Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Maps
I saw some cool maps on bookcrossing a while ago, and some friends there showed me how to add them to my blog. Thanks Moem and Gory Details! I really appreciate the help. I might add a map showing where I have sent books. I've also debated adding a global map, since I did receive one RABCK and one swap from other countries. Or, I may just list a page with the countries I receive books from. I doubt there will be many. I love maps. I'm horrible with geography, but I love looking at them. It's also really cool to look at a map and see how far my books have traveled, either reaching me or after they leave my shelf. I may never visit each state, but through Bookcrossing and my swap sites I might get something from each.
Monday, March 23, 2009
I Won't Grow Up...
Title: Peter Pan
Author: J.M. Barrie
Rating: ****1/2
Review: This is another charming story I've waited decades to read. I feel so old saying that, but it's almost true. My earliest encounter with Peter was in '89 or '90 when the Cathy Rigby version was televised. I'm positive it was Cathy, though I can't find any proof to support it. Even the video we recorded it on has long since disappeared. I waltzed around the house singing and crowing for years. I wanted to be a gymnast, so I could learn to fly like Cathy. My mom furthered Peter Pan by taking me to see it at the Muny and another local theater in 92 and '93, respectivley. I loved it. I loved the story, I loved the music. We never owned the Disney version, so to me Cathy Rigby would always be Peter. In '92 my parents rented Hook, and then I became obsessed. I loved Hook far more than any version of Peter Pan I watched. Maggie (Banning's daughter, not Maggie Smith) was my favorite. I even tried to name my daughter Megan or Margret, just so I could call her Maggie. My sister took over the Peter Pan phase in '98, also when the "Easter Bunny" left CAITLIN (not Amie) a copy of the Disney classic. She watched the Disney movie with zest I had for other versions.
Fast forward 16 years. I finally broke down and purchased a copy of Peter Pan for myself at Borders. Two months later, the cover started falling off. I found it on project gutneburg and began listening to the novel there. I listened to it off and on for a week or so before finishing. It was 'okay'. Not amazing, not wonderful, just okay. The ending was much better than any movie. The movies and stage also hurt the novel, because of the pre-conceived age of Peter. In the book he seems to be 5 or 6, but the movies all make him around 8-12. I wish I liked it more. I really do. I just didn't. Oh well, it was still wonderful. I think this would make a great bedtime story for 6-8 year olds. Any younger, and it would be over their heads, and any older and they'd prefer to read it themselves.
Author: J.M. Barrie
Rating: ****1/2
Review: This is another charming story I've waited decades to read. I feel so old saying that, but it's almost true. My earliest encounter with Peter was in '89 or '90 when the Cathy Rigby version was televised. I'm positive it was Cathy, though I can't find any proof to support it. Even the video we recorded it on has long since disappeared. I waltzed around the house singing and crowing for years. I wanted to be a gymnast, so I could learn to fly like Cathy. My mom furthered Peter Pan by taking me to see it at the Muny and another local theater in 92 and '93, respectivley. I loved it. I loved the story, I loved the music. We never owned the Disney version, so to me Cathy Rigby would always be Peter. In '92 my parents rented Hook, and then I became obsessed. I loved Hook far more than any version of Peter Pan I watched. Maggie (Banning's daughter, not Maggie Smith) was my favorite. I even tried to name my daughter Megan or Margret, just so I could call her Maggie. My sister took over the Peter Pan phase in '98, also when the "Easter Bunny" left CAITLIN (not Amie) a copy of the Disney classic. She watched the Disney movie with zest I had for other versions.
Fast forward 16 years. I finally broke down and purchased a copy of Peter Pan for myself at Borders. Two months later, the cover started falling off. I found it on project gutneburg and began listening to the novel there. I listened to it off and on for a week or so before finishing. It was 'okay'. Not amazing, not wonderful, just okay. The ending was much better than any movie. The movies and stage also hurt the novel, because of the pre-conceived age of Peter. In the book he seems to be 5 or 6, but the movies all make him around 8-12. I wish I liked it more. I really do. I just didn't. Oh well, it was still wonderful. I think this would make a great bedtime story for 6-8 year olds. Any younger, and it would be over their heads, and any older and they'd prefer to read it themselves.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Captured!
