.
Obama isn't a bad man; his dreams and goals are reasonable, and they do not ask too much of the American people. Free education shouldn't be taken advantage of when there are countries in the world where the citizens would do anything to get educated, to learn. Obama wants simple things for the Unites State, but getting those simple things are hard. Is his dream of educating the majority of Americans too much? Is his dream of helping students through college too much? Is his dream of using education to fix the economy too much? Our president's dreams aren't too big, but our dreams aren't big enough, and we need to help our country because we won't quit on our country.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Media Bias
There is no media without bias. Not because the people running the news don't want to be neutral, but because they can't help leaning one way or the other. It's very important to know who is operating the media source from which you gather your information and what their political party is. Most likely, the more democrats controlling the game, the more liberal the information and bias will be, and the more republicans, the more conservative the information will be.
For example, Fox news is a more republican based business as opposed to ABC or NBC. During elections the stations that hound on the republicans would clearly be ABC and NBC. They would be strict, serious, and in depth with the republicans while they would converse with the democrats in a more friendly way, creating a better image on the democratic side, and thus creating bias. Fox is in the same situation; they would hound the democrats, but let the republicans off easy. There goal is to make it appear as if they are an un-bias company.
Point being, there is no media that is not bias. To find proper information, compare similar stories and decide what is fact. If there's a story that claims 2 people died in a car crash, another that claims 10, and one more that claims 5, you know that there were people killed, just not how many. If you read a story that claims it was horrible that a certain president was impeached and another about how it was the best thing that's every happened to this country, you know what you are reading isn't completely fact. Learn to separate the facts from the opinions, beware of adjectives, and don't be afraid to research and confirm your sources.
For example, Fox news is a more republican based business as opposed to ABC or NBC. During elections the stations that hound on the republicans would clearly be ABC and NBC. They would be strict, serious, and in depth with the republicans while they would converse with the democrats in a more friendly way, creating a better image on the democratic side, and thus creating bias. Fox is in the same situation; they would hound the democrats, but let the republicans off easy. There goal is to make it appear as if they are an un-bias company.
Point being, there is no media that is not bias. To find proper information, compare similar stories and decide what is fact. If there's a story that claims 2 people died in a car crash, another that claims 10, and one more that claims 5, you know that there were people killed, just not how many. If you read a story that claims it was horrible that a certain president was impeached and another about how it was the best thing that's every happened to this country, you know what you are reading isn't completely fact. Learn to separate the facts from the opinions, beware of adjectives, and don't be afraid to research and confirm your sources.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Graduation Speech
I've gone through 12 years of education. There were some years where I over achieved and exceeded requirements, and there were some years where I didn't try at all and barely made it.
We've all got our issues, and we all think that our problems are the worst, but in all actuality, we're all in the same boat; we're teenagers trying to learn. Whether it's at school, or in life, we're constantly being taught.
This biggest lesson I have ever learned was within this past year. It goes like this: the world doesn't think from your head, it thinks from its own. If you want to live in the world, then you need to think form the world's head, not yours. Analyze every situation, every outcome, every option, and think from every point of view. That's how to make decisions and that's how to take responsibility.
I have yet to master this lesson, however, I know through personal experience it works.
McLain is an alternative school. We all have our reasons for attending and we all have our reasons for the program we chose. Before I enrolled into McLain, I wasn't doing so well in life. I was dropped out of school, wasn't making the best decisions at night, and had no idea what earning meant. I had recently met a group of guys I started hanging out with, and I decided to start analyzing them for the mere enjoyment of knowing how they work. One day, I said something that was off the charts, and one of them got angry with and began to yell. I rarely had anyone say anything back to me because of the position of power I was in at the time and I was in shock someone was talking back to me. I had never had anyone tell straight to my face what they thought. I thought about it for days, but not what he said.
Later, because I was curious as to why he yelled when he did, I began to think intensely about what he had said. He had told me I was selfish and only thought from my own head. He screamed and yelled in my face with how much I wasn't doing what I needed to do in life when I had a chance. He told me everything I now consider to be my biggest lesson ever learned, and the most important for that matter.
I took what he said and began to change the things I did, the way I thought, and what I said. Eventually, I had an epiphany that I needed to go back to school because I not only needed to, but I wanted to. It was too late for me at any other school because I was too far behind. My best friend at the time was a few years behind in school and told me that she had tried alternative school. I remembered my counselor telling me about McLain a year prior when it became obvious to the people around me I was having some issues.
Because of that one guy, I had already gotten all other issues sorted out and was just trying to aim a little higher, to push a little harder, and get a little farther in life. So, I attended the last information meeting, when I knew I was ready, and that night decided I would go with JeffcoNet.
