Well, I was attempting to post today, but realized that I can not copy and paste, I can't undo, and I am wondering what else can be done.
A friend told me about another blogging site, which according to him is friendlier when working with keyboard controls.
Blogger says you can use control Z to undo, but I have found, thus far that it does not work.
So it may be a good idea to make a move.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Teaching to Test
New legislation in many states are calling for new teacher evaluations. In this effort, they are spinning the world to improve teaching. This improvement is solely based on teacher evaluations. If a student performs well in your classroom, you are going to be able to teach.
This is not a holistic approach to education. These new teacher evaluations appear to be a dead end for the overall system of education.
If you base your entire system merely on how well the teacher performs I wonder what type of teacher are you going to get?
I think that we are ignoring a greater aspect of education. Education has always and will continue to be a controversial issue. The controversy started many years ago after the government took over the role of educators. As this role unfolded, parents began to realize that the government was not providing for the educational needs of the gifted.
Teaching was now based on the classroom. Your teaching style was to show all the students how to perform, learn and test. If you had a student that was excelling, you had to slow him down so other students could catch up. If you had a student who was slow, you attempted to speed them up. Often times this created more conflict in the classroom. With the growing classroom, this become more difficult the more students that were assigned to your classroom.
To resolve this conflict, parents began to realize that if they wanted their child to succeed, they were going to have to provide for their child. Homeschooling was around, but it did not afford the opportunities. Parents then began to create their own school. They found buildings, teachers, administrators and the re birth of private schools began to grow.
So if you could afford to send your child to a private school, they were going to get the education that you thought was best. If you could not afford the private school, then you were forced to use the public school system.
There is definitely a difference between public and private schools. But is this difference based on teacher evaluations and performance?
I think that many teachers are questioning what this will do to society.
The 'no child left behind' laws are definitely a challenge for teachers. How can you teach when a child has limited support at home? How can you teach a child who has priorities elsewhere? How can you teach a child when their social network is more important than their education?
In private schools, there is contract law. Contracts are everywhere within the private school. Administrators, teachers, students and parents all sign contracts. These contracts provide for conduct, teaching styles, salaries, costs, you name it, the private school has thought about it.
In public schools, there are not contracts, except for the teachers. Often provided for by teacher associations requiring provisions for the job. None of the public school teacher contracts have any of the provisions that private teachers have.
Does this make a difference? I think that this does make a tremendous amount of difference. If a child, in a private school does not adhere to the contractual agreement, they are often removed from the school.
What does the public school have. Discipline that often does not work. Sometimes a public school student will get into trouble so they can receive discipline. This gets them out of the classroom, away from teachers they have a personal problem. Or they may not like the subject or the expectations of the classroom or teachers.
So government is trying to reinvent the wheel. They created the 'no child left behind' and now we are moving towards teacher evaluations. The ideas are to provide for every child and to make sure that all teachers perform.
Well, you can not provide for a student if there is no support at home. You can not provide for a student if the parents are unable to help teach. You can not provide for a student if there family is resistant to change.
Parents have become a demanding bread. Parents will spout out a statement "I know what is best for my child, and your teaching method, your discipline is not what my child needs."
When children hear this, they think, I don't have to listen to my teacher, my Mom and Dad know best. What this creates is a discipline issue. This disciplinary issue is not only at school, but spills out to the community.
So why would I post something about education on a radio car blog? These decisions that the experts are making are having a strong impact on our performance in the radio car industry.
When a child hears their parent defend them, they learn that they are important and right. They quickly learn that the teacher, administrator or school employee are wrong when it comes to the student. The student then builds confidence in knowing that their parent will come to their rescue and fight till the death.
When a parent sits down and listens to the issues the teacher has, listens to the student, listens to the administrator, the parent becomes more informed. Parents then can make educated decisions on what is best. When parents make an educated decision, this is usually the best for the student, teacher and the class.
However, this is rare. If one hangs out at a school, they will usually see the parent fly off the handle when it comes to their child. They will not approach the situation with an open mind. Because of this, their child's attitude grows into what many call 'bullet proof'. They develop an attitude of 'you can't do that to me'.
This becomes very destructive for a community. Their actions are not limited to school, but to others, including police, paramedics, firemen, and their elders. This usually develops into a lack of respect for life. This lack of respect for life becomes a destructive force. This force is in the number of shootings within a community. This will appear in the amount of other violence a community will experience.
