18. September 2010 by student.

As budget cuts force teacher layoffs, studies show no direct link to student achievement. Two years of cuts in a school district in Sacramento have been “horribly painful choices”: Fewer teachers and larger classes, or keeping teachers but cutting athletics, counseling and after-school programs. Like many school districts across the nation, including this one, chose to lay off teachers, “so every three classes of 20 students each that the schools had last year, this year they’ll put 30 students in two classes.” Teaching staffs will be cut drastically and none of these choices the districts are making are good ones, many teachers say. The smaller the classes, the better the education, because teachers can pay more attention to each child. But while smaller classes are popular, decades of research have found that the relationship between class size and student outcomes is murky. The research doesn’t show that you get significantly different student outcomes when you go from a class of 25 to a class of 30. With state and local budgets still in flux, it’s hard to know exactly how many teachers will lose jobs this year. But even with $10 billion in additional federal money, part of the $26 billion bill President Obama signed recently, the struggling economy is expected to reverse a decades-long trend toward smaller classes. Education statistics show that school personnel were hired at twice the rate that student enrollment grew from 1999 to 2007. In 2002, Florida voters approved an amendment to the state constitution that reduced class size over time in all grades. Florida estimates that it will cost an additional $353 million this year, on top of the $16 billion Florida has spent so far, to meet the requirements. This November, Florida voters will be asked to loosen those requirements to avoid massive spending cuts. A study released in May by the John. F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University found that the Florida program had no effect on student achievement. Michael Kirst, an emeritus professor at Stanford University, says excitement over the program resulted in school districts hiring “all sorts of teachers just off the street” who lacked any formal training. Dan Goldhaber of the Center of Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington-Bothell says that “the effects of class-size reduction are pretty marginal,” except in the early grades for disadvantaged students. With the unpleasant teacher layoffs, Goldhaber says, “it probably makes sense…to focus not so much on class sizes but on making sure that the teachers you are keeping are really effective.” Kirst says school districts are facing a very dangerous period. Kirst says, “I worry when you go from 20 to 35 in a year or two, I don’t think we don’t know the effects on that.” We are increasing class size to extremely high levels.http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/cst/http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-07-29-class-sizes_N.htmhttp://www2.ed.gov/pubs/ReducingClass/Class_size.html

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18. September 2010 by student.

           These days, MTV is doing a lot more then just playing music videos. As a matter of fact, they basically don’t even play music videos any more, or any musical in general. What they do have on are reality TV shows. One hit being “Teen Mom”. Teen mom is the show which started airing after “16 and Pregnant”. It shows the lives of 4 teen girls who are struggling to make it in the world with their newborn child. Also, some of them have had their baby’s daddy leave them or not help them out with their child at all. These girls have gained so much recognition in the media it is insane. This past week alone, basically all of the covers of “People” magazine have been covered with their faces, stories, and much more. The girls include: Amber, Maci, Farrah, and Catelyn. The show airs every week on MTV and has hit a record hit of over 300 million viewers according to MTV. Some even call it “the best type of birth control there’s ever been!” These girls have really been made a big hit across
America.         

          Also, according to MTV the show had originated from Jamie Lynn Spears (Britney Spears younger sister) and her pregnancy. In addition to teenage motherhood, the series focuses on themes of changing relationships; specifically, those of the family, friends, couples, and school. It also shows the struggles teenagers have to go through to raise their babies. The series’ pilot episode was the highest rated premiere on MTV in over a year .The final episode brought in 3.6 million viewers. Since teen mom has brought such a great success and such interest in TV viewers, MTV seems to be attracting so much attention these days.             

           As the girls grow up, they begin to face the struggles of life and dealing with being on their own and more independent. For example, Farrah is a single mother of her daughter Sophia. Her and her mom however refuse to get along which left Farrah no other choice then to move out. Farrahs baby daddy died about a year ago in a car accident, leaving Farrah to take care of Sophia on her own. Another struggle in the show includes Maci and her son Bentley. Because Maci’s ex fiancé Ryan does not care at all about their baby or taking care of him, Maci had no other choice but to take him to court.      

