Final Thoughts

When this assignment was originally discussed, I must admit I was a little irritated. I felt that while blogging is a good tool to have for the classroom, but to make us do it, on top of all the other work and responsibilities life has thrown at us, was simply irritating. I, needless to say, was in no rush to get started. Blogging is not something I ever imagined myself doing, nor did I want to blog.

I eventually got started on it. My final assessment on the matter? Ehhh. I'm not particularly pleased with the assignment. I'm glad I was able to see how blogging can be an effective tool in the classroom, and I'm sure it's something I will eventually use. But attaching a grade to it just seems unnecessary.

If I had more time on my hands to sit down and write creatively, I may have felt different. But with a full course load, full time job (75 training sessions per week and counting), wedding preparations and a dog, I simply did not have the time to devote to the assignment. I do not have a laptop and I can not post while at work. I know, it sounds like I'm making excuses, but by the end of the day, after school, work, studying and reading multiple novels, studying for two education courses and dealing with dramas of life, firing up my blog is not something I have time for. The only time I was really able to blog was before class, and that was usually rushed.

In summation, I feel it was a great tool to learn about. I just wish I had more time to dedicate to it.

Shakespeare would cringe..

I thought this might be a could way to close out my blog for this course. The article states that with current technology, many students are losing the ability to spell, write and formulate complete thoughts.

I tend to agree with the statement. With all the texting, instant messaging, emailing, etc etc, true writing and style have become lost. Some argue that this is just the "evolution" of the language, but i feel its more the degradation of intelligent thought..

Article Here

Landscaping 101

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/882921.html

I don't even know what to say about this. Dozens of children moved out of classes they need simply because there wasn't enough room, or because they needed to filll desks. This is one of the strangest school systems i've ever heard of...

What..?

My fiance had to take a course on public speaking for whatever reason. The interesting part of the course was that the students then graded and commented on the presentation. So I was looking at the comments and I was down right floored by some of them... These students could not use proper vocabulary, could not formulate a decent sentence and could barely spell.. While it was not all of them, I was amazed at how far some students can get simply by flying under the radar.

Now, I'm well aware that not everyone has a thesaurus on hand, and not everyone is Willy Shakes, and that's fine. But one would assume that by the time you reached college you could formulate a simple sentence. But no.. not these students. If I had graded the 20 responses I read, 15 would have failed.

I'm an easy grader too.

Big Brother and Schools

http://www.nj.com/education/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-0/120711474977830.xml&coll=1

The article itself is about the government forcing NJ to change their grading process in order to better compare students state to state. Thats all fine. What bothers me is that towards the end of the article they mention that the state is also starting a student database to track students throughout their educational careers. It just seems as though its a little piece of privacy thats being taken away, again.

maybe i need a tin foil hat though.

Senate panel rejects 'No Child' opt-out

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0402nochild-optout0402-ON.html

This is relevant to the discussion in class the other day (week?) about No Child Left Behind. It seems states are moving forward to be exempt from the act. While their attempts are unsuccessful, it is still step forward from the train wreck that is 'NCLB.'

Big Fat Pay Checks

http://ednews.org/articles/24054/1/Paying-Teachers-125000/Page1.html

It seems not all paychecks are created equally. Some teachers in charters schools are being paid upwardst to 125,000 per year. Which isn't that much when you consider that, on average, a school spends atleast 10,000 per year on students, and in wealthier districts upwards to 60,000.

However, the pay scale is much, much larger than the countries average of 50,000 per teacher, per year. So, it's atleast a step in the right direction as far as pay goes. Unfortunately alot of teachers in charter school are not unionized, wich leaves them without protection from the evils of school districts.

So the question posed is, job security? or a big fat paycheck.

i'll go with paycheck.