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Recent Comments:
Jonathan Sanchez: Chase Utley 'Not Professional' in Tense Incident {Fanhouse MLB Blog}
Oct 24th 2010 9:12PM That's right, William, you're about as classy as that washed-up FORMER (thank God) Phillie, "Pat the Bat", when he felt the need to toss coarse language around in an attempt to blame someone else (Halliday, who is the definition of class) for his ineptitude at the plate. To the rest of the true and civil Giants fans out there--congratulations, and best of luck next week!
Spirit Airlines to abolish reclining seats {Gadling}
Apr 22nd 2010 4:57PM Work for Spirit, do you?
Teacher Layoffs Sweep The Nation {AOL Jobs}
Apr 10th 2010 11:51AM Fred--
I, too, am a teacher but a human first. We all make errors, particularly in the heat of the moment. I think you should check the second word of your second paragraph before you espouse your intolerance of mediocrity. Just sayin'... ;^)
Teacher Layoffs Sweep The Nation {AOL Jobs}
Apr 10th 2010 11:44AM Sorry--trying to multi-task too many items, I guess. "...for which I worked by butt of..." should be "for which I worked my butt off". Wouldn't want the grammar/spelling police thinking I was undeserving of my various degrees! ;^)
Teacher Layoffs Sweep The Nation {AOL Jobs}
Apr 10th 2010 10:32AM Oh my, JJ, my pay DIRECTLY CORRELATES to the graduate degree for which I worked by butt of (while teaching full-time, I might add) and post-graduate credits I continue to earn as a requisite of Act 48. Now, don't get me wrong--I actually enjoy furthering and continuing my education on a regular basis. It keeps me sharp and improves my skills and abilities.
Being a career teacher for 35 years is a static position. Unlike in the business world (because education is not, and never should be, a "business"), educators do not receive promotions with increased compensation attached. Therefore, a teacher's salary schedule replaces what those of you in the business world take for granted--that with years of experience and always increasing levels of education, dedication and inservicing, a person is deserving of some compensation.
The notion of tying teacher compensation solely to an unattainable goal is inane. Far too many people continue to be deluded with the idea that every student, regardless of learning differences, language barriers, emotional disabilities, familial discord, socio-economic disadvantages, etc., can attain the level of "proficient" on standardized tests, with only the teacher responsible for the success or failure of that goal. As long as this is the mindset of so many, we can expect to continue to "fail". If we really care about our citizens, we should be trying to educate each child to the best of THEIR ability, and not traumatizing them with some randomly assembled, skewed, high-stakes, once-a-year, make-it-or-break-it, anxiety-and-ulcer-inducing test!
Teacher Layoffs Sweep The Nation {AOL Jobs}
Apr 10th 2010 9:39AM A comprehensive, quality education cannot be achieved without incorporating instruction in the arts. If you have any knowledge at all of how formal education began, you would know that it was based in liberal arts--math and science were on the periphery. In today's modern world, educational balance and proper support from the family unit is what is needed if we have any interest in promoting our students as truly learned and advanced.
The U.S. cannot continue on this road to public education disaster by using the inequitable, outdated and high stakes tool that is the annual standardized test as the only acceptable measurement of achievement. Oh yes, some (it will NEVER be all) of our public school students may eek out higher standardized test scores as teachers are continuously forced to "teach to the test" rather than "to the student", and the duped public will interpret this as a success. However, I shudder to think what is actually being created when our future generations are being denied the opportunity to experience and learn about the very things which make us HUMAN BEINGS.
The education of a little human should NEVER be about competition with other students. It should ALWAYS be about discovering what is important and relative to that individual child, and then developing strategies to help foster a desire to learn within that child. If the subjects in which students are permitted to explore, create and play continue to be methodically removed and replaced with yet more "drill, memorize, recite facts" time, the system will fail as the they become turned off and tuned out to learning.
Trust me--I'm there now, and I'm watching it happen.
'Astro Boy': The Latest in Line of Left-Leaning Animated Films? {Moviefone Blog}
Oct 11th 2009 3:21PM You go, Matt!
Cliff, YOU idiot. It certainly wasn't the "lefties" who advocated for and, in many instances, were successful in shutting down the live delivery of President Obama's back-to-school message for students. By so doing, many "conservative" parents only demonstrated a very obvious weakness--extraordinary paranoia that they have no control over or moral input regarding their own offspring!
Disney's First Black Princess...Has a Prince Who's Not Black {Blackvoices Main}
Mar 20th 2009 4:05PM By: CJ on 3/20/2009 3:28PM
"Since their are so many diverse folks that work for Disney, I'm not surprised at the display of interracial prince and princesses being pushed onto our children like it's nothing. Just likes gays are on every evening sitcom. Call it like it is...this is the liberal agenda. As a parent, it's sickening."
CJ, as human being, YOU are sickening. And "I'm not surprised", just saddened, at your display of intolerance and bigotry. Honestly, keep perpetuating the hate and we'll all be dead within another generation or two. And this is no "agenda"--it's LIFE!!! (Oh yeah, and it's "there", not "their". Should have spent a bit more time hitting the books instead of the skinheads/white power rallies.)
Meghan McCain Slams Ann Coulter Hard {Politics Daily}
Mar 9th 2009 5:36PM For all of our sakes, we'd better hope and pray that President Obama successfully leads us out and away from this current mess. Peace, everybody!
Meghan McCain Slams Ann Coulter Hard {Politics Daily}
Mar 9th 2009 5:32PM Sebas, see page 17. I don't like to repeat myself.