                  This show shows the struggles of these teens in a whole other perspective then ever thought possible. Just watching this show connects you with not only the Teen moms themselves, but other viewers. After watching teen mom I am more grateful for everything I have, I am wiser about the choices I make, and I live my life to the fullest. If this show isn’t a huge inspiration I don’t know what is. However, I am sure many agree with me when I say that Teen Mom has mad an impact on
America from coast to coast.  

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teen_Mom

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18. September 2010 by student.

            Why do we attend school everyday? Are the reasons to further our education? Are students being forced? Do we attend for the desire to learn? Why is it that some children do not attend school? Is it because girls and women are meant to stay at home without an education? Does the government or Taliban suppress education or destroy schools? Is there a lack of funding to build and operate schools? The importance of education in society plays a significant role in the future of both men and women. People in Pakistan are raised in a markedly different environment and circumstances than most people in the US, and it is often not as convenient or feasible to obtain an education. They often need to prioritize family and society before schooling. Establishing peace in Pakistan is the first step for creating a healthy learning environment for both boys and girls.

            The American school experience is taken for granted by many students who are not willing or wanting to put forth the effort to learn. In America, we are forced to attend school and graduate with a degree. Over the years, schools have become more competitive and challenging in every aspect. As a result, students in America become lazy and don’t desire to push themselves. An example of this, taking a difficult course, whether high school or college level, that has too much studying and exams given every week. Students realize easier courses are available and we take that route instead of seeing what were capable of learning. We realize what the outcome could be if we attend secondary schooling and obtain a post bachelors degree, but the work isn’t worth it to some of us. Kafer stated, “seventy percent of students graduate on time from high school and twenty-six percent of Americans have a bachelor’s or higher degree.” She also made a point of saying, “Women earn more associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees and almost half of professional and doctorate degrees.” Now if only Pakistan and their government would realize how these numbers and education can make a huge difference in children’s lives.

In America, everything is handed to us or we find a way out or ideas on the Internet. America relies on cell phones, TVs, Internet and the media to tell us what we need to know. The media doesn’t help students understand that the chances of becoming a Hollywood movie star or athlete are slim to none. Becoming successful in life takes work and determination and having a degree is worth it.  It’s important for parents to educate their children to follow their dreams and think big, but having an education is the most valuable possession.

           According to U.S. Department of Education estimates, there are 47.6 million students in public schools and 5.9 million in private schools. As many as 2 million children are home-schooled.” These statistics are not even remotely close to the number of children attending school in Pakistan. The average time a child spends in school is five years. The average literacy rate is ages fifteen and over (“Pakistani Education Stats”). This means that as an adult, he or she might not be able to function as well independently as an American adult. Of the estimated 750 million illiterate adults in the world, more than 60 percent are women, accordingly to international literacy experts. There are many barriers that contribute to this statistic and get in the way of a child’s education. In some cases there are religious reasons. The Taliban and other extremists “fear that if a girl gets an education, grows up, and becomes a mother, they’ll lose future recruits.” But sadly, religion is not the only barrier causing no education. Poverty is a considerable obstacle. The cost of books and clothing becomes very costly and when the family has to make a choice to send a child to school, they choose the boy. They often believe this is a better investment to their country and family. Going back to Kafer’s research, “the average amount Americans spend on education for public, elementary, and secondary schools is up to $7,524.” For private school settings the numbers would triple or more. Another great factor in why a child uneducated has to do with geography. In some cases, schools are hours away from their homes and unlike American, families over there don’t have the transportation accessibility we have. Families won’t risk their children’s lives for an education, especially since there is a war going on. Schools sometimes overlook safety and privacy and as a result parents fear for their children, especially young girls. They truly want the best for their children, but given the great civic unrest, schools may not be safe.

