Try Thinking of it This Way

                The article “Rigor Redefined” put out by Educational Leadership written by Tony Wagner gives the reader a few helpful tips, on how to not only get a job, but how we need to improve overall schooling.  The article tells us that we need to improve our teaching, in order to improve our chances of getting jobs. Wagner tell us that, “We need to use academic content to teach the seven survival skills every day, at every grade level, and in every class.”. These seven skills are: critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and leadership, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurialism, effective oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing information, curiosity and imagination. I believe that critical thinking and problem solving and collaboration and leadership are the most important skills to know. By critically thinking you allow yourself to reach back into the depths of your mind and pull our info that you can use to further your everyday thinking. Such as perhaps you learned that it is more efficient to shut all your windows before you leave to go places. So when your Economy teacher asks you how to save money, you can remember that bit of info by reaching back. But perhaps the question also asks why this is so? Then you would have to use your real critical thinking and problem solving to ask yourself why this would happen. In basics, you are just asking yourself the problem again, however you are making it so that you can answer it for yourself. This means without any help, only using hat you already know.  For collaboration and leadership, it is important that we work together; however, we must have someone to lead us while we are collaborating.  If there is no one to be the first to knock down the obstacles, then who will? There must always be someone to lead the way, or chaos and confusion will follow.  Executive leaders from big businesses look for these skills when hiring.  So how can the way we are taught affect these skills? Well, Wagner states, “First, students are given a complex, multi-step problem that is different from any they've seen in the past. To solve it, they have to apply critical-thinking and problem-solving skills and call on previously acquired knowledge from both geometry and algebra. Mere memorization won't get them far. Second, they have to find two ways to solve the problem, which requires initiative and imagination. Third, they have to explain their proofs using effective communication skills. Fourth, the teacher does not spoon-feed students the answers. He uses questions to push students' thinking and build their tolerance for ambiguity. Finally, because the teacher announces in advance that he'll randomly call on a student to show how the group solved the problem, each student in every group is held accountable.”.  As Wagner says, we must not simply hand out a test to asses our advancement. The test should be a part of the teaching. It should require us to think for ourselves. To make us dig deep into our minds. To use previously learned things and apply them to things we might not understand, but can figure out using problem solving. The test must require us to explain it in detail, so that we can fully communicate what we need to clearly. It must require everybody to work together, so that all can understand what we are solving. So, does this mean we should give up present day teachings and adjust to these new researched ideals? I believe that we need to in order for us to get jobs, to maintain order, and to redefine the old, to make way for the improved.

Privacy is the New Public

In the YouTube video, "Web 2.0... The Machine is us/ing us." Michael Wesch, draws you into a world better known as "The Internet". In this world info is shared abundantly, with little to no restrictions of who can view it.  With websites such as Facebook and Twitter, we are able to share about our lives at almost any moment. However with this ability, we are unable to keep a certain amount of privacy. For instance, I give up my privacy when I am constantly updating my "Status".  When I update this "Status" I usually say stuff like, "Had a hard day" or "Girlfriend dumped me". By saying this I allow a part of my own private life to be openly exposed to many people.  While this is convenient for long distance friendships, it ruins the enjoyment of talking personally with people near you. The social aspect of talking to another real life person has been partially taken away. I often find myself talking much more often on Facebook to friends then too them in real life. While this part of Facebook is unfortunate, there are other sides that are good. For instance, I have friends in other countries that I can't visit often. So Facebook allows for me to stay connected with them. Even though I can't directly talk with them. This part of the internet I enjoy. In "Web 2.0" it is stated that "We need to rethink Privacy". I believe this statement is extremely accurate. What would be the "new" definition of privacy? With everything now that can be shared all over the world not only about you from you, but info about you from others. To think that my own privacy could be compromised by someone else seems to be incomprehensible. It is odd to find other writing about me on others documents. To see my name and maybe even some info about me on their document is a wild and hard to even understand.  Even though this thought sounds unbelievable and a little convoluted, it’s real, and it called Web 2.0. An endless bank of knowledge and info on other people right at the touch of our finger tips.

