Communication?

Inflated Grades

As you are all counting down the days before the end of the school year, universities all over the nation are revving up for the barrage of applications that they will receive.  There will be chess champions, swimmers, football players, class presidents, brainiacs - you name it.  And, they will all be competing for a handful of spots at colleges around the world.  

There are many students in this pool who have worked hard over the last four years.  They have stayed home on the weekends to study or put the final touches on a class project.  They have earned their grades, and oh yeah, in the meantime, got a great education (didn't want you to forget about the "E" word).  

Then there are the "other" students.  These students may have flashy grades in flashy classes but they put in minimal effort during school.  When times got tough they complained to their parents or counselors.  "My teacher is too hard," or "I can't keep up with the work."  They cheat on tests and quizzes.  They bow to the glory that is the internet, especially the websites that sell wonderfully written essays for the bargain price of $50 a page.  When they fail it is everyone else's fault.  When they succeed they "tried their best."

I have had students that fit in to both categories.  I have also been asked (or told) to change grades by administration to account for the complainers (remember the flashy grades).  I know that students of both categories will be competing for the same spot in college.  I know whose grades are inflated and whose grades are a true representation of their high school academics.  Hell, many of you know (when you search deep down inside) where you stand in relation to your peers.

Is it fair?  Is it right?  No.  Is it reality?  Unfortunately, yes.

Wild Abandonment

Weekends make me feel good about the world. I am not sure if this is because, for the most part, I have two days to do as I please, or if it is my refusal to read or watch major news on Saturdays and Sundays. Either way, feeling good about the world cannot be a bad thing.

I usually take in a movie or two over the weekend and this one was no exception. Today my hubby and I went to see "Adventureland" at our favorite tiny, mostly independent theater. I really enjoyed this film. It did not have a grand message or a amazing filming techniques but it seemed sincere, or as sincere as a teen flick can possibly get.

One of the characteristics of the film that interested me was the representation of the complete and utter wild abandonment that is embraced by "the young." I say "the young" because most "adults" are unable to embrace that feeling of wild abandonment anymore. Adults have those retched responsibilities - bills to pay, mouths to feed, chores to do, errands to run, jobs to hold. This film reminded of that time when I did not care so much about the things that weigh down my mind these days. It reminded me of my days of wild abandonment.

Now, don't get me wrong. I cannot and will not condone some of the modes of wild abandonment that were present in the film. But, I do think that doing something a little bit freeing every once in a while is good for the soul. Is it going to always have a harmless outcome - absolutely not. But we learn from our mishaps and hopefully this learning process will not produce such an intense feeling of regret.

I know many of you already engage in the wild abandonment that characterizes youth. My advice - be careful, and don't do anything overtly stupid. But, for those of you who have never experienced wild abandonment - and I am not referring to using drugs or alcohol or doing anything that is not beneficial to your body - let go a bit and have some fun. Does this mean you have to put aside your responsibilities? Absolutely not. It means that you have to find time for yourself to do something that makes you feel free and lighthearted. Pull a little Dicaprio/Winslet Titanic moment - you won't regret it.

Suggestions

One of my goals is for my students to analyze and reflect upon their education. I want my students to think about how and where education fits in their lives and also how they can improve their own learning. I also want students to reflect upon how education can change. Many of them are in fact going to be procreating some day and there will come a time when the education of others will have a huge impact on their lives.

But, sometimes I feel like I am beating a dead horse during class. I get the feeling that my students are tired of contemplating their own education. They are tired of being reminded of how much more they NEED to do and how much NEEDS to change.

So, I would like some suggestions of topics I can introduce, either through literature or articles and essays, that you would like to discuss during class. What topics will make you sit up in your seat and speak vehemently (vocab. word :) to your peers?

Natural Beauty

I spent my Spring break in Sedona, Arizona. Many of my students have asked me why I would go to Arizona and I have no particular answer. I like visiting different places and I felt like getting in touch with my "inner nature goddess." So, I picked Arizona.

Sedona is touted as a funky little artsy town. It is artsy and funky, but I found that it has begun to cater to tourists a little too much, and in the process is losing a bit of its identity. It is the equivalent of your favorite musician "selling out." The town has chosen to bask in the economic benefits of more tourism at the expense of forgetting what drew visitors in the first place. I am glad that I was able to see the town in the beginning of this process, before all of the "good stuff" is sucked up by capitalism.

On the other hand, the town is quite environmentally friendly (which I loved) and strives to pass along its environmental tips to visitors. For example, there are few stop lights and instead roundabouts. This saves people an average of 40 gallons of gas each year. Also, most of the lights shine downward therefore cutting back on the light pollution in the area.

But, regardless of my opinions on the "feel" of the area, the natural beauty of Arizona cannot be argued. Every morning as we drove through Red Rock Country I gazed in awe at the beautiful rock formations. You could live here your entire life and always be able to see something new. The light from the sky constantly bathes the land in new and interesting ways and the night sky seems surreal as the moon hangs above the mountain tops.

Although the beauty of the Red Rocks was breathtaking, the Grand Canyon surpassed it all. I felt honored to see the Grand Canyon for the second time in my life. You would think that looking at a bunch of rocks is no big deal, but when you get there and can feel the wind blowing through your hair, those rocks become a living, breathing, entity. As you gaze down into hundreds of years of life you feel thankful to be able to see something so extraordinary. A sight like the Grand Canyon can inspire even the most ambitious people.

Have any of you witnessed a natural wonder that changed the way you look at the world? I would love to hear about it - perhaps a picture too! Check out the slideshow on the right to see some pictures from my trip.