Researchers have spent decades proving a girl is more likely to have a better life and raise healthier children if she is educated. Furthering a woman’s education may result in later marriages, better-controlled family size, increased family income, and lower risk of certain diseases. Economic growth, wealth, democracy, and family ties benefit from well-read girls. Mortenson stated it perfectly by saying “If the girls aren’t educated, nothing will change” (Ronnow 25).

            These facts and statistics explain many of the obstacles to obtaining an education in Pakistan. We occasionally forget how important it is to attend school and strive to become successful. Both men and women are essential to the work force and their families and Pakistan needs to overcome that men contribute more to society. As Waraich and Buncombe stated, “These schools are being run under a system introduced by the British and promote obscenity and vulgarity in society.” Taliban forces continue to restrict women’s education and take control of many Pakistan areas. But, because of more government funding by Pakistan, they continue to strengthen the educational system for young children eager to learn. But hopefully peace will be established in Pakistan and everyone, both boys and girls will have a healthy learning environment to grow in.

“Fresh attacks on Pakistan schools.” BBC News

“Pakistanti Education Stats.” NationMaster

“Educate girls, change the world.” Journey of Hope by Karen Ronnow

“Pakistan: Taliban restrict women’s education.” WLUML: News and Views by Andrew Buncombe and Omar Waraich.

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18. September 2010 by student.

For most Americans, marriage is a religious sacrament or ceremony. If the definition of marriage is changed to allow same-sex marriage, many religious groups will feel violated and at risk to having their beliefs altered. If same-sex marriage is legalized, schools would be required to teach that same-sex marriage is equivalent to heterosexual marriage, starting as early as Kindergarten. Therefore, that since the rights homosexuals are seeking through marriage are obtainable through existing legal documents, such as civil unions, the real goal behind passing a “Gay Marriage” law is to demean religion and its sacraments and modify the definition of marriage.

Marriage scholar Maggie Gallagher defines marriage across societies as “a public sexual union that creates kinship obligations and sharing of resources between men, women, and the children their sexual union may produce.” “Through marriage our society marks out the relationship of two people who will together transmit human life to the next generation and nurture and protect that life” as stated by Canadian Scholar Margaret A. Somerville. These two definitions stated above, clearly explain what a “true marriage” is. However, marriage is not merely a contract between two people. It is a contract between two people and their community. When two people approach the altar, they become one, not just with each other but with the world, and that promise says: “We, the two of us, pledge to make a home together, care for one another, and perhaps, raise children together.” The couple is then recognized as a bonded pair, a family, granting them a special independence and status which only marriage conveys.

Same-sex couples having the freedom to marry would change society’s concept of marriage greatly. For one thing, among homosexual men in particular, casual sex, rather than committed relationships, is the rule and not the exception. Even when they do enter into a more committed relationship, it is usually of relatively short period. For example, a study of homosexual men in the Netherlands (the first country in the world to legalize “marriage” for same-sex couples), published in the journal AIDS in 2003, found that the average length of “steady partnerships” was not more than 2.25 years. In addition, studies have shown that even homosexual men who are in “committed” relationships are not sexually faithful to each other. The 1994 National Health and Social Life Survey, which remains the most comprehensive study of Americans’ sexual practices ever, undertaken, found that 75% of married men and 90% of married women had been sexually faithful to their spouse. On the other hand, a major study of homosexual men in “committed” relationships found that only seven out 156 had been sexually faithful, or 4.5 percent. If same-sex marriages became legal, the idea that marriage should be a sexually exclusive and faithful relationship would certainly be added with overwhelmingly negative consequences for Americans’ physical and mental health.

So what is the purpose of marriage, when people can reproduce without getting married? The simple birth concept is not enough to ensure the reproduction of a healthy and successful society. Paul Nathanson, the homosexual scholar, says that there are at least five functions that marriage serves – things that every culture must do in order to survive and thrive. These five functions are: Foster the bonding between men and women, Foster the birth and rearing of children, Foster the bonding between men and children, Foster some form of healthy masculine identity, and Foster the transformation of adolescents into sexually responsible adults. However, Maggie Gallagher puts it more simply, saying that “children need mothers and fathers” and “marriage is the most practical way to get them for children.” Many religious conservative researchers agree with Maggie Gallagher and have found that children thrive best when raised in a home with a married mother and father. Girls and boys have needs and desires that are uniquely met by parents of the opposite gender. However, homosexual couples will be given legal preference to adopt due to their inability to have children. In other words, homosexuals will not be granted equal rights but super rights—rights that will supersede your rights as a citizen. Sadly, children will be treated as trophies that, in effect, legalize homosexual relationships.