Stupid is as Stupid Does

In the article “Airplane Crashes after Crocodile Causes Panic” put out by CBS news, human intelligence is questioned, highly.  19 innocent lives were taken on August 25^th, a result of one stupid persons action’s. This person somehow smuggled a Crocodile into a sports bag and brought him onto a plane. Let me elaborate a little on this first statement by asking a question. First off, how do you smuggle a crocodile onto a plane? Second out of the barrel, who has the twisted mind as too even think of bringing a crocodile onto a plane? As for the first question, that baffles me.  Even though this was in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I would imagine that a crocodile would be one of those things that are along with the knives and explosives. You know that stuff that can kill and harm people, yes, I would think a crocodile would be in that category. As for the second question, I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that someone put a crocodile in their bag, and then expect it to just go with the flow on the plane. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

So even though the crocodile is a dangerous animal, you would expect it to be the exclusive cause of all these deaths. However, it is not the direct cause. “A crocodile escaped from a sports bag and caused a stampede in the cabin, throwing the aircraft off balance” is what actually caused the plane to crash and kill all, except for one. “The Dutch pilot, Danny Philemotte, struggled with the plane's controls but could not right the aircraft”, what a brave pilot, doing his best to save these people. Unfortunately, for him though, his attempts were of no avail, as the devils advocate rolled in, gravity. Once gravity took hold those passengers were done for.

What a terrible way to die. Think, about it, several things come to mind. To begin I can’t imagine the shock of just seeing this crocodile right in front of you probably going to kill you. Second, then with everybody trying not to be hurt by the crocodile, the cabin began to shake incredibly. Then the plane goes out of control and you are diving down in a tin capsule to your death.  Second thing is what do you say to their loved ones? “I am sorry maim, your son, whom you have raised from birth, has passed in a plane crash caused by a crocodile, which someone idiotically brought aboard.” Then would come the tears that so viciously drip off her chin into the “welcome home” card. Which she had been so anxiously wanted  to give to her son. The crocodile’s owner has now brought upon these families, a lost husband, a lost wife, a lost son, a lost sister or even just a best friend. That all happened because that one person decided to bring a crocodile onto a plane. Well as Forest Gump would say,” Stupid is as stupid does”.  

Miners Finally Get, A Breath of Fresh Air

From CBS News, the article, “High Hopes for Chile Miners” by Seth Doane, comes some good news about the trapped Chile miners who have been stuck for more than 7 weeks down in a mine.  This is great news not only for the miners, but for all the families that have been patiently waiting for their beloved ones. I wonder what those families are thinking right now? What emotions am I feeling? For say it is my father, the happiness that overwhelms me when I hear, “Son, you will be in your father’s arms again soon”. How great must it feel, to know that my father, who has been near point of death, will in a matter of weeks finally arise.  I will finally be allowed to feel my father’s body pressed against mine, taking in the warmth it gives, both physically and mentally. I begin to realize, how many times I take my own family for granted. I so often never, take that moment to look at what fantastic human beings I get to enjoy every day. I can’t now imagine what it would be like, for one of them to be in this situation. So to hear the news of, “Originally it was thought that they couldn't be rescued until Christmas. Now it looks like they could be pulled to the surface early next week.” I would be taken over by the happiness that would invade me.  

One other short point would be that, how often do we hear good news? The answer, hardly ever.  It is always, someone died, or cat was blown up, so on and so on. So how nice is it, to finally for once, get a breath of fresh air.  