We are teaching children "its all about me". This contradicts what many experts believe. There is a prevailing thought that it takes a village to raise a child. But some parents are destroying that concept by teaching their children the importance of "ME".
My personal struggle is when you find what many call a quality teacher. But over the years, as this teacher reaches the golden years of teaching, being close to retirement, they often slack in the classroom. Their lectures become non existent. Students have a free rain in the classroom being able to do 'whatever' on their own because the teacher is getting burned out. This same teacher will demand performance from students based on their previous years of teaching. They don't recognize that their lectures, their teaching methods have slacked. This type of teacher will blame the students for non performance. They lack the ability to see that their teaching has dropped within the classroom.
It is the teachers contract that protects this teacher. People will stand and defend the teacher because of his or her reputation. But if one took time to speak to the students, observe the classroom, you might discover that the teacher will give an assignment and then sit at his or her desk and read a book. That they ignore what is going on in the classroom. And if the students are quiet, then there is no suspicion or reason for the teacher to get out of their own book.
It is the lack of evaluation of performance. If an administrator had the opportunity to evaluate this teacher in the classroom, then his or her book reading may stop and he or she may actually teach the students.
In private schools, teachers are evaluated constantly. Administrators, department head keep tabs in the classroom. The keep tabs on extra curricular activities. If the administrator or department head sees a problem, they address it immediately.
In public schools, you are rarely seeing administrators or department heads visiting the classroom. They are often too busy meeting the disciplinary needs of the school children. They are often too busy trying to organize a safe school event (football, basketball, dances etc).
When you distract the attention from what is important, you often create a problem. I feel that the legislatures within certain communities are failing to conduct proper evaluations. They are tossing water on a chemical fire. By doing this, they are adding to the fire therefore they are creating more harm.
This is not a holistic approach to education. These new teacher evaluations appear to be a dead end for the overall system of education.
If you base your entire system merely on how well the teacher performs I wonder what type of teacher are you going to get?
I think that we are ignoring a greater aspect of education. Education has always and will continue to be a controversial issue. The controversy started many years ago after the government took over the role of educators. As this role unfolded, parents began to realize that the government was not providing for the educational needs of the gifted.
Teaching was now based on the classroom. Your teaching style was to show all the students how to perform, learn and test. If you had a student that was excelling, you had to slow him down so other students could catch up. If you had a student who was slow, you attempted to speed them up. Often times this created more conflict in the classroom. With the growing classroom, this become more difficult the more students that were assigned to your classroom.
To resolve this conflict, parents began to realize that if they wanted their child to succeed, they were going to have to provide for their child. Homeschooling was around, but it did not afford the opportunities. Parents then began to create their own school. They found buildings, teachers, administrators and the re birth of private schools began to grow.
So if you could afford to send your child to a private school, they were going to get the education that you thought was best. If you could not afford the private school, then you were forced to use the public school system.
There is definitely a difference between public and private schools. But is this difference based on teacher evaluations and performance?
I think that many teachers are questioning what this will do to society.
The 'no child left behind' laws are definitely a challenge for teachers. How can you teach when a child has limited support at home? How can you teach a child who has priorities elsewhere? How can you teach a child when their social network is more important than their education?
In private schools, there is contract law. Contracts are everywhere within the private school. Administrators, teachers, students and parents all sign contracts. These contracts provide for conduct, teaching styles, salaries, costs, you name it, the private school has thought about it.
In public schools, there are not contracts, except for the teachers. Often provided for by teacher associations requiring provisions for the job. None of the public school teacher contracts have any of the provisions that private teachers have.
Does this make a difference? I think that this does make a tremendous amount of difference. If a child, in a private school does not adhere to the contractual agreement, they are often removed from the school.
What does the public school have. Discipline that often does not work. Sometimes a public school student will get into trouble so they can receive discipline. This gets them out of the classroom, away from teachers they have a personal problem. Or they may not like the subject or the expectations of the classroom or teachers.
So government is trying to reinvent the wheel. They created the 'no child left behind' and now we are moving towards teacher evaluations. The ideas are to provide for every child and to make sure that all teachers perform.
Well, you can not provide for a student if there is no support at home. You can not provide for a student if the parents are unable to help teach. You can not provide for a student if there family is resistant to change.