            As I stated before, one of the biggest reasons many people are against gay marriage is in fact, that homosexuals are trying to degrade our free speech and religion rights. They will be curtailed as opposition to homosexuality is criminalized as “hate speech” (Cloud). This should wake up religious people who mistakenly believe they ought not to be involved in politics. Politics affects your ability to practice your religion. If same-sex marriage is approved, it will not be long before someone will be fined or imprisoned for expressing any opposition to homosexuality. People with religious moral convictions will be considered worse than racists. These negative effects are indeed significant, but the most dramatic impact will come upon future generations. That’s because same-sex marriage will change the way future generations think about homosexuality and marriage itself.

“The Battle Over Gay Marriage.” Time Magazine by John Cloud

“Gay Marriage vs. American Marriage.” City Journal by Kay S. Hymowitz

“The Homosexual Society.” An Annotated Bibliography by Robert B Marks, Ridinger.

“Questions and Answers: What’s wrong with letting same-sex couples marry?” No Gay Marriage by Peter Sprigg.

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18. September 2010 by student.

      These days, the media is doing a lot more than just broadcasting the news. It is contributing to people thinking twice about the way they eat, breathe, and live, including the way they look at their self body image. Some believe that when you look good, you feel good, and in this case you will reflect what you’re feeling on the outside towards others. Others disagree and argue that the media has put a negative influence on girls today by pressuring them into believing that you need to look good to “fit in” or be someone. Either way, this debate is bound to go on with each side having a strong opinion about their views.       

         Those who argue the media has had a negative effect or body image believe that the media, celebrities, etc., should be held responsible for the way our young kids today look at their self images, and for the self-esteem they carry. Studies investigating the media’s impact on body image find that comparing oneself to thin models in the media results in body image disturbance. “Body image may be one of the western world’s ugliest exports. Thanks to television, magazines, movies and the Internet, rail-thin girls and steroid-built beef-boys are being shoved in the faces of people all over the world”.  

           Women who rely on what the media tells them, have a greater chance of comparing their body shape and size with other women, and may feel worse about their weight and body as a result. The media can have a strong affect on the views of most women, especially those who believe you need a great body image to live a happy life. Critics of media driven body images influence the way we look in the mirror now, making it a whole new different meaning of the term “reflection”, whether it is positive or not. Several studies have concluded that the relationship between viewing thin media images and body image caused a disturbance among female college students. “In these studies, it was proposed that women engage in upward social comparisons with self-evaluative motives, and when they find that they do not “measure up” to the thin models depicted in the media, they feel more negatively about their own weight and body”.

         The media is believed to create images in our head about what the ideal person should look like. People are influenced by what they see and hear, whether they realize it is negative or not. On the contrary, some believe the media promotes healthy body images. The common views of those who believe that when you dress well, or have a good outside appearance, also feel that you will reflect and produce that same feeling on the inside as well. Self-esteem is all about how much people value themselves, the pride they feel in themselves, and how worthwhile they feel. Having a good self-esteem can be important because feeling good about yourself can affect actions.

Sources: http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/problems/body_image.html http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.fgcu.edu/pqdweb?

index=17&did=1654313491&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1257227682&clientId=8631

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18. September 2010 by student.