Title: In the Presence of My Enemies
Author: Gracia Burham
Rating: ****1/2
Review: I loved this book. I didn't want to read it when I first saw it, because I judged it by its cover. The back of the book describes the Burham's being captured on an anniversary vacation in the Philippines. My issue was: who vacations in the Philippines? Even if you are a missionary, its not exactly a vacation destination. I couldn't relate to people like that. Then my grandma gave me a copy of Gracia's second book, To Fly Again. I wanted to read that, but I felt I needed to read Presence first. I borrowed her copy and did just that.
Once I got passed the first chapter, I immediately felt the book was poorly marketed. Gracia's husband was called to a business trip in the Philippines, and since it was over their anniversary, Gracia decided to tag along so they could have a few minutes together. One morning, terrorists enter the grounds and capture several vacationers and employees.
Now, keep in mind, this is a Pre-9/11 world. People weren't so nervous about travelling. On the flip side, we see 9/11 through the eyes of Al-Quieda. Gracia and Martin are repeatedly threatened. People are shot, stabbed and beheaded. Gracia is the reason I read the whole book. She's honest about her anger, jealousy and hatred for her captors. She has no qualms about admitting Martin held firm, Martin was kind, Martin had faith, during the whole ordeal.
The reason I only gave this book 4 1/2 stars: 1) The poor marketing. I feel if it said "When called for business, the Burhams decided to celebrate their anniversary" it would've better suited the situation. 2) is so many chapters foreshadow Martin's death, and yet two sentaces sum it up. I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly hoped for more than that. I finished reading this two days after Pastor Fred Winter's was gunned down inside the First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois. I've lived most of my life a few miles away. It could've been my church. It could've been my dad. That puts a whole new spin on the final chapters. We as a people must understand Al-Quieda will not stop. The Muslim terrorists who want us to all turn to their faith want nothing less. Death or Commitment. Once we understand that, we can fight it. Until then, there is little hope for America. My strongest prayer is that Christ will return, and return soon. The terrorists will not stop. We are no longer safe anywhere.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Hoot
Title: Hoot
Author: Carl Hiaasen
Rating: ***1/2
Review: I thought this book was "okay". I've read better, but I know there are worse out there. I liked the bullying theme, and I love the idea of saving owls. I just feel the adults could have been portrayed better, and the kids could've found other solutions.
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Last Lecture
Title: The Last Lecture
Authors: Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow
Rating: *****
Review: I started listening to this book last week. I loved it. I finished it on Sunday, en route to church. When I was a few miles away, Randy started talking about his faith. It was really only a small blurb in the book, but I heard it at just the right moment. Minutes later, a friend stepped into my Sunday School class to ask us to pray for the First Baptist Church down the road. We learned the pastor had been shot, and two church members stabbed. Finishing this book, under those circumstances, was difficult. I didn't personally know the pastor, but I knew several people who did. I applaud Mr. Pausch for his writing. I wish we all could have a "Last Lecture".
Marley, NO!
Title: Marley & Me
Author: John Grogan
Rating: ****
Review: PARENTS BE CAUTIONED!!! There is a family-friendly edition of the book, I would listen to that or read that edition with your children. This one has several vulgar moments, and lots of mild (and not-so-mild) language. I am NOT a dog lover. I prefer cats. I always have. I love puppies, and I love raising dogs from puppies, I even have some dogs that have "adopted" me. I couldn't relate well to Grogan. He didn't research the breed, something I would do. I just couldn't relate to his trials, my family handles dogs so differently. It was an okay book, but I don't feel any better having read it.
