Current Event #3

Hamdan, Sara. “Children Thrive in Rural Colombia's Flexible Schools.” The New York Times Company 10 Nov. 2013. nytimes. Web. 18 Feb. 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/world/americas/children- thrive- in-rural-colombias-flexible-schools.html?ref=colombia>

Szekely, Pedro. “Cartagena, Colombia.” Photography. Yahoo, 15 July, 2010. flickr. Web. 18
Feb. 2013. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/43355249@N00/5058016365?rb=1>

      This article is about a teacher named Ms.Myriam Mazzo. She is a teacher in central Colombia. As stated in the article in Myriam Mazzo's classroom "she teaches children of various ages and grade levels who work in small groups at their own pace"(Hamdam). I believe her method of teaching really helps the students learn more seeing the fact their families are rather poor and the children have to work to provide income. However, "The method, developed by Clara Victoria Colbert de Arboleda in the 1970s, was designed specifically for teachers like Ms. Mazzo, teaching multiple grade levels in one classroom in rural communities" (Hamdam) many teachers that have to attach multiple grade levels at once should definitely try this method.
      I connect this article to school because in my Spanish 1 class we just got finished sending school supplies, clothes and letters to the Columbia kids up there. I also feel like it's great feedback learning about their everyday lives, and on how we can help improve it. Since some of the country is less fortunate the little things we can do for them could mean so much.
     My reaction on this article is that the teaching method Mazzo uses is very helpful. If the kids were on the same school standards as us it would have been hard for them to pass. As stated in the article,"students miss school for months at a time, to work or for family reasons" (Hamdam) just so they can survive. This could make education seem less important. I also feel like since they have to struggle with life they could be more worried about that then what they could do with and education, such as go to college.

Short Answer Response : How does the author support his claim? 
      I believe the author is supporting the Escuela Nueva strategy. The reason I feel this way is because it talked positively about it and had Mazzo's to back it up. For example, the author stated "The Escuela Nueva’s strategy also aims to make education more relevant to the students’ daily lives and those of their families" (Hamdam) nothing the author ever says is negative about The Escuela Nueva's strategy. I also enjoyed the quote the end “Change won’t take place up in some office, it has to take place right on the ground. (Hamdam) meaning that sometimes the head of the school officials don't know what its really like for their student's so if you work with them more progress could be made.

Current Event #2

             In this article marijuana being less approved of each day is being discussed. President Obama use to smoke pot back in the day his opinion is stated "I don't think it is more dangerous than alcohol" (3). With all of the people support the legalization of marijuana, as stated in the article " "just say no," isn't going to cut it" (Hoder). I feel as if the author is correct on this statement, if so many rather famous people are supporting pot then more kids are going to start think there nothing wrong with smoking it.
              My position on this article would be to start enforcing how dangerous marijuana is and all the side-effects it can cause. This event affects me because kids my age are doing it around me. One may feel like they are pressured into doing it if their friends are doing it. Tons of research have been on done on marijuana and it has an effect on the brain in various situations. For instance, memory. I believe the connection this topic has to do with school is because students test scores in North Carolina have been dropping, we're having to work harder to get our scores right on the scale.
              What is the author's point of view? The authors point of view in my opinion is that marijuana should be took into consideration that teens are starting to smoke it and abuse it. As stated in the article by Matthew J. Smith "If a teen introduces the abuse of marijuana at that point in their life, it could have consequences for their ability to problem solve, for their memory and for critical thinking in general"(9). I agree with the author. Usually people who smoke marijuana tend to be slow at thinking. Also another fat that was stated in the article was "one of its most crucial findings related not to the amount of pot an adolescent smoked, but when he or she started: The earlier the drug was taken up, the worse the effects on the brain"(12) one may feel as if you should wait till you're older and your brain is finished developing because if you start smoking pot at a young age while your brain is developing then you could do severe damage to your thinking process.
              In conclusion, marijuana has major effects on your brain and since so many people are supporting it and trying to get it legalized our young adults are experimenting with it not knowing how it could actually affect them in a health state.

Hoder, Randye. “Marijuana: Why it’s still a big deal if your teen smokes pot?” CNN 28 Jan. 2014.

Turner Broadcasting. Web Jan 2014.

<http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/28/health/time-teens-pot/index.html?hpt=us_mid>.

Alexodus. “How High.” Photography. Flickr. Yahoo, 24 Jun 2007. Web. 28 Jan 2014. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/81369328@N00/614183558>.