Seeing that our topic/discussion on Tuesday is about education and fixing it, I thought it would be a great idea to write a blog on it. In the USA Today’s issue this past week, the front page was an article discussing hunger and breakfast at schools. In the state of Colorado, free breakfasts are given to all students and are eaten during announcements. A cart comes around to every classroom with either milk or orange juice cartons and dry cereal. The number of hungry children is on the rise, as the USA Today stated,  fewer than half of the kids who could be eating a free or low-cost breakfast at school are getting one. The USIn Pueblo, school officials take a different, approach: they offer free breakfast to all children regardless of income, so no one is embarrassed to be eating it. In most schools there, breakfast is served right in the classrooms. I have to agree that it’s nice they offer it to everyone. Being in high school is extremely tough with peer pressure and its a really tough transition for most people. As a result, 76% of Pueblo’s kids eat school breakfasts. That’s a HUGE percentage! That’s more than any state and almost every big city, according to the FRAC (Food Research and Action Center), which tracks participation in school meal programs.Now, states such as Colorado and Florida, are pushing schools to follow programs to not only improve students’ performance in school but to combat rising hunger in tough economic times. The number of U.S. households that can’t consistently put food on the table rose to 17 million, or 14.6%, in 2008, the highest level in a decade. The use of food stamps is at an all-time high, and so is the percentage of children receiving free or reduced-price school meals, which rose from 59.3% in 2007 to 62.5% in 2009. “This is a tremendous concern and needs to be addressed,” said Gary Davis, founder of the Got Breakfast? Foundation, which gives schools grants to increase breakfast participation. It’s a simple way we can improve our society.The cost of school breakfast for needy kids, like the cost of their lunches, is eligible for federal reimbursement. Most U.S. schools, 86%, offer it. They aren’t asking taxpayers to feed every kid a free breakfast at school, but are saying that in very high-need areas, a way to effectively provide breakfast at school is through a universal breakfast program. Studies indicate that children learn better when they aren’t hungry. Kids who eat breakfast right before taking tests score higher than kids who ate hours before. In addition, serving breakfast in class results in less tardiness, less disruptive behavior and fewer visits to the nurse. Making sure children get fed has become central to schools’ mission. Feeding hungry kids is a given. We are in many ways the biggest social support for children.This is a necessary part of the educational process!http://www.gotbreakfast.org/grants.php

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18. September 2010 by student.

          Many argue over the principles of animal testing. Some believe that animal testing is one of the most accurate ways to learn how chemicals will affect our bodies. It is also said that animal testing can help for a great deal of research However, others like myself, disagree and see animal testing as a very inhumane thing. I think that animal testing should be banned, because animals are living, breathing, species just like us. Sacrificing an animal just to test a product is cruel and just not worth it. Would you want to have unknown products or substances tested on your pet? I know I wouldn’t.    

       In respect to my opponent’s side, animals being used for scientific research can help lead to breakthroughs in surgical procedures, drug testing, and even cosmetics. Some claim, to make advancements in the medical field, using animals for scientific research should be acceptable. If animals weren’t being tested on with all of these different products, or used for scientific research, we might not have all of the things we have today. According to buzzle.com, a survey conducted in the American Medical Association indicated that ‘99% of all active physicians in the United States believe that animal research has given rise to medical advancements’. As a result, animal testing is foreseen as constructive thing by many with credentials.

             However, I still have to disagree. Animal testing is not only inhumane, but is also very expensive and costly. In addition, there is also the argument that the reaction of a drug in an animal’s body is quite different from the reaction in a human. That goes to show that using animals for scientific research can be unreliable. An organization known as PETA campaigns against the treatment of animals in such harmful environments; This including animal testing used for scientific research.

         According to PETA.org, estimates of the number of animals tortured and killed annually in U.S. laboratories are in the millions cite  Furthermore, the proponents of banning the use of animals for scientific research includes the fact that animals have no voice and aren’t able to speak up. Innocent animals are being killed or abused for no reason at all, which is not fair to them in any way.  

Cites: http://www.edubook.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-animal-testing/11965/  

http://www.peta.org/actioncenter/testing.asp

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18. September 2010 by student.

College is a big step in a new direction, and each year young adults are faced with leaving their young ones or moving in different directions. Lately I find that a lot of people are engaged in long distance relationships. Whether it be 2 hours away, or all the way in Wisconsin, these people are really trying to make it work. Although, there are still those debbie downers who don’t believe in that and have broken up for that same reason- distance.