Anne of Green Gables
Title: Anne of Green Gables
Author: L. M. Montgomery
Rating: *****
Review: I loved this book when I first read it in 8th grade. Now I'm trying to finish the series. I decided to re-read the books I started so many years ago. I am pleased to find they really are timeless and ageless. I understand Anne in ways I never could have at thirteen. Anne is one of my best friends. She taught me so much about life then, and she's still teaching me now. Moms & daughters should read these together, if given the opportunity.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Essays
I've added my essays to my blog at my instructor's suggestion. The class was advised to get our opinions out there, so that's what I'm doing. Hope you like!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Education Reform
Back to Basics: What American Schools Aren’t Teaching
Amie Carpenter
Bonnie Huels
Kaskaskia College
Sociology 101
What is the back-to-basics movement? Defining the movement, along with its flaws, is the goal of this paper. Many of these flaws are leading parents to home school their children, and the paper addresses that issue as well.
Most Americans today recognize there are many problems with the education system we are currently using. One of the solutions, a back-to-basics approach, is still failing students. Schools have embraced this method for over twenty years, despite its failure to show improvements. Parents are using this method as a reason for pulling their children out of the public school system and homeschooling them. The flaws in the program are all evident in the goals it has. While early childhood educators are now being informed of the flaws, changing the system takes time. American parents are removing their children from public schools and homeschooling them to counteract the back-to-basics approach to education.
Many parents are pulling their children out of the faltering public schools and homeschooling them. One reason for this is the back-to-basics movement in American schools. While the name sounds good, the movement has not lived up to its potential (Shepard, 2007 p. 363). The back-to-basics method can be summed up in six goals:
1. Every child must begin school ready to learn.
2. The national high school graduation rate must be 90 percent.
3. Competence in core subjects must be shown after grades 4, 8, and 12.
4. American students should be the best educated in the world in math and science.
5. All adults must be literate and possess the skills necessary for citizenship and competition in a global economy.
6. Schools should be free of drugs and violence (Shepard, 2007 p. 363).
Each of these goals is admirable; however, the system is still failing at an alarming rate. Each of the goals has an error, a flaw that could ultimately lead to failure.
The first goal of the back-to-basics movement is flawed. Every child must begin school ready to learn. There are three flaws with this statement; one is that children are born ready to learn, another is that it ignores the differences in learning, and the third flaw is that it requires a definition of the word “ready”. Children learn much in the first year of life. They learn to eat, babble, and sometimes walk. The differences in learning first appear in the first year of life. Some children begin crawling at six months, and are running three months later. Others crawl for six months or more before they attempt to take their first steps. One is not “smarter” than the other; they were simply ready at different times.
Children are unique, and so standards we set for “norms” do not necessarily apply to all children, or indicate a delay. The question of a child’s readiness to enter school requires us to define the word “ready”. Ready? What is ready? Must a child be ready to read, as well as ready to add and subtract? Do we impose readiness? How do we measure readiness? (Paciorek, 2002 p. 146). Many parents who home school their children begin before the child even speaks. They recognize differences in learning abilities between their children, and adjust the curriculum accordingly.
The second flaw with this approach is that the high school graduation rate must be 90%. The goals of the movement were described in 1987 (Shepard, 2007 p. 363). At this time, the graduation rate was 87.4 %. In 2000, when the target graduation rate was 90%, the rate was only 89.1% (Digest, 2007). Yes, the graduation rate is steadily increasing, but are the students adequately prepared to enter the workforce? This also does not account for college graduation rates. We now live in a world where a college degree is as vital to survival as a high school diploma. Simply graduating high school is no longer enough. In order to survive, a person needs a college degree. Should the focus shift from promoting high school graduation to promoting college graduation?
The third issue with the back-to-basics movement is the requirement for students to be competent in core subjects at various grade levels. This calls for standardized testing in grades 4, 8 and 12. There are many flaws with standardized tests. They do not measure the ability to think or create (Fairtest 2007). They do not reflect real differences among students. Their only aid to teachers is to show teachers how to prepare students for the test. When funding is dependent on test scores, teachers push their students to memorize that material without considering other knowledge children must have. Screenings for readiness promote flaws to be corrected, not having individual strengths and weaknesses. There are far better ways to measure achievement. Good teacher observation, documentation of student work and performance-based assessment each provide useful information for teachers, parents and the government concerning quality education (Fairtest 2007).