Parents have become a demanding bread. Parents will spout out a statement "I know what is best for my child, and your teaching method, your discipline is not what my child needs."
When children hear this, they think, I don't have to listen to my teacher, my Mom and Dad know best. What this creates is a discipline issue. This disciplinary issue is not only at school, but spills out to the community.
So why would I post something about education on a radio car blog? These decisions that the experts are making are having a strong impact on our performance in the radio car industry.
When a child hears their parent defend them, they learn that they are important and right. They quickly learn that the teacher, administrator or school employee are wrong when it comes to the student. The student then builds confidence in knowing that their parent will come to their rescue and fight till the death.
When a parent sits down and listens to the issues the teacher has, listens to the student, listens to the administrator, the parent becomes more informed. Parents then can make educated decisions on what is best. When parents make an educated decision, this is usually the best for the student, teacher and the class.
However, this is rare. If one hangs out at a school, they will usually see the parent fly off the handle when it comes to their child. They will not approach the situation with an open mind. Because of this, their child's attitude grows into what many call 'bullet proof'. They develop an attitude of 'you can't do that to me'.
This becomes very destructive for a community. Their actions are not limited to school, but to others, including police, paramedics, firemen, and their elders. This usually develops into a lack of respect for life. This lack of respect for life becomes a destructive force. This force is in the number of shootings within a community. This will appear in the amount of other violence a community will experience.
We are teaching children "its all about me". This contradicts what many experts believe. There is a prevailing thought that it takes a village to raise a child. But some parents are destroying that concept by teaching their children the importance of "ME".
My personal struggle is when you find what many call a quality teacher. But over the years, as this teacher reaches the golden years of teaching, being close to retirement, they often slack in the classroom. Their lectures become non existent. Students have a free rain in the classroom being able to do 'whatever' on their own because the teacher is getting burned out. This same teacher will demand performance from students based on their previous years of teaching. They don't recognize that their lectures, their teaching methods have slacked. This type of teacher will blame the students for non performance. They lack the ability to see that their teaching has dropped within the classroom.
It is the teachers contract that protects this teacher. People will stand and defend the teacher because of his or her reputation. But if one took time to speak to the students, observe the classroom, you might discover that the teacher will give an assignment and then sit at his or her desk and read a book. That they ignore what is going on in the classroom. And if the students are quiet, then there is no suspicion or reason for the teacher to get out of their own book.
It is the lack of evaluation of performance. If an administrator had the opportunity to evaluate this teacher in the classroom, then his or her book reading may stop and he or she may actually teach the students.
In private schools, teachers are evaluated constantly. Administrators, department head keep tabs in the classroom. The keep tabs on extra curricular activities. If the administrator or department head sees a problem, they address it immediately.
In public schools, you are rarely seeing administrators or department heads visiting the classroom. They are often too busy meeting the disciplinary needs of the school children. They are often too busy trying to organize a safe school event (football, basketball, dances etc).
When you distract the attention from what is important, you often create a problem. I feel that the legislatures within certain communities are failing to conduct proper evaluations. They are tossing water on a chemical fire. By doing this, they are adding to the fire therefore they are creating more harm.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Fight Fair
The following "Fight Fair" article was written and posted by the 'Naked Pastor' on his blog. This blog post was about fighting fair, with rules of engagement. I believe them to be appropriate, so I hope that this post finds you. And I hope that all credit goes to the 'Naked Pastor'.
"This is based on a very old post of mine. If we're going to fight, let's fight fair. Here's a few rules I would suggest to my readers. Especially those who comment:
1. Be RESPECTFUL. Don't name-call. Don't belittle others.
2. FOCUS on the issue. Don't get personal. Maintain clarity on your view.
3. STAY on point. Don't change the subject until you have dealt with the original issue.
4. WAIT before writing. don't respond when angry. Cool off first. Present a reasoned response. It can be impassioned, but make sure it is not a knee-jerk reaction.
5. Try to UNDERSTAND what others are saying. Don't write people off, but try to understand where they are coming from. Walk in their shoes for a minute.
6. IF you don't understand what they are saying, ASK for clarity. Don't assume you know what they mean.
7. Even if we argue ideas, try to RESPECT and appreciate other people."
Now I did not include all the examples, but I believe that if you take this information, you have gained one thing. A start to fighting fair...