If these people wish to stay in a relationship no matter the distance, then more to them. However if they do not last, they should not put a damper on other members of society who are trying to actually make their relationships last and work. Lately, I have talked to many different people who find themselves in this situation. I even have a roommate who is an international student and is finding herself in this situation; however, she and her boyfriend are still trying to make it work. With today’s advance in technology, we have many different ways to try and make a relationship work. Between Skype, which is a web chatting program, to Facebook, texting, and much more, technology has made it easier, if you ask me, on keeping a relationship going.

 According to some, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.”  Also, long distance relationships can and will test you and your partner; you need to trust him/her entirely. According to LongDistanceRelationships.com, surveyed 200 people in a long distance relationship, and found out: Couples live an average of 125 miles apart, and visit each other 1.5 times per month. Phone calls are made every 2.7 days; the average call lasts 30 minutes. Letters (not counting emails) are exchanged 3 times per month, and most couples expect to be separated an average of 14 months. The success of your long distance relationship will depend on you and on your significant other. Some people can do it while others cannot. Trust is one of the biggest keys to a relationship, because without trust, there is nothing.

Sources: http://education-portal.com/articles/Tips_for_a_Long_Distance_College_Relationship.html

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17. September 2010 by student.

There has been studying’s showing that women don’t like living on the first floor of apartment complexes do to the fact they think people can see in there bedroom or that people are watching them. I read an article in Cosmo Magazine and they told a story about a girl in college that wanted to be moved from the first floor to the third floor because there were two guys stalking her. She found cigarette buds and foot prints outside her bedroom wind every night. She would walk her dog in the mornings and she would see people hiding behind building’s and staring at her. On a early foggy morning she walked her dog and looked at her window and she saw hand prints on her bedroom window.  I think that it’s a really scary situation to have people stalking/looking in your window. But I think that it’s not just girls that get the creepers, guys could have people who creep and watch them. So I don’t really think that it’s fair to move girls to higher floors and leave guys on the bottom. It’s true that more girls have a problem with “Peeping Tom’s” but there’s not much you can do about them besides be careful and cautious. Make sure your blinds are down when it’s night time and not do anything that you don’t want people to see you doing.

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17. September 2010 by student.

I have recently read the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and yes I have also seen the movie, but the book pointed out a concept that the movie could never have done justice. The book overall is about a middle aged women who goes on a journey to find herself in three different countries. With each country she focuses on a different task. In Italy she focuses on passion, in India she strives for devotion and in Indonesia she discovers balance. An underlining theme throughout the book that the main character, Liz, personally struggles with is the this idea of pure relaxation. The ability to treat yourself and indulge in whatever satisfies you, without feeling guilty about it. In Italy she observed women pampering themselves on a regular basis, people of all ages and backgrounds eating gelato before work, and people taking regular weekend vacations to explore and travel. These minor indulgences were so common there that it was just a way of life, like a normal appointment in their daily schedules. It was like people made room for comfort and relaxation. And I feel like the American culture doesn’t allow us to do this. Living in the fast pace society that we are notorious for, there is little to no room for stopping. And I don’t mean zoning out in front of a T.V for a countless amount of hours, that doesn’t count. But the rare times that people do stop, relax and go to a spa or treat themselves to a rich dessert they feel the need to justify their actions. Why do we feel compelled to do this? Why can’t we treat ourselves? We deserve it. I feel that our culture should start incorporating this concept into our lives. We should all feel the need to let loose and relax on a regular basis rather than feel guilty when we bust out our lounge chairs and kick back. If we just took the time to do little things for ourselves that would make us feel better, it would increase productivity and create a better work environment for everyone. If we let go of the guilt and could full heartedly enjoy ourselves, people would genuinely be better off. Stress and anxiety would slowly become more manageable and less overwhelming.  So let this book be a lesson for all busy Americans, take the time to sit down and relax. There is plenty of enough time to get things done, take a few minutes to do something for you.

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