JeffcoNet is not only a very convenient program for those who have a very busy schedule, but it also offers individually motivated people to more successfully achieve their goals. I'm able to do my assignments whether I work, get sick, or have other family matters I need to deal with. I can do things during the day, I don't have to miss school, and the teachers are always more helpful and more available than they were at a traditional school. When I first attended I was a little nervous that this would be a school full of people I wouldn't like, but to my surprise everyone was a neutral person who treated everyone with respect. This was very different to how I had gone to school before, where I had very distinguished groups of either popular, could be popular, and lame.
I have gone through 12 years of education and I plan to go through more. I don't know what situation everyone is in, but if you had the potential to not graduate and McLain helped you succeed, I would be very grateful. And remember my lesson, think from the world's head, not your own.
We've all got our issues, and we all think that our problems are the worst, but in all actuality, we're all in the same boat; we're teenagers trying to learn. Whether it's at school, or in life, we're constantly being taught.
This biggest lesson I have ever learned was within this past year. It goes like this: the world doesn't think from your head, it thinks from its own. If you want to live in the world, then you need to think form the world's head, not yours. Analyze every situation, every outcome, every option, and think from every point of view. That's how to make decisions and that's how to take responsibility.
I have yet to master this lesson, however, I know through personal experience it works.
McLain is an alternative school. We all have our reasons for attending and we all have our reasons for the program we chose. Before I enrolled into McLain, I wasn't doing so well in life. I was dropped out of school, wasn't making the best decisions at night, and had no idea what earning meant. I had recently met a group of guys I started hanging out with, and I decided to start analyzing them for the mere enjoyment of knowing how they work. One day, I said something that was off the charts, and one of them got angry with and began to yell. I rarely had anyone say anything back to me because of the position of power I was in at the time and I was in shock someone was talking back to me. I had never had anyone tell straight to my face what they thought. I thought about it for days, but not what he said.
Later, because I was curious as to why he yelled when he did, I began to think intensely about what he had said. He had told me I was selfish and only thought from my own head. He screamed and yelled in my face with how much I wasn't doing what I needed to do in life when I had a chance. He told me everything I now consider to be my biggest lesson ever learned, and the most important for that matter.
I took what he said and began to change the things I did, the way I thought, and what I said. Eventually, I had an epiphany that I needed to go back to school because I not only needed to, but I wanted to. It was too late for me at any other school because I was too far behind. My best friend at the time was a few years behind in school and told me that she had tried alternative school. I remembered my counselor telling me about McLain a year prior when it became obvious to the people around me I was having some issues.
Because of that one guy, I had already gotten all other issues sorted out and was just trying to aim a little higher, to push a little harder, and get a little farther in life. So, I attended the last information meeting, when I knew I was ready, and that night decided I would go with JeffcoNet.
JeffcoNet is not only a very convenient program for those who have a very busy schedule, but it also offers individually motivated people to more successfully achieve their goals. I'm able to do my assignments whether I work, get sick, or have other family matters I need to deal with. I can do things during the day, I don't have to miss school, and the teachers are always more helpful and more available than they were at a traditional school. When I first attended I was a little nervous that this would be a school full of people I wouldn't like, but to my surprise everyone was a neutral person who treated everyone with respect. This was very different to how I had gone to school before, where I had very distinguished groups of either popular, could be popular, and lame.
I have gone through 12 years of education and I plan to go through more. I don't know what situation everyone is in, but if you had the potential to not graduate and McLain helped you succeed, I would be very grateful. And remember my lesson, think from the world's head, not your own.
"The Lady, or the Tiger"
It was assigned to our English 12 class to read the short story "The Lady, or the Tiger." After reading the story aloud and discussing certain points of the reading, we were given a packet on the text containing a great variation of concepts; many in which I was able to connect to the Pacing Guide created by Jefferson County Public Schools.
Prioritized Benchmark 1.a: Use cognitive and metacognitive strategies to comprehend diverse texts. This isn't so easily understood as it is written. Let me clarify. This benchmark wants readers to understand how using reading strategies (such as, but not limited to, classification, comparison/contrast, making connections, summarizing, and synthesizing) can more efficiently help interpret the story. Basically, this is a more complex statement informing us as students that we need to comprehend the text to its fullest. This is accurately portrayed in our entire packet, but I will only explain one. In section 1: 'vocabulary and phrases', guiding questions, and predictions are introduced. Of course, understanding words and phrases will help with the highest level of comprehension that can be reached. If one knows the meaning of every word and phrase there is only the analyzation of the reading that must be done. Assuming that not every word and phrase is understood, how would a student comprehend the story without using a dictionary or some other resource? Simple, the packet asks the reader to use the surrounding text to discover the word’s definition, thus, expanding the student’s ability to comprehend more diverse or complicated readings without the extra help.