American students should be the best educated in the world in math and science (Shepard, 2007 p. 363). Unfortunately, America is out performed by Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Italy in math and science. The United States rankings were found in 2005 and 2007 through performance on a federally administered test. The foreign students took a test in 2003, as part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (also called Timss) (Dillon, 2007). The methods we are using to teach math and science are not helping our global standing. The US should not be so far behind so many countries in math and science, given the efforts put forth to improve standing. There are national programs to encourage potential teachers to enter the math and science fields. Even so, few teachers choose to enter these fields, so when teachers retire there are not enough potential teachers to fill their place.
The fact that not all adults are literate can be seen in the Kaskaskia College community, where the Reading Link program strives to teach adults to read. Illiteracy is an embarrassing problem, and few people will admit to being illiterate. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) strove to measure adult literacy in 2003. They found thirteen percent of American adults still perform below a basic level. Three percent of those tested failed to correctly answer the easiest questions (Schneider, 2005). All adults are not literate and do not poses the skills necessary for competition.
Congress declared July 2 as National Literacy Day. Many cities and states celebrate the day. September 8 is International literacy day. Once again, local organizations often celebrate. Many homeschooling families teach their children to read at a much earlier age than public schools. This early preparation assists the child in transitioning through the education program. Reading fundamentals are crucial to every aspect of education. Parents teaching their children to read at age 3 or 4 are building a foundation on which the entire education can stand.
The sixth and final goal of the back-to-basics movement resonates with everyone. School violence has been increasing in the last decade. One incident stands out, since it led to more reform than any other. Columbine High School was just a normal school, until April 20, 1999. The following autumn, most schools across the nation incorporated evacuation plans should the school ever come under attack. Until that day, many parents naively sent their children to school, assuming all would be well. Bullies have been around since the beginning of schools. Unfortunately, it took two frustrated young men to push the pain of bullying into the spotlight. Even worse, thirteen innocent people died before major changes were made. Many parents pull their children out of school, due to the child’s fears of being in a classroom with bullies.
Today, nearly ten years after the massacre, schools are still grappling with violence. There are no quick solutions, there’s no method that will work everywhere. Some schools are practicing lockdown drills, so teachers and students will have a plan of action should a shooter arrive. Others use dogs to sniff for weapons or drugs in lockers. One school is even allowing its teachers to carry handguns, provided they complete a training course and have a license. More and more schools are encouraging children to come forward and name bullies, to break the cycle of violence. The internet and cell phones have also changed the ways in which teens bully, causing more problems for teachers.
In conclusion, the back-to-basics approach to education has many flaws. While the name sounds great, the program has failed to live up to its potential. Many parents are homeschooling their children in retaliation to various points of the agenda. It is proof that even a well-thought, comprehensive reform in education has flaws. What reform would be effective? There is no easy answer, there is no simple solution. Schools, families and law makers must all work together to bring out the education reform America deserves.
References
NA. Digest of education statistics. (2007). Washington, DC. International Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 23, 2009. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/index.asp
Dillon, S. (2007, November 14). Study compares state's math and science scores with other countries. Retrieved February 23, 2009, from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/education/14students.html
NA. Fairtest. What’s wrong with standardized tests? (December 17, 2007). Boston, MA. The National Center for Fair and Open Testing. Retrieved February 23, 2009. http://www.fairtest.org/whats-wrong-standardized-tests
Paciorek, Karen M. (2002). Taking sides: clashing views on controversial issues in early childhood education. Guilford, Connecticut. McGraw-Hill Companies.
Schneider, Mark. Commissioner’s report of education statistics. (December 15, 2005). Washington, DC. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved on February 13, 2009. http://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/commissioner/remarks2005/12_15_2005.asp
Shepard, Jon M. (2007). Sociology, updated ninth edition. Belmont, CA. Thomson Wadsworth.
Amie Carpenter
Bonnie Huels
Kaskaskia College
Sociology 101
What is the back-to-basics movement? Defining the movement, along with its flaws, is the goal of this paper. Many of these flaws are leading parents to home school their children, and the paper addresses that issue as well.