Not Afrraid

In the article "Footprints in the Digital Age" put out by Educational Leadership, the author, Will Richardson, proposes an interesting view on being Googled. Richardson leads us to think of how we are known to other people, even to those who we do not know directly. This is an odd thought to wrap your mind around that billions of people may know me, just for what they read on Google. What will these unknown people know me for? Will it be for my uncanny good looks and my unnatural ability to sing anywhere? No, well maybe that, but I more so believe they will know me for whom I am, and not for what I am. Well who are “They”? "They", can be a lot of people, people from all corners of the world. This is an incredible thought. I could be found by a Chinese boy half way around the world. To add on to this notion, I most likely won't be the one writing it. This comes from the lips of Richardson when he says, " Your personal footprint—and to some extent your school's—is most likely being written without you, thanks to the billions of us worldwide who now have our own printing presses and can publish what we want when we want to.". Not only is the straight-up fact unbelievable, but even more so is the idea that I will be known, through what others write about me. One example of this is Wikipedia. This site allows you to write whatever you want about a person. My ideal job would be to be a CEO of a large global company.  So this means that I have be what I want to be known as, everywhere I go, and in whatever I do. For example, if someone see’s me doing unorthodox practices. They could then potentially write about it on Wikipedia and from Wikipedia, to the ever watching eyes of the Tabloids. If gossip is spread of unruly decisions I might make, then the dream could be crushed. On the other hand, if "they" see me doing extraordinary things for the betterment of mankind, then good things will come out of Google's endless pit of knowledge. In the end it winds down to, that I, must always strive to be what I set out to be. 

The Battle Cry

           

             In the article “Oil Well is Dead, But Pain Will Remain for Years" put out by CBS NEWS, some hope finally arrives for the Gulf Coast oil spill. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill that killed 11 workers and spewed 206 million gallons of oil, left a permanent affect on the surrounding wildlife. It also however, left a mark on the people who make their living from the Gulf Coast and the surrounding communities. Expressed through this quote, "The spill caused an environmental and economic nightmare for people who live, work and play along hundreds of miles of Gulf shoreline from Florida to Texas.” is my support for the previous statement I made. This quote makes you think about several things. I find myself going through my daily routine, seeing how easy it is to go through the normal motions. I then imagine myself being a fisherman who needs to support his family and going through his daily routine. I notice how he can't do his job, because most of the Gulf is blocked for unsafe fishing.  Then how even once I catch some fish, people won't buy it, for they feel it may be contaminated. So after comparing my life currently to this fisherman, I realize, I need to be more thankful for what I have. Instead of thinking about what I want, I should take into more consideration what I have now.  My next point would be that, if I were a kid living there now, what would I think about this all? There is no clean beach, no more fresh fish from Dad, and why does Daddy and Mommy cry every night, as they look through finances? So many questions I would have, so many worries that would

haunt me. So what about the environment? It will take several years to undo the damage that has been done. Clean up is happening, but with so much to do, it will be hard to manage full scale renewal. But none the less, we begin to notice a community coming together to make the difference happen. An even greater hope came when announced, "A permanent cement plug sealed BP's well nearly 2.5 miles below the sea floor".  Now that no more oil is leaking through, clean-up can now gain ground, instead of fighting a losing battle.  So yes, there is good to be found in even the grimmest situations. So the battle continues, no, not in Afghanistan, No not in Iraq, but on the front lines of everyday people coming together to help renew all of their lives. 

The Pancake People

 In Nicholas Carr’s article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” shown in The Atlantic, it presents the reader with a view on technology, which is often overlooked. He states that sites, like Google, are manipulating our minds to quickly search for information, the quickly skim it, and then find something else to do.  We are becoming “Skimmers of the Twenty-First Century”. In my opinion, Google can do both, make us more intelligent in knowledge, while also decreasing our attention span in deep-reading. With Google it is easy to go from one article to the next. So our attention span for something that is two paragraphs, opposed to a five page essay, is much greater.  This is primarily because we can explore so many sites, that we find it odd to read something that says the same info in a long essay; compared to a short and concise paragraph that quickly and intelligently states all the same items of importance.  I know for a fact I am a skimmer, but I think of the pros and cons to this. One pro is that I can find things of importance much faster in a large article, able to pick out what I find important and skip over what I feel is unimportant. However, with every pro, there is a con.  My con is that now, in textbooks and in articles of importance, I find it extremely hard to dig deep into the text.  

Nicholas Carr states, “Foreman concluded, we risk turning into “‘pancake people’—spread wide and thin as we connect with that vast network of information accessed by the mere touch of a button.”. Is this true? Yes. I can type in “Napoleon” and about 127,000,000 results show up. The most interesting part however, is that it took Google .11 seconds to gather
all these WebPages from their database. In .11 second s I have everything I need to know to
write an essay on Napoleon.