In section 3, exercise 3 of the packet, students must identify metaphors, images, symbols, and patterns of alliteration. This applies directly to benchmark 1.b: Use context clues to define and interpret figurative words and phrases. It’s self-explanatory; one must be able to offer explanations about the literal representation of figurative language. The packet successfully instructs the student to do this by simply telling them to ‘identify’ the figurative language. There is no other instruction or help given leaving it solely to the student to find what is needed.
The last two benchmarks the packet connects with are benchmark 4.b: Analyze a variety of texts in order to build connections and draw subtle generalizations and conclusions, and benchmark 4.c: Summarize and synthesize ideas and events within or among a variety of texts. Both of these benchmarks are not completely fulfilled with the packet, but the packet does strike several of its tasks. In benchmark 4.b, the reader must build connections and draw conclusions and generalizations. This is done in section 3, exercise 4 when the story’s theme is brought into subject. The packet tells the students to “Identify the theme(s) of the story to reinforce understanding and encourage further levels of appreciation beyond the limits of the story itself.” Benchmark 4.b is accomplished because the student is building connections outside the story. As for benchmark 4.c, section 2 of the packet has students summarize the story in a variety of questions such as: who is the narrator, who are the characters, what do you know about them, describe them physically, describe them morally, and what is the setting. The goal of this benchmark is to incorporate a variety of texts into the picture. This was accomplished by me personally when I continued to compare it to novels I had recently read. I compared how the setting effected the mood differently in all texts I read, and I also compared how the characters can look a certain way in one story because of the way the author describes them, but then completely different in another.
The Jefferson County Pacing Guide is a complicated set of tasks to complete. The packet we were given on the short story “The Lady, or the Tiger” isn’t the easiest of packets for the same reasons the Pacing Guide is complicated and therefore, it successfully pertains the Pacing Guide.
Prioritized Benchmark 1.a: Use cognitive and metacognitive strategies to comprehend diverse texts. This isn't so easily understood as it is written. Let me clarify. This benchmark wants readers to understand how using reading strategies (such as, but not limited to, classification, comparison/contrast, making connections, summarizing, and synthesizing) can more efficiently help interpret the story. Basically, this is a more complex statement informing us as students that we need to comprehend the text to its fullest. This is accurately portrayed in our entire packet, but I will only explain one. In section 1: 'vocabulary and phrases', guiding questions, and predictions are introduced. Of course, understanding words and phrases will help with the highest level of comprehension that can be reached. If one knows the meaning of every word and phrase there is only the analyzation of the reading that must be done. Assuming that not every word and phrase is understood, how would a student comprehend the story without using a dictionary or some other resource? Simple, the packet asks the reader to use the surrounding text to discover the word’s definition, thus, expanding the student’s ability to comprehend more diverse or complicated readings without the extra help.
In section 3, exercise 3 of the packet, students must identify metaphors, images, symbols, and patterns of alliteration. This applies directly to benchmark 1.b: Use context clues to define and interpret figurative words and phrases. It’s self-explanatory; one must be able to offer explanations about the literal representation of figurative language. The packet successfully instructs the student to do this by simply telling them to ‘identify’ the figurative language. There is no other instruction or help given leaving it solely to the student to find what is needed.
The last two benchmarks the packet connects with are benchmark 4.b: Analyze a variety of texts in order to build connections and draw subtle generalizations and conclusions, and benchmark 4.c: Summarize and synthesize ideas and events within or among a variety of texts. Both of these benchmarks are not completely fulfilled with the packet, but the packet does strike several of its tasks. In benchmark 4.b, the reader must build connections and draw conclusions and generalizations. This is done in section 3, exercise 4 when the story’s theme is brought into subject. The packet tells the students to “Identify the theme(s) of the story to reinforce understanding and encourage further levels of appreciation beyond the limits of the story itself.” Benchmark 4.b is accomplished because the student is building connections outside the story. As for benchmark 4.c, section 2 of the packet has students summarize the story in a variety of questions such as: who is the narrator, who are the characters, what do you know about them, describe them physically, describe them morally, and what is the setting. The goal of this benchmark is to incorporate a variety of texts into the picture. This was accomplished by me personally when I continued to compare it to novels I had recently read. I compared how the setting effected the mood differently in all texts I read, and I also compared how the characters can look a certain way in one story because of the way the author describes them, but then completely different in another.
The Jefferson County Pacing Guide is a complicated set of tasks to complete. The packet we were given on the short story “The Lady, or the Tiger” isn’t the easiest of packets for the same reasons the Pacing Guide is complicated and therefore, it successfully pertains the Pacing Guide.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