Good luck.
Visit the Naked Pastor blog at www.nakedpastor.com
"This is based on a very old post of mine. If we're going to fight, let's fight fair. Here's a few rules I would suggest to my readers. Especially those who comment:
1. Be RESPECTFUL. Don't name-call. Don't belittle others.
2. FOCUS on the issue. Don't get personal. Maintain clarity on your view.
3. STAY on point. Don't change the subject until you have dealt with the original issue.
4. WAIT before writing. don't respond when angry. Cool off first. Present a reasoned response. It can be impassioned, but make sure it is not a knee-jerk reaction.
5. Try to UNDERSTAND what others are saying. Don't write people off, but try to understand where they are coming from. Walk in their shoes for a minute.
6. IF you don't understand what they are saying, ASK for clarity. Don't assume you know what they mean.
7. Even if we argue ideas, try to RESPECT and appreciate other people."
Now I did not include all the examples, but I believe that if you take this information, you have gained one thing. A start to fighting fair...
Good luck.
Visit the Naked Pastor blog at www.nakedpastor.com
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Thank You All For Thinking of Us
I would like to thank everyone who has thought about my family this past month. I would like to thank everyone for saying a prayer. If it were not for the wonderful support that one gives to another, life would not be bearable or tolerable.
I guess you can say that on a day where celebration is a key component within a country, even with a loss, there was still celebration.
What you find after that loss is beyond all expectations. You become aware that after 85 years of life, one would expect to know many things. Being a participant for 47 years, one would think that you would learn a tremendous amount about those 85 years. I would even venture to say that being apart of that life for 24 years, you would learn something about those 85 years.
85 years ago, he stepped into this world. As the path grew in his life, things changed over time. These changes came in the form of a depression, world wars, marriage, children, and employment. All these experience changed how one thinks, feels and acts.
But when you talk to a WWII veteran, you learn that they never speak of those things that were required of them during their tour.
When they encounter someone who served during that time, it is like two old friends reunited. Space and time is non existent and they pick up where they left off, speaking a language that they can only understand. A bond exists between the two that is difficult to understand. I had one veteran say, "Well, it was a time, and if you did not experience it, you will never know. It has all changed now, because of us and what we went through."
Silence. The old men, will just sit there looking, listening, smelling, and I guess they may have been wondering how they were still there, when others were not so lucky.
As time passes, it is then when you learn about some of those 85 years. As people gather to reminisce that is when you really learn. It also reminds you of what you might have missed, wishing you knew more.
You explore. You find pictures, DD214, military orders, love letters, notes, letters home, and the list continues. You find some things that you expected and some things that you did not expect. You wonder why he kept that grade school report cards, wedding invitations, graduation announcements and death notices. You discover news papers with family information, celebrations and tragedies. The family Bible is located.
You discover how others speak about the loss that has just occurred. You see a grandchild who writes: "They were separated in August of 2001. She waited patiently for him to join her, keeping an eye on him. When they reunite, the celebration would be bigger than their wedding. Well, it has been almost nine years and today there is a party in heaven, just for the two of them. We will always miss you two and we love you deeply. You can now rest in peace."
I then realize what I have been missing. I learned that I am missing a history and I want to learn more.
Will you take the opportunity to learn more?
What can we do to change this statement, "I never knew that...."
A National Cemetery is a location of rest, remembrance, and honor. To remember that many sacrificed for our county is one thing. To go to a National Cemetery and see the white markers gives you a whole new perspective of what sacrifice really means. Then as you sit there looking at those markers around you, you see the numbers of Veterans who have served and sacrificed. You casually stroll by a couple of markers and see when those sacrifices occurred.
Then 85 years means much more than I ever realized.
Then you realize that the 4th of July means more than a celebration of a country's birthday. You also realize that the 4th of July means more than a death in the family.
You realize that this individual may not have celebrated the 4th of July on a grand scale. It was celebrated with family. It was celebrated with silence, just like those two old men who were reunited. It had some significance that is still illusive.
That's when 85 years means more than I will ever know.
Give rest, O Christ to your servants, with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting. Into your hands, we commend your servants, sheep's of your own fold, lambs of your own flocks, sinners of your own redeeming. Receive them into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of all the saints. Amen.
I guess you can say that on a day where celebration is a key component within a country, even with a loss, there was still celebration.