The info is right there, there is no need for the library, no need for verbal communication, and hardly any reason for deep thinking. I am able to skim every webpage given to me, and only one, maybe, will I go into a deep trance of thought. So how ironic, that Carr would make his article so long, I could hardly pay attention to it. So let me ask you something, did you skim, or did you think and process the words that I have just stated?

I fear of becoming a “Pancake people”, what would change? What would I being doing? How would I be educated? One thing is for sure however, the human race is ever growing and forever evolving, so the future can hold, whatever we make it to be.



Out of the Ash, A Rose Blooms

In the New York Times, written by Clyde Haberman, the article " A New Career of Caring, Started in Death on 9/11", sheds light on a normally depressing fact of history, nine eleven. Brooke Jackman was one of the victims of nine eleven. She was the last one to send a phone call out before the system fell. Sent to her family, it explained how their current conditions were, how they were all in a corner barley breathing. The last thing she said was, " I love you guys", then it was cut off. Nine Eleven is an event in history looked down upon for all that happened. So many questions came out, so much panic ensued. How could this happen? Who and what failed? This event is also a fading memory, it is my generation that is the last to remember that day. We are the ones who must be able to tell about this, we must not forget all that happened. We must teach the younger generations why stories like this one, are so significant. So with all the sadness around this day, how is it that any good can come from this? Well the Jackman family found a way. Brooke J. had always wanted to be a child counselor and to help children. So the Brooke Jackman Foundation was created, "dedicated to promoting literacy, especially among elementary school children in the city who haven’t caught many breaks in life. Over the years the foundation has distributed thousands upon thousands of books and backpacks — dubbed Brooke Packs — often to children mired in domestic violence and other predations.". It is an interesting and quirky feeling I get. It is such a bad day, yet, it is now helping children who might not even know why this day is so important, none the less remember it. So why do it? We do it because Americans are strong, we continue forward. I feel proud to say I am an American, for things like this. Careless acts of unconditional love toward other human beings. Brooke Jackman paid the ultimate sacrifice for her nation. No, not by falling as a soldier, but by creating a better life for those, who are here in the present and going to soon, make a difference. So yes, it is a bad date, and yes, it is hard do think of happy thoughts on this day. Yet still, through all the ash, a rose had bloomed, and now, after nine years, people are beginning to stop, and smell the Roses.

The Hikers

The YouTube Video “A Vision of Students Today”, opened a few doors of reality for me. I did not know that students may have twenty six and a half hour days; this is two and a half hours longer than a normal day. It would seem to be impossible to fit twenty six and a half hour days into a normal twenty four hour day, but as one student expressed” I am a multi-tasker, (I have to be)”. This seems to explain why some students “drop-out”. Without the skill and previous knowledge of knowing how to multitask, these students will have an extra hard time at excelling in their future world experiences. So why is it then, that these students did not learn it previously? Well this cannot be answered by the successful student, nor by the scientists at Harvard, this, is only answerable by the ones who fail. Multitasking is not a gift, it is something you must learn, and this can only be taught, by yourself.


I was also struck by the fact that, “When I graduate I will probably have a job, that doesn’t exist today”. What an interesting thought, that by the time I am through college or even High School, I will be doing a job that right now doesn’t even exist. It just goes to show, what a constantly evolving world we live in. That no matter how much I study and prepare for the future, I will never fully be ready to embrace my future job, with full knowledge of it.

Lastly, I knew that students came away from college with big dept, but twenty thousand now that just might be crazy. In this age of economy, how is it that students coming out of college with nothing, can pay that off, and still be successful? Some may say, it is impossible, but it is not. Millions of students are going through that today, but through perseverance and hard work, they will someday, become our future leaders. I also found it odd that the student made that particular sign so color full and exciting, it is odd how she could still find joy in that, even thought is a daunting thought.

Student’s everydays are hiking the mountains of the future, and most are making it to the top. So I ask you, will this too, be you?