Most Americans today recognize there are many problems with the education system we are currently using. One of the solutions, a back-to-basics approach, is still failing students. Schools have embraced this method for over twenty years, despite its failure to show improvements. Parents are using this method as a reason for pulling their children out of the public school system and homeschooling them. The flaws in the program are all evident in the goals it has. While early childhood educators are now being informed of the flaws, changing the system takes time. American parents are removing their children from public schools and homeschooling them to counteract the back-to-basics approach to education.
Many parents are pulling their children out of the faltering public schools and homeschooling them. One reason for this is the back-to-basics movement in American schools. While the name sounds good, the movement has not lived up to its potential (Shepard, 2007 p. 363). The back-to-basics method can be summed up in six goals:
1. Every child must begin school ready to learn.
2. The national high school graduation rate must be 90 percent.
3. Competence in core subjects must be shown after grades 4, 8, and 12.
4. American students should be the best educated in the world in math and science.
5. All adults must be literate and possess the skills necessary for citizenship and competition in a global economy.
6. Schools should be free of drugs and violence (Shepard, 2007 p. 363).
Each of these goals is admirable; however, the system is still failing at an alarming rate. Each of the goals has an error, a flaw that could ultimately lead to failure.
The first goal of the back-to-basics movement is flawed. Every child must begin school ready to learn. There are three flaws with this statement; one is that children are born ready to learn, another is that it ignores the differences in learning, and the third flaw is that it requires a definition of the word “ready”. Children learn much in the first year of life. They learn to eat, babble, and sometimes walk. The differences in learning first appear in the first year of life. Some children begin crawling at six months, and are running three months later. Others crawl for six months or more before they attempt to take their first steps. One is not “smarter” than the other; they were simply ready at different times.
Children are unique, and so standards we set for “norms” do not necessarily apply to all children, or indicate a delay. The question of a child’s readiness to enter school requires us to define the word “ready”. Ready? What is ready? Must a child be ready to read, as well as ready to add and subtract? Do we impose readiness? How do we measure readiness? (Paciorek, 2002 p. 146). Many parents who home school their children begin before the child even speaks. They recognize differences in learning abilities between their children, and adjust the curriculum accordingly.
The second flaw with this approach is that the high school graduation rate must be 90%. The goals of the movement were described in 1987 (Shepard, 2007 p. 363). At this time, the graduation rate was 87.4 %. In 2000, when the target graduation rate was 90%, the rate was only 89.1% (Digest, 2007). Yes, the graduation rate is steadily increasing, but are the students adequately prepared to enter the workforce? This also does not account for college graduation rates. We now live in a world where a college degree is as vital to survival as a high school diploma. Simply graduating high school is no longer enough. In order to survive, a person needs a college degree. Should the focus shift from promoting high school graduation to promoting college graduation?
The third issue with the back-to-basics movement is the requirement for students to be competent in core subjects at various grade levels. This calls for standardized testing in grades 4, 8 and 12. There are many flaws with standardized tests. They do not measure the ability to think or create (Fairtest 2007). They do not reflect real differences among students. Their only aid to teachers is to show teachers how to prepare students for the test. When funding is dependent on test scores, teachers push their students to memorize that material without considering other knowledge children must have. Screenings for readiness promote flaws to be corrected, not having individual strengths and weaknesses. There are far better ways to measure achievement. Good teacher observation, documentation of student work and performance-based assessment each provide useful information for teachers, parents and the government concerning quality education (Fairtest 2007).
American students should be the best educated in the world in math and science (Shepard, 2007 p. 363). Unfortunately, America is out performed by Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Italy in math and science. The United States rankings were found in 2005 and 2007 through performance on a federally administered test. The foreign students took a test in 2003, as part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (also called Timss) (Dillon, 2007). The methods we are using to teach math and science are not helping our global standing. The US should not be so far behind so many countries in math and science, given the efforts put forth to improve standing. There are national programs to encourage potential teachers to enter the math and science fields. Even so, few teachers choose to enter these fields, so when teachers retire there are not enough potential teachers to fill their place.
The fact that not all adults are literate can be seen in the Kaskaskia College community, where the Reading Link program strives to teach adults to read. Illiteracy is an embarrassing problem, and few people will admit to being illiterate. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) strove to measure adult literacy in 2003. They found thirteen percent of American adults still perform below a basic level. Three percent of those tested failed to correctly answer the easiest questions (Schneider, 2005). All adults are not literate and do not poses the skills necessary for competition.