What you find after that loss is beyond all expectations. You become aware that after 85 years of life, one would expect to know many things. Being a participant for 47 years, one would think that you would learn a tremendous amount about those 85 years. I would even venture to say that being apart of that life for 24 years, you would learn something about those 85 years.
85 years ago, he stepped into this world. As the path grew in his life, things changed over time. These changes came in the form of a depression, world wars, marriage, children, and employment. All these experience changed how one thinks, feels and acts.
But when you talk to a WWII veteran, you learn that they never speak of those things that were required of them during their tour.
When they encounter someone who served during that time, it is like two old friends reunited. Space and time is non existent and they pick up where they left off, speaking a language that they can only understand. A bond exists between the two that is difficult to understand. I had one veteran say, "Well, it was a time, and if you did not experience it, you will never know. It has all changed now, because of us and what we went through."
Silence. The old men, will just sit there looking, listening, smelling, and I guess they may have been wondering how they were still there, when others were not so lucky.
As time passes, it is then when you learn about some of those 85 years. As people gather to reminisce that is when you really learn. It also reminds you of what you might have missed, wishing you knew more.
You explore. You find pictures, DD214, military orders, love letters, notes, letters home, and the list continues. You find some things that you expected and some things that you did not expect. You wonder why he kept that grade school report cards, wedding invitations, graduation announcements and death notices. You discover news papers with family information, celebrations and tragedies. The family Bible is located.
You discover how others speak about the loss that has just occurred. You see a grandchild who writes: "They were separated in August of 2001. She waited patiently for him to join her, keeping an eye on him. When they reunite, the celebration would be bigger than their wedding. Well, it has been almost nine years and today there is a party in heaven, just for the two of them. We will always miss you two and we love you deeply. You can now rest in peace."
I then realize what I have been missing. I learned that I am missing a history and I want to learn more.
Will you take the opportunity to learn more?
What can we do to change this statement, "I never knew that...."
A National Cemetery is a location of rest, remembrance, and honor. To remember that many sacrificed for our county is one thing. To go to a National Cemetery and see the white markers gives you a whole new perspective of what sacrifice really means. Then as you sit there looking at those markers around you, you see the numbers of Veterans who have served and sacrificed. You casually stroll by a couple of markers and see when those sacrifices occurred.
Then 85 years means much more than I ever realized.
Then you realize that the 4th of July means more than a celebration of a country's birthday. You also realize that the 4th of July means more than a death in the family.
You realize that this individual may not have celebrated the 4th of July on a grand scale. It was celebrated with family. It was celebrated with silence, just like those two old men who were reunited. It had some significance that is still illusive.
That's when 85 years means more than I will ever know.
Give rest, O Christ to your servants, with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting. Into your hands, we commend your servants, sheep's of your own fold, lambs of your own flocks, sinners of your own redeeming. Receive them into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of all the saints. Amen.
Look Before You Drive
should also look first.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Law Enforcement Officer deaths this year are on the rise. It is a great concern to know that 88 LEO's have been killed in the line of duty in 2010. As we mark the half way point in 2010, we look at these statistics then compare them to a previous year. Last years numbers were 19 less.
What is a great concern is the fact that we are seeing a rise in single incident, multiple officer killings.
So as this staggering statistic rises for 2010, we must remember to reflect on their tragic stories. This will help LEO's with tactics and will help us remember our fallen hero's.
The Officer Down Memorial Page and the National Police Memorial accomplishes that goal. We honor the lives of these law enforcement officers and these two programs (websites) bring this to a national level.
Honor these law enforcement officers and learn about their lives. Visit the Officer down Memorial Page at www.odmp.org.
The National Law Enforcement Memorial page can be found at www.nleomf.com.
What is a great concern is the fact that we are seeing a rise in single incident, multiple officer killings.
So as this staggering statistic rises for 2010, we must remember to reflect on their tragic stories. This will help LEO's with tactics and will help us remember our fallen hero's.
The Officer Down Memorial Page and the National Police Memorial accomplishes that goal. We honor the lives of these law enforcement officers and these two programs (websites) bring this to a national level.
Honor these law enforcement officers and learn about their lives. Visit the Officer down Memorial Page at www.odmp.org.
The National Law Enforcement Memorial page can be found at www.nleomf.com.
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