Current Event #1

     In this article Robyn Barberry was informing one about a 64-year-old bus driver that was being criticized for not break up a fight while on student was bet by three others. Barberry also exclaimed "the adults who work in public schools are outnumbered" (My View). This meaning when a violent scene unfolds and there's 40-students for ever one teacher how can they control the riot? Also, in the article Barberry suggested if she could possibly lose her job while defending herself against another student. In my opinion students nowadays have become overly aggressive with their teachers. I also feel like schools should have more team building activities to help the violence student’s show to one another. In this article the question "Where do we draw the line?" (My View) was asked. The reaction I think should be taken place on this subject is, allowing self-defense to a certain extent within educational boundaries.


      What is the central idea of the passage and how is it developed and refined throughout the selection? I feel like the central idea of this passage is that students in school facilities are starting to bully their other peers and also there teacher's more than the past. Since this is becoming a major issue in schools, citizens of our country are trying to reach out to help lower these percentages. One may feel like the author developed and refined this issues throughout the passage by using the bus drivers experience on not wanting to break up the fight on account of being hurt and also losing his job for defending himself.

Works Cited:
Barberry, Robyn. "My View: Why I Won't Break Up a Fight." CNN Aug. 2013. schoolsofthought. Web.
Dec 2014. <http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2013/08/10/my-view-why-i-wont-break-up-a-school-right/>

Grez, Diego. "Bullying on Instituto Regional Fedrico Errazuriz." Photography. wikimedia.
Mediawiki, March 5, 2007. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Bullying_on_Instituto_Regional_Federico_Err%C3%A1zuriz_%28IRFE%29_in_March_5%2C_2007.jpg>

Literacy Blog # 10

http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9057151/carry-on-warming/




In this article the author exclaims "The chief benefits of global warming include: fewer winter deaths; lower energy costs; better agricultural yields; probably fewer droughts; maybe richer biodiversity" most people seem to feel that global warming only does bad thing to the Earth. Global warming would increase wealth and enable us to adapt to climate change in the future by giving us more benefits , which would save us money. In my opinion we should care that climate change has caused a great amount of change in our economic output. I feel this way because the economy being low means less money, and more struggle for us to deal with. Fewer job opportunities, this could cause people to become "poor" or low class.  I don't really think we could actually compare the cost and benefits of global warming without actually trying the methods.  Some polices we could make, would be no littering, and using different economical heating/cooling systems, also cutting back on the air pollution. 

Letter To Myself : Extra Credit

Mission Statement:

Dear Alexus,

I don't like the fact most of the time you try to stay hidden. But you live your life as if you’re forever free. Not being ashamed of the person you really are. Looking in the mirror and asking do I really know you? I know its tough dealing with the stress; but you got so much going for you right now. Keep pushing through to the success. Just like Beyoncé said "I want to leave my footprints on the sand of time", just to let someone know I was here. Alexus you live each day like it’s your last, remembering life's too short to wake up with regrets. Keep in mind and don’t forget, you have a purpose on this world and you've made a difference in someone’s life. Don’t give up, this is just the beginning.

                                                     

Yours Truly, Alexus Nacole Moore

Added: May 10, 2013 | Image size: 475x700px | Source: tumblr.com http://favimages.net/image/52687/

Literacy Blog 9

I believe people do have a choice to stop eating Oreo's once they started, I mean yeah there delicious but if you make yourself stop you can! Not everyone really considers health to gratification, probably cause as teens or kids most of us have a high metabolism and we don't really gain weight that much. Also , I think even if people are more healthy than others, they usually treat themselves to a sweet unhealthy treat for their progress. I think the difference from saying Oreo's are someones "Pleasure" and saying someone is "Addicted" to them is huge. In my point of view I don't think someone could actually be addicted to them. It just they are way more preferable, since they contain sugar! Rats show that they just felt ordinary pleasure from the cookie/ creamy filling. The article explained " Other rats were put in the same maze but given an injection of cocaine or morphine or saline when they reached the end" (6par), For instance, Oreo cookies dosen't have the same drug like ingredients  them as the drugs did. However, they just triggered the brain as something enjoyable. In conclusion, even Oreo's may be addictive, but I don't agree they should be addictive as drugs.

Literacy Blog 8

In my opinion, having to take on a fecal transplant would be disgusting! However, if it involved saving my life I might just have to suck it up and go for it. In the article it describes the pills as “It is packed into triple-coated gel capsules so they won't dissolve until they reach the intestines” (par6), This would probably make the consumer feel better about the pill because its packaged into a gel capsule. If I would have to take the transplant I would prefer using the throat tube procedure. I believe the pill was designed so that it won't dissolve till it reaches the stomach because, the smell,and  the extra bacteria. Some possible future advances could be “with out-of-whack gut bacteria, such as hospitalized patients vulnerable to antibiotic-resistant germs” (laspar). This should make the process seem way more, sterilized and less disgusting.