Congress declared July 2 as National Literacy Day. Many cities and states celebrate the day. September 8 is International literacy day. Once again, local organizations often celebrate. Many homeschooling families teach their children to read at a much earlier age than public schools. This early preparation assists the child in transitioning through the education program. Reading fundamentals are crucial to every aspect of education. Parents teaching their children to read at age 3 or 4 are building a foundation on which the entire education can stand.
The sixth and final goal of the back-to-basics movement resonates with everyone. School violence has been increasing in the last decade. One incident stands out, since it led to more reform than any other. Columbine High School was just a normal school, until April 20, 1999. The following autumn, most schools across the nation incorporated evacuation plans should the school ever come under attack. Until that day, many parents naively sent their children to school, assuming all would be well. Bullies have been around since the beginning of schools. Unfortunately, it took two frustrated young men to push the pain of bullying into the spotlight. Even worse, thirteen innocent people died before major changes were made. Many parents pull their children out of school, due to the child’s fears of being in a classroom with bullies.
Today, nearly ten years after the massacre, schools are still grappling with violence. There are no quick solutions, there’s no method that will work everywhere. Some schools are practicing lockdown drills, so teachers and students will have a plan of action should a shooter arrive. Others use dogs to sniff for weapons or drugs in lockers. One school is even allowing its teachers to carry handguns, provided they complete a training course and have a license. More and more schools are encouraging children to come forward and name bullies, to break the cycle of violence. The internet and cell phones have also changed the ways in which teens bully, causing more problems for teachers.
In conclusion, the back-to-basics approach to education has many flaws. While the name sounds great, the program has failed to live up to its potential. Many parents are homeschooling their children in retaliation to various points of the agenda. It is proof that even a well-thought, comprehensive reform in education has flaws. What reform would be effective? There is no easy answer, there is no simple solution. Schools, families and law makers must all work together to bring out the education reform America deserves.
References
NA. Digest of education statistics. (2007). Washington, DC. International Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 23, 2009. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/index.asp
Dillon, S. (2007, November 14). Study compares state's math and science scores with other countries. Retrieved February 23, 2009, from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/education/14students.html
NA. Fairtest. What’s wrong with standardized tests? (December 17, 2007). Boston, MA. The National Center for Fair and Open Testing. Retrieved February 23, 2009. http://www.fairtest.org/whats-wrong-standardized-tests
Paciorek, Karen M. (2002). Taking sides: clashing views on controversial issues in early childhood education. Guilford, Connecticut. McGraw-Hill Companies.
Schneider, Mark. Commissioner’s report of education statistics. (December 15, 2005). Washington, DC. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved on February 13, 2009. http://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/commissioner/remarks2005/12_15_2005.asp
Shepard, Jon M. (2007). Sociology, updated ninth edition. Belmont, CA. Thomson Wadsworth.
Are You Reading Closely?
Title: The Prestige
Author: Christopher Priest
Rating: ****1/2
Review: The Prestige is one of my favorite movies. Christian Bale stars as a magician, an illusionist (Christian is reason enough to watch the movie...). Christian is one of my favorite actors, and director Christopher Nolan is amazing as well. Reviewers of both book and movie said the book was better. I've been waiting for years to have the opportunity to read it. I read clips of it online. I sent my poor librarians on a wild goose chase across the state for it. I devoured the first three sections in days. Finally, I reached the last few pages. The story had unfolded. Some things were revealed in the novel that were merely hinted at in the film. I was, however, HIGHLY disappointed with the ending. My ex-husband and I argued over which was better, The Prestige or The Illusionist. I was confident the book would provide ample ammunition to prove my point. I was wrong. The book is okay, but just that. I feel *gasp!* the movie is far better. I typically don't like books-turned-movies, for I feel you lose much of the story durning the transition. With The Pretige, the filmmakers merely added to the drama. I felt the movie draws you in quickly, while its a good fifty pages or more before the book gets into the story. If you don't have much time, watch the movie.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
